What is a VPN and what work’s best on Chrome

Google Chrome is the most popular web browser in the world, and it’s already highly secure, making it the best choice for those worried about their privacy and safety online.

One of the great things about the browser is that you can easily customise it and add extensions to personalise your experience. One such option is to add a VPN extension so that you’re further protected from threats and the risks associated with your ISP potentially spying on what you’re doing.

VPN extensions work a little differently from full VPN services, as they simply route browser traffic through a proxy server rather than encrypt data like a true VPN connection. This is still useful if you want to view content without restrictions, like watching American Netflix content from the UK.

What is a VPN?

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) offer protection for your data and identity when you’re online by creating a private network that hides your real IP address. This means that all of your activity is untraceable and secure. Try thinking about VPNs like encrypted tunnels through which all of your online traffic passes through. Nobody can see into the tunnel, and everything inside the tunnel is protected against online threats like viruses, hackers, and malware.

Do you need a VPN for Chrome?

We all know that Chrome OS is a secure service, but you still need to protect your web traffic from online threats. For this task, you need a VPN. You’ll also need to use a VPN if you want to unblock extra content from top streaming sites. These cybersecurity services can hide your real IP address and connect you to a server in another country, meaning you get access to all the movies and shows from that location.

What is the best VPN for Chrome?

Many VPN services and extensions are available, so how do you know what’s best for you? You will need a service that is highly secure and offers a fairly strong level of encryption, but you’ll also want a service that’s easy to set up and use, with a no-logs policy. Whatever your reason for using a VPN service, it’s important to pick out the right VPN for your needs, and we’re here to help you find it.

We have tracked down all your best options for making Google Chrome even more secure, including popular services like TunnelBear(opens in a new tab) and ExpressVPN(opens in a new tab).

There’s a small price to pay for an extension that allows you to randomise the location reported by Google’s geo-location API, thereby stopping websites from acquiring your location. Like all VPN extensions, it works more as a proxy than a true VPN, but it does what’s needed to keep you secure. It also typically allows for the use of Netflix and other streaming services, all at a good speed.

With the standard VPN you get AES-256 encryption and features like split tunneling, which allows you to route some traffic through a VPN while the rest of it goes through your regular internet connection, thereby adding an extra level of security. Plus, there’s a kill-switch feature built into the app (rather than the extension) so all traffic is blocked if your connection unexpectedly drops.

ExpressVPN
Best For Streaming
Consistenty performing well, ExpressVPN also offers a great Chrome extension for added convenience.

CyberGhost VPN
Best For Beginners
CyberGhost offers a strong Chrome extension to get you started, along with a bevy of additional features.

NordVPN
Best For Security
NordVPN offers a wide range of advanced security features to protect your data when navigating Chrome.

Surfshark
Best For Multiple Connections
With plenty of extra features, Surfshark isn’t just a smart VPN Chrome extension but an all-around good option.