It’s hard to know which free VPNs for Chrome are safe to use, because the web is full of unreliable VPNs. many free VPNs lack the necessary security features, and some even record your data and sell it to third parties. In addition, many free “VPN” Chrome extensions are actually basic web proxies, which means they don’t encrypt your data at all.
My team and I tested over 75 free VPNs and found the best one for Chrome, but keep in mind that all free VPNs have some limitations, such as smaller server networks, slow speeds, and data caps.
Atlas VPN
Atlas VPN is the best Chrome free VPN in our eyes. that’s because you get a free plan that includes 10 GB of data per month. Within that secure monthly amount, you’ll receive advanced encryption, a no-logging policy, next-generation tunneling protocols, and more.
When you set up your free account with Atlas VPN, you can choose from WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 protocols. This means that even a free VPN won’t interfere too much with your network connection, and you’ll be able to enjoy fast speeds and strong security. Also included is a termination switch feature that protects you in case your VPN connection is accidentally disconnected.
When you open the application (yes, Atlas VPN does not offer a separate browser extension), you will see a large number of servers and locations available to premium users. However, free users can only choose from three locations: Netherlands (Amsterdam), USA (Los Angeles) and USA (New York).
And, when it comes to the benefits of being a premium user, another selling point is unobstructed access to streaming sites. If you decide to pay for Atlas VPN’s service, you will have access to most of the major streaming platforms. However, the free subscription does not offer this treasure at all.
CyberGhost
CyberGhost offers good speeds on the desktop and some very good speeds on the Chrome extension; however, the free US service is limited by design.
Like some of the others on this list, CyberGhost does not require an account to use its free service on Chrome. The free proxy offers four locations, and that’s all it does. There are no settings or extra features. What makes this extension the preferred choice is that it has no bandwidth limits or usage caps.
There are no settings to speak of, but it does show a small ad at the bottom of the extension’s window for upgrading to its paid service.
TunnelBear
TunnelBear is a real VPN with a Chrome extension. unlike most premium VPN services, TunnelBear has a free account that has a data limit instead of a time limit. If you want the power and control of a real VPN, but only occasionally, TunnelBear will work for you.
Install the extension, click on it, and you will be asked to create an account. All you need is your email address, and when you confirm your free account, you’ll get the 500MB of access per month that comes with the free account.
Note that it doesn’t work with some other Chrome extensions – Ghostery and OneTab crashed when we tested them.
Proton VPN
Our top pick for the best free VPN on Chrome is ProtonVPN, which is not only fast and secure, but also offers unlimited bandwidth data usage – something few other free VPNs offer. ProtonVPN works with its strict no-logging policy and is a top choice for privacy-conscious people.
Military-grade AES-256 encryption ensures that your connection is secure when you browse online with Google Chrome. Other features include an abort switch for accidental disconnects and the OpenVPN protocol that provides mid-level tunneling for faster and more protected connections.
With ProtonVPN, you can access 24 servers in three countries, which is not bad for a free VPN. However, if you want more server locations, you’ll need to upgrade to its premium tier (starting at $3.29 per month).
North VPN
While not technically free, NordVPN is the best VPN you can get for Chrome. combined with NordVPN’s 7-day free trial and 30-day money-back guarantee, you get more than one month of VPN access for free. after that, the subscription costs just $3.09/month – That’s a bargain for the great performance you get.
There’s nothing interesting happening behind the scenes with NordVPN – and PwC can attest to that. Plus, you can tap into a huge network of more than 5,500 servers in more than 59 countries for all your Chrome needs. And speed, you ask? The proprietary NordLynx tunneling protocol ensures low latency and extremely fast load times.
Six simultaneous connections aren’t optimal, but you can secure everything you want quickly by manually configuring your VPN on your router. In addition to the dedicated app, NordVPN subscribers can download a convenient Chrome VPN extension. It has 4 server locations (Canada, Germany, US, UK), Threat Protection Lite, split tunneling, and WebRTC blocking.
In addition to browsing, NordVPN will facilitate your torrenting and streaming efforts. Try dedicated P2P servers for the best download and upload speeds, or easily access any foreign streaming service or library you want. This provider can do it all.