The most popular browser in the world, Google Chrome, offers a wealth of VPN services through its plugins. With the best VPN for Chrome, browsing has never been so easy and safe.
Google Chrome supports extensions, also known as extensions, as part of the user experience. Extensions can be installed and enabled through the browser itself, and this includes VPN providers. Therefore, it’s really time to think about how you can safely browse the Internet.
Today, it is easier than ever to combine your favorite Internet browser with a VPN service. The best thing is that some VPNs for Chrome are free, which means that you can continue browsing without any additional costs.
Why use a VPN extension for Google Chrome?
Still, even after reading all about VPNs and seeing the prices that make your eyes glaze over, some of you may have wondered, “What if I just want to stay anonymous and safe while surfing the web?” .
This is where VPN browser plugins or extensions come into play. In this case, we are talking about the VPN extension for Google Chrome.
That being said, Google Chrome has long since broken the monopoly of Microsoft Internet Explorer (or Edge these days) and overtaken Firefox as the most popular web browser. It currently has a market share between 59.69% and 66.93%, depending on the statistics you can believe.
With such a large user base, it is logical that many developers focus their efforts on this platform, and they have. Leading VPN providers like ExpressVPN and NordVPN offer VPN extensions specifically for Chrome that let you browse safely, securely, and anonymously.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN easy-to-use extension gives you full control over your connection without having to navigate from your browser. Unlike most VPN extensions, it encrypts all data transmitted over the network.
If you’re struggling with websites that block you when you deny them access to your device’s GPS, HTML5’s Geo Location Spoofing allows you access without compromising your anonymity.
ExpressVPN’s plugins and apps are a powerful combination for online security. With blazing fast speeds, unlimited bandwidth, and over 3,000 global servers to choose from, it’s wonder ExpressVPN is a fan favorite.
NordVPN
NordVPN doesn’t offer a free Chrome extension, so you need to create an account with the provider to access Chrome. Among the key benefits here is the company’s CyberSec feature, which blocks ads and prevents access to malware-filled websites, making your browsing experience more streamlined and secure. The extension is also lightweight and user-friendly, requiring only a few clicks to get it up and running.
Performance-wise, the speed is quite stable and quite acceptable. Users have a large network of servers at their disposal, with over 5,000 servers worldwide. NordVPN also has a “no logging” privacy policy, which has been audited by the highly respected and independent Price waterhouseCooper.
As you can see above, NordVPN performs quite poorly compared to most users on the Chrome Web Store. According to some reviewers, it’s quite buggy – although we didn’t find any issues in our test. Fortunately, NordVPN has a handy 24/7 live chat support system that can save your life if something goes wrong.
SurfsharkVPN
As with the Windows and mobile apps, Surfshark’s Chrome extension is very pleasant to use. It feels very lightweight and responds very well to commands. Connecting is quick and easy, and you don’t have to fuss with setup or anything else.
Personally, I’ve never been a big fan of Chrome extensions. I think they add bulk to an already memory-hungry app, but the Surfshark Chrome extension feels right. Of course, you need an existing account to use it.
CyberGhostVPN
While CyberGhost is a good choice in the paid VPN product category, its free VPN Chrome extension is very solid. With CyberGhost VPN proxy installed in just a few clicks, you can change your browsing location in no time. Therefore, it’s super easy to quickly watch your favorite Netflix shows, block websites and stream content with CyberGhost.
It also protects you from third-party scams and makes sure that you are completely safe while browsing with Chrome.
Private Internet Access
The first thing that really stands out about PIA VPN is that you can share the same subscription with up to 10 different devices, which is double the industry standard of 5. In fact, some of us have many smart devices and this is a very important factor when deciding on a VPN service.
With a whopping 3,375 servers, and growing, PIA VPN has a presence in 32 countries on six continents, allowing it to serve underserved markets and fill a niche. The company is positioning itself to capitalize on these growing segments in the coming years, which will undoubtedly impact overall performance.
PIA VPN is able to support P2P and multiple VPN gateways. PIA’s VPN certainly goes out of its way to ensure that its customers privacy is not compromised. Whether it’s protecting yourself from the prying eyes of Chromes or preventing hacker attacks, PIA VPN has you covered.
PIA VPN is not afraid of constructive criticism, they even have a feedback portal for all reviews. PIA VPN also posts regular updates on their help page to keep customers up to date with what is happening in the world of technology. In addition, PIA VPN has a very responsive email inbox in case anyone has further questions.
PIA VPN’s monthly subscription fee is currently $6.95. There is also an annual plan that costs just $3.33 per month and is billed on an annual basis. Not only that, PIA VPN offers a seven-day money-back guarantee on all of its subscriptions to eliminate any risk to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a VPN for Chrome?
Chrome, while very well configured, does not offer a built-in VPN. This isn’t a problem, though, as there are plenty of browser VPNs to choose from – especially the top five VPNs above.
Fortunately, Chrome is also a perfect browser VPN environment – it’s stable, simple, easy to use, and incredibly customizable, so there are some great Chrome VPNs that work just as reliably as their standalone counterparts.
Is there a free Chrome VPN extension?
Free Chrome extensions are a tempting option – free anonymous browsing and data security sounds good. However, in practice, these free services are not as good as they seem.
The first thing to consider is where the money for the free services comes from. You may see advertisements or, even more maliciously, your data may be plundered and sold for profit. In this case, it’s best not to use a VPN at all.
There are some good free Chrome VPNs – like NordVPN, which is #2 on the list – but overall, you’ll never get a really good, comprehensive VPN experience unless you pay for it.
This doesn’t have to break the bank, however. Surfshark, for example, offers a completely secure and comprehensive VPN service for less than $2.50 per month. While Chrome’s VPN isn’t powerful enough to make the list, it works well as a lightweight proxy extension – and at a price that’s hardly expensive, we think it’s worth the investment.
What should you look for in the best Chrome VPN extensions?
A good Chrome VPN extension is one that is not only easy to install and use, but ideally also offers some in-depth features. While there are some basic proxy versions that can be easily turned on and off in Chrome – which is useful – we prefer the more feature-rich options.
The ability to select where you want to connect is a very basic but useful feature – perfect if you want to view geographically restricted content on a page and need to select a specific location.
The security features are also very useful, locking the location of a site and blocking access to the camera or microphone are basic requirements. Additional features we like to focus on are blocking third-party cookies, blocking or disabling Flash, WebRTC leak protection, hyperlink checking and credit card autofill. A VPN that unblocks Netflix is also useful.
No matter which option you choose, the VPN Chrome extension is only as good as the VPN behind it, so it’s always a good idea to opt for a proven, feature-rich standalone VPN.
AWSM TIPS
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