Hotspot Shield is a VPN service developed by AnchorFree (now known as Pango Inc.). Its standout feature is the proprietary Catapult Hydra protocol, designed to deliver exceptional speed and performance without compromising security. With over 650 million users worldwide, Hotspot Shield is available on a wide range of devices, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, and browser extensions.
Pricing
Hotspot Shield offers a single subscription plan that supports up to 10 devices, priced at $6.66/month with annual billing and $9.99/month with a monthly subscription. You may notice a “free version” on the screenshot, but it’s actually just a 7-day free trial that requires a credit card to activate. After the trial ends, you’ll be charged based on the plan you selected (annual or monthly). In reality, Hotspot Shield doesn’t have a truly free version – only a 7-day free trial.
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Features of Hotspot Shield
1. Proprietary catapult hydra protocol
Hotspot Shield is best known for its Catapult Hydra protocol, which sets it apart from many other VPNs. This proprietary protocol is designed to optimize data transfer efficiency and speed, even on slower networks or when connecting to distant servers. As a result, Hotspot Shield has consistently ranked among the fastest VPNs available, making it a great choice for streaming, gaming, and other high-bandwidth activities.
2. Security and Privacy Features
Hotspot Shield uses AES-256-bit encryption, the industry standard for data protection, safeguarding internet traffic from hackers, ISPs, and government surveillance.
- Kill Switch: The built-in kill switch feature automatically disconnects your device from the internet if the VPN connection unexpectedly drops, preventing any data leaks.
- Malware Protection: Hotspot Shield includes malware protection that blocks access to potentially malicious websites, enhancing your browsing security.
- DNS Leak Protection: The service provides DNS leak protection, ensuring that your DNS requests are securely tunneled through the VPN and not exposed to ISPs or other third parties.
3. No-Logs Policy
Hotspot Shield operates under a no-logs policy, which means it does not track or store user browsing activity. However, it’s worth noting that in the past, Hotspot Shield has been scrutinized for its data collection practices, which included some logging of user IP addresses in an anonymized form. Since then, Hotspot Shield has updated its privacy policy to address these concerns and claims not to collect or store any information that could identify users. That said, Hotspot Shield has not yet undergone an independent audit to verify these claims.
If you have something to share about your experience with Hotspot Shield, feel free to leave a review – it can help others make an informed choice!
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