Hotspot Shield Review 2026 – Experience, Speed & Catapult Hydra
We have tested Hotspot Shield VPN in detail. Is the Catapult Hydra protocol convincing in terms of speed and safety?
- How fast Catapult Hydra really is
- whether the free tariff is sufficient
- whether streaming works
- for whom Hotspot Shield is worthwhile
Hotspot Shield
Strengths
- Own fast Catapult Hydra protocol
- High speeds
- Free tariff available
- 10 simultaneous devices
About Hotspot Shield
Servers
1.800+
Countries
80+
Devices
Win, Mac, iOS, Android (10 devices)
Protocols
Catapult Hydra, WireGuard, OpenVPN
Speed
Thanks to Catapult Hydra, Hotspot Shield is one of the fastest VPN providers. The speed is particularly impressive for streaming and downloads.
Security
No-logs policy (Premium)
AES-256 Encryption
Kill Switch
Catapult Hydra protocol
Streaming
Hotspot Shield can often be used for:
Real-world test on the road
Hotspot Shield was tested while traveling in various regions and offered consistently high speeds thanks to Catapult Hydra.
The speed was impressive - Hotspot Shield was one of the fastest providers tested.
Pricing & plans
Free of charge
0,00 €
Advertising, 500 MB/day
1 year
6,99 €
6.99 €/month
3 years
2,99 €
2.99 €/month
3-year subscription - Free tariff available
Hotspot Shield FAQ
What is Catapult Hydra? +
Catapult Hydra is Hotspot Shield's own VPN protocol, which is optimized for maximum speed.
Is the free tariff safe? +
The free plan shows ads and has limited functions. The premium tariff is recommended for full data protection.
Does Hotspot Shield work with Netflix? +
Yes. Hotspot Shield Premium can unblock Netflix and other streaming services in many regions.
Is Hotspot Shield fast? +
Yes, thanks to Catapult Hydra, Hotspot Shield is one of the fastest VPN providers on the market.
For whom is Hotspot Shield worthwhile? +
Hotspot Shield is worthwhile for users who are looking for maximum speed and a free entry.
Hotspot Shield for different use cases
Alternatives to Hotspot Shield
Hotspot Shield verdict
Hotspot Shield uses its own Catapult Hydra protocol, which is optimized for speed. With a free tariff and good performance, the provider is an interesting alternative.
See Hotspot Shield deal →