Best VPN for Chrome 2024

ExpressVPN is our favorite VPN for Chrome and our Editors’ Choice for the best VPN on the planet. You can use the Google Chrome browser extension or its Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android and iOS apps. Because of its split tunneling capabilities, you can select only Google Chrome or a handful of apps to route through your VPN when using your device’s native VPN app. Granted, we experienced a serious DNS leak issue using some split-tunneling settings on Windows PCs, although the problem was confined to what Express estimates as 1% or fewer of its users. Additionally, ExpressVPN’s swift action in fixing the issue and publishing a for transparency impressed us. Aside from its Chrome plugin, you’ll find extensions for other Chromium-based web browsers, including Brave, Vivaldi and Edge. 

Uniquely, ExpressVPN’s browser plugin is essentially a remote in-browser control for the desktop app. Unlike Nord, Surfshark and other VPNs, Express requires installing the desktop app in conjunction with its browser extension. We actually appreciate that it provides the full slate of app features like split tunneling, but it’s not ideal for a situation where you just want a fast browser-only VPN install -- like if you’re at the public library and want a private internet session.

We appreciate that ExpressVPN is fast, secure and feature-packed. While all VPNs throttle your internet connection somewhat, Express’s reasonable 24.8% average speed loss is slower than NordVPN’s unrivaled 11.1% and Surfshark’s impressive 17%, although nearly unnoticeably so. Even for bandwidth-intensive applications like competitive gaming or 4K video streaming, Express doesn’t bat an eye. In our experience, we had no issues streaming from Netflix, Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video -- all of which worked on US and many international servers. Express doesn’t compromise on privacy or transparency, either. Its wipes your data after every VPN session to reduce the likelihood of sensitive data leaking. Additionally, Express underwent an astounding 12 independent audits in 2022 alone, showcasing its commitment to transparency. 

NordVPN is blisteringly fast, private and excellent for entertainment. You can install the Google Chrome browser extension or use one of its dedicated apps for Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS and other platforms. Aside from its Chrome plugin, Nord offers Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox plugins. The plugin boasts a kill switch and split tunneling at the domain level, so you can exclude certain websites or IP addresses in your browser. Its Quick Connect feature tunnels you through an optimal server, and auto-connect starts your VPN when you fire up your browser. You can halt WebRTC leaks to protect your IP address from exposure and toggle on threat protection which blocks harmful websites or ads.

Nord touts an exceptionally low 11% internet speed loss, which trounces the competition. Combined with its superb geo-protected content unblocking, which works with Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus and a slew of other services, Nord is an excellent VPN for streaming. Moreover, NordVPN’s bevy of privacy features makes it a solid choice for security-minded users. You’ll find the typical VPN trappings, including a kill switch, split tunneling, AES 256-bit encryption and a strict no-logging policy. Additionally, Nord boasts a double VPN and Onion Over VPN, both adding an extra layer of encryption, making it harder to determine your IP address. Nord’s beefed-up privacy features are great for folks with serious privacy concerns such as investigative journalists.

Setting you back $13 per month, $69 a year or $83 total for your first two years, NordVPN’s one- or two-year plans initially save you money compared to providers like ExpressVPN. Its annual and bi-annual plans jump to $100 a year after your initial introductory pricing. Despite its wallet-friendly nature, we don’t recommend the two-year subscription because of how fast the VPN space changes. Your fast, secure VPN might suffer a data breach or struggle to stream foreign Netflix libraries after a year. For the cost, we’d like more than just six simultaneous connections. While that’s just two fewer than ExpressVPN, competitors like IPVanish, Surfshark and PIA provide an unlimited allowance. Nevertheless, most folks will be fine with six simultaneous connections, and if you need more, you can run a VPN on your router for whole-home coverage. NordVPN remains an excellent option for anyone with serious privacy needs or demanding internet requirements, like 4K streaming and gaming.

Surfshark’s Chrome extension is functionally and visually very similar to its apps across other platforms, so Surfshark users will feel right at home using the extension. Choosing a server location is simple, and the extension establishes the connection immediately. Although Surfshark’s Chrome extension is not as fully featured as its app, you’ll still have the ability to choose from servers in 100 different countries. You can also use the Quick Connect feature to connect to the fastest location, nearest location or a server of your choosing. Alternatively, you can use the Auto Connect feature to automatically connect to your preferred server location whenever you launch Chrome. This is a good option if you don’t want to risk forgetting to turn your Surfshark on when you open your Chrome browser. 

Surfshark uses SSL/TLS v1.2 encryption to secure your Chrome browser traffic, and the extension includes a WebRTC blocking feature (enabled by default) to help against WebRTC leaks, which can expose your true IP address. Surfshark’s speeds through its Chrome extension are excellent and plenty fast enough for activities like streaming, video conferencing or gaming. During our tests, we were able to easily access streaming content from various streaming services like Netflix, Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video. Additionally, we liked its spectacular 17% average internet speed loss that we clocked in our late 2023 testing, which jostles with the fastest VPNs including NordVPN and ExpressVPN.

Surfshark is a top-notch VPN provider that’s a solid option for anyone on a budget, or anyone who owns a lot of devices or lives in a large household. In addition to using its Chrome extension, you’ll be able to connect an unlimited number of devices at once across all major platforms, at a price that’s cheaper than most of the competition. Although Surfshark’s monthly plan is an expensive $14 per month, the annual plan offers significant value over the competition at $48 for the first year, then $60 annually after that. If you opt for the two-year plan, you’ll pay $54 for the first two years combined, then $60 annually, although we advise against signing on with any VPN provider for more than a year at a time given how quickly things tend to shift in the VPN industry.  

Private Internet Access is an excellent cheap alternative to other budget-friendly VPNs like Surfshark. If you’re on a budget, like to tinker around with customizable app settings and appreciate transparency, then PIA could be a good option for you. PIA’s Chrome extension offers a lot of neat settings that you can play around with to precisely dial in your desired level of privacy. You have the option to enable WebRTC blocking, as well as to block camera, microphone and location access. You can also disable credit card and address autofill in Chrome from PIA’s extension in addition to disabling cookies and other tracking technology. PIA uses TLS v1.3 to encrypt Chrome browser traffic. Our testing uncovered a high average internet speed loss of 49% with PIA. We typically look for 20% loss or less, with the fastest VPN we tested (Nord) delivering a best-in-class 11% speed reduction, and the value-packed Surfshark impressively keeping things to 17%. 

PIA’s Chrome plugin gives you access to its entire network of server locations in 91 countries. Additional features include split tunneling (which allows you to exclude certain websites from the PIA connection) and Smart Location (which allows you to automatically connect to a specific server location when accessing a specific website). Connection speeds through PIA’s Chrome extension are fast, but its streaming performance was inconsistent during our tests. Streaming Netflix, Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video content worked fine across most devices, although we encountered some issues with Prime on Windows PCs -- Amazon detected that we were using a VPN. PIA’s Chrome extension is a suitable solution if you’re looking to stream Netflix and Disney Plus, but we’d recommend either trying its full VPN app or another VPN entirely if you want to watch content on other streaming platforms. PIA is the cheapest VPN on this list at $12 per month, $40 a year or $79 every three years.   

The Swiss-based Proton AG prides itself on privacy, and its VPN doesn’t disappoint. Proton VPN delivers the only free VPN we recommend. Its no-cost tier is actually usable, sporting access to 100 servers across three countries, all without ads, while maintaining fast internet speeds. You can install Proton on Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS and Linux -- which even comes with a GUI. Unfortunately, Proton’s browser extension (available for Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Microsoft Edge, Opera, Vivaldi, Chromium and other browsers) is relegated to the paid plans. You can still use Proton’s free package with Chrome, but you’ll need to install the app for your device. The browser extension (which we tested on a premium plan) offers a Quick Connect option that routes you through an ideal server. Proton VPN’s Chrome plugin lets you enable auto connect to start a VPN your browser opens, split tunneling to exclude websites or IP addresses from using your VPN and WebRTC protection for further hiding your IP address. 

Aside from access to its browser plugins, the paid Proton VPN Plus options provide advanced privacy features, including Tor over VPN, faster internet speeds, more simultaneous connections and a much larger server network of 3,000 servers blanketing 69 countries. At $10 per month, $72 yearly or $120 total for two years of service, Proton is cheaper than premium VPN providers like Express and Nord, but more expensive than competitors such as IPVanish. 

We appreciate its Linux GUI app, which is great for beginners. We’re underwhelmed that split tunneling (which lets you use a VPN on a device for some apps but not others) is only available on Windows and Android. For instance, if you only want to use a VPN with your Chrome web browser but not your Netflix app or Steam games client, split tunneling lets you accomplish this. Its lack of live chat support might let down less tech-savvy users, although a robust selection of help guides somewhat offsets this shortcoming. If you need a VPN for Chrome without spending any money, Proton is a solid pick, so long as you’re OK without a browser plugin. Its paid premium plan is a worthy upgrade for a fast, private VPN solution.