Short on time? Here’s the best free Mac VPN in 2023:
- 🥇 ExpressVPN. While it’s not 100% free, it’s hands-down my favorite Mac VPN in 2023, and it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so there’s no risk in trying it out. It also has top-notch security, unbeatable speeds, and it consistently works with streaming sites like Netflix, HBO Max, BBC iPlayer, and many others.
I normally don’t recommend using a free VPN, as they generally lack essential security features and may log user data, which is terrible for your privacy. What’s more, many free VPNs have very slow speeds, limit how much data you can use, provide very buggy apps, only allow you to use their service on 1 device, or don’t provide streaming and torrenting support.
You get much better value by getting an affordable paid VPN like ExpressVPN, which is my top choice in 2023 — top paid VPNs come with strong security, fast speeds, easy-to-use apps that work well, and great streaming and P2P support.
Still, if you only want a free VPN, there are some decent options out there — all the providers I mention in this article have free plans that are secure, come with user-friendly apps, and some even provide access to extra features.
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Quick summary of the best free VPNs for Mac in 2023:
- 🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best overall VPN for Mac in 2023. It’s not 100% free, but it has a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee. It also has high-end security, blazing-fast speeds, intuitive apps, and excellent streaming capabilities.
- 🥈2. CyberGhost VPN — Great for streaming and good for beginners. This VPN requires a paid subscription, but it offers a free 24-hour trial and a 45-day money-back guarantee on long-term plans. It’s also easy-to-use and has streaming-optimized servers.
- 🥉3. Proton VPN — Free macOS VPN with unlimited data. Also includes excellent security features, provides access to 3 server locations, and maintains fast speeds. But you need to upgrade to one of its paid plans to get access to streaming & torrenting servers.
- 4. hide.me — Good VPN for torrenting. Has a data cap of 10 GB per month, provides decent speeds, and is simple to use. Unfortunately, its free plan doesn’t support streaming.
- 5. Hotspot Shield — Easy-to-use Mac VPN (good for new users). It maintains really good speeds too, but it also limits you to 500 MB per day, logs your IP address, and the macOS app also lacks a kill switch.
- Comparison of the Best Free Mac VPNs.
🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best VPN for Mac in 2023
ExpressVPN is the best macOS VPN on the market, and it has a 30-day money-back guarantee — so you can test it out risk-free and receive a refund if you’re not happy with it. I don’t think that’s likely to happen, though, as this is the best VPN for streaming (it works with 100+ streaming apps, including Netflix and Disney+), torrenting, and gaming, and it also provides the fastest speeds on the market.
I’m really impressed with ExpressVPN’s focus on security and privacy. In addition to standard VPN features (256-bit AES encryption, a no-logs policy, and a kill switch), it uses TrustedServer technology, which means user data is deleted every time ExpressVPN’s servers are restarted, and it has perfect forward secrecy, which prevents anyone from compromising your VPN sessions. What’s more, its no-logs policy has been independently audited on several occasions, and it’s also been proven true in a server seizure.
This is also one of the only VPNs that comes with split-tunneling on macOS (available on macOS 10.15 and below) — the only other VPN on this list that has split-tunneling on macOS is hide.me.
ExpressVPN’s speeds are the fastest I’ve seen in a Mac VPN. In my speed tests, I had upload and download speeds very close to my non-VPN speeds, even when torrenting with uTorrent. I also didn’t notice any lag while gaming or streaming HD Netflix in Safari.
In addition, I love how user-friendly the provider’s macOS app is. It has a quick-connect feature that automatically connects you to the fastest server, and its interface is very simple to navigate. Plus, there’s a Shortcuts feature, which lets you create 1-click shortcuts for specific apps and sites that show up on your screen after you connect to a server — this way, you can instantly access your favorite content immediately after securing your connection.
ExpressVPN has several plans to choose from, and with our special 49% discount, you can get it for only $6.67 / month, which is very affordable — plus, I’ve often seen ExpressVPN give away 3 months completely free of charge!
Bottom line:
ExpressVPN is the best Mac VPN in 2023 — while not 100% free, it has affordable plans that come with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee, which gives you tons of time to test all of its features. Plus, it has great security, the fastest speeds I’ve seen in a VPN for Mac, and excellent streaming, torrenting, and gaming capabilities.
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Read our full ExpressVPN review here
🥈2. CyberGhost VPN — Great for Streaming & Good for Beginners
CyberGhost VPN is not totally free, but it has a free 24-hour trial. The free trial gives you access to all features without you having to provide credit card details. CyberGhost also has a 45-day money-back guarantee for all its long-term plans, allowing more than enough time to test the VPN and ensure it meets all of your needs.
This provider is great for streaming as it has 100+ streaming servers that are optimized to refresh their IPs more often to avoid detection and blocks. Plus, CyberGhost works with 50+ streaming sites like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max, and more.
CyberGhost VPN was fast in my tests, but still slower than ExpressVPN. I was able to browse web pages with zero delays. HD and 4K videos loaded instantly, and I only experienced minor buffering at the start of some 4K videos.
The provider also has great security features like RAM-only servers, strong leak protection, and perfect forward secrecy. It also comes with Content Blocker, which protects you from malicious sites. Unfortunately, it’s missing split-tunneling on macOS.
The VPN’s macOS app is super user-friendly. Installing and configuring CyberGhost takes only a few minutes, and all security features are enabled by default, which is very convenient. And if you want to make changes to the default settings, each setting comes with a short explanation, which I find really helpful.
I really like CyberGhost VPN’s Smart Rules feature. It allows you to customize VPN connection preferences, such as setting up an automatic connection to a specific server and launching a particular app on startup.
CyberGhost VPN has affordable plans that start at $2.11 / month.
Bottom Line:
CyberGhost VPN is great for streaming. I really liked how easy its Mac app is to navigate. It has fast speeds and great security features, and even though it doesn’t offer a free plan, I like that it has a free 24-hour trial, affordable prices, and a 45-day refund for all long-term purchases.
Read our full CyberGhost VPN review
🥉3. Proton VPN — Unlimited Data & Good Speeds on macOS
Proton VPN is one of the rare VPNs that doesn’t have data caps for free users — most competing brands offer a limited data allowance per month and cut you off when you reach the data limit, but you can use Proton VPN to surf the web as much as you want.
In my speed tests, I got fast speeds browsing in Safari. I didn’t experience any buffering while streaming HD content on YouTube, and all sites loaded instantly. That said, Proton VPN’s free plan only gives you access to 3 server locations, including the US, Japan, and the Netherlands, so not all users will be able to connect to a nearby server for fast speeds. To be honest, you get faster speeds with ExpressVPN and CyberGhost VPN.
Proton VPN’s free plan provides excellent privacy, as its macOS app is open-source, meaning anyone can inspect its source code for any security holes — even better, the app has been audited and confirmed to be secure. Plus, the provider’s no-logs policy has also passed an independent security audit.
The free plan also comes with strong security features, including advanced features like full leak protection, perfect forward secrecy, and full-disk encryption, which ensures user data stay safe even if a server is compromised.
I also like how user-friendly the provider’s macOS app is — all settings and features come with helpful explanations, and there’s also a Profiles feature, which allows you to create your own connection preferences (like automatically connecting to a specific server location).
Unfortunately, the free plan doesn’t support streaming or torrenting — if you want to watch Netflix and other streaming shows and download P2P files, you’ll need to upgrade to one of Proton VPN’s paid plans. Also, you can use Proton VPN’s free VPN on 1 device only.
Proton VPN has monthly and yearly plans that start at $3.99 / month. They add P2P and streaming support, access to more servers, an ad blocker, and Tor over VPN, and up to 10 connections. All Proton VPN premium plans come with a prorated 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Proton VPN’s free plan provides unlimited data, good speeds for browsing and streaming, and a good range of security features for Macs. I really like that its macOS app is open-source, which makes it easy to trust this VPN provider. However, Proton VPN’s free plan doesn’t support streaming or torrenting. To get access to streaming and torrenting servers, a wide range of extra features, and up to 10 simultaneous connections, you need to upgrade to one of Proton VPN’s paid plans.
Read our full Proton VPN review
4. hide.me — Good for Torrenting
hide.me allows torrenting on its free plan, and it has a data cap of 10 GB per month, which is decent for downloading small torrents. You also get access to servers in 5+ countries, including the US, the UK, and the Netherlands, and split-tunneling. However, you can use hide.me on just 1 device.
In my speed tests, I was able to get good speeds when I downloaded torrents using uTorrent — I also enjoyed fast browsing, as sites loaded instantly and HD YouTube videos took only 2–3 seconds to load and didn’t buffer. That said, I had faster speeds with ExpressVPN, CyberGhost VPN, and Proton VPN.
The provider’s free plan also comes with great advanced security features, including full leak protection, RAM-only servers, and perfect forward secrecy. And in addition to a standard kill switch, there’s also Stealth Guard, which lets you pick which apps (like torrent clients) are shut down if the VPN disconnects.
You also get access to a user-friendly macOS app that comes with an easy-to-navigate interface — that said, I don’t like how the app doesn’t work on macOS 11, so you need to perform a manual setup to use the VPN on that operating system version, which is inconvenient.
Unfortunately, hide.me’s free plan doesn’t support streaming — if that’s something you were interested in, I recommend trying out Windscribe’s free plan instead, as it works with top sites like Netflix.
hide.me has several premium plans that start at $3.84 / month. The paid plans include access to all servers, streaming support, and 10 simultaneous devices. All plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom line:
hide.me provides good torrenting support. It has a 10 GB/month data cap, servers in 5+ countries, good speeds, and it comes with strong security features. However, it lacks streaming support and limits you to 1 device. Upgrading to one of hide.me’s premium plans gives you unlimited data, access to all of its servers and streaming services, and up to 10 connections.
5. Hotspot Shield — Intuitive Mac VPN With Fast Speeds
Hotspot Shield is very simple to use — the Mac app’s interface is clean and well-designed, so you won’t have problems even if you’ve never used a VPN before. This makes it a decent choice for new users.
Hotspot Shield provides pretty good speeds on its free plan — when I visited sites in Safari, they loaded instantly, and HD videos on YouTube took just 2 seconds to load and they didn’t buffer when I skipped through them.
Security-wise, the free plan comes with Hydra, the provider’s proprietary protocol that provides perfect forward secrecy. In addition, the free plan also includes DNS leak protection on the macOS app. Unfortunately, Hotspot Shield’s macOS app isn’t as secure as ExpressVPN and the other macOS VPNs on this list — the app is missing a kill switch, which is an essential security feature. Also, the free plan logs your IP address, which is bad for your privacy.
Another limit to Hotspot Shield’s free plan is its 500 MB/day cap — Proton VPN allows unlimited data, and hide.me allows 10 GB per month. Also, you’re limited to only 1 server location in the US.
Hotspot Shield offers monthly and yearly subscriptions starting at $2.99 / month. All premium plans remove data limits and IP logging, add access to all servers, allow streaming, provide 5 simultaneous devices, and are also backed by a 45-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Hotspot Shield is a good free choice for beginners. Apart from having an intuitive macOS interface, it also provides pretty good speeds — however, it limits access to 1 server location, lets you use only 500 MB of data per day, and it logs your IP address. To get access to unlimited data, better privacy, and more, you’ll need to upgrade to one of its premium plans.
Read the full Hotspot Shield review
Comparison of the Best Free VPNs for Mac in 2023
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How to Choose the Best Free VPN for Mac in 2023
- Look for a VPN with a good free plan. VPN free plans are usually very limited. To avoid inconvenient experiences, look for free VPN plans that come with no ads, a decent selection of server locations, streaming or torrenting support, or decent data caps or unlimited data (Proton VPN’s free plan has unlimited data).
- Check that the provider has a macOS app. The provider should have a dedicated macOS app that is compatible with popular macOS versions — most of the free macOS VPNs on my list work on macOS 11.
- Pick a VPN with good security. To make sure your data is protected at all times, you should only look for free VPN plans that have 256-bit AES encryption, a no-log policy to prevent the VPN from logging your data, a kill switch to prevent data leaks if the VPN disconnects, or protection against IPv6, DNS, or WebRTC leaks.
- Make sure the VPN has fast speeds. The faster the better. A VPN will always slow down your internet connection because of the encryption process. Free VPNs are slower than premium VPNs because they provide access to a small number of servers, which causes overcrowding. However, all of the free Mac VPNs on this list maintain decent speeds for most online activities.
- Select a VPN that is easy to use. The provider’s macOS app needs to be easy to download and install — the process should only take 1–2 minutes, and you shouldn’t have to perform inconvenient manual setups. What’s more, the macOS app needs to be intuitive and simple to navigate.
- Look for paid plans with good value. The free VPN plan should be backed by affordable paid plans that come with money-back guarantees. The paid versions should also provide great value by giving you access to streaming and P2P support, additional security features (like an ad blocker), more server locations, unlimited data, and more.
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Risks & Disadvantages of Using a Free VPN on Your Mac
- Poor security — MacOS has great built-in security, but you can still be at risk if you use a free VPN. Your data could be leaked and you can be worse off than not using a VPN at all. It’s impossible to be sure where your data is going unless you’re using a trusted VPN with good security protocols and privacy features.
- Selling your data — Some free VPNs will track your activity (like your shopping habits and the websites you visit) and sell it to third parties. Using premium VPNs with strict no-logs policies and clear privacy policies is the only way to be sure your activity isn’t being sold.
- Slow speeds — Many free VPNs have a small selection of servers, which means they get crowded and end up giving you slow speeds. Premium Mac VPNs have much larger networks of servers, which means fewer users connected to any server at once.
- Blacklisted servers — Free VPNs often use the same servers with recycled IP addresses, and many websites will block or blacklist these IP addresses. Using free VPNs can give you a bad experience while browsing, because you’ll be met with tons of security prompts and endless captchas.
- Unable to access streaming platforms — Free VPNs often struggle to access streaming sites like Netflix, while premium VPNs like ExpressVPN are specifically designed to provide consistent and secure access to streaming platforms.
With a premium macOS VPN like ExpressVPN, you can sidestep these issues. Its servers provide consistently fast speeds, and your privacy is protected thanks to its no-logs policy and unbreakable encryption protocols.
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Affordable Alternatives
- Private Internet Access (PIA). Comes with advanced security features, good speeds, and an easy-to-use Mac app. But, unfortunately, PIA doesn’t have a free plan. However, if you want a high-quality macOS VPN, PIA’s low-cost plans are some of the best around (they start as low as $2.11 / month), and they’re also backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. Read our full Private Internet Access review.
- Surfshark. Has good speeds and great security features. It also allows unlimited connections, which is a plus. While it doesn’t have a free plan, it has some of the cheapest plans on the market ($2.30 / month) and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Read our full Surfshark review.
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Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- NordVPN. Provides high-end security features, including a dark web monitor and malware protection. Also has a user-friendly macOS app with good P2P support and speeds. But it unfortunately lacks a free plan. and its paid plans are a bit pricey.
- Atlas VPN. Comes with a decent free plan that allows unlimited connections. That said, the free plan limits you to 5 GB per month and servers in only 2 countries.
- TunnelBear. It has industry-standard security features, a couple of cool extras, and the most adorable Mac app. It actually has a free plan, but it only includes 2 GB/month, which is only enough to test the service and see if it’s right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a 100% free VPN for Mac?
Yes. But all free VPNs come with some drawbacks, such as data caps, slower speeds, or limited number of devices. For example, Proton VPN gives you unlimited data but only offers 3 server locations.
The only way to get access to all features is to use a paid VPN like ExpressVPN. You get high-end security, unlimited data, the fastest speeds, and you can try it all risk-free for 30 days with its money-back guarantee.
How do I set up a free VPN on my Mac?
This requires only 3 quick and simple steps:
- Download a VPN. I recommend Proton VPN because it has the best free plan for macOS — it has unlimited data, strong security, fast speeds, and a user-friendly macOS app.
- Connect to a server. For the fastest speeds, choose a server that’s closest to your location.
- Start browsing the web. That’s it. You can now safely browse the web, stream content, download files, and play games.
Is there a free VPN extension for Safari?
No, there aren’t any free VPNs with browser extensions for Safari. But, there are many good VPNs for Mac that can protect your data when browsing in Safari — Proton VPN is the best free VPN for macOS because it allows unlimited data, provides strong security and fast speeds, and has a very user-friendly macOS app.
Can I use a free Mac VPN on all of my other devices?
In most cases, no. Free VPNs for Mac are usually limited to 1 connection at a time, whereas upgrading to their premium versions gives you multiple simultaneous connections. That’s why I recommend using a paid option — ExpressVPN, for example, allows you to set up its service on up to 5 devices, which is pretty decent.
