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The reviews published on vpnMentor are written by experts that examine the products according to our strict reviewing standards. Such standards ensure that each review is based on the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, and takes into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings we publish may take into consideration the affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website.

Private Internet Access vs Hotspot Shield vs BTGuard VPN 2022

After comparing these VPNs, we have a winner!

Rated: 9.3/10
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Rated: 8.8/10
%s User Reviews
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Rated: 8/10
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Which VPN is better?

Author Image Daniel Krohn
Daniel Krohn

Cybersecurity Researcher

With so many VPNs out there, finding the one that fits everything that you want can be a difficult task. With these three VPNs, there is a range of different priorities. Even though that might seem like a detractor for some people, if your VPN tried to do everything under the sun, then you would end up suffering because their services wouldn’t be as great as they could have been. If you’re looking for a lower price point, then Private Internet Access is going to be hard to beat. If you are more concerned with bit torrenting, then BTGuard is going to appeal to you more than the other ones as it has dedicated services customized for torrenting. Hotspot Shield is fantastic at protecting your data, but it doesn't have the best customer support. If you’re looking to protect more devices at one time, then you’d probably like Hotspot Shield or BTGuard better. With the ability to cover more devices, you won’t have to worry about one of your devices being vulnerable.

Rating

Features 9.3/10
Pricing 8.0/10
Ease of Use 9.6/10
Reliability & Support 9.8/10
Features 8.8/10
Pricing 9.0/10
Ease of Use 9.0/10
Reliability & Support 8.6/10
Features 8/10
Pricing 6/10
Ease of Use 8.8/10
Reliability & Support 8.6/10

Reviews

Review by our expert
Author Image Matthew Amos
Matthew Amos

Editor

9.7/10

Private Internet Access has one of the cheapest VPN subscriptions available — you can sign up for as little as $2.19/month. With such a low price, I wondered whether PIA could really stand out against its higher-priced competitors. It’s been around for 10+ years, so it could be one of the best-value VPNs out there. I decided to find out just how good it is by looking into the company’s lo...

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Latest positive user review
B
Bert
10.0/10
Best VPN I have used

I have been using PIA for three years and I have been very pleased. My internet connection is 270MB up...  and 270MB down. I get on average 250MB up and 250MB down. I have found that turning on the wire guard speeds up my internet speed by 50mb.More

Latest negative user review
M
Mischa
4.0/10
I was not happy with them

The use of PIA is detected by a lot of websites and you get constantly banned. I try to contact them ... but the contact form doesn't work. Needless to say, if the form doesn't work you can't claim your 30 days money-back guarantee. So I lost my money have no sense with the product and can't do anything.More

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Review by our expert
Author Image Kennedy Otieno
Kennedy Otieno

Cybersecurity Researcher

8.0/10

Hotspot Shield claims its proprietary Hydra protocol makes it faster than most VPNs — but is that true? I tested HSS on my fast internet connection (it allows up to 1Gbps speeds) to discover how it does with streaming, gaming, and torrenting. Mostly, I had a seamless internet experience — watching shows on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video without buffering. Its 1,800 servers in 80 countries ...

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Latest positive user review
G
George
8.0/10
Great Interface, easy to use and smooth/zippy.

It just feels well put together. Turns on automatically, which is no bad thing (if you don't like that... , turn the damn thing off with a click). The speed is consistently above average, and on a couple of inadvertent occasions, the Kill Switch operated as it should. I especially like the GUI, which is really simple, solid, yet has a refined/slick feel - far superior to a few I've tried but won't name here. I see no issues with it, although the security issues pointed out in the article are a bit alarming. I'm using the 'Business' version. Nice VPN, IMO.More

Latest negative user review
A
Alt
2.0/10
Blocked by Real-Debrid on just about every us city and nearly all countries

Easy to connect speed pretty good multiple platforms not great from streaming.. which is where you nee... d the speed. Nord vpn and Express are both cooperative providers with real-debrid meaning no connection problems. Even if you do find a server that connects frequently this is blocked during streaming.More

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Review by our expert
Author Image Olga Kousi
Olga Kousi

Cybersecurity Researcher

8.4/10

BitTorrentGuard — aka BTGuard — is a VPN and BitTorrent proxy provider. It is specifically designed for P2P fans at a time when most tiptoe around the subject of torrenting. You can use it on as many computers as you like without worrying about bandwidth, which is great for file sharing. Another significant aspect of the VPN is that its speeds are consistent. However, it does have some drawba...

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Latest positive user review
A
Anonymously
10.0/10
Works for me for years

Not sure why seen so much bad feedback here. Using BTGuard for more than 8 years. I ran into problems ... about 3 times. Figured out it was a software upgrade. Following their setup instructions for PCs/Linux phones works.More

Latest negative user review
B
Ben Leeth
2.0/10
Take The Money And Run!

Used BTGuard for a few years with really no issues. However, I ran into an issue about a month ago. Ha... ve opened tickets through support and sales with no luck. I even tried calling them to no avail. I even informed my CC company and they can't seem to get in touch with them. I just want to inform people to not use BTGuard and hope this review helps someone in the future. -2 stars!More

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Pricing

Starting price $2.19/month
Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
Number of devices per license 10 devices
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Starting price $2.99/month
Money Back Guarantee (Days) 45 Days
Number of devices per license 5 devices
See Plans
Starting price $7.5/month
Money Back Guarantee (Days) 0 Days
Number of devices per license 1 devices
See Plans

Best VPNs by category

Best VPNs Overall

With servers all over the world, PIA is a very strong provider in terms of security. Despite its speeds being limited due to strong encryption and data protection levels, PIA managed to maintain stable and decent speed levels, just enough for streaming purposes. What is also impressive is that they strictly follow their no-logs policy. Hotspot Shield is also a strong provider, with fast and reliable service that gives users access to a selection of well-encrypted IP addresses. The only concern is that they do store logs partially. Lastly, BTGuard VPN is a provider that guarantees your anonymity on the web and offers unlimited and fast download speeds. Even so, their server base is rather small and they are overall quite pricey.

Best VPNs for Torrents
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Best VPNs for Windows
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Best VPNs for Android
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Best VPNs for Mac
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Best VPNs for iOS
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Best VPNs for USA
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The Bottom Line

Author Image Daniel Krohn
Daniel Krohn

Cybersecurity Researcher

If you’re looking for a VPN just to protect your information and help you stream Netflix, Hulu, and other content from around the world, then you’ll probably want to go with Private Internet Access or Hotspot Shield. Private Internet Access does the best overall, but Hotspot Shield (for a higher price) has quality data protection. If you’re more concerned about being able to use bit torrent services, then BTGuard might be the better option. Regardless, all three of the services are decent and should serve you well.

Time to decide which one is best for you

Go with Private Internet Access
Go with Hotspot Shield
Go with BTGuard VPN
Or click here to check best VPNs, rated by {{review_count}} users

FAQ

Is Private Internet Access better than Hotspot Shield and BTGuard VPN?

Yes, Private Internet Access is better overall than Hotspot Shield and BTGuard VPN. It has 29650 servers in 84 countries, fast speeds, and impressive security features.

Best of all, you can take advantage of its latest discount and get it for only $2.19 a month.

What should I keep in mind when choosing between Private Internet Access, Hotspot Shield and BTGuard VPN?

When choosing a VPN, you want to pay close attention to its number of servers, overall speed score, pricing, and the number of simultaneous device connections it offers. While some VPNs provide a flawless online experience, others will really slow you down.

If you’re ready to commit, then Private Internet Access may be perfect for you due to its performance during the tests.

Is Private Internet Access faster than Hotspot Shield and BTGuard VPN?

Yes, Private Internet Access is faster than Hotspot Shield and BTGuard VPN. Since your VPN is your computer’s main connection to the internet, you need to use a service that won’t slow you down by more than 20%.

If speeds are important to you, then I recommend you take a look at ExpressVPN. It’s the fastest service out there, provides unlimited bandwidth, and you won’t experience any slowdowns even when you connect to the other side of the planet. You can try it out risk-free.. It’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can get a full refund if you don’t like it.

Do Private Internet Access, Hotspot Shield or BTGuard VPN offer any deals?

Private Internet Access, Hotspot Shield, and BTGuard VPN offer deals on occasion. You can check out the current coupons and discounts here. However, ExpressVPN has the best deals. Right now, you can get a 49% discount and up to 3 months for free with a new subscription.