Best VPNs for Microsoft Edge in 2024
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Microsoft Edge is the default browser for Windows OS, previously known as Internet Explorer. It’s not the most popular browser out there, and definitely not the most secure. That’s why you need a VPN extension for Edge.
With the use of a VPN, you’ll get an extra security layer while browsing. You will also be able to bypass geo-restrictions, block ads and suspicious permissions, and avoid malicious and insecure websites. Additionally, in the case of ISP throttling, a VPN might be able to help you with getting better internet connection speed.
Not many VPNs offer add-ons for Edge, so it might be difficult to find ones that do and do it well. But we’re here to help – our list of the best VPNs for Microsoft Edge in 2024 contains all the providers most suitable for this browser.
Top 5 best Microsoft Edge VPNs:
- NordVPN – the best VPN extension for Microsoft Edge
- Surfshark – cutting-edge VPN technology for the Edge browser
- IPVanish – quality VPN Windows app for Edge
- PrivateVPN – Edge VPN with customization options
- PureVPN – secure VPN for Edge
Why do I need a VPN for Microsoft Edge?
The reasoning behind getting a VPN might not always be intuitive, so here are our arguments for investing in a quality VPN for Microsoft Edge:
- Security. Despite being developed and designed by Microsoft, which is known for its relatively good security standards, in the end, Edge is like any other browser that you might use. It doesn’t have any special security features or a built-in VPN. That’s why getting a proper VPN extension or a full-on client app is the best you could do to stay safe while browsing.
- Privacy. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) can see what you do on the internet – what kind of websites you visit and even what you download. A VPN will conceal this information by changing your IP address and encrypting your traffic. No third party will be able to see your online activity.
- Ad-blocking. Ads are everywhere on the internet, and the Edge browser doesn’t exactly have preventative measures built in. Surely, you could get an ad-blocker extension but a VPN can do all that and more. That includes preventing you from accessing insecure and potentially malicious websites.
- Entertainment. Most high-quality VPNs and their browser extensions are really good at bypassing geo-restrictions and unblocking various content. If not for security and privacy reasons, then you should at least consider getting a VPN for Netflix, Hulu, or any other streaming service.
Best VPNs for Edge – our detailed list
Deciding which product is the best from just a couple of words is never easy. That’s why here you can find each of our top 5 Edge VPNs briefly reviewed – take a look and choose the one that’s best for you.
1. NordVPN – the best VPN for Microsoft Edge
| Based in: | Panama |
| Servers/countries: | 6900+ servers in 111 countries |
| Unblocks Netflix: | Yes |
| Current deal: | 🔥 Get 74% OFF NordVPN + 3 months free 🔥 |
NordVPN is the best VPN for Microsoft Edge. Not only does it have a dedicated extension for the Edge browser but it’s also one of the most secure, fast, and affordable VPNs currently on the market. And if you fancy yourself an app for your Windows device, this provider has that as well.
The NordVPN Microsoft Edge extension is like a very light version of the desktop application. You can turn on the WebRTC blocking feature and ensure that your IP address won’t get leaked. And if ads are what’s annoying you, you’ll make use of Threat Protection Lite. You can also use split-tunneling to route only certain website traffic through a VPN tunnel.
Although it’s not possible to choose the tunneling protocol or use specialized servers, you can still connect to any of the 111 locations. NordVPN also uses next-gen AES-256 encryption for keeping all of your data inaccessible to anyone else apart from you.
In case you find the browser extension not enough, you can always look into getting the NordVPN Windows app. It offers an array of specialized servers, tunneling protocols, and additional security features such as a kill switch or CyberSec.
Read our NordVPN review for more details.
2. Surfshark – top-tier VPN extension for Edge
| Based in: | The Netherlands |
| Servers/countries: | 3200+ servers in 100 countries |
| Unblocks Netflix: | Yes |
| Current deal: | 🔥 Now up to 87% OFF Surfshark + 4 months FREE 🔥 |
Surfshark is known to be a very affordable VPN in general, and it is also one of the best VPNs for Edge. Besides the 3200+ servers in 100 countries, this VPN provider has a dedicated VPN extension for the Microsoft Edge browser.
Surfshark’s Edge extension is almost as feature-rich as the Windows desktop app. For example, the CleanWeb feature is an ad-blocker. Aside from that, there’s a cookie pop-up blocker and a website safety warning feature. You can also use Surfshark Search for an extra secure browsing experience on Edge.
Other additional features available on the Edge extension include static IP and Multihop which routes your traffic through several servers for extra privacy. The encryption cipher used is the industry standard AES-256, ensuring the utmost security of your traffic.
On the other hand, you cannot select which tunneling protocol your traffic goes through. This means that Stealth Mode is unavailable. But, if anything, you can find all of these and more features on the Surfshark Windows application.
Besides all of the goodness mentioned above, it’s also worth noting that Surfshark shows excellent records of providing access to geo-restricted content, such as Netflix libraries, BBC iPlayer, and more.
Still undecided? Check out our Surfshark VPN review or perform a Surfshark vs NordVPN analysis to see which one suits you better.
3. IPVanish – functional Windows and Edge VPN
| Based in: | United States |
| Servers/countries: | 2400+ servers in 100 countries |
| Unblocks Netflix: | Yes |
| Current deal: | 🔥 Now up to 83% OFF IPVanish 🔥 |
IPVanish is another good VPN for MS Edge. It has all the necessary features of any respectable VPN, and it also offers a selection of 2400+ servers in 100 countries all over the world. Unfortunately, there is no IPVanish extension for Edge, but the Windows app is more than okay.
When it comes to security for browsing on Edge, IPVanish takes these matters very seriously. It employs the latest and most advanced encryption methods to protect your data. Additionally, there is a kill switch in case something goes wrong and the secure VPN connection is lost.
As for features, IPVanish doesn’t have an ad-blocker, unfortunately. But the provider still sort of makes up for what it lacks. For example, the OnDemand feature allows you to choose which apps or websites trigger an automatic connection to the VPN. Besides, there’s also the stealth mode for when you want some extra privacy and protection.
One more nice thing about IPVanish – it’s a relatively good choice for unblocking geo-restricted content. It works well with Netflix and BBC iPlayer, for example.
For more information, read our IPVanish VPN review.
4. PrivateVPN – customizable MS Edge VPN
| Based in: | Sweden |
| Servers/countries: | 200+ servers in 63 countries |
| Unblocks Netflix: | Yes |
| Current deal: | 🔥 GNow up to 85% OFF + 24 months free 🔥 |
PrivateVPN is a Sweden-based provider with over 200 servers in 63 locations. It doesn’t have an Edge extension, but the Windows app is pretty good. PrivateVPN is known to be liked by more tech-savvy folks because of its security customization opportunities.
PrivateVPN doesn’t have many additional features, but you can choose between four encryption ciphers. Weaker encryption will most likely mean faster speeds, but for browsing on Edge, we recommend choosing the strongest AES-256 cipher.
As for speeds, PrivateVPN is not super fast but not terribly slow either. The speeds are suitable for any kind of light activity such as browsing on Microsoft Edge.
PrivateVPN also supports SOCKS5 and HTTP proxies and port forwarding, which is useful not only for safer browsing but also for torrenting. Other features include a kill switch for unfortunate situations in which a secure connection is unavailable, and stealth VPN – an obfuscation option for extra security and stronger geo-restriction bypassing capabilities.
And talking about bypassing – PrivateVPN is quite excellent at unblocking streaming libraries of Netflix and BBC iPlayer.
For more details, take a look at our PrivateVPN review.
5. PureVPN – Edge VPN with top-tier security
| Based in: | British Virgin Islands |
| Servers/countries: | 6000+ servers in 65 countries |
| Unblocks Netflix: | Yes |
| Current deal: | 🔥 Now 83% OFF PureVPN + 3 FREE months 🔥 |
PureVPN is one of the most secure VPNs for Microsoft Edge. Despite not having an extension for Edge, its Windows app does the VPN job quite well. The provider has top-tier security features and an excellent no-logs policy. Besides, it offers 6000+ servers in 65 countries, which is a pretty wide selection field, if we say so ourselves.
In terms of security, it’s the military-grade AES-256 encryption that will keep your Edge traffic hidden from any second and third parties. PureVPN is also known for being an always-on audit service, meaning that its security measures are being constantly kept in check.
Moving on, PureVPN doesn’t have anything super amazing to offer. There is no ad-blocker or some kind of other threat protection. Nevertheless, it has a pretty neat port forwarding feature and a reliable kill switch.
When it comes to speed, PureVPN is not as fast as some of the most popular providers on the market, but it's still perfectly suitable for browsing on Edge.
Besides all the security and privacy measures, PureVPN is also pretty good at unblocking stuff. This means that if you want to watch geo-restricted Netflix and Hulu shows via Microsoft Edge with PureVPN turned on, you can.
For more information, read our PureVPN review.
How we tested these VPNs for Edge
When testing and evaluating each VPN for Microsoft Edge, we looked at numerous factors that might make the VPN the best. Here are some things that a very good Edge VPN should have:
- Microsoft Edge extension or Windows client. Since we’re looking at VPNs for a particular browser, it should be compatible with it. Not a lot of VPNs have Edge extensions because it’s not a widely-used browser, but most of them do have Windows applications. And since Edge is the default browser of Windows, both the extension and the app are suitable choices.
- Security. Microsoft Edge is not the most secure browser in the world, and malicious websites still show up on it. A VPN that employs the latest encryption ciphers and has security features for emergencies, such as IP leak prevention and a kill switch, is the best.
- Speed. Any VPN will inevitably slow down your internet connection, so if you want to enjoy speedy and edge-cutting surfing but stay secure at the same time, you’ll need a fast VPN with speed levels close to those of supersonic jets.
- Extra features. Once security and privacy are covered, it’s time to think about something that’s just nice to have. Everything ranging from specialized servers and ad-blockers to streaming aid is accepted.
- Price. You don’t want to overpay for a service that will turn out to do barely anything. We looked into VPNs that offer the best quality-price ratio, and don’t rip you off. Besides, all of them have free trials available.
Edge VPN extension or client app?
When choosing the right VPN for Edge, it’s important to question whether installing an extension is enough, or should you get the whole app for your device. Both options have their benefits, but if we were to choose one over the other, we’d choose the client app. For example, NordVPN's Windows client app has much more features and functionalities than its Edge addon.
A VPN extension for any browser, including Edge, is essentially a proxy. This means that it hides your IP address and encrypts your traffic. The main difference between a regular proxy server and a VPN proxy is that proxy servers change the IP address only and don’t encrypt your traffic.
Having such a VPN proxy for your browser might not sound too bad, but you should keep in mind that with a VPN browser extension, only your browser traffic will be encrypted. In comparison, a VPN client app will encrypt all traffic coming in or out of your device – this includes the browser, torrenting traffic, gaming, etc.
How do I add a VPN to Microsoft Edge?
Using a VPN with Microsoft Edge is surprisingly simple. Whether your chosen VPN has an add-on for Edge or just the Windows client, follow these simple steps to set it up:
- Choose a VPN and purchase a subscription. We recommend NordVPN.
- Go to the Microsoft Edge Add-ons website and add the extension of your VPN
- Or download and install the Windows client app.
- Connect to the VPN server and enjoy secure browsing
Can I use a free VPN with Microsoft Edge?
Yes, you can try using a free VPN for Microsoft Edge, but we don’t recommend doing that. There are a couple of reasons why.
Firstly, free VPNs need to pay for maintenance somehow, so they tend to collect and sell user data to third parties. This can include anyone from your ISP to national agencies. Secondly, free VPNs usually have data limits on their usage and don’t contain many additional features. This means their security is questionable at best. And last but not least, they tend to be very slow when compared to the top VPNs on the market.
If you really want to try out a free VPN for Edge, we suggest looking into freemium VPNs. And, if anything, the best paid VPNs like NordVPN or Surfshark also have free trials and money-back guarantees, so you can try out their premium services completely for free and with no risks.
Conclusion
Microsoft Edge VPN should be in the to-get list of every Edge surfer out there, however few there are. The Edge browser is just as full of annoying ads, trackers, and malicious websites as any browser, and a quality VPN can help deal with them.
The best VPN for Edge should be equipped with features like WebRTC blocker and online threat protection features, including a blocker for ads, trackers, and malicious websites. Besides, it should have good speeds for fast browsing, and excellent geo-restricted content unblocking capabilities are always welcome.
According to our list, the best VPN that fits the description above is NordVPN, which has a lightweight but excellent extension for Edge. Followed by Surfshark, which includes an extension which closely resembles its Windows client with multiple features that it has.
FAQ
What is the best VPN for Microsoft Edge?
NordVPN is the best option for Microsoft Edge. It has a native Microsoft edge add-on, which includes a WebRTC blocker and a light version of the threat-protection feature. With this VPN, you can expect all ads, insecure websites, and malicious activity on Edge to be blocked.
What is the best free VPN for Microsoft Edge?
No completely free VPN is advisable to use with Microsoft Edge, but the best VPN with a free version is Proton VPN. Its free version is reliable, has an acceptable amount of extra features, and provides good security for browsing on Edge. You can also upgrade to paid plans.
Does Surfshark work on Microsoft Edge?
Yes, Surfshark has an add-on for Microsoft Edge, which includes the CleanWeb feature for ad blocking, a cookie pop-up blocker, and split tunneling options. You can choose from 3200 servers between 100 locations, and stay protected at all times while browsing on MC Edge.
Does Microsoft Edge have a built-in VPN?
No, Microsoft Edge doesn't have a built-in VPN. However, it supports VPN add-ons. To install a VPN extension on the Edge browser, go to settings >> extensions >> Microsoft Edge Add-ons. NordVPN has an excellent extension for Microsoft Edge.
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