Hotspot Shield
Hotspot Shield ranks #9 in our VPN comparison, with a score of 8.5/10. Speed above all, for occasional use.
Updated on September 18, 2026 · Some links are affiliate links: they fund the site and do not change the order of our rankings.
Hotspot Shield in brief
- Proprietary Catapult Hydra protocol is very fast
- Limited free version available
- Privacy policy has drawn criticism in the past
- Prices shown in dollars, conversion isn't clear
Detailed specifications
- Netflix
- Disney+
- BBC iPlayer
- AES-256
- Kill Switch
- Catapult Hydra
- IKEv2
- OpenVPN
Pricing and guarantee
Hotspot Shield lists $7.99/mo priced in dollars, annual plan, with a 45-day money-back guarantee so you can try it risk-free. Pricing is as published by the provider and re-checked regularly.
Our verdict
Speed above all, for occasional use. On speed, Hotspot Shield rates as "very fast", with 80 countries covered and 1800+ servers. Proprietary Catapult Hydra protocol is very fast, to weigh against one point of caution: privacy policy has drawn criticism in the past.
Alternatives to Hotspot Shield
Frequently asked questions
How much does Hotspot Shield cost?
+Hotspot Shield's best deal comes to 7.99€/month (priced in dollars, annual plan). A 45-day money-back guarantee lets you try it risk-free.
Is Hotspot Shield a good VPN?
+With a score of 8.5/10, Hotspot Shield ranks #9 in our comparison. Speed above all, for occasional use.
Can Hotspot Shield be used for torrenting?
+Hotspot Shield isn't the ideal choice for torrenting: P2P isn't a focus here.