Hotspot Shield Review 2023: Missing Features, Tested Security & Pricing

Hotspot Shield Review is one of the most popular and reputed VPN services on the market today. Amongst its features, it offers a wide array of benefits to users, including the ability to bypass blocked websites, unblock social networking sites and other online services, and protect their privacy. Moreover, it is very user-friendly and compatible with four major social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google+.

It's a streaming and gaming server

Hotspot Shield is a VPN service that protects your internet traffic by directing your internet connection through a virtual network tunnel. It offers a variety of servers in over 80 countries. You can access these servers using the apps available on Windows, Android, and iOS.

Hotspot Shield also has a TV app for Amazon Fire TV. Its interface is simple and straightforward, allowing you to find the best server for your needs.

The free version of Hotspot Shield includes a limited 500 MB per day data limit. If you want more than that, you can buy a premium account.

In the premium version, you get up to 10 devices connected at the same time. There is also a 45-day money back guarantee. As with all of Hotspot Shield's plans, the plans work on iOS, Windows, and Mac.

One of the key features of Hotspot Shield is the smart VPN feature. It allows you to automatically connect to the best Wi-Fi hotspots for your location. This can help you bypass VPN traffic, especially when you are streaming or gaming.

Using the VPN can also help you bypass geographical restrictions. Hotspot Shield supports popular streaming services including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and ITV. They also allow you to use P2P on their servers. However, Hotspot Shield doesn't claim to be the best for P2P.

On top of the basic features, Hotspot Shield also offers a kill switch. With this, you can automatically disconnect from a server if it detects that it's not secure.

Hotspot Shield is also part of the Five Eyes alliance. This is an international group of governments that share information about their citizens. Some member countries are more strict about data retention than others.

While the Smart VPN feature is only available on the Android and Windows apps, Hotspot Shield has a number of other smart features. For instance, they can automatically search for the best server, or they can automatically reconnect after a server is disconnected.

The app also has a kill switch, which is only available on the Windows client. Users can choose to enable or disable the kill switch, or they can set a default server for all future connections.

It's a beginner-friendly VPN

If you are looking for a simple and beginner-friendly VPN, then Hotspot Shield is a good option. It is easy to navigate and offers a wealth of features.

With over 3,000 VPN servers in 80 countries, Hotspot Shield is a solid choice. However, it has some shortcomings. A lack of encryption and logging concerns are issues that have been raised by some users.

While the server network is not as large as CyberGhost and ExpressVPN, it does offer a wide variety of virtual locations. These include 25 in the U.S., as well as over 100 in Ukraine.

When choosing a VPN, speed is one of the most important features. While Hotspot Shield is not as fast as some competitors, it is still quick and secure. You can check your connection speeds and latency by clicking the Quick Connection button.

The desktop app has a straightforward, uncluttered design. The interface is similar to that of other VPN providers, such as ExpressVPN.

The mobile apps are also straightforward. They show you which server you are connected to and the data you've consumed so far. Users can also access customer support and a knowledge base.

Although Hotspot Shield does not provide a dedicated IP address service, it does have a smart VPN feature. This allows you to select and exclude certain types of traffic. Another feature is a kill switch.

Hotspot Shield also offers a 45-day money-back guarantee. In addition, users can contact customer support through email, live chat, and telephone.

Hotspot Shield is easy to use, and it offers a solid track record with popular streaming services. Moreover, it has an efficient customer support team.

However, the user interface is lacking in some features. The main screen has a shortcut to the server list. Also, the sidebar includes unnecessary sections.

One thing to watch out for is the privacy policy. Although the company makes it clear in their website, it is not always easy to verify whether or not they are keeping your information. Luckily, there is a knowledge base and FAQ section.

It's compatible with four major social media channels

Hotspot Shield is a VPN service that offers fast security. The VPN provider boasts a server network of over 1,800 locations in 80 countries. However, this service is not the most budget-friendly option when it comes to short-term plans. In addition to its basic plan, users can also purchase a premium subscription for up to 10 devices at a time.

The Hotspot Shield desktop app has an intuitive user interface. It provides users with an easy-to-follow layout, and a large on/off button. But, it's not as feature-rich as some other VPN clients.

Some of the best features of the desktop apps are split-tunneling, a kill switch, and WebRTC leak protection. The app isn't perfect, however, and it lacks tooltips, icons, and a variety of other features.

The Android and iOS apps are relatively simple. They have a minimalist design, but the location list is sparse. And, while they do offer a 500-MB limit, users can watch ads in order to exceed it. Despite the limited features, though, they are a welcome addition to the Hotspot Shield line-up.

If you're looking for a VPN that's capable of unblocking streaming sites and bypassing sports blackouts, Hotspot Shield is worth checking out. During speed tests, though, they had super-fast speeds.

Hotspot Shield offers users a 45-day money-back guarantee. The provider accepts all major credit cards and PayPal. Moreover, it has a decent support team, with live chat and email tickets available.

There's no configuration required to use the client, though. As a beginner, you should be able to use the service without any issues. For more advanced users, though, you may find that the interface lacks features.

One of the most exciting features of the Hotspot Shield app is the built-in speed test. This is a great tool that can help you decide whether or not you should upgrade to a premium account. Another excellent feature is the ability to set a default location.

However, it's important to note that users with slower connections will not notice a difference. Furthermore, because the encryption is 256-bit AES, it's very hard to break.

It's owned by Pango

Hotspot Shield is a popular VPN service. It's available on both iOS and Android, and offers a variety of features. However, it's lacking in a few areas. For instance, it does not offer any type of static IP address. And, it's subject to US Federal Trade Commission oversight.

Another concern is that Hotspot Shield's user privacy policies aren't entirely transparent. Users should check the terms of service for more information. This company also claims to have a solid support team, but the options aren't quite as robust as some competitors.

Additionally, the company has come under fire for questionable logging practices. The company has been accused of sharing user data with third-party agencies to target ads. These logging practices have led the Center for Democracy and Technology to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

In addition, a recent security research has shown that a bug in the Hotspot Shield client was exposing users' information. Researchers were able to gain access to users' Wi-Fi names, as well as other personal details.

Despite the lack of transparency, Hotspot Shield has a number of good features, including a solid no-logging policy. They also offer split-tunneling, and an option to block ads. A free trial is offered, and there are several different subscription plans to choose from.

In addition to this, Hotspot Shield offers a 45-day money-back guarantee. Although it's not the fastest VPN service, speeds are still adequate for most tasks.

Lastly, there is a free version of the service, but it's not nearly as powerful. It only offers 500MB of VPN data per day. That's not enough to watch a 30-minute Netflix show. Plus, it doesn't allow users to download large files.

While Hotspot Shield has undergone some changes in ownership, the company is based in the U.S. and is a member of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. Countries within the Five Eyes are able to compel companies that focus on privacy to share user data.

Overall, Hotspot Shield is an excellent global VPN service that stands out as one of the best. However, if you need a VPN that's budget-friendly, you may want to look elsewhere.