NordVPN vs Hotspot Shield: which VPN is better?

Both NordVPN and Hotspot Shield are very popular choices among VPN enthusiasts. NordVPN is known for its security features and reliability, while Hotspot Shield stands out with its blazing-fast speeds.

So, which provider is the best for your needs? In this NordVPN vs Hotspot Shield comparison, I’ll try to answer this question by comparing both providers' features, security, and other important elements of their respective products.

	NordVPN	Hotspot Shield
⭐ Rating:	4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★	3.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
🥇 Overall rank:	#1 out of #41	#26 out of #41
🖥️ Servers:	7,400 + servers in 118 countries	1,800 + servers in 96 countries
📖 No logs policy:	No logs	Keeps logs
💵 Price:	From $3.09/month	From $2.99/month
🔥 Coupons:	NordVPN coupon 77% 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

Speed performance: NordVPN vs Hotspot Shield

In most VPN comparisons, NordVPN is usually the winner in the speed section. However, this time, I encountered a couple of surprises - maybe because, just like NordVPN, Hotspot Shield offers a proprietary protocol that puts all of its efforts into speed.

So, which hand-crafted protocol is the faster one - NordLynx or Catapult Hydra? Let’s take a look.

• Baseline: 1 ms/300Mbps download/300Mbps upload

NordLynx/Hydra	NordVPN	Hotspot Shield
Download average	190Mbps	261Mbps
Upload average	131Mbps	50Mbps

Here, we can see that Hotspot Shield's Hydra is taking the lead in terms of download speed. In fact, the dropdowns in speed were sometimes as minimal as 2% - an incredible feat to achieve for a VPN.

Meanwhile, NordLynx’s download speeds are really great, but not as blazing fast as the ones of Catapult Hydra.

Interestingly, however, Hydra’s upload speed left me wanting more. It was significantly slower than NordLynx’s, which is a drawback if you're looking for a VPN suitable for gaming or hosting streams.

IKEv2	NordVPN	Hotspot Shield
Download average	215 Mbps	262 Mbps
Upload average	51 Mbps	45 Mbps

Another tunneling protocol that NordVPN and Hotspot Shield share is IKEv2. Yet again, Hotspot Shield managed to provide us with better download speeds than NordVPN. On the other hand, Hotspot Shield’s upload speeds were a bit lackluster.

It's difficult to declare a clear winner in this category simply because of the discrepancy between the download and upload speeds. So, even though Hotspot Shield won Ookla’s Speedtest badge back in 2019, I declare a tie.

Winner: Tie

Netflix and streaming

NordVPN and Hotspot Shield both support Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and YouTube. However, only NordVPN allows access to HBO Max , while Hotspot Shield lacks support for this service.

	NordVPN	Hotspot Shield
Netflix	✅	✅
Amazon Prime Video	✅	✅
Hulu	✅	✅
HBO Max	✅	❌
Disney+	✅	✅
BBC iPlayer	✅	✅
YouTube	✅	✅

NordVPN is capable of unblocking any streaming platform out there, be it Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, or HBO Max. With NordVPN there are no buffering issues, and you are usually able to reach movie libraries from multiple countries, not only the US or the UK. It's important to mention that NordVPN is perfect for Netflix, as it unblocks multiple international libraries.

Hotspot Shield is also a good VPN for streaming. In fact, it can unblock a few different platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, YouTube, and BBC iPlayer. However, the list ends here - I couldn’t reach HBO Max while the VPN was in use.

Also, NordVPN offers the SmartDNS feature that allows you to stream content even on devices that don’t support VPN connections.

So, in conclusion, NordVPN is a better tool for streaming.

Torrenting

Both NordVPN and Hotspot Shield are suitable choices for torrenting. However, if you torrent a lot, I suggest choosing NordVPN as your go-to service. Let me explain why.

While Hotspot Shield allows torrenting on all of its servers, NordVPN is a better option for torrenting due to its specialized servers optimized for P2P connections. Additionally, NordVPN offers Onion over VPN servers, which provide an extra layer of security for users.

Finally, NordVPN offers an integrated SOCKS5 proxy, which you can use with a variety of torrenting clients.

Features overview

It’s difficult to determine a winner in this section. On the one hand, NordVPN offers more features as a stand-alone VPN. Hotspot Shield, while functional, can’t quite match the versatility offered by NordVPN.

Split tunneling

Split tunneling is one of the features offered by both NordVPN and Hotspot Shield. And it’s a very useful one - it allows you to use the VPN connection on specific applications, making all the other traffic go unmasked. This way, you don’t need to constantly turn the VPN on and off.

So, in NordVPN’s case, this feature is very configurable. You can either include or exclude certain applications from the VPN connection on both Windows and Android.

When using Hotspot Shield, you’ll find a feature called Smart VPN on Windows and Android - and it’s essentially just standard split tunneling. Interestingly, this VPN allows you to choose not only apps but also specific websites, which is pretty convenient. A similar website-based bypass feature, also referred to as split tunneling, is available on Mac and iOS as well.

Malware blocking

Interestingly, some VPNs can protect you not just from snoopers, but also from malware. For this task, NordVPN implements a feature called Threat Protection Pro. It blocks malicious ads and websites, not letting your computer get infected in the first place.

Similarly, Hotspot Shield notifies you when you’re about to visit an infected or phishing website, thus preventing threats like phishing scams or viruses.

Specialty servers

Unlike Hotspot Shield, NordVPN offers a bunch of specialized servers that will help you customize your VPN connection even more. So, these are:

• Onion over VPN. These servers are extremely secure, as your connection also goes through the Tor network.
• Double VPN. Available with the NordLynx and Open VPN protocols, this option will connect you through two different servers at once.
• Obfuscated servers. These servers can be extremely useful in oppressive countries, as they make the VPN traffic seem like regular traffic, bypassing various restrictions. This only works with OpenVPN.
• P2P servers. Optimized for P2P connections, these servers will allow you to torrent at really good speeds.

SmartDNS

SmartDNS is a NordVPN feature that allows you to stream Netflix and other platforms on devices that don’t support VPN connections, like gaming consoles or certain smart TVs. However, remember one thing –your connection won’t be encrypted; you’ll only be using a foreign IP address.

Cybersecurity suite

When buying the Premium version of Hotspot Shield, a VPN is not the only thing you’ll get. Here’s what you’ll receive:

• Aura antivirus. That’s right - the Premium package includes a full-fledged antivirus tool with real-time protection. However, keep in mind that it’s only compatible with Windows and macOS.
• 1Password. One of the best and safest password managers out there, 1Password will fill out online forms and passwords for you. It includes 1GB of secure document storage.
• Spam-call blocker (Robo Shield). This is a feature for iOS and Android devices that will tag calls as spam if they come from suspicious numbers.

NordVPN vs Hotspot Shield: which is more secure?

Security is possibly the most important aspect of a VPN, even if the only thing you care about is unblocking Netflix. Having your personal data leaked is no joke!

Encryption and tunneling protocols

As a standard, VPNs use the AES-256 cipher for encryption. This is also the case for NordVPN. However, Hotspot Shield opted for AES-128, a slightly less secure, but also a virtually uncrackable variant of AES encryption.

This is because using a less complex configuration can lead to improved speeds, which aligns with Hotspot Shield's focus on delivering fast performance.

Now, when it comes to tunneling protocols, NordVPN gives you more choices than Hotspot Shield. You can pick among OpenVPN TCP, OpenVPN UDP, IKEv2, and NordLynx. However, you’ll end up using NordLynx most of the time, which is a modified version of WireGuard. That’s because it delivers the best speeds and security.

In terms of Hotspot Shield, you can use two protocols: Catapult Hydra, WireGuard, and IKEv2. The former is a proprietary tunneling protocol based on OpenSSL that is optimized for speed.

Logging

When it comes to the jurisdiction of NordVPN vs Hotspot Shield, NordVPNhas a clear advantage here. That’s because NordVPN is based in Panama, a privacy-friendly country. On the other hand, Hotspot Shield is based in the US, where laws do give authorities more leeway in terms of violating privacy. -

There’s also a stark difference when it comes to logging. NordVPN doesn’t keep any user logs, and its privacy policy has been independently audited five times. Meanwhile, the privacy policy of Hotspot Shield’s no-logs policy hasn’t seen a single audit yet.

Also, Hotspot Shield keeps your approximate city-level location in order to suggest you the fastest servers available. This might not be optimal for most privacy-oriented users. NordVPN collects anonymized information about your city, country, time zone, and device identifiers.

Kill switch

A kill switch is an extremely important feature of any VPN. That’s because it shuts down the internet connection when the VPN connection malfunctions. This prevents your real IP address from leaking out into the world.

During our tests, the kill switch of NordVPN functioned properly. It’s also worth mentioning that it is customizable - you can either choose to shut down the internet for the whole device or for specific apps only.

Hotspot Shield VPN also boasts a good kill switch - it passed our tests with flying colors. However, it’s only system-wide - you can’t select specific applications like in the case of NordVPN.

Plans and pricing

When comparing the pricing of NordVPN vs Hotspot Shield, it’s easy to see which one is cheaper. While both services use the same subscription model - the longer your commitment, the lower the monthly payment - NordVPN offers the lowest price of the two.

Of course, let’s not ignore Hotspot Shield’s free plan, too - this is something that NordVPN lacks. However, keep in mind that the free subscription is limited to 500 MB per month, which is only enough for occasional browsing.

Plan	NordVPN	Hotspot Shield
Free	❌ No	✅ Yes
Monthly	$12.99	$12.99
1-year	$4.99/month	$2.99/month
2-years	$3.09/month	-
3-years	-	$2.99/month
	Check Pricing	Check Pricing

Too expensive? Check out our exclusive VPN coupons for NordVPN and Hotspot Shield.

Keep in mind that both VPNs offer a money-back guarantee. NordVPN gives you 30 days to make up your mind about the service, while Hotspot Shield allows you to spend 45 days deciding whether to keep the service or not.

Server locations

This is the category where Hotspot Shield VPN shines, as its country selection is outstanding - you can pick from more than 96 different countries to unblock the content you need.

	NordVPN	Hotspot Shield
Servers	7400	1800
Countries	118	96
Americas	7	16
Europe	36	48
Asia Pacific	11	27
Middle East & Africa	4	5

However, the server fleet of Hotspot Shield is much smaller than the one of NordVPN. Which means that NordVPN’s servers are less likely to be crowded.

Also, Hotspot Shield doesn’t offer specialized servers of any kind. Meanwhile, NordVPN spoils us with lots of different kinds of servers: Double VPN, P2P servers, obfuscated servers, and Onion over VPN.

It’s difficult to determine a winner in a situation like this. Thus, I declare a tie.

Winner: Tie

Platforms, interface, and ease of use

NordVPN and Hotspot Shield are compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. NordVPN supports additional platforms like Kodi, Android TVs, and Fire devices, while Hotspot Shield is limited to Android TVs and Fire devices. Both providers allow up to 10 simultaneous connections. Both offer browser extensions for Chrome.

	NordVPN	Hotspot Shield
Supported OS	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Other software and devices	Kodi, Android TVs, Fire devices	Android TVs, Fire devices
Browser extensions	Chrome, Firefox, Edge	Chrome, Edge
Simultaneous connections	10	10

Desktop apps

NordVPN and Hotspot Shield take different approaches, but both deliver polished and user-friendly interfaces. Let’s begin with NordVPN.

So, its Windows and macOS applications look very similar. They both have a map, which is a convenient addition to a VPN interface. If you’re a beginner, you won’t have trouble using either NordVPN app. However, things are totally different regarding the Linux version - you’ll use it with the help of the command line terminal, as there’s no graphical interface.

In this regard, Hotspot Shield is similar as it offers great and easy-to-use applications for Windows and macOS while giving no graphical interface for Linux users.

Mobile apps

No matter whether you use an Android or iOS device, you’ll be satisfied with NordVPN’s mobile applications. However, despite the almost identical design, there are some differences in features.

For example, the iOS app offers Dark Web monitoring. Unfortunately, it doesn’t allow you to disable the kill switch. On the flip side, the Android app has split tunneling, auto-connect options, and a configurable kill switch.

In the case of Hotspot Shield VPN, the mobile apps are not identical to one another, especially in terms of features. Visually, they’re akin to the desktop app, and both are pretty feature-rich, although the Android app has slightly more functionalities.

Customer support

There’s one huge difference between Hotspot Shield's customer support and NordVPN’s: Hotspot Shield's live chat is hidden behind a paywall. You need to be a paid user to get any of that sweet human contact. Fortunately, free users can at least submit a ticket or read the troubleshooting guides.

Meanwhile, NordVPN allows any person to use its 24/7 live chat - you can write to them even if you don’t have a NordVPN account. Aside from that, you can also send an email or read through the FAQ section.

NordVPN vs Hotspot Shield – which one wins?

Category	NordVPN	Hotspot Shield
Speed	✅	✅
Features	✅	❌
Security	✅	❌
Streaming	✅	❌
Torrenting	✅	❌
Servers	✅	✅
Price	✅	❌
Ease of use	✅	❌
Customer support	✅	❌

If you’re unsure about picking between NordVPN and Hotspot Shield, just take a look at the table below. If your main concern isn’t the absolute best download speed then NordVPN should be your choice.

NordVPN offers better security, unblocks more streaming platforms, and has lower prices. On the other hand, Hotspot Shield might appeal to you if you’re looking for the absolute fastest download speeds.

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