Proton VPN makes its Chrome extension free for all

It's really not hard to use a VPN, they aren't reserved for the likes of elite hackers or power users anymore. In fact, you don't even need to leave your browser to use one of the best VPNs. A whole host of providers have Chrome extension VPNs, including Proton VPN which has just made its extension available for free to everyone.

Previously reserved solely for paid Proton VPN Plus subscribers, the extension is now usable by anyone on a Chrome or Firefox-compatible browser, and that's great news because Proton offers one of the best free VPNs .

Chrome convenience

Proton VPN has been focusing on providing uncensored internet access to as many people as possible this year with servers being added to some of the most undemocratic parts of the world, and this expansion of its Chrome extension to all should help that mission.

Extensions like this are particularly helpful for those in countries where traditional app stores aren't available. David Peterson, General Manager at Proton VPN said: "The Proton VPN browser extension will make it easier than ever before for anyone to enjoy a secure and private internet and to bypass censorship no matter where they are, for free."

Of course, because it's a Chrome extension VPN and not an app-based VPN, you can have the VPN running in one browser window and then have another window without the VPN on simultaneously.

Remember that just because it's called a Chrome Extension, you don't have to use Chrome. As well as Firefox, Proton has confirmed the extension will work on the likes of the popular privacy-focused browser Brave.

The only real irritation we have with Proton's free VPN equivalent is that you can't select a region to connect to a server in, instead, you are automatically assigned one and can only randomly reroll a new connection after a short delay. This makes it a bit of a pain for streaming if you're trying to watch content that's locked to a specific region. That's asking a lot for a free product, but try one of the best streaming VPNs instead.

Twice as nice

As well as expanding its browser extension, Proton has also this week announced its new Proton Duo plan. This two-person subscription offers all of the goodies from a Proton unlimited plan (full access to Proton Mail, Proton Drive, Proton Calendar, Proton Pass, and Proton VPN) plus 1TB of shared digital storage, for a discounted price – $14.99 per month.