As the world becomes more interconnected and technologically advanced, the need for privacy increases. Security is a major concern. However, the incognito modes on browsers are not enough to keep your identity private on the internet. This is where VPNs come in.
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a great way to achieve privacy on the internet. For example, if you are in the United States, your VPN may create a private network in Switzerland. Anyone trying to find your location will see that you are using the internet from that country, as long you are connected to it.
This makes it extremely difficult for your identity to become known, which is why VPNs are so popular. After all, a quarter of internet users use VPNs. There are also numerous other benefits that this provides, which will be discussed later on.
The most used browser in the world is Google Chrome, and it has had more than half the market share since 2016. This means finding the best VPN for Chrome is an important consideration.
VPNs can be either paid or free. And if you are anything like me, you’ll agree that the latter is better than the former. So more specifically, finding the best free VPN for Chrome may be what you are interested in. This article will provide you with all the information that you need.
Do you have a particular question about finding the best free VPN for Chrome? Then use the table of contents below to jump to the most relevant section. And you can always go back by clicking on the black arrow in the right bottom corner of the page. Also, please note that some of the links in this article may be affiliate links. For more details, check the Disclosure section at the bottom of the page.
Here's what we'll cover:
Why you might want to use VPN on Chrome (or other browsers)?
It may be hard to realize it, but there are actually many benefits to having a VPN beyond just privacy. You may find some of these even more useful than the anonymity they give!
- Privacy. Of course, this is the primary reason behind the use of VPNs. They essentially show your access to the internet as coming from a different location. This makes it hard for anyone to track you down based on your internet activity alone. This reason alone is why many people look for a free VPN Chrome extension that they can use.
- Remove geographical restrictions on content. If you frequently use apps like Netflix, you may discover a lot of content available in some countries that are not available in others. This can be a major bummer at times, so finding a way to bypass this can be awesome. Most VPNs allow you to choose the country you wish to appear as if you are accessing from. A free VPN extension may have limitations to which countries you can select. Select your country of choice and log back into Netflix. Voila! Content that wasn’t there before is now!
- Make public Wi-Fi safe. Using Wi-Fi in public can be extremely convenient, but it can come with many security risks. Your data and personal information are at risk, and one easy way to plug up this hazard is by using Wi-Fi.
- Cheaper online deals. This might be entirely new for you, but some products sell for cheaper in some countries than others. This can be seen when looking at flight tickets, for example. Buying from one country can get you more affordable rates even if the departure and arrival locations are identical! You can make use of this to save yourself some money. If you are on a free VPN extension for Chrome, then that’s even more money saved.
Paid vs. Free VPN. Advantages and Disadvantages
To say that there is no difference in quality between a paid and free Chrome VPN extension would be untrue. While many free VPNs can do quite a lot, the paid ones tend to be better by having a paid team of employees behind their development. They still each have their own advantages and disadvantages, however. These include the following:
- A paid VPN has no ads. The mere fact that you are paying for the VPN means that the team behind it does not need to look for alternate revenue sources. This means you’ll get an ad-free experience.
- Paid VPNs are less likely to throttle. Throttling is the bane of a free VPN extension for Chrome. Even with the fastest internet connection, you will discover that your speed is limited. Free VPN teams do this to save money on bandwidth on their side. A paid one is less likely to do this.
- Company’s mission. Depending on the free VPN Chrome extension you use, you may not know the team’s intent behind it. Some are very reputable, however, but others may sell your personal data without your knowledge.
- Costs. A free VPN will save you money. Some people don’t want the privacy and other features that VPNs can offer. They might simply just want to watch geo-restricted content. In this case, a free VPN extension will do the job perfectly and save you a monthly subscription.
Best free safe VPN for Chrome
Among the options for the best Chrome VPN is a product called ExpressVPN. This VPN has a free trial version with a few limited features but a paid version. ExpressVPN is a great free Chrome VPN extension as it completely passes all your internet traffic through their servers. This means your location and IP are hidden. You even have options of 94 countries to select from! This is the best VPN extension for Chrome if you’re looking for safety.
Best free, user-friendly VPN for Chrome
If you need the best Chrome VPN extension in terms of ease of use, Hola VPN should be your top choice. It has a free version, which is easy to download and get started with immediately. Still, if you like it enough or need more functionality, then there is a paid option to give you more. Unlike many free options, it is ad-free and will help you bypass geo-restriction. It is not encrypted, however, so it does less on the privacy front.
Just good free VPN for Chrome
If you want what might simply be the best free VPN for Chrome, then consider TunnelBear. You can use this VPN for free, and instead of a time limit on its free version, it has a data limit. The free version gives you full access to all 20 server locations and high speeds. This shows why this is a contender for the best VPN for Chrome. Despite being free, you get 500MB access for free every month. If you love it enough, you can buy it!
Credits: Thanks for the photo to Canva.
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