Would you like to enhance your security game?
Whether you want to visit a restricted site in your location or hide your IP address to avoid tracking, a VPN can do that for you. Not to mention, there are plenty of VPNs available that work well.
However, many VPNs come with a hefty price tag. They are not economical provided you don’t have to use it consistently. So, what is the solution? A free VPN.
Google Chrome lets you use many extensions to better your browsing experience. Some of them are also free VPNs. However, if you are new to the online privacy scene, then know that using a fake product can harm your security.
Therefore, we scoured the internet and tested some free VPNs that work best with Google Chrome for you.
So, without any further ado, let’s get started.
Table of Contents
The Best Free VPN for Chrome in 2020
Many VPN providers offer a Google Chrome extension. Some are good for streaming services, and others are good to access restricted websites. Whatever be your need, here are some of the best VPN services you can get at no cost.
1. CyberGhost – Best for General Unblocking
CyberGhost is among the most trusted premium VPN out there. The free version of the VPN is also dependable. There are a few servers available in the free version. You can choose from the active ones. The installation process is also pretty straightforward.
With over 15 million trusted users, CyberGhost VPN can save you from snoopy cybercriminals trying to track your data. Additionally, you can unblock any website that might have censored in your country or geolocation. Most importantly, the CyberGhost browser extension is built on the Ethereum blockchain, which guarantees your privacy.
For the downsides, it would have been better if the VPN can also protect you from the webRTC leaks.
Key Features
- Free server location in countries like Germany, Netherlands, Romania, and USA
- 256-bit AES standard encryption standards
- Doesn’t log traffic or IP address
- Won’t slow down connection speed even with an increased number of users
2. TunnelBear– Best for Irregular Use
If you are looking for a temporary solution to access censored online websites, try TunnelBear.
It has all the necessary features you would expect from a VPN service. From hiding your IP address to encrypting your browsing data, TunnelBear is a minimal yet powerful VPN.
The free version has all access to all paid servers as well. However, the only downside about it is the data limit. You only get 500 MB of data to the browser in a month. Roughly speaking, you can exhaust it in 8 hours of internet surfing.
Other than that, you can not use TunnelBear over some of the streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and more. However, the data limit sways down the streaming idea anyway.
In a nutshell, if you are looking to browse some government blocked websites or using public Wi-Fi, TunnelBear can come in handy. You can choose to get more data limits by upgrading to the paid plan.
Key Features
- Fast downloads on local servers
- Servers in more than 20 countries
- Bypasses government censorship
- 500 MB free data per month
3. Hotspot Shield– Best for Fast Internet
If you are looking for a faster VPN service to browse the internet, Hotspot Shield is your choice.
When you install the Hotspot Shield’s Chrome extension, it takes you through a few configuration pages. You don’t need to sign in with an account to use the service.
Hotspot Shield uses the patented Hydra protocol for faster internet service by compressing your data. However, the free version only serves in the USA. If you want to access a location outside of the US, we recommend upgrading to the premium version.
The VPN offers 500 MB of data surfing per day, which is sufficient to browse the internet. You can use this VPN for ultimate privacy when using public Wi-Fi networks.
Hotspot Shield is the best VPN for Chrome if you want a multipurpose tool. It has some quirky features for you, like fake web activity, to deceive the trackers for better privacy. A few more noteworthy features include webRTC blocker, malware blocker, Adblocker, and cookie blocker.
For the downsides, you can experience slow speed if you are accessing the VPN server from a distant location. Also, some users might expect free servers from other countries than in the USA.
Key Features
- 500 MB daily limit
- Faster internet browsing speed
- Extra features like Adblocker, malware blocker, and more
- Internet kill switch for emergency
- Easy to use without signing in with an account
4. DotVPN
If you are looking for an unlimited data limit, Try DotVPN.
DotVPN provides you with truly unlimited access to blocked content from your browser. You have to install the DotVPN Chrome extension and log in with your email address. You get instant access to a few free server locations—the accessible server locations include the USA, France, and the Netherlands.
It is excellent for streaming or downloading from torrent since you don’t have any data barrier. You can access some streaming services if they do not have a strict anti-VPN policy.
This VPN service provides 80% of its features in the free version. You can still upgrade to a premium one if you want more servers and faster speeds.
Key Features
- Unlimited data access
- Unblocks most geolocation censored websites
- Three free servers
5. Windscribe
If you need to access a website from multiple locations while working, use Windscribe.
Windscribe is one of the best VPNs out there because of its generosity with the data cap limit. You get 10 GB of data per month, which is sufficient to complete general browsing. You can also download a few movies depending on the movie size.
Another excellent benefit of Windscribe is access to 10 servers in the free version. It is rare for a VPN service to provide so many different servers without purchasing the premium account. You can access the US, Canada, France, UK, Germany, and many more locations with a single click. Or, you can choose the autopilot mode to connect you to the fastest server available.
After installing Windscribe’s Chrome extension, you can choose to create an account or access the service directly. It does not store your IP address, visited sites, and connection logs. However, it keeps your username, the server you are connected to, and the amount of data transfer for three minutes on its database.
If that is not enough to excite you, it also got an inbuilt adblocker and protection from known malicious websites. There isn’t anything to hate about this VPN. However, some users might feel delayed loading data if you choose a server from a distant location.
Key features
- 10 servers for different locations
- 10 GB data limit per month
- Collects connection logs but not traffic or IP addresses
Is a Free VPN Worth It?
In the world of privacy, free is never an option. You can’t expect to use premium quality features at no cost. Thinking about it economically, developers can’t provide you service in return for nothing. It is often the case.
Many service providers keep some secrecy about the data they are collecting. They can track your browsing data and sell it to third-party buyers. From a broader perspective, it directly opposes the concept of using a VPN for privacy.
However, if you are concerned about hackers snooping your private information from public Wi-Fi connections, then a free VPN can do the trick. You can quickly connect to a server and encrypt your data.
On the other hand, if you are interested in using an audio or video streaming service, a free VPN is not reliable. Firstly, most of them have data limits that counter your need. Secondly, they might not have an appropriate server location to unblock censored content based on geolocation.
Therefore, we recommend using a premium service if you want to get the best out of a VPN. After scouring through various services, we found the below three to the best.
How to Choose a Free VPN?
We have witnessed many popular cybersecurity providers cloaking behind the face of legitimacy and doing unethical tasks in the previous years. That raises the question if we are safe from online threats.
Frankly speaking, virtual private networks are not enough to protect you from all the online threats lying around. However, they are one of the essential components.
If you are not using a VPN currently, you can get it without spending a single buck. All you have to do is ask appropriate questions before finalizing one. So, here is a list of queries you should clear before taking a stand for your free VPN.
1. What is the business model?
Running a business like this is not a piece of cake. Developers need money for almost every task they perform, and it is relatively straightforward that they will generate it somehow. If not, they will surely go bankrupt before you even knowing their name.
Some developers provide a free version of their service as a gateway to convert potential customers. If you like the use and want more of it, you will buy the product. However, some of them who do not have similar criteria are probably selling your data to third-party clients to make their revenue.
2. How does it protect my PC?
We are talking here about Chrome extensions only. However, many VPN providers also provide desktop and smartphone applications. If you need to use a VPN while using Chrome, you can look for adblockers and malware protection in your VPN.
3. Is the paid version better?
A simple answer would be yes. Many service providers cut some corners from their service in the free version. They want to pry you into buying the premium version, which is often the case. You get a limited data cap and server location in most of the free VPN services. Still, if your VPN choice uses the free version to bring more potential customers and you don’t want to use it often, you can go with the free version.
4. Does your provider log your details?
It is crucial in terms of privacy that your service providers do not track your internet activity. You can check their privacy policy or terms and condition page to know about it. However, many service providers have a tricky end user license agreement (EULA) to confuse users. They hide any unethical activity under the heap of unnecessary terms and conditions. Therefore, it might take a while to find if they are using dubious techniques.
The sane VPN providers would delete your history as soon as the session closes and won’t keep any logs.
5. Can I use the service anonymously?
If your service providers take payment in bitcoins and don’t need you to log in, you can expect it the best. In this way, you have maximum privacy from prying eyes. Some providers also let users show bogus activity to web crawlers to maintain your privacy.
Conclusion
A VPN is a vital component in the world of online privacy. Besides, it has a few more benefits like unblocking content based on location. If you need a temporary solution for your privacy concerns, using a free VPN extension for Chrome can come in handy. We mentioned some of the best service providers for various causes in this article. I hope you found the one satisfying your needs. If you have any queries about the topic, feel free to comment down below.
