Betternet vs Hotspot Shield (2026)
Head-to-head on price, speed, privacy posture and features - based on our independent reviews of both providers.
Score comparison
| Betternet | Hotspot Shield | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 4.6 | 6.4 | Hotspot Shield |
| Speed & reliability | 6.8 | 8.8 | Hotspot Shield |
| Privacy & trust | 2.8 | 4.2 | Hotspot Shield |
| Features & coverage | 3.6 | 6.4 | Hotspot Shield |
| Value for money | 4.0 | 6.0 | Hotspot Shield |
| Ease of use | 8.2 | 8.6 | Hotspot Shield |
Side by side
| Betternet | Hotspot Shield | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $7.99/mo | $7.99/mo |
| Service types | Free VPN, Consumer VPN | Consumer VPN, Free VPN |
| Jurisdiction | United States in the 5 Eyes | United States in the 5 Eyes |
| Logging policy | Collects user data | Minimal metadata retained |
| Independent audits | None published | None published |
| Network | 1K servers | 1.8K servers |
| Country coverage | 35 | 80 |
| Money-back guarantee | 45 days | 45 days |
| Free tier | ✓ | ✓ |
| Support | chat, email, knowledge-base · 24/7 | |
| Pay with crypto | - | - |
Which should you pick?
Choose Betternet if this fits: not recommended: use proton vpn free instead. Betternet is a free ad-supported VPN from the AnchorFree family, with a documented history of tracking behavior. Proton VPN's free tier is better in every way that matters.
Choose Hotspot Shield if this fits: fast speeds if privacy is not your reason for buying. Hotspot Shield is fast and easy, but its data-handling history and metadata-heavy privacy policy make it hard to recommend to anyone whose main goal is privacy.
Overall, our scores favor Hotspot Shield (6.4 vs 4.6) - but the right choice depends on which trade-offs matter to you. Read the full Betternet review and Hotspot Shield review.