Chrome took the Internet world by storm just as it was released in the market. Google launched a Chrome web browser in December 2008. Tech-savvy net users quickly adopted it by a large margin, i.e., over 40 percent of worldwide user share.
Chrome is a versatile browser with a user-friendly setup; thus, it is chiefly opted for surfing the Internet. However, by pairing up with the best VPN for Chrome, you can indeed protect yourself from the prying eyes of hackers and ISPs.
Criteria for the selection of the best VPN for Chrome
Our selection criterion for the best VPN for Chrome is based primarily on the following features:
- Ultra-reliable servers
- Bypass censorship and unblock geo-restricted content
- DNS leak protection to prevent ISPs from tracing activity back to the original IP
- OpenVPN protocol with at least a minimum 128-bit AES encryption algorithm
- Fast, constant download speeds
- Customer support should be reliable enough
- Strict zero log policy
- Shared IPs to add anonymity
- An adequate number of servers should be offered
- Internet kill switch that stops all traffic if ever the VPN connection drops
5 best VPNs for Chrome Browser
If you are not tech-savvy, selecting the best VPN for Chrome might seem troublesome. Therefore, we have brought forth this article to help you choose the VPN to Chrome that suits you best.
1. NordVPN
NordVPN is undoubtedly a versatile VPN provider. Therefore, it ranks among the best VPNs for Chrome. It is packed with extraordinary features like the Kill Switch and anti-DDoS feature. The Onion over VPN feature of this Chrome VPN extension adds a layer of security via Onion Router. It is a hoard of more than 760 servers worldwide, thus making you accessible to geo-restricted and censored websites.
NordVPN has various security protocols like PPTP, SSTP, OpenVPN, and L2TP/IPSec, thus ensuring inflexible encryption. NordVPN masks the IP address with one matching the remote server’s location to assure complete anonymity. This best VPN for Chrome has a strict zero-log policy based in Panama.
2. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs for Chrome, thanks to its flawless security and performance. It is a renowned service that has availability on many platforms. This Chrome VPN extension encrypts data with the 256-bit encryption algorithm, ensuring your network and Wi-Fi connection are secure. The strict security offered by ExpressVPN minimizes the risks of data theft and hacking.
The easy-to-use software provided by ExpressVPN ensures excellent performance. ExpressVPN offers unlimited bandwidth, as the servers are spread globally, which reduces the chances of sudden speed drops. It also allows its users to bypass the Great Firewall. This Chrome VPN extension offers guaranteed anonymity to its subscribers.
The customer support offered by ExpressVPN is remarkable as well. It also helps unblock restricted and censored content. ExpressVPN is a bit pricier, but you never get compromised on quality service.
3. PureVPN
PureVPN ranks among the five best VPNs for Chrome. The 256-bit encryption provides military-grade encryption and protects your data from cybercriminals and ISPs. Also, it supports many security protocols, including IKEv2, PPTP, SSTP, OpenVPN, and L2TP/IPSec, which ensures ironclad security. PureVPN also has an Internet Kill Switch and Split tunneling feature, which lets you only utilize the VPN services for Chrome.
Based in Hong Kong, this Chrome VPN extension neither keeps logs nor monitors user activity. Its vast expansion with more than 750 servers makes it efficient in unblocking restricted content. PureVPN allows multiple device connectivities for up to five devices simultaneously.
The DNS leak faced by their DNS servers is the only drawback associated with PureVPN. The customer support offered by this Chrome VPN extension is reliable. The pricing plans come with a 7-day money-back guarantee.
4. Private Internet Access (PIA)
Private Internet Access is a formidable contender in the VPN industry, and thus, it ranks among our five best VPNs for Chrome. It is a well-designed VPN and works for different platforms as well. Although PIA is based in the United States, it has clearly stated that they keep no logs in its privacy policy.
This Chrome VPN extension protects your identity using an anonymous IP and thus ensures your security over public Wi-Fi. PIA allows you to bypass geo-restriction and censorship, thus enjoying online freedom to its fullest. This best VPN for Chrome also offers tracking, malware, and advert blocking.
Additional features include a Kill Switch, DNS leak resolver, and categorizing gateways by latency to become accessible to the fastest connection available quickly. The performance offered by PIA is average; however, the speeds are good enough and thus are acceptable.
Customer support is available 24/7, and the support channels are also highly reliable. PIA also offers a 7-day money-back guarantee with its affordable pricing plans.
5. Ivacy
Ivacy VPN has worked hard to gain the top positions among the best VPNs for Chrome. The quality security and privacy services this Chrome VPN extension offers have allowed it to surpass other VPNs. The Unique Selling Proposition (USP) offered by Ivacy VPN has made it a formidable competitor in the VPN industry.
Vast resource areas have been covered by the FAQ section provided by Ivacy VPN. The set of advanced encryption protocols utilized by Ivacy VPN ensures protection from hackers and snoopers. The customer support channels offer the most reliable services as well. This best VPN for Chrome allows you to bypass port blocking, ISP throttling, and firewalls as well.
Ivacy VPN provides a software client that is easy to use and set up. Based in Singapore, it has a strict zero-log policy that gives you security while torrenting and throughout your entire online activity. However, the mobile support of Ivacy VPN is ineffective and is not entirely up to the mark.
The pricing plans are quite affordable, with a 7-day refund policy.
Why should free Chrome VPN Extensions be avoided
Although Chrome extensions like Zenmate, Hola, and DotVPN are not actual VPNs, they may function similarly to VPNs. The traffic is encrypted and sent through a tunnel that can help bypass censorship, unblock websites, and ensure privacy.
A trustworthy VPN’s primary point of superiority is that it extends to remote access machines, whereas these extensions do not offer this feature. However, such Chrome extensions are encrypted proxies like HTTPS or SSL proxies. They are just VPNs in their name only, as they only encrypt the traffic from the Chrome browser, whereas true VPNs encrypt the traffic flowing from and to your entire device.
These ‘clientless’ Chrome extensions are also vulnerable to many security issues because they do not use an IPSec-encrypted protocol like SSTP, IKE, L2TP, or OpenVPN. Both protocols can be installed on a user’s device if they have a native client.
A security expert from the University of Michigan, Charlie Hosner, explains the vulnerabilities posed by clientless SSL VPN extensions. Keyloggers, remote management tools, and man-in-the-middle are among those vulnerabilities.
Moreover, the free VPN services, whether native apps or browser extensions, are minimal. They inflict data caps, bandwidth throttling, and waiting queues. Many of these can also inject tracking cookies and advertisements into your browser, thus resulting in compromised user privacy.
Using a decentralized peer-to-peer structure is the worst feature of some of these extensions, as it reduces the idle bandwidth on users’ devices, thus making them prone to repeated threats and attacks. In one infamous case, Hola VPN suffered from the accusations that ultimately proved correct when it mined Bitcoin and performed massive botnet attacks by leveraging everyone connected to the network.
These are why free VPNs for Chrome are not considered true VPNs. Thus, if you want a true VPN, you must install a native application or configure the VPN in your OS. Therefore, we recommend using paid VPN for Chrome instead of opting for the free one, as you will get the promised quality services for which you will pay.
How to set up a Proxy for Chrome
This stepwise tutorial will help you set up a proxy for Chrome:
- In the Chrome browser, click on the “Customize and control Google Chrome” having a marker (1) and then choose “Settings” marked as (2) in the image below.
- Select “Show advanced settings…” in Settings.
- Under the “Network” title, select “Change proxy settings…” (4).
- In the ‘Connections” tab (5), click on the “LAN settings” (6).
- In the “Local Area Network (LAN) Settings” dialog box, check “Use a proxy server for your LAN” (7). Fill in the IP address (8) of your proxy server. Also, fill in Port (9) with the proxy server port number. Click “OK” (10) and then again click “OK.”
Following the five simple steps mentioned above, you can easily set up a proxy for Chrome and browse safely and anonymously.
Conclusion
VPN ensures your Internet connection is encrypted to stay safe from ISPs, the government, and hackers. The Chrome VPN extension helps its users to enjoy the perks of online freedom by hiding their IPs and making them anonymous. To gain maximum protection on the Chrome browser, you should employ the best VPN service provider, or else your privacy might be at stake. In our opinion, those mentioned above are the five best VPNs for the Chrome browser.
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About the Author
Rebecca James is an IT consultant with forward thinking approach toward developing IT infrastructures of SMEs. She writes to engage with individuals and raise awareness of digital security, privacy, and better IT infrastructure.
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