Hotspot Shield
VPN for private browsing, streaming and gaming across 10 devices
Own Hotspot Shield? Claim it, free to correct the facts and get the verified badge.
Pricing
Freemium
Company
Anchorfree, LLC
Platforms
What is Hotspot Shield?
Hotspot Shield is a personal VPN that encrypts your internet connection, masks your IP address and lets you reach sites and streaming content from other countries. It says it does not log any data that could be tied to you.
The service runs on its own Hydra protocol and offers more than 115 virtual locations: servers in over 80 countries and 35 cities. These are meant for streaming, gaming, downloading and P2P. One account covers up to 10 devices. Apps are available for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome and smart TVs.
Hotspot Shield fits people who want to secure public Wi-Fi, watch services like Netflix, YouTube, Prime and Disney+ from abroad, or keep their browsing private. Subscriptions bought directly come with a 45-day money-back guarantee. The site also links to a free VPN download and a separate Business VPN.
Key features
- 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
Use cases
Who it's for
Streaming from abroad
Watch Netflix, YouTube, Prime and Disney+ content from other regions through virtual locations.
Securing public Wi-Fi
Encrypt your traffic on hotspots in cafes, airports and hotels.
Gaming and P2P
Use servers tuned with the Hydra protocol for gaming and downloads.
Protecting a household's devices
Cover laptops, phones and TVs, up to 10 devices on one account.
Hotspot Shield pricing
From the vendor's site, checked Nov 4, 2026. Prices change — confirm on their pricing page.
The vendor does not publish plan details.
Cost over 2 years: $12512 × $2.42 + 12 × $8.00 after renewal. Worked out from the figures in Hotspot Shield in numbers below.
Get an email when Hotspot Shield changes its prices
One mail per change, a stop link in each. Nothing else.
Hotspot Shield in numbers
- Monthly plan
- $12.99
- Best intro price
- $2.42
- Intro term (months)
- 12
- Renewal per year
- $95.99
- Money-back (days)
- 45
- Devices at once
- 10
- Server countries
- 80
- Jurisdiction
- United States (Anchorfree, LLC, Boston, MA)
- Latest no-logs audit
- Aon, 2023
- Free plan
- Yes
- Pay with crypto
- No
The best intro price is a $29 first year for Premium (about $2.42/mo), which auto-renews at $95.99/year; server coverage is advertised as 80+ countries. From Hotspot Shield's own pages, checked Nov 6, 2026. Each figure links to the page it is from; fields the vendor doesn't state are left out.
How Hotspot Shield compares
- Cost over 2 years: $125 at Hotspot Shield, more than all 4 similar services that state it.
- Hotspot Shield has the best monthly plan of the 4 services here: $12.99.
- Hotspot Shield has the best money-back (days) of the 5 services here: 45.
- Hotspot Shield has the weakest server countries of the 5 services here: 80.
| Tool | Cost over 2 years | Best intro price | Renewal per year | Latest no-logs audit | Server countries | Devices at once | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HHotspot Shield | $125 | $2.42 | $95.99 | Aon, 2023 | 80 | 10 | |
C CyberGhost | $52.56 | $2.19 | $61.32 | Deloitte, 2025 | 100 | 7 | Hotspot Shield vs CyberGhost |
E ExpressVPN | $71.76 | $2.99 | $99.95 | KPMG, 2025 | 113 | 10 | Hotspot Shield vs ExpressVPN |
N NordVPN | $83.76 | $3.49 | $139 | Deloitte, 2025 | 167 | 10 | Hotspot Shield vs NordVPN |
S Surfshark | $59.76 | $2.49 | — | Deloitte, 2025 | 100 | Unlimited | Hotspot Shield vs Surfshark |
Figures from each vendor's own pages; — means the vendor doesn't state it. The closest alternatives in our directory by category. “Starts at” is the cheapest paid plan per month, as each vendor lists it.
Pros and cons
Strengths
- 45-day money-back guarantee on direct purchases
- One account covers 10 devices
- Servers in 80+ countries
- Free VPN download offered
Limitations
- No pricing details on the home page
- Subscriptions renew automatically unless you turn it off
- Linux app not listed
Hotspot Shield FAQ
Is there a refund policy?
Yes. If you buy directly from Hotspot Shield, you can get a full refund within the first 45 days.
How many devices can I use?
Up to 10 devices on one account.
Which platforms are supported?
Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome and smart TVs, among others.
Does Hotspot Shield keep logs?
The site says it doesn't log any data that could be tied to you.
Is there a free version?
The site links to a free VPN download.
Used Hotspot Shield? Rate it
Sign in to rate this tool and share how you use it.
Hotspot Shield
Freemium
Tools similar to Hotspot Shield
Free VPN app with optional Premium for streaming, gaming and private browsing
Free and premium VPN for streaming, gaming and private browsing on any device
Open-source VPN with unlimited devices, no-logs policy and servers in 113 countries