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Using Incognito mode can help boost your privacy — but not in the same way a VPN or VPN extension will. Incognito mode reduces the collection of data during a browsing session. It helps protect your privacy by deleting logs and information after a session, which can be useful if you share a device with others. As Google’s April 2024 court settlement showed, however, Chrome’s Incognito mode isn’t particularly effective.

A VPN, in comparison, encrypts your connection, disguises your online activities, and masks your IP address. Using a VPN or a VPN extension and then launching a private browsing session can be complementary, but relying on just one or the other isn’t as effective.

Using just a VPN extension is best when you just want to hide your IP address and mask your internet traffic during short browsing sessions. Remember that you will only have protection enabled for the browser with the extension enabled. So, if you have a Chrome VPN extension, only data passing through the Chrome browser will be encrypted.

A standalone VPN app grants you far more protection, as it can provide blanket coverage across all browser sessions and online services. The trade-off is that VPN apps are more likely to slow down your overall internet speed.

Many VPN providers recommended in this list have been subject to in-depth testing and reviews by members of our team. We’ve reviewed VPNs for years, spoken with their management and users, and developed a generally favorable impression of our top picks.

ZDNET tests VPN services from multiple locations, but we can’t test from all locations. Every home, community, local ISP, and nation has a different infrastructure. 

We analyzed the best VPNs for Chrome below using the following criteria:

• Performance: Our top VPN recommendations must have a minimum level of performance. After all, there’s no point in using a VPN if your connection continually drops or lags.
• Reliable extensions: As Chrome is our priority, we ensured that each recommendation has a Chrome extension available that users consider useful, stable, and non-invasive.
• Simultaneous connections: Many VPNs limit the number of devices you can connect to a service simultaneously. If you have a phone, tablet, laptop, desktop, or smart TV you want to connect to a VPN, you need a service that allows at least five or six simultaneous connections.
• Security: There’s no point in using a VPN unless its security protocols and encryption levels are up to scratch. We also ensured the development team behind each recommended VPN cares about making security improvements and patching reported bugs.
• Kill switch: A kill switch prevents you from having an unprotected connection. It is an important feature for a VPN, as it protects you by preventing a return to a default Wi-Fi connection should your internet connection unexpectedly drop.
• Geo-blocks and streaming: We know VPNs can be key to accessing local content and services while you’re away from home. Considering these factors, we ensured that our top recommendations performed well and are unlikely to slow down your connection while you are streaming or torrenting.
• Platforms: What systems and devices can you run the VPN on? Our VPN recommendations naturally have to offer easy-to-use and intuitive app extensions, desktop software, and mobile apps.
• Countries and servers: In how many different countries does the VPN have servers? This can include physical and virtual servers, and whether there are enough — at least 50 or so — to provide variety.
• Trial length and price: Each VPN we recommend has a solid money-back guarantee of at least 30 days.

• Support: As with any subscription software, you may encounter problems with installing apps, using the service, renewing, or canceling. We list VPNs with a support team.

For a more extensive breakdown, check out our comprehensive VPN testing methodology page.

We recommend Proton VPN and Windscribe as reliable, free VPNs with Chrome extensions. While our free VPN recommendations are few and far between, Proton VPN and Windscribe are great options that do not sacrifice user privacy.

No. While Chrome is one of the safest and most well-featured browsers, it does not have a built-in VPN, although it supports VPN use and VPN extensions. You’ll need to install a VPN to have the most secure experience on your Chrome browser.

All the VPN services on this list are trusted and vetted by ZDNET. The services we recommend have been around for a long time and provide the safest and most secure connections for Chrome and other browsers, or as standalone apps for your devices.

If you want to protect a Chromebook, the Chrome browser extension won’t necessarily be enough on its own, especially if you switch between browsers. Most VPN vendors recommend you protect your Chromebook by installing their Android app. Android apps now run on most modern Chromebooks. Since older Chromebooks may not be supported, be sure to check each vendor’s compatibility list. Once you install the Android app on your Chromebook, you should be generally protected.

We recommend trying out ExpressVPN or NordVPN if you’re looking for a compatible service for your Chromebook.

The answer to this is much like the answer to anyone asking how to stay protected on old gear: sometimes, you can’t. If your computer can’t keep you safe online, either don’t go online or seriously consider upgrading your hardware.

Once support and updates stop for legacy devices, you also won’t receive security fixes, and if your Chromebook is older and doesn’t have compatible Android apps, your options are limited. At a minimum, you shouldn’t use your Chromebook for any sensitive tasks, such as accessing a financial service or email account.

If you want it to, yes. You can connect to a VPN in your home country (and sometimes, city) and still use the service to improve your security and privacy. Alternatively, you can pick a server in a completely different location. For example, if you’re trying to access a media source that is blocked in the EU due to GDPR, appearing from the US will remove this geo-linked block.

Yes, in most countries. VPNs are also often crucial tools for companies, as they allow more secure remote connections. However, consumer VPN use is restricted and state-controlled in some areas — such as China and Russia — and banned entirely in others, including Iraq and Belarus.

You get what you pay for, right? Well, sometimes. VPN pricing varies wildly, and monthly fees also depend on any additional features you have subscribed to, such as dedicated IP addresses, data breach scanning, or cyberinsurance. Others, such as Astrill, come at a high price but are known for being stable and generally very reliable in countries where VPN usage is challenging, including China.

Unless you have downloaded a free Chrome VPN outside our recommendations, yes. Chrome extensions are provided as an add-on service alongside PC and mobile apps, and aren’t usually available as a standalone option without signing up for a VPN plan.

If our above recommendations don’t feel like the right fit, don’t worry — they aren’t the only worthwhile VPNs with Chrome extensions. You can also consider the options below.