Firefox is the fourth most popular web browser according to usage statistics from W3counter. If you’re using Firefox and your VPN provider offers a VPN add-on, you may want to use it. It can be difficult to understand what features are and aren’t included in the Firefox add-on though. Here are three of the best VPNs and what their Firefox VPN add-ons can do.
NordVPN
Nordvpn’s Firefox extension is available for free here, although you will need a subscribed account for it to work. As with any browser-based VPN add-on, NordVPN is technically a proxy, as it only reroutes the traffic from the browser app, rather than the whole operating system like a VPN. Nord VPN isn’t just a proxy, though, it’s an encrypted proxy. All connections through NordVPN’s Firefox extension are protected by the best available 256-bit AES encryption as if you were using the standalone VPN app.
The Firefox add-on specifically includes support for CyberSec, which is NordVPN’s ad-, tracker-, and malware-blocker. The add-on also blocks by default, the WebRTC functionality that can leak your real IP address, even when using a VPN.
The full range of more than 5200 VPN servers across 59 countries is available in the Firefox add-on allowing for maximum flexibility, although you can only select a generic location rather than a specific server. You’re also still covered by NordVPN’s strict no-logs policy.
Tip: It’s generally recommended that you connect to a fast, nearby VPN server unless you need to connect to a specific location to bypass location-based access restrictions.
Prices start from $3.49 a month, for a three-year plan covering up to 6 simultaneous devices.
Surfshark
Surfshark’s free Firefox extension can be downloaded from here. Once you’ve installed the extension, you’ll need to sign in to connect to one of the more than 1700 servers in 63 countries. When your VPN extension is connected, all of your browser connections are encrypted with the 256-bit AES encryption algorithm
The Firefox extension from Surfshark doesn’t support the entire Surfshark feature-set. One of the key features included, however, is the CleanWeb ad-, tracker-, and malware-blocker. Other features include a strict no-logs policy and a private DNS service, designed to prevent DNS leaks.
Prices for a Surfshark subscription start from just $1.99 a month, for a two-year plan that supports an unlimited number of devices.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN’s Firefox extension is a little different from that of other VPN providers. Instead of working as a standalone VPN tool, the browser add-on is a configuration interface for the main ExpressVPN app. As such it requires the main ExpressVPN app to be installed.
One of the advantages of the browser add-on being an interface for the full VPN client is that the full feature set of the VPN is available. Additionally, all of the communications from your device are protected, rather than just the browser traffic.
The ExpressVPN Firefox add-on is available in 16 different languages, so it’s easy to use even for people that don’t speak English. It also blocks WebRTC to prevent it from leaking your real IP address when using the VPN.
Prices start from $6.67 a month, for a one-year subscription that covers up to five simultaneous devices.
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