Hotspot Shield for Android

Hotspot Shield Android app is a VPN which provides you with the ability to surf anonymously online. It’s one of the most popular choices, but we wanted to take my time and do some research on it before recommending it.

When we first tested Hotspot Shield we were really surprised of how fast it is. It even surpasses its’ promises for 2 Mbps in the free version and 1 Gbps in the premium version. We’ve tested it across multiple locations and with regards to speed, it was a beast.

But what else?

As mentioned above, Hotspot Shield provides a free option. Yes, Free. Free VPNs usually mean that you need to sacrifice anonymity and security. Not with Hotspot shield. With Hotspot Shield you get the same level of security and anonymity whether you are using the Free option or the Premium option.

It offers servers in over 80 countries, including Australia, Germany, UK and US, and we’ve tested many of them to make sure the speed is consistent across all those locations.

You get a free 7 day trial so you can test out the service with no risk involved. You are able to cancel at any time which means there is no commitment on your part. This helps me because it allows me to speak from experience when recommending Hotspot Shield Android app.

It works with multiple devices at once (unlike TunnelBear) so you are not limited to connecting one device per device. This is great for when you have more than one smartphone or tablet.

Features

Both the Free service and the Premium service provide military-grade encryption and no logging. And that’s basically where the similarities end.

In the Free service you will get:

• 1 concurrent devices
• 1 location option
• Up to 2 Mbps limit and total of 500MB of data per day

But, if you upgrade to the premium service (which we recommend) you will get:

• Up tp 5 concurrent devices
• Over 115 locations to choose from
• Up to 1 Gbps and unlimited data per day
• Streaming and gamin optimizations
• Smart VPN which allows you to set granular app and domain configurations
• Kill Switch to stop any traffic when the VPN is not working

You also get a spam-call blocker in the premium service, which is a nice bonus.

Interface

Hotspot Shield Android app has a simple to use interface. Even the advanced features are easy to use when it comes to Hotspot Shield.

Similar to Shazam’s main-button concept, Hotspot Shield shows a large main button to connect the VPN. Once clicked, it will connect a VPN server according to the settings, and will show a “Connection secured” message. Stopping the VPN connection is similar. Click the main button, and that’s it.

The intuitive interface does not have many configurations, and that’s great. It allows you to set when you want the VPN protection to run:

• On device startup
• When connected to a specific WiFi network
• When running specific applications

With these configurations, you can free you mind from having to manually turn the VPN on or off.

Pros

• Excellent speed
• Unlimited bandwidth
• Simple to use app – Easy to install and configure
• Auto kill switch
• No logs policy

Cons

• The free version of Hotspot Shield offers a maximum data cap. That is, if you exceed the limit, expect to be throttled or cut off (slow down or stop completely)

Bottom Line

Overall, Hotspot Shield is a one of the best VPN services for Android. It provides everything you need to unblock websites and protect your privacy online, along with advanced security features.