Modern laptops, including the best Chromebooks on the market, are highly capable machines ideal for work and play. While Chromebooks are workhorses, they often don’t have an excess of ports.

If you only need a LAN port or HDMI out, inexpensive adapters are available that will convert USB ports to these functions. A more elegant solution is the docking station, an essential Chromebook accessory. It can add a wide selection of extra ports from a single connection and charge the Chromebook too — great for those who want to use a Chromebook in an office environment with desktop peripherals.

These docking stations come in all shapes, sizes, price points, and configurations. Not all docking stations play nicely with ChromeOS, so to make choosing one a breeze, we handpicked the best ones available.

Our favorite docks and docking stations for Chromebooks

Plugable's UD-MSTHDC is one of the newer docks in this roundup, released recently by Plugable as a Chromebook-first solution. It has Works With Chromebook certification but will also work with Windows devices. The dock has 13 downstream ports, including on the front 3.5mm audio, dual USB-A at 10Gbps, and USB-C at 10Gbps with 15W of charging power. The back of the dock has another four USB-A ports at 5Gbps, Gigabit Ethernet, two DisplayPort and two HDMI, and an AC plug. The USB-C host cable lives on one end of the dock, while the other end has lock slots.

This dock will allow you to power up to dual 4K external monitors — each with a 60Hz refresh rate — and the mix of HDMI and DP means fewer potential dongles. In addition, the USB-C host cable can deliver up to 60W of charging power back to your Chromebook. Although this is a relatively expensive option, it's a powerful Chromebook accessory for anyone who wants a more permanent setup.

HyperDrive's 14-in-1 USB-C dock (HD-GD1000) is regularly priced at about $250 on the official HyperDrive site, but Amazon is currently offering it for about $80. That's an extreme discount for a Works with Chromebook-certified dock that will work with just about any other laptop with USB-C; it also includes 13 downstream ports and a USB-C host connection with up to 65W of charging power.

The dock offers up to dual 4K monitor support at 60Hz (with triple display support at a lower refresh rate) via the dual HDMI and dual DisplayPort hookups, plus the USB-C port can handle video. It also has three USB-A at 10Gbps, two USB-A at 4.8Gbps, Gigabit Ethernet, two downstream USB-C at 10Gbps, and a 3.5mm audio combo jack, which is pretty much all you'll ever need.

Very few docks support as many platforms as the Kensington SD1650P, which works with Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, iOS/iPadOS, and Android. That flexibility and a relatively low price point make it a great choice for anyone wanting to enhance their Chromebook using a single USB-C port.

But at this cost, what isn't included is a power supply. Some basic features will work by taking power from the computer, but to charge using the SD1650P requires you to have a USB-C PSU, ideally made for the connected machine. The dock provides two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps) ports, a single USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps) that is used for passing power from an external PSU, HDMI 2.0, VGA and a single Gigabit Ethernet port. The HDMI supports up to 4K, and the VGA port has a maximum resolution of 1080p.

With an integrated USB-C upstream cable, the Kensington SD1650P is a self-contained dock that should work with almost any system and should fit easily into a typical Chromebook carry case to bring along.

The only weakness of this design is that because it only uses USB 3.2 Gen 1, and not Gen 2, the performance of USB ports and LAN could be impacted by the bandwidth required for connecting a monitor.

Designed specifically for Chromebooks, the StarTech USB-C Dock (DK31C3MNCR) is an excellent option with multiple video outputs, including a USB-C port capable of delivering a video signal. It can transmit a 4K 30Hz signal to three monitors, a 4K 60Hz signal to two monitors, or a 5K 60Hz signal to a single monitor. If you're interested in a multiscreen setup with a bunch of great Chromebook monitors, this should be a top choice.

In other features, you get 60W power delivery for charging the Chromebook, a Gigabit Ethernet port for wired connectivity, and an audio jack for speakers or microphones. You can also use the VESA mounting holes to mount the dock and reduce the clutter on your desk. The screw lock host post also ensures no accidental disconnection to the dock.

Certified by Works With Chromebook, the Acer USB Type-C Dock (D501) will work seamlessly with Chromebooks from all brands. It also packs pretty much everything you need from a dock. There are 11 ports, including four USB-A, two HDMI 2.0, and two DisplayPort 1.4. The dock can also deliver up to 60W power to a connected laptop, enough to fast charge almost any Chromebook on the market.

Among other highlights, two of four USB-A ports and the single downstream USB-C port on the dock are rated USB 3.1 Gen 2 and support up to 10Gbps data transfer rates, which is excellent if you want to connect any fast external storage. Additionally, you can connect up to three monitors using Acer D501. However, you'll only get a Full HD output if you plug in three monitors; 4K output is only possible when only one or two external monitors are attached.

Thunderbolt connectivity isn't yet super common when it comes to Chromebooks — the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook that we reviewed is a high-end exception — but it is typically the standard for Windows and is sort of in place with Macs, thanks to their USB4 hookups. The beauty of Thunderbolt is that it's backwards compatible with many standards, including regular ol' USB-C that your Chromebook might offer. If you often switch between devices and operating systems, this is one of the best docks you can buy today. It costs a fortune, but its wide selection of ports and strong performance make it a top option for power users and pros.

CalDigit managed to cram 18 ports into the full aluminum body, with three Thunderbolt 4 (one reserved for the host connection), three USB-C, five USB-A, DisplayPort 1.4, 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, 3.5mm audio combo, 3.5mm in/out, and UHS-II SD and microSD card readers. It can optimally handle up to an 8K display at 60Hz, but only if you're using Thunderbolt. It can deliver up to 98W of charging power back to the host, and its front USB-C port can also handle up to 20W of charging power for connected accessories. The rest of the USB-C and USB-A hookups top out at 7.5W.

Those who often travel might not want to leave their dock behind, and in that case, the OWC Travel Dock E should be a great choice. It does not require AC power, but it does have a USB-C passthrough port that can handle up to 100W of power. So even if your Chromebook has just one USB-C port, you can still keep it topped up.

The dock otherwise has two USB-A 3.2 ports at 5Gbps each, an HDMI 2.0 port for a 4K external display, a UHS-II SD card reader, and Gigabit Ethernet. The host cable is fixed, which is a downside — if it gets damaged, you'll likely have to replace the entire dock — but the package remains affordable. It can certainly be used full-time on a desk, but it will excel when on the move.

While this accessory belongs more in the realm of great USB-C hubs for Chromebooks, its seven ports and rock-bottom pricing keep it in the running whenever we talk about expanding ports. The Anker 341 costs only about $35 and includes seven total ports as well as a fixed USB-C host cable. Moreover, it's designed to work across different laptops using different operating systems, including ChromeOS.

The HDMI port can handle 4K at 30Hz, there are microSD and SD card readers, and the USB-C port offers passthrough charging at up to 85W. Furthermore, you get a downstream USB-C port and two downstream USB-A ports. This hub doesn't require an AC power source, making it great for travel. And for those in an office, it's handy to have around when you need to read removable storage or add a few USB-A ports on the cheap.

Getting the best docking station for your Chromebook

Picking the right docking station for your favorite Chromebook depends on the ports you need most, the size you can fit on your desk (or in your luggage), and the price. That's why our recommendations offer a variety of docks that fall in different price brackets and feature a diverse selection of ports.

Our favorite dock for Chromebooks right now is the Plugable UD-MSTHDC. Our justification is that this is Chromebook-certified, yet it can also work with Windows laptops for added versatility. It has 13 downstream ports, including a mix of dual HDMI and dual DisplayPort, with support for dual external displays at a 60Hz refresh rate each. It also has six USB-A ports, 3.5mm audio, Gigabit Ethernet, and downstream USB-C at 10Gbps with 15W of charging potential. When connected, the dock can also deliver up to 60W of charging power to the host laptop.

The HyperDrive 14-in-1 USB-C Dock should be a great second choice for those who want more charging power and can afford the $250 asking price. This docking station has 13 downstream ports, 65W of charging power, and dual external display support at 60Hz.

The Kensington SD1650P is a practical option at a lower price, a dramatically more budget-friendly option for those who don't need charging. This compact dock ticks plenty of boxes with two USB-A 3.2 ports, one USB-C port, an HDMI port capable of powering a 4K monitor at 60Hz, an Ethernet port, and a VGA port.