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Chromebook VPN: Best VPN for Chromebook

Chromebook is an operating system and device that’s rapidly gaining popularity. As a result, countless VPN service providers have been making an effort to become the platform’s go-to.

Sadly though, only a few of them actually have what it takes. With that said, today we’ll go over the most capable VPN solutions for Chromebook and which of them should you be purchasing. In addition, we shall also discuss everything else that is of relevance to the topic.

In case you're in a hurry, our #1 VPN recommendation for the Chromebook is NordVPN.

 

How To Use A VPN With Chromebook

 
  • Get Yourself A VPN

The first thing you must do is get a Chromebook VPN. Out of hundreds of options, we suggest getting NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, or Private Internet Access. Each VPN service provider is a superb performer that will certainly not fail to leave you impressed.

 

  • Install It

All VPN providers are controlled through applications, which must be installed. Don’t worry as it is easier than ever to perform VPN installation. As a matter of fact, the entire process is 100% automatic for most devices from the moment you press the download button.

  • Pair With A Server

Once you’ve loaded your VPN’s application onto your device, open it then connect to a server. If you’re wondering what server to choose, it’s best to go with what your VPN recommends. When that is done, you’ll get paired with the nearest major server. That server will likely be speedy and adept at unblocking geo-restricted content.

  • Open Chromebook Then Start Browsing

After doing all the steps above, you can now open Chromebook and start browsing. While going about, make sure to remain connected to your VPN. How come? If you disconnect yourself, you run the risk of becoming a victim of all kinds of cybercrimes and unwanted online surveillance.

 

What Are The Best VPNs for Chromebook In 2022?

1. NordVPN

NordVPN screenshot

www.nordvpn.com

Security: NordVPN’s ability to keep its subscribers secure has been scrutinized by many because it once got hacked. During the unfortunate incident, data necessary to establish a fake VPN server got stolen. Luckily, the perpetrator was not able to obtain any private user information. On top of that, he was apprehended by the authorities almost immediately.

To regain the public’s trust, NordVPN has launched a proprietary VPN protocol called NordLynx, which is based on WireGuard. In addition, the provider also established a global bug bounty program that’s very successful. Finally, it recently announced that it will be finished with upgrading its network to one that’s fully RAM-disk enabled by the end of this year.

NordVPN is similar to most high-end VPNs in the sense that it uses military-grade AES 256-bit encryption with SHA-256 hash authentication as well as a 4096-bit RSA key exchange. Apart from that, in addition to NordLynx, the provider supports a wide range of protocols. As a result, when using it, it’ll be more than possible to fine-tune your VPN experience.

Performance: Since it’s first on this list, it should be a surprise to find out NordVPN is a very capable VPN service provider. Many experts regard it to be the fastest option that’s currently available. On top of that, they also say it’s the best for downloading torrent files.

NordVPN didn’t leak when I tested it using IPLeak.net. More importantly, it never introduced any considerable lag when I was browsing while connected to one of its servers. Also, not once did it give me issues during any of my competitive e-sport matches. Due to that, I can confidently recommend it to both casual and professional gamers alike.

Features: The extensions and applications of NordVPN come with an ad & malware blocker, kill switch, and split tunneling. Aside from that, they also have double VPN and Onion Over VPN, which is a feature that makes browsing Tor together with NordVPN a lot safer.

Rates: NordVPN is friendly towards budget consumers. Its most basic one-month subscription plan will run you back just $8.87. This is quite impressive especially when you consider the fact that many of NordVPN’s major competitors on the market presently maintain much higher rates.

 

2. Surfshark

Surfshark screenshot

www.surfshark.com

Security: The security that Surfshark provides is excellent. A large reason why is because the provider boasts the largest 100% RAM-based VPN network in existence. In total, it operates more than 3200 servers in approximately 65 countries and territories across the globe.

Surfshark VPN’s large network makes it more capable of maintaining your anonymity. It also lets the provider take on more subscribers without getting overloaded. How? You see, when VPNs with larger networks are less prone to becoming overloaded, and therefore, compromised.

As expected, Surfshark utilizes AES-256 encryption. More importantly, it supports a wide array of protocols. Quite recently, the VPN service provider has even implemented support for none other than WireGuard, which is the world’s quickest, most secure, and sought-after protocol.

Performance: Surfshark is a spectacular performer that’s guaranteed to not disappoint. Using it, you’ll be able to do everything one would want using a virtual private network service.

In addition to being RAM-based, all of Surfshark’s servers are also P2P enabled and very quick. When using them, I couldn’t help but be impressed as they made no noticeable difference in my base connection speeds. In some instances, they even made my internet faster by dropping the bandwidth throttling that was secretly imposed by ISP.

Also, one last thing you should know is that Surfshark makes easy work of geoblocks. It even bypasses China’s Great Firewall, which is impressive since it’s the most challenging obstacle that a VPN can face. Therefore, it is safe to say that if a provider can overcome it, it can work around any other online restriction that it’s pitted against.

Features: Every Surfshark app is a breeze to download, install, navigate, and configure. As you might’ve already guessed, these applications have a malware blocker and kill switch. On top of that, they allow you to take advantage of two unlockable paid add-on features. The first is an alert system, meanwhile, the second is a proprietary secure search engine similar.

Finally, one last thing worth mentioning about Surfshark is that it supports unlimited same-time device connections. As such, with a single user account, you’ll be able to safeguard your entire family and circle of friends from the many dangers lurking on the internet.

Rates: A monthly Surfshark subscription plan will run you back $12.95. While this may seem a bit pricey, remember that the provider offers tremendous value for money.

 

3. ExpressVPN

Expressvpn-screenshot-new

www.expressvpn.com

Security: ExpressVPN is a pioneering VPN service in many ways. For one, it’s the first-ever major VPN provider to have a fully RAM-disk-based server network. Moreover, it also is amongst the first to have itself subjected to independently-done security audits.

The various apps of ExpressVPN let you pair AES-256 encryption with OpenVPN (UDP & TCP), IPSec (L2TP & IKEv2), and Lightway. For those wondering, Lightway is ExpressVPN’s answer to WireGuard. It’s an alternative that is based on Wolf SSL. Online experts say that it is just as fast and secure as WireGuard or any other top-tier VPN protocol out there.

Performance: I believe that ExpressVPN is the most reliable VPN that you can get. The reason why is because it never fails to work around geo-restrictions. You can use it to do everything from browsing the web in China to accessing otherwise unavailable streaming libraries.

The speed capabilities of ExpressVPN’s servers are comparable to that of Surfshark as well as NordVPN’s. While connected to the provider’s network, never did I have to deal with very long loading times, drops in quality, ghosting, and buffering when browsing the web. Due to that, I confidently recommend ExpressVPN to anyone who needs to have the fastest connection.

ExpressVPN also excels at torrenting. Its entire network is P2P enabled and leak-free. The provider is also compatible with Vuge, Deluge, uTorrent, and any other major torrent client. Hence, it is perfectly suited to facilitate safe and anonymous torrent downloading sessions.

Features: Sad to say, ExpressVPN doesn’t have much to offer when it comes to features. While its apps do have a kill switch, they lack a built-in malware blocker. Because of that, those who need one shall have to use another piece of software, which can be a major bummer.

ExpressVPN also doesn’t offer its subscribers any exclusive features. According to the service’s developers, that’s because they choose to focus on the core elements that already make ExpressVPN the excellent virtual private network service provider that it is.

Rates: The one-month subscription plan of ExpressVPN is $12.95, which is the same cost as Surfshark’s corresponding plan. Sadly though, Express VPN fails to provide as much value as its main competitor since it only allows for a maximum of five simultaneous device connections.

 

4. CyberGhost

CyberGhost screenshot

www.cyberghostvpn.com

Security: For the most part, CyberGhost is a very secure VPN. After all, it utilizes AES 256-bit military-grade encryption and has a firm no-logging policy. Moreover, the provider has a clean security record and the largest VPN network in existence.

That network is made up of 7500+ server locations scattered around the world. Hence, when using it, it’s certain that you won’t ever find yourself out of connectivity options. If anything, I would have to say this is great since very few VPN services have more than 1000 servers.

One thing that sets CyberGhost’s privacy and security capabilities back is the fact that the VPN has limited protocol support. The protocols that it supports vary from OS to OS. As a result, macOS users that wish to use WireGuard are out of luck as it’s only available for Linux.

Performance: CyberGhost is a top-performer across the board. For starters, it’s fast, being able to compete in some instances with the likes of NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark. With that being said, I did experience drops in my connection speeds while using CyberGhost. But, these drops were not significant enough to negatively impact my gaming, browsing, and downloading.

It won’t matter what your preferred torrent client is since CyberGhost is compatible with Deluge, uTorrent, BitTorrent, Vuze, and all other major torrent clients. Apart from that, many of the provider’s servers are P2P enabled, and thus, perfectly suited for torrenting activity.

Now, if streaming is your thing, then CyberGhost also won’t disappoint. That’s because it has a dedicated set of streaming servers that you can use to easily unblock any geo-restricted site or online service. Sadly though, the VPN provider can’t bypass the Great Firewall of China or any other national internet censorship measure.

Features: CyberGhost comes with every bell and whistle you’d want your VPN to have. Its apps are preloaded with a kill switch along with a very effective ad & malware blocker. On top of that, they’ve also got exclusive offerings such as data compression as well as a secret photo vault.

Rates: Until very recently, CyberGhost’s rates were on the lower end of the spectrum. However, things are now different. The VPN service provider is now similarly priced to its high-ranking rivals like ExpressVPN and Surfshark. A monthly subscription today costs $12.99.

 

5. Private Internet Access (PIA)

pia-screenshot-new

www.privateinternetaccess.com

Security: Many say that Private Internet Access (PIA) isn’t safe to use. That’s because it is based in the United States, which is a founding member of the Five Eyes Alliance. As a result, the provider must follow copyright and privacy laws that interfere with its ability to keep its users safeguarded.

I beg to differ since PIA has, on numerous occasions, proven its trustworthiness. During these incidents, it denied the authorities access to private user information. And for those wondering, the reason why data was being requested was because US authorities were conducting a criminal investigation. They needed evidence that they thought PIA’s servers held.

As usual for a highly-ranked VPN, Private Internet Access makes use of AES-256 encryption. It also supports every leading protocol, including WireGuard. That’s right, despite being smaller than many of its rivals, PIA’s developers have managed to implement WireGuard support.

Performance: Private Internet Access is a decent performer. Needless to say, it isn’t the best so first-time users must manage their expectations. After all, they won’t be able to circumvent just any streaming service library. In addition, they also will not get to browse the web freely in China since PIA can’t work around the Great Firewall.

Torrenting is the one department wherein PIA surpasses expectations. My tests prove that it’s completely leak-free. Of course, this shouldn’t come as a surprise since all Private Internet Access VPN servers are fully P2P enabled, meaning they’re optimized for torrent activity.

Features: Private Internet Access’ various apps and browser extensions have a kill switch that’s activated by default. More interestingly, they’ve also got PIA MACE, which is arguably the best built-in virtual private network ad & malware blocker.

Rates: If budget is an obstacle, then Private Internet Access is your best friend. The reason why is because the provider is one of the world’s most affordable. For just $9.95, you shall be able to get a one-month subscription plan that can be canceled and refunded within 30 days.

 

How We Selected These VPNs

It wasn’t easy to come up with rankings for the best VPN for Chromebook. To do so, we started by conducting meticulous research. After we determined which providers were best-suited for Chromebook, several of my teammates reached out to actual Chromebook VPN users. Also, they facilitated polls on both Facebook and Reddit to get a broader opinion of everything.

The last thing we did was compare the prices of our top picks to know which of them provided the greatest value to their users. I think this step was the most vital because affordability and value are the two things that generally dictate whether a VPN provider is within reach or not.

Yes. Using a VPN together with Chromebook is legal in most parts of the world.

However, I strongly advise you to conduct your own research to know VPNs are legal in your area. That way, you can’t be 100% sure that you aren’t breaking any laws whenever you’re browsing on your Chromebook device while being connected to a VPN service provider.

Note that VPN Thrive doesn’t condone any sort of illegal activity. If anything, this article is only for educational purposes. Only do what’s stated here at your own risk.

 

How About "Free" VPNs?

Free VPN providers can be a godsend for people who’ve got absolutely zero budget for online security. However, we don’t recommend them due to several reasons. For one, free providers lack the means to keep you safeguarded.

You see, many free VPNs remain “free” by selling your data to entities like Google that send you targeted advertisements. These ads can be very intrusive, making them a nuisance whenever you browse the internet on your Chromebook OS device.

Aside from what’s stated above, free VPNs are also notoriously slow. They introduce buffering, quality drops, loading issues, and ghosting. For that reason, they’re no good for gaming, streaming content, downloading torrents, and simple general browsing.

Finally, one last thing that you should know about free VPNs is that they’re incapable of getting around geo-restrictions. Thus, you cannot utilize them to leap over the Great Firewall of China or access restricted streaming service libraries.

By: Erwin Caniba
Eric is the co-founder of VPNOnline. He has been an avid user of VPNs since 2012. He has tested all of the major VPN providers and shares his findings on this website. Follow Eric on Facebook.