Skip to content
How it worksToolsPricingAd BlockerFAQ
Add to Chrome — Free

Glossary

What is Cookie?

A cookie is a small file a website stores in your browser to remember information between visits, like your login or preferences. First-party cookies come from the site you're on and are usually helpful. Third-party cookies come from other companies embedded in the page and are the ones commonly used to track you across the web.

Add to Chrome — FreeFree forever · 7-day Premium trial
  • Plain-English definition
  • Privacy explained
  • Free VPN for Chrome

Why it matters

Cookie and your privacy

Cookies keep identifying you even with a VPN on, because they're stored in your browser. Hiding your IP with Zippa plus blocking third-party cookies tackles both the network and the browser sides of tracking.

Learn more: Am I Being Tracked?

The honest bit

Free because Premium pays the bills — never because we sell your data

The usual catch with a free VPN is that it logs and sells your browsing to make money. Zippa doesn’t. Our free tier is funded by people who upgrade to Premium, and we keep a strict no-logs policy — we don’t record the sites you visit, your real IP, or your DNS queries. There’s simply nothing to sell.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The questions people actually ask before they install — answered plainly.

  • First-party cookies are set by the site you're visiting and handle things like staying logged in. Third-party cookies are set by other companies embedded in the page — usually advertisers — and are used to track you across different sites.

  • Yes. A VPN changes the IP a site sees, but cookies already stored in your browser stay put and keep identifying you. That's why blocking third-party cookies matters alongside hiding your IP.

  • It depends who runs it. Plenty of free VPNs pay their bills by logging and selling browsing data — that's the real catch. Zippa is funded by people who upgrade to Premium, not by your data, and we keep a strict no-logs policy, so there's nothing to record or sell in the first place.

Try a free VPN for Chrome

Now you know what cookie means — see it in action. Add Zippa free, or browse the full glossary.

Add to Chrome — FreeNo card · Cancel anytime

Explore more ways to browse free

Same one-click extension, different job to be done. Pick the guide that matches what you need.

Free VPN for ChromeThe one-click free VPN proxy that lives in your Chrome toolbar.VPN Proxy ExtensionA lightweight proxy extension that reroutes your browser traffic.Unblock WebsitesReach sites blocked at school, work, or by your region.Hide Your IP AddressSwap your real IP for one in another country in a click.What Is My IP?See your public IP, location, and ISP live — then hide it free.IP Address LookupSee exactly what your IP address reveals about you.How to Change Your IPGet a fresh IP address in seconds — no settings to touch.What Is a VPN?A plain-English guide to what a VPN does and when to use one.VPN Leak TestCheck whether your VPN is actually hiding your real IP.Am I Being Tracked?See how sites follow you online and how to make it harder.

More from Zippa

Free tools, side-by-side comparisons, use-case guides, and a plain-English glossary.

Free privacy toolsWebRTC & DNS leak tests, browser fingerprint, user agent, and a password generator.Compare VPNs & proxiesBest free VPN for Chrome, proxy vs VPN, Tor vs VPN, and honest alternatives.VPN for every situationGuides for Chromebook, school, work, public Wi-Fi, and travel.VPN glossaryPlain-English definitions of VPN, proxy, DNS, WebRTC, and more.

VPN by location

Free: US, UK, Netherlands, Singapore. Premium adds Germany, France, Japan, India, Australia, Canada.

Or head back to the Zippa VPN home page.