Hotspot Shield: A Complete Review of 2023 with its all Features
Virtual Private networks i.e VPNs are often used to protect user privacy online. And since there are endless cybersecurity tools available online it is important to choose the right one. The major purpose of all these VPNs is the same i.e encrypt data online & hide IP addresses. Hence making a choice can be a difficult task. But in order to do it you must look into the features, Pros, Cons, and pricing of the VPN.
One such common VPN service is Hotspot Shield. It works on different platforms with fast servers optimized for high-quality streaming & gaming. In the following Hotspot Shield VPN review guide we will discuss all the parameters of it that will help you identify if it is the best VPN for you or not.
About Hotspot Shield
The company Hotspot Shield is based out in California and came into existence in 2008. It has now expanded its 1800 servers in 80 countries. Hotspot Shield offers free and paid VPN services. It is one of the most trusted VPNs by millions of users across the globe. The VPN service ensures safe and secure access to all the information online.
The company is well aware of the risk of data leaks and hence has a policy of keeping all the information safe. Also, the application is user-friendly and allows torrenting traffic on all servers.
In the following sections, we have explained in detail the complete list of features, advantages, disadvantages, and pricing of Hotspot Shield VPN. Read thoroughly to understand if it is the best pick for you or not.
Hotspot Shield Features
| Number of Servers | 1800 |
| Based in | The United States |
| Number of devices/ license | 5 |
| Support | 24*7 Chat support |
| Logs? | No |
| Price | 2.99 US Dollars per month |
| Money Back Guarantee Upto | 45 days |
| Torrenting Support | Yes |
| Kill Switch | Yes |
The following are some of the notable features of Hotspot Shield
1. Speed and Reliability
The speed of Hotspot Shield is impressive and reliable. Choose any of the servers you can easily stream HD content or browse without any lags or delays. It uses PCP i.e Proprietary Connection protocol to fix all the latency issues related to encryption.
2. Security Features
With AES 256 encryption, secure proprietary protocol, and kill switch it is a safe VPN choice to make. No IP, WebRTC, or DNS leaks have been reported by both desktop and mobile phone users.
3. Streaming
With the Premium version of Hotspot Shield you can unlock popular services for streaming movies, shows, etc online that include BBC, Hulu, HBO Max, iPlayer, Disney+, and DAZN. However, it no longer unblocks access to Netflix US.
4. Torrenting Rating
Torrenting is permitted on all the Premium and free servers of Hotspot Shield. Also, P2P traffic is unrestricted with the VPN too. Faster upload speed, Kill switch, and DNS leak protection make it a great alternative for torrenting.
Also Read: Best VPNs For Torrenting
5. Server Locations
The server network of Hotspot Shield expands to over 80 countries and has 1800 servers. It uses a combination of virtual & physical servers. For Free version users, the choice of server location is restricted to 4 i.e UK, New York, Singapore, and Los Angeles.
6. Device Compatibility
You can easily install the app on your Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, or Linux devices. Moreover, the application is available on other platforms too such as Android TV and Amazon Fire Stick. Moreover, for router support installations guides are available for Asuswrt, Asus (Merlin), FreshTomato, GL.iNet, and DD-WRT.
7. Easy User Interface
Although the VPN does not have much to offer when it comes to advanced settings the applications are easy to use and beginner friendly.
Pros and Cons of Hotspot Shield
As we are now aware of the features of the Hotspot Shield VPN it’s time for us to have a look at the Pros and Cons. It will help you in making a more informed decision.
Pros
- Across a Short distance, the speed is way too good.
- Paid versions can unlock several streaming platforms such as Hulu, HBO, and DAZN.
- With the Pro subscription, it also allows torrenting
- The interface is user friendly
- Large network of VPN servers spread across over 80 countries.
- Free of DNS, WebRTC, or IP hacks
Cons
- Kill Switch feature unavailable on Mac
Pricing
You can choose from the following available options of VPN plans available to get faster speed and unlimited access to data. All the plans come with a 45-day complete money-back guarantee.
- Basic: Free
- Premium: $7.99 per month
- Premium Family: $11.99 per month
To make the Hotspot Shield VPN review more helpful we have also mentioned a detailed comparison table for the three pricing models available.
| Free | Premium | Premium Family | |
| Member Account | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Connection Devices | 1 | 10 | 25 |
| Platform | Windows, Chrome, iOS, Mac, Android | Windows, Chrome, iOS, Mac, Android, Linux, Router, Smart TV | Windows, iOS, Linux, Mac, Chrome, Smart TV, Android |
| Military Grade Encryption | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Data Limit | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Stream Mode | ⨯ | Optimized for Disney+, YouTube, Netflix, and more | Optimized for Disney+, YouTube, Netflix, and more |
| Game Mode | ⨯ | Optimized for games like Roblox, Fortnite, etc. | Optimized for games like Roblox, Fortnite, etc. |
| Customer Support (24*7) | Support Center Only | ✔ | ✔ |
| Device Logs | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Speed of VPN Connection | Upto 1 Gbps | Upto 1 Gbps | Upto 1 Gbps |
To purchase the required plan for Hotspot Shield use any of your Credit or Debit cards. PayPal is also accepted as a mode of payment on their website. Apart from the 45-day money-back offer you can also avail completely free trial for 7 days.
Also Read: Best Free VPN for Firestick
Closing Lines on hotspot Shield Review
In conclusion, we can say there’s so much you can explore in Hotspot Shield. Hopefully, the above Hotspot Shield complete review guide helped you understand the details of the VPN. In our opinion, with an impressive speed offer, it also has a decent international server network and a simple user interface. The main purpose of the VPN is to maintain user privacy and security. And hence with the given Hotspot Shield features the VPN is a great choice for users.
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