VPN for MacOS

Key points

NordVPN, Proton VPN and Surfshark lead on documented features.
macOS asks once to allow the VPN configuration.
Check the minimum macOS version before you pay.

Checked 30 October 2026

VPN apps for macOS come from the Mac App Store or straight from the provider. Either way, macOS asks once to allow the VPN configuration, and some apps also ask to install a network extension.

The best VPNs for Mac in the UAE

Ranked on what each provider documents: an independent no-logs audit, obfuscation for networks that block VPNs, a UAE or nearby server, and fair refund terms. We did not run speed tests, so we do not rank on speed.

NordVPN

Best all-rounder

NordVPN lists macOS 14 or newer for its Mac app, with the 18 UAE servers and the obfuscated Dubai ones.

UAE server: yes — Dubai and Fujairah, 18 servers
Free plan or trial: no — 7-day trial via the app (1- and 2-year plans)
Devices: 10
Refund: 30 days
No-logs audit: yes — Deloitte, 2024 (fifth assessment)

Download for Mac Our NordVPN review Official site

Proton VPN

Best free plan

Proton’s Mac app has a kill switch, and the Stealth protocol works on the Free plan too.

UAE server: yes — Dubai and Fujairah, paid plans only
Free plan or trial: yes — no data cap, no ads, 1 device
Devices: 10 (Plus)
Refund: 30 days
No-logs audit: yes — Securitum, yearly 2022–2026

Download for Mac Our Proton VPN review Official site

Surfshark

Best for many devices

Available from surfshark.com and from the UAE Mac App Store. One plan covers every device.

UAE server: yes — Dubai, 12 servers
Free plan or trial: no — 7-day trial (12- and 24-month plans)
Devices: Unlimited
Refund: 30 days
No-logs audit: yes — Deloitte, 2023 and 2025

Download for Mac Our Surfshark review Official site

ExpressVPN

Simplest apps

One-button app with automatic protocol choice, obfuscation and the Internet Kill Switch.

UAE server: yes — city not named
Free plan or trial: no — mobile trial through the app stores
Devices: 10 to 14, by plan
Refund: 30 days (not app-store purchases)
No-logs audit: yes — KPMG, 2025

Download for Mac Our ExpressVPN review Official site

Private Internet Access

Unlimited devices, Dubai server

Unlimited devices, a Dubai server and Intelligent Obfuscation.

UAE server: yes — Dubai
Free plan or trial: no — 7-day trial for new mobile users
Devices: Unlimited
Refund: 30 days
No-logs audit: yes — Deloitte (as of 30 June 2022)

Download for Mac Our Private Internet Access review Official site

Windscribe

Build your own plan

Free plan with 10 GB a month on Mac too; paid plans add Dubai and Windscribe’s full server list.

UAE server: yes — Dubai, paid plans only
Free plan or trial: yes — 10 GB a month with a confirmed email
Devices: Unlimited
Refund: 7 days, under 10 GB used
No-logs audit: yes — Packetlabs (servers), 2024

Download Our Windscribe review Official site

How to set up a VPN on Mac

Get the app from the provider’s site or the Mac App Store.
Open it and sign in.
Allow the VPN configuration when macOS asks; some apps also ask you to allow a network extension in System Settings.
Turn on the kill switch.
Check your IP address in Safari after connecting.

Before you rely on it

Turn on the kill switch: here is where it is on each system.
Run a quick IP, DNS and WebRTC leak test.
Read what UAE law says: a VPN is lawful for privacy and security, not for committing or hiding a crime.

Our 2024 list, checked again

Until October 2026 this page listed ten apps with ratings, prices and features that we could not support with sources. We checked every one of them again on 30 October 2026. Here is what we found, with the links the old page had.

App on the old list	Status on 30 October 2026	Links from the old page
ThetaVPN	No longer available. The app has been removed from the App Store and Google Play, so we no longer list it.	App Store listing (removed) thetavpn.com
AbanVPN	No longer available here. The iPhone app has been removed from the App Store and its original Google Play app is gone. Its website now sells V2Ray-type proxy servers aimed at users in Iran, not the UAE. No published audit.	App Store listing (removed) abanvpn.com
MenaVPN	Still available, not recommended. Run by MenaVPN Holding B.V. in the Netherlands. It publishes no independent audit, its privacy policy still contained a template placeholder instead of an address when we checked, and its homepage promises a 30-day money-back guarantee while its terms give 14 days for card payments.	App Store listing menavpn1.com
NordVPN	Still recommended. Now our first pick: 18 UAE servers and five independent no-logs assessments. See the card above.	App Store listing nordvpn.com
ExpressVPN	Still recommended. A UAE location, KPMG no-logs audits and simple apps. See the card above.	Download page expressvpn.com
VPNGate	Not an official app. The “vpngate” app we linked has been removed from the App Store and was not made by the VPN Gate project. The vpngate.online site we linked no longer serves a page and is not the official vpngate.net.	App Store listing (removed) vpngate.online (does not load)
IPVanish	Still available, not in our top six. A Dubai location, unlimited devices and a 2025 Schellman no-logs audit; we could not confirm an obfuscation feature on its own pages.	Download page ipvanish.com
TunnelBear	Still available, not in our top six. A simple app with 2 GB a month free and yearly Cure53 audits, but no UAE server on any plan.	Download page tunnelbear.com
Surfshark VPN	Still recommended. 12 Dubai servers and unlimited devices. See the card above.	Download page surfshark.com
Windscribe	Still recommended. 10 GB a month free; Dubai on paid plans. See the card above.	Download page windscribe.com

Sources

Checked on 30 October 2026. Providers change their apps, servers and terms, so check the official page before you pay.