The big tech giant has been quite busy lately improving access to its Google One VPN service.
First, it launched its new Google Pixel 7 series with the software built-in and ready to be used at no extra cost. It then confirmed that it would remain a free VPN for up to five years or, better, for exactly the same time the smartphone will support security updates.
Now, Google is finally bringing access to its VPN on desktop too. This means that all macOS and Windows users will need is a premium Google One subscription active to enjoy better online privacy in a click.
Google One available for both macOS and Windows
After having promised this for a while, users in 22 countries can now protect their sensitive data on their PC or laptop with the Google-owned virtual private network. These include many European nations like France, Italy, and the UK, alongside the US, Japan, Mexico and Taiwan.
What you need is an active Google One premium subscription active. This must be a 2TB plan or higher, with a starting pricing of roughly $10 per month.
Compared to the competition, it certainly isn’t the cheapest VPN out there. However, there are some useful extra privacy tools to enjoy, like more space on its encrypted cloud storage. Plus, you can share the VPN connection and other benefits with up to five people at the same time.
It’s worth noting that Google One VPN can’t quite match the features offered by our favorite VPN providers on the market, either.
For starters, it lacks some advanced security features like automatically connecting when you access insecure Wi-Fi, or handy extras like blocking of malware and phishing sites.
For those looking for a reliable streaming VPN, Google One VPN isn’t the right choice either. That’s because you can’t switch servers nor spoof your location to bypass geo-restrictions. This means that you won’t be able to access censored sites, too.
In terms of VPN encryption protocols is pretty short in choices as it supports only Google’s own custom offering, but we still consider this secure and suitable for basic privacy usage.
Despite these weaknesses, if you’re already paying for a Google One premium plan, you can now carry on your online activities in an even more secure way no matter the device you use, all without the need to subscribe to another service.