VPNs for Chromebook: Which VPNs Are the Best?

1. NordVPN - Best Chromebook VPN for Privacy

Editors Rating:

9.7 /10

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How We Review

Product Specs

Multi-hop	Yes
Camouflage Mode	Yes
Kill switch	Yes
Split Tunneling	Yes
Netflix	Yes
Torrenting	Yes

If you didn’t already know, Chromebooks run on ChromeOS, which is compatible with Android apps. That’s why Chromebook apps come from the Google Play Store. It makes sense, then, to choose the best VPN for Android — NordVPN — as your Chromebook VPN.

NordVPN is particularly impressive in keeping online data private. It uses the best encryption standard in the industry, 256-bit AES, and the most reliable protocols for transmitting VPN traffic, OpenVPN and WireGuard. NordVPN also has a vast server network, innovative features, and a faultless privacy policy.

The NordVPN ChromeOS app is essentially a blown-up version of the Android app, which is both good and bad. It’s good because NordVPN’s Android app is feature-rich. It has split tunneling, a kill switch, Threat Protection, and tapjacking protection.1 Chromebook users get to enjoy those features as well. On the other hand, since the Android app is optimized for touch-based controls, it’s not the most intuitive app to use on a laptop.

If you can see past that shortcoming, you’ll enjoy a great level of privacy with NordVPN. Our personal favorite feature is Threat Protection, since the primary market for Chromebooks is people who browse a lot. NordVPN’s Threat Protection blocks websites that contain malware, potential phishing links, or adware that can compromise your online data. That’s on top of encrypting your online traffic, of course.

We nominate NordVPN as the overall best Chromebook VPN for privacy. It’s not perfect, but it offers better encryption than most ChromeOS VPNs backed by its 5,000-server network. Plus, the ChromeOS app is well-liked by most users, garnering an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 on Google Play.

2. Surfshark - Best Chromebook VPN for Extra Features

Editors Rating:

9.5 /10

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How We Review

Product Specs

Multi-hop	Yes
Camouflage Mode	Yes
Kill switch	Yes
Split Tunneling	Yes
Netflix	Yes
Torrenting	Yes

The Chromebook is a versatile productivity tool, and Surfshark is one of the most robust VPN apps we’ve tested. Sounds like a match made in heaven, no?

In terms of keeping your online data private, Surfshark is a top-grade VPN. It has over 3,000 RAM-only servers — the best kind for VPNs — and all those servers support the OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols. Surfshark also offers a host of extra features that can help you double-down on locking your online data. It has camouflage mode, for example, which can evade detection from networks or governments that don’t allow or limit the use of VPNs.

Surfshark functions perfectly well as a day-to-day VPN, but it also has some features that made us go, “Hmm, that’s smart.” The company recently introduced a feature called Alternative ID, for example, and we think it suits Chromebook users well.

Alternative ID creates an alternative online identity for you, complete with an alias, birthdate, home address, and email address. You can use the identity to sign up for online services you think aren’t trustworthy enough to know your real identity, so you can use their services without risking your privacy. You’ll need a Surfshark One subscription to use the feature, which is a couple bucks more expensive than a regular Surfshark subscription.

CleanWeb 2.0 is another feature you may find useful. It’s part of the Surfshark VPN web extension, which is highly compatible with Chrome. When enabled, CleanWeb 2.0 blocks ads, pop-ups, trackers, phishing links, and malware. That way, you can focus more on the tasks at hand while also keeping your device safe from privacy invaders.

3. Private Internet Access VPN - Best-Priced Chromebook VPN

Editors Rating:

9.4 /10

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How We Review

Product Specs

Multi-hop	Yes
Camouflage Mode	No
Kill switch	Yes
Split Tunneling	Yes
Netflix	Yes
Torrenting	Yes

One of the most attractive things about Chromebooks is their price; they’re simply more affordable than Windows and Mac laptops. A huge portion of Chromebook’s users are students who may have a limited budget for digital tools like VPNs.

VPNs are generally inexpensive, but Private Internet Access’ subscription prices are hard to beat. A three-year subscription — enough to get a student through most of their high school or college years — costs only $79. That’s roughly $2 per month. Better still, one subscription is good for unlimited devices, so it can be shared among classmates, friends, or family members.

An affordable VPN is good, but does Private Internet Access actually protect your online traffic? We’ll let the features do the talking. For starters, Private Internet Access has a network server that runs only on RAM. That’s the gold standard in VPN servers. The company also offers top-notch encryption standards: 128-bit and 256-bit AES. We prefer the latter, but if you want to prioritize speed, 128-bit AES offers slightly less protection but faster connections.

Private Internet Access may not have as many features as NordVPN or Surfshark, but it has all the basics covered. It will encrypt your data, route it through a secure server, and hide your IP address. It also ranked sixth in our VPN speed comparison.

Overall, Private Internet Access is a fast, secure, and reliable option despite its cheap price tag.