Hotspot Shield
VPN with a free Basic tier and its own Hydra protocol
Hotspot Shield report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Oct 17, 2026
Best for a cheap first year on 10 devices
Hotspot Shield has a free plan for one device and a cheap first paid year: $29 for Premium, with 10 devices, 125+ locations and smart TV apps. The second year is the catch, at $95.99. The free plan gives you one location and a daily limit, which phone users can stretch by watching ads.
Who Hotspot Shield is for
- Great if you want a free VPN on one device for café Wi-Fi now and then
- Handy when you want the VPN on a smart TV as well as your phone and laptop
- Good for anyone happy to pay $29 for a year and shop around before renewal
Who Hotspot Shield is not for
- Pricey if you stay past the first year, as Premium renews at $95.99 a year
- Skip it if you use Linux, as the downloads list no app for it
- Not for you if you subscribe through an app store and want the 45-day refund, which covers direct purchases only
Why Hotspot Shield gets a 2.6
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- CValue for moneyPremium 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.
- CFree plan and trialBasic 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.
- BFeaturesIts 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.
- BEase of useNo 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.
- BPlatforms and integrationsWindows, 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.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Hotspot Shield's own pages on 17 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/hotspot-shield#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/hotspot-shield.svg" alt="Hotspot Shield: 2.6 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Hotspot Shield stands among VPNs
Hotspot Shield's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 10 of the 16 other VPNs we grade, and level with 2.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 6 of 16) and worst on value for money (C, above 1).
Its paid plans start at $8 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $5 for the category: 12 of the 15 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4. 1 tool scores higher and costs less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 17 VPNs we grade, cut by the letter each got. Hotspot Shield’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 1 of 16, level with 9
- CFree plan and trialAbove 11 of 16, level with 3
- BFeaturesAbove 5 of 16, level with 11
- BEase of useAbove 6 of 16, level with 8
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 16, level with 16
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 16 VPNs. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep Hotspot Shield, or make your own?
Keep it
To replace Hotspot Shield you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $95.99 a year.
What you could not
- Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
- An engine that recognises new malware as it appears.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Hotspot Shield’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Hotspot Shield?
Hotspot Shield is a VPN from Anchorfree, LLC with apps for Windows, Mac, iPhone and iPad, Android, Chrome and smart TVs. A free Basic plan covers one device and one virtual location, and Premium opens 125+ locations on up to 10 devices. Connections run over the company's own Hydra protocol, with OpenVPN and IPSec as alternatives.
Hotspot Shield has a free plan. Paid plans start at $95.99 per year at renewal (Premium), after a first year for $29. See every plan
Good for
- 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
Worth knowing
- 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
- 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.
Hotspot Shield pricing
- Starts at
- $95.99 per year at renewal (Premium), after a first year for $29
- 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.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $0 | One device and one virtual location, on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Chrome. |
| Premium, 1 year | $95.99per 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 | $12.99per 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. |
Read from hotspotshield.com on Oct 17, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Hotspot Shield before you buy.
Ways to pay less
- Other savingsFirst 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.
Stated on hotspotshield.com - Other savingsFirst month of Premium for $1.99
The monthly Premium plan costs $1.99 for the first month, then renews at $12.99 a month.
Stated on hotspotshield.com
Works with
Hotspot Shield alternatives
- Hotspot Shield vs TunnelBear
Free plan · from $3.33/mo
- Hotspot Shield vs Windscribe
Free plan · from $3/mo
- Hotspot Shield vs Proton VPN
Free plan · from $83.88/yr
- Hotspot Shield vs NordVPN
Free trial · from $139.08/yr
- Hotspot Shield vs ExpressVPN
Free trial · from $99.95/yr
Common questions
Is Hotspot Shield free?
Hotspot Shield has a 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. Paid plans start at $95.99 per year at renewal (Premium), after a first year for $29.
How much does Hotspot Shield cost?
Hotspot Shield lists 3 plans. Basic: $0. Premium, 1 year: $95.99 per year at renewal, after a first year for $29. Premium, 1 month: $12.99 per month at renewal, after a first month for $1.99. Prices were read from hotspotshield.com on Oct 17, 2026.
What platforms does Hotspot Shield work on?
Hotspot Shield is available on macOS, Windows, iOS and Android. It also has a browser extension.
Does Hotspot Shield offer any discounts?
Hotspot Shield publicly lists the following: First year of Premium for $29; First month of Premium for $1.99.
Does Hotspot Shield have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Hotspot Shield is listed for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
Is Hotspot Shield open source?
Hotspot Shield is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
What does Hotspot Shield integrate with?
Hotspot Shield's listing names 1Password. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Hotspot Shield?
Hotspot Shield is made by Anchorfree, LLC.
What are the alternatives to Hotspot Shield?
The closest alternatives to Hotspot Shield in our directory are TunnelBear, Windscribe, Proton VPN, NordVPN and ExpressVPN. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Hotspot Shield.
How does Hotspot Shield compare with other VPNs?
Hotspot Shield's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 10 of the 16 other VPNs we grade, and level with 2. It stands best on ease of use (B, above 6 of 16) and worst on value for money (C, above 1).
Is Hotspot Shield good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Hotspot Shield C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $8 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $5 for the category: 12 of the 15 others that charge start lower. On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4. 1 tool scores higher and costs less.
Could I make my own version of Hotspot Shield?
To replace Hotspot Shield you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one. It costs $95.99 a year. What you could not make: Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. An engine that recognises new malware as it appears. Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other. The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job. This is a judgement from its listing. We have not built one.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 17, 2026.