Hotspot Shield VPN Review 2021: How reliable is it?
AnchorFree’s Hotspot Shield VPN is one of the most recognizable names in the VPN market today. It claims to have “blazing” fast speeds that are perfect for continuous streaming and gaming. The company also boasts of secure browsing and an interface design that’s suited for Android or iPhone user. But are these claims true? Read our Hotspot Shield review to find out.
Make the most of your online experience with the world's most trusted VPN technology - Hotspot Shield VPN.
Table of Contents
Hotspot Shield Review
What is Hotspot Shield? Dubbed as one of the fastest VPN brands in the world, HotSpot Shield Pro presents itself as the perfect VPN to meet consumer demands for gaming and streaming. And in terms of privacy, the Hotspot VPN uses patented technology to make it one of the most reliable VPN providers in the world.
It maintains at least 2,500 servers in 70 countries – an impressive network comparable to the top VPNs in the business.
If you’re pressed for money or want to test drive a VPN on your mobile device first, Hotspot Shield for Android or Hotspot Shield iPhone free version can give you basic protection from eavesdroppers. For Android users, you can download Hotspot Shield APK to surf securely on your smartphone.
The downside to any free Hotspot Shield offering is annoying ads, a quid pro quo for getting their service for free. Also, you can only connect to US servers.
There are also Hotspot Shield trial versions you can check out. You can download and use trial versions of Hotspot Shield Elite and Hotspot Shield Premium without a data cap for seven days without paying anything.
Hotspot VPN: Plans and Prices
What is Hotspot Shield worth? If you want a cheap VPN service for your mobile device, Hotspot Shield iPhone may not be best for you. Its price is on par with some of the premium VPNs. Hotspot Shield VPN Elite has several subscription tiers you can choose from. Like other brands, you get a hefty discount if you get the longer subscription packages.
The VPN accepts payments via several channels like through credit card, PayPal, and others. If you’re a Bitcoin user, the bad news is that it doesn’t accept cryptocurrency. But in case you’re not happy or convinced, you may take advantage of the brand’s 45-day money-back guarantee.
Hotspot Shield: Summary Sheet
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Does this provider have a no-log policy? | Yes, this provider doesn't log your activities |
| Is this VPN service good for P2P? | Yes, it is good for torrenting |
| Netflix catalogues availability | US |
| How many devices can be connected simultaneously? | This provider allows 5 simultaneous connections |
| Server locations | 80+ |
| Supported apps and devices | Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Smart TV |
| Any refund policy? | Yes, the money-back guarantee lasts 45 days |
| VPN protocols? | Catapult Hydra |
| Bandwidth? | Unlimited |
| VPN encryption? | Most secure VPN encryption: Military AES 256 bits |
| How many IP addresses does this service provide? | This provider doesn't disclose that information |
| VPN Servers? | 3,200+ |
Using the Hotspot VPN
Netflix
You may be wondering what is Hotspot Shield iPhone capable of. Hotspot VPN can unblock the Netflix US library and other streaming sites. It can’t, however, unblock UK sites so, that’s unfortunate. With fast connections, your Netflix and chill experience is sure to be gratifying. Another good thing is that if you ever find yourself travelling to China, you can use this VPN. It’s able to overcome the Great Firewall, but streaming Netflix may happen at mid-range speeds.
Torrent
Hotspot Shield iPhone encourages the use of BitTorrent and Utorrent, so Hotspot VPN download or P2P file sharing is not a problem. Hotspot Shield for Android also has a no-log policy in place to ensure that your digital footprint is invisible. No logs of your activities or IP address are recorded. You can read another Hotspot Shield review to cross-check.
Hotspot VPN Features
Catapult Hydra
What is Hotspot Shield unique at? The VPN assures extra-strong encryption and speeds with their patented Catapult Hydra protocol. It’s an exclusive feature, and therefore unique to the brand’s premium users. Catapult Hydra cures the latency issues in a VPN that affect speed. It does this by facilitating better data transport while enforcing strict privacy measures. As a result, you get fast Hotspot VPN download and no-buffering streaming experience.
Kill Switch
Any VPN worth its salt needs to have a kill switch feature. When you’re online and connected to a Hotspot Shield for Android VPN client, all is well and good privacy-wise. Yet, unforeseen circumstances can compromise your connection, exposing you in the process. A kill switch mitigates this exposure by shutting down the VPN connection the instant this happens.
Malware Protection
Hotspot Shield for Android instantly alerts you when you chance upon malware-infested sites. Once it detects a malware, it automatically blocks the site, saving your smartphone from infection.
Windows client
Interface
This Hotspot Shield review finds that the VPN features a no-fuss and easy to use interface for Windows. Its interface is clean and intuitive. To get a VPN for Windows, only four steps are needed:
- Download the software Hotspot Shield VPN for Windows.
- Click on the app then sign in.
- Click Connect.
- You are now encrypted and ready to surf.
Setting
The VPN is not as configurable as other top VPNs. What’s good about it is that the IP leak protection setting is auto-enabled. It would have been better if the kill switch was on by default, too.
Customer service
You can easily reach Hotspot VPN’s customer service via chat. The chat option is not open 24/7 though, so you may not get the answers you need in real-time. The best alternative is to send them an email with your concerns.
Conclusion
So, is Hotspot VPN reliable? In this Hotspot Shield review, I conclude that it is. The VPN excels in speed and performance. Its streaming is unable to unblock some Netflix libraries in other jurisdictions, and you can only do a maximum of 5 simultaneous logins. However, with a kill switch, IP leak protection, and their patented Catapult Hydra protocol, your privacy is in good hands with Hotspot Shield VPN.
