Betternet Free vs Hotspot Shield

Betternet Free is a VPN service that encrypts internet traffic and assigns a device a new IP address. It supports Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, and a browser extension, with streaming support, WireGuard, a kill switch, and a verified no-logs audit. Betternet says users can connect without registering or providing an email address. Its free mode is ad-supported, limited to 500 MB per day and four virtual locations, and supports one device. The listed free plan costs nothing. Premium removes ads, provides unlimited bandwidth and 115+ virtual locations, and supports up to 10 devices; Premium — 1 Month is $12.99 a month, while Premium — 12 Months is $95.99 a year. Betternet also lists a 7-day trial. Its security features include always-on VPN, anti-phishing protection, and IP and DNS leak protection. Protocol options listed in its support documentation are Hydra, WireGuard, and IPSec. The service also lists Tor over VPN and streaming and gaming modes; Premium is optimized for named services and games including Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, Prime, Roblox, and Fortnite.

Hotspot Shield is a VPN service for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, with free and paid plans. Its Basic plan costs nothing and covers one device, 500 MB of daily data, one U.S. virtual location, and a 2 Mbps limit. Paid plans include unlimited data and access to 115+ locations. Plus costs $6.99 a month with yearly billing and covers 5 devices; Premium costs $7.99 a month with annual billing and covers 10 devices. Family costs $11.99 a month with yearly billing and includes 5 member accounts and 25 devices. Listed features include streaming and torrent support, a kill switch, and WireGuard support. A verified no-logs audit is listed, and the pricing note mentions a 7-day trial. The maker is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The free and paid tiers differ in data allowance, location count, speed limit, and device coverage, so the Basic plan's stated limits are important to consider before choosing a plan.