Hotspot Shield VPN: Fast, Secure and Easy to Use
Security and privacy have become a big concern for many internet users nowadays. As more websites and apps become available to make communication, conducting business, or performing everyday transactions faster and more convenient, the risk of exposing personal data or confidential business information to malicious cyber activities also increases.
In addition to your internet service provider (ISP), hackers and some organizations have different ways to track, access, or steal data, especially when using public Wi-Fi. These instances are where a VPN or Virtual Private Network becomes an essential tool to safeguard one’s online privacy and security.
Hotspot Shield VPN provides VPN services, enabling consumers to experience internet freedom, security, and privacy, without the worry of exposing confidential information to cyber attackers.
About Hotspot Shield VPN
Hotspot Shield (HSS) VPN is currently operated by Pango, formerly AnchorFree, Inc. They released the first client app in 2008 for Windows and macOS. Pango’s main headquarters is in Canada, which is a member of the 5 Eyes Alliance. They also have offices in Ukraine and Russia. Their VPN is ideal for streaming, gaming, and online privacy. As of this writing, HSS VPN has over 650 million users around the world.
How Does HSS VPN Work?
Connecting to one of HSS VPN’s servers makes your online behavior completely private and inaccessible, even by your ISP. This happens because your real IP address is replaced by a temporary IP address. All your browsing activities go through an encrypted tunnel that cannot be recognized by hacking or phishing software and devices.
The encrypted connection lets you access geo-restricted sites, enjoy fast internet speeds and torrenting activity. If you have a VPN app running, any online activity you do will be routed through the private network and encrypted, so even if it is intercepted by a hacker, they will only appear as a jumble of codes.
Pricing and Subscription Plans
HSS VPN offers a basic plan for free. Signing up for the free version allows you to connect one device to the VPN service, and you can only enjoy limited access to the VPN features. For example, streaming access is limited, the connection speed is up to 2 Mbps only, and the data limit is up to 500 Mb daily.
They also offer paid monthly and yearly subscription plans, both of which come with a 45-day risk-free money-back guarantee. The monthly and yearly subscription packages are available in Premium and Premium Family options. The Premium plan allows you to connect five devices, while the Premium Family plan enables you to sign up a total of five members and connect up to 25 devices (5 devices per member).
The basic plan does not include advanced features such as Smart VPN and Malware Protection, and Security Suite features such as Identity Guard, Password Management, and Spam Call Blocking, which the Premium versions have.
Features
Do you want to know more about Hotspot Shield? Then have a look at their features;
Proprietary Protocol
HSS VPN uses its proprietary Hydra protocol in delivering online security and protection. The Hydra protocol is similar to open SSL but boasts faster download speeds, quicker connection rates, and better unblocking. For data encryption, HSS VPN uses AES-256. HSS VPN also provides DNS leak protection, which you can enable or disable on the settings. This high-level protection lets you browse the web anonymously, even when using public Wi-Fi. They also provide malware protection, and they can also identify phishing and spam sites.
Fastest VPN
In 2019, experts at Ookla’s Speedtest.net conducted an independent study on competing VPN service providers to determine which one offers the fastest connection. The results showed that HSS VPN connects 1.4x over faster over short distances and 2.2x faster over long distances compared to the nearest competitor. HSS VPN also increases download speeds by 26% when compared to the connection without using a VPN.
Supports Multiple Devices
HSS VPN is compatible with devices that run on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. It also offers a Chrome browser extension. HSS VPN also has a Kill Switch feature, but it only runs on the Windows app platforms. You can connect up to five different devices with HSS VPN.
Vast Network of Servers
HSS VPN has a network of servers of over 1,800 in more than 80 countries and 35 cities worldwide. Plus, they have servers available in China. With this number of servers, you can stream content, have access to geo-restricted websites, and experience less lag time while playing online games, anywhere in the world.
Support Center
HSS VPN has a 24/7 live chat support team to respond to customer inquiries. You can also email or submit a ticket by accomplishing the online form on their website. They also have vast library resources available in their Support Center for FAQs, troubleshooting, or payment and subscription issues.
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Live chat can be a lot better
I couldn’t believe the level of quality of their live support (or should I say the lack of quality)? I can’t remember which other good VPN doesn’t have a superb live chat? It’s just such a big no-no, I can’t even start.
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Impressive download speed
Impressive download speeds from most servers (not all). Some will be way subpar but for most of them, I got very good download speed. I wasn’t expecting such good results with a less known VPN like Hotspot Shield.
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Getting DNS leaks
Tested a few VPNs so far and I’m getting DNS leaks with Hotspot Shield. It didn’t happen just once but 4 times from 15 tries which is a LOT. They need to do better if they want to keep being in business.
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Support sucks
Had a few issues and it was very hard to get a reply from them since there’s no live chat. I got an email 2 days after and it was too late by then. Not very good support.
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Too bad the live support is not that good
It takes ages for them to reply to questions (via email) you might need answers to right away. Even when I’m using their live chat, it takes them a decent amount to answer. And this happened multiple times not just once.
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Not the best at unblocking Netflix
Netflix works but not always. I could unblock it from a Canada server but didn’t manage so well when it comes to the UK or US. So, it’s not the best when it comes to Netflix.
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Not nearly enough countries and servers
Just 24 countries and some 500 servers is just not enough, not enough at all. When they add more, maybe I’ll come back
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No, thank you!
They have some logging going on so it’s a clear NO from me.
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The live chat could be better
The live chat option is just not that good for this level! I wasn’t expecting them not to be on top of this. It’s so hard to get in touch with them. The need to improve this if they want more business.
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Hotspot Shield is good for torrenting
Torrenting is easy and fun with Hotspot. It’s probably one of the better VPNs out there when it comes to torrenting because they even have guides on how to do this.
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User interface is a BEAST!
I really, really love the user experience Hotspot Shield VPN provides! I think it’s the best out there. I’ve tried a few others and nothing comes close to this one.
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No match for the big guys
HS VPN is no match for some of the more known VPN services out there like Surfshark, NordVPN, ExpressVPN or Cyberghost.
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No Hotspot Shield VPN for me!
Their logging policy is quite misleading because they do in fact do it. Stay away from them!
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Such big download speed!
It’s hard to believe it (it was for me) but Hotspot Shield VPN has better, bigger download speeds than NordVPN, ExpressVPN and you name it! Yes, I know that’s a big one but it’s true in a lot of cases, no all of them of course. It often downloads with fury from many locations (US, UK, Canada among them).
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Seen better
Hotspot Shield VPN is a decent option but is it a top one? No, I don’t think so. Their download speed is not the best, mind you, I’ve seen a lot worse with others and I’ve also seen other things I don’t like so this doesn’t get a very big grade from me, maybe a 6 out of 10.
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