Hotspot Shield vs NordVPN
We give Hotspot Shield a 2.6 GPA and NordVPN a 2.4, out of 4.0. Hotspot Shield grades higher on value for money and the free plan. NordVPN grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Hotspot Shield
VPN with a free Basic tier and its own Hydra protocol
NordVPN
Subscription VPN with threat protection and Meshnet device links
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAHotspot ShieldGood | 2.4GPANordVPNFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | DOnly Nord's renewal prices could be read: Basic renews at $139.08 a year, so two years on record come to $278.16, about $11.59 a month, the dearest in this category. The first-term price for new customers wasn't readable, so a first purchase may cost less. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | DA 7-day free trial of the 1- and 2-year top-tier plans, but only for new customers in the US and 14 other countries, and it needs a card or PayPal. The 30-day money-back guarantee isn't a trial. |
| Features | 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. | BNordLynx, NordWhisper, OpenVPN and IKEv2 with a kill switch, malware and ad blocking, Double VPN, Onion Over VPN, obfuscated servers, Meshnet, Dark Web Monitor and dedicated IPs. Nothing in the listing is missing from a VPN's job. |
| Ease of use | 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. | A4.7 from about 709,000 App Store ratings, the biggest crowd in this category. Install, sign in, tap connect. |
| Platforms and integrations | 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. | BMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, plus Chrome, Firefox and Edge extensions. There's no integration list or API on record, so it stops at B. |
| Best for | a cheap first year on 10 devices | a big-name VPN for up to 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: Hotspot Shield and NordVPN. How we grade
Price against what you get
Hotspot Shield starts at $8 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. NordVPN starts at $11.59 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.3.
NordVPN scores higher, and starts $3.59 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other VPNs on the chart, 1 scores higher than Hotspot Shield for less, and none scores higher than NordVPN 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
- Hotspot Shield starts at $95.99 per year at renewal (Premium), after a first year for $29. NordVPN starts at $139.08 per year at renewal (Basic 1-year plan).
- Hotspot Shield has a free plan. NordVPN does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only NordVPN lists a Linux app.
- Hotspot Shield also covers malware protection.
- NordVPN also covers ad and tracker blocking.
At a glance
| Hotspot Shield | NordVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $95.99 per year at renewal (Premium), after a first year for $29 | $139.08 per year at renewal (Basic 1-year plan) |
| Free plan | 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. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 7-day free trial of 1- and 2-year top-tier plans for new users in the US and 14 other countries |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Anchorfree, LLC | Nord Security |
| Price read from | hotspotshield.com | my.nordaccount.com |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Hotspot Shield
- Occasional users who want a free VPN on one device
- People who want the VPN on a smart TV as well as phone and laptop
- Buyers who want a cheap first year before deciding to stay
NordVPN
- Households covering up to 10 devices on one account
- People who want ad and malware blocking in the VPN app
- Linking home devices to each other privately with Meshnet
Worth knowing
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.
NordVPN
- Nord's pricing page turned away automated readers, so the first-term prices it advertises are missing here; only the US 1-year renewal prices could be read.
- Nord's renewal list also names an Ultimate 1-year tier at $256.68 for the US; plan names vary by country.
- The 30-day money-back guarantee covers the first purchase only; renewals are not refundable under it, and App Store purchases go through Apple.
- The free trial is limited to new customers in 15 countries and needs a credit card or PayPal.
Key features
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.
NordVPN
- Protocols
- Choose between NordLynx (built on WireGuard), Nord's own NordWhisper, OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec, with an automatic kill switch and DNS leak protection.
- Real-time protection
- Scans files for malware and blocks harmful websites; the App Store listing adds tracker and ad blocking, depending on device and plan.
- Specialty servers
- Double VPN sends traffic through two servers, Onion Over VPN adds the Tor network, and obfuscated servers make VPN traffic look like ordinary traffic.
- Meshnet
- Links your own devices into a private network so they can reach each other without exposing your real IP address.
- Dark Web Monitor
- Watches for your email address and other personal details turning up in data leaks and alerts you when they do.
- Dedicated IP
- A fixed personal IP address, bought on its own or in a bundle, for services that only accept allow-listed addresses.
Plans
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.
NordVPN
Basic 1-year$139.08
per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan
The VPN-only tier. Nord's first-term price for new customers could not be read, so only the renewal price is shown.
Standard 1-year$149.88
per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan
Priced between Basic and Plus at renewal. Nord's first-term price for new customers could not be read.
Plus 1-year$179.88
per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan
Priced between Standard and Complete at renewal. Nord's first-term price for new customers could not be read.
Complete 1-year$219.48
per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan
Adds NordPass and NordLocker to the VPN. First-term price not readable; this is the 1-year renewal price.
Ultra 1-year$269.88
per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan
One of the top tiers that the 7-day free trial covers. First-term price not readable; this is the renewal price.
Prime 1-year$296.28
per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan
The dearest US tier on Nord's renewal list, and one the free trial covers. First-term price not readable.
Ways to pay less
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.
NordVPN
- Education
Student discount for ages 18 to 26
Nord's help center says students and apprentices aged 18 to 26 can get an additional discount. The size of the discount is not stated there.
