id="article-body" class="row" section="article-body"> (Image: [[|]]) (Image: [[https://i.ytimg.com/vi/62zuDe-LMso/hq720.jpg|https://i.ytimg.com/vi/62zuDe-LMso/hq720.jpg]]) . But  can't offer you total encryption of your internet traffic, nor can it prevent your  from tracking your web activity. That's why even if you're a Mac user, you should still consider using a virtual private network.  The market for VPNs has been booming and new VPN providers keep jumping into the marketplace. That can make it hard to sort through the many options to find the VPN service that works best with your Mac device. That's where our guide for the best Mac VPN comes in.  When from the perspective of a Mac user, we're evaluating several things: First, if you're using the MacOS operating system, you're used to a clean, intuitive user interface with a  and a well-organized set of digital tools -- which is why a VPN's usability weighs into our consideration. We also know that for many MacOS policies. Further, while not every Mac computer or Apple device is faster than PC and Windows products, we want to see a VPN service with a connection speed that compliments MacOS machines' rapid reputation.     We'll continue updating this list periodically as new contenders emerge for the top spot, so check back here regularly if you're shopping for a Mac VPN client. Drawn from our directory of the , here are our top picks for the best Mac VPN. ExpressVPN Number of IP addresses: 30,000Number of servers: 3,000-plusNumber of VPN server locations: 160Number of simultaneous connections: 5Country/jurisdiction: British Virgin Islands94-plus countries ExpressVPN consistently proves itself one of the fastest VPNs on the market, and actively promotes its commitment to privacy. That's why it tops our list as the best Mac VPN. The VPN company tells us its network is powered by TrustedServer technology, which ExpressVPN built to ensure that there are never any logs of users' online activities. In the privacy world, ExpressVPN has a strong track record, having experienced a server seizure by authorities which proved their zero-log policy true at the time. We also like the number of server location options, the quality of the VPN's setup guides, and the detailed information in its FAQ.  Like the rest of the , ExpressVPN offers a useful kill switch security feature, which [[http://blogs.realtown.com/search/?q=prevents%20network|prevents network]] data from leaking outside of its secure VPN tunnel in the event the VPN connection fails. Unlike the others, though,  gained points from us for its support of bitcoin as a payment method -- something not all of our favorites offer, but which adds an additional layer of privacy during checkout. The VPN provider has been in business since 2009, and  has a substantial network of fast VPN servers spread across 94 countries.  a month for an annual package, which includes three months free.  ExpressVPN operates on Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, Linux and . Read more:  CNET Apps Today Discover the latest apps: Be the first to know about the hottest new apps with the CNET Apps Today newsletter. Surfshark Number of servers: 3,200-plus Number of VPN server locations: 65 Country/jurisdiction: British Virgin Islands While  network is smaller than some, the VPN service makes up for it in features. And by currently achieving the fastest speeds in our . Let's start off with the biggest win it offers: VPN unlimited device support. If you want to run your entire home or office on Surfshark's VPN, you don't have to worry about how many devices you have on or connected. It also offers antimalware, ad-blocking and tracker-blocking as part of its VPN software. Surfshark received generally high marks when its Chrome and Firefox extensions were  by German security firm Cure 53 () -- though that audit was commissioned by Surfshark. The VPN provider has a solid range of app support, running on Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, FireTV and routers. Additional devices such as  can be configured for Surfshark via DNS settings. We particularly like the feature that allows you to whitelist certain apps and websites to automatically bypass the VPN. For some business uses, this can be critically important.  Surfshark also offers three special modes designed for those who want to get around restrictions and more carefully hide their online footsteps. Camouflage Mode masks your VPN activity so your ISP doesn't know you're using a VPN. Multihop jumps your internet connection through multiple countries to hide your trail. Finally, NoBorders Mode "allows [you] to successfully use Surfshark in restrictive regions."  Just be careful: Doing any of these three things could be illegal in your country and could result in severe penalties. During our testing, we saw no DNS or IP address leaks, and had no trouble accessing Netflix.  For a one-year plan, Surfshark comes in close to many of the other full-featured VPN providers, at . But right now, you can as well -- a great offer. . Definitely take advantage of its generous 30-day trial to decide if you like this service (and if you go with the two year plan, maybe set a reminder in 23 months to see if you can talk it into a continued discount rate). Read more:  NordVPN Number of IP addresses: 5,000Number of servers: 5,200-plusNumber of VPN server locations: 62Country/jurisdiction: Panama62 countries (ZDNet) is one of the most recognized brands in the VPN field. It offers Mac VPN users a generous simultaneous connection count, with six simultaneous connections through its network, where nearly all other providers offer five or fewer. The VPN provider also offers a dedicated IP option, for those looking for a different level of VPN connection. NordVPN offers a kill switch feature, and the ability to VPN into Tor. We detected no privacy leaks during our tests, and found its speeds to be reliably fast.  The company's . While that yearly price is lower than most other contenders, the month-to-month price of  is at the high end of the spectrum. However, [[https://webinar.youtalkonline.com/rules|hydra ссылка]] its . And yes, it also has a full 30-day refund policy.  While [[http://ccmixter.org/api/query?datasource=uploads&search_type=all&sort=rank&search=NordVPN&lic=by,sa,s,splus,pd,zero|NordVPN]] has lived on this list for a long time, we moved it to the penalty box in October 2019 to re-evaluate our recommendation after a report emerged that one of its rented servers was . Nord's actions following the discovery included -- eventually -- multiple security audits, a  and heavier investments in server security.  While we'd have preferred that Nord self-disclosed the issue much earlier, the fact that the  served to further verify that NordVPN keeps no logs of VPN user activity. As a result, Nord remains on this list of the best Mac VPN as a recommended vendor. It operates on Mac, Windows, Android, iOS and Linux. Read more:  What's the best Mac VPN right now?  is the current CNET Editors' Choice for best overall VPN. We evaluate VPNs based on their overall performance in three main categories: speed, security and price. Express isn't the cheapest, but it's among the fastest, and so far, is the most secure. At lower costs,  is a close second among our picks, thanks to its impressive performance and unlimited device support. , our third choice, is a die-hard heavy-hitter. It costs more than Surfshark but less than Express, has an enormous network that's constantly getting faster and more secure, and is easily the most reliable service we've tested.  What is a mobile VPN? Use a mobile-friendly VPN to avoid slower speeds and ensure greater data privacy for your whole device. Mobile VPNs generally have a smaller memory footprint, and require less processing power than desktop VPNs, so they run faster and save more battery. Our top three VPNs listed above all have excellent, easy-to-use mobile VPN app options for their services. Some VPNs will only work with one type of platform -- like Apple or Android -- and some are universally compatible. To find the right mobile VPN for you, check out our mobile-specific VPN guides below. We routinely update them with our re-testing information so check back often.  What's the best free VPN service? None of them. . While there are plenty of excellent free security and privacy apps online, VPNs, sadly, aren't among them. Safe VPNs cost companies a lot of money to operate and keep secure, and free ones are almost always malware-laden data snoops. But there's good news: The burgeoning VPN market is hyper-competitive right now, so prices for even the best VPNs regularly drop to less than $5 a month. In fact, the least expensive paid VPN option we've seen so far ranks in our top three VPNs overall for security and speed. Check out our  to find one in your price range.  More VPN advice