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What Is the Best Free VPN for Mac? [2022] 2023

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Written by, Adavelli Muninder

Updated November, 28, 2022

In the online world, there’s no such thing as being too cautious. The best way to reclaim your privacy is to get a good VPN.

But, what is the best free VPN for Mac?

Let’s dive in.

The Best Free VPN Services for Mac: At a Glance

In a hurry? Here’s a recap of our top 3 picks for the best, totally free VPN services for Mac.
ProtonVPN — With an effective kill switch, a no-log policy, and a privacy-first approach, ProtonVPN is a top-notch free VPN. It’s compatible with all Apple devices and offers unlimited bandwidth.
Windscribe — Windscribe’s free plan allows unlimited simultaneous connections, provides reliable speed, and offers 6 different VPN protocols. It also has a Firewall mode that guarantees protection against leaks.
PrivadoVPN —  Privado’s free version has all the security features that are part of its paid versions, including built-in leak protection and several protocol options. It unblocks most of the popular streaming platforms and offers speedy connections.

Best Free VPNs for Mac 2022

ProtonVPN -Best Overall

Starting at - Free
Pros
  • Unlimited data and reasonable speed
  • Audited, open-sourced apps
  • IP & DNS leak protection
Cons
  • Only 1 simultaneous device connection
  • Rating: 9.8
  • Data limit: No
  • Number of servers: 24 free servers
  • Number of simultaneous connections: 1
  • Device compatibility: macOS, iOS

With an effective kill switch, a no-log policy, and coming from a well-respected cybersecurity firm, ProtonVPN offers one of the best free VPN services for MacBook on the market. 

Its free plan has unlimited bandwidth and data and features a suite of advanced privacy and security tools that are generally reserved for more expensive products.

Additionally, the free version doesn’t limit users to one server location (you can connect to its servers in the US, Japan, and the Netherlands).

When it comes to streaming services, ProtonVPN unblocks all Netflix content and provides access to platforms like HBO Max, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video.

Windscribe -Best for Unlimited Connections

Starting at - Free
Pros
Cons
  • No live chat support
  • Rating: 9.5
  • Data limit: 10GB/month 
  • Number of servers: 10
  • Number of simultaneous connections: Unlimited
  • Device compatibility: macOS, iOS

Windscribe macOS application has an intuitive interface that’s great for beginners and advanced users.

The app collects a minimal amount of logs that can’t be used to identify the user, but unlike ProtonVPN, it is based in Canada, which is in the Five Eyes data-sharing alliance.

The VPN provides 10 servers in 10 countries, including locations in the UK, and reliable same-country speed in the free version.

Windscribe also offers 6 different protocols, including WireGuard, which is the latest and fastest next-generation protocol available, and an OpenVPN protocol that masks traffic to make it look like HTTPS and Websocket traffic for restrictive networks. 

One of its best features is the Firewall mode, which uses native OS APIs to block connections outside the tunnel, which eliminates leaks.

PrivadoVPN -Best for Security Features

Starting at - Free
Pros
  • Unblocks most streaming services
  • Zero-log policy
  • Built-in leak protection
Cons
  • Only 1 connection per account
  • Rating: 9.3 
  • Data limit: 10GB/month
  • Number of servers: 12
  • Number of simultaneous connections: Unlimited
  • Device compatibility: macOS, iOS

PrivadoVPN is one of the most popular services on the market because it doesn’t limit any security features to users of its free plan. Every subscriber, regardless of the type of plan they pick, has a kill switch option, built-in leak protection, IP masking, and access to its customer support team.

It doesn’t offer dedicated IP addresses, but it uses 256-bit-AES military-grade encryption and supports P2P traffic and streaming. PrivadoVPN can choose between several solid VPN protocols, like OpenVPN and IKEv2, but the company doesn’t use WireGuard.

The VPN’s free plan can also unlock Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+.

Speedify -Best for Speed

Starting at - Free
Pros
  • Supports P2P 
  • Exclusive perks
  • Channel bonding feature
Cons
  • Unblocks a few streaming services
  • Rating: 9.3
  • Data limit: 2GB/month
  • Number of servers: 1 
  • Number of simultaneous connections: 5 
  • Device compatibility: macOS, iOS

Speedify is all about performance and, as the name suggests, speed.

 The VPN has custom protocols that use AES-128 bit encryption and the ChaCha cipher and has channel-bonding tech that not many VPNs offer.

The best part about Speedify’s channel bonding feature is that it’s highly customisable. Users can change the mode to optimise redundancy, streaming, or speed to distribute to as many channels as possible. This is particularly useful when 85% of British adults watch online videos.

Users can also toggle DNS leak protection and transport mode, but the automatic kill switch feature is reserved for paid subscribers.

What’s more, free Speedify users get access to some perks, including access to the entire server network, exclusive upgrade deals, and access to new features before they are released to the public.

Hotspot Shield -Best for Data Limit

Starting at - Free
Pros
  • Approachable client
  • Generous data limit
  • Several protocols to choose from
Cons
  • 1 server location in the US
  • Rating: 9.2
  • Data limit: 500MB/day
  • Number of servers: 1
  • Number of simultaneous connections: 1
  • Device compatibility: macOS, iOS

If you’re looking for a free VPN for Mac that excels at speedy connections, Hotspot Shield might be the right choice.

The company’s main offices are in the US, which is in the Five Eye alliance, but Hotspot Shield collects only a small number of anonymous logs, like the amount of bandwidth used, which can’t be used to identify users.

In addition to impressive download and upload speeds, which are rare among free VPNs, Hotspot Shield also allows free users to choose between any of its VPN protocols. The choices include OpenVPN protocols, IPSec, and Hydra, which is one of the fastest and most secure protocols available

The VPN limits users to one server in the US, but it offers 500MB of bandwidth per day, which is generous compared to free plans from other VPN providers.

Avira Phantom VPN -Best for Number of Servers

Starting at - Free
Pros
  • Botnet protection
  • Bank-grade encryption
  • WireGuard tunnelling protocol
Cons
  • No kill switch for the free plan
  • Rating: 9 / 10
  • Data limit: 500MB -1GB/month
  • Number of servers: 50+ server locations
  • Number of simultaneous connections: Unlimited
  • Device compatibility: macOS, iOS

Avira offers a straightforward, best free unlimited VPN tool with a fully-fledged free subscription option. 

The VPN uses IPSec for its macOS and iOS users, AES-256 encryption, and has an excellent consumer privacy policy. It doesn’t keep track of user online activity, but it does collect some anonymous logs.

Furthermore, Avira doesn’t differentiate between types of traffic, which is great for privacy and means users can use P2P file-sharing services and BitTorrent on any server.

The best part about the Avira VPN is that free users get access to all the countries and VPN servers, which is somewhat unique for a free version.

TunnelBear VPN -Best for Ease-Of-Use

Starting at - Free
Pros
  • Beginner-friendly.
  • AES 256-bit encryption.
  • Private logging policy.
Cons
  • Limitations on the monthly data usage.
  • Rating: 9 / 10
  • Data limit: 500MB/month
  • Number of servers: around 3,000
  • Number of simultaneous connections: 5
  • Device compatibility: macOS, iOS

TunnelBear offers an excellent free VPN tool, which is user-friendly and is one of the best VPNs on the market.

What truly sets TunnelBear apart is its laser focus on VPN services and features, all of which are available in the free plan, and the fact that it rarely relies on virtual services.

This VPN uses AES 256-bit encryption and has a kill switch as part of the free plan, as well as IP/DNS leak prevention. What’s more, TunnelBear maintains a rigorous no-logging policy and releases an annual transparency report. 

Users can also torrent over the VPN, split-tunnel traffic, and connect to any of TunnelBear’s 3,000 servers.

As for the data limit, TunnelBear restricts it to 500 MB per month, but users can earn up to 1.5GB for one month by tweeting about the company.

Honorable Mentions

Not all VPNs offer free plans, but most offer free trials. Here are our top three picks for the best VPNs with free trials for a Mac.

CyberGhost -

Starting at - Free
Pros
  • Supports WireGuard
  • Dedicated P2P file-sharing servers
  • 45-day money-back guarantee
Cons
  • Some servers are slow
  • Rating: 9.5 / 10
  • Number of servers: 6,000+
  • Number of simultaneous connections: 7
  • Device compatibility: macOS, iOS.

If you’re looking to download a VPN for Mac for torrenting, CyberGhost is the perfect option. The VPN has dedicated P2P file-sharing servers that operate with a variety of torrenting applications.

CyberGhost VPN for macOS doesn’t collect logs, has split tunnelling and a kill switch feature, and provides DNS leak protection. It’s also one of the few VPN products that support WireGuard across all its platforms.

What’s more, the VPN has around more than 6,000 servers across 91 countries, making it one of the most varied services on the market.

Cyberghost offers a 14-day money-back guarantee with its 1-month plan and a 45-day money-back guarantee for 1- and 2-year plans.

ExpressVPN -

Starting at - Free
Pros
  • Speedy connections
  • Excellent support
  • Advanced privacy features
Cons
  • No kill switch on iOS
  • Rating: 9.9 / 10
  • Number of servers: 3,000+
  • Number of simultaneous connections: 5
  • Device compatibility: macOS, iOS.

ExpressVPN is one of the most popular VPNs on the market, with a reputation that precedes itself. 

The VPN is fast, secure, supports torrenting, has no serious logging, and works on every device. It has a vast network of more than 3,000 servers in 160 locations and offers a range of security and privacy features; everything from location spoofing to WebRTC leak blocking and HTTPS Everywhere support.

Unsurprisingly, ExpressVPN employs the most advanced VPN connection protocols as well as AES-256 encryption and 24/7 customer support.

All of the company’s plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Atlas VPN -

Starting at - Free
Pros
Cons
  • No live chat support
  • Rating: 9.5 / 10
  • Number of servers: 700+
  • Number of simultaneous connections: Unlimited
  • Device compatibility: macOS, iOS.

Atlas VPN is a beginner-friendly VPN service with plenty of VPN protocols to choose from and a vast array of security and privacy features. 

The VPN employs the WireGuard protocol, has a split tunnelling feature, and multi-hop tunnelling. Furthermore, Atlas offers a kill switch, data breach monitor, private DNS, and a tracker blocker that automatically blocks potentially dangerous websites. 

One of its best features is the SafeSwap servers that allow users to access the web from several IP addresses at the same time. 

Atlas VPN is also a great VPN for streaming and gaming as it offers excellent speed and reduces buffering and lags. 

All of its plans offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Buyer’s Guide

Here’s what you need to consider when looking for a VPN service for Mac.

Security

A secure connection is the number one priority for any user online. It’s one of the primary reasons for getting a VPN.

Speed

 The speed of your connection depends on a variety of things, but a fast VPN makes all the difference, especially during streaming or gaming.

Data limit

Most free VPN versions come with data limits, which is just enough to test out some features. If you want to use it long-term, opt for a VPN with unlimited bandwidth.

Accessibility

Some VPNs don’t work in certain countries. Make sure to check that the VPN you’re using works in yours.

Simplicity

User experience is crucial with VPN since the technology can be complicated for less tech-savvy people. 

Bottom Line

A VPN is a worthwhile investment for bolstering the security and privacy of your online activity. If paid subscriptions are out of your budget, you can always opt for a free version. Most of them come with limited features but a good number of them offer unlimited simultaneous connections and even unlimited bandwidth.

FAQ

Are free VPNs dangerous?

They can be. Customers either pay with money (for a paid subscription plan) or data. That said, there are many reputable companies that offer free but limited plans.

What is the best free VPN to unblock Netflix on Mac?

Our top 3 picks for the best free VPN for MacBook were ProtonVPN, Windscribe, and PrivadoVPN. These free Apple VPN services offer plenty of tools, but only ProtonVPN offers unlimited bandwidth.

How much will a free VPN impact my Mac’s speed?

Free VPNs are, generally, quite slow because they operate on a small number of servers, which are frequently overburdened.

What is the best free VPN service for Mac?

The best free VPN for Mac is widely considered to be ProtonVPN. It has solid security features, such as a kill switch and a no-log policy, and offers unlimited data.