- Opera’s built-in VPN is still free and active — but the menu path to enable it has changed
- Globus VPN Browser is no longer officially maintained — flagged below with a safety caution
- NordVPN and Windscribe remain solid, currently active options
- The core problem (Google Shopping results varying heavily by region) is still very real for dropshippers researching outside the USA
Using a free VPN browser or paid VPN service helps remove regional blocks from your internet searches so you can see and find what you actually need. For example, if you live outside the USA and you’re trying to use Google Shopping to research product ideas, you’ve probably noticed that Google makes that surprisingly difficult by default.
You may have tried changing your location settings on Google, or in your browser. You may have even tried implementing fixes found on Google’s own support forums or community threads, only to find none of them actually worked.
After some digging, it turns out there’s a reliable solution: free and paid VPN browsers and extensions.
What Is a VPN, and How Does It Help?
A VPN is a virtual private network. It allows you to change your browser’s apparent location — its IP address — from wherever you actually are.
For example, if you live in Canada, your computer’s IP address reflects that. Once you connect through a VPN, that apparent address changes. If you want your browser to appear as though it’s based in the USA, you simply set your VPN’s virtual location to the USA. Most VPN services let you choose from dozens of countries depending on the provider.
So — should you use a free or paid VPN service? Both can work well, depending on the specific service. As with most things, you generally get what you pay for. With free VPN services, it’s hit or miss — a few are genuinely solid, but most free options fall short. Below, we’ll share the free options we recommend, followed by a short list of reputable paid VPN services worth considering.
Globus Free VPN Browser
Globus VPN Browser’s official website has gone down, and the software hasn’t received updates in several years. It’s still available through third-party download aggregator sites like Softonic, but downloading software from anywhere other than an official developer site always carries added risk — there’s no guarantee of what version or bundled extras you’re actually getting. We’d recommend skipping Globus in favor of the actively maintained options below, particularly Opera’s built-in VPN or a reputable paid service.
For context, the original appeal of Globus was its ability to remove regional content blocks for PC users (it was never available for Mac). International users and researchers often run into content restricted in their region — frustrating, but solvable with the right tool. Given its current unmaintained status, we now recommend the Opera VPN browser below as the safer, actively supported equivalent.
Opera VPN Browser (Recommended)
Opera browser works for both PC and Mac users. Opera has a free, unlimited VPN built directly into the browser, letting you change your virtual server location with just a few clicks — no separate download, subscription, or third-party extension required.
Go here to download Opera Browser for free on Windows or Mac
Once you’ve downloaded and installed Opera, here’s how to activate the VPN so you can change your server location anytime you want to research the USA version of Google Shopping:
Click the “O” Opera icon in the top-left corner of the browser window. You must have Opera downloaded and open first to do this.
Click “Settings” from the dropdown menu that appears. (Note: in older Opera versions this was labeled “Preferences” — both lead to the same place.)
Navigate to “Privacy & Security” in the left-hand sidebar. On some current versions, the VPN toggle now lives under a separate “Features” tab instead — if you don’t see it under Privacy & Security, check there.
Once enabled, you’ll see a blue VPN badge appear in your address bar. Click it anytime to turn the VPN on/off and check your data usage.
Click the VPN badge in the address bar and select your desired region. Once set to a USA-based server, head to Google.com/shopping and you’ll see the same results a person physically located in the USA would see.
If you’re doing market research using Google Shopping, the Opera VPN makes it possible to see the same product listings, pricing, and competitor data that a person located in the USA would see — essential if you’re targeting the US market but researching from outside it. Opera’s VPN is no-log, meaning it doesn’t track or store your browsing activity, and the no-log policy is independently audited.
Other Free and Paid VPN Browsers and Extensions
- NordVPN — one of the most established and reputable paid VPN providers, with strong speed and security track records
- Windscribe — offers a generous free tier alongside paid plans, with servers across 130+ locations
- Browse VPN extensions on the Chrome Web Store — search and compare current Chrome-compatible VPN extensions directly
Whichever option you choose, the core benefit remains the same: a VPN lets you research Google Shopping, competitor pricing, and product trends exactly as a USA-based shopper would see them — a genuinely useful edge when you’re building a dropship store targeting the US market from anywhere else in the world.
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Hi Trent,
thank you for the article! I’d tried your guide to switch my IP using Opera VPN to see US ads from the Czech republic, but it just didn’t work.
The IP changed but Google thought I’m in Ukraine. I figured the free IP is used by many other people.
I had been struggling with it for some time and finally find a solution that works – step by step guide is on my blog: https://www.onesork.com/how-to-change-location-on-google-shopping/
Hopefully, this will make someone’s life a bit easier. So far works perfectly for me.
Thanks for the comment Jan. You’re correct, Opera just recently adjusted the way they structure their IP’s for their Free VPN. They said they are adding more and more new geo based IP’s to their system but for now it’s not like it once was before Jan of 2018. The VPN plugin/extension you shared looks like it would work good. Another VPN is https://windscribe.com
Thanks Trent!
Thank you so much .
You’re welcome Renate!