Hotspot Shield Review: A VPN that Has Everything You Need

Choosing the best VPN for you is not easy, and we know it. The market is overcrowded with options that look too similar, so you can’t really tell the difference between services until you take a look under the hood so that you can see and understand the differences. That takes a bit of expertise because if you do look under the hood and see nothing but a bunch of twisted irons instead of a working machine that makes sense and you can understand, then the experience will not be beneficial. Not to worry. It’s my job to tell you what’s under the hood, how it works, and why it’s good for you.

In this Hotspot Shield review, I will tell you everything you need to know about this VPN. First, I will show you its features, performance specs, free version, subscription packages, customer support, and the VPN app. Then, we will show you how it compares to NordVPN, one of the industry’s top leaders. Last but not least, I will also show you how it compares to the industry’s averages so you can see if this VPN suits your needs.

We must confess to you that I am excited about reviewing Hotspot Shield at last. Of course, not every VPN network has more than 3,200 servers in over 70 countries, so as we prepared this review, we looked forward to diving into the network. But enough of my chatter! So roll up your sleeves, and let’s dig in!

Hotspot Shield’s general panorama

This will be an extensive Hotspot Shield review. We will analyze all its main features in detail, but we start by looking at the big picture with a quick overview.

We will start with the good news. The speeds are astonishing for both download and upload. This is one of the rare good VPNs that offer a free option whose only limitation is the daily traffic, which has a quota of 500 MB daily.

A question that will probably be nagging at your mind is, does HotSpot Shield work with Netflix? We are pleased to tell you that it does and unblocks other video streaming platforms.

Now for the other side of the coin. Your account will get you five simultaneous connections only, which is not necessarily enough for every user. In addition, the service is based in the US, a member of all the Eyes alliances – Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and 14 Eyes. This is not so good from the privacy perspective because the US enforces strict data retention laws, and, as Edward Snowden has shown us, the country doesn’t think much of its citizens’ rights to privacy. The last thing we are not crazy about is customer service. It includes no phone or live chat, so if you need help, you must submit a ticket and wait for an answer. That’s a slow procedure most of the time.

Hotspot Shield pros and cons

Hotspot Shield VPN’s background

The company called AnchorFree was founded in 2005, then it changed its name to Pango. It’s Hotspot Shield’s parent company.

As we write this, the VPN’s network comprises over 3,200 servers scattered around 70 countries globally. Very few VPNs in the market boast such a high number of network nodes. In the information age, size isn’t everything, of course. But that vast number of servers almost guarantees that you can connect to one of them physically close to you. And this does matter because the distance to the server affects your internet speeds, especially if the server’s bandwidth is not great.

The service is headquartered in Redwood City, California.

Let me guess your thoughts. Did we not say the USA? The country with a notoriously intrusive government when it comes to surveillance? The one with those stringent data retention laws? Isn’t that a rather unfriendly location for a VPN supposed to keep me hidden, safe, and anonymous? Yes, it’s all true.

We prefer VPNs based in countries like Panama, Switzerland, Seychelles, and other jurisdictions whose stance on privacy is to support it instead of impairing it. However, this one is based in California, and that detail could be worth ignoring if the service is excellent. You’ll be the judge.

But Hotspot Shield knows that its geolocation can be a source of hesitance for prospective users. So, it’s releasing transparency reports every year since 2017 to reassure its users about its commitment to their privacy. The 2019 transparency report shows 56 requests for user data, of which none was honored. That should improve our peace of mind about the service’s location.

Server locations

Hotspot Shield provides over 1,800 virtual servers in 80+ countries. The VPN service has servers in almost every continent, whereas the Hotspot Shield Free is only available in four nations.

Hotspot Shield has servers in the following locations:

Continents	No. of countries
North America	6
South America	3
Oceania	2
Europe	40
Africa	3
Asia	21

Like most VPNs, most of Hotspot Shield’s servers are located in Europe and North America. However, there are more servers than usual in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. It also operates servers in rare countries like Peru, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and Algeria.

Moreover, this VPN has city servers in seven Western countries: the UK, Italy, the US, Australia, Canada, Spain, and France.

Hotspot Shield does not reveal the number of unique IPs it offers, but it provides IP addresses in multiple locations with virtual servers. Hence, the VPN does not include physical hardware in any country but still allows access to geo-blocked sites.

Additionally, the VPN service shares its servers with VPN360, TouchVPN, and Betternet. This is quite unusual because it implies that the server network is accessed by numerous users, possibly causing server congestion.  

Hotspot Shield Free is restricted to four countries

Hotspot Shield Free server network is smaller than that of Hotspot Shield Premium. It only provides servers on the US West Coast (Los Angeles), Singapore, the UK, and the US East Coast (New York).

However, the server is moderately better than Proton VPN and Atlas VPN, which provide 3 servers and 2 servers, respectively.

---

Dedicated IP address

Hotspot Shield does not offer any dedicated IP addresses. A dedicated IP gives you a unique IP address each time you connect your VPN, which is linked to your account and cannot be accessed by anyone else. Using a dedicated IP to access Netflix is more secure because you are less likely to get blacklisted. In addition, it supports online payments and avoids CAPTCHAs.

This VPN provider uses shared dynamic IP addresses, implying that many users share an always-changing IP address. This may be handy for regular torrent users since shared IP addresses enable you to ‘hide in the crowd,’ making monitoring your P2P activities difficult.

---

Privacy – Is Hotspot Shield VPN private?

This VPN service is not trustworthy enough to safeguard your online privacy because it logs a lot of your identifiable and sensitive information. Although it retains the data for the period of your VPN access, it is still intrusive. Furthermore, Hotspot Shield is based in the United States, which is not privacy-friendly.

Data logging policy

If you think that you are safer on the internet just because you use any VPN, think twice. Take most of the free VPN services available. They charge you nothing, hide your IP address, and encrypt your traffic. So far, so good, right? Not really. Consider that whenever something is free in the digital world, it’s because the actual product is you.

The free VPNs that some people naively use still have to pay for bandwidth, electricity, and all the expenses they incur. And how do they do that? They collect and sell your data to data-mining companies who know how to interpret it and squeeze profits out of it. So, using a free VPN did not make you any safer. In reality, it left you more exposed to third parties.

That’s why if you’re going to use a VPN, it has to be a paid service or the free version of a serious service that keeps the minimal possible amount of data about its users. The best VPNs keep no data, but at the bare minimum, they must keep the service going – usernames, passwords, and payment information. So the crucial questions in this regard would be: is Hotspot Shield for free? Is Hotspot Shield safe? The answers are: it depends, and yes, mostly.

Hotspot Shield is not a free service in the usual sense, but it offers an option free of charge as long as you don’t use more than half a GB daily. The safety question remains open, and it has nothing to do with the price but with the data the network collects, as explained earlier.

It all comes down to the data the network collects and keeps. Hotspot Shield says it has a “no-logging policy.” That is the standard policy in the world’s best VPNs. Pango, the parent corporation, states that the network “does not record your VPN browsing activities in any way that can be associated back to you.”

Please notice something. It says it keeps no record of your browsing activities. It does not say it doesn’t hold a record of other types of data. So what is the data they do log? According to the company itself, it records the following information:

• Communication details (email, phone, chat)
• ID verification details
• Payment information
• Device hashes
• Geolocation
• Domains accessed by users – anonymized, theoretically untraceable to individuals
• Bandwidth use
• Length of VPN sessions

If you use the Android free version of the service, it will also provide your geolocation to the company’s sponsors.

Hotspot Shield keeps more information about your activities than the average VPN service, which is not good. The metadata they log looks harmless, but other excellent services, like ExpressVPN, do not collect any metadata at all.

If you are using the free version, you’re getting a better service than other free services for sure, and you are giving up much less data to the provider than you would to other free VPNs. If, on the other hand, you are paying a fee, maybe the metadata collection is not to your liking unless the network’s performance is outstanding. But is it? We’ll see it a little later in this review.

---

Owned by Aura, Based in the US

Aura, a US-based firm, owns Hotspot Shield. Because the US has invasive privacy laws, the company may be obligated to collect and hand over user data when petitioned by the authorities.

Moreover, the United States is a founding member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance, a group of nations that operate collectively to collect, distribute, and analyze extensive amounts of intelligence data. Therefore, the VPN service is unfavorable for online privacy and should be based in a jurisdiction with no data retention laws.

---

No longer publishes warrant canary 

The VPN used to issue transparency reports outlining all of the government appeals it got and how they responded. This helped to build trust and attested to the company’s claims of secure logging. Unfortunately, Hotspot Shield has not published any transparency report since 2019.

The lack of transparency reports and independent audits means there is no proof to verify the VPN’s privacy protection claims, so you cannot trust it entirely.

---

Controversial history

Hotspot Shield has been involved in several issues in recent years, as detailed below:

• In 2016: A report from CSIRO revealed certain suspicious actions by Hotspot Shield. The VPN’s Android app introduced JavaScript codes to monitor users and advertise. This implies that Hotspot Shield employed tracking codes to log and sell user data to third parties.
• In 2017: According to the CDT (Center for Democracy and Technology) report, the free version of Hotspot Shield engaged in ‘unfair and deceitful practices.’ The VPN service first oversold its security and privacy advantages to the extent of disputing that logging your IP address is not considered personal data.
• In  2018: An independent analyst uncovered and reported a Hotspot Shield bug. The report indicated that the VPN compromises users’ personal information, such as Wi-Fi name and location. Hotspot Shield ultimately confirmed the precision of the report.

This type of background may make Hotspot Shield untrustworthy. Fortunately, the VPN service has a new owner and has restored its privacy policy. It now shows its users how the free version advertises, as well as the type of data it collects and that it does not. However, given Hotspot Shield’s lack of audits and transparency reports, claims of selling user data, and its present logging policy, you cannot entirely trust it to safeguard your privacy.

---

Security – Is Hotspot Shield safe?

Kill switch

A VPN creates a digital tunnel for your traffic to flow. Your data remains safe as long as it’s within that tunnel. But, suppose, for any reason, the tunnel breaks down. In that case, your information leaks to the internet, and your safety is no longer guaranteed. That’s why there is a thing called a “kill switch.”

The Kill Switch is a computer program that is always aware of your VPN connection. If it breaks down, the switch automatically disconnects you from the internet or kills online applications. Thus, it prevents your information from leaking into the internet unencrypted or from your private IP address to be shown.

Hotspot Shield has a kill switch, but not on all platforms. It’s available only if you’re on Windows, iOS, macOS, or Android.

---

Encryption

The standard encryption in Hotspot Shield is AES 128, but it also supports AES 256. The latter option is the industry standard and is unbreakable with currently available cryptographic and computing resources. Why it is that Hotspot chose the weaker, 128-bit standard as a default is anybody’s guess. Even the best supercomputers in the world can’t hack it in a period shorter than the universe’s age.

But even the 128-bit version can’t be cracked, so your data will stay safe regardless of your chosen option. So rest assured that your ISP will never know how much GB of your traffic is spent in downloading “The Bachelorette” episodes.

---

Protocols available in Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield employs well-known technology and has developed a proprietary Catapult Hydra protocol based on OpenVPN to reduce latency.

This protocol has the following benefits:

• Shorter connection periods to the VPN servers.
• Swift connections on distant servers than OpenVPN.
• Reduced data transfer to improve performance on slow connections.

More than 30 patents are included in the Catapult Hydra protocol. Also, it has been embraced by McAfee, Cheetah Mobile, Bitdefender VPN, and Betternet. This protocol utilizes Transport Layer Security (TLS) to develop a secure client-server connection and encrypt the traffic. In addition, the TLS uses distinct encryption ciphers, including AES-128-bit by default and AES-256-bit, which can be customized.   

Moreover, Hydra’s encryption supports ephemeral, meaning that Hotspot Shield offers the perfect forward secrecy tool. This feature alters the encryption keys each time you connect to your VPN, making it impossible for cybercriminals to decipher your encrypted data.

Windows and macOS users can access the IKEv2/IPSec protocol. It is fast and safe but simply blocked in highly-censored nations like Russia and China. Furthermore, Hotspot Shield supports WireGuard, the fastest and safest protocol on the market.

However, the Hotspot Shield’s encryption on the iOS and Android apps remains unknown. This is because their developers have not shared these details. Also, mobile apps include an easy-to-use settings menu with no protocols to select from.

The VPN also employs OpenVPN on supported router models. However, you need to tweak it a bit to alter some of the router’s settings. Therefore, you can only access this option if you are familiar with setting up these connections.

---

Security features Hotspot Shield should consider 

Hotspot Shield should add the following functionalities in their future updates:

•  Dedicated IPs: These will help in battling the recurrence of CAPTCHAS.
• An automatic kill switch in all apps ensures that each Hotspot Shield client enjoys the same level of security.
• RAM-only servers: These servers allow users to avoid logging and retrieval of their data from hardware centers.
• Data Leak Prevention protects users against DNS, WebRTC, and IPv6 data leaks.
• OpenVPN support: This will provide all users with excellent protocol options.
• Open-sourced apps: These assist users in assessing the security of Hotspot Shield services.
• Double VPN (Multi-hop): This feature routes traffic via two servers for additional protection.

---

Hotspot Shield VPN feature

Split tunneling

Split tunneling is a feature that enables you to assign a portion of your traffic to flow through the VPN while the rest goes out in the usual way. For example, let’s say that you live in the US and want to see a Netflix show while doing other work on the same computer or device. In this case, it would be helpful for you to have your Netflix traffic go unencrypted and the rest of your data go through the VPN. You would save time and bandwidth in that way, and steaming speeds would be higher.

Let’s suppose the scenario I described in the previous paragraph sounds very good to you. In that case, Hotspot Shield is probably not your best option. It has no split tunneling, so if that’s a feature you want, you’ll have to look for it in another VPN.

---

SmartVPN

SmartVPN is identical to split tunneling. It allows you to exclude certain websites or apps from the VPN tunnel to connect normally. Unfortunately, the feature only includes the pausing customization option, enabling you to stop the tunnel connection momentarily. In addition, you cannot utilize split tunneling in reverse mode. Thus, you will only access the VPN on a few apps.

Moreover, this tool is exclusively available for Android and Windows users.

---

1Password

1Password is one of the top password managers in the industry; thus, it is a great deal to include in your subscription. This feature provides a scanner that examines if your data is leaked to the dark web and a robust cipher that safeguards your passwords.

---

Spam-call blocker

This feature checks for scam calls and blocks dubious phone numbers. It is accessible on Android and iOS, and it assists users in avoiding possibly harmful calls from scammers and bothersome telemarketers. 

Moreover, this feature utilizes crowdsourced data to identify whether the callers’ phone numbers are blacklisted. When the phone rings, you will see on the screen if the caller is labeled as spam. However, users concerned about their privacy should know that the scam-call blocker requires access to their contacts.

---

Aura Antivirus

Hotspot Shield’s antivirus software boasts extra tools like malware detection, Wi-Fi security, and personal data monitoring. Also, it enables you to delete any accrued malware or junk files with a single click.

Furthermore, since Aura is a new application on the market, there are no reports or reviews on its performance. Therefore, it is best to wait for individual malware laboratories to evaluate it first before installing it on your gadget.

---

Streaming – Does Hotspot Shield VPN unblock streaming platforms

The premium version of Hotspot Shield allows you to access popular geo-restricted streaming platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max. Still, you must test a few servers before finding a functional one. Moreover, you can unblock British TV by using the UK server. Unfortunately, it failed to unblock Netflix US, and the Hotspot Shield free version does not access any platform.

Below is a list of major streaming sites that the Hotspot Shield premium and free versions presently unblock:

Streaming site	Works with Hotspot Shield Premium	Works with Hotspot Shield Free
Amazon Prime Video	Yes	No
HBO Max	Yes	No
All 4	Yes	No
Disney+	Yes	No
Hulu	Yes	No
Netflix US	No	No
ITVX	Yes	No
You Tube	Yes	Yes
Hotstar India	No	No
BBC iPlayer	Yes	No

Unblocks most streaming platforms globally

Hotspot Shield Premium accessed most geo-restricted streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max during our streaming tests. Furthermore, it is ideal for accessing British TV on ITVX, All 4, and BBC iPlayer platforms.

 However, the VPN service failed to unblock Hotstar India and Netflix US. Fortunately, you can unblock any site using a top-tier VPN service like ExpressVPN.

---

Hotspot Shield Free does not access streaming platforms

Hotspot Shield Free gave us abysmal performances when attempting to stream. It failed to unblock all the popular streaming platforms we tested. We recommend using a reliable VPN provider such as ExpressVPN.

---

Hotspot Shield VPN device compatibility

The Hotspot Shield Premium version offers apps for popular devices like iOS, Android, Linux, Windows, Fire TV Stick, and Android TV. It allows up to five simultaneous connections from a single Hotspot Shield account. However, it does not provide the Smart DNS feature, and its free version can only support one device per connection.

Apps

Hotspot Shield Premium provides native apps for multiple gadgets, including Linux, iOS, Windows, Android, and macOS. You may install the app on up to five devices at once. Some VPN providers allow for more simultaneous connections than Hotspot Shield, while others, such as PIA, support unlimited connections simultaneously.

---

Games consoles and streaming devices

You can manually set up Hotspot Shield on your router, allowing compatibility with devices that lack native apps. Also, you can connect unlimited simultaneous devices without being limited by the 5-device support.

After configuring it on your router, you can use Hotspot Shield on Xbox, Nintendo, Chromecast, Smart TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, PlayStation, and Roku.

Unfortunately, this VPN provider lacks a Smart DNS tool to enable seamless watching of geo-restricted content on gaming consoles and streaming gadgets. To access this feature, you should go for a top-notch service such as ExpressVPN.

---

Browser extensions

Hotspot Shield offers browser extensions for both Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome, which are simple to use. Also, they spoof your location and block cookies, ads, trackers, and malware. However, unlike VPN apps, browser extensions only encrypt your browser traffic and leave the rest unprotected.

Moreover, the extensions include a ‘Sword’ feature that provides trackers with bogus browsing data. They also offer an auto-protect and circumvent list, which allows you to list all instantly encrypted sites and those that are not. You can access this tool in the extension’s primary settings menu under the ‘Browser settings’ section.

In addition, you can install this VPN extension on Opera through Chrome’s web store, but it failed to function well during our test. Unfortunately, our security checks revealed that the browser extensions leak your data.

---

Hotspot Shield VPN ease of use

Hotspot Shield apps have an intuitive layout that makes them easy to use. In terms of design and tools, they are straightforward and consistent. However, we experienced many CAPTCHAs during our tests, and the macOS app lacks shortcuts and customization options similar to the Windows version.

Laptop & desktop (macOS & Windows)

Hotspot Shield has more Windows customization than macOS, with extra options, including a start on launch, minimization, and auto-connect. Moreover, Windows contains helpful shortcuts such as (Ctrl + Shift+ C) for VPN connection and disconnection, which enhance user experience.

On the other hand, the macOS app does not include any of these options. It only offers a server list, a settings menu with split tunneling and protocol options, and a connect button. Except for split tunneling, there are no customization choices, and you cannot change the display size. Therefore, it is ideal for users who want a simple app to use and a secure experience.

Moreover, both apps support split tunneling only on the Hydra protocol and are not complex.

---

Mobile (Android & iOS)

The mobile apps for Hotspot Shield are easier to use than desktop apps. They have a similar settings menu, a server list, and a big connect button. One major difference between mobile and desktop apps is the extra gaming and streaming servers on the mobile.

In addition, the Android and iOS apps are practically identical, equally seamless, and straightforward. They only vary due to the iPhone’s Always-On VPN option. This feature guarantees that you never access any websites or apps without the protection of the VPN service.

---

Lots of CAPTCHAs

We encountered many CAPTCHAs while using Hotspot Shield to surf the internet. They emerge when VPNs fail to refresh their IP addresses, and their excessive use causes them to be labeled as dubious. This is quite frustrating and tiring.  

Hotspot Shield should update its IP address list and add dedicated IPs to avoid this issue.

---

Putting Hotspot Shield to the test

I need to know if Catapult Hydra’s speeds are as good as advertised, and I also want to find out if Hotspot Shield is safe in terms of information leaks. That means testing Hotspot Shield Premium because the 500MB limit in the free version limits the results I could find.

Testing speeds

Speed matters to me. I’m sure I’m not alone in this. Having privacy is excellent, and I know that you have to pay for it by sacrificing a little performance. But a little only. Suppose the speeds are reduced so much that my online experience is ruined. In that case, the privacy that the service gives me is too expensive, especially since many good VPNs can provide me with both things simultaneously.

Before I share my findings with you, please consider that speed results in this review (in any review) need to be taken with a grain of salt. Internet connections are complicated things in which many factors affect the final result. Your ISP, the zone you live in, the weather, your modem, your computer, and your preferred operating system. Each of those things (and many others) has its influence, so the results I found are but a rough guide, not immutable truths to be quoted dogmatically.

That being said, let me show you what I found testing the Premium service speeds in a Mac and a Windows system – my ISP advertises my internet transfer rates at 100Mbps.

Download speed tests
	Mac
Without VPN	78	Mbps
With VPN	58	Mbps
	Windows
Without VPN	85	Mbps
With VPN	79	Mbps

So, as you can see, download speeds performed pretty well on both systems. Windows did slightly better with a 7.05% loss (25.6% loss on the Mac). I noticed nothing at all unless some of my largest torrents were active.

Upload speed tests
	Mac
Without VPN	29	Mbps
With VPN	28	Mbps
	Windows
Without VPN	40	Mbps
With VPN	22	Mbps

Things look different for upload speeds. Again, Mac performed way better than Windows here, with a minuscule 0.2% loss in speed compared to 26% on Windows.

Ping/Latency time
	Mac
Without VPN	9	ms
With VPN	63	ms
	Windows
Without VPN	11	ms
With VPN	65	ms

Ping or latency speeds, on the other hand, are disappointing. They go up by 540% in Windows or 430% in Mac.

So, in a nutshell, the latency for Hotspot Shield is terrible. But download and upload speeds are up there, among the best ones in the market.

---

DNS leak test

A DNS leak happens when your private IP address becomes available to the world because of a DNS query – a DNS query is a connection your system establishes to a DNS server so that it can translate a domain name (say google.com) into an IP address (8.8.8.8, in this case). This type of leak can happen when a VPN is configured manually if the bad guys can alter your router or if you chose a manual DNS setup, so it’s not necessarily a problem with the VPN itself. Either way, if the problem is there, it must be diagnosed and addressed.

Every test I did in this area returned the IP address of the server I was using, so you’ll be pleased to know that Hotspot Shield passed the DNS leak test.

---

WebRTC leak test

WebRTC is a set of technologies that allow two browsers on the internet to find each other and establish a connection for real-time audiovisual communication. It’s every bit as cool as it sounds, but it has a problem. The WebRTC paradigm demands each browser know the other one’s precise IP address to create a connection. This is problematic for VPN users since the whole point of using one is to hide your private IP from the internet. However, a premium VPN service will allow you to both use WebRTC technologies and hide your IP address, tricky though it is.

The good news, again, is that Hotspot Shield VPN passed the test with flying colors.

So, the verdict is in regard to security. Hotspot Shield is a secure VPN in terms of data leaks.

---

Hotspot Shield subscription plans

	1 Month	1 Year	3 Years
Monthly price (in USD)	12.99	7.99	2.99
Yearly price (in USD)	155.88	95.88	107.64
Your savings (in USD)	0.00%	38.00%	54.00%

So now you know the technical specifications that matter most in any VPN and how good Hotspot Shield is in those terms. So the next logical question is, how expensive is this service?

If you want to join Hotspot Shield, you have three plans: one month, six months, or twelve months. Of course, the longer you commit to the service, the lower your cost will be, so, effectively, you can pay anywhere from 6.99 to 12.99 USD monthly. And there’s a 45-day money-back guarantee available.

Your fee will buy you unlimited server switches, five concurrent connections, and device management for the computers, tablets, or smartphones you want to use with Hotspot Shield at any time.

So, if you want to enjoy all the advantages Hotspot Shield has to offer, you must be willing to pay 13 USD every month. This is a slightly high price considering that the average premium service in the VPN market costs 10 USD for services similar to those of this provider – some, like ExpressVPN and NordVPN, are even better. But the cost could be worth it for those users who find that this is the VPN that suits their internet use perfectly.

Hotspot Shield free version

Free VPNs are almost always bad news for the reasons we explained earlier in this review.

The Hotspot Shield free version seems to be an exception to that rule because it’s part of a paid service, and the only ad support is for the Android app.

The free option is free for several reasons. It has no kill switch, multihop, or Netflix access, allowing for only one VPN connection. And you can’t use more than 500GB in traffic.

So, the free service in this VPN doesn’t collect your online data as most other free VPNs do. That’s excellent. But it also doesn’t give you much service. That’s not so great.

Let me be clear about one thing. Suppose you’re serious about your online safety, privacy, and anonymity. In that case, you must always choose to pay for a premium VPN service. There’s no way around this. Unfortunately, I still can’t tell you if Hotspot Shield is the service you should buy, but we’ll find that out before this review ends. 

The main point to convey is that free VPNs are not a serious option if you care about your privacy. That being said, there is a use case for Hotspot Shield’s free service. Suppose that you don’t use Android for a start – that’s the platform supported with advertising. Then suppose that you don’t care about Netflix and need a VPN only now and then, and your transfer volume is small.

If that is you, then this option will serve you well. Just remember about Android, the Hotspot Shield VPN free download. Any service supported by advertising is probably observing your online behavior to offer you bait to click. So avoid it at all costs.

---

Payment methods

Hotspot Shield Premium accepts various modes of payment, including PayPal, Visas, MasterCard, and American Express. Unfortunately, it does not support anonymous cryptocurrency payments like Bitcoin, limiting users who wish to evade transaction tracking.

---

45-day refund period, but no guarantee

Hotspot Shield offers a generous money-back guarantee. It allows you to request a refund if dissatisfied with the service within 45 days of subscribing to its premium option.

However, unlike most VPNs, Hotspot Shield requires you to submit a money-back form. The VPN provider then decides whether or not to issue your refund request. Therefore, unlike most other VPN policies, this is not precisely a ‘risk-free’ guarantee.

---

Customer support

Since this is a VPN where the apps do most of the work, you probably won’t need any customer support from the company. But if you do, here’s how to proceed.

The website boasts 24/7 customer support, but that is a questionable claim.

The only possible way to get help is to use the ticket submission system, meaning you can’t talk or chat with any living human being.

The lack of phone support is standard in the industry. But the contrary holds for live chat support, so it’s easy to miss that feature because taking care of a ticket can take days. In contrast, a live chat session can put you back on track in just a few minutes.

Customer reviews for customer service are excellent, nevertheless. For example, four-fifths of the customers gave them five stars on Trustpilot.

Does Hotspot Shield VPN work in China?

A question about VPN services that everybody wants to be answered is the one that heads this section. However, VPNs are illegal in China, so you can’t expect any provider to advertise how their product can help the citizens and visitors of one of the world’s most dictatorial countries to break the law of the land.

But does it work in China, anyway? The jury is still out on that. Hotspot Shield users report conflicting results on this issue. While some claim total success bypassing the Great Firewall of China, others say they can’t use the service at all.

If this is an issue close to your heart (or your wallet), then you need to choose a VPN with a proven successful track record in evading the Chinese forces of repression.

Hotspot Shield vs. NordVPN

NordVPN is one of the industry’s big names. So, it’s good for Hotspot Shield that both services are similar.

NordVPN has even more servers (5,200) than Hotspot Shield (3,200+), so it wins out.

NordVPN is also better in that it’s headquartered in Panama. It’s a country outside the world’s intelligence alliances with very privacy-friendly legislation, not subject to international surveillance or data retention laws. Hotspot Shield’s home country, the US, is the opposite in this regard, so NordVPN wins out again.

And now for the logging policies. I described the types of data that Hotspot Shield admittedly logs earlier. NordVPN’s policy is not to log anything except for the data that could tie your web traffic back to you. So, yet another point for NordVPN.

Hotspot Shield assigns you dynamic IP addresses that change with every session. At the same time, NordVPN gives you the same shared IP address every time you use it – you can always pay extra to have the same dedicated IP address.

That difference is not so crucial, but it shows NordVPN’s superior versatility and technical expertise. However, the IP rotation system in Hotspot improves safety. On the other hand, it makes it harder for third-party observers to keep their eyes on you. So, this is a case in which a more uncomplicated, not-so-advanced solution renders better practical results.

So those are the differences. Next, let’s see how both services resemble each other.

Both VPNs have kill switches, but not on Linux if you’re on Hotspot Shield. There’s no split tunneling in either. Both work with Netflix and torrents. Both services are effective against WebRTC and DNS leaks. The one thing that Hotspot Shield did better for me than NordVPN was speed performance.

Comparing both VPNs leads to an apparent conclusion. NordVPN is better in every aspect but one: speed; otherwise, the only meaningful difference between both is the respect for your privacy that you can expect from each.

So, we find myself in a rare situation while writing our honest review about Hotspot Shield VPN in that it’s possible to choose between this service and other premium ones based on just two criteria. But, unfortunately, things are rarely that simple.

Hotspot Shield is the VPN for you if you need or want high speeds. If, on the other hand, privacy is your top priority, then NordVPN is the better choice.

Conclusion

At last, you know everything you need to know about the features of Hotspot Shield Premium and Free VPN, the pricing plans, and how the service compares with one of the world’s top VPNs.

So, what’s the final word on this VPN?

My objections to this VPN are not practical. I do not particularly appreciate that it logs more metadata than it needs to keep the network going; the Californian geolocation makes the company vulnerable to governmental interference, even if its transparency policy intends to compensate for that. Also, its use of proprietary software as the service’s cornerstone doesn’t make me happy either because it lacks the guarantees that open-source technologies have.

However, the company prefers its proprietary platform because it’s faster than OpenVPN and other open-source protocols. Given the results I found while testing the network’s speeds and later comparing it to NordVPN’s speeds, I can’t argue with that.

The monthly fee of the premium version is about three dollars higher than the market’s average, but so is the overall performance you get from it.

If the membership is relatively expensive, the truth is that you get a lot from it:

• Higher speeds than the average
• Netflix and torrent functionality
• Security against DNS and WebRTC leaks
• Thousands of servers worldwide
• Good friendly apps for almost every operating system
• Simplicity of use

So we can recommend subscribing to Hotspot Shield, except if you fit into one of two cases:

1. The jurisdictional issue is crucial to you for whatever reason, so getting a US-based VPN is not a thing for you.
2. You are a primarily Linux user. In this case, the service offers little or no support for your needs. You will need to configure everything manually (no app for Linux), and there’s no relevant information available to help you.

FAQs