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Hotspot Shield vs PrivadoVPN is mainly a free-plan comparison. Hotspot Shield gives 500 MB a day on a US location, with ads and speed limited to about 2 Mbps. PrivadoVPN, under Icelandic law since May 2026, gives 10 GB a month at full speed on one device, then slower servers, across about 13 locations. Neither has an independent no-logs audit in our sources.
This guide compares the free plans, paid plans, features, streaming, privacy and fit.
Hotspot Shield vs PrivadoVPN: Free Plans
A daily cap suits short sessions; a monthly cap suits occasional heavier use.
Hotspot Shield’s daily 500 MB resets every day, which suits a little browsing every day, but its single US location and ads limit it, AllAboutCookies and vpnprograms report. PrivadoVPN’s 10 GB a month can be used in bigger chunks, across about 13 locations, and Top10VPN found it opened US and UK Netflix.
For most free users, PrivadoVPN’s allowance goes further and offers more countries.
Privacy Evidence
Neither offers the outside proof that audited providers publish.
Read each privacy policy before signing up.
Hotspot Shield records session length, bandwidth and device hashes, a 2026 review notes, and faced a 2017 FTC complaint over its free version. PrivadoVPN collects device and traffic data to enforce plan limits, PCWorld notes. Neither has an independent no-logs audit in our sources.
Our VPN audit tracker lists providers with outside checks.
Paid Plans
Introductory prices hide the real cost; compare renewal prices too.
Introductory prices hide the real cost, so compare renewals.
Hotspot Shield Premium costs $7.99 a month on a yearly plan, with 45 days for refunds and 10 devices. PrivadoVPN Premium costs $1.11 a month on two years, with 10 devices and SOCKS5.
PrivadoVPN is far cheaper; Hotspot Shield gives a longer refund window.
Features
Hotspot Shield’s split tunnelling works only with Hydra, Cloudwards notes.
SOCKS5 speeds up a torrent client without encryption.
Hotspot Shield offers Hydra, WireGuard and IKEv2 with split tunnelling for apps and sites on Windows and Android. PrivadoVPN offers WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2, a per-app kill switch that passed TechRadar’s stress tests, SOCKS5 and its Control Tower DNS blocker.
Torrent users get more from PrivadoVPN’s SOCKS5.
Streaming
On its free plan, PrivadoVPN’s results are notable for a free service.
Results change as services update their blocks.
Hotspot Shield’s free plan does not suit streaming, vpnprograms notes. VPNOverview found PrivadoVPN opening Netflix in the US, UK, Australia, Brazil and Japan in 2026.
For streaming, PrivadoVPN performs better, even on its free plan in Top10VPN’s tests.
Platforms, Owners and Jurisdiction
A router covers devices without apps.
Hotspot Shield’s free plan excludes routers, smart TVs and Linux, Tom’s Guide notes, and its Linux app is command-line only. PrivadoVPN’s Fire TV app works on all its plans, while Linux is for Premium only.
Fire TV owners can use PrivadoVPN free; Hotspot Shield needs Premium for TVs.
Neither belongs to Kape or Nord Security.
Point Wild owns Hotspot Shield in the US. PrivadoVPN moved from Switzerland to Iceland in May 2026; Iceland is outside the EU but inside the European Economic Area.
Our VPN ownership guide explains why ownership matters.
Who Each Is For
Both free plans cover one device, so households will need a paid plan either way.
Hotspot Shield suits people who want a small daily allowance and simple apps, and who may upgrade with a 45-day refund. PrivadoVPN suits people who want more free data, more countries, streaming and the cheapest paid plan.
Try both free plans; most people will settle on PrivadoVPN’s.
Kill Switch and Split Tunnelling
AllAboutCookies found every Hotspot Shield plan includes a kill switch, with a notification when it is active, and its SmartVPN split tunnelling covers apps and sites on Windows and Android and sites only on Mac, vpnprograms notes. PrivadoVPN’s newer per-app kill switch passed TechRadar’s stress tests, and it can include or exclude apps from the tunnel.
Test either by switching Wi-Fi off and on while connected.
Upgrading Later
PrivadoVPN’s upgrade is the cheaper of the two by a wide margin.
Hotspot Shield’s 45-day refund gives time to test the upgrade.
Upgrading Hotspot Shield removes the daily cap and ads and adds routers, smart TVs and Linux, Tom’s Guide notes. Upgrading PrivadoVPN lifts the 10 GB cap, unlocks all locations and adds SOCKS5 and 10 devices.
Compare what each upgrade adds against what you actually need.
Torrenting
PrivadoVPN allows P2P on selected servers and includes a SOCKS5 proxy on Premium, VPNOverview notes. We found no port forwarding or SOCKS5 for Hotspot Shield in our sources.
Torrent users will get more from PrivadoVPN’s paid plan. Bind your client to the VPN and check its IP before downloading.
How We Research
This page draws on vpnprograms’, AllAboutCookies’ and Tom’s Guide’s Hotspot Shield reviews, a 2026 Hotspot Shield review on logging, PrivadoVPN’s Wikipedia entry and VPNOverview’s, Top10VPN’s, PCWorld’s and TechRadar’s PrivadoVPN coverage. We cross-checked these sources against each other, and where they conflict or something can’t be verified, we say so in the text rather than guessing. We checked time-sensitive figures, including prices in US dollars, on 8 October 2026. The main source we relied on is AllAboutCookies’ Hotspot Shield review. Our full approach lives on the About Us page.
Hotspot Shield vs PrivadoVPN FAQ
PrivadoVPN’s, with 10 GB a month and about 13 locations.
500 MB a day on a US location.
Neither has an independent no-logs audit in our sources.
PrivadoVPN, from $1.11 a month.
PrivadoVPN, which opened Netflix in five regions.
The Verdict
Hotspot Shield vs PrivadoVPN: PrivadoVPN for the more useful free plan, streaming and the lowest paid price; Hotspot Shield for a small daily allowance and a 45-day refund.