Google launches its VPN on Windows and Mac. However, you must be a Google One Premium subscriber to take advantage of this benefit.
You no longer need to take out your smartphone to use the Google One virtual private network. Mountain View has just launched VPN One apps for macOS and Windows. Just like on mobile devices, a VPN encrypts and hides your internet traffic as much as possible. You can’t use it to access content from other countries like with other VPNs, but it can help if you’re worried about exposing your IP address or using a public hotspot.
Google launches its VPN for Windows and Mac
The VPN requires at least the Google One Premium 2TB plan for €9.99/month, but you can share access with up to five other people. Desktop support is available in 22 countries where Google One is already available. This applies in particular to the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK and most of Europe, including France. You’ll also need macOS Big Sur or Windows 10, at the very least, to enjoy it. That being said, while the Mac application runs on both x86 and ARM machines, Windows does not support 32-bit or ARM systems. Therefore, you will have to choose another solution on an ARM machine, such as Surface Pro.
However, you must be a Google One Premium subscriber to take advantage of this benefit.
As before, Google has audited its VPN by independent bodies. In addition, the American giant is sharing its app bookstore code to ensure full transparency. The desktop application audit will be made public in the “coming weeks”.
Desktop apps are long overdue, which makes sense considering that many VPN providers already offer their own. That being said, depending on your needs, the Google VPN offer might not be the best option. Mozilla’s VPN lets you choose your country for $60 a month, and if you just want to secure your browsing, there’s a free VPN from Opera. The main benefit of Google remains the package: you basically buy cloud storage, and it comes with a VPN, among other nice perks.