(Image credit: Getty Images)

2025 has come to a close, a New Year beckons, and we're looking back at the last 12 months to stock of everything that’s happened. There’s no escaping it – 2025 was a big year for cybersecurity and online privacy, with age verification rollouts, government censorship, internet blackouts, and outages that took down thousands of websites.

So, with that in mind, you might be taking steps to bolster your online security – and wondering whether a browser with a built-in VPN is worth the investment. After all, they combine the best VPN protection with a user-friendly browser, so shouldn't we all be using them to keep ourselves safe online?

The argument against VPN browsers

The single biggest drawback to using a browser VPN is that they only protect your web browser traffic; they don’t protect the other apps you might have on your device. A stand-alone mobile VPN, on the other hand, will protect every app on your device, including social media platforms and games.

VPN browsers often struggle with streaming, too, typically because their connections aren’t as fast or reliable as full-fledged premium VPNs that have the resources to invest in their servers.

They typically also lack a wide-ranging server network, which will limit your access to geo-specific streaming libraries, with Asian regions often having the fewest available locations to choose from.

Some streaming platforms don't play well with browser-based VPNs, either. Sites like Prime Video, for instance, will almost certainly downgrade the quality of your stream if you're not using the dedicated app or a recognized Big Tech browser. Ultimately, this means that you might miss out on 4K streaming and have to settle for something less than HD.

Pivoting to usability and, well, VPN browsers are pretty basic. That's not necessarily a bad thing, especially for newcomers, but they offer little in terms of settings or customization options, with some, like the Brave browser, not even offering you the ability to change your VPN protocol or type of encryption.

It's also worth noting that, unlike a premium VPN, browser-VPN combos aren't as feature-rich in terms of added extras. VPN browsers focus primarily on protecting your web traffic, nothing more, so you'll miss out on the things that now come as standard with most of today's top VPNs. Think password managers, secure cloud storage, dark web scanning, anti-virus suites, and more.

The argument for VPN browsers

It's not all doom and gloom, though! The biggest benefit of using a browser with a built-in VPN is the added security it provides. Perhaps you're not a big streamer and instead use your device for online shopping and social media, and you want to make sure that no third parties can take a peek at what you get up to.

In that case, a VPN browser is a great choice as they are typically easier to use than full-blown VPNs. Here, a lack of customization becomes a strength, making these products more accessible to newbies who might be more familiar with a web browser than a VPN app, offering a way to learn the basics of online security and privacy without having to install and learn how to use a brand-new app.

Perhaps you’re running an older device with a slower processor or limited storage space, so you want something that’s lightweight and less resource-intensive. In this case, a VPN browser could be a good choice compared to running a stand-alone VPN app and a browser app together.

For those who might not want to commit to a VPN subscription, there are free VPN browsers out there that are worth checking out, such as Microsoft’s Edge, which, yes, has a VPN hidden away in its settings!

(Image credit: Brave)

Which VPN browsers do we recommend?

There are a few browsers with built-in VPNs on the market, from the Aloha browser with its free VPN tier, to Microsoft Edge with its confusingly named “Microsoft Edge Secure Network” which is a strange way to spell VPN, but there are only two browsers with built-in VPNs that we currently recommend: Opera and the Brave browser.

The Opera web browser isn’t the most well-known, but it’s been the browser of choice for web developers thanks to its strict adherence to web standards and its focus on being both a secure browser and one that’s user-friendly enough for beginners. It offers a free version of its VPN, but we found that it offered unreliable connection speeds, and the full functionality of the VPN is locked behind a paywall.

Brave's browser is built on the same Chromium engine as Google Chrome, making it a great choice for anyone used to using Google’s browser. It’s fast and easy to use, but unlike Opera, there’s no free version. The paid version is easy for beginners to get to grips with, and it does boast an impressive server network, but the monthly subscription cost is more than some stand-alone VPNs like Surfshark or Proton VPN.

After graduating from Stirling University with a qualification in Education, Shaun accidentally fell into the technology sector in the late 1990's and has stayed there ever since, working for companies such as PSINet, IBM and ProPrivacy in a variety of roles from Systems Administration to Technical Writer. Being around since the birth of the modern internet, he's seen the way that technology has expanded to become an integral part of everyday life, and how people's understanding and ability to retain any kind of privacy has lagged behind.

Shaun is a strong believer in the rights of the individual to have their personal data protected and their privacy respected – a belief made all the stronger in an age of surveillance from both governmental bodies and private companies all around the world.

He spends his spare time cooking, riding his motorbike and spending far too many hours in Star Trek Online hunting Klingons and Borg.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.