A secure, fast, and reliable VPN service
Hotspot Shield is a leading VPN service, letting you browse the web anonymously. With this software, you can privately access numerous websites, torrent clients, and other content on the internet. With over 2,500 servers in multiple countries around the world, Hotspot Shield offers fast and reliable connectivity. Additionally, the program is available in paid and free versions. It’s worth mentioning that the free version of the program is slightly slower than the premium offering. Since the program comes with a free trial, you get time to test the features, ease of use, and speed.
Simple interface, free to use, and supports fast streaming
In recent times, people around the world have started using VPN services to surf the internet privately, securely, and anonymously. With Hotspot Shield VPN, you can leverage the software’s advanced features, including faster speed, high-end encryption, complete privacy, and more. Compared to other services, this program offers lower latency, ensuring stable and secure connections on Windows PCs. It can also detect malicious websites and protects you from online threats, such as hackers, suspicious URLs, etc.
Hotspot Shield comes with a wide range of features, such as automatic IP address deletion, multiple secure server connections, support for global servers, and more. The program comes with a simple interface, which focuses on ease-of-use, quick navigation, and better integration of advanced security protocols.
What about the interface?
Hotspot Shield takes a cue from the minimal approach of some high-end privacy tools. The application has a large-sized button, which connects and disconnects the chosen server. An analog clock displays the length of the connection and gives you an option to stop or schedule access to servers.
The VPN download comes with a single page ‘Settings’ menu, which gives access to important parameters and preferences. It’s worth mentioning that the free version of the app restricts some functionalities in this section. On starting Windows, Hotspot Shield automatically connects to a preferred server. It identifies your last-used network and builds a secure connection instantly.
What are the features?
Unlike other service providers, Hotspot Shield lets you use an account with up to 5 devices. The program is available for multiple operating systems, including Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. Since it supports cross-platform synchronization, you can continue using all the features on different devices.
Hotspot Shield VPN offers excellent customer support round-the-clock. If you experience any issues in building secure connections, you can reach the support team via email, live chat, forums, etc. The software has a solid community, which remains active in various discussion forums online.
While the free version of the program is slower than the premium offering, you still get good speed, reliable connections, and support for multiple devices. With more than 2,500 servers across the globe, the VPN service also supports multimedia streaming. Thus, you can conveniently and securely access websites like Netflix.
Hotspot Shield also offers support for downloading torrents. Like other VPN downloads, this program lets you bypass geo-centric restrictions or censorship imposed by government authorities. This comes in handy while traveling in a new location or browsing the internet from public Wi-Fi.
Since the program has a simple interface, it offers a hassle-free and seamless user experience. You can activate a secure connection within a couple of clicks, and continue to use the tool for an unlimited amount of time. It doesn’t impose any limitations on time, data, or bandwidth. Hotspot Shield comes with an automatic kill switch, which disconnects the PC from the server.
Is there a better alternative?
Although Hotspot Shield is a reliable, fast, and trustworthy VPN service, you can choose from plenty of alternatives. Depending on usage, security features, and pricing, you can explore HMA! Pro VPN, UltraSurf, Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client, etc. While the first two are aimed at casual users, the third one is perfect for enterprises.
HMA! Pro VPN is a popular VPN client, which supports more than 1,000 servers across the globe. With AES 256-bit encryption, the tool keeps your data secure and private. It offers some advanced features, including a kill switch, IP shuffle, and a choice of preferred servers. It also blocks DNS and IP leaks, ensuring complete anonymity. UltraSurf is a similar VPN download but doesn’t have an appealing interface.
For enterprise-grade, corporate, and business users, Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is a great choice. The program supports some innovative features, such as admin access, centralized hub, unlimited bandwidth, support for multiple operating systems, and more. Unfortunately, it requires a steep learning curve and isn’t quite popular among individuals looking to build secure connections on home computers.
While these services offer a good alternative, Hotspot Shield remains one of the most popular choices among VPN service providers. If you’re looking to download torrents, access restricted websites, and watch multimedia content online, this one will be a good choice. With Hotspot Shield VPN, you can access websites without revealing your physical location, router details, and IP address.
Developed by AnchorFree, Hotspot Shield is one of the most popular low latency products offered by the company. The VPN download is also available with a Google Chrome extension, which makes it convenient to encrypt browser traffic. Hotspot Shield is lightweight software, which doesn’t affect system resources. The program runs in the background, and you can continue to use the tool without any lags or crashes.
P2P Support and Torrenting Capabilities
Hotspot Shield VPN is a torrent-friendly service that offers seamless P2P support across all its servers. Users can easily download torrents using any of the available clients, including Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. There are no bandwidth limits or restrictions, ensuring an enjoyable experience for users who engage in torrenting activities.
Device Compatibility and Manual Setup
This VPN service offers extensive device compatibility, with apps for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. It also provides a command line app for Linux and a TV app for Amazon Fire TV or smart TVs with Google Play access. For users seeking to set up the VPN on other platforms like routers, Hotspot Shield has step-by-step guides on its support site for manual configuration.
Hydra Protocol and Encryption
Hotspot Shield uses its proprietary Hydra protocol, which is based on TLS 1.2 and employs AES-256 and AES-128 encryption, 2048-bit RSA certificates for server authentication, and Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDHE) for perfect forward secrecy. Although the code is not open source, the VPN service ensures that users’ data is protected using top-notch encryption technologies.
Privacy Policy and Logging Practices
The company’s privacy policy clearly states that Hotspot Shield’s VPN products do not log IP addresses, device identifiers, or any other form of identifier in combination with VPN browsing activity. However, some logging does occur, including the duration of VPN sessions, the bandwidth consumed, and the domains accessed in an anonymized manner. Although this information cannot be linked to specific VPN browsing activity, users should be aware of these logging practices.
Kill Switch Performance
Hotspot Shield’s apps feature a kill switch that prevents IP leaks by blocking the internet connection if the VPN connection drops. While tests showed that the kill switch works well in most common scenarios, some extreme situations revealed potential vulnerabilities, where the kill switch failed to activate and left the device unprotected.
Unblocking Streaming Services
The VPN excels in unblocking popular streaming services like Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, and more. Users can gain access to Netflix libraries in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan, as well as other platforms like BBC iPlayer, ITV, and Channel 4. Hotspot Shield’s impressive unblocking capabilities make it an excellent choice for streaming enthusiasts.
Customer Support and Knowledge Base
Hotspot Shield offers live chat support and a comprehensive knowledge base organized by platform and categories like Payments and Subscriptions, Manage Account, and Common Issues. The support team is friendly and knowledgeable, providing quick assistance when needed. Although there is room for improvement in the support site’s content, users can find most of the essential information and rely on live chat support for additional help.
An excellent choice for Windows PCs
With Hotspot Shield VPN, there’s no need to worry about geo-specific restrictions, limitations on the number of accounts, or ISP restrictions. With a single user account, you can set up secure connections on multiple devices. As such, the program lets you browse the web anonymously on smartphones, PCs, tablets, and other devices. Moreover, the free version comes with a trial period, which gives you an opportunity to test everything about the software.
Gain unlimited, private access to all your favorite apps and websites, while advanced security protects you from online scams
Hotspot Shield is the most trusted VPN for internet freedom, security, and privacy, rated “by far the fastest VPN” by PCWorld. Whether you’re streaming videos, downloading, gaming, or using social media, you get unlimited access even where it’s restricted by public Wi-Fi content filters, ISPs, and other institutions that censor the internet. With unlimited data, you can access all your favorite content from all your devices as much as you want. Military-grade encryption ensures your personal information, including your IP address, remains private, while advanced security protects you from viruses and other online scams.
Hotspot Shield is fast, secure, easy to use, intuitive, and excels in every category. Independent IT-Security institute, AV-Test, rated Hotspot Shield as the #1 app for speed, security, and ease of use. This comprehensive test consisted of Hotspot Shield and 11 other VPNs, some of which were enterprise grade. Hotspot Shield was by far the fastest performing VPN tested, averaging 2x faster downloads than the competition. This is all made possible by Catapult Hydra, a proprietary VPN transport protocol. With over 30 patents, the unique technology optimizes multiple server connections that are stronger and faster over long distances, resulting in some of the fastest speeds available.
