Add ports, flexibility, and functionality to your Chromebook with an excellent USB-C hub
The best USB-C hubs for Chromebooks can effectively turn your laptop into a connectivity oasis, all with a compact piece of hardware that can even travel with you quite easily. True, some Chromebooks might have enough ports for your needs as they come, but even today’s best Chromebooks are paring things down with a focus on just USB-C, which is when you’ll need a portable hub to get all that functionality back.
USB-C Power Delivery passthrough and USB-A expansion ports might be the most obvious hub features, but they’re far from the only useful ones. A high-quality hub lets you expand to external monitors, connect to wired networks, access SD card storage, and more.
It’s also worth considering one certified under Google’s Works With Chromebook program, which promises perfect compatibility and a long functional lifespan. Not all the hubs in this collection feature the Works with Chromebook certification, but we’ve noted the ones that do and have been careful to ensure that the hubs lacking certification are still compatible and tested with Chromebooks.
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Anker 341
Best overall
Anker’s 341 USB-C hub features seven ports, including microSD and SD card readers, HDMI, dual USB-A 3.0, and a downstream USB-C port for data. It also has a USB-C port for passthrough charging up to 85W to keep your Chromebook topped up while in use. It supports up to a single 4K display at a 30Hz refresh rate.
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HyperDrive 5-in-1
Premium pick
$76 $90 Save $14
Hyper’s HyperDrive 5-in-1 USB-C hub is Chromebook-certified and features two USB-A ports, Gigabit Ethernet for wired internet, HDMI with support for 4K at 60Hz, and a USB-C port for passthrough charging with up to 86W of power. It’s compact, it’s built to a high standard, and it’s equally comfortable on a desk or in a pocket while traveling.
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Plugable 7-in-1
Best value
$30 $40 Save $10
Plugable’s 7-in-1 USB-C hub can reliably be had for about $30, making it one of the best values around. It features 87W passthrough USB-C charging, three USB-A (5Gbps) ports, SD and microSD card readers, and an HDMI port with 4K support at a 30Hz refresh rate. The hub is compact and built from a solid chunk of aluminum for ample durability.
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Uni USB-A hub
Best for USB-A
$19 $23 Save $4
Uni’s affordable USB-C hub is all about delivering USB-A ports for your older accessories that haven’t yet made the jump to the oval connector. This hub features four USB-A 3.0 ports with 5Gbps speeds, all wrapped up in a slim aluminum shell. The braided host cable should stand up well to wear, and it measures four feet for extra convenience.
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Baseus 8-in-1
This sleek hub from Baseus maximized ports and makes it as easy to use as possible. It offers three USB-A 3.0 (5Gbps) ports, Gigabit Ethernet, SD, and microSD card readers, HDMI with support for 4K at 30Hz, and a USB-C port for passthrough charging up to 100W. A small LED light on the top lets you know when the hub is in use.
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Lention USB-C Docking Station
$19 $26 Save $7
The Lention USB-C Hub is a great and powerful option for Chromebooks that could use an extra display. With a 4K HDMI port, you can easily extend your Chromebook’s screen. This hub also supports USB 3.0 and 2.0, so there’s plenty of room for device accessories. And with the Stable Driver 3.0, this device provides an optimal experience.
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Uni 8-in-1
Uni’s 8-in-1 USB-C hub features a removable host cable for easy replacement, as well as a rugged rubber case (removable) that protects against drops and shocks. The hub offers HDMI with 4K support at 30Hz, USB-C passthrough charging up to 100W, SD and microSD card readers, two USB-A 3.0, one USB-A 2.0, and Ethernet.
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Startech USB-C Multiport Hub
$58 $74 Save $16
The StarTech USB-C Multiport Hub is a multi-compatible USB-C hub that works well with Chromebooks. It has a 100W power pass-through, a 4K 60Hz HDMI port, two additional USB ports, and dual card slots for reading memory cards. This docking station weighs 0.21 pounds, so it’s light but provides all the power needed for a single monitor workstation.
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Cable Matters Multiport Adapter with HDMI
This is another hub with Chromebook certification, and it comes at you with dual 5Gbps USB-A ports, Gigabit Ethernet for wired internet, HDMI with support for a 4K display at a 60Hz refresh rate, and a USB-C port with up to 86W of power passthrough to keep your Chromebook charged. It’s super compact, making it ideal for travel.
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Mokin 9-in-1 USB-C Hub
$36 $42 Save $6
This Mokin hub allows you to extend a singular USB-C port with nine ports. This hub allows you to connect to an external monitor via HDMI at up to 4K 60Hz. It also comes with three USB 3.0 ports, 2 USB-C ports (one for data and one for power delivery), an SD/TF reader, and an RJ45 jack for dedicated networking.
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Ugreen 6-in-1 USB-C Hub
Those who need SD and microSD card readers in their dongle should check out this affordable Ugreen option. Aside from the card readers on the end, it has a downstream HDMI port with 4K support, three USB-A 3.0 ports, and an attached USB-C host cable. It works with pretty much any platform as long as USB-C is present.
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Acasis USB-C Hub with Dual HDMI
The Acasis USB-C Hub Dual provides great Dual 4k 30Hz HDMI ports and a 100W USB-C port for charging. It also transfers files and photos quickly with 2 USB-A 3.0 ports and 1 USB-C 3.0 port. The only drawback is that there is no Ethernet port built in.
Choosing the right USB-C hub for your Chromebook
Buying the right USB-C hub for your Chromebook will ultimately come down to how much you’re willing to spend and which ports you need to best tackle your workflow. Unless you’re looking for a powerful Chromebook docking station with a more permanent setup and a more generous selection of ports, one of the USB-C hubs we’ve included above should get the job done for a lot less money. USB-C hubs are also much more portable, and anyone traveling with their Chromebook should have one of these on hand should the need arise for more ports.
Anker’s 341 7-in-1 hub is tough to beat when it comes to USB-C hubs. It offers a wide mix of ports that should suit most people, and its low price tag is also quite attractive. It features an HDMI port with support for a 4K display at a 30Hz refresh rate, it has USB-C passthrough charging with up to 85W to the host laptop, SD and microSD card readers, a USB-C data port for newer accessories, and two USB-A 3.0 ports for older hardware still using the older hookup.
Anker’s hub does not, however, offer an Ethernet hookup for wired internet. If you don’t mind spending a bit more, the HyperDrive 5-in-1 adds Gigabit Ethernet, 4K display support at 60Hz, USB-C passthrough charging up to 86W, and dual USB-A ports at 5Gbps each. It has the Works with Chromebook certification and is built to a high standard.
And for the overall best value, the $30 Plugable 7-in-1 hub should offer everything you need (save Ethernet). It has microSD and SD card readers, up to 87W of passthrough USB-C charging, HDMI with 4K support at 30Hz, and three USB-A 3.0 ports at 5Gbps each.
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