9 Best VPNs for Safari in 2026 – With Browser Extensions

Today’s online ecosystem is more data-hungry than it’s ever been, which is why protecting your digital privacy is so important. Now, the Safari browser is already pretty privacy-conscious but it doesn’t include its own Virtual Private Network, meaning your traffic is visible to anyone monitoring the network you’re using. I’ve identified the best VPNs for Safari so that Mac users can blog anonymously, hide their browsing habits from their ISP, or bypass country-wide censorship.

Before that, though, a reminder. VPNs are first and foremost, privacy tools. These services encrypt your data before sending it through a server elsewhere in the world. This protects you not only by stopping anyone from seeing what you do online, but also by hiding your real location and giving you a new, region-specific IP address. This has the secondary benefit of allowing you to access region-locked TV abroad.

I’ll go into more detail on my top VPNs for Safari shortly. For now, here’s a short description of what makes each stand out:

These are the best VPNs for Safari, based on my extensive testing:

1. NordVPN The #1 choice Safari VPN. Quick and reliable speeds, exceptional streaming ability, and a powerful set of security tools. TIP: during testing, I found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for Safari.
2. Surfshark Best budget VPN for Safari. A no-logs VPN that works perfectly on iOS and macOS. Excellent speeds and unblocking ability. Users can connect all of their devices at the same time.
3. Total VPN Fast servers in 85+ countries and easy-to-use apps for iOS and macOS. Low-cost subscriptions include free antivirus software.
4. ProtonVPN Delivers consistent speeds and includes a wide range of advanced security features. Works effortlessly with most region-locked sites. Connect 10 devices at once.
5. ExpressVPN This industry veteran boasts great streaming abilities, pre-configured privacy tools, and the ability to beat strict digital censorship.
6. IPVanish Zero-logs VPN with impressive speeds and the ability to access a ton of geo-blocked streaming sites. Offers 24/7 support and unlimited connections.
7. CyberGhost A novice-friendly provider with servers designed for streaming and gaming. Strong privacy protections and consistently high speeds.
8. PureVPN This fast, no-logs provider has thousands of servers and exceptional streaming ability. Offers 24/7 customer support over live chat and works great with Safari.
9. PrivateVPN This easy to use, no-logs VPN puts your privacy first. Great for streaming, gaming, or torrenting. Supports split tunneling and port forwarding.

Best VPNs for Safari: Compared

I’ve compared the most important features of the top VPNs here. Prefer to read the in-depth reviews? Start with NordVPN — the #1 choice for Safari.

My criteria for the best Safari VPNs

There are lots of VPNs, and plenty of them work with Mac and iOS devices. To identify the services that really stand out from the crowd, I performed hands-on testing, evaluating each VPN in the five main areas below.

• Speed: I tested each VPN’s American servers multiple times while using a 250 Mbps connection (since that’s roughly the average US broadband speed).
• Apple device suitability: I checked that providers had compatible apps, but also that they had WireGuard support, a kill switch and other safeguards.
• Ease of use: Providers were evaluated based on how streamlined the everyday usage experience is, and how easy it is to signup or cancel.
• Value for money: The most expensive VPNs aren’t necessarily the best. I checked each service’s lowest price, sale frequency, and more.
• Security and privacy: VPNs should be able to protect your connection while you’re using them. Some do this much better than others. I found out which had the most to offer by evaluating them against 16 different metrics.

You can read more about my testing process and see the results of those tests in the methodology section at the bottom of the page. First, let’s take a closer look at the providers that impressed me.

Best VPNs for Safari

Here’s my list of the best VPNs for Safari:

1. NordVPN

Feb 2026 Works with SafariTested Feb 2026

NordVPN is my top Safari VPN. It has more than 8,000 servers spread across 120 countries and the apps are easy enough for complete beginners to use. What’s more, this VPN worked with every streaming service I tried including Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and BBC iPlayer. You can connect a maximum of 10 devices at the same time and 24/7 customer support is available over live chat.

To get a feel for NordVPN’s speeds, I ran performance tests at three times of day (morning, noon, and afternoon). This service achieved an average speed of 199.99 Mbps on a 250 Mbps connection, which is exceptional. Simply put, you should be able to handle any day to day task (including live streaming or gaming) without any issues. Here are the full test results:

NordVPN keeps you safe online using uncrackable ChaCha20 encryption, a kill switch that stops sending data if your connection drops, and automatic WebRTC, DNS, and IPv6 leak protection. There’s an audited no-logs policy too, plus a censorship-beating NordWhisper protocol to help you browse securely in places like China. Users can also choose to block ads and trackers, let certain apps bypass NordVPN’s encryption, or encrypt their data twice using multi-hop servers.

NordVPN doesn’t offer a Safari browser extension (this is only available on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Edge). However, you can install the NordVPN app on Mac OS X, macOS, and iOS, to cover your Safari browser. There are also apps for Windows, Android, and Linux, plus manual setup guides for a wide range of routers.

Read our full NordVPN review.

---

2. Surfshark

Works with SafariTested Feb 2026

Surfshark is the best budget VPN for Safari users. Not only is it great at accessing stubborn streaming platforms like Netflix abroad, it offers access to 4,500 servers in 100+ countries, meaning there’s almost certainly one nearby. Better still, this is one of the only services that lets you connect as many devices as you like. Customer support is available 24 hours per day over live chat and you can pay in Bitcoin if you’d like to sign up anonymously.

When I tested Surfshark’s US servers, they delivered an average speed of 205.36 Mbps. That’s more than 10 times the recommended speed for streaming 4K video, so you shouldn’t have any issues, even when performing data-intensive tasks. This VPN was very consistent too, speeds varying by just 12 Mbps. Take a look:

You may be surprised to learn that this low-cost provider has one of the most robust security toolkits I’ve seen. Surfshark boasts unbreakable ChaCha20 encryption, several supported protocols, a kill switch, and protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks. There’s also split tunneling support in case you’d like to let certain apps bypass the VPN entirely, and a tool that’ll change your IP address every few minutes. Surfshark doesn’t keep any logs, has been audited, and works in places with severe online restrictions (such as China, Russia, and the UAE).

Surfshark doesn’t have a Safari browser extension, but it does offer apps for macOS, iOS, Android, Windows, and Linux. Further, it can be manually installed on supported internet routers.

BEST BUDGET VPN:Surfshark is the top low-cost VPN for Safari. Better still, with a no-logging policy, high speeds, and strong multi-platform support, you don’t have to trade security for convenience. This service has a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Surfshark review.

---

3. Total VPN

Works with SafariTested Feb 2026

Total VPN is a simple, beginner-friendly service that tries to make it as easy as possible to protect yourself online. It has roughly 1,800 servers spread throughout 85 countries and permits up to five connections at once. That’s slightly lower than the industry average but should be plenty for most people. This VPN works with a wide range of streaming apps including Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Disney+. If you run into issues, support is available via Total VPN’s 24/7 live chat service.

Next, I wanted to see what kind of performance Total VPN was really capable of. With this in mind, I ran speed tests on its fastest-available American servers three times, once in the morning, at midday, and in the afternoon. Total VPN averaged 192.8 Mbps, meaning it’s a strong choice for any bandwidth-heavy task like streaming, gaming, or torrenting. Here are my full test results:

When it comes to security, Total VPN has you covered. It uses ChaCha20 encryption on the WireGuard protocol by default, though you can switch to OpenVPN or its obfuscated Hydra protocol if you need to browse safely in places with extreme censorship. There’s also a kill switch that’ll cut off internet access following an outage so that you’re always protected. Finally, this VPN supports split tunneling, refuses to keep any logs of your activities, and prevents DNS and IPv6 leaks.

One of the most appealing things about Total VPN is its price. A one-year subscription costs the monthly equivalent of $1.59 — which is excellent value. Better yet, subscriptions include free antivirus and ad-blocking software. Apps are available for macOS, iOS, and tvOS as well as Linux, Windows, and Android. You can manually install this VPN on most routers.

SAFE AND SECURE:Total VPN uses strong encryption by default and comes with built-in leak protection. It works well with Safari and Apple devices generally. Fast servers are available in 85+ countries and its cheap subscriptions come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Total VPN review.

---

4. ProtonVPN

Works with SafariTested Feb 2026

ProtonVPN has a free plan with no bandwidth or time limits, though I’d strongly suggest upgrading if you plan to use your VPN regularly. Doing so grants access to the full network (15,000 servers in 120+ countries), allows you to unblock streaming sites like Paramount+, and Prime Video from abroad, and increases your connection limit from one to 10. You’ll also be able to speak directly to customer support staff if something goes wrong, which is, in my professional opinion, worth the cost of upgrading on its own.

So far, so good but can ProtonVPN’s speeds meet your needs? I ran multiple speed tests over the course of a typical day to find out, trying the fastest-available server in the US each time. ProtonVPN delivered an average speed of 178.43 Mbps, which is highly competitive and well above what’s needed for everyday usage. The table below shows this VPN’s speeds in the morning, at midday, and in the afternoon.

One thing is clear: ProtonVPN service takes your security seriously. For starters, it uses effectively uncrackable encryption and has been independently audited to prove that it doesn’t keep any logs of your activities. Additional safeguards include a kill switch, leak protection, automatic ad and tracker-blocking, and Secure Core servers designed with anonymity in mind. Experienced users will appreciate the more advanced features, such as port forwarding and split tunneling functionality, but it’s also a good choice for anyone looking to sign up without providing personal information, since you can pay with Bitcoin or cash.

ProtonVPN offers apps for iOS, macOS, Windows, Android, and Linux. Alternatively, you can follow manual setup instructions to get this VPN running directly on your router.

NEXT-LEVEL PRIVACY:ProtonVPN is a reliable service that goes above and beyond where privacy is concerned. Great choice for day-to-day usage thanks to its fast speeds and powerful security tools. All paid plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Why not read our full, exhaustive ProtonVPN review?

---

5. ExpressVPN

Works with SafariTested Feb 2026

ExpressVPN has been around for more than a decade and it’s easy to see why. This novice-friendly service works flawlessly with streaming apps that stump most of its rivals, such as Crave, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+. Not only that but it has a network spanning 105 countries and will automatically obfuscate your data if you’re in a country with a tightly-controlled internet such as Iran or China. You can get help at any time, day or night, using ExpressVPN’s 24/7 live chat helpdesk.

I measured the performance of ExpressVPN’s US servers several times, leading to an average speed of 162.52 Mbps. With a result like this, you’re not going to experience any lag, stuttering, or disconnections, even if lots of people are using the internet at the same time. In fact, ExpressVPN is one of the most consistent providers I tested, with less than 4 Mbps of fluctuation across three tests.

ExpressVPN’s security toolkit is extremely robust. For starters, it uses its own Lightway protocol by default, which comes equipped with quantum-resistant ChaCha20 or AES encryption — your choice. There’s also a kill switch, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a tool that blocks ads, trackers, and malicious websites entirely. This VPN has been audited repeatedly, proving that it doesn’t log any personally identifiable information. There’s even automatic wifi protection, which is helpful for anyone who uses wi-fi hotspots in public places.

This provider now uses a tiered pricing system. Basic plans start at $3.49 per month, with Advanced plans costing $4.49 monthly and Pro subscriptions costing $7.49 monthly. These come with connection limits of 10, 12, and 14 devices, respectively.

The ExpressVPN app is available for all of the operating systems that Safari runs on: Mac OS X, macOS, and iOS. Alternatively, you can install it on Windows, Android, or Linux. There’s even custom firmware so you can secure your router.

GREAT UNBLOCKER:ExpressVPN is fast and reliable. Reliably unblocks most major streaming services and works even in high-censorship countries. Good set of security tools and highly-competitive speeds. All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full ExpressVPN review.

---

6. IPVanish

Works with SafariTested Feb 2026

IPVanish is a reliable, reputable provider with roughly 3,200 servers spread over 100 countries. This VPN has no problems accessing major streamng platforms like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video, and it’s actually one of the only services that has no connection limit. There’s 24/7 customer support via live chat, phone, or email, and torrenting is allowed across the entire network.

My next task was making sure that IPVanish is genuinely quick enough to handle whatever you throw at it. This involved checking its performance at three times of day and running speed tests on its fastest American servers. IPVanish achieved an average speed of 175.12 Mbps, which is a fantastic result. Long story short, this VPN is extremely quick and consistent, with less than 10 Mbps of variance overall.

Now, IPVanish is based in the United States, which is a Five Eyes country. There’s no need to worry, though: IPVanish’s many audits have shown that it doesn’t keep logs. The apps themselves make use of unbreakable encryption, a kill switch, and protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks, as well as an ad and tracker-blocker. This VPN keeps improving its security toolkit, recently adding in support for multi-hop servers and a tool that checks whether links are safe to click or not.

Basic IPVanish subscriptions cost a modest $2.19 a month. However, for just over a dollar a month more, you can get 1TB of cloud storage and a secure sandboxed browser thrown in (IPVanish Advanced plan).

Although there isn’t an IPVanish Safari browser extension, there are apps for Mac OS X, macOS, and iOS operating systems, which will protect your browser traffic. You can also install an IPVanish app on Windows, Android, and Amazon Fire devices, with manual installation needed for routers.

UNLIMITED CONNECTIONS:IPVanish has no connection limit, meaning it’s great for families. Works with most streaming sites and delivers exceptionally strong privacy. Better still, annual plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full IPVanish review.

---

7. CyberGhost

Works with SafariTested Feb 2026

CyberGhost just might be the most beginner-friendly VPN I’ve tested. The apps may look a little complex but are actually very simple to use, with the server list broken into multiple categories. You can tell, at a glance, which servers are best for watching region-locked streaming platforms abroad, playing online games, or general web browsing. Customer support is available 24/7 over live chat and each subscription allows you to connect a maximum of seven devices at the same time.

This provider’s network covers an impressive 100 countries. That said, I was specifically interested in testing its American servers. CyberGhost’s average download speed was 188.8 Mbps, which is much faster than you’ll need for most tasks. In fact, with speeds like this, a 1 GB file would take less than a minute to download. Let’s see how CyberGhost did at different times of day:

CyberGhost doesn’t keep any logs of your activities and is based in Romania, where there are no mandatory data retention laws. Its privacy credentials are further enhanced thanks to its unbreakable encryption, leak protection, and kill switch. This VPN can block ads and trackers, connect on its own in certain situations, and let specific apps bypass its encryption entirely. If you’d like to sign up anonymously, you can always use a throwaway email address and pay in Bitcoin.

CyberGhost doesn’t have a Safari browser extension, but you can install it on Mac OS X, macOS, and iOS. Apps are also available for Windows, Android, and Linux. Manual setup is needed for routers but this is one of the few VPNs that lets you block ads and trackers, even when installed on a router.

GOOD FOR BEGINNERS:CyberGhost is a delight to use, with an intuitive design, novice-friendly apps, and incredible streaming performance. It’s strong on security too, and includes a generous 45-day money-back guarantee or 14 days if you’re on a monthly plan.

Read our full CyberGhost review.

---

8. PureVPN

works with safariTested Feb 2026

PureVPN has roughly 6,000 servers spread across 65 countries and more than a dozen US cities. This service is able to access stubborn streaming platforms like Prime Video and Disney+ from anywhere in the world, and even tells you which servers are best suited for the job. Up to 10 devices can be protected at the same time, and in the unlikely event of any problems, staff are on-hand 24/7 via live chat.

 

During my hands-on testing, I noticed that PureVPN’s US servers were remarkably consistent. In fact, there was just 10 Mbps of difference between their highest and lowest results, and an average speed of 156.46 Mbps. This makes it perfect for data-intensive tasks like watching live TV, using P2P networks, or video-calling. Here’s a breakdown of PureVPN’s speeds throughout the day:

PureVPN users don’t have to worry about their data being intercepted. That’s because this service uses unbreakable encryption, prevents DNS and IPv6 leaks, and ensures you’re always protected by a kill switch. There’s also a tracker and ad-blocking feature and support for split tunneling, with port forwarding functionality available for a small additional fee. Note that PureVPN automatically obfuscates your traffic is it detects that you’re in a country with extreme censorship — this is great since it means you don’t have to remember to activate the stealth mode manually.

PureVPN has its own apps for iOS, MacOS, Linux, Windows, and Android. Further, it can be manually installed on a wide range of routers, which lets you bypass the connection limit.

CAN HANDLE ANYTHING:PureVPN is a versatile service boasting impressive performance and a good set of security tools. That’s not all; it also comes with built-in traffic obfuscation, a proven no-logs policy, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Check out our comprehensive review of PureVPN.

---

9. PrivateVPN

Works with SafariTested Feb 2026

PrivateVPN has a unique approach to infrastructure. While most VPNs rent their servers, this one owns them outright and even acts as its own ISP to keep your traffic out of the hands of third parties. It’s perfect for streaming and readily unblocks major platforms like Disney Plus, ITVX, and BBC iPlayer from abroad. Users are permitted up to 10 simultaneous connections, which should cover your most-used devices. There’s also live chat-based support, available almost 24 hours per day.

So, is PrivateVPN fast enough for uninterrupted live streaming? To find out, I measured the performance of its quickest-available US servers during the morning, at midday, and in the afternoon. PrivateVPN achieved an average speed of 88.53 Mbps with around 7 Mbps of fluctuation. That’s way higher than is needed for watching TV but if your connection is on the slower side to begin with, you may want to consider one of the other providers listed above.

PrivateVPN boasts a great set of security and privacy features too. It uses the OpenVPN protocol by default, with the user choosing either 128-bit or 256-bit AES encryption. There’s also a strict no-logs policy and a customizable kill switch that can halt traffic from individual apps following an outage, as well as DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and automatic wifi protection that kicks in whenever you use an unsecured network. Finally, PrivateVPN has a Stealth mode capable of beating the world’s toughest digital filters, meaning it even works in places like China.

You can protect the Safari browser by installing the PrivateVPN app on Mac OS X, MacOS, and iOS devices. Apps are available for Windows, Amazon Fire TV, and Android. Alternatively, you can install the VPN manually on routers and the Linux operating system.

. It’s easy to use, boasts an impressive security toolkit, and works with popular streaming apps, regardless of your location. All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full PrivateVPN review.

---

Does Safari really need a VPN?

While Safari doesn’t need a VPN to function, there are several reasons you might want to use one.

VPN providers let you change your virtual location to almost anywhere in the world. When you connect to a VPN server, your real IP address is hidden and replaced with the server’s IP address. This allows you to access region-locked content that would otherwise be unavailable. For example, streaming platforms display content libraries based on your detected location, so connecting to a server in another country gives you access to that country’s catalog.

VPNs also encrypt all of your internet traffic as it travels between your device and the VPN server. This prevents anyone — including your ISP or hackers on public Wi-Fi — from seeing your online activity.

Finally, if you live in a restrictive country where online censorship is common, a VPN can help you access a freer internet. Some VPNs can even disguise their traffic so it appears as regular internet traffic, helping you bypass VPN blocks.

Free VPNs for Safari

Free VPN services have to make money somehow, and usually, that means compromising on fundamental areas like security or speed, with promises that things will be better if you’d just upgrade to a paid plan. Spoiler alert: they usually won’t.

Even if you never pay these companies a single cent, they still find ways to profit off of you. I’ve seen free VPN providers sell their users’ own bandwidth out from under them, sell customer activity data to advertisers, and lure people in with a “no logs policy”, only to then be caught keeping detailed logs of user activity. Worse still, many free VPNs don’t include any encryption at all, making them actively harmful from a privacy perspective (since you’d actually be less exposed not using any VPN than using one with no encryption).

Although free VPNs are tempting, they are usually a waste of time. This is why I do not recommend that you spend precious online hours hunting for bargains. The VPNs on my list offer outstanding value for money.

VPN browser extension or app?

You will notice that ExpressVPN is the only service in this list that actually has a browser extension for Safari. You also get an app with ExpressVPN, and nine times out of ten, you would be better off using the app rather than the browser extension. This is because the browser extension only covers the internet transmissions that go from and to your browser. In the meantime, lots of background processes and apps on your computer will also be accessing the internet.

When you only use a browser VPN, all of the other internet activities on your computer are not protected. This means that they all communicate using your real IP address, and all of the computers that they connect to can also be recorded by your internet service provider. So, if you have a downloading client running on your computer and you are only using the browser extension VPN, those transactions performed by the downloader will all be visible to anyone on your network.

The HTTP proxy offered by NordVPN will change the location of all of your browser transactions, but won’t give you any encryption. As with the browser VPN extension, a web proxy set up in your browser won’t cover any of the other apps running on your computer that also connect to the internet. Overall, when you have a choice between a VPN app and a VPN browser extension, it is better to use the app.

Safari’s private mode vs a VPN

The Private Mode on Safari is not the same as using a VPN. The browser Private Mode just deletes your history and any saved information such as cookies from your hard drive when you close the browser window.

A VPN, meanwhile, encrypts all traffic to and from your device, hiding your activities from anyone monitoring the network. They also allow you to spoof your location, change your IP address, and access region-exclusive services from anywhere.

VPNs for Safari: The conclusion

So, there you have it – my list of the best VPNs to use with Safari. All of these services will keep your connections encrypted and safe from prying eyes, and they will help you to bypass any regional restrictions that are stopping you from accessing your favorite websites or streaming services.

Take advantage of the money-back periods offered by the services above to give a few of them a spin without any risk. Let me know in the comments below which VPN you decided to go with and how it is working out for you.

See also:

• Does Mac need antivirus?
• Best antivirus for Mac