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Hotspot Shield 2021 Review

Mitch Avatar By: Mitch | Last updated June 15, 2021

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Introduction

As the number of people who use the internet grows at an incredible pace every year, the risk of cybercrime also increases along with it. It is now up to us individual users to set up security in place so that we won't have to worry about anything when we use the internet. 

One of the worst types of cybercrime is identity theft. It's been happening more often everywhere in the world lately. The hacker would find a way to get information about you, such as your real name, location, email address, etc. They will then use this information to commit fraud, scam, etc.

That's why making sure our internet session is safe from their prying eyes takes priority above everything else. One of the best solutions is by using a Virtual Private Network or also known as a VPN. This article will focus on providing a high level review of Hotspot Shield VPN.

About Hotspotshield VPN

A VPN works by creating a special tunnel between you and the internet and lets you do all of your internet activity within that secured tunnel. Because of this highly secured method, nobody, not even your Internet Service provider, would be able to take a peek into your internet session. 

And Hotspot Shield VPN is one of the best VPNs in the industry right now. It has consistently ranked within the top ten of various reputable tech publications. In 2019, an independent test was performed by Ookla, the world's most trustworthy internet speed test, and it named Hotspot Shield as "World's Fastest VPN".

Hotspot Shield VPN was developed by a tech company called AnchorFree and officially released in 2008. And in 2020, AnchorFree is acquired by Aura, a giant cybersecurity company. Since then, Hotspot Shield VPN has become one of the leading VPN providers in the world. 

Features of Hotspot Shield VPN
  • Absolute privacy. Hotspot Shield VPN will mask your location so that nobody could find out who you are, where you live, and what you do on the internet. It will give you absolute anonymity. They also guarantee that they won't keep any log of your activity, which means the company won't even know what you do on the net when you use their services. 

  • Absolute protection. For your protection, Hotspot Shield uses advanced 256-bit AES encryption. This is the type of encryption that is often used by the military and financial institutions.

  • Absolute security. To strengthen your security while browsing the internet, Hotspot Shield implements a kill switch protocol, split tunneling and there's also DNS leaks prevention. All of this is implemented to make sure you could rest assured knowing that your internet session is safe.

  • Global access. To give you the best internet experience, Hotspot Shield VPN now has over 3200 servers that spread around more than 80 countries and 35+ cities around the globe.

  • Multiplatform. Other than the usual Windows OS and Mac OS, Hotspot Shield VPN is also available on multiple platforms, such as Android, iOS, Linux, Chrome, and even your TV and routers.

  • Unlimited Bandwidth. The premium version of Hotspot Shield VPN gives you access to an unlimited bandwidth. That means you could do whatever you want on the internet without having to worry about daily or even monthly quota.

  • High-Speed Connection. With all the extra anonymity, security, and protection, VPN is bound to decrease your normal internet speed. That being said, with a connection of up to 1 Gbps, it still remains one of the fastest VPNs in the world.

  • Torrenting availability. Hotspot Shield supports a peer-to-peer activity, or better known as torrenting. They even have a recommended server that you could use for your torrenting activity.

  • Streaming mode. Hotspot Shield can give you access to various streaming contents that are usually locked to a specific location, such as from Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and lots of others. 

  • Gaming mode. This mode allows you to have your usual online gaming session while still keeping the gaming performance, your privacy, and security intact.

  • Other complementary features. Other than the advanced VPN features, Hotspot Shield VPN also gives its paid users access to other complementary features such as antivirus, spam-call blocker, and also password manager. 
Pros of using Hotspot Shield VPN
  • Affordable price. For the paid version, there are two pricing plans that you could choose from. The Premium plan goes for $7.99 per month and the Family plan goes for $11.99 per month, both billed annually. The main difference between them is the number of devices that you could use. The premium plan is one account that could connect up to five devices while the family plan is a five account with up to 25 simultaneously connected devices. All with 45 days money-back guarantee. 

  • Free version. Hotspot Shield VPN also comes in a free version. Although it is a stripped-back version of the premium VPN, you could still use all of the essential features such as privacy, security, and protection. While the speed and the daily bandwidth are limited, this version should be sufficient for your everyday browsing needs.

  • Easy to use. Hotspot Shield is a one-click solution to your secure internet experience. To activate the VPN, you only need to click one big button and it will choose the most suitable servers for you. You could also easily change the server to your preferred location if you want.
Cons of using Hotspot Shield VPN
  • US-based company. When I write this article, online privacy hasn't been strictly enforced by the US government. That's why when it comes to a service that deals mainly with users' privacy, it is usually a good idea to use a company that is based in a country with a strong data protection policy, such as most European countries. 
Conclusion

Privacy and security are one of the biggest issues that we should consider when using the internet. And since the Covid-19 pandemic forces most of us to use the internet for our work, study, and entertainment, the issue of privacy and security is even more important than ever. 

Using a reputable VPN is the best option that we can do right now. And with its unlimited bandwidth, high-speed connection, and more importantly, guaranteed security and anonymity, Hotspot Shield VPN is one of the best VPN providers in the market right now. 

What's more, it is also easy to use, highly affordable and could be used on virtually every device that you could think of. And even if you are still unsure whether you should use their service or not, they have a free version that is more than capable of handling your day-to-day browsing activity.

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