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Would this be crammed with unexpected and useful tools? No, just a choice of protocols: Hotspot Shield's custom Hydra, the standard IKEv2, or an Auto option which left the app to decide. We got briefly excited when we saw a Settings option on the iOS app. There's really nothing to do beyond tapping Connect when you're ready to use the app, Disconnect when you're done.
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The location picker can safely be ignored, because the free plan only connects to the US. You get the same user-friendly, stripped-back interface. In this case, though, the apps are so very similar that there's very little to say.
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That's why we take the time to see what's available for Android and iOS, too. Looking at a VPN provider's desktop apps is interesting, but it may not help you much if you only use VPNs on mobile devices. The iOS app may have a Settings section, but it disappoints, sadly (Image credit: Hotspot Shield) Android and iOS apps The app is easy to use, speeds are reasonable, and although the auto-opening web pages are annoying, they're a small price to pay for unlimited data.
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Still, if you can live with that (and the lack of a kill switch), there are plus points, too. Hotspot Shield gives you no options at all you can't even ask support. If you can't connect successfully when using another VPN, for instance, you can at least try another location, or another protocol. The app's extreme lack of features is a problem, even for less technical users. When you're done, tap Disconnect, the connection closes, and another Hotspot Shield web page opens with the helpful (ahem) message: 'you are now disconnected.' Once you're connected, the app displays various panels with useful status information: your new IP address, server load, session length, the data you've transferred, and more.
Although Hotspot Shield's desktop apps don't display ads directly, they open a page on the Hotspot Shield website every time you hit Connect or Disconnect, which quickly becomes annoying. A 'Manage' link takes you to an account dashboard, for instance, while a 'Support' link points to the website support center.Ĭonnection times are short, typically two or three seconds, but there's one small irritation. There's a sidebar with a few tabs, but even those mostly point you to pages on the Hotspot Shield site. You can ignore the location list, because the free plan only connects to the US – and there are no settings, at all. The main app window is little more than a sleek black frame with a Connect button. If simplicity comes top of your VPN app priority list, then you're going to love Hotspot Shield's Mac release.
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We'll talk about the Mac app in this review, and add our thoughts on the Windows build when it's finally rolled out.) (As we write this, Hotspot Shield's unlimited bandwidth Windows app hasn't yet been made available. The Mac app is highly streamlined – but overly so (Image credit: Hotspot Shield) Windows and Mac apps Never mind four audits, we'd be very happy if Hotspot Shield could manage just one. TunnelBear has put itself through four independent audits (one a year) of its apps, servers, website, infrastructure and more. That's good to hear, but we'd like some evidence to verify Hotspot Shield's claims. And the privacy policy explains that the service doesn't log anything at all that you do online. The company's Hydra protocol uses strong AES-256 encryption to shield your data from snoopers, for instance. How much of a problem is that? Just ask the well-known VPN authority, umm, Hotspot Shield, the firm which wrote an article (opens in new tab) entitled '3 reasons why a VPN kill switch is not optional' that includes the line 'if your VPN doesn’t have a kill switch, then it’s almost as bad as not using a VPN at all.' Unfortunately, Hotspot Shield doesn't seem to feel the same way, as its free plan doesn't include a kill switch (a feature which protects your traffic if the VPN connection drops). It's fair to expect limits and restrictions with a free VPN, but we don't think they should affect privacy.
Hotspot Shield's stance on privacy is generally laudable, but there are some caveats here (Image credit: Hotspot Shield) Privacy and logging