Hotspot Shield VPN review
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Learn moreHotspot Shield VPN is recognized for its fast speeds and user-friendly interface, making it a strong choice for unblocking popular streaming services. Its Hydra protocol ensures a secure and rapid connection, appealing for both streaming and general browsing. However, despite these capabilities, some might question its overall effectiveness and security, especially considering its headquarters in the US, which can be a point of contention for those seeking stringent privacy protections. In this article I’ll examine whether Hotspot Shield truly delivers on its promises and stands up to rigorous security expectations.
| Price: | From $2.99/month |
| Servers count: | 1,800 + servers in 96 countries |
| No logs policy: | Keeps logs |
| Streaming services: | Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Amazon, Hulu, and more |
| Coupons: | Cybernews VPN coupons |
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Excellent for streaming and downloading, ensuring a smooth online experience
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Easy to navigate for beginners and tech-savvy users alike
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Offers a basic, ad-supported free tier for casual use
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Based in the US, which raises concerns for privacy-conscious users
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Lacks the OpenVPN protocol, which is widely regarded as a highly secure option
Hotspot Shield VPN provides high-quality services in 2025 and offers numerous benefits for its users. It’s useful for unblocking Netflix or multiple other streaming platforms and supports torrenting. Users can enjoy VPN’s free version and install it on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices or even get a dedicated browser extension.
However, Hotspot Shield VPN does lack transparency in terms of security and privacy and isn’t the best pick for privacy-oriented users as it’s located in one of the surveillance alliance countries – the US.
If you’re searching for a more privacy-friendly VPN service, we recommend looking into more trustworthy options, such as NordVPN.
Curious to learn more about Hotspot Shield VPN? Keep reading as I dive into this detailed Hotspot Shield VPN review, covering speed performance, pricing, security features, and additional key aspects. Before that, let's check out the comparison table below to see how Hotspot Shield stacks up against NordVPN:
| NordVPN | Hotspot Shield | |
| ⭐ Rating: | ||
| 🥇 Overall rank: | #1 out of #41 | #26 out of #41 |
| 🖥️ Servers: | 7,700 + servers in 118 countries | 1,800 + servers in 96 countries |
| 📖 No logs policy: | No logs | Keeps logs |
| 💵 Price: | From $3.39/month | From $2.99/month |
| 🔥 Coupons: | NordVPN coupon 76% OFF | Cybernews VPN coupons |
| 🔒 VPN protocols: | OpenVPN, WireGuard (NordLynx), NordWhisper | Hydra, IKEv2, Wireguard |
| 🍿 Streaming services: | Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and more | Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Amazon, Hulu, and more |
| 🖥️ Platforms: | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS | Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, and Chrome |
| 📥 Simultaneous connections: | 10 | Up to 10 |
| 💁🏻 Support: | Knowledge base, FAQs, email, 24/7 live chat | Knowledge base, FAQs, email, 24/7 live chat |
We spare no effort to test the products & their features. All information is gathered by our in-house research team & fact-checked by our team of experts. Discover the ins and outs of our testing procedures.
Hotspot Shield review: key takeaways
Hotspot Shield stands out in the 2025 VPN market with its strong security features and easy-to-use interface. It's designed for beginners and experienced users, offering powerful protection like advanced encryption and anti-phishing. Hotspot Shield has a large network of servers, 1800 in over 96 countries, providing fast and reliable connections for streaming, browsing, and more.
Here's a brief overview of our Hotspot Shield review and the main points:
- Security and privacy. Hotspot Shield ensures robust security with 128-bit AES encryption as its standard encryption type. It also supports 256-bit AES encryption and has a reliable kill switch. Hotspot Shield maintains a strict no-logs policy to protect user privacy. Additionally, it offers malware protection, utilizing a database of 3.5 million known and suspected web domains to defend users against malware, phishing sites, infected sites, and spam.
- Servers and locations. With over 1800 servers in over 96 countries, Hotspot Shield provides extensive global coverage, supporting consistent performance and accessibility worldwide.
- Pricing. Hotspot Shield starts at a competitive price of $2.99/month for up to 10 simultaneous connections. A free version is also available, which is useful for basic protection but includes ads and supports only one device. The service provides a generous 45-day money-back guarantee on premium plans, letting users try it risk-free.
- Speed performance. Generally, Hotspot Shield offers fast connection speeds suitable for streaming, gaming, and extensive downloading activities. It also features specific modes optimized for streaming and gaming.
- Ease of use and apps. The applications are straightforward and easy to navigate, making Hotspot Shield accessible for users of all experience levels.
- Streaming and torrenting. Hotspot Shield efficiently unblocks popular streaming platforms and supports secure P2P connections, ideal for users interested in entertainment and content sharing.
- Customer support. Hotspot Shield service provides comprehensive support through 24/7 live chat and email.
Is Hotspot Shield safe?
Yes, Hotspot Shield is legitimate because of its safe Hydra tunneling protocol and 256-bit AES encryption. The provider's AES-256 encryption scrambles your online data, providing high-level protection trusted by security experts globally.
Hotspot Shield, now part of Aura, is a solid choice. Independent tests have ranked it the fastest and most secure VPN, offering reliable online privacy and security.
Encryption
Hotspot Shield uses advanced encryption technology to secure your online activities, employing the standard many top VPNs use. It protects your connection with TLS 1.2 and strong 2048-bit RSA certificates for authentication, ensuring robust security. Each session generates new encryption keys and deletes them afterward, enhancing privacy.
The service defaults to 128-bit AES encryption, which is very secure and widely used by governments and financial institutions. It would take billions of years to crack with current technology, offering a good balance of security and speed. While 256-bit AES is available for even greater security, 128-bit is sufficient for most users, providing reliable protection for your internet use.
Tunneling protocols
Hotspot Shield primarily utilizes Hydra's proprietary protocol to optimize speed and security. Hydra stands out by being 2.4 times faster than the traditional OpenVPN protocol, especially effective over long distances. Its design mimics regular encrypted web traffic, making it challenging to detect and block.
In addition to Hydra, Hotspot Shield offers other protocol options:
- IPsec (IKEv2) is known for its high security and fast speeds, but it is easier to block.
- WireGuard, available for Android and Mac, is a newer protocol that offers a minimalistic approach to achieving fast and secure connections.
Hotspot Shield's protocols are highly regarded for their speed and security, making them a reliable choice for VPN users. The service lets you choose the best protocol (Hydra, IKEv2, or WireGuard) for your needs, ensuring optimal performance and protection.
Kill switch
Hotspot Shield has a kill switch security feature to stop all your traffic if you suddenly disconnect from a VPN server due to poor internet connection. It isn't toggled on by default, so you must remember to turn it on.
The kill switch worked well during my tests. When I killed the VPN connection process, the app showed that the kill switch was engaged and would start to reconnect.
When the app's background process was killed, it detected an issue and initiated a restart, resolving your connection. So, my IP was never exposed during the test.
Hotspot Shield logging policy
Hotspot Shield's location is one of the worst places on the planet for a privacy-focused service. The United States is a founding member of the Five Eyes alliance. This, along with the country's powerful intelligence agencies, makes VPNs that cater to the most privacy-minded users suboptimal due to their excessive logging.
The VPN does promise no logs to your activity, but there are exceptions when using the free version. Since the free app has ads, they reserve the right to show your approximate city-level location. It also includes your device's advertising ID, IMEI, MAC address, and even wireless carrier. In short, if you value your privacy, you shouldn't touch their free client.
Sadly, their paid version isn't without concerns, either. They state that they take measures to delete your IP address right after your session ends. However, if they are required by law to keep this information for a longer period, they will comply. This VPN operates because purging an IP address is a privilege that can be revoked if the need arises.
The fact that the service isn't accepting anonymous payments makes it only worse. So, if you think paying with cryptocurrencies could act as a necessary veil of shadow, this isn't the case.
Security and privacy audits
Hotspot Shield, now part of cybersecurity company Aura, has significantly improved its privacy practices following past challenges, such as the 2017 data retention controversy. The company has since updated its policies and continues to release annual transparency reports.
An independent test by AV-Test ranked Hotspot Shield as the fastest and most secure among leading VPNs, excelling in speed and security with no detected leaks. The backbone of its performance is the proprietary Hydra protocol, known for superior speed and security, widely adopted by major global security and telecommunications companies.
These developments affirm Hotspot Shield's commitment to providing a secure and reliable VPN service, making it a trusted choice for users concerned about online privacy.
In my opinion, a VPN's value isn’t just about cost; it’s about the features and security it provides. Hotspot Shield impresses with its Hydra protocol and AES-256 encryption, ensuring reliable speed and strong protection for online activities. However, its US-based jurisdiction and limited privacy assurance can concern privacy-conscious users.
That’s why my go-to provider is NordVPN. It combines advanced encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and additional features like Double VPN and Threat Protection, offering a superior level of security and privacy. For me, it’s the best choice for comprehensive online protection.
How much does Hotspot Shield cost?
Hotspot Shield offers four different plans: basic (free) and three premium plans with the option to sign up for a month, 1-year, or 3-years. All premium plans come with an impressive 45-day money–back guarantee to test HotspotShield before committing.
| Plan | Price | |
| Basic | Free | - Up to 2Mbps speed - 500MB daily data limit - Access to 1 virtual location (US only) |
| 1-month plan | $12.99 | - Unlimited speed and data - Access to over 115 virtual locations - Connect up to 10 devices |
| 1-year plan | $7.99/month | - Same features as the 1-month plan, offered at a discounted rate |
| 3-year plan | $2.99/month | - Same features as the 1-month plan, offered at the most cost-effective rate |
The shortest subscription duration is 1 month. It's also the most expensive and will cost you $12.99 for Premium and includes a 45-day money-back guarantee.
The second option is a 1-year plan. Similarly, the price will be $7.99/month. Finally, Hotspot Shield includes a 3-year plan, which is the cheapest and only costs you $2.99/month. Therefore, you get the most bang for the buck choosing the plan, as it includes everything you need for versatile security and will cost you cheaper than 1-month or 1-year plans.
Another drawback is that the service accepts only credit cards and PayPal. There are no options to pay with cryptocurrencies, so it's another hit for your anonymity.
Can you get a Hotspot Shield VPN for free?
Yes, Hotspot Shield has a free version, so you can try the service without adding payment information. With it, you can connect to several US servers.
However, this comes with strict restrictions. You'll be capped at 500MB per day and one connection, and your speed will be throttled down to 2 Mbps. So, you won't be able to take advantage of the amazing speeds with the Free version.
The final issue is that this version has ads and collects usage logs. This isn't impressive, considering other VPNs have free versions that are more respectful of your privacy.
Speed performance: is Hotspot Shield fast?
To evaluate Hotspot Shield's speed and performance, we conducted tests using a Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen2 device running Windows 11 Pro on an AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5650U processor, 16GB RAM, and a 256GB SSD. We monitored speed retention across various server locations, including the USA, UK, Germany, Japan, and Australia.
Hotspot Shield VPN offers good speed performance, though results can be inconsistent across different protocols. Remember, internet speeds can change due to the time of day, location, internet provider, and the VPN server you use
- Baseline: 500Mbps download/500Mbps upload
| Location | WireGuard (Ping/Download/Upload) | Hydra (Ping/Download/Upload) | IKEv2 (Ping/Download/Upload) |
| US (NY) | 105ms/455Mbps/258Mbps | 105ms/204Mbps/172Mbps | 112ms/80Mbps/27Mbps |
| UK | 39ms/480Mbps/414Mbps | 31ms/205Mbps/173Mbps | 45ms/196Mbps/456Mbps |
| Germany | 28ms/430Mbps/332Mbps | 28ms/207Mbps/182Mbps | 28ms/144Mbps/380Mbps |
| Japan | Couldn’t connect | 201ms/207Mbps/175Mbps | 196ms/147Mbps/273Mbps |
| Australia | 291ms/403Mbps/112Mbps | 307ms/196Mbps/174Mbps | 295ms/129Mbps/184Mbps |
We selected five server locations (Australia, the UK, Germany, Japan, and the USA) to assess Hotspot Shield’s performance across different continents. During our testing, Japan showed the lowest speed retention. Meanwhile, the USA (New York) recorded the highest speeds, while Germany also showed strong performance.
The Catapult Hydra protocol is a solid choice for users seeking reliability with decent speeds. However, if top speeds are your main concern, the WireGuard protocol generally provides the best speed retention in most regions. That said, Hotspot Shield failed entirely to connect to Japan WireGuard servers, providing yet another reason to opt for an alternative, such as NordVPN instead.
Hotspot servers and locations
According to their page, Hotspot Shield now has around 1800 servers in over 96 countries and 35+ cities. Although, not all of their servers are physical – some of them are situated in a virtual location.
This means they aren’t physically located in the indicated countries. Instead, they’re just configured to appear as such for anti-geo-blocking purposes.
Their fleet isn't the biggest, but it does cover quite a lot of countries. Here's how their network breaks down:
| Regions | Number of countries |
| Americas | ~ 16 countries |
| Europe | ~ 48 countries |
| Asia Pacific | ~ 28 countries |
| Middle East and Africa | ~ 7 countries |
If you plan to connect to Europe, Asia Pacific, or the Americas, you'll have many server locations from which to choose.
Hotspot Shield extra features
Apart from the great speed and strong security, Hotspot Shield offers some extra features for its users. Even though additional benefits significantly improve VPN’s overall user experience, you should remember that some are only available with premium subscription plans.
| 💿 VPN server network: | 1800 + servers in 96 countries |
| 🛡️Tunneling protocols: | Wireguard, Hydra, IKEv2 |
| 👁️ Data collection policy: | Collects some user's data |
| 🔒Online protection: | 128-bit AES and 256-bit AES encryption, kill switch, no-logs, Smart VPN |
| 💻 Maximum connections: | Up to 10 |
| ✉️ Customer support: | Email and live chat |
| 💰Money-back guarantee: | 45 days |
| 🆓 Free version: | Yes |
| ⚙️ IP addresses: | Shared |
| 💡Advanced features: | Split tunneling, malware protection, automatic Wi-Fi security |
Split tunneling
Split Tunneling allows you to exclude some apps or webpages from the VPN tunnel and make them connect directly.
You can temporarily suspend the tunnel with the pause option, and split tunneling is also available in inverse mode, allowing you to use the VPN with only a select handful of apps or websites. This makes it easier to tailor the VPN to your specific needs, whether you want to protect just key apps or browse specific websites securely.
The feature is only reserved for macOS, Windows and Android users. So, if you're using iOS, you won't find it on your app.
Malware protection
Hotspot Shield has a malware protection feature that uses a large list of over 3.5 million websites known for harmful content. When you're online, it checks the sites you visit against this list. If it recognizes a site as dangerous, it blocks it to protect you from malware or scams. This feature works automatically, so you don’t have to do anything to stay protected while browsing.
Automatic Wi-Fi security
Hotspot Shield has an automatic Wi-Fi security feature that encrypts your data when you connect to a new Wi-Fi network. This keeps your online activities safe from potential snooping, especially when using public Wi-Fi. This protection automatically secures you without requiring any additional action on your part.
Patented Hydra protocol
Hotspot Shield's patented Hydra protocol enhances both speed and security for its VPN users. Hotspot Shield builds its proprietary Hydra protocol on the reliable TLS protocol, enhancing data transmission over long distances. The Hydra protocol reduces delays and increases the stability of your internet connection, which is particularly beneficial when connecting to distant servers. As a result, you experience smoother streaming, quicker downloads, and more reliable browsing.
Additionally, Hydra includes strong encryption to keep your data safe as it travels across the internet. These features make Hydra an excellent choice for anyone who values fast and secure online activities, especially when accessing content from distant locations.
Is Hotspot Shield good for streaming?
Yes, Hotspot Shield is a great VPN to help you access geo-blocked content on major streaming platforms. It has over 1800 servers across more than 96 different countries. So, you can pick any of the streaming servers to watch movies or TV shows you want, despite their location-based restrictions.
| Platform | Status |
| Netflix | ✅ Yes |
| BBC iPlayer | ✅ Yes |
| YouTube | ✅ Yes |
| Hulu | ✅ Yes |
| Amazon | ✅ Yes |
| All 4 | ✅ Yes |
For example, we had no issues with unblocking the US Netflix library. The newest movies and TV series loaded instantly during the test with no loss of image quality. The overall experience watching Netflix was so smooth that it would be hard for anyone to tell whether one was using a VPN.
Hotspot Shield VPN also easily unblocked YouTube so that you can access trending videos worldwide. Just keep in mind that after entering your password, Google will ask to confirm your identity – the service sometimes tends to get a bit sensitive to unfamiliar IPs.
However, we stumbled upon some issues when accessing other streaming platforms. It did unblock BBC iPlayer, but there was some buffering initially. Otherwise, the streaming quality was good, and we didn't experience any stutter.
Additionally, Hotspot Shield can unblock other popular streaming services such as Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and All 4, expanding your access to a wide range of content across these platforms.
Hotspot Shield struggles with services like DAZN and TV Tokyo due to their strict VPN blocking measures. DAZN often blocks VPN users from accessing sports content outside their home regions, while TV Tokyo's geo-restrictions make it tough for VPNs like Hotspot Shield to consistently bypass them.
Is Hotspot Shield good for torrenting?
Yes, Hotspot Shield VPN can be used for torrenting as it doesn’t blacklist P2P connections. Even though there are no dedicated servers strictly for torrenting, its 1800+ servers give a relatively large number of options to find a fast and secure connection for P2P downloads.
We tested the download speed, which reached 2.3MB/s (18mbps). Multiple factors, like the number and location of seeds, influence how fast you can download various files. Thus, while the speed test score is not as impressive as one might expect, we may have just been unlucky.
Hotspot Shield interface and ease of use
Hotspot Shield VPN works smoothly on all your devices, whether you're using a computer or smartphone. It's easy to set up on Windows, macOS, and Linux, as well as iOS and Android. There's even a handy Chrome extension for quick browser access. The VPN provides an intuitive and user-friendly experience across all platforms, although it tailors some specific features to work best on certain operating systems.
| Platform | Experience |
| Windows | Provides a fast, responsive experience with an informative interface that displays connection speeds, server loads, and data usage. |
| macOS | Offers split tunneling, 'Bypass' and 'Route VPN' features for custom VPN control |
| Linux | Lacks advanced features like a kill switch or auto-connect, which may feel limiting compared to the fuller functionalities on Windows or macOS. |
| Mobile | Mobile apps provide a seamless experience with a clean design and premium features, ensuring effortless VPN management and reliable privacy protection for Android and iOS users. |
| Browser | Browser extensions for Edge, Chrome and Firefox offer familiar proxy functionality with site protection control, despite limited server options. |
Hotspot Shield desktop versions
Both Windows and macOS apps have the same sleek design. The colors and the positioning of the UI elements make the client look modern and easy on the eyes. I didn't notice that animations would stutter. Their UX team did a great job.
Using Hotspot Shield on Windows and macOS feels incredibly fast; server connections happen almost instantly. The interface nicely displays useful information like connection speeds, server load, new IP address, and data usage graph.
Using Hotspot Shield on Linux, you might notice it lacks some advanced features like a kill switch or auto-connect, which are common in versions for other operating systems. This might feel limiting, especially if you're accustomed to the more comprehensive VPN functionalities available on Windows or macOS.
Hotspot Shield mobile apps
The Hotspot Shield apps for Android and iOS closely mirror the desktop version, tailored nicely for mobile use. The clean and user-friendly design makes it easy for beginners to navigate.
The iOS version of Hotspot Shield offers a range of premium features, making it a strong choice even on a platform like iOS, which often has fewer options than Android. This range of features ensures a smooth and consistent experience across all devices, making it easy for iOS users to manage their VPN settings and reliably secure their privacy.
Using Hotspot Shield on Android provides a lot of control with features like split-tunneling for specific apps and different connection protocols, including their fast Hydra option. However, the many settings can be a bit much for new users, and having to disconnect manually sometimes can be a hassle. Overall, it's a powerful app if you're okay with adjusting a few settings to get it right.
Hotspot Shield browser extensions
If you're a frequent user of Proxy add-ons, you'll feel right at home with Hotspot Shield's Edge, Chrome, and Firefox browser extensions. Although it uses an unspecified tunneling protocol, the add-on as a whole gives you a lot of control over what you want to block.
The most impressive feature was the ability to select specific websites that will always be protected by the proxy, even if the proxy connection is not turned on. It also allows you to add websites that you don't want to go through the proxy.
Customer support
Like any other VPN service on the market, Hotspot Shield has a customer support website, where you can find various guides and answers to most FAQs. So, this should be your first step when trying to resolve an issue. Incidentally, it's also the only customer support option for free users. While I'm not a fan of paywalls, many services with free versions restrict the customer service.
| Hotspot Shield | |
| 24/7 live chat | ✅Yes |
| ✅Yes | |
| Phone support | ❌No |
| Guides or articles | ✅Yes |
| FAQs | ✅Yes |
So, to access their live chat, you'll need a paid account. Suppose your query proves to be too difficult for a customer support agent to solve on the spot. In that case, it will be converted to a ticket, and you'll get a reply via mail.
I didn't experience any issues with the apps, so I contacted them to ask additional questions about their service. The queue times were short, and the customer support agent did their best to help me out, although, as it turned out, he wasn't too proficient in Linux.
Hotspot Shield review conclusion
Hotspot Shield is known for its strong performance, primarily due to its proprietary Hydra protocol, which enhances both speed and security. This makes it highly effective for bandwidth-intensive activities like streaming Netflix and torrenting. The Premium subscription also offers additional products and access to a wide global network of servers.
However, Hotspot Shield may not be the best choice for users with stringent privacy requirements due to its US jurisdiction and the associated privacy implications. It also lacks anonymous payment options and could improve its transparency regarding security and privacy practices. Furthermore, the use of virtual locations might concern those seeking a more transparent operation.
Overall, while Hotspot Shield excels in entertainment and general usage, it may not be suitable for those requiring the highest levels of privacy, such as political activists.
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FAQ
How much does Hotspot Shield cost monthly?
The shortest and cheapest monthly plan of Hotspot Shield will cost you $12.99. It will be a lot less expensive if you get Hotspot Shield with a 3-year subscription for $2.99/month.
Can I trust Hotspot Shield?
Hotspot Shield has had some perceived privacy issues in the past, but these have been solved. It remains to be seen what changes the new owners of the brand will make in the future.
Is there a better VPN than Hotspot Shield?
Yes, a lot of VPNs on the market outperform Hotspot Shield. NordVPN stands out as the best choice in 2025 . It has strong security features and superior performance in streaming, torrenting, and other activities.
Can you get Hotspot Shield for free?
Yes, Hotspot Shield has a free version, but it comes with limitations such as restricted bandwidth, servers, support, and ads. To fully test Hotspot Shield, the best option is to subscribe to one of its plans, which includes a 45-day money-back guarantee.
Does Hotspot Shield VPN work in China?
Yes, Hotspot Shield claims to work in China, but user feedback suggests it's only sometimes reliable. For a more dependable option, NordVPN comes highly recommended as the best VPN for China, known for actively hiding VPN usage and ensuring consistent access with its advanced methods.
Is Hotspot Shield a virus?
No, Hotspot Shield is not a virus. It is a legitimate VPN service designed to secure your internet connection and protect your privacy. However, it is not an antivirus program and does not protect against malware.
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