4 browser isolation and security options for Chrome in 2026
Compare Legba, Zscaler SquareX, LayerX, and Island. See which provide remote isolation, browser controls, or both.
The fastest way to narrow this list is to decide what must happen to the page. Remote isolation runs active web content away from the local device. Browser security extensions keep execution local while adding controls.
Those are different product categories. A Chrome extension is only the delivery method. It does not prove that the product provides remote browser isolation.
This guide compares four options that work with Chrome. Legba is our product. The other entries use current first-party sources, and each option is labeled by what it actually does.
Compare the job, not the label
Use four questions to reduce the decision:
- Execution model: Does active page content run remotely or locally?
- Buying path: Can you start directly, or does the product require a sales process?
- Deployment: Is it a self-serve extension, a managed extension, or an enterprise browser?
- Fit: Is the job personal browsing, remote isolation, DLP, or managed enterprise access?
For a deeper look at how to evaluate browser isolation in the Chrome extension form factor specifically, see Browser isolation Chrome extension: what it is and what to check.
Four options that work with Chrome
1. Legba
Category: Self-serve Chrome extension with private routing and remote isolation modes.
Legba is a Chrome extension with two modes. Ghost gives you a private browser route. Shield opens a page in an isolated browser off your device. $10 a month, or $100 a year.
Best fit: Someone who wants to start directly in Chrome. Ghost handles a private browser route. Shield handles a page they do not trust.
Limit: It is browser only. It does not route every application on your device or replace a corporate VPN.
For the technical architecture, see How Legba's browser isolation works.
2. Zscaler and SquareX
Category: Enterprise browser security delivered through lightweight extensions. Zscaler completed its SquareX acquisition on February 5, 2026.
Buying path: Evaluate the current Zscaler offering. Do not rely on legacy SquareX self-serve plan details. Read the Zscaler acquisition announcement.
Best fit: Organizations already evaluating Zscaler browser security. For historical product context, see Legba vs SquareX.
3. LayerX Security
Category: Enterprise browser security extension. LayerX adds browser controls to existing browsers. It is not remote browser isolation.
Buying path: Subscription pricing is per user and the product page directs buyers to request a demo. See the LayerX extension page.
Best fit: Enterprises that want DLP and browser policy in existing browsers without remote execution.
4. Island Enterprise Browser
Category: Enterprise browser platform. Island also offers browser extension options for Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Firefox.
Buying path: Enterprise demo and sales process. See the current Island product page.
Best fit: Enterprises choosing a managed browser platform or an extension-based path within the same platform. Its public product page is not a self-serve consumer offer.
Quick comparison table
| Product | Category | Buying path | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legba | Private route and remote isolation | Direct Chrome install | Self-serve browser use |
| Zscaler and SquareX | Enterprise browser security | Zscaler evaluation | Existing Zscaler buyers |
| LayerX | Browser security controls | Request a demo | Enterprise DLP and policy |
| Island | Enterprise browser platform | Request a demo | Managed enterprise access |
How to choose
The decision tree is simpler than the product pages make it seem.
- If you want a self-serve Chrome option, evaluate Legba. It provides both a private route and an isolated browser mode. $10 a month, or $100 a year.
- If you want local browser controls for DLP and SaaS policy, evaluate LayerX. It is not a remote isolation product.
- If you want an enterprise browser platform with browser and extension deployment choices, evaluate Island.
- If SquareX is already on your shortlist, use Zscaler's current materials and buying path after the acquisition.
Budget, team size, existing security infrastructure, and deployment tolerance are the real deciding factors. The right product is the one that solves the intended job and fits the deployment you can maintain.
For the broader question of whether you need browser isolation at all (versus a VPN or a proxy), see Browser isolation vs VPN: which tool fits in 2026?.
Continue the evaluation
These guides cover extension criteria, the SquareX comparison, and the VPN decision.
Browser Isolation Chrome Extension: What It Is, Who Needs It, and What To Look For
Choosing a Chrome browser isolation extension starts with the job: contain phishing, risky browsing, or AI and SaaS use. See what matters.
Legba vs SquareX after the Zscaler acquisition
SquareX is now part of Zscaler. Compare that current buyer path with Legba's independent Chrome extension and published price.
Browser isolation vs VPN: which tool fits in 2026?
VPNs protect a network path. Browser isolation changes where web content runs. Compare their scope, limits, and best uses.
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Try it on the next page you do not trust
Legba is a Chrome extension with two modes. Ghost gives you a private browser route. Shield opens a page in an isolated browser off your device. $10 a month, or $100 a year.
