Best VPN extensions

Proton VPN is the browser extension from the Swiss company behind Proton Mail, and it is the one pick here with a free plan that has no data cap. It works as a browser proxy: it encrypts the connection between your browser and a Proton server and hides your IP address from sites. It is listed for Chrome and Firefox, and the Chrome version also installs in other Chromium browsers.

The extension has been open to Proton Free users since September 2024, and the Chrome listing says use has no bandwidth or speed limits. Paid plans add servers in more than 140 countries, more simultaneous connections, Secure Core double-hop routing and split tunnelling. The code is public on GitHub under GPL-3.0. Securitum has audited Proton's no-logs claim every year, and the fifth, in 2026, found no logging of browsing activity or DNS queries on the infrastructure it reviewed.

The limits are plain. Like every extension here, it covers only browser traffic, and it needs a Proton account, which is free. An audit samples servers at a point in time, so it supports the no-logs claim rather than proving it. For most people who want a trustworthy VPN in their browser, this is where to start.

Windscribe is the most feature-packed free option here. It is a Canadian VPN whose extension acts as a browser proxy and bundles extras most VPN extensions leave out: an ad and tracker blocker, cookie-banner blocking, WebRTC, location and time-zone spoofing, a link cleaner that strips tracking parameters, and anti-fingerprinting. It is listed for Chrome, Edge and Firefox.

The free plan gives 10 GB of data a month once you confirm your email, and Pro plans lift the cap. The extension's source is public on GitHub. Windscribe says it stores no browsing history, DNS queries or connection timestamps. It also says Packetlabs reviewed its server infrastructure in June 2024, including about 80,000 lines of code and penetration testing, and found no intentional subversion of the no-logs policy. Leviathan Security Group audited its apps in 2021 and 2022.

Be clear about the evidence. This is a security audit and code review commissioned by Windscribe, not a formal no-logs assurance report like Proton's, and the page we read is the company's own. The extension also asks for access to all websites so it can block and spoof, and 10 GB goes fast if you stream. If you want a free tier with real tools, it is the best alternative to Proton.

NordVPN is the best-known name in consumer VPNs, and its Chrome extension has about 15 million users, far more than any other pick here. The extension is a browser proxy: it routes browser traffic through a NordVPN server, disables WebRTC to prevent IP leaks, and adds Scam and Phishing Protection that blocks sites hosting malware. It is listed in the Chrome, Edge and Firefox stores, and the Chrome version also installs in other Chromium browsers.

There is no free tier. The extension is free to download but needs a NordVPN subscription, and it has no data limits. Deloitte Lithuania carried out NordVPN's no-logs assurance engagement under the ISAE 3000 standard, the sixth such audit, completed in December 2025. It covered standard, Double VPN, Onion Over VPN and obfuscated servers, and NordVPN says subscribers can read the full report in their account.

The trade-offs: the extension is closed source, and the full report is visible only to customers, so we relied on summaries of it. NordVPN and Surfshark share a parent company, Nord Security. If you are happy to pay and want a polished service with a regular audit record, it is a solid choice.

Surfshark is an Amsterdam-based VPN that sits alongside NordVPN under a shared holding company. Its extension works as a browser proxy and adds an ad and tracker blocker, a cookie pop-up blocker, and malware and phishing alerts. It is listed in the Chrome, Edge and Firefox stores, and the Chrome version also installs in other Chromium browsers.

There is no free plan: the Chrome listing offers a 7-day trial, and after that you need a paid plan. Surfshark says Deloitte verified its no-logs statement in 2023 and again in 2025 under the ISAE 3000 standard, and that Cure53 approved its server infrastructure. It also says Cure53 reviewed its Chrome and Firefox extensions in 2018 and SecuRing tested its browser plugins in 2025. The company publishes a warrant canary and a trust centre with its security documents.

All of that evidence comes from Surfshark's own pages, and the full 2025 report is available only to account holders. The Firefox version asks for access to all sites and to Google search pages. Surfshark merged with Nord Security in 2022, though both brands run separately. It is a sound paid pick, ranked just below NordVPN.

ExpressVPN's extension does two jobs. In Proxy Mode it is a standalone browser proxy that sends only your browser's traffic through ExpressVPN servers, with no desktop app needed. In Remote Control Mode it drives the ExpressVPN app on Windows, Mac or Linux, so the whole device is covered. The Chrome version also spoofs geolocation, blocks WebRTC leaks and has Smart Routing rules for choosing which sites use the proxy.

Its audit trail is the longest here. Cure53 has tested the extension itself three times, most recently in June 2024, when it found two issues, one of medium severity, which were fixed and retested. KPMG has assessed ExpressVPN's no-logs claims about its TrustedServer system, most recently as of 28 February 2025. The extension's source is on GitHub under GPL-2.0, though the last public commit dates from March 2024.

The warning is ownership. Kape Technologies has owned ExpressVPN since 2021, and Kape was called Crossrider until 2018, a company whose tools were widely used to inject ads and which Malwarebytes classed as adware. Kape says it has left ad tech, and we found no evidence against the extension. There is no free plan, and the Chrome rating is a modest 3.3. Choose it if you value its audits and accept that history.

TunnelBear is the friendliest VPN extension here. It is a Toronto-built service known for its bear mascot and plain-language design, and its browser extension encrypts your browser traffic and lets you pick from 20 countries in a few clicks. It is listed in the Chrome, Edge and Firefox stores, and the Chrome version also installs in other Chromium browsers.

TunnelBear has published an independent security audit every year since 2017. The eighth, by Cure53 in 2024, ran for 44 working days with white-box access to source code, configurations and backend systems. It found 10 vulnerabilities of medium severity or higher and 3 of low severity, and TunnelBear says all were acknowledged, addressed or mitigated. It says the 2025 audit is also complete. Its privacy policy says it does not collect IP addresses on connection, DNS queries, or the apps and sites you use while connected. A free plan includes 2 GB of secure browsing.

Keep the limits in mind. These are security audits of code and systems, not a no-logs assurance report, so the logging claim rests on the privacy policy. McAfee has owned TunnelBear since March 2018, the free allowance is small, and the Firefox listing is rated 3.4. Choose it if simplicity matters more than extra features.