The best VPN extension for Chrome: Keep your browsing private and secure!

Are you trying to keep your browsing safe and private? The best way to do this is by using a VPN. And if you happen to use Chrome, as over 65% of us do, you have access to Chrome extensions. This means you can take advantage of the best VPN extension for Chrome.

Aside from hand-picking our favorite option, we’ve compiled a list of other great alternatives. Some of these specialize in particular niche needs, while others focus on other specific users. Let’s find out which is the best for you.

There are a couple of things we need to touch on before moving forward. You need to understand what a VPN is, and how this tool works when used as a Chrome extension.

VPN stands for “Virtual Private Network.” A simple way to understand it is that it acts as a middleman between you and the internet. Think of it as a messenger of sorts. When using a VPN, instead of your device connecting directly to the internet, all your web traffic will be rerouted through your VPN provider’s servers back and forth.

To put it simply, all data you send will go from your device to the VPN servers, then it will go to the final destination. When you access any site, data will go from the website’s servers to the VPN servers, then to your device. And thanks to encryption, your data will be scrambled and hidden.

Your device’s IP address, location, and other sensitive information will be masked in the process. Not even your internet service provider will know what you’re doing. To the internet, it will look as though whatever server you’re connected to is accessing everything.

VPNs are great for privacy and security, but there are other reasons why you might want to use one. The most popular one is that it allows you to fake your location. This makes it possible to use ge0-restricted websites and services in places you otherwise wouldn’t be able to. Certain streaming services only work in the USA, for example. A lot of people use a USA-based VPN server to access these services remotely. Other users use VPNs to get deals from other locations, avoid internet restrictions, or bypass throttling from internet service providers.

Now, there are multiple ways to use a VPN. You can connect to it manually, use an app, or take advantage of something like a VPN extension for Chrome. If you’re using a Chrome extension, you must know a very important fact.

A VPN Chrome extension will only work within the Chrome browser. Everything you do within Chrome will be protected. If you open another application, that data won’t be traveling through the VPN, and will access the internet directly. If you want to protect your whole device with a VPN, you will need to use a dedicated app or connect to it manually.

Also, remember that Chrome still doesn’t support extensions on its mobile app. This means you’ll only be able to use VPN extensions for Chrome using the desktop browser.

Now that we understand how VPNs and VPN Chrome extensions work, it’s time to move on to what you need to know to find the right one.

There are multiple things to keep in mind when picking a VPN. Likely the most important one is the price. VPNs can be pricey and are offered as subscription services. That said, most offer good deals if you sign up for yearly or multi-year plans. And if you don’t want to pay, there are some free VPNs out there.

You’ll also want a VPN service with a strict no-logs policy. This essentially means that the provider keeps no records of what you, specifically, do online.

There are other important factors, such as platform availability. Does the VPN have an app for every device you want to use? In the case of this specific post, we want there to be a Chrome extension available, for example.

Then there is the case of device limits, which are common in the VPN world. Some allow you to connect unlimited devices with a single account, while others limit you, usually to about 5-10 simultaneous connections.

Performance is another issue to keep in mind. You’ll want to check whether you get unlimited bandwidth, a good ping, good transfer speeds, enhanced security, and if any extra features are included.

ExpressVPN has been our favorite VPN service for quite some time now, and it is also an industry favorite. It’s held high in the world of VPNs, performs very well, and has experienced nearly no downtime. Not to mention it uses several security protocols, has a no-logs policy, and has over 3,000 high-speed servers in 94 countries.

That said, the best VPN service won’t come cheap. The standard monthly plan costs $12.95. Thankfully, you can get a good discount if you prepay for six months or a year. If you sign up for six months, the monthly equivalent is reduced to $9.99, while prepaying a whole year will bring that number down to $6.67. In both cases, you’ll need to pay the entire amount upfront.

We also dislike that ExpressVPN doesn’t have a very generous device limit. Despite being among the most expensive VPN providers, you can only connect five devices simultaneously. You do get a wide variety of apps and supported platforms, though. Of course, there is a Chrome extension, but you can also use it on Android, iOS, Windows, MacOS, Chrome OS, consoles, routers, and more.

Check out our full review to learn more about ExpressVPN.

Are you looking for other recommendations? While ExpressVPN is our top recommendation, keep reading below for additional choices worth considering.

The best VPN extension for Chrome

• NordVPN: This is another very well-known VPN service. It offers excellent performance, security, simplicity, and a convenient streaming-focused feature.
• SurfShark: SurfShark is a very good VPN, but what makes it stand out is all the extra features you get with it.
• ProtonVPN: Proton is a good VPN, but what really makes it stand out is that it can be free! This is your best option if you want to pay zero dollars for a VPN extension for Chrome, but it comes with its limitations.
• Ivacy VPN: If you need more from your VPN service, but don’t want to pay too much, Ivacy VPN is among the cheapest around.
• CyberGhost: CyberGhost is the best VPN for torrenting. It’s also a pretty good option, overall, though.

NordVPN is up there with ExpressVPN. It’s another renowned provider that offers an excellent service. As such, it’s also pretty pricey. The monthly plan starts at $12.99, and it can go up if you get the Plus or Complete plans. Thankfully, there are nice discounts for getting yearly or two-year plans.

You will have no lack of options when using NordVPN. The company hosts over 5,600 “ultra-fast servers” in 60 countries. And if you care for added features, it has plenty of them. These include the ability to get a dedicated IP address, an ad-blocker, cloud storage, a password manager, and more.

There’s also a feature called SmartPlay, which uses smart DNS technology. This service is automatic and helps with streaming from home or abroad. Of course, NordVPN also has a no-logs policy.

Aside from having a Chrome extension, NordVPN is one of the best in terms of platform support. You can also use Nord VPN on Android, Firefox, Edge, Windows, MacOS, Android TV, PlayStation, Xbox, Chromecast, and many others. Sadly, the device limit is still pretty low at six devices. But hey, at least that is one more than ExpressVPN!

You’ve probably heard of SurfShark, as it’s one of the most advertised VPN services on the web. The ads are everywhere, and your favorite YouTubers have likely promoted it at some point. All advertising aside, though, it’s actually a pretty good VPN service.

SurfShark hosts plenty of servers. Over 3,200, to be more exact. And they are located in over 100 countries. It’s still a bit pricey at $12.95 per month, but SurfShark is pretty good at reducing the blow if you sign up for more extended periods of time. We’ve seen the monthly equivalent go down as low as $2.39 if you sign up for a whole year and pay it in advance.

What makes SurfShark stand out is the ample set of features included with a plan. You likely get the most bang per buck with SurfShark, at least in terms of paid VPNs. SurfShark users get to enjoy things like an ad-blocker, malware protection, algorithm protection for non-targeted search results, identity leak notifications, password change reminders, email security reports, and internet restriction removal. There’s also the ability to connect to multiple locations simultaneously, an IP rotator, and a no-logs policy.

Of course, there is a Chrome extension, but you can use SurfShark with an unlimited amount of simultaneous connections. So you’ll also love that it supports a bunch of platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Firefox, Edge, and Fire TV.

If you’re looking for the best free VPN available, the dominant contenders are Atlas VPN and ProtonVPN. Atlas VPN has no Chrome extension, though, which makes ProtonVPN the best free VPN extension for Chrome.

There are plenty of free VPN services out there, but they usually come with plenty of limitations. The vast majority limit your data allowance. This is why ProtonVPN is held so high in the world of free VPNs. The free ProtonVPN plan has no data cap. It does limit you in other ways, though.

You can only connect one device per free ProtonVPN account, and you do need to sign up for an account. This means they have some of your information, but it has a no-logs policy, so you should be pretty safe. Additionally, you can only access three servers with the free version. These are in the USA, the Netherlands, and Japan. Sadly, these can get congested, which will affect performance. But hey, it’s free!

If you don’t want to deal with those limitations, you can also pay up and unlock a fuller experience. A VPN Plus plan will cost you €9.99 per month. It will unlock access to over 1,900 servers in more than 65 countries. It will also increase the device limit to 10 connections. You can upgrade to the €11.99 Proton Unlimited plan, which also grants access to more features from Proton Mail, Proton Calendar, and Proton Drive.

ProtonVPN is available as a Chrome extension. You can also use it on Android, iOS, Windows, MacOS, Linux, and Firefox.

A free VPN is nice, but it can be a bit too limiting to use all the time. If what you’re looking for is a solid VPN that costs as little as possible, Ivacy VPN is your best bet. The regular monthly plan is $9.95. While that is cheaper than most other paid options here, it’s nothing too special. The true discount comes when you sign up for five years. A five-year plan costs $60, which brings the equivalent monthly price down to $1.

It’s not a bad VPN service, either. It hosts over 5,700 servers in more than 100 locations. Not to mention it actually comes with some pretty good features. Subscribers get malware protection, military-grade encryption, unlimited bandwidth, a dedicated IP, split tunneling, and support for 10 simultaneous connections.

Like the others, it also supports a wide variety of devices, such as iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS, Linux, etc. Of course, there is a Chrome extension, too.

Do you use torrents often? If so, you might want to try CyberGhost. It is primarily known for offering torrent-focused services. The company mentions explicitly its encryption is great at hiding your IP address if you want to use torrents anonymously, among other activities.

It’s a pretty good VPN, overall, though. It hosts more than 6,000 servers in 88 countries. It also supports a very wide variety of platforms and devices. Aside from the usual ones, you can use it on Fire TV, Android TV, smart TVs, routers, gaming consoles, Roku, Samsung TV, Apple TV, and more. There is also a VPN extension for Chrome.

While the standard monthly price is expensive at $12.99, you can get the six-month plan at the equivalent of $6.99 per month. Getting a two-year subscription reduces the effective monthly price to $2.11.

It has a seven-device limit, which isn’t great. At least you still get a no-logs policy, though.

Check out our full review to learn more about CyberGhost.