Best Browser VPNs to Improve Online Privacy

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If you want to use a VPN to encrypt your internet traffic in a web browser, you’ve got two choices: a standalone VPN app or a VPN browser add-on. A device-specific VPN app wraps all applications in your virtual private network connection. For instance, if you’re using a Windows VPN app, everything from your Chrome web browser to Netflix and Steam gets routed through a virtual private network server. However, you can use split tunneling to selectively pipe some apps but not others through a VPN, like streaming Disney Plus with a VPN while downloading games on Steam without one.

On the other hand, a browser add-on usually only encrypts your web browser. So, if you want to stream Netflix with a VPN using a Chrome browser plugin, you’ll need to pull up Netflix in Google Chrome rather than using the Netflix app. Some VPN browser plugins work across your entire device, but you’ll still need that browser installed, meaning you may not be able to use a VPN on some gadgets, like routers or streaming boxes and sticks.

Generally, a standalone VPN app offers more functionality because you can use a VPN with all apps on your device. But a browser VPN may be quicker to install and uninstall and can be more lightweight than than a full-fledged standalone VPN app. Here are the best browser VPNs to keep you surfing the web in private.

Chrome, Edge, Vivaldi and other Chromium-based browsers

Google Chrome doesn’t offer a built-in VPN, so you’ll need to install a third-party plugin. The best VPNs for Chrome are ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, PIA and Proton VPN. Several VPNs, including Brave, Vivaldi and Edge, are Chromium-based browsers. Since Chromium is the open-source version of Google Chrome, most VPN providers offer browser add-ons that work with browsers based on Chromium.

ExpressVPN’s Chrome browser plugin uniquely operates like a remote in-browser control for its desktop app. Unlike other VPNs, the Express Chrome add-on requires installing the ExpressVPN app for your device. But the benefit is that you gain functionality that's missing from some browser plugins, like split tunneling support. If you need a quick VPN app that’s easy to install and uninstall, Express might not be the right choice for Chrome since you need the standalone app installed as well. NordVPN and Surfshark both offer browser plugins, although Surfshark’s lacks a kill switch.

Brave

The privacy-centric browser Brave blocks third-party ads, site trackers and cookies for improved privacy compared to rivals like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. To bolster your privacy even further, you can use the Brave VPN. Its virtual private network is available in Brave browsers on computers and mobile devices. It costs $10 per month or $100 annually, with support for up to five devices. 

In addition to its VPN, you get a firewall for protection against malware like viruses. You do benefit from full-device protection, meaning if you’re running the Brave Firewall + VPN on your phone, it lets you stream foreign Netflix libraries via the Netflix app on your phone, setting it apart from most other browser plugins that solely encrypt your web browser traffic. 

Because Brave’s firewall and VPN require the browser to work, you miss out on native support for streaming devices, including Android TV boxes, Amazon Fire TVs or Apple TVs. Likewise, you won’t be able to run a whole-home VPN on your router easily. Considering its limitations, I don’t recommend the Brave VPN for most folks besides casual users simply seeking basic privacy for web browsing. Outside of that, I’d suggest using ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, PIA or Proton VPN -- all of which support Brave browser add-ons. 

Firefox

If you’re a Firefox user, you can sign up for the Mozilla VPN. It gives you access to 500 servers across more than 30 countries and lets you protect up to five devices. The Mozilla VPN sets you back $10 monthly or $60 per year. There are some advanced features, like whole-device protection -- you can add privacy to apps on your devices, not just your Firefox web browser -- and multi-hop, which uses two VPN connections instead of one for even better privacy than a single VPN server. Mozilla’s VPN has been audited by Cure53 to back up its zero-logging claims.

But for the price, you can get a VPN that offers more advanced features and supports devices like streaming boxes and offers a larger server network. As an alternative to the Mozilla VPN, I suggest going with a cheap VPN like Surfshark, PIA or Mullvad.

DuckDuckGo

The privacy-focused search engine and web browser company DuckDuckGo offers its Privacy Pro service, which includes a VPN. In my testing, DuckDuckGo’s Privacy Pro proved to be a decent value for folks who want essential protection for hiding their browsing history, circumventing throttling restrictions or bypassing censorship. It’s simple to use and integrates seamlessly with the DuckDuckGo browser. I liked that it operates as a device-wide VPN, so you can tunnel all apps through an encrypted connection, not just your DuckDuckGo browser traffic. Aside from its virtual private network, Privacy Pro includes data deletion services and identity theft restoration, making it a cost-effective solution. 

However, DuckDuckGo’s VPN lacks the volume of servers you’ll get with rivals, meaning it’s not ideal for travel or streaming. Additionally, there haven’t been any audits yet, so I’d suggest anyone with critical privacy needs (political activists, asylum-seekers or paranoid torrenters) stick with a VPN that has an audited no-logs policy, like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Proton VPN or PIA. 

Opera

With Opera, you can use a free VPN built into the browser. The free version only protects your Opera browser and includes 100-plus servers in three locations. Stepping up to Opera’s VPN Pro provides more than 3,000 servers peppering over 30 different locales along with whole-device protection, so you can tunnel apps through your VPN instead of just web browser traffic. Impressively, Deloitte has audited Opera’s browser VPN and found no evidence that Opera VPN logs user data. The premium VPN Pro costs $8 per month, $30 every six months or $48 per year. 

Alternatively, PIA offers an Opera browser add-on, providing a virtual private network service with a larger server network, wider device support and Opera compatibility. Because Private Internet Access charges $57 total for two years, then $57 annually upon renewal, you pay almost the same price as you would for one year of VPN Pro while getting more comprehensive device support and a much greater international server selection. If you want more options, it’s a worthwhile alternative to paying for Opera’s VPN Pro.

Safari

Unlike most web browsers, Apple’s Safari doesn’t support many VPN extensions. The easiest way to beef up your privacy for Safari is with one of the best Mac or iPhone/iPad VPNs. Then, you can encrypt all of the internet traffic on your Apple device, or just Safari and select other apps if you toggle on split tunneling (which routes some applications but not others through your VPN).

How we tested browser VPN extensions

We tested the best browser VPNs by reviewing dozens of virtual private networks, including ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, Proton VPN, PIA, Mullvad, CyberGhost and PrivadoVPN. In our hands-on analysis, we ran hundreds of internet speed tests, checked for IP leaks, streamed hours of videos to assess geo-unblocking capabilities and tried major features. Additionally, we used both the standalone VPN apps and browser extensions with Google Chrome, Brave, Firefox, Opera and Safari. 

Why do I need a VPN extension for my browser?

The main reason you’ll need a VPN extension in your browser is to improve your privacy, which offers a bevy of benefits. VPNs hide your public IP address, so websites you visit can’t view your public IP, which includes information like your general geographical location and internet service provider. Similarly, your ISP can’t tell what websites you visit. 

Aside from bolstering your privacy, a VPN can also let you unblock content like foreign Netflix, Disney Plus,Amazon Prime Video or BBC iPlayer libraries. You can also use a VPN to circumvent throttling restrictions or bypass censorship. Because VPNs can make it look like you’re in another country, VPNs are excellent for travel, letting you access your email or mobile banking apps from abroad without triggering CAPTCHAs.

Best browser VPN FAQs