CyberGhost VPN a complete VPN solution that allows you to access blocked site. The best VPN for Mac 2020 Get online security & privacy, plus access blocked content - including Netflix, iPlayer and YouTube - with these top VPN services for Mac. By Ashleigh Macro, Head of. ExpressVPN is the fastest VPN we've tested so far on Mac. It also offers broad device support, Netflix compatibility, and helpful features for advanced users. Try Macworld Risk-Free Subscribe. This VPN has software for platforms like Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, as well as.
Do you want to browse the internet without being tracked and spied? Or are you looking to access any geo-restricted website? There are many other reasons including the above that has brought you to look for the best free VPN for Mac. Am I right?
So here we have listed the top-rated VPN services which are completely free of cost. But before moving forward we suggest you check out the version of the operating system running on Mac. This will make it easy for you to check the compatibility of your Mac with the software listed in this article.
The Best Free VPN for Mac in 2020
In this article, we have listed some of the best free VPN for Mac. We suggest you go through each of them to have a clear idea of what are the pros and cons of each. But before moving forward check out the reasons why you should use a VPN service. We have also discussed the differences between a free and paid VPN service.
Why use a VPN?
I have been asked this question numerous times by my friends. That why do I always use a VPN? The answer is very straight and simple. There are tons of benefits that I get when I use a VPN service. Let me sum up all of them here for you.
Security.
The first and foremost thing that matters to me is security. My worst nightmare would be someone looking up my data. And I am sure you will agree with me on this.
A good VPN service encrypts all your data and secures it. This adds an extra layer of security compared to regular browsing. All your data goes through a secure tunnel and it is near to impossible for hackers to get close to your data.
Anonymity.
Anonymity is another important feature that a VPN service offers. No one wants their activity to be tracked by someone. When you use a VPN service it replaces your IP address with one of there servers. This makes it impossible for even advertising companies to target marketing ads to you.
Moreover, the temporary IP address that is allotted to you for browsing cannot be linked to your original IP address. The best for mac. This keeps your identity anonymous and no one knows what you have browsed.
Access Geo-restricted Content.
Some of the major content providers such as Netflix, Hulu, etc. Super nintendo controller for mac. apply restrictions to access their content based on the location the user is based. Now the location of the user is will be determined by the IP address the user has. But when you are using a VPN service you can simply choose another server based in some other part of the world that can access the content.
Let's make this simple. If you are residing in some part of Asia and want to access Netflix US content, what are the possible options? You can use a VPN service and choose the US server and then access the content.
There are many other advantages of using a VPN service. But the ones listed above are the most useful ones. Meanwhile, you can also check the Best Internet Browser for Mac. Some of the browsers listed in the article have great features you can benefit from.
Which one to choose? Free or Paid VPN?
The first thing that is important to keep in mind is the purpose why are you choosing a VPN. If a free VPN with limited features does your job then it is the best option for you.
But if you are looking for professional software with all the great features and top-notch security then don't compromise on it.
Here I am going to list out a few differences between a free and paid VPN. This will definitely give you a clear idea of which one is the best for you. And then you can go ahead and check out our list of the best free VPN for Mac.
The Privacy offered by Free and Paid VPN
When we talk about free stuff, all of us know that nothing comes free in this world. You will have to compromise something. And same is the case with a free VPN service. Most of the free VPN service providers profit by selling the user's browsing data that they track. Thus marketing companies buy the data target ads to your IP address. This is a big flaw of the free VPN services.
But in case of paid VPN service this not the case. Some of the best VPN service providers encrypt your data and browsing sessions and don't even save the information on their records. So there is no trace of your data and browsing sessions anywhere. But if you are willing to compromise on your privacy and use a VPN on an occasional basis then a free VPN can do the job for you.
The Security offered by Free and Paid VPN
Free VPN services cannot afford to provide top security and encryption. Thus they offer weak security and encryption that is at-risk of decryption by hackers. This is a big threat to your security. For example, if you are shopping online and entering data of your credit card or online banking using a free VPN service, chances are that someone can hack your data easily as compared to a paid VPN service.
Paid VPN service providers offer some of the world's best security to its customers. It is impossible for hackers to even get a trace of your activity. And talking about decrypting your data is impossible.
The Internet Speed limit using a Free and Paid VPN
Using a free VPN puts limits on your Internet Speed. This is due to the fact that they don't have huge servers across different counting and infrastructure to do that. But slow speed is not a big flaw if the VPN is good in security and privacy.
In case of a paid VPN service, your internet speed will be great for either streaming videos or just browsing. A good paid VPN service offers hundreds of servers in countries.
If you are wondering which VPN service do I trust the most, I have shared the link below. ExpressVPN is my choice when it comes to paid VPN service providers. And this is after I have tried a dozen of VPN services already.
The list of the Best Free VPN for Mac
In this list, we have added some of the best free VPN services. We have also added trial versions of premium services if you are looking for a free VPN for occasional use. Trial versions of premium services offer better security and privacy compared with completely free VPN services offering unlimited features. The first five VPN services are completely free with no limitation of days. The last five VPN services are trial versions which are for a limited period of time.
1. TunnelBear VPN
Overview
The very first on our list of the best free VPN for Mac is TunnelBear VPN. It was developed by TunnelBear Inc. but is now acquired by McAfee. TunnelBear is one of the very few VPN service providers which offer good security and privacy with all basic features.
Being a freemium product, it has set a limit of 500MB of VPN data. This is great for users who wish to use the service for a limited time in a month. Such as sending some important work emails, etc, while using public wifi.
Compatibility
TunnelBear works great with most of the operating systems. It is compatible with iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Browser, and Blocker.
Price
- Free: The free plan offers 500 MB of free browsing.
- Unlimited: This plan starts at $4.99/month with unlimited browsing.
- Teams: This plan starts at $5.75/user per month.
Features
- Privacy: TunnelBear VPN service does not log activity logs of the user. Therefore all your browsing history will remain private and. Adding to this, if the connection is lost, this VPN service will disconnect you from all other places so that your data remain private until a safe connection is ensured.
- Performance: This service offers decent speed compared with other unsecured VPN services. We can not say it is lightning fast, but good enough to get your job done. If you have any issues or are stuck with something you can connect to the support team and they will guide you through.
- Security: The best part of this free service is its security. It offers AES-256 bit encryption used in paid VPN services as well.
Drawbacks
- Limited Data: Its drawback is its limited data of 500MB. You have to buy more data in case this one exhausts.
- Limited Network. TunnelBear is still expanding but at present, it offers limited servers in over 23+ countries.
2. Hotspot Shield
Overview
Hotspot Shield is another popular name in the field of Virtual Private Networks. This software was developed by AnchorFree and now operated by Pango. It is another great freemium service. This VPN service markets itself as the fastest free VPN. Although we cannot confirm if it is the fastest but surely it offers good performance.
Hotspot Shield's free service offers 500 MB of data every day, which is far more than many of its competitors. But the main drawback we found using its free service was the advertising flashing on screens. And in the free service, you have access to the company's server only in the U.S. So if you have no issues with advertisements and privacy concerns regarding your data then you can opt for this service.
Compatibility
Hotspot Shield VPN service is compatible with iOS, macOS, Windows, Chrome and Android devices.
Price
- Free: The free version limits to 500 MB data per day with advertisements.
- Premium Plan billed Monthly: The monthly plan is billed at $12.99.
- Premium Plan billed Annually: The annual plan is billed at $95.88.
Features
- No Logs: Hotspot Shield VPN service claims to not store any of the browsing histories of the user. This is a great add on if you are looking for a free VPN service.
- Transparent VPN service: This well known VPN service is clear when it comes to its location, company's history, etc. It is important to know where your VPN service provider is located. This adds to the trust of the users.
- Good Encryption: This VPN service offers military grade-encryption. Both the free and premium plan has the same encryption. It also blocks out malware and other dangerous sites.
Drawbacks
- Advertisements: Free VPN service has to make money out of something. So marketing websites are allowed to display ads to users when you are using this VPN service. It can be irritating for some users.
- Limited VPN server: The free plan limits the user to choose from a number of servers provided in the premium plan.
3. Windscribe
Overview
Windscribe is a private company that offers tools for internet security and privacy. Its headquarters is located at Richmond Hill, CA. This is another useful VPN service that offers a free VPN plan with 10 GB of data limit. You can also switch to its premium plan for additional data.
Compatibility
Windscribe offers compatibility for Mac, Windows, Chrome, Firefox, iPhone, and Linux.
Price
- Free: The free plan offers 10GB/month of free data and allows access to 10 countries.
- Premium Plan billed monthly: It is billed at $9.0/month and offers all the premium features.
- Premium Plan billed annually: It is billed at $49/year.
Features
- Access Geo-restricted Content: There are many websites that block users based on their location. With a good number of servers to choose from, Windscribe allows users to access geo-blocked content for free.
- Keep browsing history safe: It is good to know that Windscribe is one of those VPN service providers who keep no logs of users browsing history. So now nobody knows what you have searched for.
- Use public Wifi securely: if you are using a public Wifi you can launch this VPN service so that it adds an extra layer of security. No one can hack your data while you use this VPN.
Drawbacks
- Slow Speed: Reduction in speed and frequent loss of connection are the main drawbacks we found in Windscribe.
4. hide.me
Overview
hide.me is a VPN service provider that offers good security, privacy and nice performance in both its free and paid plans. While the free plan limits users to a few servers to choose from and limited data, the paid plan offers access to all its servers and unlimited data.
Moreover hide.me is a reliable service which clearly states that it does not store any data of the user and therefore there is no point in selling the information they don't store to marketing companies.
Compatibility
Hide.me is available for Windows, macOS, Android, iPhone and iPad, Amazon Fire TV and Browser Extensions.
Price
- Free Plan: Limited to 2GB/month.
- Premium Plan billed Monthly: $12.95/month
- Premium Plan billed Yearly: 1-year plan billed for $8.32/month and 2-year plan billed for $4.99/month with 2 months free.
Features Outlook download for mac.
- Good Speed: You get a good browsing speed when using this VPN service.
- No storing of data: This VPN service does not store user data, and therefore your privacy is not at risk.
- Technical Support: hide.me is one of the few services which offer 24/7 customer support for the free plan.
- No advertisements: Another great thing about this service is that you are not the target of any advertisements while using this VPN service.
Drawbacks
- Data Transfer Limit: This free service offers 2GB of data limit for users. You can increase this by opting for the premium plan.
- Limited Servers: In the free tier you get to choose from only 5 server locations.
- One device at a time: This VPN service limits free users to one device at a time.
5. ProtonVPN
Overview
ProtonVPN is a Switzerland based VPN service that is well known for its strict privacy laws. So you need not worry about your privacy if you are opting for this VPN service provider.
This company is built on the values of transparency, honesty, security, and privacy. These points are essential to look for if you want to use a VPN service. We highly recommend free ProtonVPN if you are looking for a reliable and good service but can compromise on the speed.
Compatibility
ProtonVPN is compatible with macOS, Windows, Linux, and Android devices.
Best Free Vpn For Macbook
Price
- Free: This plan offers a limited number of servers and one device only.
- Basic: This plan is for 4 Euro/month with access to all servers.
- Plus: This plan is for 8 Euro/month with additional features and great speed.
- Visionary: This plan is for 24 Euro/month with access to all features that ProtonVPN has to offer.
Features
- Servers: In the free plan you get access to over 3 countries and their servers. While the premium plan offers access for servers in 30+ countries.
- No logs policy: ProtonVPN is another trusted free VPN service on our list. It complies with the privacy policy of not storing and sharing uses browsing data.
- No Advertisements: There are limited free VPN services that offer no ads while using their service and ProtonVPN is one of them.
Drawbacks
- Limited to one device: In the free plan, the user can only use the service on one device at a time while on upgrading to a premium plan it increases to over 10 devices.
- Speed: The free plan is not very fast. It is slow at times and you cannot stream videos using it.
6. ExpressVPN
Overview
ExpreeVPN is our first choice when it comes to the best private and secure tool for browsing. This company is based in the British Virgin Islands. If you are looking to try out a VPN service before spending your money on it, then this is one of the best options available.
ExpressVPN offers a 30-Day money-back guarantee. You can get a full refund of your amount if you cancel your subscription within 30 days of use. In this way, you can get access to all its features for 30 days and then make your decision.
Compatibility
ExpressVPN is compatible with Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Microsoft Windows operating systems.
Price
All the plans listed below offer a 30-Day money-back guarantee.
- Monthly Plan: $12.95/month
- 15 Months Plan: $6.67/month with additional 3 free months.
- 6 Months Plan: $9.99/month
Features
- VPN servers: This VPN service offers 3000+ VPN servers located in 94 countries.
- Encryption: It offers one of the world's most secure AES with 256-bit encryption.
- Kill Switch: Whenever there is a failure in connection all the activity going in and out of the user's device will come to a halt. This is done so that nobody can even get close to your data.
- Unblock Websites: ExpressVPN allows access to some of the most popular video streaming websites such as Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, etc. In this way, you can watch content from all over the world without any restrictions.
Drawbacks
- We found no drawbacks in ExpressVPN. The only thing we found is that it is costlier compared to other VPN services. But as it does not compromise on anything it is worth using.
7. NordVPN
Overview
The next on our list of the best free VPN for Mac is NordVPN. NordVPN is based in Panama, which has no data retention laws. This means that the company can not be asked to collect data from users by government agencies.
Adding to this, NordVPN is our second best choice in terms of security, privacy, and performance. This VPN service also offers a 30-Day money-back guarantee. So you can use all its services for a period of 30 days for free.
Compatibility
NordVPN is available to download for Android, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android TV, Linux and browser extensions.
Price
All the plans listed below offer a 30-Day money-back guarantee.
- 1-month Plan: $11.95/month
- 1-Year Plan: $6.99/month
- 2-year Plan: $4.99/month
- 3-Year Plan: $3.49/month
Features
- NordVPN Servers: This service offers 5483 servers in 58 countries.
- Connections: NordVPN allows one account to set up 6 devices at a time. So you can secure all your devices with just one account.
- No throttling: There are no limitations on the data limit in the case of NordVPN. You can enjoy viewing complete series without your connection time going out.
- Customer Service: Great customer service is available if you need any assistance 24/7.
- Payment options: You can use cryptocurrencies to pay for your subscription so that your identity remains hidden. Even more, you can pay at some locations by cash.
Drawbacks
- Torrenting: Although NordVPN performs great in every field, it lags behind in torrenting. NordVPN does support torrenting but is limited to a few servers only.
8. KeepSolid VPN Lite
Overview
KeepSolid VPN Unlimited and KeepSolid VPN Lite are one of the best choices when it comes to streaming services online. You can easily unblock websites offering international content that is blocked due to geo-restrictions.
Although VPN Unlimited is a premium service, we have listed it for the best free VPN for Mac because of its 7-day money-back guarantee.
KeepSolid VPN Lite version is also available which is completely free of charge.
Compatibility
VPN Lite is compatible with iPhone, Android, and Mac.
Whereas, KeepSolid VPN Unlimited is compatible with macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux, Windows Phone, Chrome Extension, and Firefox Extension.
Price
KeepSolid VPN Lite has three plans.
- Free: The free plan offers good security with a decent speed with access to 1 server.
- Turbo: This paid plan gives access to 400 VPN servers with a 7-day money-back guarantee.
- TurboStream: This plan offers great streaming speed and security with advanced features.
Features
- Use Public Wi-Fi: If you are accessing a public Wi-fi you can launch VPN lite to encrypt all your data to save it from hackers or any possible threats.
- Access geo-blocked websites: In case you want to view any information on a website that has location restriction you can switch to another server which allows access to that website.
- Security: Secure all your data and activity with AES 256 bit encryption.
Drawbacks
- Lags in speed: When tested the free version is not so fast and lags in speed. It also does not successfully access some very popular video streaming websites.
9. CyberGhost
Overview
CyberGhost is a great VPN service provider that offers a completely free 24 hours of the trial period. You have access to all its features and servers in this trial period.
If the trial period is not enough for you, you can even test this VPN for another 45 days with a complete money-back guarantee. This is one of the reasons it got its place in the best free VPN for Mac.
Drawbacks
- We found no drawbacks in ExpressVPN. The only thing we found is that it is costlier compared to other VPN services. But as it does not compromise on anything it is worth using.
7. NordVPN
Overview
The next on our list of the best free VPN for Mac is NordVPN. NordVPN is based in Panama, which has no data retention laws. This means that the company can not be asked to collect data from users by government agencies.
Adding to this, NordVPN is our second best choice in terms of security, privacy, and performance. This VPN service also offers a 30-Day money-back guarantee. So you can use all its services for a period of 30 days for free.
Compatibility
NordVPN is available to download for Android, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android TV, Linux and browser extensions.
Price
All the plans listed below offer a 30-Day money-back guarantee.
- 1-month Plan: $11.95/month
- 1-Year Plan: $6.99/month
- 2-year Plan: $4.99/month
- 3-Year Plan: $3.49/month
Features
- NordVPN Servers: This service offers 5483 servers in 58 countries.
- Connections: NordVPN allows one account to set up 6 devices at a time. So you can secure all your devices with just one account.
- No throttling: There are no limitations on the data limit in the case of NordVPN. You can enjoy viewing complete series without your connection time going out.
- Customer Service: Great customer service is available if you need any assistance 24/7.
- Payment options: You can use cryptocurrencies to pay for your subscription so that your identity remains hidden. Even more, you can pay at some locations by cash.
Drawbacks
- Torrenting: Although NordVPN performs great in every field, it lags behind in torrenting. NordVPN does support torrenting but is limited to a few servers only.
8. KeepSolid VPN Lite
Overview
KeepSolid VPN Unlimited and KeepSolid VPN Lite are one of the best choices when it comes to streaming services online. You can easily unblock websites offering international content that is blocked due to geo-restrictions.
Although VPN Unlimited is a premium service, we have listed it for the best free VPN for Mac because of its 7-day money-back guarantee.
KeepSolid VPN Lite version is also available which is completely free of charge.
Compatibility
VPN Lite is compatible with iPhone, Android, and Mac.
Whereas, KeepSolid VPN Unlimited is compatible with macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux, Windows Phone, Chrome Extension, and Firefox Extension.
Price
KeepSolid VPN Lite has three plans.
- Free: The free plan offers good security with a decent speed with access to 1 server.
- Turbo: This paid plan gives access to 400 VPN servers with a 7-day money-back guarantee.
- TurboStream: This plan offers great streaming speed and security with advanced features.
Features
- Use Public Wi-Fi: If you are accessing a public Wi-fi you can launch VPN lite to encrypt all your data to save it from hackers or any possible threats.
- Access geo-blocked websites: In case you want to view any information on a website that has location restriction you can switch to another server which allows access to that website.
- Security: Secure all your data and activity with AES 256 bit encryption.
Drawbacks
- Lags in speed: When tested the free version is not so fast and lags in speed. It also does not successfully access some very popular video streaming websites.
9. CyberGhost
Overview
CyberGhost is a great VPN service provider that offers a completely free 24 hours of the trial period. You have access to all its features and servers in this trial period.
If the trial period is not enough for you, you can even test this VPN for another 45 days with a complete money-back guarantee. This is one of the reasons it got its place in the best free VPN for Mac.
Compatibility
CyberGhost offers products for a wide range of devices such as macOS, Windows, Android, iOS, Linux and it also offers apps for Amazon Firesticks and Android TV.
Price
CyberGhost offers 4 Billing Plans. Each offers a money-back guarantee for a specific period.
- 1 Month: $12.99/month with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
- 1 Year: $5.99/month with a 45-day money-back guarantee which the next 2 plans also offer.
- 2 Year: $3.69/month.
- 3 Year: $2.75/month.
Features
- Browse Anonymously: Like any other good VPN service, CyberGhost replaces your IP address with an IP address from its servers. In this way your identity is hidden and your activity cannot be traced.
- Encryption: Like the very best ExpressVPN and NordVPN, CyberGhost also offers AES 256-bit encryption. Now your data will be far off from the reach of hackers.
- Privacy Policy: This VPN service does not store any data from your browsing history.
- Servers: You get to choose from 6200 server locations spread in 90 countries.
Drawbacks
- Speed: When we compare CyberGhost with the big names such as ExpressVPN, the speed is definitely one expect in which this company is behind. It also takes time to connect.
- Unblocking website: CyberGhost does successfully unblocks many websites but that does not include names of the big players such as Netflix, Hulu, etc.
10. Speedify
Overview
The last on our list of the best free VPN for Mac is Speedify. As the name suggests, it is a very fast VPN service. This VPN uses Channel Bonding to increase its speed and works great. It also encrypts users' data using ChaCha encryption which is very strong. This keep all your data secure.
Speedify offers a 30-Day money-back guarantee for its users. Therefore you can use it for a period of 30 days for free and then if you like the service you can continue with it. If you do not find it fulfilling your needs you can simply unsubscribe to the service and get all your money back.
Compatibility
Speedify is compatible with macOS, Windows, iPhone, Android, and Linux.
Price
Speedify offers three different plans. For more details check out the website.
- Individuals: This plan is billed for 1-month, 1-year, 2-year and 3 years.
- Families: This has further 1-month and 1-year plan.
- Teams: This also has a 1-month and 1-year plan.
Features
- Channel Bonding: This technology used in Speedify VPN uses all available connections to increase the speed of browsing. Using multiple connections gives a boost to speed.
- Security: Speedify uses ChaCha encryption which is based on AES- encryption technology to safeguard users' data. Users can confidently use credit card details to make payments without worrying about anyone spying on their data.
- No Log VPN: This VPN service also claims to not keeping any users browsing history on their database. This company also claims that it does not share users' data with any other company as it does not store it in the first place.
Disadvantages
- Located inside 5 Eyes Jurisdiction: This means that if they are asked by the government to release users' data, what so ever they have, the company will have to do that. This can lead to a breach of your privacy.
Conclusion
We hope you found this article useful on the best free VPN for Mac. If you have queries related to the topic you can let us know in the comment section below.
The first five VPN services are completely free of charge and there is no time limit for there use. But as we have already discussed that free is always not the best. If you are looking for temporary using a VPN to unblock sites you can try the free VPN services.
But if you are looking for long term use you can try the trial period of the premium services. We have listed one of the best VPN services from 6-10. You can choose one that fits your needs. We have listed all the advantages and disadvantages of each VPN service to help you choose.
Related Articles.
Though Mac computers are generally considered the most protected in the world, they are not 100% invulnerable. You can never be sure that you are not tracked by someone – hackers, scammers, intelligent services, or your own ISP. If this seems a bit annoying to you and you experience quite a natural desire to disappear for a while, a good free VPN is exactly what you need.
Moreover, a vpn service can help you resolve some other issues, for example, get access to geo-restricted web content or securely connect to a public Wi-Fi. In our review, we are going to present you a list of best free VPN solutions for Mac of the year 2019.
Before we move on to reviewing best free VPNs for Mac available in the market, let us say that all of them are limited in capabilities in one way or another. Chances are that after using a free VPN for a while, you may start to get annoyed with these limitations. This is why we cannot but talk about the alternative approach.
You can actually use premium VPN software without spending a single dollar on it. Keep on reading to know how to use the best VPNs for free and enjoy unlimited opportunities.
All of the VPNs listed above are top providers that ensure 100% safe web-browsing and suit for streaming and torrenting thanks to high speed. The good news is there is a smart way to use high-quality paid services as free products. The point is that most providers offer a free trial period and/or guaranteed money back period.
- ExpressVPN is without exaggeration it is the best VPN provider for any platform including Mac. The fact you may not be aware of is that it offers an impressive 30-day money back guarantee period. It means that if you are going on a business trip abroad, you may simply download ExpressVPN and use it for over 4 weeks without spending a cent! Just get a full refund no questions asked. ExpressVPN copes well with tough governmental censorship and is, therefore, a perfect choice for people going to countries like China.
- NordVPN is known for its double-security solutions and a huge number of available servers – over 4800 units located in 62 countries of the world. NordVPN offers a free trial, but it only lasts for 3 days, which will suit you in case you need one-time access to a particular web-resource. On the bright side, there is a 30-day period when you can take your money back. That is, you can buy its basic plan, use it as intensively as you like, and simply take your money back in a month!
- CyberGhost VPN– one of the industry's leaders – offers plenty of cool features to Mac users. It has a generous 7-days free trial and 30 days of the guaranteed money back period. It's a good chance for getting VPN software from the globally recognized provider for free.
What is the best free VPN for Mac?
Naturally, free trials and MBG cannot last forever. While most VPN offer significant discounts for 1-year or 2-year packages, you may still have your reasons to look for an absolutely free service.
It's hard to believe, but there are some totally free VPN services that work really well for Mac and can be used for various purposes just as popular paid VPNs.
However, let us once again remind you that all of them have certain limitations. It's for you to decide whether you can do with these restrictions or not, as it largely depends on the goals you pursue. Read all the reviews carefully to find your best VPN for Mac.
TunnelBear
- access to remote servers in 20+ countries
- truly user-friendly interface
- no-logging policy
- no annoying popups
- only 1.5 Gb per month for free
TunnelBear is one of the best VPN services for Mac that has both a free and a paid version. But its free iteration is even more popular, as it has few true competitors. Its performance is pretty good: TunnelBear will let you modify your IP address, access censored and restricted sites, and even unlock streaming services (except for, maybe, Netflix).
TunnelBear is a service that won't make you compromise your privacy. It boasts a 100% zero-logging approach, so you may stop worrying about the probability of your data being traded or stolen. When it comes to security, advanced AES 256-bit encryption and OpenVPN protocol are used by default.
TunnelBear doesn't cut down speed in its free version but you'll hardly be able to stream something with it, as the monthly free traffic is just 500 Mb. Twitting about them will give you extra 1GB monthly, but 1,5 GB is still not quite impressive. This is the biggest disappointment about TunnelBear free package.
A great thing about TunnelBear is that all its servers are available to the users of the free edition. As of now, the provider has servers in 22 countries, which is not bad. Add the fact that the provider doesn't force you to watch pop-up ads, and you'll fall in love with it.
TunnelBear gives its users an opportunity to upgrade to the paid tier at any moment. It offers a single all-in-one pricing plan that allows up to five simultaneous connections and unlimited bandwidth. As for the paid version, the plans are as follows:
- Giant (billed monthly) – $9.99
- Grizzly (billed annually –$59.99 ($5.00 per month, save 58%)
Windscribe
- 10 Gb per month for free
- torrenting allowed
- zero-logging
- strong encryption and data protection
- the speed is average due to a high load on free servers
Windscribe adheres to high security standards in its work. For data encryption, it uses AES-256 cipher with SHA512 auth and a 4096-bit RSA key. As for security protocols, the default option is OpenVPN but SOCKS, and IKEv2 are also available.
A strong advantage of Windscribe over TunnelBear is 10 Gb of free bandwidth per month. However, the number of server locations available to the users of the free version is limited to 10. For this reason, the load on these servers is pretty large, which causes noticeable speed drops. Thanks to the availability of P2P servers, torrenting is possible: with Windscribe one can download up to 10 Gb of free content every month.
Like other free VPNs, Windscribe offers its premium version with expanded possibilities. Apart from unlimited bandwidth, after upgrading you will get an access to 55 server locations instead of 10, ad- and malware blockers, and a config generator. The monthly fee for this option set is $9 but you can buy an annual pack and get a generous discount.
- Monthly price – $9
- Annual price–$48.99 ($4.08 per month, save 55%)
ProtonVPN
- high security standards
- no bandwidth limits
- minimal logs are collected
- only 3 server locations
- no P2P support
- low speed
In terms of security, ProtonVPN has nothing to complain about. It uses an AES-256-CBC cipher with HMAC SHA-512 hash authentication and OpenVPN protocol as a default option. The provider collects minimal logs, such as the time of connection and the duration of a session, nothing more.
As we had mentioned, the free version of ProtonVPN is rather restricted. Users get access to 3 server locations and can connect only one device under one free license. P2P servers are unavailable for free, which means you won't be able to use the VPN for torrenting. Moreover, the connection speed is quite low, partly, because of the load on the free servers.
Fastest Free Vpn For Macs
Unlike the previously described providers, ProtonVPN offers three different premium plans – Basic, Plus, and Visionary. Their monthly price is $4, $8, and $24 respectively. All of them open access to all server location, support P2P and can be used for torrenting and streaming, as there is no speed limit. More expensive plans come with a range of useful extras and allow more simultaneous connections.
- Basic monthly price – $5;
- Basic annual price – $48 ($4 per month, save 20%)
- Plus monthly price – $10;
- Plus annual price – $96 ($8 per month, save 20%)
- Visionary annual plan – $ 288($24 per month).
Hotspot Shield
- access to US servers
- strong encryption
- blazing speed
- malware protection as a bonus
- only 500 Mb of bandwidth per month
- no streaming and torrenting
Like other top-rated free VPN providers, Hotspot Shield uses top-notch AES-256 encryption and supports OpenVPN protocol. The company claims to collect zero user logs, which is a strong advantage, as well as the availability of the kill-switch feature. That said, it forces users to watch pop-up ads, which is rather annoying.
Those looking for high download speed will like the Hotspot Shield VPN. It is one of the fastest free VPNs compatible with several platforms, including Mac. That said, its speed is a sort of unstable and largely depends on the server location. In the free version, users are granted 500 Mb of traffic daily, which is not bad for hassle-free and secure browsing.
If you decide to upgrade to the premium version of Hotspot Shield, you'll get numerous perks, such as unlimited bandwidth, access to 2500 servers in 25 locations, including P2P servers, and will get rid of the annoying advertisements. While a basic monthly plan is quite expensive – $12.99, you can save up to 76% and get a bi-annual plan at the price of $3.49 per month. All the packages available are as follows:
- Monthly price – $12.99;
- 6 Months price – $53,94 ($8.99, save 31%);
- Annual price – $71.88 ($5.99, save 53%);
- Bi-annual price – $125.64 ($3.49, save 60%).
Betternet
- access to servers in 10 countries
- an easy-to-use app
- unlimited bandwidth
- customer service to help you
- little information about the product's specifications
- a lot of ads
Betternet doesn't provide much information about its security protocols and encryption methods used. According to the claims found in its blog, this is OpenVPN with AES 256-bit encryption and 128-bit AES-CBC for IPSec but there are no official specs on their site. It is known that Betternet keeps some connection logs but no activity logs.
Betternet makes money on advertisement, which is officially stated on its website. You'll be regularly offered to watch an ad or install an app. In exchange for this, it provides unlimited bandwidth to all its users. Connection and download speed is not bad too, so torrenting and streaming via Betternet is possible.
Like most free VPNs, Betternet offers a premium version of its software. As it is stated on their site, the biggest advantages of the paid edition are the absence of advertisement and a possibility to choose which server you want to connect to. At the same time, the number of servers is not specified. The basic price of its paid version is $11.99, which is a sort of pricey. But you can save up to 66% going long-term.
- Monthly price – $11.99;
- 6 Months price – $23.99 ($3.99 per month – save 50%)
- Annual price – $35.99 ($2.99 per month – save 66%)
Things You Should Know Before Getting a Free VPN
The above-mentioned products are absolutely free, and all of them are available for Mac users. Just visit the site of the chosen free VPN, download Mac version and enjoy complete online privacy for no money.
As a rule, a genuine purpose of any free program is to make its users purchase the full premium version. Free VPN for Mac is not an exception. You can use it, but you will constantly think of upgrading. They will provide you the bare minimum of features, suitable just for basic tasks resolving.
Free VPN providers want to make money like any other commercial organizations. They can do it in several ways. Most frequently, one of the following methods are used:
- They force you to watch paid ads every time you set a VPN connection. Though this approach doesn't cause any real harm to you, it is rather annoying, plus it takes up your time.
- They set severe speed limitations. You still can access any sites you wish but the connection speed is twice or thrice as low as usual.
- Some dishonest providers use 'black' methods. They simply collect your logs and personal information and sell the data to third parties, for example, to advertisers.
Ads and various limitations that would not allow you to enjoy streaming and torrenting are quite annoying, but the truly worrisome fact is that some free VPNs would sell your personal data to third parties to make money. Therefore, we highly recommend you to stick to one of the free VPNs listed above to be on the safe side.
When Does It Maker Sense to Use a Premium VPN?
It's logical enough that all the top VPN providers want some money for their services. However, as a rule, the fee is not large – in some cases, it is possible to acquire full-featured software at a price of $2 monthly. Consider getting a premium VPN if you need one to access Netflix – free VPNs won't help you with this one. Streaming and torrenting fans should also consider getting a paid plan to have decent speeds and truly enjoy watching their favorite shows instead of dealing with annoying buffering. In the following cases a free trial or MBG will let you solve your problem using a top VPN without spending a dollar:
- You are going to a country with severe censorship for 2-3 weeks (for example, on a business trip).
- You need one-time access to torrents (to download a particular file) or a streaming site.
The Bottom Line
VPN services have become an integral part of our life. With a good VPN software, Mac users can feel protected wherever they are, e.g use a public wi-fi with no worries that someone will snoop their private information. If this is your reason for getting a VPN, one of the reliable free providers listed above will probably work for you. Just be careful and remember that some free VPNs cannot be trusted.
Fastest Free Vpn For Mac Windows 10
Would you like to use your VPN for torrenting or streaming? If so, and in addition, annoying ads are not something you are ready to tolerate, you would better take a closer look at the top VPN providers. Get use of the trial period and money back guarantee they offer to test the services and choose the one that will fully satisfy your needs. Once you are ready to commit, a premium VPN service can cost you just a couple of dollars per month.
