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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

Windscribe VPN vs Hotspot Shield 2024

Table of Contents
    Our Score: 8.0/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Our Score: 9.1/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info

    Which VPN is better?

    Author Image Daniel Krohn
    Daniel Krohn

    Cybersecurity Researcher

    Both Windscribe and Hotspot Shield are available as a free and a premium version. They’re not so different security-wise — both use military-grade AES 256-bit encryption and a kill switch. Plus, they keep your connection free from data leaks using DNS/IPv6 leak protection. They offer decent connection speeds and are capable of unblocking geo-restricted content. Additionally, both VPNs keep no logs and offer advanced features such as split tunneling and an ad blocker.

    Windscribe is one of the best free VPNs available, but the premium version is even better. Windscribe Pro has excellent speeds, unlimited bandwidth, and servers in 69 countries. It also allows Unlimited simultaneous device connections.

    Hotspot Shield is very user-friendly and allows P2P traffic on all servers. It also has its proprietary Hydra protocol, which is optimized to deliver lightning-fast speeds.

    Each VPN works with major operating systems and accepts a wide range of payment methods, including the most popular credit and debit cards. As both VPNs are good, we had to dive deep to see which one prevails.

    Our Score

    Features 8.0/10
    Pricing 8.0/10
    Ease of Use 8.8/10
    Reliability & Support 8.5/10
    Features 9.1/10
    Pricing 8.8/10
    Ease of Use 9.2/10
    Reliability & Support 9.4/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Matthew Amos
    Matthew Amos

    Senior Editor

    Our Score: 8.0/10

    My team and I tested everything Windscribe offers, including speeds, streaming performance, security, and more. We also thoroughly investigated its privacy policy to see how it's improved since the breach. After our tests, I can confirm that Windscribe is safe and decent overall. It has strong security features and takes your privacy seriously. Its free version is one of the best available, but...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    E
    ElloWanker
    10.0/10
    Customer for 5 years, Excellent VPN

    I see a fair amount of misinformation about Windscribe's features, pricing, etc.. I have zero complain... ts. You can build a custom plan for as low as $3 monthly, and if you want pro you can usually buy a year's worth for about the same if you wait for one of their promotions. Promotions are usually around the holidays, and are about $29-30/year.More

    Latest negative user review
    E
    Eclipse
    2.0/10
    Windscribe = Unprofessional

    If you are looking for a new synonym of the word unprofessional there you go you found it! Windscribe ... is not a company is just a joke that makes money from scamming people thinking they getting VPN services... Even after all these years they still do silly pranks on their supposedly customers by tricking them with a fake 1 year of free PRO service and days later telling it was just a joke as everything they do are for them... The only positive thing you can take from all of this is that if they can run a joke company and make money so can you... But will you still sleep at nights... That's up to you...More

    Read the full review
    Review by our expert
    Author Image Lawrence Wachira
    Lawrence Wachira

    Editor

    Our Score: 9.1/10

    Hotspot Shield is a VPN that’s undergone many changes recently. After dealing with several controversies, it overhauled its logging policy and is under new management. So, has it gotten better? My global team and I tested everything it offers to see if Hotspot Shield (HSS) is safe. We fully explored its logging policy and found out if its security features can prevent data leaks. We also tes...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    H
    Howard Rosenbrook
    10.0/10
    Had for 3 years no problem

    Kept cable providers off my ass just dont like that you cant pay a week or so early and dont like the ... auto renewal i should beable to pay my bill on my own when i want as long as im not late it shouldnt be a problem with your companyMore

    Latest negative user review
    A
    Alt
    2.0/10
    Blocked by Real-Debrid on just about every us city and nearly all countries

    Easy to connect speed pretty good multiple platforms not great from streaming.. which is where you nee... d the speed. Nord vpn and Express are both cooperative providers with real-debrid meaning no connection problems. Even if you do find a server that connects frequently this is blocked during streaming.More

    Read the full review

    Pricing

    Starting price $5.75/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 3 Days
    Number of devices per license Unlimited devices
    Starting price $3.33/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 45 Days
    Number of devices per license 10 devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall

    Windscribe wins. Beside its premium option, Windscribe gives you one of the best free versions out there, with unlimited connections and great speeds. Although Hotspot Shield runs a bigger server network, Windscribe showed better performance in unblocking global content.

    Best VPN for Torrents

    With port forwarding and much faster download speeds, Windscribe takes the lead. Hotspot Shield isn’t far behind, but its P2P speeds can sometimes be slow.

    Best VPN for Windows

    The winner is Windscribe, as it’s more powerful, and even works great for China, unlike Hotspot Shield. Nevertheless, both VPNs provide a straightforward and minimalist Windows app. Also, both include advanced settings that are easy to access and manage.

    Best VPN for Android

    Windscribe’s Android app is the most complete of all its apps, and better than Hotspot Shield. It has many options that contribute to a better user experience, such as location order and dark/light mode toggle. Hotspot Shield isn’t a good choice for Android, as it may include third-party trackers in its app.

    Best VPN for Mac

    Windscribe’s Mac client is a better choice. It’s very similar to the Windows app and gives you plenty of customization options while keeping a simple interface that’s easy to navigate. Hotspot Shield doesn't offer a kill switch on its macOS app.

    Best VPN for iOS

    Windscribe is a clear winner, as it’s one of the few VPNs that include a kill switch in their iOS apps. Also, it has a more advanced interface but remains super easy to use.

    Best VPN for USA

    Both VPNs offer servers in many locations in the US (Hotspot Shield covers 27 locations, and Windscribe 45), but Windscribe is better. That’s mostly due to the fact that Hotspot Shield doesn’t have an impeccable reputation when it comes to keeping users’ data private. Both VPNs are headquartered within the 5 Eyes Alliance, but Windscribe has a no-logs policy that’s more trustworthy.

    The Bottom Line

    See Plans & Pricing

    Overall, Windscribe is the better VPN. It is still new and still growing, but it has a promising array of features. It has a firewall that will protect your IP address, even in the case that your connection to the VPN is down (kill switch). Hotspot Shield has a number of similar features, but the service also partially logs what you're doing, while Windscribe does not log anything. Even if the premium version is more expensive, Windscribe has enough promise and protection to make it the better option between the two.

    Time to decide which one is best for you

    Go with Windscribe VPN
    Go with Hotspot Shield
    Or click here to check best VPNs, rated by {{review_count}} users

    FAQ

    Is Windscribe VPN better than Hotspot Shield?

    Yes, Windscribe VPN is better overall than Hotspot Shield. It has 177 servers in 69 countries, fast speeds, and impressive security features.

    Best of all, you can take advantage of its latest discount and get it for only $5.75 a month.

    What should I keep in mind when choosing between Windscribe VPN and Hotspot Shield?

    When choosing a VPN, you want to pay close attention to its number of servers, overall speed score, pricing, and the number of simultaneous device connections it offers. While some VPNs provide a flawless online experience, others will really slow you down.

    If you’re ready to commit, then Windscribe VPN may be perfect for you due to its performance during the tests .

    Is Windscribe VPN faster than Hotspot Shield?

    Yes, Windscribe VPN is faster than Hotspot Shield. Since your VPN is your computer’s main connection to the internet, you need to use a service that won’t slow you down by more than 20%.

    If speeds are important to you, then I recommend you take a look at ExpressVPN. It’s the fastest service out there, provides unlimited bandwidth, and you won’t experience any slowdowns even when you connect to the other side of the planet. You can try it out risk-free. It’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can get a full refund if you don’t like it.

    Do Windscribe VPN or Hotspot Shield offer any deals?

    Both Windscribe VPN and Hotspot Shield offer deals on occasion. You can check out the current coupons and discounts here. However, ExpressVPN has the best deals. Right now, you can get a 82% discount and up to 3 months for free with a new subscription.

    We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
    Learn more
    vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

    About the Author

    Technical writer with a passion for online privacy.