If you have a MacBook, you have already taken the right decision in selecting the best laptop. However, as a user, your job doesn’t end there. Your MacBook needs a few additions before it is considered 100% foolproof. One such thing is a VPN for Mac. Now, if you may not have a budget to actually pay a monthly fee for a VPN. We understand that most Mac users are not willing to spend money on VPN subscription due to various reasons and they look for free VPN for Mac.
What if we tell you there is a way to get a VPN for free. Don’t worry it is nothing shady that involves breaking any rule or doing anything audacious. The VPN world is filled with free service providers. Yes, you read it right, some VPN provides offer free services as well. It may not be the best in quality but adequate enough to provide you the protective layer of a VPN.
Now, we know finding the best free VPN for Mac can be a tough task as there are so many options available. That’s why we assigned our team to find out the best free Mac VPN. Our team dedicatedly worked on the assignment and gave us a long list of 11 free VPN Mac options. We are not taking any sides or giving out personal recommendations. We have just given you 11 names that are legitimate free VPNs for your Mac.
- Using a VPN on Mac is entirely safe if you choose the right service. Here are some things to look at: the number of servers and locations, connection speed, extra security features, and the app’s reviews. Also, make sure that the service doesn’t collect or sell your data to third parties. The best way to ensure it — avoid free VPN apps.
- $674 at Amazon $799. Choose Safe Free Vpn Mac Provider 3: Strongvpn.com Ibvpn.com Privateinternetaccess.com Purevpn.com Ivacy.com IP VANISH Ironsocket.com Perfect-privacy.com HideMyAss! Hide.me Vypr VPN Cyberghostvpn.com Nordvpn.com Expressvpn.com. $4.16 a month Get VPN Access.
- While NordVPN has a reputation for being a user-friendly. Free Vpn Canada Mac No Subscription. And modern VPN, Hotspot Shield has found its way to the VPN market from a different angle. Generally known as a free VPN solution, Hotspot Shield attracts users via its free-of-charge plan.
Hide.Me is the best free VPN for streaming on Mac. For free subscribers, it offers 5 server.
11 Best Free VPN for Mac – All That Works Best!
Eleven might feel like we have written about all the free Mac VPN service providers out there but believe us, that’s not the case. Our team actually hand-picked these eleven free Mac VPNs out of hundreds. The benchmark was simple – to find genuine free VPNs who provide decent services. We are sure you will find the following list useful and worthy of your precious time;
TunnelBear – Easy-to-Use and Free VPN for Mac
Meet the Bears of the Tunnel. TunnelBear is one of the prominent names that come in mind when we talk about free VPN services. The company offers both free and premium VPN plan with more features unlocked in the premium version. TunnelBear free VPN for Mac has a cap of 500 MB data for a day, which is decent for some with low-browsing needs. However, if you are a power user, then premium plans fit more to cater your browsing needs. TunnelBear VPN has garnered great reputation and endorsement in the market due to its simple and easy to use VPN apps. TunnelBear free VPN Mac is a perfect formula for Macintosh users to surf the Internet privately and with complete freedom. Below are some additional features that make TunnelBear free VPN a must-have for all Apple users.
- Easy-to-use & simple design
- Smart Kill Switch is available
- Browser extensions available
- Strict no logs policy
- Free VPN for Mac works with Netflix
- No free unlimited VPN for Mac
- Fewer server selections allowed
- Not recommended for P2P/torrenting
Cyberghost- Good Free Unlimited VPN for Mac
Cyberghost VPN is another strong contender in our list of free Mac VPN. The company has a very strong customer base and has served more than ten million Internet users till-to date. Cyberghost VPN is a personalized and elegant VPN that aims to protect your identity from data snoopers, and allow you to surf the Internet anonymously. It protects users from public Wi-Fi risks and completely protects the sessions from any cyber-attacks and data thefts attempts. Cyberghost has deployed VPN servers in more than 27 countries with fully-optimized servers to deliver quality speed and military-grade protection. The wide range of servers are not available for the free plan, however, you can unlock all the servers when you opt for a paid subscription.
Cyberghost VPN bundles loads of smart features that make the VPN service unique and reliable to the end users. It is available on all major operating system and devices, including Mac. It offers free unlimited VPN for Mac with no cap on bandwidth like TunnelBear. Unlike other free VPNs, Cyberghost is quite famous for streaming and torrenting purposes. So Cyberghost, a free VPN Mac, can perform so many functions. So, if you are a mac user and looking for a reliable, but free Mac VPN then it’s a no-brainer to download Cyberghost on your Mac. Below is the highlight of what we have concluded from our free VPN test of Cyberghost.
- It comes with unlimited traffic and bandwidth
- It doesn’t keep logs of your activity
- Strong AES 256-bit encryption
- Secure public Wi-Fi sessions
- Ideal for streaming geo-restricted content
- Ads in free Mac VPN client
- Throttles in long-distance servers/locations
Hotspot Shield VPN – Free VPN Software for Mac
Hotspot Shield is yet another reputed VPN service provider offering free services. Its service is available on almost all operating systems and devices, and users can enjoy unlimited access to the Internet via a VPN connection. Hotspot Shield VPN Mac app has been recognized and featured by various technology experts as it a sound solution for anyone looking to try out a free VPN service. The company has already reached a milestone of 500 million downloads which accounts to a huge number. Due to its phenomenal performance, iOS app has received positive ratings on the App Store, which is indeed a good score compare to its counterparts.
With Hotspot Shield VPN installed on your Mac, you will be able to use secure Wi-Fi connection, browse anonymously, and unblock proxy, among many other things. The free version of Hotspot Shield has lots of ads. You can get an ad-free version by subscribing to an elite package of Hotspot Shield.
- Simple & easy to use client
- Fast VPN connection for Mac
- Browser extensions for both Chrome & Firefox
- Simultaneous connections allowed
- A lot of Ads in free version
- No specialized server for streaming and p2p
Recently, we covered a news where Hotspot Shield was found violating its privacy policy and handing over data to the authorities. As a VPN user, privacy is what we look for, and any breach of our privacy can break our trust on the VPN. We highly recommend our readers to always opt for a VPN who truly cares about privacy.
Free Vpn Canada Machine
Spotflux – Free Unlimited VPN Software for Mac
Spotflux is another free VPN that is hitting our list in the Mac category. The company needs no introduction as it has already helped hundreds and thousands of VPN users to quickly and safely browse the Internet. Not only with Mac, Spotflux is also compatible with iPhone, Android, and Windows. Spotflux has stressed on the fact that it won’t slow you down at any cost since it is a cloud-based VPN. It is easy to use and install and doesn’t complex you at any level. Even if you have never used a VPN before, Spotflux will be easier to figure out. Like many free Mac VPN providers, Spotflux is also driven by ads to a point where it is annoying.
Looking to boost your Internet speed? Get a fast working VPN and access unrestricted content.
Note: It’s time for the ‘Farewell’. After helping users for years, Spotflux has decided to shut down its operations by August 31, 2017. It means that you’ll no longer be able to enjoy Spotflux free VPN. However, existing customer who have paid for the premium services of Spotflux will be issued refund with a pro-rata for their subscription. Thank you Spotflux for delivering such a great service, team ReviewsDir wishes you all the good in days to come.
Betternet – Simple and Free VPN Software for Mac
Betternet VPN is relatively a new contender in the VPN market, however in a very short span, it has made quite a reputation in the market. It’s 100% free, but you’ll be bombarded with tons of ads while you browse Betternet VPN. Betternet is aware that people don’t buy the free story anymore. They need to know what’s in it for the company. Well, this free VPN has explained that it makes enough money by advertising “install an app” and “watch videos” sections on its app and client software. We appreciate the honesty!
Betternet has successfully hit the milestone of 38 million users, and counting. Betternet VPN apps are available on all major platforms. Its free VPN App for Mac is incredibly light and easy to use. You don’t need to sign up for an account to use the service. Simply download the software on your Mac, and you are one click away to access unrestricted content and hide your location. Users can opt for a premium service also which unlocks other advance security features. Below is the highlight of how Betternet is different from its competitors .
- Lifetime free VPN account
- No sign up and credit card is required
- It keeps no logs of your activity
- Light weight free VPN client for Mac
- Available for Chrome and Firefox also
- Full of Ads, for monetization purpose
- Lacks in speed
CloakVPN – Not a Complete Free VPN for Mac
Cloak VPN isn’t the right one if you are looking to rely on it for a long time. However, if you require to get a VPN shield for a few days because you are working on a super important or sensitive project then Cloak isn’t a bad choice at all. In short, Cloak is not a free VPN for Mac but it has a generous free trial offer. You can enjoy all the Cloak VPN goodness for 14 days without spending a dime. The reason we included Cloak VPN in our list of best free Mac VPN providers is that it has a dedicated Apple VPN and supports only Mac and iOS.
Have an iPhone? Download and Install these Free iPhone VPN Apps for Ultimate Protection.
ZenMate – Free VPN Mac Users Would Love to Install
ZenMate is well-known for its free VPN, however, it’s not the case with iOS users. You can only enjoy ZenMate free VPN on Mac if you have a Chrome. Its chrome extension is completely free (limited). ZenMate seems to be following Cloak VPN’s footsteps. However, it is a pretty bad attempt. Zenmant free VPN for Mac offers a premium free trial, but fails to mention the time limit. So you can use it for free but you never know when this treat ends. ZenMate is a Germany-based VPN service. It promises privacy, security, and compatibility. It has a sleek and simple client for Mac. You will figure out how to use it as soon as you download it.
ZenMate isn’t the ideal free VPN for Mac but it is not a bad option if you have to watch one show on the one website that’s not available in your country. It appears that the company focuses have shifted to premium VPN after offering free VPN for quite a long. Overall, we love ZenMate from a great product they’ve introduced in the market. Below is the highlight of ZenMate VPN:
- Sleek design and easy-to-use App
- It works on all major OS and devices
- Widespread VPN servers
- Strong protocols for online protection
- Not a complete free VPN for Mac
- Speed issues result in bandwidth throttling
VPNBook – Free Mac VPN with No Sign-up Hassle
In our quest of free VPN for MacBook and Mac OS, we have found another good VPN that is one of its own kinds. VPNBook offers free VPN which is extended to all operating system and devices. The catch about VPNBook is that it lets you connect to PPTP or OpenVPN. When we say ‘PPTP’, it gives us the impression that the VPN can work smoothly on any mobile device.
Unfortunately, this VPN doesn’t offer any App, not even for Mac users, so the only way you can install VPNBook on your PC is by following a simple configuration step. Another thing we liked about VPNBook is that it will not ask you to sign up for an account – you can use the login details provided (available on their website) by VPNBook. This is considered as best free Mac VPN if your purpose is to quickly browse restricted content, however, this free Mac VPN is not ideal for someone who loves p2p file sharing. Below is the conclusion of VPNBook that are experts have found while reviewing the service:
- No registration process to use VPN
- PPTP and OpenVPN enabled VPN
- Works on all OS and devices
- Good for access less-sensitive restricted content
- No dedicated apps for any OS and device
- Not p2p friendly
Windscribe – Best Free VPN for Mac with Limited Bandwidth
“Browse the web privately as it was meant to be” – Windscribe welcomes you with such a heavy promise. It is a lot to live up to since Windscribe is a free VPN for Mac. It has a paid package as well but let’s focus on what Windscribe has to offer to Mac users. You can use it on one device only. For VPN server location, you get eight options although Windscribe has VPN servers in 45 countries. Also, there is a limit on data usage i.e. only 10 GBs a month. The good news is Windscribe free VPN for Mac allows P2P. Unlike VPNBook, it offers VPN apps on all OS and devices including Mac. Its Mac VPN client is simple to use, and you are just a click away to travel the World digitally.
In addition, Windscribe VPN offers ‘get more bandwidth’ option where you can refer the service to your friends and claim 1GB bandwidth every month, and more. Although the company is relatively new in the market, but their service seems remarkable as a free option. Below are some of the highlights of Windscribe VPN:
- Fast VPN connection
- Strong encryption protocols
- Apps available on all OS and devices
- Extension available for Chrome, Firefox and Opera
- Limited servers in free version
- Not so-informative support
Hide.Me – Free Unlimited VPN for Mac, With 24/7 Support
We give credit to the owners of Hide.Me to choose such a unique name for the company. Just like its name, the company offers a complete package for VPN users to browse the web with complete anonymity. Hide.Me extends its offering to Windows, Mac, Android, iOS and etc. It offers both free and premium VPN, however, the best part about their fee VPN is that it is completely FREE! Unlike other counterparts, it doesn’t bombard you with ads in exchange of the free service, but will give you free access with limitations. There is no expiry date on using the free account. You can use it for as long as you want. Despite having VPN servers in more than 30 countries, this free Mac VPN users can only connect to three locations i.e. Canada, Netherlands, and Singapore.
Hide.Me offers dedicated app for Mac, so you can enjoy free service via their app. In addition, the company doesn’t cap you on bandwidth. It also gives 24/7 customer support in case you have any questions. Below are some key points we concluded from Hide.Me review:
- Ads free VPN service
- Free for lifetime
- Unlimited bandwidth & guaranteed uptime
- Dedicated apps for Windows, Mac, Android & iOS
- No servers in US
- Not torrent friendly
SurfEasy – Free VPN Mac for Starters
SurfEasy is a part of software company Opera. We love the magic it creates with its official website. It simply lures you in and asks you to provide the email address to sign up for free. But it stays tight-lipped throughout. So you have no idea what you are signing up for with SurfEasy. It has more than 1000 VPN servers in 25 countries. SurfEasy makes torrenting with peace of mind a reality. Also, you get rid of the unwanted advertisers following you around the web. All in all, SurfEasy does a good job but how much of it is available to you remains a question.
Is VPN Necessary For Mac, Yes or No?
Is VPN necessary for Mac? It is a legit question. Interestingly, everyone knows the answer to it. However, sometimes we fail to put things in perspective. We have compiled a list of few reasons for you and we are sure after reading each one, you will feel you already knew that. So let us freshen up your memory and tell you why your Mac must marry a VPN immediately. Let’s begin;
- Vulnerable Online World and Security Concerns
When was the last time you heard about a cyber-attack, malware attack, hacking incident or an online banking scandal? We are sure the memory must be recent. Unfortunately, it is the reality of the times we live in. The online space is supremely vulnerable. Everyone co-exists without thinking about shielding themselves from the bad guys. This carelessness often leads to an unforgettable online accident. With due respect, you are being ridiculous for not opting for VPN, especially when it is free. You don’t have to buy the online protection. In fact, it is available in abundance in form of free Mac VPN providers. The decision is in your hands now.
- It’s 2018 And Geo-Restriction Is Still an Issue
There was a time when Hollywood was so psyched about its content that people from other countries used to watch it foryears. There were tight barriers and fewer channels to spread the commercial TV content outside the US borders. With time and technological advancement, we have reached a point where everyone is able to watch their favorite TV shows like House of Cards, Game of Thrones, or Strangers Things at the same time. However, when you think you have come a long way and shown substantial progress, you get a reality check (case in point, Donald Trump). In terms of entertainment, now the content is restricted in the name of geo-restriction because of licensing issues. Well, a free VPN for Mac lets you fight off the germ of geo-restriction and access all streaming platforms anywhere in the world.
- Blanket Surveillance: The Fear Of Being Watched 24/7
Wouldn’t it be creepy if someone stood behind you and kept staring at your laptop screen without blinking? Well, that’s what blanket surveillance looks like. Your government, in the name of national security, might order the relevant ministry to monitor online activities of its users. Interestingly, these orders are vague. You may not know about the nature of checks involved in blanket surveillance. Of course, it is an invasion of privacy. You must not allow this. You don’t have to spend days in protesting to show your anger and resistance for such a barbaric act. You can simply get a free VPN for Mac and shield yourself from blanket surveillance. It can be a kind of protest against blanket surveillance.
Did you see the necessity of a free VPN for Mac? Especially, if you are getting the protection for free then why spend so much time thinking about it; just get a free VPN Mac already.
5 Recommended Premium VPNs For Mac – A Penny Can Save You More
We know you are looking for free Mac VPNs but to be honest, free ones are nowhere near in comparison to the paid VPNs for Mac. The phenomenon is very simple. Mostly free services are offered to get you to buy the product. So most of the free Mac VPN providers are waiting for you to spend money and upgrade to a paid and better version. At the end of the day, if you can afford to pay for the VPN then you must choose from the following list as these are the best VPNs for Mac.
ExpressVPN Review 2021
NordVPN Review 2021
Surfshark VPN Review 2021
CyberGhost VPN Review 2021
IPVanish Review
The Quest for Free VPN for Mac Comes To An End – Have You Made Your Pick?
It was a long journey to find out the best free VPN for Mac, but we completed it with success. Now you have a list of top names in the “free VPN for Mac” category. You shouldn’t wait anymore to start using one soon. We couldn’t stress enough how important it is to have a VPN in our times where security threats, geo-restriction, and blanket surveillance is pretty rampant. Today, if you are not taking proactive steps to shield yourself online then any virtual mishap that comes your way is your fault because you didn’t do anything despite knowing the ground reality.
Mac users who can afford to pay for a VPN should buy it instead of depending upon a free VPN for Mac. The difference in the quality of service is huge. However, it doesn’t mean that you use the Internet without VPN just because you can’t pay a monthly fee. At the end of the day, free VPN for Mac is always there to be your savior in this expensive world.
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.
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:
Best Free Vpn For Mac Canada
- 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.
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.