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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.
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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.

Trust.Zone vs Hotspot Shield 2024

Table of Contents
    Our Score: 5.1/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Our Score: 9.1/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info

    Which VPN Is Better?

    Author Image Kate Richards
    Kate Richards

    Former Managing Editor

    Hotspot Shield and Trust.Zone are two well-respected VPN providers with strong security features and services capable of getting past geoblocks on Netflix-US and similar web services. Similarities shared by these VPNs include the provision of unlimited bandwidth, strong 256-bit encryption, and support for multiple protocols, including OpenVPN and L2TP. Trust.Zone has a transparent privacy policy and no known security or privacy concerns. On the other hand, there is evidence that Hotspot Shield has not been entirely honest in its privacy policy. Watchdog groups have presented evidence that the provider may collect user data for advertising purposes. On the positive side, Hotspot Shield offers apps for both mobile and desktop platforms. Meanwhile, Trust.Zone does not provide any mobile apps, requiring users to manually configure the VPN on mobile devices. In terms of support, Hotspot Shield offers a 24/7 live chat option, while Trust.Zone provides assistance only via email and a web contact form. While Hotspot Shield offers 2,500+ servers in over 25 countries, Trust.Zone has has a smaller network of around 134 servers in 30 countries. We’ve provided a more detailed analysis below to help you decide which VPN is truly better for you. NOTE: This comparison is for Hotspot Shield’s paid plan, Hotspot Shield elite.

    Our Score

    Features 5.1/10
    Pricing 7.0/10
    Ease of Use 5.4/10
    Reliability & Support 6.0/10
    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 Matthew Amos
    Matthew Amos

    Senior Editor

    Our Score: 5.1/10

    You can tell from its name that Trust.Zone markets itself as a privacy-friendly VPN. While it doesn't log your data, there have been many complaints about “Trust Zone”. This includes reports of buggy apps and an inadequate refund policy. So, my team and I performed extensive tests on all its features to see if it’s safe, fast, and trustworthy enough to try. After all our tests, I can say ...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    W
    Wendy
    10.0/10
    6 years with TZ and no real complaints

    What to say about Trust Zone? Well, for $39.95 for a year compared to the next 'recommended' VPN comp... any at more than double that I can't see a good reason to leave Trust Zone, at all! Issues - It's literally only been this year that I've been experiencing problems, support has always gotten back to me within about 48hrs, not on weekends or evenings, which could be a potential problem. However, I've always been able to follow their instructions and fixed any errors that have occurred, uninstalling and reinstalling are simple and I've found that fixed any seemingly annoying problem, and it doesn't take more than 5mins to do that! Sometimes (I used UK servers mostly, based there) the server can get a little slow, or seem to stop, but I just flick over to another UK server or Germany is another fave and no more problem for 99% of the time I've ever had any issues. Benefits - For the price Trust Zone VPN is 'IMHO' truly great value for money and the privacy and security could be no better from everything that I've read, even on here. I bought Nord VPN yesterday as I was getting connectivity issues and wanted to see if it was TZ, it wasn't and now I've got to wait a week for my refund from Nord VPN, I wasn't impressed at all and it wouldn't connect properly and my speeds were truly terrible! This was on the supposed fast server for what I was using, I couldn't use my fave 'app' shall we say, and when it did connect I didn't get more than just under 2mbps and I have over 70mbps on my line and that will be going to a Gig soon, can't wait! The UK is so far behind where I lived in S.E Asia for 17yrs, that it's almost laughable, but it isn't is it! 1st world England, I think not! Lulz. I hope that TZ can sort out their server maintenance and inform the users of when it's being done, or a symbol next to the server(s) would be a nice touch to let us know that it's being worked on, etc. All in all, from the abysmal Nord VPN experience I had yesterday, all evening trying to get it to work, paying more certainly doesn't mean better in my years of computer and internet experience, and most recently been proven right yet again! Last hint and tip, never connect to the internet without a VPN. Good luck out there all. Wendy.More

    Latest negative user review
    G
    Gerrit
    6.0/10
    Dedicated ips with port forwarding not working on every location

    I am using 4 different VPN servers with dedicated IP's and port forwarding. One server in Montreal an... d one in Tokyo are running with wireguard connections in ubuntu without any problems. The server in UK stopped to establish connections with wireguard for more than a week, so I had to switch to openvpn. Also the UK server was down for two days. Trust.zone reported network card problems. The fourth server is located in Moscow and makes the biggest trouble. Wireguard also stopped working for about more than a week. Then I switched to openvpn. With openvpn the connections are now always established and broken after a view seconds. Trust.Zone tells, that there is a second connection present. But I have only one connection. So I assume the dedicated IP is sold to multiple users. Conclusion: The dedicated ip with port forwarding is basically cool. But when it is not working, then trust.zone can't fix it, and has no money back, nor giving another ip at another location as replacement.More

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

    Editor

    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? My global team and I tested everything it offers to see if Hotspot Shield (HSS) is safe. We fully explored its logging policy and found out if its security features can prevent data leaks. We also tes...

    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 $1.99/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 10 Days
    Number of devices per license 5 devices
    Starting price $3.33/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 45 Days
    Number of devices per license 10 devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall

    Trust.Zone offers an exceptionally secure VPN service that smoothly bypasses Netflix’s tough restrictions. Hotspot Shield, on the other hand, focuses on providing a reliable service that’s secure and easy to use on all platforms.

    Best VPN for Torrents

    Trust.Zone offers an unrestricted P2P service that allows you to download torrents without leaving a trace on its servers. Hotspot Shield does not allow torrenting on its network, so we strongly recommend against attempting to use the service for this purpose.

    Best VPN for Windows

    Trust.Zone provides users with a very secure Windows app that features 256-bit encryption, tracking protection, and support for the OpenVPN and L2TP VPN protocols. Hotspot Shield also features a dedicated Windows app that helps you defeat ISP throttling and includes malware and tracking protection.

    Best VPN for Android

    Some of the best features of Hotspot Shield’s dedicated Android app are malware protection, third-party tracking prevention, and protection against wi-fi hacking. Although Trust.Zone offers an honest no-logs policy and strong encryption for Android users, it does not have a dedicated app for the platform and so would need to be manually integrated into your device.

    Best VPN for Mac

    By providing a MacOS app with a dedicated streaming feature, malware protection, and unique Catapult Hydra technology that optimizes server speeds by compressing data, Hotspot Shield offers a very complete VPN service for MacOS. Meanwhile, Trust.Zone can be easily configured using the MacOS integration tool and features access to dedicated IP addresses for streaming.

    Best VPN for iOS

    Hotspot Shield has a dedicated iOS app with a user-friendly interface and wi-fi protection. Trust.Zone does not offer any apps for iOS devices, but can be easily configured manually using the iOS built-in configuration tool or the universal OpenVPN app.

    Best VPN for USA

    Trust.Zone provides an exceptional service for the USA, with dedicated servers capable of unblocking Netflix and similar US websites at high speed. Hotspot Shield also has a reliable US service that unblocks Netflix and other American content providers.

    The Bottom Line

    See Plans & Pricing

    These two VPNs are very similar in many respects, and the differences them between favor one provider about as often as the other. However, Trust.Zone’s focus on security and its provision of a transparent privacy policy that it has never violated make it a more trustworthy provider and the winner of this comparison. Trust.Zone also offers a very fast service, which comes in very handy when streaming HD content.

    Time to decide which one is best for you

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

    FAQ

    Is Trust.Zone better than Hotspot Shield?

    Yes, Trust.Zone is better overall than Hotspot Shield. It has 173 servers in 91 countries, fast speeds, and impressive security features.

    Best of all, you can take advantage of its latest discount and get it for only $1.99 a month.

    What should I keep in mind when choosing between Trust.Zone 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 Trust.Zone may be perfect for you due to its performance during the tests .

    Is Trust.Zone faster than Hotspot Shield?

    Yes, Trust.Zone 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 Trust.Zone or Hotspot Shield offer any deals?

    Both Trust.Zone 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 61% 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 former Managing Editor at vpnMentor. Kate promoted the use of VPNs as a means to achieve unhindered access to the internet, as she strongly believes in online freedom for everyone.