When it comes to choosing a VPN, it can be tough, but our Surfshark vs Hotspot Shield comparison aims to simplify your decision. These two popular options both have their strengths, and our expert analysis will help you weigh their features, performance, and pricing to determine your perfect fit.
Overview
Dive into the world of VPNs as we pit Surfshark against Hotspot Shield, two of the market leaders in online privacy and security. We’ll dissect their features, scrutinizing aspects like speed, security, and privacy policies, to help you make an informed decision. Whether you’re a casual browser or a privacy fanatic, this in-depth comparison will provide valuable insights about these two VPN giants.
Surfshark
Price: From $2.49/month
Trustpilot Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars
Refund Policy: Surfshark offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Official website: www.surfshark.com
Surfshark is best for individuals and businesses who prioritize secure, private browsing and want easy access to geo-restricted content from anywhere in the world.
Hotspot Shield
Price: From $7.99/month
Trustpilot Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Refund Policy: Hotspot Shield offers a 45-day money-back guarantee.
Official website: www.hotspotshield.com
Hotspot Shield is best for individuals who prioritize online security and privacy, as it provides secure, encrypted internet access and protection from potential cyber threats.
Surfshark not only ensures secure and private browsing but goes a step further to enhance user experience with features such as ad-blocker and whitelister. Whether it’s for securing your online footprints or unlocking the vast reservoirs of streaming content globally, Surfshark has proven to be the tool par excellence. Its commitment to user-centric service makes it deserving of nothing less than 5 stars! – Michael J.
Hotspot Shield has been a reliable companion in my online journeys, offering swift and secure connections powered by Hydra VPN protocol. The user interface is intuitive, making the setup and connection a breeze. It’s not just a VPN; it’s a reliable shield guarding my data from the prying eyes of the internet, wholeheartedly deserving a 5-star rating! – Henrik B.
Surfshark offers a sea of features with a standout being its ability to connect unlimited devices simultaneously. While the service brings forth excellent security protocols and features, there have been minor glitches in connectivity experienced over time. Despite this, it remains a top-tier service, earning a 4-star rating. – Oskar Lindberg
Hotspot Shield offers fast connection speeds and strong security, making it a reliable choice for many. However, the service could offer a more transparent approach to its logging policy to foster greater trust. A speedy and reliable service meriting a 4-star review. – Natalie Perez
Pros & Cons
This segment analyzes the pros and cons of these two VPN platforms.
Winner is:
Surfshark excels with unlimited device support, strong privacy policy, and competitive pricing. It's a clear winner for value. Hotspot Shield, on the other hand, offers fast speed but falls short with its limited server locations and questionable privacy policy. While Hotspot has its strengths, Surfshark's commitment to privacy, coupled with its affordability and versatility, makes it the superior choice.
Surfshark
Pros:
- Unlimited simultaneous connections: Surfshark allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices to the VPN at the same time. This is great for families or anyone who wants to be able to use the VPN on all of their devices.
- Strong encryption: Surfshark uses strong encryption to protect your data, including 256-bit AES encryption and the OpenVPN protocol. This makes it very difficult for anyone to eavesdrop on your traffic.
- No logs policy: Surfshark has a strict no-logs policy, which means that it does not collect any data about your online activity. This means that your privacy is protected even if the VPN is ever hacked.
- Ad blocker: Surfshark includes an ad blocker that blocks ads, trackers, and malware. This can improve your browsing experience and make it safer to browse the web.
- P2P support: Surfshark supports P2P file sharing, which means that you can use it to download torrents without any problems.
- Price: Surfshark is one of the most affordable VPNs on the market. You can get a subscription for as low as $2.49 per month.
Cons:
- Slow speeds in some countries: Surfshark's speeds can be slow in some countries, especially China and the Middle East.
- Limited server network: Surfshark's server network is not as large as some other VPNs. However, it still has servers in over 65 countries.
- No live chat support: Surfshark does not offer live chat support. However, you can contact customer support through email or a ticket system.
Hotspot Shield
Pros:
- Fast speeds: Hotspot Shield is known for its fast speeds. This is important for streaming videos, downloading files, and browsing the web without any lag or buffering.
- Unblocks geo-restricted content: Hotspot Shield can help you unblock websites and streaming services that are blocked in your region. This means you can watch your favorite shows and movies no matter where you are in the world.
- Military-grade encryption: Hotspot Shield uses a military-grade encryption to protect your data hackers and other malicious actors. This means you can be confident that your personal information is safe when you're using Hotspot Shield.
- Kill switch: The kill switch is a very important feature for any VPN. It will automatically disconnect your internet connection if the VPN connection drops, preventing your real IP address being exposed.
- Split tunneling: Split tunneling is a useful feature that allows you to choose which apps and websites will use the VPN and which ones will use your regular internet connection. This can be helpful if you want to use a VPN for some tasks but not others.
- Malware protection: Hotspot Shield can detect and block malicious websites and ads, helping to protect your device malware infections.
- DNS leak protection: DNS leak protection is another important feature for any VPN. It prevents your DNS queries leaking to your ISP, further protecting your privacy.
- Easy to use: Hotspot Shield is very easy to use. The app is available for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android devices.
- Affordable: Hotspot Shield offers a variety of pricing plans to fit your budget. There is even a free plan that you can use to test out the service.
- Free trial: Hotspot Shield offers a free trial that you can use to test out the service before you commit to a paid plan.
Cons:
- Not as fast as some other VPNs: Hotspot Shield is known for its fast speeds, but it is not as fast as some other VPNs. This is because the VPN has a large number of users, which can sometimes slow down the network.
- Has been criticized for its privacy policies in the past: Hotspot Shield has been criticized for its privacy policies in the past. In 2018, the company was accused of collecting user data without their consent. However, Hotspot Shield has since updated its privacy policy and claims to no longer collect any user data.
- Some users have reported slow speeds with certain servers: Some users have reported slow speeds with certain Hotspot Shield servers. This is likely due to the fact that the servers are located in different parts of the world and may not be as well-optimized as others.
- Not as user-friendly as some other VPNs: Hotspot Shield is not as user-friendly as some other VPNs. The interface can be a bit confusing, and it can be difficult to find the settings that you need.
- Limited simultaneous connections: Hotspot Shield only allows up to five simultaneous connections per account. This means that if you have multiple devices that you want to use the VPN with, you may need to upgrade to a more expensive plan.
Key Features
This section compares the overall features of Surfshark vs Hotspot Shield.
Surfshark HQ and country of jurisdiction is British Virgin Islands, and Surfshark supports a wide variety of platforms and devices including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, as well as other platforms like FireTV, Apple TV, and other Smart TVs. It also provides browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox.
Hotspot Shield HQ and country of jurisdiction is United States, and Hotspot Shield supports Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and also offers a Chrome browser extension.
Winner is:
Surfshark excels with unlimited device connections, robust security features, and solid streaming capabilities. Hotspot Shield, despite having fast speeds, falls short in terms of logging policy and device limit. For comprehensive online privacy, security, and flexibility, Surfshark is the clear winner.
Surfshark
- Unlimited simultaneous connections: Surfshark allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices to the VPN at the same time. This is great for families or anyone who wants to be able to use the VPN on all of their devices.
- Strong encryption: Surfshark uses strong encryption to protect your data, including 256-bit AES encryption and the OpenVPN protocol. This makes it very difficult for anyone to eavesdrop on your traffic.
- No logs policy: Surfshark has a strict no-logs policy, which means that it does not collect any data about your online activity. This means that your privacy is protected even if the VPN is ever hacked.
- Ad blocker: Surfshark includes an ad blocker that blocks ads, trackers, and malware. This can improve your browsing experience and make it safer to browse the web.
- P2P support: Surfshark supports P2P file sharing, which means that you can use it to download torrents without any problems.
- Double VPN: Surfshark's Double VPN feature encrypts your traffic twice, making it even more secure.
- Multihop: Surfshark's Multihop feature allows you to connect to two VPN servers in a row, which can help to improve your privacy and security.
- Split tunneling: Surfshark's Split tunneling feature allows you to choose which apps and websites use the VPN and which ones don't. This can be useful for things like streaming or gaming.
- Kill switch: Surfshark's Kill switch feature automatically disconnects your internet connection if the VPN connection drops. This helps to protect your privacy and security in case the VPN connection is ever interrupted.
- 7-day free trial: Surfshark offers a 7-day free trial, so you can try it out before you commit to a subscription.
Hotspot Shield
- Unblock geo-restricted content: Hotspot Shield can help you unblock websites and streaming services that are blocked in your region. This means you can watch your favorite shows and movies no matter where you are in the world.
- Protect your privacy: Hotspot Shield encrypts your internet traffic, making it impossible for anyone to track your online activity. This is important for protecting your privacy, especially when using public Wi-Fi.
- Keep your data safe: Hotspot Shield uses a military-grade encryption to protect your data hackers and other malicious actors. This means you can be confident that your personal information is safe when you're using Hotspot Shield.
- Fast speeds: Hotspot Shield is known for its fast speeds. This means you can stream videos, download files, and browse the web without any lag or buffering.
- Easy to use: Hotspot Shield is very easy to use. The app is available for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android devices.
- Affordable: Hotspot Shield offers a variety of pricing plans to fit your budget. There is even a free plan that you can use to test out the service.
Security Features
This section looks at important security features of Surfshark and Hotspot Shield such as encryption methods, protocols, split tunneling, kill switch, and more.
Winner is:
Surfshark and Hotspot Shield both offer robust security features. Surfshark excels with features like MultiHop (Double VPN), CleanWeb (adblocking), Whitelister (split tunneling), private DNS, and a strict no-logs policy. It uses IKEv2/IPsec and OpenVPN protocols, ensuring no IP or DNS leaks. Hotspot Shield offers proprietary Catapult Hydra protocol, ad blocking, and split tunneling, but lacks features like Double VPN and Onion Over VPN. While both have a kill switch, Surfshark offers a more comprehensive package for security-conscious users, making it the clear winner.
Surfshark
- 256-bit AES encryption: Surfshark uses 256-bit AES encryption, which is considered to be the gold standard in VPN security. This means that your data is encrypted with a key that is 256 bits long, which is computationally infeasible to crack.
- OpenVPN protocol: Surfshark supports the OpenVPN protocol, which is considered to be one of the most secure VPN protocols available. OpenVPN is open-source, which means that it has been peer-reviewed by security experts and is considered to be very reliable.
- No logs policy: Surfshark has a strict no-logs policy, which means that it does not collect any data about your online activity. This means that your privacy is protected even if the VPN is ever hacked.
- Private DNS: Surfshark uses private DNS on all of its servers, which helps to protect your privacy and security. Private DNS prevents your ISP seeing the websites that you visit.
- Leak protection: Surfshark has leak protection features that help to prevent your real IP address leaking. This includes DNS leak protection, IPv6 leak protection, and WebRTC leak protection.
- Kill switch: Surfshark has a kill switch that automatically disconnects your internet connection if the VPN connection drops. This helps to protect your privacy and security in case the VPN connection is ever interrupted.
- Double VPN: Surfshark's Double VPN feature encrypts your traffic twice, making it even more secure. This is done by routing your traffic through two VPN servers instead of one.
- Multihop: Surfshark's Multihop feature allows you to connect to two VPN servers in a row, which can help to improve your privacy and security. This is done by routing your traffic through two different countries or regions.
- WireGuard: Surfshark supports WireGuard, which is a new VPN protocol that is known for its speed and security. WireGuard is still under development, but it has been praised by security experts.
- 256-bit AES encryption: Surfshark uses 256-bit AES encryption, which is considered to be the gold standard in VPN security. This means that your data is encrypted with a key that is 256 bits long, which is computationally infeasible to crack.
- IKEv2/IPsec: Surfshark also supports IKEv2/IPsec, which is a more traditional VPN protocol that is known for its reliability. IKEv2/IPsec is often used by businesses and governments.
- ChaCha20: Surfshark supports ChaCha20, which is a newer cipher that is considered to be just as secure as AES-256. ChaCha20 is also faster than AES-256, which can be beneficial for streaming or gaming.
- HMAC-SHA256: Surfshark uses HMAC-SHA256 to authenticate the VPN connection. This helps to ensure that your traffic is only encrypted and decrypted by the VPN server.
- Perfect Forward Secrecy: Surfshark uses Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS), which means that your encryption keys are changed regularly. This helps to protect your data in case the VPN server's encryption keys are ever compromised.
Hotspot Shield
- 256-bit AES encryption: Hotspot Shield uses 256-bit AES encryption, which is considered to be military-grade encryption. This means that your data is encrypted with a key that is 256 bits long, which is very difficult to crack.
- Kill switch: The kill switch is a feature that will automatically disconnect your internet connection if the VPN connection drops. This prevents your real IP address being exposed if the VPN connection fails.
- Split tunneling: Split tunneling allows you to choose which apps and websites will use the VPN and which ones will use your regular internet connection. This can be helpful if you want to use a VPN for some tasks but not others.
- DNS leak protection: DNS leak protection prevents your DNS queries leaking to your ISP. This means that your ISP cannot track the websites that you visit.
- Malware protection: Hotspot Shield has a built-in malware protection feature that can help to protect your device malware infections.
- No logs policy: Hotspot Shield has a strict no-logs policy. This means that the company does not collect any data about your online activity.
- 256-bit AES encryption: This is the standard encryption for your data when using Hotspot Shield. It is considered to be military-grade encryption and is very difficult to crack.
- OpenVPN protocol: Hotspot Shield uses the OpenVPN protocol, which is considered to be one of the most secure VPN protocols.
- IKEv2/IPSec protocol: Hotspot Shield also supports the IKEv2/IPSec protocol, which is another secure VPN protocol.
- Double VPN: Hotspot Shield offers a double VPN feature that encrypts your traffic twice, making it even more secure.
- Obfuscated servers: Hotspot Shield offers obfuscated servers that can be used to bypass VPN blocking in countries with strict internet censorship.
Privacy Features
This section looks at the privacy features of Hotspot Shield vs Surfshark in terms of country of jurisdiction (five-eyes surveillance) no-logging policy, independent auditing, and more.
Winner is:
Surfshark and Hotspot Shield offer robust privacy features. Both have a no-log policy, but Surfshark edges out with its independent auditing by Cure53. Surfshark is based in a privacy-friendly location (British Virgin Islands), whereas Hotspot Shield is in the US, a Five Eyes country. Both services support anonymous payment options, including cryptocurrencies. Given these factors, Surfshark is the clear winner for privacy-conscious users due to its superior jurisdiction and proven commitment to privacy through independent auditing.
Surfshark
- Strict no-logs policy: Surfshark has a strict no-logs policy, which means that it does not collect any data about your online activity. This includes your IP address, browsing history, traffic data, and DNS queries. This means that your privacy is protected even if the VPN is ever hacked.
- Private DNS: Surfshark uses private DNS on all of its servers, which helps to protect your privacy and security. Private DNS prevents your ISP seeing the websites that you visit.
- Leak protection: Surfshark has leak protection features that help to prevent your real IP address leaking. This includes DNS leak protection, IPv6 leak protection, and WebRTC leak protection.
- Kill switch: Surfshark has a kill switch that automatically disconnects your internet connection if the VPN connection drops. This helps to protect your privacy and security in case the VPN connection is ever interrupted.
- Double VPN: Surfshark's Double VPN feature encrypts your traffic twice, making it even more secure. This is done by routing your traffic through two VPN servers instead of one.
- Multihop: Surfshark's Multihop feature allows you to connect to two VPN servers in a row, which can help to improve your privacy and security. This is done by routing your traffic through two different countries or regions.
- Camouflage Mode: Surfshark's Camouflage Mode hides the fact that you are using a VPN, which can be helpful in countries where VPNs are blocked or restricted.
- Whitelister: Surfshark's Whitelister allows you to choose which apps and websites use the VPN and which ones don't. This can be useful for things like streaming or gaming.
- No connection logs: Surfshark does not keep any logs of your VPN connections. This means that they do not know what websites you visit, what apps you use, or how much data you transfer.
- No activity logs: Surfshark does not keep any logs of your online activity. This means that they do not know what you do while you are connected to the VPN.
- No payment logs: Surfshark accepts anonymous payments, so they do not know who you are or how much you paid for the VPN.
- No IP address logs: Surfshark does not keep any logs of your IP address. This means that they cannot track your online activity back to you.
- No device logs: Surfshark does not keep any logs of the devices that you use to connect to the VPN. This means that they cannot track your online activity across different devices.
Hotspot Shield
- No logs policy: Hotspot Shield has a strict no-logs policy. This means that the company does not collect any data about your online activity, including your IP address, browsing history, or traffic.
- Kill switch: The kill switch is a feature that will automatically disconnect your internet connection if the VPN connection drops. This prevents your real IP address being exposed if the VPN connection fails.
- Split tunneling: Split tunneling allows you to choose which apps and websites will use the VPN and which ones will use your regular internet connection. This can be helpful if you want to use a VPN for some tasks but not others.
- DNS leak protection: DNS leak protection prevents your DNS queries leaking to your ISP. This means that your ISP cannot track the websites that you visit.
- Malware protection: Hotspot Shield has a built-in malware protection feature that can help to protect your device malware infections.
- Secure DNS: Hotspot Shield uses its own secure DNS servers to prevent DNS leaks.
- Double VPN: Hotspot Shield offers a double VPN feature that encrypts your traffic twice, making it even more secure.
- Obfuscated servers: Hotspot Shield offers obfuscated servers that can be used to bypass VPN blocking in countries with strict internet censorship.
- No IP logs: Hotspot Shield does not log your IP address, which is the unique identifier for your device on the internet. This means that Hotspot Shield cannot track your online activity or see what websites you visit.
- No browsing history: Hotspot Shield does not log your browsing history, which is a record of the websites that you have visited. This means that Hotspot Shield cannot track your online activity or see what websites you have visited.
- No traffic logs: Hotspot Shield does not log your traffic data, which is a record of the data that you send and receive over the internet. This means that Hotspot Shield cannot see what websites you visit or what files you download.
- No DNS logs: Hotspot Shield does not log your DNS queries, which are the requests that your device makes to a DNS server to resolve domain names into IP addresses. This means that Hotspot Shield cannot see what websites you visit.
- No session logs: Hotspot Shield does not log your session logs, which are records of the times that you connect to and disconnect the VPN. This means that Hotspot Shield cannot track how long you are using the VPN.
Speed Features
This section explores the speed features of Surfshark and Hotspot Shield when it comes to server technology for download/upload speeds for streaming and torrenting.
Winner is:
Surfshark and Hotspot Shield both offer high speed connections, essential for streaming and torrenting. Third-party speed tests reveal that Surfshark has impressive download and upload speeds across a vast range of its servers, while Hotspot Shield also performs well but occasionally lags behind. Surfshark's speed remains consistent even when connected to remote servers, ensuring smooth streaming on various sites. Both support torrenting, but Surfshark's fast and stable speed gives it an edge. Hence, in a direct speed comparison, Surfshark emerges as the overall winner due to its superior and consistent performance.
Surfshark
- Number of servers: Surfshark has over 3,200 servers in 65 countries. This means that you can always find a server that is close to you, which can help to improve your speeds.
- Server types: Surfshark offers a variety of server types, including:
- Standard servers: These are the most common type of server and are designed for general use.
- P2P servers: These servers are optimized for file sharing and torrenting.
- Double VPN servers: These servers encrypt your traffic twice, making it even more secure.
- Multihop servers: These servers allow you to connect to two VPN servers in a row, which can help to improve your privacy and security.
- Camouflage Mode servers: These servers hide the fact that you are using a VPN, which can be helpful in countries where VPNs are blocked or restricted.
- Location spoofing: Surfshark allows you to spoof your location by connecting to a server in a different country. This can be useful for accessing geo-restricted content or for bypassing censorship.
- Dedicated IP addresses: Surfshark offers dedicated IP addresses for businesses and organizations. This can be useful for businesses that need to maintain a consistent IP address for their website or servers.
- Obfuscated servers: Surfshark offers obfuscated servers that can help to bypass VPN blocks. These servers encrypt your traffic in a way that makes it look like regular traffic, which can make it more difficult for VPN blocks to detect.
- Fast servers: Surfshark has a large network of servers located all over the world. This means that you can always find a server that is close to you, which can help to improve your speeds.
- WireGuard protocol: Surfshark supports WireGuard, which is a new VPN protocol that is known for its speed and security. WireGuard is still under development, but it has been praised by security experts.
- Small Packets: Surfshark has a feature called Small Packets that can help to improve speeds. This feature reduces the size of each packet that is sent over the VPN, which can help to reduce latency and improve overall performance.
- Automatic protocol selection: Surfshark automatically selects the best protocol for your connection. This means that you don't have to worry about choosing the right protocol, and you can be sure that you are getting the best possible speeds.
- No speed caps: Surfshark does not have any speed caps, so you can always get the fastest speeds possible. This is important for streaming, gaming, and other activities that require high bandwidth.
Hotspot Shield
- 3,200+ VPN servers in 70+ countries: Hotspot Shield has a large network of VPN servers, which means that you can connect to a server that is close to your location for the best possible speeds.
- P2P-optimized servers: Hotspot Shield has dedicated P2P-optimized servers that are designed for file sharing. This is important for users who want to download or upload large files without any throttling.
- Streaming-optimized servers: Hotspot Shield has dedicated streaming-optimized servers that are designed for streaming video and audio content. This is important for users who want to watch their favorite movies and shows without any buffering.
- Obfuscated servers: Hotspot Shield has obfuscated servers that are designed to hide the fact that you are using a VPN. This can be useful in countries with strict internet censorship.
- Dedicated IP addresses: Hotspot Shield offers dedicated IP addresses for users who need a static IP address. This is important for users who want to use the VPN for gaming or for businesses that need a dedicated IP address for their website.
- Double VPN: Hotspot Shield offers a double VPN feature that encrypts your traffic twice, making it even more secure.
- Fast speeds: Hotspot Shield is known for its fast speeds. This is important for streaming videos, downloading files, and browsing the web without any lag or buffering.
- Split tunneling: Split tunneling allows you to choose which apps and websites will use the VPN and which ones will use your regular internet connection. This can help to boost your speed since all your internet traffic doesn't go through a VPN tunnel.
- Servers in 80+ countries: Hotspot Shield has servers in over 80 countries, which means that you can connect to a server that is close to your location for the best possible speeds.
- Optimized for streaming: Hotspot Shield has optimized its servers for streaming, so you can watch your favorite movies and shows without any buffering.
- No speed caps: Hotspot Shield does not have any speed caps, so you can enjoy unlimited bandwidth and speeds.
Streaming & Torrenting Features
This section compares the streaming and torrenting features and capabilities provided by Surfshark versus Hotspot Shield.
Popular Streaming Services
- Netflix
- Amazon Prime
- Disney+
- HBO Max
- Paramount+
- Hulu
- Apple TV
- Starz
- ESPN+
- Peacock
- Canal Plus
- Discovery Plus
Winner is:
Surfshark offers unlimited device connections, robust encryption, and excels in unblocking streaming services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu. It also supports P2P torrenting on all servers. Hotspot Shield, though faster, struggles with unblocking some streaming services and only supports torrenting on selected servers. Both have robust security, but Surfshark's no-logs policy is more user-friendly. Considering overall performance in streaming and torrenting, Surfshark emerges as the winner.
Surfshark
- Works with Netflix: Surfshark is known for its ability to unblock Netflix. This means that you can use Surfshark to watch Netflix content anywhere in the world.
- Works with other streaming services: Surfshark also works with other streaming services, such as Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer.
- No buffering: Surfshark has fast speeds, which means that you can stream without buffering.
- Unlimited bandwidth: Surfshark does not have any bandwidth caps, so you can stream as much as you want without worrying about being throttled.
- Secure streaming: Surfshark encrypts your traffic, so your streaming activity is protected prying eyes.
- P2P support: Surfshark supports P2P file sharing, which means that you can use it to download torrents without any problems.
- No bandwidth caps: Surfshark does not have any bandwidth caps, so you can download as many torrents as you want without worrying about being throttled.
- No logs policy: Surfshark has a strict no-logs policy, which means that they do not collect any data about your torrenting activity. This means that your privacy is protected.
- Kill switch: Surfshark has a kill switch that automatically disconnects your internet connection if the VPN connection drops. This helps to protect your privacy and security in case the VPN connection is ever interrupted.
- Double VPN: Surfshark's Double VPN feature encrypts your traffic twice, making it even more secure. This is done by routing your traffic through two VPN servers instead of one.
- Multihop: Surfshark's Multihop feature allows you to connect to two VPN servers in a row, which can help to improve your privacy and security. This is done by routing your traffic through two different countries or regions.
- Camouflage Mode: Surfshark's Camouflage Mode hides the fact that you are using a VPN, which can be helpful in countries where VPNs are blocked or restricted.
Hotspot Shield
- Streaming-optimized servers: Hotspot Shield has dedicated streaming-optimized servers that are designed for streaming video and audio content. This is important for users who want to watch their favorite movies and shows without any buffering.
- Unblocks geo-restricted content: Hotspot Shield can help you unblock geo-restricted content, such as Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer. This means that you can watch your favorite shows and movies no matter where you are in the world.
- Fast speeds: Hotspot Shield is known for its fast speeds, which is important for streaming videos and audio without any lag or buffering.
- No bandwidth caps: Hotspot Shield does not have any bandwidth caps, so you can enjoy unlimited streaming without worrying about your data usage.
- Easy to use: Hotspot Shield is very easy to use, and the app is available for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android devices.
- Supports P2P traffic: Hotspot Shield supports P2P traffic, which is the type of traffic used for file sharing. This means that you can use the VPN to download and upload torrents without any problems.
- Fast speeds: Hotspot Shield is known for its fast speeds, which is important for torrenting. This is because the VPN does not throttle P2P traffic, so you can get the most out of your bandwidth.
- No bandwidth caps: Hotspot Shield does not have any bandwidth caps, so you can torrent as much as you want without worrying about your data usage.
- Secure and private: Hotspot Shield uses strong encryption to protect your data, so you can be confident that your torrenting activity is secure and private.
- Easy to use: Hotspot Shield is very easy to use, and the app is available for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android devices. This makes it a good option for users who are not familiar with VPNs or who do not want to spend a lot of time configuring their VPN settings.
Support Features
This section looks at what kind of customer support you can expect from Hotspot Shield versus Surfshark.
Winner is:
Surfshark and Hotspot Shield both offer 24/7 customer support, but Surfshark stands out with its live-chat feature, swift responses, and extensive knowledge base for self-help. Hotspot Shield's support is also commendable but lacks the live chat feature, relying on email which can be slower. Customer support is crucial for a VPN service as it ensures users can quickly resolve issues and maintain their online privacy and security. Therefore, Surfshark wins in providing the best support.
Surfshark
- 24/7 live chat: Surfshark offers 24/7 live chat support. This means that you can get help a customer support representative at any time of the day or night.
- Email support: Surfshark also offers email support. You can send an email to customer support and they will get back to you as soon as possible.
- Knowledge base: Surfshark has a knowledge base that contains articles and FAQs about the VPN. You can find answers to many common questions in the knowledge base.
- Ticket system: Surfshark also has a ticket system. You can submit a ticket and a customer support representative will get back to you within 24 hours.
- Social media: Surfshark is also active on social media. You can contact customer support through Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Hotspot Shield
- 24/7 live chat: Hotspot Shield offers 24/7 live chat support, which is available in English, Spanish, French, German, and Portuguese. This means that you can always get help a customer support representative, no matter what time it is.
- Email support: Hotspot Shield also offers email support, which is available in all languages. This is a good option if you do not want to wait in a live chat queue.
- Knowledge base: Hotspot Shield has a comprehensive knowledge base that covers a wide range of topics, such as how to install and use the VPN, troubleshooting tips, and frequently asked questions. This is a good option if you can find the answer to your question on your own.
- Social media support: Hotspot Shield also offers support on social media, such as Twitter and Facebook. This is a good option if you want to get help a customer support representative quickly.
Check out how Surfshark and Hotspot Shield stack up against other popular VPN services on the market.
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