
The latter is a little broader at 24 countries, but still short of what you would expect from a company that charges $13 for their service.
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The former is pretty limited, as it only allows users to connect to US-based servers.
#VPN SHIELD REVIEW FREE#
Hotspot Shield’s server network evaluation depends on whether you are using the free or paid version. However, the VPN brand claims to keep no logs. The company is subject to warrants and government letters. The fact that Hotspot Shield is US-based is a little problematic when it comes to complying with law enforcement agencies if an investigation arises. We are dealing with an enterprise that has been known for redirecting user traffic to third parties and tracking users. No IPs are being stored, but wireless networks, location, and mobile networks have been used to identify users in the past, so be careful. This information does not identify you, and we use it to provide and improve the Services, troubleshoot, and perform analytics on our services.” Speaking of activity logs, the company says that “when you launch Hotspot Shield, we also collect device-specific information, such as the hardware model, operating system version, browser type, language, wireless network, and mobile network information. and AnchorFree GmbH, and our affiliates and subsidiaries.” Users don’t have to worry about getting different treatment for not paying the premium service, at least not when it comes to logging. The terms “AnchorFree,” “we,” “us,” and “our” include AnchorFree, Inc. PRIVACY & LOG POLICYĪccording to Hotspot Shield’s privacy policy, it includes both the free and paid versions, “including the Hotspot Shield websites and mobile applications (collectively, the “Services”). You’re limited to paying with a regular old credit card, PayPal or store gift cards the last option theoretically provides anonymity. Hotspot Shield is among the few VPN services that doesn’t currently accept bitcoins. The implemented methods are credit cards (Visa, Master Card, American Express, Diners Club, Union Pay, JCB, and Discover), store gift cards, and PayPal. One of the most notorious disadvantages of Hotspot Shield is that it is among the few VPN brands that don’t accept cryptocurrencies as a means of payment. There is also a lifetime plan available for $120. It is rather expensive.Īs it happens with most reputed VPN services, Hotspot Shield Elite’s prices go down as the commitment lengthens: for the six-month subscription, the cost is $9, and for the year-long plan, the fee is $6. The paid app also features five different connections at the same time, and costs $13 per month. However, the caveat with the free service is that its users would only be able to connect to American servers, as opposed to the 24 available nations in the Hotspot Shield Elite version. With it, users can enjoy up to 500 MB of daily free data, which is one of the best numbers in the industry, considering that most free VPN brands have similar data caps in a whole month. Obviously, there are no payments involved in the free edition of Hotspot Shield. It can be downloaded on desktop computers as well as on mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. There is a free VPN offering, which is very convenient for users that don’t have privacy at the top of their priorities list. The premium offering, Elite, is very fast and is excellent for online streaming and unblocking restricted international sites. The free service allows a great deal of data to be shared daily, but you have to endure some annoying ads. In addition, Hotspot Shield has been the subject of controversy regarding traffic spying. Since it is based in the United States, it is subject to certain law enforcement agencies. However, the service does have some drawbacks. It is owned and managed by the American company AnchorFree, and it has received generally positive reviews about its server network, performance, speed, and ability to block connections to malicious websites. Hotspot Shield has been working to protect people’s privacy and security for a few years now.
#VPN SHIELD REVIEW UPGRADE#
Hotspot Shield, the VPN company we will review today, is a “freemium” service, which means that it has a free version with the ability to upgrade to a fully functional, paid app, the Hotspot Shield Elite. There are sophisticated VPNs that require advanced configurations and provide end to end encryption, and there are free choices for those that don’t have the means to invest in a paid service. The VPN market is well covered, though, as there are options for every taste, need, and budget.


The need to protect our assets is exacerbated every day, as hackers and cybercriminals are getting better at stealing identities, credit card numbers, and intercepting information. Virtual Private Networks, often abbreviated as VPN, are one of the most popular online encryption tools in our current digital security landscape.
