In 2016, Apple launched the macOS operating system to replace Mac OS X. El Capitan was the final version of Mac OS X, while Sierra, High Sierra, and the Mojave versions are all under the macOS name. In this article, we’ll discuss the best VPNs for El Capitan, Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, and Monterey.

The macOS operating system has stronger security features than Mac OS X, and Mac continues to improve the operating system’s resistance to viruses with each new release. However, controlling all of the events that your computer encounters out on the internet is often beyond the capabilities of the operating system.

You can read more about the threats to your privacy and security when you surf the web later on in this guide. However, first take a look at the best VPNs for El Capitan, Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, and Monterey. If you haven’t got time to read the whole post, we have summarised a lot of the details on each of the VPN providers into this list:

  • NordVPN Our top VPN for El Capitan, Catalina, Big Sur, and Monterey. Large network of secure and fast servers. Reliably unblocks most restricted sites and services. Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.
  • Surfshark Hard to beat on value. Solid speeds, powerful security and privacy protections, and no connection limits. Apps for macs and MacBooks.
  • ExpressVPN Easy to install and get started. Impressive server speeds, great for streaming and downloads. Unblocks most geo-restricted sites and services.
  • CyberGhost Beginner-friendly provider that hit some of the fastest download and streaming speeds in our tests. Easy-to-use apps and installation for Macs.
  • IPVanish Great security features like auto wi-fi protection will keep your Mac safe. The servers were fast and reliable in our testing.
  • AtlasVPN Servers in 40+ locations. Unlimited bandwidth and 24/7 support. Lots of extra features, such as multi-hop servers and a malware blocker.
  • PrivateVPN Solid on privacy and security. We had no issues with download speeds or getting connected. Easy to install and use.

Best VPNs for all Mac OS X versions – at a glance

We’ve compared the most important features for the top VPNs here. Prefer to read the in-depth reviews? Start with NordVPN – our #1 choice for all Mac OS X versions.

There are no hidden terms—just contact support within 30 days if you decide NordVPN isn’t right for you, and you’ll get a full refund. Start your NordVPN trial here.

The Best VPNs for all Mac OS X versions

There are plenty of VPNs on the market, but they won’t all offer the same level of service. So to find the ones that will work best for you, we took the following factors into consideration:

  • App for Macs and MacBooks
  • Strong encryption
  • DNS leak protection, automatic wifi protection, and a kill switch
  • Easy to install and use

You can read more about how we test and rank our VPNs below. But for now, let’s take a closer look at the ones that made our list.

Here is our list of the best VPNs for El Capitan, Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, and Monterey:

1. NordVPN

                    Jan 2023

Apps Available:

  • PC
  • Mac
  • IOS
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Background
  • FireTV

Website: www.NordVPN.com

Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS

NordVPN is our number one VPN choice. As a leading VPN, NordVPN offers exceptional speeds that enable you to watch live video streams without faults or buffering. The service includes access to servers in 60+ countries, and in total, the company runs 5,400+ servers all over the world. You can connect to those servers on six different devices at once with all NordVPN subscriptions.

The version of the NordVPN app that is available in the app store is different from the version that NordVPN makes available on its website. The app store version is more “leak-proof: than the website version, so it is better to get the app from there.

The NordVPN app is really easy to use. It shows a map of the world with a marker in each country where the company has servers. You just click on a marker to establish a secure connection to that location. An alternative access method is provided by a server list. This gives you much more choice because, in this mode, you can specify the exact server and location to connect to rather than just the country.

The server list includes some interesting security connection options. For example, you can choose a special server path through which you can connect to the Tor network. There is also a choice of pre-set double-hop paths that will route your connection through two VPN servers in different counties and apply two levels of encryption.

Connection security is created by AES encryption with a 256-bit key. The RSA encryption for session establishment and key exchange uses a 2048-bit key. That could be stronger, like some of the other services on this list. However, it isn’t the worst in the industry.

NordVPN gives you the option of naming a default server and setting the VPN to start up with the operating system. This gives you constant cover and includes automatic wifi protection. You can also set a kill switch to block all internet access should the VPN protection break. That kill switch can be set to cut off the internet from the device as a whole or just specific apps and processes.

UPDATE 22 April 2021: NordVPN no longer installs on El Capitan. Its Mac app is available for Mac OS 10.12 and up, which includes Sierra, High Sierra, and Mojave.

OUR #1 CHOICE:NordVPN is the best VPN for all Mac OS X Versions. A good all-rounder with excellent speeds and strong security features. Accommodates up to 6 devices. Includes risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros:

  • Their Mac app is available on their website and on the app store
  • One of the fastest VPNs we’ve tested
  • Doesn’t compromise on security
  • Unblocks the majority of streaming services with ease
  • Keeps no logs
  • 24/7 customer service

Cons:

  • Chinese residents aren’t able to connect via the iOS app

Our score:

Read our full review of NordVPN.

2. Surfshark

  • PC
  • Mac
  • IOS
  • Android
  • Linux

Website: www.Surfshark.com

Surfshark offers simple yet powerful apps for all major operating systems, including macOS and iOS. These have a clean, neatly-organized interface, making them perfect for beginners. In fact, you can connect to any of this VPN’s 3,200 servers (in over 100 countries) in just a few clicks. Speeds do vary somewhat but are generally fast enough for most everyday tasks.

This VPN’s security features include a kill switch, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and effectively uncrackable 256-bit AES encryption. Additionally, there’s a malware scanner and ad-blocker built-in, as well as a NoBorders feature that’s designed to get around web-blocking in countries like China. Surfshark doesn’t keep any logs at all, so there’s no need to worry about privacy. Having problems? You can contact support, day or night, over live chat.

Surfshark has apps for iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, and Windows. Additionally, it can be manually installed on supported routers. All plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee.

BEST BUDGET VPN:Surfshark is a great, low-cost VPN for macOS users. Boasting solid speeds, strong unblocking ability, and a host of security features, there really isn’t much that it struggles with. What’s more, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

  • Apps are powerful yet user-friendly

  • Speeds are high enough for most tasks

  • Great unblocking capabilities

  • Puts your security and privacy first

  • Secure all of your devices at once

  • Still has a few slow servers

Read our full Surfshark review.

3. ExpressVPN

Website: www.ExpressVPN.com

ExpressVPN offers a very high-quality service. Its app is available on the company’s website. After paying for your subscription, just go to the download page and click on the install file for Macs. The installation wizard takes care of all of the setup for you, compiling the app for the VPN, creating an icon on your desktop, and installing all of the behind-the-scenes services that a VPN needs to operate on a Mac. Once the installation process finishes, the app will open automatically. The first time you use the app you will need to enter an activation code. You get this code from the user account section at the website, to which the ExpressVPN subscription program should send you a link once your payment clears.

You can set the app to start whenever you boot up your computer. This will establish a secure connection to a VPN server with no extra steps. You do have to specify in the settings which VPN server location the app should connect to. An automatic kill switch (called a ”network lock” in ExpressVPN parlance) prevents any communications from your computer outside of the secure VPN connection.

When the VPN is running, you aren’t tied into the server you specified as your default. You can switch VPN server locations easily from within the app. ExpressVPN has servers in 94 countries, so you will have plenty of choice. Having the VPN on all the time makes it very difficult for snoopers to hack into your connections. It also makes it impossible for your internet service provider and government agencies to track your activities on the web. As soon as you walk into a cybercafé with your MacBook, you are protected by ExpressVPN even if your MacBook connects automatically upon coming in the range of the wifi hotspot.

ExpressVPN offers very good speeds, which is great if you like to stream video or music on your Mac. These speeds are achieved despite the fact that the security of ExpressVPN takes a lot of processing. A VPN connection consists of two phases.

All of your communications over the web are protected by encryption. ExpressVPN uses the AES cipher with a 256-bit key. This is the strongest type of encryption available in a VPN. However, AES does have one big weakness, which is that both sides use the same key to encrypt and decrypt data so that key has to be distributed. The transmission of the key has to be protected by a different encryption system. ExpressVPN uses the RSA cipher for this task. Nearly all VPNs use RSA, but the strength of the cipher is created by the length of its key. ExpressVPN uses a 4096-bit key for RSA, which very few VPNs implement.

The ExpressVPN service is very secure and works well on Macs. You are allowed to connect three devices to the VPN simultaneously. The company is confident that it has put together a winning package and they are prepared to give you a 30-day money-back guarantee on your subscription.

EXTREMELY VERSATILE:ExpressVPN is a fast and reliable choice. Unblocks all major streaming services. Impressive security and privacy with 256-bit AES encryption, no browser logs, a kill switch, and leak protection. Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.

  • Installation wizard makes for an easy install on Macs

  • Powerful encryption makes for solid security and privacy

  • DNS leak protection shared IP addresses

  • Keeps no traffic logs

  • 24/7 chat support are well trained to handle complex situations

  • Slightly more pricey than other services

  • Could provide more control over advanced functionality

Read our full review of ExpressVPN.

4. CyberGhost

Website: www.Cyberghost.com

Money-back guarantee: 45 DAYS

CyberGhost has a great-looking app. It’s very cool, and it installs on any macOS flavor with an installer, which you download from the CyberGhost website. CyberGhost offers very good speeds and has preset options to optimize the service for streaming or downloading. Those preset options appear as the opening screen of the CyberGhost app.

The interface has a funky graphic design with a cute ghost theme throughout. You can set the VPN to start up with the operating system, which requires you to specify a default server to connect to. A choice of over 9000 servers in 90+ countries lets you specify a location right down to the city.

The settings of the app include a kill switch and an obfuscation option that would come in very handy in countries with tight controls on internet access, such as China. Even without that option turned on, you get the very best protection from CyberGhost. As with the other VPNs on this list, data is covered by AES encryption with a 256-bit key. Session establishment and key exchange is protected by a 4096-bit key RSA implementation.

Each account can connect seven devices to CyberGhost servers at the same time. The company gives all customers a 45-day money-back guarantee.

GREAT VALUE:CyberGhost is easy to use. A well-priced solid performer. Good option if you are looking for a fast, reliable connection and an easy-to-use interface. Can struggle with unblocking some popular streaming sites. 45-day money-back guarantee.

  • Slick Mac OS apps available on their website are very easy to install and use

  • A low-cost provider with some very fast servers for downloading and streaming

  • Keeps no user activity logs and provides strong encryption to bypass activity detection

  • Works well with Kodi, can select servers based on site you want to unblock

  • 45-day money-back guarantee

  • Not as suitable for those that need control of advanced features

  • Doesn’t work in China

Read our full CyberGhost review.

5. IPVanish

Website: www.IPVanish.com

IPVanish is well known for its very fast speeds. The VPN includes 256-bit AES encryption for data. Session establishment and key exchange is covered by RSA with a 2048-bit key, which isn’t the strongest but is still uncrackable and far better than the fallible 1024-bit key that many VPNs use.

The app for IPVanish downloads from the website onto your Mac. Once you click on the downloaded file, the installation takes place automatically with just a few clicks. The process also installs an icon on your desktop. The app includes the option to set the VPN to connect as soon as the operating system starts up. You can specify a default server. IPVanish has more than 2,000 servers located in 75+ locations. It is easy to switch server locations through the app once the VPN is running.

A network lock option ensures that no program on your computer can communicate over the internet unless the VPN is active. This ensures that you are always covered by the VPN and gives you automatic wifi protection when you are out and about with your MacBook.

This service offers unlimited simultaneous connections. IPVanish gives all customers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

EASY TO USE:IPVanish is great for families. Generally solid for all Mac OS X versions and folks who need the highest standard of online privacy. Can struggle with some popular streaming services and doesn’t work in China. 30-day money-back guarantee.

  • Mac OS app downloadable directly from their website

  • DNS leak protection and kill switch enabled by default

  • Impressive server speeds

  • Unlimited connections

  • Apps don’t work in China

  • Doesn’t reliably access Netflix, Hulu

Read our full review of IPVanish.

6. AtlasVPN

  • PC
  • Mac
  • IOS
  • Android
  • Background
  • FireTV

Website: www.atlasvpn.com

AtlasVPN is a VPN offering 750 servers in 40+ locations. While this is on the smaller side in terms of network size versus other VPNs, it makes up for this with ultrafast speeds and robust security features. AtlasVPN is a solid choice for Mac users and has one of the most straightforward setups we’ve seen that’ll have you up and running in less than five minutes.

One of the most notable inclusions of AtlasVPN is its unlimited connection limit, letting you use the VPN on as many devices as you’d like simultaneously. In terms of security, there’s 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection, and a kill switch. Note also that this VPN doesn’t keep any logs of its users. Of course, if you need any help, you’ll find it in AtlasVPN’s 24/7 live chat and email support.

ENDLESS CONNECTION LIMIT:AtlasVPN works well on Macs to access popular streams on Netflix and more. Apps are straightforward, and it includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.

  • Accesses platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus

  • Connect any number of devices

  • Speedy no-logs provider

  • No Linux or router support

  • makes canceling difficult

Read our full AtlasVPN review.

7. PrivateVPN

Website: www.PrivateVPN.com

PrivateVPN is based in Sweden. An install wizard gets the app on your Mac and puts a shortcut on your Desktop for easy access. You can set the VPN to connect when the operating system starts up. You will have to name a default server during that setup process. The company runs 200 servers in 63 countries.

The founders of the company campaign for internet freedom and in particular, support downloading. They made their service very fast, so customers enjoy streaming video in high quality with no buffering. Optional security measures include a kill switch, which will prevent any access to the internet if the VPN connection drops. This, together with the ability to run the VPN connection at all times, combines to provide automatic wifi protection.

The connection security has two options, which can be chosen within the app. These are the AES cipher with a 256-bit key and the Blowfish cipher with a 128-bit key. Session establishment and data encryption key distribution is protected by RSA encryption with a 2048-bit key.

Each account has the right to connect to the service times simultaneously, and the company offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on every subscription. Apps are also available for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.

GREAT SPEEDS:PrivateVPN is a good family choice. Speeds were surprisingly good at this end of the market. Could do with having more servers and lacks 24/7 support. 30-day money-back guarantee.

  • Easy installation wizard for Mac OS available on their website

  • Kill switch and automatic wifi protection activate when a connection drops

  • Our tests revealed impressive speeds

  • Support staff are good, but only operate during European business hours

  • New network with a smaller number of servers to choose from

  • Apps lack some advanced features, such as ad and malware-blocking options

Read our full review of PrivateVPN.

Methodology: how we selected the best VPNs for El Capitan, Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, and Monterey

To evaluate and select the best VPN for legacy macOS platforms, we used the following criteria:

  • Compatibility: We tested each VPN with El Capitan, Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, and Monterey to ensure they worked well across the various operating systems.
  • Features: We considered features such as server locations, number of servers, simultaneous connections, NAT firewall, P2P support, and more.
  • Network: We looked at each VPN’s server network to ensure it was large enough to offer good speeds and reliability.
  • Speed: A fast connection is essential for a good VPN experience on any device, but it’s imperative on a Mac. We tested each VPN’s speed by downloading files from various servers and measuring the download.
  • Security: A good VPN will protect your privacy by encrypting your internet traffic and hiding your IP address. We tested each VPN by connecting to various servers and measuring the encryption strength.
  • Ease of use: A good VPN for macOS should be easy to set up and use. We looked at how well each VPN’s software integrated with our test Mac and how easy it was to use the features.
  • Customer support: If you have problems with your VPN, you’ll want to be able to reach customer support easily. We contacted each VPN’s customer support by email and live chat and tested their response times and quality.

There’s a little more to our testing process, and you can learn more from our methodology guide.

Security hazards on Macs

Although Macs suffer fewer virus infections than Windows computers, the operating system is not immune to malware or hacker attacks. Apple keeps tightening security and acts quickly whenever a security flaw is discovered. When that happens, the company patches the flaw and integrates it into the Mac operating systems via an update. This applies to all versions of Mac OS, including El Capitan, Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, and Monterey. For this reason, it is very important to keep your Mac up to date.

Privacy hazards on Macs

No matter how up-to-date your operating system is, Apple can’t help you in the fight against online tricksters. Your security can be compromised, and privacy weaknesses enable others to limit your access to the internet.

The difference between security and privacy is simple. Security is concerned with preventing others from accessing your Mac and your communications. This includes preventing malicious programs from infecting your computer. Anti-virus programs and firewalls act to prevent malicious intrusion into your computer. On internet connections, data encryption gives you security.

Privacy goes one step further because not only does it prevent others from reading the contents of your online communications, but it also includes a system that obscures all of your internet activity. All internet communications are transported in a structure called a packet. This carries segments of data in the payload and has a header on the front that contains administration details, including the origin and destination of that packet. Secure communication systems, such as HTTPS, encrypt the contents of the packet payload. Privacy systems encrypt the header as well. VPNs are privacy systems. This is a more comprehensive method than the data encryption services of secure systems. As a VPN encrypts the entire packet, it also covers the functions of internet security methodologies. So with a VPN, you get internet security as well as privacy.

Why is internet privacy important?

Prevent ISP throttling

Internet service providers can selectively slow down connections according to the type of traffic that the connection is carrying. This is a particularly common occurrence for video streaming and downloading. These applications create high volumes of traffic, and ISPs don’t like them because they force up costs. The privacy created by VPNs prevents ISP gateways from reading information about the connection, and so it is impossible for them to selectively throttle traffic.

ISPs can also log all of your internet activity, recording all of the sites that you connect to and the data that you download. Governments use the destination addresses in the headers of packets to block certain websites. Although some countries have tighter controls over which websites and internet services their citizens can access, pretty much all governments in the world impose some internet access restrictions. In very controlling countries, such as China, Iran, or Saudi Arabia, access to certain sites can even land you in jail. So, covering up the header information in packets is very important.

Access restricted content

Some websites use the user’s IP address to block them from using all or part of a website. This scenario is particularly prevalent with video streaming services. Companies like Netflix have to restrict access to content based on the location of the viewer. This is because licensing and censorship issues vary from country to country. Copyright holders of entertainment insist that broadcasters pay for the content on a country-by-country basis. So if a video site sends a video to a country where it doesn’t have permission to show it, it is breaking its contracts and can be sued.

Prevent Man-in-the-Middle attacks

Hackers can read the headers of packets because they normally travel in plain text, even when the contents of the payload are encrypted. The security weakness enables the hacker to pose as a server. This is called a man-in-the-middle attack, and it is particularly easy to implement on wifi networks. Any computer or mobile device can act as a hotspot, and you may mistakenly connect to a fake hotspot when in a public place.

The connection process downloads a script to manage connections, and that gives the hacker a chance to sneak malware and controlling programs onto your device. In a man-in-the-middle attack, your data is routed through the hacker’s computer. That computer will intercept your real connection and reply to your computer as if the connection has been established. The hacker poses as the server, reading, modifying, and deleting information that you send over the internet. This information could contain your credit card details and other personal details.

See also: 8 Common types of malware

The ever-increasing risk of man-in-the-middle attacks is the reason that VPNs include automatic wifi protection in their services. If your VPN is switched on and you have a kill switch engaged, you cannot pass any information over the internet until the VPN is connected. The VPN client on your computer will only take its encryption key from the VPN server that it connects to.

It doesn’t matter if you connect to a fake wifi hotspot while the VPN is connected. VPN encryption encapsulates the standard HTTPS security that the hacker tries to control. That VPN encryption lasts the entire length of the connection from your MacBook through to the chosen VPN server. As the true destination of your connection is obscured, the hacker can’t decipher your internet traffic or redirect you to forged websites.

Prevent DDoS attacks

A type of threat called a DDoS attack can shut down your access to the internet by bombarding your computer with fake connection requests. VPN servers have a lot of capacity, and they can easily absorb DDoS attacks. So, when an enemy reads your IP address and launches an attack against you, he ends up directing that attack at the VPN server instead. Your internet access remains open, and the VPN server takes the hit in its stride.

Mac OS X and macOS versions explained

The Mac operating system has gone through many different versions under the name of Mac OS X. The last time the Mac OS X name was used was version 10.11, better known as El Capitan. This version of Mac OS is still in production. Since its release at the end of September 2015, El Capitan has arrived at release 10.11.6, which was rolled out at the beginning of June 2018.

So, Mac OS X is still current even though the first version of macOS, the Mac OS X replacement, was made available in September 2016. This new operating system was built into Sierra, or Mac OS 10.12. High Sierra, released in September 2017, is the latest version of the Mac operating system and is also known as macOS 10.13. Mac OS 10.14, known as Mojave, arrived in the fall of 2018. Catalina and MacOS version Big Sur came out after Mojave. The most recent version is called Monterey (macOS 12.4), which came out on May 16, 2022.

Extra VPN protection for Macs

When you select a VPN server in the app on your Mac and then turn the VPN on, the client software on your computer takes control of access to your computer’s network card. No communications leave your Mac without passing through the VPN connection, called a tunnel. The client VPN program encrypts exiting data packets and encases them in outer packets addressed to the VPN server. The real destination address is still in the inner packet, but no one who captures the packet in transit can read that encrypted address.

When the VPN server receives a packet, it unwraps it and decrypts it. It then sends the original packet on to its intended destination, but with the VPN server’s address as the origin. That means that no one who captures that packet after it has passed through the VPN server can trace that packet to you.

That restriction of all internet communications to the tunnel also applies to incoming packets. While the VPN is active, no traffic can reach your computer without going through the VPN server first. This means that the VPN gives you extra virus protection. VPN servers give you a temporary address, or they use their own address for all customers. Because of this, no outsider can guess the real IP address of your computer, and so the VPN will block all unsolicited incoming connection requests. You will see this extra virus protection described as a NAT firewall. The address mapping that VPN servers perform is called network address translation, or NAT.

Free VPNs for Mac security and privacy

As you can see from the descriptions of the VPNs in our list, these services work very well to protect your internet connection, keeping them both secure and private. In some cases, VPNs do slow down connections to the point where it is impossible to watch streaming videos or play games online. Usually, these are free VPNs.

Operating fast servers and buying enough hardware to prevent traffic congestion costs a lot of money. VPNs have to pay for services from carrier networks. Premium VPNs, including those listed above, always opt for the top level of service with the highest speeds. Very cheap or free VPNs usually opt for the cheapest, slowest service.

Free VPNs can cut costs by implementing weaker encryption. This can mitigate the effect of a slow connection as well. Some VPNs are deceptive and don’t include any encryption at all.

Another method that free VPNs use to earn an income is injecting adverts into websites. Many free VPNs track your internet activity and sell that information on to marketers, so not only do they not offer you privacy, they compromise it. Some free VPNs sell access to your computer to third parties without your consent.