Hotspot Shield vs ProtonVPN

​​Hotspot Shield, developed by Pango (formerly AnchorFree Inc.), is a prominent VPN service headquartered in Redwood City, California, with additional offices in Boston and Ukraine. Founded in 2005 by David Gorodyansky and Eugene Malobrodsky, the company has grown significantly, boasting over 3,200 servers across over 80 countries. This extensive server network allows users to bypass geo-restrictions and access region-locked content, enhancing privacy and security online. Hotspot Shield offers both free and premium plans. The free version includes limited server access and a daily data cap, while the premium version provides faster speeds, a broader server selection, and additional features like antivirus protection. A standout feature of Hotspot Shield is their proprietary Catapult Hydra protocol, which aims to deliver enhanced speed and security compared to traditional VPN protocols. Despite their strengths, Hotspot Shield has faced criticism for not conducting third-party audits to verify their no-logging policy. However, they maintain a strict no-logging policy to protect user privacy. The service is available on multiple platforms, including iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, and Linux. As of December 31, 2024, Hotspot Shield will discontinue support for router-based VPN configurations.

Proton VPN, founded in 2017 by Proton AG, is headquartered in Plan-les-Ouates, Switzerland. Known for their commitment to privacy, Proton VPN offers various services designed to protect users’ online activities. With over 6,500 servers across 110 countries, Proton VPN ensures users can securely access global content while maintaining strong privacy protections. One of their standout features is Secure Core, which routes traffic through multiple servers in privacy-friendly countries to enhance security. Other features, like Tor over VPN, split tunneling, and AES-256 encryption, provide users with advanced tools to safeguard their data. Proton VPN also adheres to a strict no-logs policy, meaning they don’t track or store user activity, which is backed by Switzerland’s strong privacy laws. Customer feedback highlights the VPN’s ease of use, with users appreciating the fast speeds and ability to unblock popular streaming platforms. However, some have noted occasional connection drops and concerns about pricing, particularly for business plans. ProtonVPN's strong emphasis on privacy, robust encryption, and industry-leading protocols make them a highly reliable choice for both individuals and businesses. To explore their features in more depth, continue reading our full review.