The best VPN extensions for Chrome in 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

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Virtual backstage networks (VPNs) are fantabulous tools to disguise your activities online, alteration your location, forestall eavesdropping, and debar property verification checks. Many VPN providers besides connection their subscribers browser-based solutions, typically successful the signifier of browser extensions. These mightiness beryllium the champion enactment if you conscionable privation to rapidly disguise your IP code during an online session.

An estimated 68% of net users favor Chrome arsenic their browser, beating rivals including Safari, Edge, and Firefox. As 1 of the ascendant browsers retired there, it makes consciousness to augment it with a trustworthy, utile VPN extension. In this guide, I person ranked the best VPN extensions for Chrome, including services similar ExpressVPN and NordVPN.

What is the champion Chrome VPN close now?

My prime for the champion Chrome VPN wide is ExpressVPN due to its fantabulous speed, stability, and immense server network. The businesslike Chrome hold isn't intrusive and doesn't drastically dilatory down your net connection. ExpressVPN is typically an costly work astatine $5 per period connected a two-year plan, but you volition beryllium fixed 4 months of escaped work astatine sign-up, which does bring down the wide outgo of your contract.

Alternatively, if you're looking for a much affordable VPN solution, see Surfshark astatine conscionable $2 per period acknowledgment to the company's existent promotion. It's not arsenic fast, but it is reliable, offers a tenable server selection, and is unobtrusive.

At ZDNET, we've tested each reputable VPN connected the market alongside caller VPN projects, rigorously evaluating speed, fig of servers, information features, and price. I show VPN solutions, behaviour predominant velocity tests, effort retired caller services, and analyse lawsuit feedback to guarantee I urge lone the champion options available.

Read connected to research my favourite Chrome VPNs, compared, tested, and ranked.

Get much in-depth ZDNET tech coverage: Add america arsenic a preferred Google source connected Chrome and Chromium browsers.

Best Chrome VPN extensions successful 2025

ExpressVPN is 1 of the astir wide utilized VPNs and offers my favourite Chrome hold arsenic portion of its subscription package.

Why we similar it: Its Chrome hold has garnered galore affirmative reviews, with thousands of users issuing precocious scores.

While wide show whitethorn alteration depending connected your net transportation and which server you're connecting to, ExpressVPN is accelerated and reliable. Based connected my predominant tests, I see ExpressVPN 1 of the fastest VPNs around, arsenic it consistently provides accelerated speeds and speedy transportation times. The Chrome hold is simply a large summation to the wide service.

In March, to the Windows-only Lightway protocol further accrued idiosyncratic speeds. ExpressVPN's Android and iOS apps person besides been for an improved idiosyncratic experience, and the institution is presently exploring quantum-safe for the future.

Review: ExpressVPN review

When I utilized the extension, I noted small alteration to speeds, and it was unobtrusive. This is an important information for VPN hold usage, fixed the galore pop-ups and notifications we already person to contend with.

ExpressVPN supports galore platforms and has an extended database of protocols to take from. The institution besides has servers successful much countries than galore providers connected this list, truthful you'll person plentifulness of determination options. It's bully for streaming and worthy trying retired if you privation to entree your location libraries connected the spell done the Chrome browser. For example, I tested it retired with Plex and encountered nary issues.

Who it's for: Anyone who wants an unobtrusive, fast, and reliable VPN work compatible with the Chrome browser.

To usage the accompanying extension, you volition request an ExpressVPN subscription. ExpressVPN's two-year program is $5 per month, with 4 months of escaped VPN entree added to the magnitude of your contract. Alternatively, its yearly program costs $6.67 per period with 3 months of escaped access.

Who should look elsewhere: Despite the usually higher terms point, customers accidental ExpressVPN is simple, fast, and casual to use. Still, if ExpressVPN's subscription costs are much than you are consenting to pay, see 1 of my different favorites.

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Surfshark is 1 of the astir affordable VPNs connected the marketplace and offers consistently debased pricing connected longer-term contracts.

Why we similar it: The VPN and its hold travel modular with utile connectivity and information features, on with a cooky and ad-blocker, a masked email generator, divided tunneling (Bypasser), a treble VPN enactment (MultiHop), and different options. Premium plans connection more, specified arsenic malware and webcam protection, arsenic good as Incogni information removal.

Users accidental they find Surfshark's Chrome hold casual to instal and run and deem it an hold that "just works." The Chrome hold besides makes it easier to entree services restricted by section net work providers (ISPs).

Review: Surfshark VPN review

In presumption of security, Surfshark is simply a coagulated choice. The institution has precocious introduced , a strategy that attempts to reconfigure and repair VPN connections erstwhile they automatically drop. Unlike a termination switch, which blocks net entree to support you if determination is simply a abrupt drop, Everlink aims to sphere your transportation safely. It is disposable to each users, but you'll request to usage the WireGuard protocol.

In my testing, I recovered nary information oregon domain sanction work (DNS) leaks. That said, Surfshark's transportation times and speeds tin beryllium slower than those of its competitors.

Alongside NordVPN, which Surfshark's genitor institution Nord Security besides owns, the VPN supplier is experimenting with , a way optimizer for accelerated connections. I'm yet to announcement a quality connected the trial servers, but I tin anticipation that transportation times amended successful the future.

Who it's for: Surfshark is the champion enactment if you request a coagulated VPN and hold operation astatine an affordable terms point.

Surfshark pricing starts astatine $2 per period connected a two-year plan, which includes 3 months free. You tin motion up for a one-year declaration astatine a starting terms of $3.19 per period oregon get a period of entree for $15.45. Surfshark offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Who should look elsewhere: If you program to prioritize velocity successful your determination connected a caller VPN solution, cheque retired ExpressVPN oregon NordVPN.

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Windscribe is different recommended and fashionable enactment if you're looking for a Chrome VPN extension.

Why we similar it: Windscribe earned a 4.7 retired of 5 standing connected the Chrome Web Store and has implicit 2 cardinal users. The reviews are mostly positive, but immoderate users study determination detection issues related to Windscribe's escaped option.

The escaped mentation offers up to 10GB of bandwidth per month, but you volition request to motion up.

This VPN is 1 of my top picks for the champion escaped VPNs connected the market. You tin entree servers successful 10 countries with a escaped account.

Who it's for: Anyone looking for a escaped VPN with precocious Chrome hold ratings. There's besides an experimental Manifest V3 Chrome hold mentation available.

While you tin ever instrumentality vantage of Windscribe's escaped plan, I besides similar the enactment to make customized plans based connected your preferences. You tin take the server locations you privation to link to, billed astatine $1 per server per period oregon opt for a yearly program priced astatine $5.75 per month.

Who should look elsewhere: Yearly plans are much costly than galore competing services, and there's nary enactment for two-year contracts. If you privation a longer-term, reasonably priced service, see NordVPN.

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NordVPN is 1 of the astir fashionable VPNs and for bully reason. And its Chrome hold has besides received apical marks from users.

Why we similar it: NordVPN supports each the large platforms and operating systems, truthful you tin usage it to unafraid the immense bulk of your devices. For other protection, you tin besides way your transportation done a 2nd server, known arsenic a treble VPN.

Its astir caller autarkic audit, conducted by , recovered nary client-side vulnerabilities successful browser extensions, including Chrome. The audit revealed that the VPN functions arsenic intended, though respective vulnerabilities were identified and subsequently resolved.

In my latest velocity tests, NordVPN performed exceptionally good and, unneurotic with ExpressVPN, offered the champion speeds and stability. It's besides large for accessing streaming services with precocious occurrence rates for accessing geo-blocked content.

Review: NordVPN review

The VPN supplier offers 111 locations to take from, and you tin link up to 10 devices to the work simultaneously.

Who it's for: Customers accidental they similar NordVPN's speed, security, and awesome support. The Chrome hold is lightweight, and galore users see it reliable and a large summation to day-to-day browsing and tasks.

Combine this with a user-friendly dashboard, and I see NordVPN to beryllium 1 of the champion 'one-size-fits-all' VPNs connected the market. The Chrome hold is simply a bonus.

NordVPN's champion pricing is for its entry-level two-year plan, which begins astatine $3.09 per month, with 3 months of escaped work included. You tin besides opt for one-year and one-month plans astatine $5 monthly and $13 monthly, respectively.

Who should look elsewhere: This VPN and its Chrome hold volition suit astir users, but if you similar speed, ExpressVPN mightiness beryllium better. For a escaped option, Winscribe oregon Proton VPN volition suit you.

That said, if you're unsure if NordVPN is the close choice, you tin ever effort it and get a afloat refund wrong 30 days with the service's money-back guarantee.

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When thing is free, there's usually a catch, and a VPN work is nary exception. In Proton VPN's case, its escaped work is backed by paid subscribers.

Why we similar it: I don't typically urge escaped VPN options, arsenic galore providers volition cod oregon merchantability your information successful return. This signifier undermines the full constituent of the service.

Fortunately, paid subscribers enactment Proton VPN's escaped plan, and the institution prioritizes user information and privacy, applying the aforesaid layers of extortion to some escaped and paid accounts.

Also: The champion escaped VPNs

There are constricted server options disposable and enactment for lone 1 instrumentality connected the escaped Proton VPN plan, but escaped users tin besides instrumentality vantage of the service's Chrome extension.

Proton VPN has recently NetShield, its built-in ad-blocker, to seizure much phishing attempts, and its mobile apps person besides been rebuilt to trim artillery drain.

Swiss information privateness laws support the VPN service; however, a projected surveillance measure is successful the works, which has led Proton VPN to connote that it whitethorn permission the country. Despite this, Proton VPN downloads surged successful the charts precocious pursuing the activation of the U.K.'s arguable Online Safety Act, which has resulted successful wide censorship and website blocks erstwhile visitors garbage to verify their age.

If you privation to effort retired a paid plan, Proton VPN is offering a two-year declaration for $3.59 per period oregon a one-year enactment for the equivalent of $3.99 per month. A period of entree costs $10.

Who it's for: Casual online users who privation escaped VPN access, extortion portion utilizing Chrome, and a mode to debar censorship.

Proton VPN's Chrome hold and wide reviews are mixed, but galore complaints are astir the restrictions connected the escaped option. You tin instrumentality this however you will, but galore users inactive accidental that this VPN is unafraid and accelerated capable that fewer announcement immoderate velocity changes erstwhile enabled.

Who should look elsewhere: If you privation an alternate escaped option, cheque retired Windscribe.

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Best VPN for Chrome	Price	Chrome Web Store rating	Simultaneous connections
ExpressVPN	$5 per period with a two-year plan, 4 months free	4.5	8
Surfshark VPN	$2 per period with a two-year plan, 3 months free	3.9	Unlimited
Windscribe	Free oregon customized plans. Fixed plans commencement astatine $5.75 per month	4.7	Unlimited
NordVPN	$3.09 per period with a two-year plan, 3 months free	4.2	10
Proton VPN	Free oregon $3.59 per period connected a two-year plan	2.7	1 (free), 10 (paid)

Incognito mode tin assistance boost your privacy, but not successful the aforesaid mode a VPN oregon VPN hold will. Incognito mode reduces the postulation of information during a browsing session. It helps support your privateness by deleting logs and accusation aft a session, which tin beryllium utile if you stock a instrumentality with others. As Google's April 2024 tribunal colony showed, Chrome's Incognito mode isn't peculiarly effective.

In comparison, a VPN encrypts your connection, disguises your online activities, and masks your IP address. Using a VPN oregon a VPN hold and past launching a backstage browsing league tin beryllium complementary but relying connected conscionable 1 oregon the different isn't arsenic effective.

A VPN hold is champion erstwhile you privation to fell your IP code and disguise your net postulation during abbreviated browsing sessions.

Remember that you volition lone person extortion enabled for the browser with the hold enabled. If you person a Chrome VPN extension, lone information passing done the Chrome browser volition beryllium encrypted, and not immoderate requests sent via Edge oregon Safari, and truthful on.

A standalone VPN app grants you acold much protection, arsenic it tin supply broad sum crossed each browser sessions and online services. The trade-off is that VPN apps are much apt to dilatory down your net speed. Still, we urge that unless determination is simply a peculiar crushed for utilizing lone an extension, you should see utilizing a VPN's afloat acceptable of features.

How bash I acceptable up my Chrome VPN?

Go to your VPN provider's website oregon the authoritative Chrome Web Store. Find your VPN and click the "Add to Chrome" button.

You should get a announcement explaining what the hold does and tin do. If you are blessed to proceed, click Add Extension. If not, click Cancel.

Lastly, motion successful with your VPN credentials. Remember that you tin click the extension's icon anytime to alteration oregon disable it.

Choose this VPN Chrome extension...	If you want...
ExpressVPN	The champion Chrome VPN hold overall. ExpressVPN provides top-tier show and features, with standout usability and velocity -- arsenic good arsenic a robust server web -- but the emblematic monthly terms constituent whitethorn deter immoderate users.
Surfshark VPN	The astir worth from your VPN and Chrome extension. Surfshark offers tenable speeds and a user-friendly interface astatine a consistently debased price, making it 1 of my favourite fund VPNs. It's reliable, has a ample server web with plentifulness of countries to take from, and a utile intermission function.
Windscribe	A escaped VPN with the enactment of customized plans. The Windscribe proxy extension, which has garnered precise precocious and affirmative Chrome hold reviews, besides comes with an advertisement blocker, whitelisting, and determination spoofing. An experimental hold is disposable for circumventing censorship and blocking trackers.
NordVPN	The champion determination and server network, with accelerated connections and fantabulous speeds. NordVPN provides accelerated and reliable connections -- presently being improved with AI technologies -- and has a big of further information solutions available, including menace protection.
Proton VPN	A trustworthy escaped VPN hold suitable for the Chrome browser. Proton VPN is the champion enactment if you privation a escaped Chrome VPN extension, but support successful caput that the escaped program is constricted successful instrumentality enactment and server network. You tin lone usage it to support 1 instrumentality unless you subscribe.

If you're hunting for a VPN work with a Chrome extension, see the pursuing factors:

Extension availability: I've listed VPNs with disposable Chrome extensions, but if you besides privation multi-browser compatibility, cheque retired hold availability with immoderate VPN vendor you're funny in.
Speed: Every VPN performs differently, and each idiosyncratic acquisition differs. When you are investigating a caller VPN, support your basal velocity successful mind. Look retired for VPN solutions with minimal velocity loss, and if you privation to effort retired aggregate solutions, usage their money-back guarantees.
Apps: VPN providers should connection compatibility for aggregate platforms and operating systems. Take a look astatine the idiosyncratic interfaces, features, and compatibility offered by your chosen VPN supplier earlier making a commitment.
Use cases: Your VPN enactment should align with however you mean to usage a VPN. For example, you whitethorn privation 1 specifically for streaming geo-locked content, oregon you whitethorn request a VPN with a Chrome hold that is apt to circumvent censorship blocks. Consider these points earlier making your last choice.
Simultaneous connections: If you're paying for a VPN, you volition astir apt privation to usage it crossed aggregate devices, specified arsenic a PC, smartphone, and TV. I urge signing up for a program supporting astatine slightest six devices. However, if you're opting for a escaped plan, you volition astir apt beryllium constricted to 1 device.
Trial periods: Before committing to a VPN provider, trial them retired with the service's money-back warrant period. Remember that astir VPN providers volition springiness you 30 days to cancel and unafraid a refund. Some adjacent connection up to 45 days.

Many VPN providers recommended successful this database person been taxable to in-depth investigating and reviews by members of our team. We've reviewed VPNs for years, spoken with their absorption and users, and developed a mostly favorable content of our apical picks.

ZDNET tests VPN services from aggregate locations, but we can't trial from each locations. Every home, community, section ISP, and federation has a antithetic infrastructure.

I analyzed the champion VPNs for Chrome beneath utilizing the pursuing criteria:

Performance: My apical VPN recommendations indispensable person a minimum level of performance. After all, there's nary constituent successful utilizing a VPN if your transportation continually drops oregon lags.
Reliable extensions: As Chrome is my priority, I ensured that each proposal has a Chrome hold disposable that users see useful, stable, secure, and non-invasive.
Simultaneous connections: Many VPNs bounds the fig of devices you tin link to a work simultaneously. If you person a phone, tablet, laptop, desktop, oregon astute TV you privation to link to a VPN, you request a work that allows astatine slightest 5 oregon six simultaneous connections.
Security: There's nary constituent successful utilizing a VPN unless its information protocols and encryption levels are up to scratch. I besides ensured the improvement squad down each recommended VPN cares astir making information improvements and patching reported bugs.
Kill switch: A termination power prevents you from having an unprotected connection. It is an important diagnostic for a VPN, arsenic it protects you by preventing a instrumentality to a default Wi-Fi transportation should your net transportation unexpectedly drop.
Geo-blocks and streaming: I cognize VPNs tin beryllium cardinal to accessing section contented and services portion you're distant from home. Considering these factors, I ensured that our apical recommendations performed good and are improbable to dilatory down your transportation portion you are streaming oregon torrenting.
Platforms: What systems and devices tin you tally the VPN on? My VPN recommendations people person to connection easy-to-use and intuitive app extensions, desktop software, and mobile apps.
Countries and servers: In however galore antithetic countries does the VPN person servers? This tin see carnal and virtual servers, and whether determination are capable -- astatine slightest 60 oregon truthful -- to supply variety.
Trial magnitude and price: Each VPN I urge has a coagulated money-back warrant of astatine slightest 30 days.
Support: As with immoderate subscription software, you whitethorn brushwood problems with installing apps, utilizing the service, renewing, oregon canceling. I database VPNs with a enactment squad oregon enactment channels.

For a much extended breakdown, cheque retired our comprehensive VPN investigating methodology page.

Latest news

The children's commissioner for England called for property verification checks to beryllium imposed connected VPNs to forestall minors from utilizing them to circumvent the UK's caller -- and arguable -- Online Safety Act.
A caller Citizen Lab survey recovered vulnerabilities successful assorted VPNs, exposing the hidden relationships betwixt galore providers.
NordVPN is retiring Meshnet, a method unafraid sharing work that fewer adopted. The work volition beryllium closed this year.
The CEO of the institution that purchased VPNSecure showed regret aft canceling bequest beingness subscriptions. The deactivation of these accounts resulted successful lawsuit backlash, arsenic reported by Ars Technica.
In Switzerland, the connection of a caller surveillance instrumentality that could interaction idiosyncratic privateness led Proton VPN to suggest it will exit the country if it passes. Switzerland is known for its stringent information extortion stance.
The Motion Picture Association (MPA) called for automated piracy blocking, a determination that would tackle amerciable streaming successful real-time.

No. While Chrome is 1 of the safest and astir well-featured browsers, it does not person a built-in VPN. Instead, it supports VPN usage and VPN extensions. You'll request to instal a VPN to person the astir unafraid acquisition connected your Chrome browser.

All the VPN services connected this database are trusted and vetted by ZDNET. The services we urge person been astir for a agelong clip and supply the safest and astir unafraid connections for Chrome and different browsers, oregon arsenic standalone apps for your devices.

If you privation to support a Chromebook, the Chrome browser hold unsocial won't needfully beryllium enough, particularly if you power betwixt browsers. Most VPN vendors urge you support your Chromebook by installing their Android app. Android apps present tally connected astir modern Chromebooks. Since older Chromebooks whitethorn not beryllium supported, beryllium definite to cheque each vendor's compatibility list. Once you instal the Android app connected your Chromebook, you should beryllium mostly protected.

We urge trying retired ExpressVPN oregon NordVPN if you're looking for a compatible work for your Chromebook.

The reply to this is overmuch similar the reply to anyone asking however to enactment protected connected aged gear: Sometimes, you can't. If your machine can't support you harmless online, either don't usage the net oregon earnestly see upgrading your hardware.

Once enactment and updates halt for bequest devices, you besides won't person information fixes, and if your Chromebook is older and doesn't person compatible Android apps, your options are limited. At a minimum, you shouldn't usage your Chromebook for immoderate delicate tasks, specified arsenic accessing a fiscal work oregon email account.

If you privation it to, yes. You tin link to a VPN successful your location country, sometimes your city, and inactive usage the work to amended your information and privacy. Alternatively, you tin prime a server successful a wholly antithetic location. For example, if you're trying to entree a media root that is blocked successful the EU owed to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), appearing from the U.S. volition region this geo-linked block.

Yes, successful astir countries. VPNs are besides often important tools for companies, arsenic they let much unafraid distant connections. However, user VPN usage is restricted and state-controlled successful immoderate areas specified arsenic China and Russia. The services are banned wholly successful different countries including Iraq and Belarus.

You get what you wage for, right? Well, sometimes. VPN pricing varies wildly, and monthly fees besides beryllium connected immoderate further features you person subscribed to, specified arsenic dedicated IP addresses, information breach scanning, oregon cyberinsurance. Others, specified arsenic Astrill, travel astatine a precocious terms but are known for being unchangeable and mostly precise reliable successful countries wherever VPN usage is challenging, including China.

Yes, unless you person downloaded a escaped Chrome VPN extracurricular our recommendations. Chrome extensions are provided arsenic an add-on work alongside PC and mobile apps. They aren't usually disposable arsenic a standalone enactment without signing up for a VPN plan.

To download a VPN hold for the Chrome browser, caput implicit to the Chrome Web Store. You volition besides find nonstop links to Chrome extensions successful the store connected authoritative VPN supplier websites. Once you've recovered the hold you want, click the "Add to Chrome" button.

Latest updates

August 2025: In ZDNET's August update, we performed editorial changes, layout updates, and included quality related to our apical picks.
June 2025: In ZDNET's June update, we performed important editorial and layout changes. We besides changed our rankings, raising Surfshark and Windscribe successful airy of lawsuit feedback.

Other VPN extensions we've tested

TunnelBear is simply a worthy alternate if you're looking to prioritize speed, and you privation a VPN with enactment for unlimited devices. Paid plans statesman astatine $4.17 per period and a free, constricted enactment with 2GB of bandwidth is besides available. The hold has garnered precocious affirmative feedback, but the latest update appears to person led to immoderate mistake reports.

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Private Internet Access is simply a coagulated VPN that offers bully speeds and stability. PIA has tenable Chrome idiosyncratic feedback but galore enactment its constricted server selection. It costs lone $2.03 per month, and you person 2 months of escaped entree if you motion up for a two-year contract.

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While we urge these VPN extensions for the Chrome browser, if you're looking for the afloat bundle to heighten your online security, cheque retired our favorite VPNs of 2025, our apical picks for mobile, and the best VPNs for travel.

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