Top 10 Best Hotspot Shield VPN Alternatives of 2024
Restrictions on the major websites are not a new thing, in fact, it’s becoming a trend in the online world. In this article, I will discuss Hotspot Shield alternative services and similar apps. Several countries often ban or block access to many sites because of some critical issues such as political, religious, pornographic and geographical, etc.
Access to major sites such as Youtube (World’s biggest video sharing hub) and Facebook is also restricted in many countries.
So, to unlock these websites, you have to change your IP address which can be done using a VPN service or proxy. However, using a VPN client is much secure compared to proxies regarding security, encryption, and data leakage.
In the past, Youtube was banned in many countries such as Germany, Indonesia, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Afghanistan, Brazil, Armenia, Morocco, Pakistan, Russia, Bangladesh, China, Libya, Malaysia, Thailand, and many others.
Anyhow, In this article I will share some of the top alternatives to Hotspot Shield not about Youtube 🙂 Hotspot Shield (HSS) is very popular for accessing banned or blocked websites.
It’s one of the easiest to use, popular, and freemium software available for all the popular devices and operating systems to help you browse any web page censored by the government or ISP.
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Core Reason Behind the Popularity of HotSpot Shield
So, do you know the reason why HSS is so popular? The answer is simple because “They offer fabulous browsing speed and features” and also, this application did not significantly slow down your internet speed. But in some cases, you might find it useless or can’t use this app.
So, to come up with that condition, you can use some alternatives to Hotspot Shield. If you ever searched the term “Hotspot Shield alternative” you will get hundreds of results such as VPNs, proxies, and softwares, but each service doesn’t work the same way or smoothly. It is noticed that when we use (especially free) VPN and proxy, internet connection’s speed slowdowns dramatically.
But don’t worry, I am going to show you similar apps like Hotspot Shield which can be used for accessing blocked websites. These alternatives also give you a high speed browsing experience. Instead of relying on free VPN softwares, I insist you should use a paid service to enjoy high encryption, seamless speeds, and bullet-proof protection while surfing the Internet.
| No. | VPN Name | Rating | Bandwidth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | NordVPN (Recommended) | 9.8/10 | Unlimited |
| 2. | IPVanish | 9.5/10 | Unlimited |
| 3. | CyberGhost | 8.5/10 | Unlimited |
| 4. | TunnelBear | 8.5/10 | 500 MB/mo |
| 5. | HideMyAss | 8/10 | Unlimited |
| 6. | UltraSurf | 7/10 | Unlimited |
| 7. | AlwaysVPN | 7/10 | 15 GB |
| 8. | PrivateTunnel | 7/10 | 200 MB |
| 9. | OkayFreedom | 7/10 | 2+ GB |
| 10. | Security Kiss | 7/10 | 300 MB/day |
| 11. | ProXPN | 7/10 | Unlimited |
| 12. | TorVPN | 6.5/10 | 2 GB/mo |
Top 10 Hotspot Shield Alternatives 2024
1. NordVPN
NordVPN is a premium VPN service featured on BBC, theGuardian, Wired, and BuzzFeed, etc. due to its outstanding performance and robust security measures. Their military-grade encryption and two-layer protection help you browse any blocked website or service without revealing your identity with ultimate speed across the world.
They don’t create logs of your online activities and have a strict zero log policy. With multilayer encryption, the user’s connection is masked with two separate IPs, making tracking impossible.
Currently, they have tons of servers (5400) located in more than 59 countries to choose from, making it a versatile and fast VPN in the paid category. Where most of the providers especially free, drastically reduce internet speed, you won’t face this issue with this provider.
Killswitch, Anti-DDoS, DNS leak protection, P2P, and unlimited bandwidth are default perks for all. The best part is their prices are insanely cheaper for annual plans, allow 6 devices, and come with 30 days refund guarantee.
If you’re looking for a paid VPN just like Hotspot Shield, then choosing NordVPN would be a nice move.
- Lightning-fast browsing across the world
- The cheapest premium alternative for Hotspot Shield
- Hundreds of servers are available globally
- Enjoy lag-free streaming and video watching
- Robust connection encryption with 256-bit protocol
- Strict zero log policy for peace of mind
- Secure up to six devices simultaneously
- VPN apps are available for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux
2. IPVanish
IPVanish is one of the best premium vpn services and offers you a 7-day money-back guarantee to help you check whether it’s worth using or not. I have used it for months and have never seen any slow speed issues. That is the major benefit of using a paid service. As mentioned above, free providers usually drop browsing speed significantly. But it doesn’t happen with IPVanish. Just give it a try, you’ll fall in love.
It allows virtual access through 1300+ servers located in 75+ locations with 40,000 shared IPs. There is no data limit restriction so you can browse unlimited stuff.
They use 256-bit AES encryptions to secure your internet connection. When it comes to paid Hotspot Shield alternatives, I can’t stop myself from recommending IPVanish.
Some companies usually keep traffic log, but IPVanish doesn’t do that, So you get one hundred percent privacy. Like many vpn providers, they don’t restrict torrents downloading. You can download countless torrents anonymously without any drop in speed.
IPVanish allows 10 simultaneous connections which make it possible to use on multiple devices. Its software client is available for all the major platforms such as Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Ubuntu, ChromeBook, and Routers.
24/7 dedicated support is also there to help you fix any problem. You can buy IPVanish using numerous payment gateways like Paypal, MasterCard, Visa, Discover, BitCoin, Delta, American Express, and many others.
- Thousands of VPN servers and IPs
- Available for all the dominant OS and devices
- Instant round-the-clock support services
- The Killswitch feature ensures ultimate security
- Allow anonymous torrenting without any bandwidth cap
- A wide range of payment gateways
- You can protect up to 10 devices at the same time
- SOCKS5 proxy for P2p and VoIP connections
- Allow unlimited sessions for server switching
You can use this IPVanish Discount Coupon to get up to 46% off and save some bucks.
Visit IPVanish Website (46% Discount Included)
3. CyberGhost VPN
CyberGhost VPN is a great vpn for PC and all popular devices. It’s quite a good app like Hotspot Shield to access restricted websites and geo-blocked content. This application is available for all major platforms like Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android OS.
You can surf the internet with Cyberghost VPN safely, anonymously, at a faster speed, hide your IP address, protect your private data, and more.
CyberGhost offers virtual access through 90+ countries using 5300+ servers with 256-bit AES encryption.
As a PRO user, you can select any country from where you want to surf the internet anonymously. You can buy CyberGhost Premium services via Paypal, Wire Transfer, BitCoin, and Credit cards.
- Good HSS substitute to some extent
- A strict no-log policy is in place
- Elegant automatic kill switch for ultimate protection
- A variety of VPN servers placed strategically all over the world
- Bullet-proof measures to avoid data leakage and IP identity
- Comes with a quick connect option
- CyberGhost can be used on 7 devices concurrently
- 24/7 customer support for resolving your issues via chat and email
- Available for all popular platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, FireTV, macOS, etc.
- Browser extensions are also available for Chrome and Firefox Mozilla as well.
- 45 days money-back guarantee
Also Read: 10 Best Alternatives to Cyberghost VPN
4. TunnelBear
TunnelBear has a user-friendly software UI, an easy-to-use VPN client, and the fastest but cheapest VPN service. It is also a great Cyberghost alternative. But the bandwidth limit is 500MB/month for free users; you can avail an extra 1 GB volume by tweeting on Twitter.
They strictly follow the “NO Log” policy to ensure maximum user protection. Auto Closest Tunnel and Vigilant Mode are the most noteworthy features provided by the company.
Vigilant Mode blocks the incoming and outgoing traffic during connectivity issues to shield against hackers, data leaks, and malware.
On the other, with the Close Tunnel feature, you can connect with the nearest available server for ultimate browsing and streaming speed. Its software client is the simplest one and comes with a user friendly interface.
You can boost your bandwidth by purchasing paid packages. TunnelBear offers unlimited bandwidth at the price of $4.17/month (58% off) for a 2-year and $4.99/month for a 1-year subscription.
They are running a whopping 58% promotion for buyers willing to purchase a 2-year plan. So grab the deal as soon as possible before it expires. For monthly subscribers, it costs a bit higher at $9.99/month.
You can buy premium plans via Visa Cards, Bitcoins, American Express, Master Card, and Network Discover. TunnelBear software is available for Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, and also on Android.
Features come with TunnelBear:
- Easy to use and fast browsing experience
- Servers in more than 22 countries
- Powerful AES-256-bit encryption
- Block the website trackers
- Fully Private Browsing (hide’s your IP)
- VPN applications available for various devices
- Usable on multiple devices simultaneously
- Experience the internet from different countries virtually
- As a paid user, you’ll get 24/7 support and unlimited bandwidth
- One of the independently audited VPNs
5. HideMyAss (HMA)
HideMyAss is another great VPN provider that can be used as a Hotspot Shield alternative if you aren’t able to use HSS. They also offer free web proxies, but you must buy a paid plan to use their software client. You can use HideMyAss on PCs, Macs, tablets, and smartphones.
It offers several services to consumers like Pro VPN, web proxy, IP port proxies, anonymous email, privacy softwares and files uploading, etc. They have more than 1000+ servers in 350+ locations across 190+ countries. With all of these numbers, you have options to surf the internet through more than 1.2 million IP addresses.
Some advanced features are IP shuffle, split tunneling, kill switch, and leak protection to ensure enhanced security. With IP shuffling, one can increase anonymity by changing its IP address every 10 minutes. Your DNS requests are handled through HMA private yet encrypted servers.
Premium packages of HMA are a little bit costly, $11.99/month to $83.88/year. You can save significant money on the purchase of a 36-month plan, which costs $154.44.
They accept payments through Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, Discover, Paypal, and UnionPay, etc. I have also shared some of the best Hidemyass alternatives here in case you don’t like it.
You can get these features with HMA:
- Software clients are available for all dominant OS
- Unlimited data transfer
- 930+ VPN servers located in 190+ countries
- Thousands of IP addresses for hiding your IP (1200000+)
- Open VPN, L2TP, and PPTP protocols
- Availability of VPN software for PC, Windows, macOS, smartphones, and tablets
- Kill switch, split tunneling, and IP shuffle features
- With IP shuffle, you can enhance anonymity further
- You can try HMA for 30 days
- Suitable for upto 5 devices
6. UltraSurf
Another excellent free Hotspot Shield VPN, Ultrasurf, is made by Ultrareach Internet Corp., which was founded in 2001. They launched this application in 2002; Ultrasurf is one of the best pro-privacy, freedom, and anti-censorship software. Ultrareach also offers UltraProxy to unblock geographically restricted content and censored websites.
Millions of users from more than 180 countries use UltraSurf to protect their online privacy. You just have to download its client and install it on your PC to take benefit.
Currently, it’s available only for Windows OS and Mac users can’t be able to use it directly. However, with the help of the Google Chrome extension, you can take the same benefits. On the other hand, you can use other VPNs mentioned in this list.
Keep in mind that UltraSurf keeps a log of your online activities for 30 days to improve its service. The basic purpose of collecting this info is just for anti-blocking purposes, as they mentioned on their website. If you can’t compromise on security, even for internal usage, then consider premium VPN providers.
Key features of UltraSurf:
- Free and fast vpn service
- Hide your IP address with a single click
- Surf anonymously
- Access blocked websites and services
- Easy to use, lightweight (via a tiny program)
- Portable and blocking resilient
- Encryption internet connection
7. AlwaysVPN
AlwaysVPN requires registration to take benefits from their service, so you have to sign up first. AlwaysVPN is very simple to use. They offer different bandwidth packages to their users, and it’s a prepaid service (No free plan).
To use AlwaysVPN services, you need to “sign in” to your AlwaysVPN account, purchase bandwidth, and use it until your bandwidth ends. You can access US-based services such as Hulu, ABC, and others that are geo-location-based or available only in the USA.
Its software clients can be used on Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Linux, and Mac.
Bandwidth packages:
- 15 GB – $8.50
- 30 GB – $15
- 60 GB – $24
- 110 GB – $34
- 220 GB – $49
Go to AlwaysVPN
8. PrivateTunnel
PrivateTunnel is one more free and top VPN in the list of alternatives to Hotspot Shield. OpenVPN backs PrivateTunnel, OpenVPN released its initial version in April 2002. It is available for PC, Mac, Android, and iPhone/iPad platforms.
Their servers are located in Canada, the US, the UK, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. This VPN protects you with strong encryption and authentication. It protects your security and privacy with a 128-bit AES-GCM encryption protocol. Like Hotspot Shield, they also provide VPN softwares for all popular operating systems, including Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows, as well as Amazon devices.
PrivateTunnel is also a convenient and reliable software similar to Cyberghost. With over 50 million downloads, it shields users against IP address leaks, encrypts online activities and browsing traffic, and avoids DDoS attacks. The company has 50+ worldwide servers in 12 countries that can be chosen to connect virtually.
- Secure your connection through AES encryption
- Featured on Forbes, PCWorld, TechRadar, CNET, and LifeHacker
- Protect your privacy and conceal your IP address
- Malware and malicious attacks protection
- It’s a premium service, so you can try it before buying as well
- Round-the-clock customer support through chat, email, and tickets
- 7-days free trial
9. OkayFreedom VPN
OkayFreedom is a simple and free VPN software like Hotspot Shield. This VPN protects your internet connection through secure encryption. You can access sites banned in your country as well as enjoy your favorite TV shows.
When enabled, you can surf more securely and anonymously with OkayFreedom. Their servers are located in more than 12 countries, including Japan, Germany, the USA, Switzerland, France, Spain, and Japan, etc.
They have VPN coverage of 19 countries, all you have to do is select a specific country name before connecting to the VPN network. But unluckily, monthly bandwidth for free users is insufficient, which is only 2GB per month.
However, paid subscriptions cap no monthly bandwidth and concede everything unlimited. Premium membership can be purchased via Paypal, Visa Card, Wire Transfer, and Master Card, etc.
- Upto 12 secure server spots
- Good for users who cannot afford paid subscriptions
- Suitable for lightweight use
- Paid plans are economical
10. SecurityKiss
SecurityKiss is a smart and simple VPN alternative to Hotspot Shield introduced by Security Kiss Ltd. SecurityKiss uses 1024-bit encryption for protecting your internet connection, personal information, and IP address. There are 100+ servers that you can use to surf through virtual locations anonymously.
You can access any banned site through this software easily as a free user but are allowed to use 5~10 servers. As a free user, you’re also limited to 300MB of data usage per day, which is definitely very small.
SecurityKiss software is available for Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, and all major platforms. Paid plans start from $3.49/month to $11.9/month with different features.
Key features of SecurityKiss:
- Software clients for all the well known devices and operating systems
- Lifetime for free, No registration required
- Uncapped browsing speed, 1024 Bit encryption, No Ads
- Easy to use, Easy to install, OpenVPN, L2TP, and PPTP protocols
- And many other features
11. ProXPN
ProXPN is a free, easy-to-use, and encrypted VPN provider that can be utilized for accessing censored sites and as a Hotspot Shield alternative. Servers of ProXPN are located in Singapore, London, New York City, Dallas, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Amsterdam.
This VPN supports almost all the major platforms like Windows, Android, iMac, etc. ProXPN anonymizes your real IP address and masks it with its secured IP address to enhance online privacy.
As a free client, you’re limited to 300Kbps speed, but this limit isn’t for premium accounts as well as you are allowed to use it on iOS and Android devices.
Paid users also can download torrents, get priority customer support, access to global VPN servers, and PPTP connectivity.
Key features of ProXPN:
- Unmetered data usage
- 300kbps speed for free users
- Hide your actual location
- Surf anonymously, 512-bit encryption
- OpenVPN and Lifetime free subscription etc.
- Want more info? Go to ProXPN’s official site
12. TorVPN
TorVPN is a free Hotspot Shield competitor featured with OpenVPN, SSH servers, PPTP protocol, Socks Proxy, and Advanced control panel, which enables you to surf securely, quickly, and anonymously.
They offer 2 GB bandwidth per month to free members. The price of bandwidth packages is reasonable; you can buy 5GB to 100GB/month bandwidth at the cost of 0.50 to 2.4 Euros per month.
You can buy bandwidth packages via many payment systems. They accept PayPal, Payza, Bitcoins, CashU, Visa, American Express, MasterCard, and Discover Network.
Conclusion
So, these are the top alternatives to Hotspot Shield to overcome ISP restrictions, open banned websites, and country-restricted content. You can use these services for accessing the required stuff, I hope you’ll surely get an excellent experience.
If you know any other best VPN provider that is not listed here, then comment below. I will update this article shortly.
Do let me know which alternative you’re using for accessing restricted sites. I would like to suggest NordVPN and IPVanish. Both of them are the top-class VPNs out there for military-grade protection and outstanding speeds.
Now it’s your turn to pick the most suitable and appropriate Hotspot Shield alternative to access blocked sites. If you like this article, please don’t hesitate to share it with your social circle and friends.
