The VPN offers a propriety protocol called “Catapult Hydra” which works on the Open SSL library to encrypt data. Security: Hotspot Shield offers industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption but there is no OpenVPN or WireGuard protocol.Servers: Hotspot VPN offers 1800 servers in 115+ locations, covering 35+ countries.However, you can use the absolutely free version with a daily limit of 500 MB per day. Pricing: Hotspot Shield is expensive at $7.99/mo.Here are the key findings of the Hotspot Shield VPN review:

Overall, Hotspot Shield is good for general usage, but you should opt for a more reliable option like ExpressVPN if you want a privacy-focused VPN that can also unblock 20+ Netflix libraries. For these reasons, we would not recommend this VPN to our readers. Sadly, the VPN could not unblock Netflix, it’s not a good VPN for torrenting because of its logging practices, and it is a little on the pricier side. Hotspot Shield delivers fast speed, has a wide network of servers in 115+ locations, and offers intuitive apps for all widely-used devices. Moreover, you can also use the eye-catching 7 days free trial that allows you to check the performance of the service of its premium plans in detail. You can also check out other VPNs that are free in our best free VPN services blog. You can head over to our VPN reviews guide if you want to check out the key features of other best VPN services. Therefore, we don’t recommend the service to netizens across the world.

There is no anonymous payment option, which is one of the basic attributes we search for in VPNs. Also, you can only purchase a premium plan using your credit card or PayPal. It cannot unblock US Netflix, the VPN is based in the US which is one of the founding members of the 5 Eyes Alliance, and the logging policy is a mixed bag.

However, the service has fallen short in other areas quite considerably. It also boasts an impressive network of 1,800 servers in 35+ countries, giving you many options to spoof your location. Hotspot Shield offers an absolutely free plan and a clean interface for all widely-used devices. In this Hotspot Shield review, we test the provider in 11 primary categories including pricing, security, streaming, jurisdiction, servers, speed, compatibility, leak test, and trustworthiness to help you make a considerate decision on whether you should use this VPN or not.

Hotspot shield basic plan