Top 5 Free VPNs for Mac That Are Completely Safe

Macs are considered to be the safest computers in the world, that’s why finding free VPNs for them can be a daunting task. There are only fewer VPNs available for Mac as compared to other computers because many VPN companies do not support working on macOS, which makes finding the ideal VPN for your Mac even more difficult. But what if I tell you there are some free VPNs for Mac that offer awesome features?  

Yes, good quality free VPNs for Macs do exist. If you are a Mac owner and struggling to find the best free VPN for Mac, I got you. The article below contains the list of the top 5 free Mac VPNs that will definitely help you choose the best free VPN service for your PC, especially your Mac. 

So take your Mac 💻 and let’s get started!

What’s the Need for VPN on Mac?

With the world becoming more digitised, the virtual identity and online activity of people are at risk. Hackers sit in ambush to snoop on your network, which puts your personal information like credit cards or passwords at risk. 

That’s why people use VPNs to anonymize their digital activity, change their IP address, and prevent themselves from being traced. VPNs add a layer of encryption to hide your IP address from third parties. They conceal your virtual identity, thus ultimately helping you secure your digital playground and make your online activities untraceable. 

But today, the credibility of free VPNs is also under threat, as there are some VPNs that trade your data with third parties. After testing multiple VPNs, I have finally figured out the best free VPN for Mac so if you are in search of a reliable VPN attentively read the subsequent section to know the best one. 

Best Free VPN for Mac 

What you consider best can be subjective, but below I have rated the VPNs on the basis of their speed, features, specifications, privacy policies, limitations, and most importantly, how safe they are. Having a VPN on your Mac is the most important tip to keep your computer safe, so here are the top 5 free Mac VPNs along with their features and limitations in the following sections.

First on the list of the best free VPN MacBook in 2023 is Proton VPN, which provides unlimited browsing without compromising your data privacy. It has 1800+ servers in 66 countries and is compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux. It has market-leading encryption and an advanced WireGuard tunnelling protocol to ensure robust online security. 

Following are the features of Proton VPN that make it the best among the other available VPNs: –

1. It provides high-speed connections of up to 10 GBPS. 
2. Has AES-256 military-grade encryption and SHA384 hashing for message encryption.
3. Proton VPN is a Tor over VPN, it allows access to restricted websites and the Tor network for maximum anonymity.
4. It has multiple protocols like OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard to ensure data safety.
5. Works like a net shield to protect against malware, block ads, and prevent websites from being tracked. 

   

Moving on quickly, look at the key specifications of Proton VPN through a table. 

Key Specifications: –

Mac Compatibility	macOS Sierra and above
Unblocks	Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer
Total No. of Servers	1800+
Server Selection	66+ Countries
Mac App Ratings	4.3/5
Data Allowance	Unlimited Bandwidth
Simultaneous Connections	10+
Maximum Supported Devices	10+

With premium quality protection and content unblocking capabilities, ExpressVPN comes in second on the list of best VPNs for Mac free. ExpressVPN offers 256-bit encryption, has DNA leak protection, and facilitates its users with safe server technology. It has strict no-data retention laws, hasn’t suffered a data breach, and provides several options to the users. 

The following features of ExpressVPN make it better than other VPNs in the market: –

1. It has a network lock kill feature, which switches to stop internet connection providers from snooping into your online activity in case of internet breakdowns.
2. It provides a threat manager to block ads, trackers, and malware when surfing the the Safari web browser. 
3. Availability of VPN split tunneling in some devices, which helps to divide your VPN encryption tunnel.
4. Simple and easy-to-use interface. 
5. Ensures fast and secure VPN experience through Lightway protocol.

   

Key Specifications

Mac Compatibility	macOS X El Captain and above
Unblocks	Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, BBC iPlayer
Total No. of Servers	3000+
Server Selection	94+ Countries
Mac App Ratings	4.7/5
Data Allowance	Unlimited Bandwidth
Simultaneous Connections	5+
Maximum Supported Devices	5+

Hide.me VPN has a user-friendly interface, which makes it one of the best free Mac VPNs. It provides much more features to free users and doesn’t bombard them with ads on the screen. Besides, you can get 24/7 support from its customer support, so you don’t have to wait for business hours to get an issue resolved. It gives 10 GB per month of data to the free users, and that too without compromising the user’s security. 

Read these features of Hide.me VPN to know why it deserves to be in the top 5 free VPNs for Mac: –

1. Hide.me has a strict no-logging policy and is certified by independent security analysts like Leon Juranic from DefenseCode.
2. Respect your privacy and don’t ask for your personal details like email or credit card details while signing up.
3. It doesn’t store your data to avoid legal liability. 
4. The local laws of storing the user’s log don’t impose on Hide.me because it’s located in Malaysia.  

   

Key Specifications: –

Compatibility	IKEv2, OpenVPN, SSTP, SoftEtherVPN, and WireGuard
Total No. of Servers	Approx 2100
Server Selection	78 + Countries
Ratings	4.5/5
Data Allowance	Unlimited Bandwidth
Simultaneous Connections	10
Maximum Supported Devices	10

Windscribe has one of the world’s strongest encryption systems to safeguard the information of its users. It gives 10 GB of data every month to free users. Besides, it allows the users to build a plan to help people with tight budgets. 

The following features make Windscribe the most comprehensive privacy solution around: –

1. Has servers in 63+ counties and 110 cities.
2. Efficiently block IPs and ads of your choice on all devices. 
3. Uses AES-256 cipher with SHA512 auth and 4096-bit RSA key to provide the strongest encryption.
4. Provides the option of split-tunnelling to choose which apps should run over the VPN and which should not.

   

Key Specifications:- 

Compatibility	Windows, Mac, and Linux Ubuntu
Unblocks	UK Netflix, HBO Max, and BBC iPlayer
Total No. of Servers	480
Server Selection	69+ Countries
Mac App Ratings	4.5/5
Data Allowance	2 GB of VPN Bandwidth Every Month
Simultaneous Connections	Unlimited
Maximum Supported Devices	Unlimited

Atlas VPN serves 1000+ countries and is compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Android TV, and the Amazon Fire Stick. Similar to other high-end VPNs, it also uses AES-256 encryption to conceal your online activities. It’s a free version, so considering this fact, it offers decent speed. This VPN has been audited by VerSpite, which found no issues with the app. So, based on that, it can be concluded that it’s a new but promising free VPN provider.

Let’s discuss the features of Atlas VPN to understand what makes it the best free VPN for Mac!

1. It has a data breach monitor, which checks the web for any personal information leaks.
2. Well-equipped with SafeSwap technology for accessing the internet with different IP addresses at the same time.
3. It uses a speedy WireGuard protocol to balance speed and security. 
4. Facilitates secure file sharing with person-to-person without restrictions.
5. Has MultiHop+ feature to allow multiple layers of IP address protection to make you almost untraceable.

Key Specifications: –

Mac Compatibility	macOS Catalina and above
Unblocks	Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Hotstar
Total No. of Servers	750+
Server Selection	42+ Countries
Mac App Ratings	4.5/5
Data Allowance	5 GB
Simultaneous Connections	Unlimited
Maximum Supported Devices	Unlimited

The above-listed VPNs are generally free and can really save your Mac from digital threats. Now, you must be thinking about how I concluded that the aforementioned VPNs are the best. If yes, then read the following section to know the factors that one should consider while choosing a free Mac VPN.

Factors To Consider While Choosing a VPN

Deciding on a safe and reliable VPN, for Mac, is surely not easy, but if you pay attention to some key points, you will be able to find the best VPN for Mac for free. Here are a few points that I have observed and stressed while picking the free VPN for MacBook.

1. Privacy & Security – Always look for VPNs that have the most advanced AES-256 encryption, market-leading tunneling protocols, and follow a strict no-logs policy.
2. Speed – VPNs do affect the internet speed, so you should prefer opting for a VPN that has decent speed and doesn’t ruin your online experience. VPNs that offer great connection speeds and have no limits around them are the best option.
3. Data – Choose a VPN that offers unlimited data because the smaller the amount of protected data, the lesser time you’ll get to browse safely. So the VPN you choose at least provides 5 GB of data per month.
4. Easy to operate – A complex interface or complicated manual setup can make things challenging, so you should prefer using a VPN that doesn’t involve inconvenient setups and is intuitive.
5. Features – Free VPNs provide limited features or poor-quality services. So you should always opt for the VPNs that make maximum features accessible in good quality for their free version users.

For now, that’s all about the best free VPN for Mac. Considering the growing digital threats, I will conclude this discussion by saying that having a safe and reliable VPN is the need of the hour, and even business owners should train their office staff in cybersecurity. Similar to secure web gateways, VPNs also help you hide your virtual identity and activities from hackers. Moving to the end, let’s discuss some of the frequently asked questions.