We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
Learn more
vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

ExpressVPN vs Hotspot Shield 2024

Table of Contents
    Our Score: 9.9/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Our Score: 9.1/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Editors' Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, Cyberghost and Expressvpn are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company.

    Which VPN is better?

    Author Image Kate Richards
    Kate Richards

    Managing Editor

    ExpressVPN is widely popular for being one of the fastest VPN services on the market, and rightly so. Hotspot Shield, on the other hand, is known for its innovative approach in delivering its VPN service. Hotspot Shield and ExpressVPN both provide 24/7 live chat support, and offer 45-day and 30-day money-back guarantees, respectively. These two providers also offer dedicated apps for all major platforms including MacOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. Security features like strong encryption and a kill switch are also available with either provider. Although these two VPNs feature unlimited bandwidth, only ExpressVPN places no restrictions on torrenting. In terms of server networks, ExpressVPN offers broader coverage with around 3,000 servers in 105 countries, while Hotspot Shield operates 1,800+ servers in over 80 countries. Features like split tunneling and IPv6 leak protection are only available in ExpressVPN’s service. Hotspot Shield, however, competes by offering malware protection across all its apps. Scroll down to see a more detailed comparison across several key categories. NOTE: This comparison is for the paid Hotspot Shield plan, Hotspot Shield Elite.

    Our Score

    Features 9.9/10
    Pricing 9.4/10
    Ease of Use 10.0/10
    Reliability & Support 10.0/10
    Features 9.1/10
    Pricing 8.8/10
    Ease of Use 9.2/10
    Reliability & Support 9.4/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Keira Waddell
    Keira Waddell

    Senior Writer

    Our Score: 9.9/10

    ExpressVPN is one of the most popular and trusted names in the industry. It’s known for being one of the safest, fastest VPNs around, so I wanted to see if it can live up to these claims. It’s not the cheapest VPN, but it often offers discounts that make it a better value for the money. Other decent VPNs offer similar security features for much cheaper. So, do you really need to pay that muc...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    J
    JKJHB
    8.0/10
    jhJ JJ

    I've been an ExpressVPN customer since 2017 and it's been great: quickly connects to a nearby server i... n the Wash DC region, embedded shortcuts to apps I want to use while using VPN, disconnects quickly, has the kill switch feature which is necessary these days, and has a fine mobile app which works well on my Android phones and tablets. However, I was just notified that the annual price is jumping from $99 to $117 upon the next renewal, so it's time to see how the others compare within VPN Mentor.More

    Latest negative user review
    C
    Charli
    6.0/10
    Ok, but expensive

    Seems ok, but I wouldn't say it's worth $20AUD a month. That's steep if you live in a backwater like A... ustralia, where the currency is not valuable. Easy enough to set up - you don't need to be Einstein - but unless you're a tech nerd who can take a look under the bonnet, you'll just have to trust what they say about their product. It frequently drops out without the slightest warning, often when it's the only thing online at the time - despite fast and flawless fiber internet, rendering expression entirely useless UNLESS you have it sitting on your desktop where you can keep an eagle eye on it to actually see it when it drops out so you can kick it back into service again (it doesn't do it by itself), which seems to defeat its purpose, so I'm taking away 2 stars for that. Support is good and they do get back to you as fast as they can.More

    Read the full review
    Review by our expert
    Author Image Lawrence Wachira
    Lawrence Wachira

    Senior Writer

    Our Score: 9.1/10

    Hotspot Shield is a VPN that’s undergone many changes recently. After dealing with several controversies, it overhauled its logging policy and is under new management. So, has it gotten better? I tested everything it offers to see if HSS is safe. I fully explored its logging policy and found out if its security features can prevent data leaks. I also tested its speeds, customer support, stre...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    H
    Howard Rosenbrook
    10.0/10
    Had for 3 years no problem

    Kept cable providers off my ass just dont like that you cant pay a week or so early and dont like the ... auto renewal i should beable to pay my bill on my own when i want as long as im not late it shouldnt be a problem with your companyMore

    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

    Read the full review

    Pricing

    Starting price $6.67/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license 8 devices
    Starting price $2.99/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 45 Days
    Number of devices per license 5 devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall

    ExpressVPN is one of the most trusted VPN providers available for its provision of unmatched connection speeds, an airtight privacy policy, and topnotch security features. Hotspot Shield also provides a reliable VPN service with several strong points, such as its large network and attractive array of security features.

    Best VPN for Torrents

    ExpressVPN provides a trustworthy and effective service for downloading torrents anonymously. It’s also compatible with most BitTorrent clients, including uTorrent. Hotspot Shield is not P2P friendly, as it expressly forbids torrenting on its servers.

    Best VPN for Windows

    A Network Lock kill switch and advanced leak protection are two of the many great features of ExpressVPN’s dedicated app for Windows. The app is also very easy to master, even for VPN newbies. Nevertheless, Hotspot Shield competes with a powerful app for Windows that features malware protection and an automatic kill switch.

    Best VPN for Android

    ExpressVPN provides a dedicated Android app that can be set up within minutes and features protection from tracking and wi-fi breaches, as well as access to very fast servers. Hotspot Shield also offers a robust Android app that includes malware protection and an automatic kill switch.

    Best VPN for Mac

    With features like split tunneling, advanced leak protection, and a network-lock kill switch, ExpressVPN delivers a very powerful VPN service for MacOS. Hotspot Shield’s MacOS app offers to a dedicated streaming feature and the provider’s Catapult Hydra technology for improved server connection speeds.

    Best VPN for iOS

    ExpressVPN’s provision of a dedicated iOS app that supports the UDP, TCP, IKEv2, and IPsec connection and tunneling protocols, along with features like leak protection and split tunneling, makes it a truly dependable VPN for iOS users. With Hotspot Shield’s iOS app, you can expect access to pretty fast servers and its dedicated streaming feature to securely watch local video content from your mobile device.

    Best VPN for USA

    When it comes to speed and the ability to watch popular streaming platforms securely in the US, ExpressVPN provides a top-notch service. It effortlessly works for watching Netflix and hundreds of other services from within the States while providing Ultra HD-friendly speeds. Hotspot Shield also has a reliable US service that streams Netflix and many other websites from within the country, but it doesn’t compare to ExpressVPN’s capabilities.

    The Bottom Line

    See Plans & Pricing

    Without a doubt, both VPNs offer commendable services, but ExpressVPN’s verified no-logs policy, unrivaled speed, and overall security features make it a better service provider by a wide margin. Its provision of servers in more than 90 countries is another noteworthy reason that it wins this contest with relative ease. When a provider like ExpressVPN refuses to compromise in any area of its service, from network size to feature availability, from connection speeds to streaming and gaming capabilities, it becomes very, very hard to outperform.

    Time to decide which one is best for you

    Go with ExpressVPN
    Go with Hotspot Shield
    Or click here to check best VPNs, rated by {{review_count}} users

    FAQ

    Is ExpressVPN better than Hotspot Shield?

    Yes, ExpressVPN is better overall than Hotspot Shield. It has 3000 servers in 105 countries, fast speeds, and impressive security features.

    Best of all, you can take advantage of its latest discount and get it for only $6.67 a month.

    What should I keep in mind when choosing between ExpressVPN and Hotspot Shield?

    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 ExpressVPN may be perfect for you due to its performance during the tests .

    Is ExpressVPN faster than Hotspot Shield?

    Yes, ExpressVPN is faster than Hotspot Shield. 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 ExpressVPN or Hotspot Shield offer any deals?

    Both ExpressVPN and Hotspot Shield 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.

    We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
    Learn more
    vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

    About the Author

    Kate is a Managing Editor at vpnMentor. Kate promotes the use of VPNs as a means to achieve unhindered access to the internet, as she strongly believes in online freedom for everyone.