The best VPNs for staying secure and streaming with Chrome

ExpressVPN(opens in a new tab) ticks many of the boxes that you need from a VPN, which is why it's so highly regarded. Privacy wise, it's based in the British Virgin Islands, so there's no need to worry about data retention laws. It has maintained a great record for refusing to hand over information and —even better — it doesn't actually store any data on its customers.

The Chrome extension takes seconds to install, although you do need to also install the full ExpressVPN app to use it. That's a small price to pay for an extension that allows you to randomise the location reported by Google's geo-location API, thereby stopping websites from acquiring your location. Like all VPN extensions, it works more as a proxy than a true VPN, but it does what's needed to keep you secure. It also typically allows for the use of Netflix and other streaming services, all at a good speed.

With the standard VPN you get AES-256 encryption and features like split tunneling, which allows you to route some traffic through a VPN while the rest of it goes through your regular internet connection, thereby adding an extra level of security. Plus, there's a kill-switch feature built into the app (rather than the extension) so all traffic is blocked if your connection unexpectedly drops.

There's no free trial for ExpressVPN, but there is a 30-day money back guarantee if you're not entirely happy. You can also use five devices simultaneously with unlimited bandwidth. 

CyberGhost VPN(opens in a new tab) offers a free Chrome extension that takes seconds to set up without any need to log-in or create an account. As a pure proxy, its main aim is to allow you to gain access to geo-restricted content, such as Netflix. It also enables you to circumvent limitations that may have been placed by your government or workplace with the option of hiding your IP address from suspicious eyes.

It's a simple extension which only provides four locations — the US, Romania, Netherlands, and Germany — but it's a great start for a VPN service that also offers many useful features.

Upgrade to the full app, and you get AES-256 encryption, DNS leak protection, and a kill switch feature. Simply as a way to bypass geolocks however, the extension works more than well enough with good performance reported across the board.

NordVPN(opens in a new tab) is a super secure service that should suit anyone looking for powerful protection for their data and identity, with a large and diverse collection of servers and a strong set of premium tools like WireGuard technology. 

Users get access to over 5,500 servers located all over the world, with the option of connecting six devices at the same time. NordVPN also lets you route your traffic between its own secure VPN servers and the Tor network, which creates an extra secure connection when you're navigating Chrome.

NordVPN doesn't offer the fastest speeds, but it's still a solid option for unblocking streaming sites from around the world.

The Surfshark(opens in a new tab) Chrome Extension isn't free, but once you sign up for a subscription, you'll realise it was worth the money. 

Besides providing you with a proxy to hide behind and potentially fool Netflix into thinking you're elsewhere, the Surfshark Chrome Extension also provides ad-blocking with its CleanWeb feature. It also blocks trackers, malware, and phishing attempts along the way. 

Switch over to the full VPN app, and Surfshark continues to be useful. It has standard kill-switch and DNS leak protection along with a camouflage mode that promises to make it impossible for your ISP to see that you're even using a VPN. MultiHop also means you can connect via multiple countries at once, further hiding your presence.

Easy to use and with support for torrenting and streaming services, there's a lot to like about Surfshark.

TunnelBear(opens in a new tab) has always stood out from other VPNs thanks to its cute, almost childlike interface that makes it welcoming to people not used to VPNs. That continues to be reflected in its free Chrome extension.

In exchange for an email address (you can always use a throwaway one), you get 500MB of data a month. That's not much, but it's good for brief browsing sessions. Taking seconds to install, the TunnelBear Chrome VPN extension encrypts your browsing activity and allows you to choose what country you wish to appear you're from.

You'll burn through that data if you do anything like streaming via Netflix, so it's not recommended for that. However, you can upgrade your service to the full subscription plan, which gives you unlimited bandwidth.