As an Internet user, you may want to protect your privacy and security. Or, you may want to access sites that are not accessible in your region. VPNs are great to do these things. However, a lot of them are not that reliable. Thus, you must choose the top free VPN for Mac computers. In this way, you are sure of one that is safe, fast, and reliable. A lot of the free VPN for Mac computers don’t work right. Thus, you may have to do fact-checking and reviews to find the right ones.
Here, we will discuss the top free VPN for Mac computers. There’s always a catch if it’s free. For instance, there are data limits, streaming support, and server access. Fortunately, we’ve found the best free Virtual Private Networks for your Mac computer. Check the list below.
Contents: Part 1. What Is A VPN?Part 2. The Top Free VPN For Mac ComputersPart 3. Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQs)Part 4. Conclusion
Part 1. What Is A VPN?
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network and gives you the privacy you need online. It helps you become anonymous by making a private network out of a public net connection. These VPNs do this by masking your IP address thus they won’t be able to trace your online actions. A VPN is necessary if you want to make sure your browsing habits and private information are safe. Thus, it’s a great option for everybody who’s concerned about their privacy and security online. Activities made online (e.g., shopping, paying bills, and sending emails) are protected and you are totally anonymous.
Part 2. The Top Free VPN For Mac Computers
1. Windscribe
This is one of the top free VPN for Mac computers. It has an easy-to-use app for macOS. Windscribe comes with a free 10GB worth of data monthly. However, you have to sign up with your email address. If you tweet about the company, you get access to an added 5GB worth of data. Complete privacy would mean that you only get 2GB of data that’s totally free. This free VPN for Mac offers servers in about 10 different countries. That includes the USA. The drawback is that servers are usually overloaded, especially in the US location.
The UK location server can be used to watch BBC iPlayer. In addition, you can watch HBO GO with the US server. The service supports peer-to-peer connections which are great for grabbing a large number of files.
The great thing about Windscribe is it has 256-bit encryption, leak protection for DNS, and a kill switch that’s automatic. Your own browsing activity isn’t stored as well. Support through live chat is available to both premium and free users.
Advantages:
- DNS leak protection is available.
- Live chat support available to all users.
- Zero logs and kills switch.
- Compatible with multiple platforms including Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, and Linux.
Disadvantages:
- Can be slow during peak times.
- 10GB worth of data only.
- 2GB worth of data for complete privacy.
- You need to register to get a free plan.
2. hide.me
Hide.me is another free VPN for Mac that offers you 2GB worth of data monthly. Server locations include the US, Singapore, Canada, and the Netherlands. 2GB is fine to check emails and even stream movies for about one to two hours. However, it isn’t worth enough for using torrent or doing movie marathons.
The great thing about hide.me is that it isn’t necessary to give your email address. Thus, you are sure of its security and privacy. It doesn’t log your activities, it has a kill switch, and also offers 256-bit encryption. Even if an issue arises, your IP wouldn’t be leaked or discovered. And, it also has a split tunneling feature where you can route part of the traffic over the VPN. The rest of the traffic can be routed to your IP address. In addition, hide.me doesn’t have any ads within it. Live chat allows you to contact customer support 24/7.
Advantages:
- No advertisements.
- Protection from IP leaks.
- Live chat support available 24/7.
- No email address or registration necessary.
- Zero log policy.
- Compatible with multiple platforms including Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android.
Disadvantages:
- 2GB worth of free data only.
3. Hotspot Shield
This is another free VPN for Mac that’s very easy to understand and use. It allows you to stream with 500MB worth of data per day. It cannot be used in order to unblock HBO GO, Amazon Prime Video, or Netflix US. However, it can be used to gain access to Kodi - add ons and geoblocked videos on YouTube.
There are times when connection speeds can actually drop significantly, especially when it’s already peak times. Kill switch and military-grade encryption are available as well. The highlight of this tool is its malware protection that’s built into the tool in order to protect you from phishing scams and malware infections. The drawback is that Hotspot Shield supports ads. The real IP address of your computer is masked. The one that can be seen by Google to provide you with targeted ads is the IP address of the VPN server. Live support isn’t available with its free package.
Advantages:
- Offers 500MB worth of data every day.
- Kill switch, military-grade encryption.
- Malware protection.
- Helps gain access to Kodi and YouTube.
- Compatible with multiple platforms such as Mac, Windows, iOS, Android.
Disadvantages:
- Supports ads.
- The connection can be significantly slow during peak times.
- Cannot unblock Amazon Prime Video, HBO GO, or Netflix US.
4. ProtonVPN
This free VPN for Mac gives you unlimited data and bandwidth. Restrictions or limits on browsing length aren’t present. But torrents aren’t allowed. In addition, unblocking sites for streaming isn’t possible. Connecting to servers within Japan, Holland, and the US is made possible with its free plan. However, simultaneous connections aren’t allowed. You can only utilize this free VPN for Mac on one device alone.
The biggest drawback is the slow speeds which we think is deliberately stifled so you’d go for the Premium version. Security features include AES encryption and more to make sure your data is kept safe. They have a ticketing system for support or questions. An ad blocker is also built into the app.
Advantages:
- Unlimited data or bandwidth.
- In-built adblocker.
- Servers in Japan, Holland, and the US.
- Encryption for safety and security.
- Compatible with multiple platforms.
Disadvantages:
- Too slow.
- Can be used on only one device.
5. TunnelBear
This is a great free VPN for Mac and is an excellent option for beginners. It has an interface that’s easy to understand and use. It’s very easy to understand that beginners can use it even if they haven’t used VPNs before. Servers are available in 23 different countries including the UK and the US. However, about 500MB worth of data is only available monthly. If you tweet about the VPN, you can get extra 1GB worth of data.
Streaming isn’t possible with TunnelBear though. However, it does allow torrents but due to data limitations, it can be very restrictive. 256-bit encryption is used to make sure your Mac is safe. You are completely anonymous, so your browsing activity and data aren’t reorded.
Premium and free users can get support through its ticket system. It has a Vigilant Mode, which is the kill switch, and also has a free Chrome adblocker. You can even use it to bypass China’s firewall without being detected as a VPN.
Advantages:
- 256-bit encryption.
- Servers in 23 different countries.
- Chrome adblocker.
Disadvantages:
- 500MB worth of free data only.
- Cannot be used for streaming.
6. Opera VPN
Actually, this isn’t a full-fledged VPN. It’s an extension for the browser Opera. Thus, encryption is done on your Opera traffic only. Outside of this browser won’t be regarded as anonymous. On its free plan, servers in different locations include Asia, Europe, or America. However, it’s not best for streaming or accessing Netflix on a particular location. This is because you can’t choose the specific location to connect to. It simply connects you to the available server that’s the fastest.
OperaVPN is actually compatible with different extensions of the said browser. These include the ad blocker and tracker blocker. Even the extension for Facebook Messenger is supported. One drawback is there is no form of customer support, except for a FAQ section within the website.
Advantages:
- Compatible with other extensions of Opera.
- Unlimited data for free.
- Compatible with multiple platforms including Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, and Linux.
Disadvantages:
- You can’t choose a specific location to connect to.
- Works on Opera browser only.
7. Speedify
Speedify is another free VPN for Mac that gives you 2GB worth of data every month. Servers can be connected to 433 different countries. However, it’s only possible to connect a single device at a time. However, it doesn’t go around the geoblocks of Netflix. In addition, you can’t gain access to iPlayer, Hulu, ITV Hub, and other streaming sites. Its own kill switch is actually available only in its iOS app. It doesn’t log any information, however, its privacy policy states that “partial logs” are kept.
IP addresses and activities aren’t logged, so that’s a good thing. Speedify offers support via social media and email. Live chat isn’t available for this VPN. In addition, it gives you a knowledge base that can be good to troubleshoot some things on your own.
Advantages:
- Servers are available in 433 different countries.
- The VPN allows torrenting.
- Compatible with multiple platforms including macOS, Android, iOS, and Windows.
Disadvantages:
- 2GB worth of data only.
- Partial logs done as stated in its privacy policy.
8. Betternet
This is another free VPN for Mac that gives you 500MB worth of data every day. However, the server is only in the US. This may be a good thing or a bad thing for some people. Plus, it offers reliable connection speeds with reduced loading times. Torrenting is possible with Betternet as well. It has 256-bit encryption to make sure traffic is secure. Online activities aren’t recorded; however, it does put information regarding your device and location into storage.
This free VPN for Mac will show advertisements as well. Information that is stored is shared with that of third-parties to give you targeted ads. It doesn’t log browsing activity. However, it does share your own Internet history with government institutions. There’s no live chat but you can get support through its ticketing system.
Advantages:
- Reliable connection speeds.
- 256-bit encryption.
- Compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, iOS.
Disadvantages:
- No live chat support.
- Shares Internet history with government institutions.
- Has advertisements.
Part 3. Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are the most asked questions regarding the top free VPN for Mac computers:
1. How Much Data Should I Have?
If you’re going for browsing alone, you need about 500MB to 1GB of data monthly. But if you wish to play OL games or stream movies, you may need more than 20GB of data monthly. Hardcore users even need hundreds of gigabytes worth of data.
2. Do The VPNs On This List Work On Recent Versions Of macOS?
Fortunately, all the top free VPN for Mac computers in this list work on recent versions of the said operating system. However, there are VPNs that won’t work on older versions of the macOS. Thus, you have to check it out when looking for a VPN.
3. Will My Speed Be Affected By These VPNs?
Typically, speeds will drop when you use a VPN. This is very normal. This is because data is encrypted and traffic needs to travel from farther locations. If you go for a premium VPN service, this isn’t really that noticeable. However, some free services do throttle your computer’s bandwidth in order to make the connection slower. This is usually done to encourage people to upgrade to their premium service.
Part 4. Conclusion
Here, we have discussed the best free VPN for Mac computers. A lot of them cannot be trusted. However, we have taken the liberty to give you the top free VPN for Mac. The one's lists are the best ones you can get. These free VPNs have premium versions as well. The ones in this list can be trusted and are worthy of checking out. As such, make sure you do your due diligence when choosing and using a VPN service for your Mac – or risk the consequences.