C
Hotspot Shield vs NordVPN
Pricing, features, platforms and who each one suits — side by side.
H
Choose Hotspot Shield if…
- you want a free plan to start with
- you work on Windows, macOS, iOS
- you're in its core audience: streamers, gamers
N
Choose NordVPN if…
- you're in its core audience: individual consumers, families
Side by side
Feature Hotspot Shield NordVPN
Pricing modelFreemiumPaid
Starting price—$2.99/mo
Free plan
Free trial
API
Open source
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome—
CompanyAnchorfree, LLC—
Full feature lists
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
N NordVPN
- Encrypted VPN connections that hide your IP address
- Threat Protection included in all plans
- Up to 10 devices per subscription
- NordPass password manager on higher tiers
- Data Breach Scanner on Plus and higher
- 1 TB encrypted NordLocker storage on Complete
- Pay by card, crypto or PayPal
What you'd pay
The cheapest plan that fits, per month, billed yearly where the plan offers it.
Hotspot Shield
Freemium. Plan details aren't published.
NordVPN
Basic$3.49/mo on 2-year plan; $14.99 month-to-month
Complete$4.49/mo on 2-year plan; $19.99 month-to-month
Prime$7.49/mo on 2-year plan; $29.99 month-to-month
Strengths and limitations
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
NordVPN
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Covers up to 10 devices
- Higher tiers bundle a password manager and 1 TB of storage
- Accepts card, crypto and PayPal
- No free plan
- Long-term plans are billed upfront
- Prices and plan names vary by region and promotion
More comparisons
Other options to consider
C
Paid
E
EE
Paid
S
SS
Paid
B
BFree VPN app with optional Premium for streaming, gaming and private browsing
Free, from $6/mo
B
Free, from $6/mo
T
TFree and premium VPN for streaming, gaming and private browsing on any device
Free, from $3.33/mo
T
Free, from $3.33/mo
P
Open-source VPN with unlimited devices, no-logs policy and servers in 113 countries
From $2.03/mo
P
From $2.03/mo
P
Open-source VPN with unlimited devices, no-logs policy and servers in 113 countries
VPNOpen source
Facts from each vendor's public pages. Editorial policy