Nordvpn For Mac

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If we’ve learned anything over the years, it’s the susceptibility of Mac computers to suffer privacy and security breaches.

The number of malware attacks on Mac OS computers in 2017 jumped up to 80% as per Symantec, pushing people to search for solutions to enhance their cybersecurity and privacy on the web:

One definite action that you can take to instantly consolidate your online privacy is to use a VPN service compatible with your Mac.

PureVPN is our top recommendation as the best Mac VPN in 2019. It offers a broad set of features to allay your privacy concerns while also giving you the freedom to access blocked websites/services (including Netflix, p2p etc.) at will for only $1.65/mo.

We have tested and reviewed over 150 VPNs, but found only 5 of them capable enough to make it into this article.

I am a happy NordVPN user and I keep it running on my Mac and iPhone all the time. In this day in age, a VPN in a public setting is a must. NordVPN is a very easy to use, online security system. I can recommend it wholeheartedly and think that anyone using public hotspots should use NordVPN. Nov 21, 2016  In this review we used the Mac client for NordVPN because this is a Mac website — however like most providers NordVPN also offers a client for Windows, iOS and Android. Although I must say that the Windows client’s interface does not look as good as the Mac one — you just have a regular list of servers rather than the pretty map. Enjoy fast, safe and private Internet access with the world's most advanced VPN. NordVPN allows you connect to more than 5000 servers in 60+ countries, secures your private data with military-grade encryption, blocks intrusive ads and malicious sites. Shield against malware Our CyberSec feature detects and blocks harmful websites so that no malware or other cyber threats.

This article will help you set up the NordVPN application on your Mac and connect to a VPN server. This app uses the reliable and fast IKEv2/IPSec VPN protocol, which meets the highest security standards. Note: The IKEv2 app is compatible with macOS 10.12 and later versions. Downloading and installing.

Nordvpn

Let’s get started.

5 Best VPNs for Mac

Here are our top VPN picks for systems running on MacOS:

  1. PureVPN ($1.65/mo)
  2. Surfshark ($1.99/mo)
  3. ExpressVPN ($8.32/mo)
  4. CyberGhost ($2.75/mo)
  5. NordVPN ($3.49/mo)

1. PureVPN ( $1.65/mo )

Number of Servers: 2000+ | Countries: 140+ | Simultaneous Connections: 5

PureVPN is known primarily for the vast geographical diversity of network. It is the best cheap VPN for Mac due to its impressive pricing plan of $1.65/mo.

There are 2,000+ servers distributed over 140+ countries around the world.

This VPN comes with security features like AES 256 bit encryption and OpenVPN tunneling (among other options). It consists of a very responsive kill switch for an added measure of privacy and security for your web traffic.

The zero-logging stance of the company makes it well-worth the attention of users seeking to enhance their privacy as well.

Although the Windows app of the VPN supports split-tunneling, this feature is unfortunately unavailable for Mac yet.

PureVPN has a very minimalistic app design and UI for Mac and offers a smooth user experience.

It is dead simple to use and the option to simultaneously connect up to five devices to one subscription makes it dirt cheap to afford.

If you don’t end up liking their service, then you can always get your money back with their 31-day money back guarantee.

Prices:

  • Ultimate discount deal 85% Off, $1.65/mo – 5 year plan
  • [47% off], $5.81 a month – 1 year plan
  • $10.95 a month – 1 month plan

Read complete PureVPN review for more details.

2. Surfshark ($1.99/month)

Number of servers: 800+ | Countries: 50 | Simultaneous connections: Unlimited

Surfshark is the fastest VPN you can get for your Mac ($1.99/month). Despite its low cost, it doesn’t compromise on quality on any front.

It offers 800+ servers in 50+ countries around the world.

For added security, there is a built-in kill switch for Mac. It serves as an insurance policy should your connection drop and reveal your real IP address (though the service is free from any IP leaks).

Free Vpn For Mac

Apart from this, Surfshark also supports split-tunneling through its WhiteLister feature – a handy tool to split your VPN and non-VPN web traffic.

Surfshark’s Mac VPN app has a very intuitive design to facilitate user accessibility.

On the privacy front, the provider has a policy of zero-logging so you can forget worrying about your sensitive information being monitored for any purpose.

The British Virgin Islands jurisdiction ensures that you are free from any data logging from the provider.

Finally, there is no other highly-rated provider in the industry offering unlimited simultaneous VPN connections per subscription.

Combined with a full 30-day money back guarantee, Surfshark is a valuable VPN service to have for Mac.

Prices:

  • [50% off], $5.99 a month – 12 months plan
  • $11.95 a month – 1 month plan

Read complete Surfshark review for more details.

3. ExpressVPN ($8.32/month)

Number of servers: 3000+ | Countries: 94 | Simultaneous connections: 5

ExpressVPN is not the cheapest option out there, but its excellent speed and strong privacy policies make it an easy choice for those who can afford it.

The VPN is powered by 3,000+ servers in 94 countries of the world, having a strong capability to unblock any censored/restricted website. With such a huge server base, it’s one of the best option for VPN streaming as well.

The app for MacOS has Network Lock (the company’s proprietary kill switch) to interrupt your connection and prevent your IP from leaking to the wider internet.

Like its young counterpart (Surfshark), ExpressVPN is operating under the jurisdiction of British Virgin Islands and has an excellent no-logs privacy policy.

The split-tunneling feature for Mac gives the user complete control over which apps should use the VPN and which shouldn’t.

You can use up to 5 simultaneous connections on one subscription and avail a 30-day money back guarantee.

Simply put, ExpressVPN covers all bases as a VPN for privacy and internet freedom on your Mac.

Prices:

Nordvpn For Mac 10.9.5

  • $9.99 a month – 6 months plan
  • $12.95 a month – 1-month plan

Read ExpressVPN review for more details.

Nordvpn For Mac 10.7.5

4. CyberGhost ($2.75/month)

Number of Servers: 3500+ | Countries: 59 | Simultaneous Connections: 7

CyberGhost covers a lot of key bases that are of interest for an average privacy-seeking Mac user.

It possesses a network of 3,500+ servers that use powerful encryption protocols (AES-256).

For VPN tunneling, you can choose from PPTP, L2TP, and OpenVPN protocols as your preference. There is a built-in kill switch in CyberGhost and IP leak protection for ironclad security and privacy.

Moreover, the service offersplenty of servers in a multitude of locations that support both P2P and streaming services without any data logging.

The fact that it is based in Romania shows that the provider is under a safe jurisdiction for user privacy, since the country repealed its data retention (demanded by EU), in 2014.

CyberGhost Mac client is amongst the most user-friendly applications we have ever used.

It automatically tweaks itself to offer the best experience depending on what you intend to do with it.

You can connect up to 7 devices simultaneously on one CyberGhost subscription plan.

As always, it offers a full 45-day money back guarantee for ultimate peace of mind.

Prices:

  • $5.99 a month – 1 year plan
  • $3.69 a month – 2 year plan
  • $12.99 a month – 1 month

See CyberGhost review for more details.

5. NordVPN ($3.49/month)

We don’t recommend NordVPN at the moment due to its security vulnerabilities.

Number of Servers: 5500+ | Countries: 60 | Simultaneous Connections: 6

NordVPN keeps no user logs and grants users the ability to access any website on the web, all for a cost of $3.49/month.

The provider offers excellent features like AES-256-CBC ciphers encryption and OpenVPN, IKeV2 protocols.

It also sports a huge arsenal of 5,500+ servers in 60 countries around the globe for ultimate coverage and fast speed.

However, the kill switch that NordVPN uses for Mac terminates applications when your connection drops, rather than shutting down your entire Internet for maximum protection.

Other than this, the service throws some amazing extra features in the mix such as DoubleVPN and Onion over VPN.

The doubleVPN feature is basically the multihop feature that routes your traffic through two separate VPN servers for even stronger-than-default security.

Onion over VPN servers combine the features of Tor and VPNs as another mechanism of bolstering your web security.

Nordvpn For Mac 10.11

The interface is smooth and responsive, so much so that there are literally no lags or crashes in the Mac application.

The user-friendly privacy policy ensures no logging of user data.

The privacy benefits of NordVPN are further vindicated when you consider that it is based in Panama. The country has no mandatory data retention requirements (read our article on Five/Nine/Fourteen Eyes for more detail).

Nord also offers the ability to connect 6 devices simultaneously.

To top it off this provider also offers 30-day full money back guarantee, so you can try out their service without any strings attached.

Prices:

  • [66% off], $3.99 a month – 2 year plan
  • [41% off], $6.99 a month – 1 year plan
  • $11.95 a month – 1 month plan

Read NordVPN review for further details.

The Insecurity Underlying Mac Systems

The idea that Macs are secure from malware and data breaches has existed as long as Mac itself and actually been repeatedly emphasized by Apple.

Just take a look at this advertisement from the early 2000s:

While it is true that Mac machines are more secure than their Windows counterparts, they are not immune to the exploits of cybercriminals.

In fact, experts now believe that Mac OS is just as vulnerable to data breaches and other vulnerabilities as Windows machines.

3ric Johanson, a security researcher, asserted:

“If you look at the number of published vulnerabilities in software and the number of users and compare Windows versus Mac OS you will discover that Mac OS has far more published vulnerabilities per user than Windows does so I think the data pretty much speaks for itself.” – [Source]

Statistics accurately support this assertion, as the chart compellingly illustrates below:

Source: AV-Test Security Report 2017/18

Another research by Cybersecurity ventures revealed that the world will receive a massive hit of approximately 6 trillion dollars by 2021 as a consequence of cybercriminal activities alone.

This calls for Mac users to take their web security seriously.

For this, it is essential to ensure your anti-malware suites are updated.

And while you’re at it, don’t forget to take additional preventive measures like using VPN services on your Mac system-wide to fill any digital cracks capable of compromising your privacy.

Nordvpn For Mac Mojave

Final Verdict

We recommend PureVPN as the best VPN for Mac due to a wide range of security features, watertight privacy, and a huge list of servers to choose from for gaining access to restricted sites all at highly affordable pricing.

In short, you can’t go wrong with any of these VPNs listed above, but the best value providers are PureVPN and Surfshark.

The Panamanian-based provider is gaining in popularity day-by-day for being a top choice in receiving excellent privacy/anonymity online. NordVPN goes the extra mile in creating a user-friendly, easy-to-use, and consistent experience across all its support devices, including the Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, platforms. Users are greeted with a pleasant and aesthetic blue interface, built around a map displaying available server locations. The NordVPN for Mac app does not fail to disappoint either, which you can see in this guide and our NordVPN Review here.

NordVPN for Mac Review

At first glance, the NordVPN Mac application looks/feels identical to its Windows and Linux counterparts. It uses the same cartoon submarines and ships in the design, along with the standard blue color. However, it is only when you explore the macOS version completely, do you find a few unique flourishes. For instance, instead of the map being directly visible on the Mac app, there is a hidden left tray that slides over to reveal a complete list of servers.

In terms of user-friendliness, we also felt the app to be more responsive and interactive than the Windows Client. Based on your current location, a large button at the top will quickly connect you to the nearest server. However, if you want to shift the location yourself, select any country from the map or click the magnifying glass in the upper-right corner.

Overall, the app successfully manages to bring about the same NordVPN experience, you would expect on other platforms. The only problem is that some features are not really that visible to users. You can only view the Tor via VPN, double encryption, and streaming specialized servers by applying specific filters to the list view or clicking at “options” on the bottom of the search screen.

Server load information is also unavailable in the VPN client. In terms of the Network Lock feature, the Windows app would usually prevent all internet-enabled apps from sending/receiving information. However, with the macOS version, you have the ability to select which applications should receive this treatment manually. This is why it is easy for us to conclude that with some hits and misses, the NordVPN app remains amazing to use as always (even on Mac)!

NordVPN Mac Setup Guide

When it comes to setting up NordVPN on your Mac platform, users have two options: download/install the app from the website directly or head to the iTunes Store. As another option, you can just click on this link and download the .PKG file instantly. Other users who are not interested in a client version can also setup Mac manually by installing Tunnelblick, download the .ovpn server files from NordVPN, enter your credentials, and enjoy using the VPN service without any hassles.

Download NordVPN Client for Mac

Nordvpn For Mac 10.6.8

Finding the download links for NordVPNs client for Mac does not require any rocket science. The website provides relevant information and links to all useful resources. You can visit this page for a more in-depth review of the application, along with the download link. For users, who want to get started with the download and installation, check out this link from the iTunes store?

NordVPN IKEv2 Mac (Manual Connection Method)

  1. Download the IKEv2 certificate for your Mac by clicking here.
  2. Open the certificate from the “Downloads” folder directly.
  3. An “Add Certificates” popup will appear. Click on “Add”.
  4. Select “Get Info” after right-clicking the NordVPN Root CA.
  5. Click on “Always Trust” next to “When using this certificate”.
  6. Enter the credentials to your Mac laptop and click on OK.
  7. Click on the “Apple” icon and then select “System Preferences”.
  8. Choose the “Network” option and then click on the “+” icon.
  9. Enter the following inputs: VPN, IKEv2, and NordVPN (IKEv2).
  10. Find server settings and available address for connection here.
  11. Click on “Authentication Settings” and Enter NordVPN credentials.
  12. Hit the “Connect” button and enjoy using NordVPN for Mac.

NordVPN for Mac FAQs

When it comes to using NordVPN for Mac, many users may come across queries about the application. BestVPN.co lists all the common questions we get asked about the Mac Client.

What is the Best Free VPN for Mac?

After performing a thorough analysis on 80+ providers that include freemium VPN services, it is safe to say that currently TunnelBear, Windscribe, and Speedify ranks as the most popular for Mac. Though you do have to bear with strict data limitations, using such VPNs is not necessarily bad for unblocking geo-restricted websites to gain access to localized content. Read NordVPN 7 Days free Trial in detail for Mac.

How do I Remove NordVPN from my Mac?

Removing NordVPN from your Mac device does not require any rocket science. You have to follow the same procedure for uninstalling other third-party applications. Simply go to the “Finder” menu and navigate to “Applications”. Then select the app you want to remove by either throwing it in the trash bin or right-clicking and selecting the “Move to Trash” option. Empty the trash to complete the process!

Wrapping Things Up

We hope our guide helps users receive an unbiased opinion about the NordVPN app, along with the process of setting it up on Mac devices, so that you can enjoy the utmost level of anonymity/privacy online. Regardless, if you encounter any issues, do not hesitate on commenting below. Feel free to share the guide with others, who need maximum protection on their Mac platforms, too!