T
TFree and premium VPN for streaming, gaming and private browsing on any device
Free, from $3.33/mo
Betternet vs Hotspot Shield
Pricing, features, platforms and who each one suits — side by side.
B
Choose Betternet if…
- you're in its core audience: casual mobile users, streamers
H
Choose Hotspot Shield if…
- you're in its core audience: streamers, gamers
Side by side
Feature Betternet Hotspot Shield
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starting price$6/mo—
Free plan
Free trial
API
Open source
PlatformsiOS, Android, Windows, macOS, ChromeWindows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome
CompanyBetternet LLCAnchorfree, LLC
Full feature lists
B Betternet
- One-tap VPN connection that hides your IP
- Encrypted web traffic
- No registration or email required
- Access to content from other regions
- Protection against ISP throttling
- Blocks malware and phishing sites
- Apps for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac and Chrome
H Hotspot Shield
- Proprietary Hydra VPN protocol
- 115+ virtual locations in 80+ countries
- Up to 10 devices per account
- No logs of data tied to users
- Supports streaming, gaming, downloading and P2P
- Apps for smart TVs and Chrome
- 45-day money-back guarantee on direct purchases
Their home pages
What each vendor shows first: the pitch, the plans and the sign-up.
Betternet · betternet.co
Hotspot Shield · hotspotshield.comWhat you'd pay
The cheapest plan that fits, per month, billed yearly where the plan offers it.
Betternet
FreeFree
Premium (annual, promo)$71.99/yr (about $6/mo billed annually)
Hotspot Shield
Freemium. Plan details aren't published.
Strengths and limitations
Betternet
- Free version with no registration needed
- Premium includes a 7-day free trial
- Apps for five platforms, including a Chrome extension
- Large review base: 191K on the App Store and 1.2M on Google Play
- Promo price applies only to annual billing and renews at $95.99/year
- No Linux app listed
- Home page does not explain how the free plan differs from Premium
Hotspot Shield
- 45-day money-back guarantee on direct purchases
- One account covers 10 devices
- Servers in 80+ countries
- Free VPN download offered
- No pricing details on the home page
- Subscriptions renew automatically unless you turn it off
- Linux app not listed
More comparisons
Other options to consider
TT
Free, from $3.33/mo
F
FFree VPN with unlimited traffic and no sign-up, plus a 100+ location Premium plan
Freemium
F
Freemium
F
Free VPN with unlimited traffic and no sign-up, plus a 100+ location Premium plan
VPNFree plan
P
PSwiss no-logs VPN with a free plan, 20,000+ servers and built-in ad blocking
Free, from $3.49/mo
P
Free, from $3.49/mo
P
Swiss no-logs VPN with a free plan, 20,000+ servers and built-in ad blocking
VPNFree planOpen source
W
W
Freemium
T
TT
See site
A
A
Freemium
A
Free VPN with 500 MB monthly data for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS users
VPNFree plan
Facts from each vendor's public pages. Editorial policy