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Hotspot Shield vs TorGuard 2022

After comparing these VPNs, we have a winner!

Rated: 8.8/10
%s User Reviews
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Rated: 8.0/10
%s User Reviews
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Which VPN is better?

Author Image Kate Richards
Kate Richards

Managing Editor

Hotspot Shield and TorGuard are two very popular VPN providers with very large networks and many practical security features. You can find your own ideal balance of speed and security by choosing either 128-bit or 256-bit encryption with either of these providers. Because they provide apps for all major platforms, you can enjoy a user-friendly experience with either Hotspot Shield or TorGuard regardless of the device or operating system you use. Hotspot Shield’s subscription plans make it a more budget-friendly service than TorGuard. Hotspot Shield also has a 45-day money-back guarantee, whereas TorGuard competes poorly in this area with a 7-day refund policy. In addition, while unique features like the StealthVPN protocol and Open Connect SSL can be found in TorGuard, Hotspot Shield fiercely competes with malware protection and its proprietary Catapult Hydra technology. With regard to network size, Hotspot Shield offers 2,500+ in over 25 countries, while TorGuard has around 3,000 servers in 50+ countries. Keep on reading to discover which VPN wins this super close contest. NOTE: This comparison is for the paid Hotspot Shield plan, Hotspot Shield Elite.

Rating

Features 8.8/10
Pricing 9.0/10
Ease of Use 9.0/10
Reliability & Support 8.6/10
Features 8.0/10
Pricing 7.4/10
Ease of Use 8.8/10
Reliability & Support 9.1/10

Reviews

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 Katie Kasunic
Katie Kasunic

Technology Researcher

8.8/10

TorGuard is best known for its large server network and strong torrenting support. Is TorGuard really privacy-friendly? How does TorGuard perform in other areas, such as streaming? We tested TorGuard’s VPN service across a number of categories to find out its strengths and weaknesses. TorGuard’s best features include robust security, a built-in adblocker, P2P support, a strict no-log...

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Latest positive user review
L
Lauren
10.0/10
Have been with them for several years, love their service

November 2021 PING ms 16 DOWNLOAD Mbps 254.92 UPLOAD Mbps 10.79 (running atop Comcast cable broad... band Docsis 3.0) I had previously been using on per device using the available tg vpn clients (in my case Linux & android). They recently upgraded all their vpn servers to wireguard based service. I had to manually reconfigure the client at that point as the switchover from OpenVPN to wireguard protocols broke my connection, though after that all was well again. I have since acquired a Netgate 1100 pfSense+ Security Gateway, and configured failover torguard VPNs to the 3 closest torguard sites as wireguard VPNs on the security gateway (Torguard has a tools page in the member's area that will generate configuration details to use for router/gateway vpn configuration). Running everything through the security gateway, you can specify which devices you want over the vpn or not, and set a killswitch firewall rule to cut off your connection if the vpn goes down if that is important for your use case. I've been using torguard primarily for BitTorrent the whole time (even prior to the user via the security gateway) without any issues and always with great download speeds. Not sure about those complaining about speed, but as you can see the above stats which I just ran off speedtest.net when writing this post, these are decent speeds and not much overhead (I think the best ever d/l I've gotten on the raw Comcast non-vpn is about ~275-280 MPs), using their nearest point of presence which is approx 90 miles from my origin IP. Wireguard gives much better performance than OpenVPN-based vpn protocols. They sometimes offer special (permanent) discount pricing, which I took advantage of so they have turned out to be a very reasonably cheap service for me, renewing at the discount price yearly. Their customer support has always been responsive whenever I've had questions. LaurenMore

Latest negative user review
S
Solomon
2.0/10
Does not work with firestick

Their VPN does not work with 1st gen firesticks. They did not post this on their site. I paid $60 for ... a 1-year membership. After 7 days got a notice from Spectrum 18 complaints "Notice of Copyright Infringement" emails from the spectrum. Contact billing for refund, they gave me the runaround and kept asking the same questions over and over again. Then told me a refund is not available after 7 days. However, it takes spectrum over 7 days to send a complaint and they never said it didn't work with 1st gen firestick. Also, the app connected to vpn through the firestick and never said it had an issue. So this company is scamming, do not use it if you want to get a "Notice of Copyright Infringement" letter from Spectrum and no refund.More

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Pricing

Starting price $2.99/month
Money Back Guarantee (Days) 45 Days
Number of devices per license 5 devices
See Plans
Starting price $9.99/month
Money Back Guarantee (Days) 7 Days
Number of devices per license 8 devices
See Plans

Best VPNs by category

Best VPNs Overall

Hotspot Shield offers fast servers and more budget-friendly plans than TorGuard, with features like malware protection that make it a very comprehensive VPN service. TorGuard also offers a very reliable VPN service that’s easy to use and includes numerous features for improved security.

Best VPNs for Torrents

TorGuard is our recommended VPN if you want to torrent, as it supports the service and also includes leak protection to keep your downloading activity anonymous. Hotspot Shield does not allow torrenting on any of its servers and therefore would obviously be a poor choice for this activity.

Best VPNs for Windows

TorGuard offers a reliable Windows service, with a dedicated client that features military-grade encryption, ad blocking, and access to the provider’s entire network of servers. Meanwhile, by offering a kill switch and malware protection via its dedicated app, Hotspot Shield can be trusted to provide a very robust VPN service for Windows.

Best VPNs for Android

Hotspot Shield features a very user-friendly Android app with a simple interface and access to the free limited version of the VPN. TorGuard also has an Android app that automatically updates its server list and includes features like 24/7 support from within the app and unlimited bandwidth.

Best VPNs for Mac

With its unique Catapult Hydra technology, malware protection, and a user-friendly dedicated app, Hotspot Shield is the ideal choice for MacOS users interested in streaming at fast speeds. TorGuard competes with a very powerful MacOS app that features DNS and WebRTC leak protection alongside very strong encryption.

Best VPNs for iOS

With features like an automatic kill switch, malware protection, and access to very fast servers, Hotspot Shield provides a good service for iOS. TorGuard also offers an iOS app that supports the IKEv2, IPsec, and OpenVPN protocols and includes access to dedicated IP addresses at an additional cost.

Best VPNs for USA

Hotspot Shield offers numerous US servers and a dedicated streaming feature for unblocking content from Netflix and other US-based web services. We especially recommend it for its ease of use when you want to access US sites. TorGuard also provides many US servers capable of unblocking Netflix and similar websites.

The Bottom Line

Author Image Kate Richards
Kate Richards

Managing Editor

While these two VPNs provide similar levels of service by most standards, Hotspot Shield’s simplicity, user-friendliness, and budget-friendly subscription prices make it our winner. Other key points in favor of Hotspot Shield are its 45-day money-back guarantee and its unique Catapult Hydra feature that optimizes servers speeds. Its dedicated streaming feature, which allows you to bypass tough geoblocks worldwide, also contributes to its very tight victory in this contest. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t necessarily dismiss TorGuard as an option, particularly if you torrent.

Time to decide which one is best for you

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

FAQ

Is Hotspot Shield better than TorGuard?

Yes, Hotspot Shield is better overall than TorGuard. It has 1800 servers in 80 countries, fast speeds, and impressive security features.

Best of all, you can take advantage of its latest discount and get it for only $2.99 a month.

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

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

Is Hotspot Shield faster than TorGuard?

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

Both Hotspot Shield and TorGuard 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.