If you want to unblock regional content on streaming services like Netflix, iPlayer, and Prime, or access websites that aren’t available in your region, a VPN is an essential tool. VPN services can also give you online privacy as well as letting you securely connect to open Wi-Fi networks in cafes, hotels, airports and other places. We can help you find the cheapest VPN to suit your needs.
Choosing which VPN service to subscribe to can be difficult and this is compounded by the fact that there are so many offers and discounts. That’s where we come in. All of the services you’ll find below are ones we’d use ourselves – and we do so daily. We’ll let you know the latest prices and best deals so you can find the VPN that suites you at the best price.
Read How to use a VPN on a Mac for more information, and if you still aren’t sure why you need a VPN read: Should I use a VPN on my Mac/iPhone?
Best VPN deals right now
All these deals save a significant amount compared to paying for each of these services on a rolling monthly subscription. VPN providers tend to offer year-round discounts, however there are some deals that mean you won’t be locked into a monthly fee, or at least not one that will expire soon. Here are two of the best examples:
One deal to take a look at is FastestVPN’s Lifetime plan – which with 93% off makes it an absolute bargain as you pay once and have access to the VPN for life. It’s a one-off $40 (approx £33) and the company says that the full price would be $600.
We have plenty more deals below. Note that many of the deals lock you in for a year or two years after which you can end up paying a lot more, so check out the advertised monthly price. We recommend setting a reminder in your calendar to cancel and look for a new deal to replace the one you had at the end of the contract period.
For our recommendations of Mac Antivirus Software that we have tested see: Best Antivirus for Mac 2024: Top Security Software Compared. We also evaluate the Best VPN for iPad and Best VPN for iPhone.
Best free VPN
There are a few free VPNs on offer but our advice is usually to be very cautious about them. Companies that give stuff away will be making money somehow, and you can’t be sure they aren’t selling your data.
One decent VPN that does offer a free tier is Proton VPN (read our review). You can use Proton VPN for nothing, as long as you’re happy with U.S., Japan, and Netherlands as your server locations. It’s also limiting in that you can only connect a single device, and speeds are slower than the paid plans, but the free version is available on all platforms and if you like it you can always subscribe to get the whole package which will unblock a host of features, including an ad and tracker blocker and improved speed of up to 10 Gbit, as well as an expanded 10-device limit. There’s Port Forwarding for downloads and gaming, too, as well as a Kill Switch for disconnecting should the VPN drop out.
Best cheap VPNs for Mac
We’re reviewed all these services in our round-up of the best VPNs for Mac. Below you will find details of the best deals available currently for each of the major VPN providers – these deals change all the time.
Most VPNs cost less than $5/£5 per month, with some less than $3/£3 a month. There are even some free VPNs, but these are usually very limited and could be collecting data about you. The ones we share here are generally around $3/£3 a month or less.
Here are our top recommendations for the cheapest Mac VPNs:
- NordVPN – 73% off
- Private Internet Access – 85% off
- Surfshark – 87% off
- CyberGhost – 82% off
As we said above, just remember to take a note of the renewal date when you start a subscription so that you can cancel it before you get charged the full price.
Best VPN deals: Save money on a VPN for your Mac
1. NordVPN
Pros
- Incredibly easy to use
- Plenty of server options
Cons
- Pricing weighted toward two-year plans
NordVPN is a fully featured VPN option that’s secure, easy to use, and unbelievably fast compared to its competitors.
Prices change all the time. NordVPN’s Basic plan is currently 73% off at $2.99/£2.29 a month for 2 years + 3 months.
2. Surfshark
Pros
- Simple to use
- No device limits
Cons
- Slower on OpenVPN
SurfShark is a great VPN option that’s as easy to use as the best of them, while maintaining security across an unlimited number of devices – something we don’t see often.
Right now Surfshark’s Starter plan is $1.99/£1.49 a month for 2 years + 4 free months. There is also a deal where you can get Surfshark One+ for two years with 4 free months for $3.99/£2.99 a month.
3. Private Internet Access
Pros
- Lots of power features
- Privacy-minded
- Great value
Cons
- Less intuitive than some others
Private Internet Access (PIA) offers a robust feature set that makes it one of the more impressive VPNs out there.
Right now PIA Has a deal that means you pay $2.03/£1.69 a month for two years and get two months free.
4. CyberGhost
Pros
- Simple to use
- Decent speeds
- Plenty of servers
Cons
- Lacking some power user features
CyberGhost takes a lot of the complexity out of VPN usage, for better and for worse. On the one hand, some users may want more power-user features.
At the moment you can get 82% off at Cyberghost. This is $2.19/£1.92 a month for 2 years with 2 free months. It’s fully refundable for 45 days, according to the company.
5. hide.me VPN
Pros
- Dedicated streaming servers
- Impressive free tier
Cons
- Slightly clunky UI
Hide.me is a solid VPN with a great free tier, but the UI isn’t particularly intuitive.
Hide.me’s deal means you pay $3.84/£3.84 a month for 26 months.
6. ProtonVPN
Pros
- Simple to use
- Free plan
- Great speed
Cons
- Setup on macOS was a little fiddly
Proton VPN’s free tier, ease of use, and impressive speeds put it right near the top of our VPN recommendations.
There is a free tier of Proton VPN, but if you want a bit more flexibility and a few more features prices start at $4.49/€4.49 a month for two years. Usually $9.99/€9.99 a month. The Swiss-based company doesn’t seem to like pounds, so it’s dollars or euros, unfortunately.
How to find the best VPN deal for Mac
VPN subscriptions typically work out cheaper if you commit for a year or longer, which saves a lot of money. Prices rarely exceed $6/£6 per month with multi-year subscriptions and are often closer to $2/£2… or even less.
Many major VPN providers offer discounts through the year, and sometimes even offer permanent discounts. These discounts can look impressive at first. It’s not uncommon to see a countdown timer telling you when the deal ends – but these are almost always to induce FOMO – the fear of missing out – in order to persuade you to sign up immediately.
Large discounts are par for the course with VPN services, especially when you’re subscribing for several years. This makes it all the more important to look into the various providers and what each has to offer, before jumping into a long-term commitment.
All VPNs we’ve tested offer cross-device coverage too, so you can use them on your Mac, iPhone, iPad and more. We’ve separately rounded up the best iPhone VPNs and iPad VPNs.
Author: Karen Haslam, Managing Editor, Macworld
Karen has worked on both sides of the Apple divide, clocking up a number of years at Apple's PR agency prior to joining Macworld more than two decades ago. Karen's career highlights include interviewing Apple's Steve Wozniak and discussing Steve Jobs’ legacy on the BBC. Having edited the U.K. print and online editions of Macworld for many years, more recently her focus has been on SEO and evergreen content as well as product recommendations and buying advice.