4 Best Free VPNs for Hotstar: Access From Anywhere in 2025

Most free VPNs lack the necessary capabilities to stream Hotstar. Even premium services struggle to access Hotstar from anywhere safely, and free VPNs have an even more challenging time.

However, my team and I tested 30+ free VPNs and shortlisted those that work reliably with Hotstar for HD streaming. That being said, every free VPN has its drawbacks, like reliability issues, data caps, and limited server options. For uninterrupted, high-quality streaming, a paid VPN is your best option.

Quick Comparison Table: Hotstar VPN Features

The table provided below offers a comparative analysis of the features of the chosen Hotstar VPNs. It examines elements like connection speeds, the number of servers, the amount of data allocated monthly, and whether it works with Hotstar India. It mainly concerns free VPNs, but you can find the best overall picks for Hotstar in this list.

Most Affordable Premium VPN

Our Score: 9.3

The free VPNs we recommend have been tested and found trustworthy. However, they do have some drawbacks, like causing delays, having fewer servers, or limiting how much data you can use. Some other free VPNs track your online activity and share your data with third parties. If you want more reliable speed and security, a budget-friendly VPN like Surfshark is a good choice. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and prices start from $1.99/month with a long-term option. Surfshark also supports secure Hotstar streaming from anywhere and lets you connect unlimited devices at once without capping data.

Our Score: 9.3

Read more about Surfshark

See Surfshark's Best Deals

Visit Surfshark >

www.surfshark.com

Best Free VPNs for Hotstar — Full Analysis (2025 Update)

1. Avira Phantom VPN — Unlimited Connections to Stream Various Hotstar Content on All Your Devices Simultaneously

Editor’s Choice Editor’s Choice Try Risk-Free for 30 Days
Tested September 2025

Works With:

Netflix Disney+ APV Max

Hulu BBC iPlayer More

Try Avira Phantom VPN >

www.avira.com

With Avira Phantom VPN's unlimited device connections, your family can watch Hotstar on all devices without disrupting other online activities. Most free VPNs only allow one device connection at a time, so I found this particularly impressive. We experienced no slowdowns while testing Avira Phantom VPN, even with 7 connected devices streaming Hotstar UK.

The servers in Singapore and the UK worked most consistently

Avira is designed to run efficiently in the background, which helps conserve battery life while streaming. This comes in handy when watching Hotstar on your phone or tablet, since long streaming sessions can quickly drain your battery. In our tests, Avira Phantom VPN had a noticeably lower impact on battery usage compared to other free VPNs.

Its mobile apps offer 38 server locations to access Hotstar libraries from anywhere securely. The desktop app only allows you to connect to the nearest location, and there’s no way to watch Hotstar India. Avira Phantom VPN doesn’t provide servers in that country but offers connections in other Hostar regions like Singapore, the UK, and Canada.

The major downside to Avira is that the free plan has a data cap of 500MB. This isn’t enough data to handle long streams, and you may easily consume it while browsing for just a couple of hours. You can get an extra 500MB of data a month by signing up with an email address.

Useful Features

• No sign-up is required. You don’t need to sign up using an email to start using the service. Simply download the VPN app and start streaming.
• Auto-connect. Avira Phantom VPN lets you connect automatically when it detects a WiFi network, which is helpful for safe Hotstar streaming on public networks.
• Minimal setup time. You can go from installation to streaming in under 5 minutes. It’s ideal for people new to VPNs.
• No browsing logs. Avira says it doesn’t track the sites you visit or what you do online. That means your Hotstar viewing history stays private.

2. hide.me — Unlimited Data for Streaming Hotstar Without Interruptions

Works With:

Netflix Disney+ APV Max

Hulu BBC iPlayer Sky More

Try hide.me VPN >

www.hide.me

You can stream Hotstar without restriction with unlimited data on hide.me's free plan, but you need to let it choose random servers for you. However, you still get 10GB of data per month when you choose your own servers, which isn’t bad for a free service. hide.me can safely access Hotstar from anywhere, but you may want to lower the quality to save data when picking locations.

We had the best luck using the IKEv2 protocol during our tests

hide.me is very compatible with apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux. This gives you the flexibility to watch Hotstar on whichever device you prefer. During our tests, the apps worked smoothly across platforms, and it only took a few minutes to set up.

Its adjustable features can help boost your speed. For instance, you can choose between 5 VPN protocols: WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, SSTP, and SoftEtherVPN. Wireguard gave us the best speeds, at 193.29Mbps testing UK servers, while SoftEtherVPN can help disguise your VPN traffic as normal HTTPS to watch Hotstar on restrictive networks.

One minor con is that, unlike Avira, the VPN doesn’t provide multiple locations for Hotstar. So, you can't watch Hotstar India, for example. However, hide.me works well for streaming Hotstar UK in standard definition.

Useful Features

• Kill switch.me also offers a kill switch to safeguard your online data in case your connection drops unexpectedly. Very few free VPNs have this feature.
• No ads. Its free version won’t bombard you with VPN-sponsored ads, so you can stream Hotstar without interruptions.

3. TunnelBear — Easy-to-Use Apps to Reliably Access Hotstar in a Few Clicks

Works With:

Netflix Disney+ APV Max

Hulu BBC iPlayer More

Try TunnelBear VPN >

www.tunnelbear.com

TunnelBear’s quirky yet easy-to-use app offers an interactive world map interface. By clicking a tunnel in the country of your choosing, a cartoon bear will dig its way through as it routes your traffic there. You can also choose to use the drop-down menu for manual selection.

It may take a little longer to connect than with most VPNs

In addition, its free plan grants you access to all 47 global server locations on desktop and mobile. We could safely stream Hotstar India during tests, but it wasn’t always reliable. We had to change servers multiple times.

The most significant drawbacks are the 2GB data limit and the fact that it doesn’t work with the UK and Singapore Hotstar libraries. However, it's possible to access Hotstar India and Malaysia from anywhere securely.

Useful Features

• Strong encryption. TunnelBear uses AES-256-bit encryption to secure your connection, so your Hotstar activity stays private, even on public WiFi.
• GhostBear (Obfuscation). TunnelBear’s GhostBear feature makes your VPN traffic look like regular internet traffic. This can help you watch Hotstar in places where VPNs are usually blocked, like school networks, libraries, or workplaces.

4. Hotspot Shield — Hydra Protocol Balances Speed With Security for Optimal Hotstar Streaming

Works With:

Netflix Disney+ APV Max

BBC iPlayer Sky More

Try Hotspot Shield >

www.hotspotshield.com

Hotspot Shield’s proprietary Hydra protocol worked better for streaming than IKEv2 and WireGuard. It was faster on average than the other free VPNs and more consistent with Hotstar. We didn’t experience connection issues during our tests while streaming with Hydra.

We were impressed that it could be accessed with the free plan

It also offers unlimited data, which is great for long binge-watching sessions. Hotspot Shield’s free plan has servers in the UK and Singapore. However, it only works reliably with Hotstar Singapore.

Sadly, the free version doesn’t offer any servers in India, but upgrading to a premium Hotspot Shield option provides access to a virtual Indian location. In addition, the free version is supported by ads, so you might occasionally be interrupted while watching Hotstar.

Useful Features

• Automatic WiFi protection. Hotspot Shield offers an Auto-protect feature that instantly secures your connection on unsecured networks like public WiFi.
• Leak protection. It protects your real location and online data from threats like trackers and hackers.

Our Methodology for Testing Free VPNs For Hotstar

We primarily tested each VPN's ability to work with different Hotstar libraries reliably. We evaluated the performance of these services in terms of their speeds, streaming capability and available server locations, including servers in India. We also considered how easy it was to set up and use these VPNs for streaming.

Expert Tip: Most Free VPNs for Hotstar Aren’t Safe

Free VPNs rarely have the security infrastructure that can keep your data secure from online threats like hackers and trackers. Most have weak encryption, while others don’t offer features like leak protection or an automatic kill switch. Plus, there have been cases where free VPN apps were embedded with malware.

In addition, many free VPNs are not actually free, as most of them generate revenue by tracking your data and trading it with third parties. This data is then used by advertisers to show targeted ads with dynamic pricing to users based on their respective browsing histories.

So, if you truly want to secure your streaming sessions, you can consider using a low-cost premium alternative that adheres to a no-logs policy and comes with a money-back guarantee.

Free VPNs to Avoid

Although a lot of free VPNs are available on the internet, not all of them are safe. I've identified some VPNs that can compromise your online security threats, unlike the ones on my list, so steer clear of these hazardous free VPNs while choosing your VPN:

• Hola Free VPN. Hola is not even a VPN; it's a P2P network where random strangers share their IP addresses. It lacks encryption, meaning that anyone can connect to your IP and commit an illegal act, leaving you to take the fall for it.
• Touch VPN. Touch VPN is another example of what you should stay away from. It logs a lot of user information, including your location and device information. The service is owned by Aura and Pango, which own other VPNs that are known for logging as well. It also struggles consistently with DNS leaks.
• LinkVPN. Its privacy policy clearly states that it can monitor and record your data and share it with affiliate companies. In addition, it seems to have been created by a notorious developer in China who was also responsible for creating other privacy-violating VPNs like SuperVPN.

FAQs on the Best Free VPNs for Hotstar

Can I watch Hotstar for free?

Not really, since it doesn’t technically offer free content. Hotstar India used to offer some select movies and shows completely free but with ads. However, as of April 2024, it only has highlights of past sporting events and trailers. If you want to watch anything else, you’ll need to subscribe. However, you can get a free subscription in bundle offers from Indian Internet services like Tata, Airtel, or Jio. That said, all of the VPNs in this list can safely access Hotstar from anywhere.

Where is Hotstar available?

Aside from India, Hotstar can also be streamed in Canada, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and the UK. The platform is now owned by The Walt Disney Company, which is why it’s called Disney+ Hotstar and includes selective Disney+ content. A good free VPN can safely access Hotstar from anywhere.

While Disney+ and Hotstar are combined services in India, Hotstar is not available in the US. Some of its content is divided between Hulu, Disney+, and Max and can be watched with a Disney Bundle subscription for all three platforms in the US. In addition, Hotstar is not available in countries like Pakistan and the UAE due to censorship laws.

What if my free VPN is not working with Hotstar?

First, it’s important to choose a free VPN that consistently works with Hotstar. If your free VPN usually works well with Hotstar but isn’t working now, try the following:

• Switch to a different server. The IP address of the server you’re connected to may be blocked by Hotstar. In that case, the app won’t show you any content — it just keeps on loading endlessly. Switching to a different server should help.
• Clear your browser’s cookies. Many websites use cookies that can contain conflicting and unnecessary data. Simply clearing your cache and cookies can provide a cleaner interaction with your VPN and Hotstar. This can be easily prevented by clearing your browser’s cache and cookies or using incognito/private mode.

Is watching Hotstar with a free VPN legal?

Using a VPN to keep your online activities private while streaming is legal. However, some countries ban Hotstar and VPNs entirely due to censorship. The VPNs listed all reliably work with Hotstar from anywhere.

What is the best free VPN for Hotstar?

Avira Phantom VPN is the best free option for Hotstar, but it has some limitations. While it offers servers in regions with Hotstar, you can only change locations with its mobile app. It's also restricted to 1GB of monthly data, likely only letting you stream for a few hours. A low-cost, premium VPN is a better option for safely accessing Hotstar from anywhere. Visit this detailed guide on signing up for Hotstar, if you want to register for the service.

Get the Best FREE VPN for Hotstar

The best free VPNs can securely stream Hotstar from anywhere. However, they typically come with limitations like smaller server networks, limited data, or slower speeds. The key is choosing a VPN that has solid security, reliable servers, and a track record of working with popular platforms like Hotstar. Avira Phantom VPN stood out as a top choice since its mobile app has servers in various countries that offer Hotstar.