Google launches its VPN on Windows and Mac. However, you must be a Google One Premium subscriber to take advantage of it.
You no longer need to take out your smartphone to use the virtual private network of Google One. The Mountain View firm has just launched the VPN One apps for macOS and Windows. As on mobile, the VPN encrypts and hides, as much as possible, your internet traffic. You can’t use it to access content from other countries like you can 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 on Windows and Mac
The VPN requires at least a Google One Premium plan, with 2TB, at €9.99 per month, but you can share access with up to five other people. Desktop support is available in 22 countries, countries in which Google One is already available. This concerns in particular the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the majority of Europe, including France. You’ll also need macOS Big Sur or Windows 10, at a minimum, to enjoy it. That being said, while the Mac app works on both x86 and ARM machines, on Windows, 32-bit or ARM systems are not supported. You will therefore have to opt for another solution on an ARM machine, such as a Surface Pro.
However, you must be a Google One Premium subscriber to take advantage of it.
As before, Google had its VPN audited by independent authorities. In addition, the American giant shares the code of the bookstores of its app to offer full transparency. The audit for desktop apps will be made public in the “coming weeks”.
Desktop apps were long overdue, which makes perfect sense when you consider that many VPN providers already offer their own. That being said, depending on your needs, Google VPN’s offer might not be your best option. Mozilla’s VPN lets you choose your country for $60 a month, and if you just want to protect your browsing, there’s Opera’s free VPN. Google’s main advantage remains the bundle: you mostly buy cloud storage and it comes with a VPN, among other nice perks.
