Betternet vs Hotspot Shield (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Hotspot Shield grades higher than Betternet: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Hotspot Shield grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Betternet
Ad-supported free VPN with an ad-free Premium plan
Hotspot Shield
VPN with a free Basic tier and its own Hydra protocol
Which one is for you
Pick Betternet if
- Fits if you want a free VPN for light use and can live with ads
- Works for people who'll try Premium free for 7 days
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to pick a server country on the free version, which connects to the US only
- Tight if you hate ads: they stay on the free version, and Premium removes them
- Watch out: the trial renews into a paid plan unless you cancel at least 24 hours before it ends
- Watch out: the home page shows a $71.99 first-year promotion that ended 24 March 2026; it renews at $95.99
- Watch out: the vendor's site showed no pricing page, so prices come from the App Store
Pick Hotspot Shield if
- Fits if you want a free VPN on one device for the odd café session
- Works for putting the VPN on your TV as well as your phone and laptop, on Premium
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you stay past the first year, as Premium renews at $95.99 a year after $29
- Watch out: monthly jumps from $1.99 to $12.99, and some versions of the plan page list tiers others don't
- Tight if you stay free: one device, one location and a daily limit that phone users extend by watching ads
- Skip it if you use Linux, as the downloads list no app for it, and the TV apps need Premium
- Not for you if you buy through an app store and want the 45-day refund, which covers direct purchases only
How we grade them
| 2.4GPABetternetFair | 2.6GPAHotspot ShieldGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CPremium is $95.99 a year, about $8 a month, or $11.99 monthly, against a category middle of $5. | CPremium is $29 for the first year and then renews at $95.99, so two years cost $124.99, about $5.21 a month. That's just above the middle of what VPNs charge. Monthly starts at $1.99, then goes to $12.99. |
| Free plan and trial | CA free VPN with unlimited data and no sign-up, but with ads and, per the vendor's App Store reply, a US server only. Premium has a 7-day trial that renews unless you cancel. | CBasic is free on one device and one virtual location. The page calls the data unlimited but also notes a daily limit, which phone users can stretch by watching ads. Fine for the odd café session, not for living on. |
| Features | CKill switch, leak protection, anti-phishing alerts and connection modes, but the free version is limited to one location and ads. | BIts own Hydra protocol, which can also get past VPN blocks, plus OpenVPN and IPSec, a kill switch, Smart VPN for choosing what bypasses it, malware and phishing warnings, Tor over VPN and 10 devices. It covers the whole job. |
| Ease of use | B4.5 from 238K App Store ratings. Install it and connect, with no sign-up for the free version. | BNo App Store rating on record. It's an app you install and connect, and Basic asks for no payment, with nothing to set up first. |
| Platforms and integrations | BiOS, Android, Windows, Mac and a browser extension. No API or integration list. | BWindows, Mac, iPhone, Android, Chrome and smart TVs, but the downloads list no Linux app. 1Password comes with Premium, but that's not an integration list or an API, so it stops at B. |
| Best for | a free VPN with ads | a $29 first year on 10 devices |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Betternet and Hotspot Shield. How we grade
Price against what you get
Betternet starts at $8 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Hotspot Shield starts at $8 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.0.
Hotspot Shield scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other VPNs on the chart, 9 score higher than Betternet for less, and 2 score higher than Hotspot Shield for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
At a glance
| Betternet | Hotspot Shield | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $95.99 per year, or $11.99 per month | $95.99 per year at renewal (Premium), after a first year for $29 |
| Free plan | Free VPN with unlimited data and no registration, supported by ads. The vendor's App Store reply says the free version connects to a US server. | Basic covers one device and one virtual location, with help from the support center only. The page calls its data unlimited but also notes a daily limit that iOS and Android users can extend by watching ads. |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial of Premium on the monthly and annual plans, per the App Store listing. | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Betternet LLC | Anchorfree, LLC |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | hotspotshield.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Betternet
- The free version shows ads and, per the vendor's App Store reply, connects to a US server only; Premium removes the ads.
- The vendor's site did not show a pricing page when read; the prices come from the App Store listing and a promotion notice on the home page.
- The home page still displays a $71.99 first-year promotion whose stated end date, March 24, 2026, has passed; it renews at $95.99 a year.
- Trials convert to paid plans unless cancelled at least 24 hours before they end.
Hotspot Shield
- The $29 first year and $1.99 first month are introductory; Premium then renews at $95.99 a year or $12.99 a month.
- The 45-day money-back guarantee covers subscriptions bought directly from Hotspot Shield, not through an app store.
- No Linux app is listed among the downloads, and smart TV apps need Premium.
- The plan page is shown in several versions; others list a Premium Family plan and a cheaper Plus tier that the current version does not offer.
Key features
Betternet
- Free VPN without registration
- The free version needs no account or email and has unlimited data, in exchange for showing ads.
- Kill switch and leak protection
- The features page lists a kill switch, always-on auto-connect and IP and DNS leak protection.
- Anti-phishing alerts
- Warns you before you visit a site that may carry malware or phishing.
- Connection modes
- Lets you optimize the connection for gaming, browsing or streaming, and includes Tor over VPN.
- Server network
- The features page cites 1,000+ servers with up to 1 Gbps, while the App Store listing says 1800+ servers and 125+ virtual locations.
Hotspot Shield
- Hydra protocol
- Hotspot Shield's own patented protocol, which can also disguise VPN traffic to get past VPN blocks. OpenVPN and IPSec are offered too.
- Kill switch and Smart VPN
- The kill switch cuts the internet if the VPN drops unexpectedly, and Smart VPN picks which apps or domains bypass the VPN.
- Malware and phishing protection
- Warns before you open a suspicious site, and a DNS filter blocks malicious sites and can filter harmful or inappropriate content.
- Tor over VPN and leak protection
- Reach Tor sites while connected to the VPN, with IP and DNS leak protection built in.
- 10 devices per account
- Premium links up to 10 devices, including phones, tablets, computers and TVs, across 125+ virtual locations.
- Third-party security apps
- Versions of the plan page list access to 1Password and a spam-call blocker (Robo Shield in the US and Canada, Hiya elsewhere) with Premium.
Plans
Betternet
Free$0
Ad-supported VPN with unlimited data and no sign-up.
Premium, monthly$11.99
per month
Ad-free VPN on up to 10 devices at once. Price from the US App Store listing, where it is labeled Monthly VPN Subscription.
Premium, annual$95.99
per year, renewing every year
The same Premium plan billed yearly. The vendor's site gives $95.99 a year as the annual renewal price; its own annual promotion had an end date of March 24, 2026.
Hotspot Shield
Basic$0
One device and one virtual location, on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Chrome.
Premium, 1 year$95.99
per year at renewal, after a first year for $29
10 devices, 125+ virtual locations, smart TV apps and 24/7 live chat. The first year costs $29 as an introductory offer, then it renews each year at $95.99.
Premium, 1 month$12.99
per month at renewal, after a first month for $1.99
The same Premium plan billed monthly. The first month costs $1.99, then it renews at $12.99 a month.
Ways to pay less
Betternet
No public discounts listed.
Hotspot Shield
- Other savings
First year of Premium for $29
The yearly Premium plan costs $29 for the first year as an introductory offer, then renews automatically at $95.99 a year.
- Other savings
First month of Premium for $1.99
The monthly Premium plan costs $1.99 for the first month, then renews at $12.99 a month.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Betternet or Hotspot Shield?
As of Nov 12, 2026, they start at the same price. Betternet starts at $95.99 per year, or $11.99 per month, and Hotspot Shield starts at $95.99 per year at renewal (Premium), after a first year for $29.
Which has a free plan, Betternet or Hotspot Shield?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Betternet and Hotspot Shield have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.