Best VPN for Mac in UAE 2023

Although Macs are already quite safe, using a VPN can only improve security and your internet browsing experience. When you browse, websites can gather your IP address, and your ISPs can monitor your browser activities on iOS and MacOS. Both of those things cannot be stopped by MacOS, but the best Mac VPN can.

Therefore, to help you choose the best VPN for Mac in UAE, we have finalized a list of the best VPN service for Mac in UAE based on rigorous testing criteria that you can use on Mac so you can obtain top-notch online protection also while using a public network or unblock geo-restricted channels like Netflix, Hulu, and BBC Player on your macOS.

We tested these best VPNs on MacBooks and iMacs to see how it works since there aren’t many MacBook-specific options on the market. The chosen best VPN client for Mac will protect your online data, offer lightning-fast connection speeds, and have intuitive and well-designed apps.

We have also shared our detailed analysis of our top picks for the best VPN for Mac in UAE in this guide.

Why Do I Need a VPN for macOS in UAE?

A VPN can protect your Mac and the data it contains by masking your IP address and rerouting your internet traffic through different servers in UAE.

While Apple has a reputation for being secure, using a VPN on your Mac in UAE can still provide additional benefits and protection. Here are some reasons why you might want to consider using a VPN on your Mac in UAE:

• Protect your online privacy: While Apple devices are generally considered to be secure, they are not immune to online tracking and surveillance. When you use a VPN, your online activity is encrypted and your IP address is masked, making it more difficult for third parties to track your online activity and collect data on you.
• Security: A VPN adds an extra layer of security by offering military-grade encryption for data protection. This way, your connection would be encrypted and you’ll be secure from various nasty exploits.
• Bypassing geo-restrictions: While traveling abroad, you won’t be able to access your favorite streaming services in your native country due to geo-restrictions. However, by connecting to a VPN server back home, you can unblock your favorite streaming services and enjoy content on them.
• Speeds: Your activities are often subject to throttling, especially if you’re gaming or torrenting. A VPN can help you bypass this so you never get slow speeds.
• Accessibility: Being an Apple user, you’re often denied multiple Media Services. Also, if you live in restrictive countries, then you won’t be able to access certain websites unless you use a macOS VPN,

The Best VPNs for Mac in UAE – In-Depth Analysis

After testing 150+ VPNs on various criteria, such as speed, macOS compatibility, server network, encryption, and more, we will bring you the 5 best VPN service for mac in UAE in 2023.

1. ExpressVPN – The Best Overall VPN for Mac in UAE

ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Mac in UAE, with an excellent reputation in this category. Being the best VPN for Mac in UAE, it offers the best security, performance, and unblocking ability. It offers thousands of servers in 94 countries, helping users unblock Netflix and other restricted channels/websites.

ExpressVPN also offers a Lightway protocol that is faster than OpenVPN and a great alternative to the WireGuard protocol.

ExpressVPN’s app for Mac is very user-friendly, and there is an Automatic connect button that connects you to the best possible server according to your location. It is also compatible with the Safari extension and is also the best VPN for Safari as well.

ExpressVPN macOS app is easy-to-use for beginners in UAE.

Its servers are categorized into three sections – country, recommended, and recent. There is also a search bar so that you can search for your desired location.

We also tested ExpressVPN on iPhone in UAE as well as its macOS app is a lot like its iOS app. Both are easy to use with advanced features. However, ExpressVPN’s iOS app lacks the kill switch feature that is available on the macOS app.

With global server coverage, ExpressVPN makes bypassing geo-restrictions a piece of the cake. It works with all other streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and more. We could also use ExpressVPN Netflix in UAE, and other regions.

It also unblocked BBC iPlayer on its UK server in under 7 seconds which was very impressive. The speeds were also more than enough for streaming in Ultra HD quality without any lags.

ExpressVPN also offers a MediaStreamer feature that allows you to use it on Aapple TV. In addition, with ExpressVPN, you can unblock popular sites like Hulu, HBO Max, and more on the big screen.

ExpressVPN offers P2P-friendly VPN server locations, which makes it a great option for downloading torrents. Also, with its fast speeds, you will have no problem downloading large files quickly.

As for speeds, during the ExpressVPN speed test in UAE, it was fast as it delivered an average speed of 95.39 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection, with less than a 7% drop in speeds. This drop-in speed was barely noticeable.

This is impressive, as no other VPN has reached that level during our tests in–UAE

During testing, it only took us about 15 minutes to download a 3 GB file. As there are no bandwidth limitations, you can stream and download with ExpressVPN as much as you want.

The AES-256 encryption, like other top virtual private networks, is used by default in the ExpressVPN macOS app. Also, it offers an internet kill switch to defend against accidental data leakage.

There is also a split tunneling feature that lets you choose which apps you want to use the VPN connection and which ones should be out of the virtual private network tunnel. However, this feature is not available on macOS 11. ExpressVPN is also one of the best VPN for Kindle Fire Tablet in UAE.

Moreover, ExpressVPN operates from the safe jurisdiction of the British Virgin Islands, which is outside the 5/9/14 eyes alliance and has an excellent no-logs privacy policy. It also offers VPN browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge browsers.

This VPN is available for just USD6.67/mo (US$ 6.67/mo) (Get 49% Off + 3 Months FREE on its 12-Month Plan), and there is also a free trial of ExpressVPN in UAE available, so you can try it risk-free on your Mac. You can also cancel ExpressVPN’s subscription in UAE and claim a refund if you don’t like its service. We tested this policy and got our refund within six days.

If you’re looking to read more about this VPN, then you just need to go through our ExpressVPN review in UAE.

2. Surfshark – Budget-friendly Mac VPN

Surfshark is the best affordable VPN for Mac that’s loaded with many features. Mac users are likely to find it appealing because it is only priced at USD2.3/mo (US$ 2.30/mo) (Get 84% + 2 Months FREE on 2-Year Plan). Plus, it allows unlimited simultaneous connections on its single account. It means you can secure all your Apple devices (and other non-Apple devices) with Surfshark and share them with your friends and family.

In addition, it performs well when it comes to unblocking geo-restricted content. We managed to unblock various Netflix libraries (including US, UK, and CA), along with Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu with Surfshark in UAE quite easily. Being the best multiple-device VPN in UAE, you can install Surfshark on iPhone in UAE and also use Surfshark on Apple TV in UAE easily.

Surfshark for MacOS in UAE offers an easy-to-use app with access to 3200+ servers across 100 countries.

Surfshark macOS app has a clean interface in UAE

You can also choose from multiple servers that offer the MultiHop feature for an additional layer of security. The provider also doesn’t leak the IP or DNS traffic, which is proof of its security for torrenting purposes.

Its macOS app offers all the best features like an automatic kill switch, CleanWeb (adblocker), Whitelister (split tunneling), DNS/IPv6 leak protection, MultiHop, and Surfshark’s Camouflage Mode in UAE. 

Its MultiHop feature allows double encryption by rerouting your online traffic through two different countries. Therefore, it makes it impossible for your ISP, government authorities, or hackers to track your activities.

Surfshark also supports torrent/P2P activities and is quite secure for this purpose. All its servers are P2P-friendly. It also offers reliable connection speeds for downloading large files. During the Surfshark speed test in UAE, it managed to deliver an average download speed of 75.12 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection.

These speeds were great for downloading, streaming, and torrenting in UAE

Other than that, Surfshark is a great choice if you need to amp up your privacy on the macOS. On Mac, you can choose from various security VPN protocols, including IKEv2, OpenVPN, WireGuard, and Shadowsocks.

Its Shadowsocks proxy is recommended for users in countries with heavy censorship, like China, UAE, Egypt, and more. However, you will have to set it up on your Mac and iOS devices manually.

The provider adheres to a zero-logging policy, which is pretty reassuring. Surfshark is also audited by third parties, including Cure53. You can check the full audit report, as no major issues were detected in its browser extension.

It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test it risk-free on your Mac for 30 days. There is also a Surfshark free trial in UAE for 7 days on iOS and Mac users.

Moreover, Surfshark offers excellent customer service with 24/7 live chat support, so you can contact support and claim your refund.

If you’re looking to read more about this VPN, then you just need to go through our Surfshark review in UAE.

3. NordVPN – Fast Speed VPN for Mac Users

NordVPN is the most secure and fastest Mac VPN with the best speeds and privacy features. In addition, NordVPN offers a huge global server network (5500+ servers across 60 countries ) and unblocks hundreds of streaming platforms.

NordVPN offers a lot of security features on its macOS app. There is a Double VPN feature that encrypts your data twice for additional security. There is also an Adblocker called CyberSec that works like a charm.

We tested this feature on NordVPN’s browser extension, and it removed all side banners and popups from web pages, making it one of the best VPNs with an ad blocker in UAE as well as the best VPN for Mac.

NordVPN’s mac app features a map interface that takes up a lot of screen space in UAE

NordVPN uses 256-bit AES encryption and a wide range of protocols for data protection. You can choose from OpenVPN, NordLynx, IKEv2, L2TP, and more. There is also a NordVPN kill switch in UAE that shuts down your internet connection in case the VPN connection drops. If you see the NordVPN no-logs policy in UAE, you will know that it does not keep logs of its users.

NordVPN also works with all the popular streaming platforms, such as you can use NordVPN with Netflix in UAE, Disney+, Hulu, and more. During testing, we managed to unblock 30+ streaming sites, including niche websites like Crunchyroll.

NordVPN works great with torrenting in UAE on Mac. It offers P2P-optimized servers in 45+ countries. Even if you start torrenting on a normal server, NordVPN will automatically redirect you to its P2P servers. We did not experience any connectivity issues during testing, and it was enough for uninterrupted streaming. To boost download speeds during torrenting, NordVPN also offers a SOCKS5 proxy.

When we did the NordVPN speed test in UAE, it offered an average download speed of 82.45 Mbps and an upload speed of 50.12 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection.

Torrenting with these speeds was super-easy in UAE

NordVPN offers apps for various platforms, such as Windows, Android, iPhone, and more. You can even use NordVPN with FireStick in UAE, Roku, Kodi, and other streaming devices.

NordVPN is available for only USD3.99/mo (US$ 3.99/mo) (Get 57% Off + 3 Months FREE on 2-Year Plan), and there is a 30-day money-back guarantee and 7-day NordVPN free trial in UAE for Android users.

You can also claim your refund by contacting customer support, as it also features a human live chat option that is available 24/7. If you’re looking to read more about this VPN, then you just need to go through our NordVPN review in UAE.

4. CyberGhost – Popular Mac VPN with Great Additional Features

CyberGhost is the most user-friendly Mac VPN that is super easy to use and a great choice for beginners. CyberGhost offers 9700+ servers in 91 countries and all these servers are organized into categories.

These categories include servers optimized for streaming, torrenting, gaming, and NoSpy servers. You can easily choose the best server for your needs.

The CyberGhost app is packed with advanced features in UAE.

It has servers dedicated to unblocking streaming sites like US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and more. So, instead of connecting to a country server, you can choose a dedicated server for the streaming services that you want to unblock on your Mac. For example, we easily unblocked Netflix with CyberGhost in UAE via its US servers and were able to watch US Netflix shows lag-free for hours.

For P2P, you can connect to its torrenting-optimized servers that are offered in more than 50 locations. These servers also show load percentage in the list, so you can connect to a server that offers better speeds and isn’t too overcrowded. For example, when conducting a CyberGhost speed test in UAE, it offered an average speed of 71.42 Mbps speed on a 100 Mbps connection.

CyberGhost’s speeds for torrenting were quite reliable in UAE.

CyberGhost also offers advanced security features for macOS users to boost their online privacy. There is 256-bit encryption, an automatic kill switch, and multiple protocols to choose from. You can choose between IKEv2 and WireGuard security protocols. For OpenVPN, you will have to manually configure it on your Mac device. CyberGhost’s Mac app also contains an ad blocker that also blocks trackers and malicious websites.

There is also a data compression feature that makes sure you stay within your bandwidth limit on your Mac. You can connect up to 7 devices with a single CyberGhost account. What’s best is that you can even set it up with your router and use it on your other Apple devices to bypass restrictions. You can also set up CyberGhost on Apple TV using its SmartDNS feature optimized for streaming.

CyberGhost is also reasonably priced at USD 2.11/mo (US$ 2.11/mo) and comes with a generous 45-day money-back guarantee. There is also a 24/7 live chat feature that you can use to connect to agents if you want to cancel and claim your refund.

If you’re looking to read more about this VPN, then you just need to go through our CyberGhost review in UAE.

5. Private Internet Access – Best Torrenting VPN on Mac

Private Internet Access is the best VPN for torrenting in UAE on Mac. PIA performed exceptionally well while torrenting on Mac.

All of its servers are optimized for P2P, and it also offers a SOCKS5 proxy and port forwarding feature to boost performance. Overall, PIA is a strong choice if you want to torrent safely on your Mac devices.

One of the most distinguishing features of PIA is its large server network. PIA offers more than 35000+ servers in 84 countries.

PIA’s macOS app is packed with all the latest security features. For example, you can choose between AES 128-bit and AES 256-bit encryption.

If you want faster speeds, you can select 128-bit encryption, but we recommend using 256-bit encryption to ensure the safety of your Mac device on unsecured public Wi-Fi.

PIA offers plenty of features on its Mac app in UAE

There is also a kill switch feature that you can toggle on and off according to your needs. It also offers a feature called MACE that blocks ads and malware. Despite offering all these features, its macOS app is easy to use with a clean interface.

Using its Mac app, you can unblock various streaming services, including BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Hotstar, and Netflix with PIA in UAE. Also, with so many servers to choose from, you also get good speeds.

During our PIA speed test in UAE, it delivered an average speed of 61.91 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection. However, on long-distance servers, you might experience slower speeds.

PIA’s speeds were lower than all the VPNs in UAE

One concerning thing about PIA is that it is headquartered in the USA (a major member of the 5/9/14 Eyes alliance). However, the provider offers a strict no-logs policy and it is safe to use. In addition, PIA does not log any identifiable user data, so you are safe with this provider.

PIA is the best VPN software for Mac that’s highly affordable, costing only USD2.11/mo (US$ 2.11/mo) . PIA is compatible with many devices, including Windows, Android, iPhone, and more. Check how you can install PIA on Roku and other streaming devices.

For this price, you also get ten simultaneous connections and a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can also check PIA free trial in UAEto check its feature.

If you’re looking to read more about this VPN, then you just need to go through our PIA VPN review in UAE.

How We Tested and Selected the Best VPNs for Mac in UAE

The increasing severity of cyberattacks and geo-restriction makes it tougher for a VPN to stay active for a long period. Keeping this in mind, we identified the best criteria that helped us choose the best VPNs for Mac in UAE:

• Mac Compatibility – The best Mac VPNs should support multiple macOS versions, including macOS 11, 10.15, 10.14, and more. So, we included all VPNs that offer native Mac clients and are easy to install and set up.
• Performance/Speed – We tested the speeds of the VPNs based on macOS using speedtest.net. Choosing a high-speed VPN is a must because, generally, VPNs tend to slow down speeds, so with a fast VPN, speed decline is not noticeable. This is why we ensured that the VPNs we list do not drop your speed by more than 30%.
• Unblocks Sites – The capacity of the VPN to unblock geo-restricted sites like Netflix from abroad. The best Mac VPN services should be able to unblock streaming sites and blocked channels on Mac from anywhere in the world.
• Using the VPNs above, you can access multiple streaming services, including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Hotstar, and more.
• Torrenting – Availability of P2P-optimized servers with IP leak protection. VPNs should offer multiple P2P servers so you can torrent safely on your Mac devices. All the VPNs above offer P2P-optimized servers so you can torrent safely on your macOS.
• Servers – The best VPN macOS should offer a large server network with global coverage so you can connect to any location you want to. All the VPNs we listed come with servers ranging between hundreds to thousands.
• Privacy & Encryption – The logging policy and encryption mechanism as per standards to avoid surveillance. Similarly, it should also offer 256-bit encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and a kill switch.

The best Mac VPNs we listed come with a variety of security features that ensure keeping users private and anonymous at all times.

How do I Set up VPN Software on my Mac in UAE?

You can set up the Best VPN software for Mac in 3 ways:

Install via the App Store

Install via Web page

How to manually configure a VPN for Mac

You may manually set up a VPN on your Mac as well. But this procedure is a little trickier than just downloading a VPN. Anyhow, here’s how to go about it:

Is it Safe to Use a VPN on Mac in UAE?

Yes, using a VPN on a Mac is completely safe in UAE, and we even recommend our readers use a VPN for Macbook when using a public Wi-Fi network to prevent hacking. Moreover, they can be used to access streaming services from different countries or just to increase your privacy when dealing with your internet service provider.

You can use a safe UNIX-based operating system and route your Internet connection through encrypted channels by combining the OS’s general security with the security provided by a VPN.

However, keep in mind that several free VPN services have a bad reputation for gathering your data and selling it to outside parties. Such options won’t increase your privacy and can even compromise your security.

So, when choosing a VPN Macbook service provider, always conduct your research. If a VPN is solely offered as a free service, be sure to investigate how it is supported. As always, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. You can check the free VPN for Mac in UAE before using any free Macbook VPN.

FAQs: Best VPN for Mac in UAE

Let’s go through some frequently asked questions to find out what is the best VPN for Mac in UAE:

Conclusion

Even though macOS come with many in-built security features, there are still some vulnerabilities that are left untreated. To ensure 100% protection of your Mac device, you need a VPN. But not the best VPN for Mac in UAE. You should always you can add a layer of security and encryption to your device with a premium VPN.

Using a VPN, you can also unblock geo-restricted streaming sites from anywhere in the world. Of the top 5 VPNs that we shortlisted, ExpressVPN remained the best VPN for Mac in UAE, as it offers the best unblocking ability, and macOS compatibility, with great privacy features.

That’s all for our best VPN for Mac in UAE 2023 guide. In case of any questions, please ask in the comments.