Hola VPN Review
Hola sells free users' bandwidth to commercial proxy customers. It is the clearest example in this directory of a free VPN where you are the product.
Review last updated 2026-08-20 · How we rate providers
Scorecard
Pros
- Very large country list and easy browser extension
- Paid tier removes your device from the peer network
Cons
- Free users' bandwidth is resold commercially through Bright Data
- In 2015 the network was used to launch a botnet-style attack, which is how the model became notorious
- Not a VPN in the encrypted-tunnel sense on the free tier
- Extensive data collection and no audit
Privacy, jurisdiction & audits
Who the company answers to legally, what it keeps, and whether anyone independent has checked.
| Legal jurisdiction | Israel outside 5/9/14 EyesSister company Bright Data resells bandwidth contributed by Hola free users. |
|---|---|
| Logging policy | Collects user data |
| Independent audits | None published |
| Owned by | Bright Data (formerly Luminati Networks) |
| RAM-only servers | - |
| Warrant canary | - |
| Anonymous payment | Card / PayPal only |
Hola VPN plans & pricing
Advertised rates as of August 20, 2026. VPN promo rates normally require the prepaid term shown and renew at the higher rate; proxy pricing falls with volume. Confirm on Hola VPN's own site before buying.
| Plan | Price | Renews at | Devices | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FreeFree VPN | Free | Free | 1 | Your connection joins the peer network and is resold as proxy bandwidth |
| Premium (annual)Consumer VPN | $7.69/mo12 mo prepay | $14.99/mo | 10 | Paid users are excluded from the peer network |
Features
Our Hola VPN review
Hola is not a conventional VPN. Instead of routing your traffic through servers it owns, it routes it through other users, and routes other users' traffic through you. The company then sells access to that pooled residential bandwidth commercially through its sister business, now called Bright Data.
In 2015 researchers demonstrated the consequence: the network was used to direct a flood of traffic at a website, effectively turning free users' machines into an attack platform without their understanding. The episode is the canonical case study in why free peer-to-peer VPNs are dangerous.
The company has since been more explicit that free users contribute bandwidth, and the paid tier excludes you from the peer pool. But the free product remains a system where your IP address carries strangers' traffic, and where activity attributed to your address may not be yours.
On top of that, the free tier does not provide a properly encrypted tunnel in the way users assume, data collection is extensive, and there has never been an independent audit.
Included here because it is widely installed and widely misunderstood. Do not use it. If you want free, use Proton VPN.
Notable facts
- Free users' bandwidth is resold through Bright Data, formerly Luminati
- The network was used in a 2015 attack on a website via free users' devices
- Paid subscribers are excluded from the peer-to-peer pool
At a glance
| Founded | 2012 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Netanya, Israel |
| Service types | Free VPN, Consumer VPN |
| Servers | 1K |
| Country coverage | 100 |
| Protocols | Proprietary peer routing, IKEv2 |
| Apps | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
| Streaming unblocked | Netflix |
| Starting price | $7.69/mo |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days |
| Free tier | Yes |
| Support |
Frequently asked questions
Is Hola VPN dangerous?
The free tier makes your connection an exit point for other people's traffic, which creates real legal and security exposure, and it does not provide the encrypted tunnel most users assume they are getting.
What happened in 2015?
Researchers showed the Hola network had been used to direct large volumes of traffic at a website through free users' devices, effectively using them as a botnet.
Is the paid version safe?
Paid users are excluded from the peer network, but the data collection and lack of audit remain. There are far better options at that price.
Bottom line
Hola sells free users' bandwidth to commercial proxy customers. It is the clearest example in this directory of a free VPN where you are the product.
Check current Hola VPN pricing →
