Best VPN for Chrome: Detailed Overview of Top 5 in 2023 – Which is Best for You?

Reviews of the Best VPNs for Chrome

So let’s get to it. Here’s a preview of the Best VPNs for Chrome:

1. ExpressVPN
2. NordVPN
3. Surfshark
4. ProtonVPN
5. CyberGhost

ExpressVPN

Sign Up Now for NordVPN

NordVPN is owned by Tefincom S.A, which is registered in Panama – a country with no agreements to share information with others, such as those in the Fourteen Eyes alliance.

NordVPN has also been audited by an independent third party on multiple occasions to verify its no-logs policy, making it a trustworthy VPN provider.

With one of the best Chrome browser extensions on the market, it can also unblock Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Disney+, and many other sites, making it great for users who want to browse and stream content securely online.

Military-Grade Encryption

NordVPN uses military-grade encryption AES-256 to secure users’ data and browser traffic is safe.

It also offers some of the best protocols available, including OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec, plus NordLynx, a protocol NordVPN developed to be “the fastest secure VPN solution on the market.” NordVPN will switch between protocols depending on the user’s need for maximum efficiency and safety.

NordVPN provides unlimited bandwidth, a strict no-logs policy, and double-hop capability, which is a feature that routes your internet connection through multiple servers in different locations, encrypting your data each time. This extra layer of security and anonymity adds an extra level of protection by obscuring your original IP address from even the VPN servers.

Threat Protection

NordVPN comes with a security solution called Threat Protection, to block trackers and prevent annoying ads from popping up on your Chrome browser. This also scans files for malware and prevents you from accessing malicious websites.

While this feature is included whenever you’re connected to NordVPN, its Chrome browser extension incorporates Threat Protection Lite as extra protection, to block ads and dangerous links to improve your browsing experience.

NordVPN also comes with a kill switch that will ensure your data and online traffic remains secure by automatically disconnecting your device from the internet if it loses connection from the VPN servers.

Supports P2P

With over 5,000 secure servers and compatibility with popular torrent clients such as Vuze, Deluge, uTorrent, BitTorrent, and qBitTorrent12, NordVPN is a reliable choice for torrenting.

Plus, NordVPN has an app for various devices and operating systems, including Android, Windows, macOS, iOS/iPhone/iPad, Android TV, Linux, Roku, Kodi, and FireStick.

Sign Up Now for NordVPN

Read our full NordVPN review.

Despite being one of the newest, Surfshark is one of the best VPN services on the market. Even though it offers its subscriptions at low prices, it maintains a high-quality service and has an extensive list of features and add-ons that work in tandem with its Chrome extension to provide a secure and efficient browser.

It can also unblock Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Disney+, and many other sites.

Unlimited Simultaneous Connections

Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections – a rare and useful feature for premium VPN providers.

This means you can connect as many devices as you wish at the same time, with just one Surfshark account and subscription.

Large Number of Secure Servers

Surfshark maintains RAM-only servers in 100 countries, which is the most of any VPN service on our list. All its servers run on the most updated software and don’t store any data on their hard drives.

Surfshark employs reliable companies to seek out bugs or vulnerabilities in its software and has published third-party audits that verify its no-logs policy, secure server infrastructure, and the security of its browser extensions.

Potential users may want to note that Surfshark is based in the Netherlands – one of the countries in the 9-Eyes alliance that have an agreement to share intelligence data with each other.

The Netherlands has strong privacy laws though and, as a member of the European Union, VPN providers must comply with strict data protection laws to protect personal data and privacy. Plus, the Netherlands has a high level of internet freedom, so companies can operate without online restrictions.

CleanWeb 2.0

Surfshark’s CleanWeb 2.0 is an ad blocker, pop-up blocker, data breach alert, and malware alert, all in one package.

CleanWeb 2.0 is only available in its browser extensions – Chrome, Firefox, and Edge – while other platforms can use the regular CleanWeb service in Surfshark’s app.

Camouflage Mode

Camouflage mode disguises your IP address so that even your internet service provider (ISP) cannot tell you’re using VPN.

This is useful for bypassing any content filtering and getting around networks that block the use of VPNs.

Sign Up Now for Surfshark

Read our full Surfshark review.

Sign Up Now for ProtonVPN

Proton VPN is based in Switzerland, a country not part of any data-sharing alliances (such as the 5-eyes, 9-Eyes, or 14-Eyes Alliance countries), and is one of the only services on our best VPN for Chrome list that offers a free plan. 

Secure and Private

Proton VPN is a no-logging VPN, so it doesn’t log your traffic, IP address, or any location-based information, and this policy has been verified by external independent experts. Proton VPN’s apps are all open-source as well, and its servers are protected by full-disk encryption.

The service offers industry-leading protocols including IKEv2, OpenVPN, and WireGuard, with AES-256 level encryption to keep your Google Chrome connection safe.

Plus, Proton VPN comes with NetShield, an ad blocker that uses DNS filtering to stop trackers and prevent malware from infecting your device. It also offers Secure Core double VPN for additional security.

Fast Server Network

Proton VPN has almost 3,000 servers in 68 countries. While this is fewer than some of its competitors, its network includes servers capable of up to 10Gbps, providing fast speeds for online activities like streaming and gaming without buffering.

Free Version

Proton VPN offers a free tier, subsidized by its paid plans.

The free plan offers 65 servers in three countries (the US, Japan, and the Netherlands), with no data or speed limits, no ads, and still no logging.

Chrome users should be aware that, although they can use their Chrome browser while connected to one of these free servers, Proton VPN’s dedicated Chrome browser extension is only available as part of its paid plan.

Sign Up Now for ProtonVPN

Read our full ProtonVPN review.

Best & Worst:

• Free Chrome browser extension without any login details required.
• No help in its online support pages for browser extensions.

Sign Up Now for CyberGhost

Founded in 2011, CyberGhost is based in Romania – another country not part of any data-sharing alliances (such as the 5-eyes, 9-Eyes, or 14-Eyes Alliance countries).

CyberGhost has over 7,000 servers strategically placed across more than 90 counties, allowing it to provide fast streaming speeds for sites such as Netflix.

Secure Features

In its privacy policy, CyberGhost clearly states that it doesn’t store connection logs, meaning its servers don’t keep any records regarding its users’ IP addresses, connection timestamps, or session durations.

Plus, all of CyberGhost’s plans include its ID Guard feature, designed to protect your information from being compromised online as a result of data leaks.

CyberGhost also includes an ad blocker that removes ads from web pages and blocks malware, dangerous content, as well as malicious and harmful websites.

Free Chrome Browser Extension

CyberGhost offers a free Chrome browser extension that can be downloaded from the Chrome web store – no sign-up or login details are required.

The Chrome extension lets users switch between eight dedicated servers to get around online restrictions, prevent bandwidth throttling, and spoof their location.

Servers in China

Despite many other providers being blocked in China, CyberGhost has 12 server locations within the country, so users should be able to bypass restrictions or access geo-restricted content within China.

If traveling to China, CyberGhost recommends users download the CyberGhost app before arrival, as the Chinese Government often blocks the websites of VPN providers.

Sign Up Now for CyberGhost

Read our full CyberGhost review.

Why Use a VPN for Chrome?

Jurisdiction

We looked at the privacy and security parameters the VPNs use to ensure your data is safe.

First, we looked at the countries in which the companies were based, to see if any were within the jurisdiction of the 14-Eyes Alliance (so required to share data with other members part of the agreement).

We also consulted the countries’ laws around data breaches and privacy requirements. In this, the country’s laws should work to a VPN user’s advantage, as anyone who breaches data privacy laws should be punished accordingly.

If the country did not have any data safety and security laws, or did have them but not to our standard, the VPN was automatically eliminated.

History

Our research included an investigation into the VPN companies’ history.

While a VPN’s history doesn’t predict its future, an in-depth look at how the companies were founded, their structure, and how they’ve functioned in the past and continue to function now, was enough to eliminate several VPNs that didn’t seem reliably trustworthy to be recommended.

We also examined the values and vision of the VPN companies to ascertain whether they placed the needs of their users above all else.

Speed

In terms of speed, we had to consider three factors: downloading speed, uploading speed, and ping speed.

When you use a VPN, the download and upload speeds are bound to decrease, since all your traffic flows through a virtual private network of servers where it’s encrypted, and not directly to and from your internet service provider. Thus, the fastest VPNs are those that have the least amount of speed decrease.

In ping, latency is likely to develop when the VPN is switched on, as again the traffic flows through an additional channel. Latency is measured in milliseconds. The lower the increase in ping or latency, the faster the VPN.

To compare the speeds of our tested VPNs, we first measured the speed of using a Chrome browser without being connected to any VPN. We then switched on each VPN in turn and measured the speed at which the traffic was moving. After this, we compared the two speeds, measured the decrease, and put it as a percentage:

VPN	Ping	Download	Upload
NordVPN	655.00%	-4.67%	-10.39%
Surfshark	770.00%	-3.70%	-1.28%
ExpressVPN	600.00%	-8.84%	-6.06%
ProtonVPN	1094.12%	-59.72%	-15.91%
CyberGhost	823.53%	-9.28%	-10.89%

From the table, you can discern that ExpressVPN had the fastest ping, as it has the lowest increase in latency. For both upload and download speeds, Surfshark performed the best, as it had the lowest decrease in speed. However, Surfshark also had a high increase in latency when compared to NordVPN.

NordVPN had a perfect balance: low pin increase and low download and upload speeds decrease, which is why we think it’s the best VPN for Chrome.

User Experience

A real-world way to tell if a VPN is worth purchasing is by the referrals and testimonials of people who have used it.

We considered real user experience when reviewing our list of VPNs, using trustworthy sources such as the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

We also conducted some physical surveys with people who have used and/or frequently use VPNs.

Customer Support

Finally, we looked at the customer support of the VPNs.

All the VPN services that made our list as one of the best VPNs for Chrome have accessible customer support, with extensive help guides on their websites and a live chat option.

How To Get Started Using a VPN for Chrome

Here is a step-by-step guide to installing ExpressVPN for Chrome. While each provider will differ slightly, the steps should be similar enough to follow for other VPN services:

1. Subscribe to ExpressVPN and install the ExpressVPN app on your computer or device.
2. Go to the Chrome Web Store and search for “ExpressVPN.”
3. Click on the “Add to Chrome” button to install the ExpressVPN extension for Chrome.
4. A browser notification will inform you of the permissions the extension needs to run. If you agree to the permissions, click “Add extension.”
5. The button on the Chrome Web Store will now say “Remove from Chrome” (don’t click it), indicating that your VPN extension has been installed.
6. In the top-right corner of your Chrome browser’s toolbar, you’ll see ExpressVPN’s icon. Click this icon once to open the extension’s interface. The plugin will provide information to help explain its features –  either read through these or click “Skip” to move through the slides.
7. Click “Ok” or “No Thanks” to complete the setup.

Note that ExpressVPN’s plugin requires the full software to run at the same time. Therefore, you must have the ExpressVPN app installed on your computer to use the extension.

Our Methodology

We personally try out each VPN for our reviews. We evaluate speed, security features, ability to unblock streaming services, support for torrenting, customer support, and many other factors. We also look at the VPN company’s jurisdiction, history, past security incidents, privacy policy, and audit reports to ensure that you get a complete picture of the service. Learn more about how we test VPNs on our methodology page.

Wrapping Up

The best VPN for Chrome will depend on its user’s needs and personal preferences, with all the options listed above more than suitable for everyday browsing and protection.

They also come with 30-day money-back guarantees, so you can try them all out and decide which one you prefer risk free.

Whichever VPN service you choose, the best one for Chrome users should include a dedicated Chrome browser extension, preferably with an incorporated ad and malware blocker, such as NordVPN, Surfshark, or CyberGhost.