Mullvad vs Hotspot Shield – Which VPN is better?
Mullvad vs. Hotspot Shield: both VPNs have their strengths. We show you which provider has the edge in speed, security and streaming.
Our winner
Mullvad
In this head-to-head comparison Mullvad delivers the better overall performance.
See Mullvad deal →Comparison table
Speed – Mullvad vs Hotspot Shield
Mullvad impresses with 88 Mbit/s download speed and a 16 ms ping. Hotspot Shield reaches 86 Mbit/s – sufficient for most use cases.
Security – Mullvad vs Hotspot Shield
Both VPN services encrypt with AES-256 and keep no logs. Mullvad has a slight edge with 4 security features.
- No-logs policy
- AES-256 Encryption
- Kill Switch
- Anonymous registration
- No-logs policy (Premium)
- AES-256 Encryption
- Kill Switch
- Catapult Hydra protocol
Streaming – which VPN works better?
In the streaming comparison Mullvad scores with broader platform coverage. Both VPNs unblock the most common services – Mullvad is just a bit more consistent.
Mullvad
Hotspot Shield
Pricing
Hotspot Shield
from 2,99 €/month
3-year subscription - Free tariff available
See Hotspot Shield dealWhich VPN is better for…
Streaming
Mullvad
Mullvad unblocks streaming services slightly more reliably.
Security
Mullvad
More security functions and features.
Value for money
Hotspot Shield
Lower price with comparable performance.
Our verdict – Mullvad or Hotspot Shield?
In the head-to-head comparison Mullvad comes out ahead – on speed, security and the overall package. Hotspot Shield remains a good alternative, especially when price matters most.
FAQ – Mullvad vs Hotspot Shield
Is Mullvad or Hotspot Shield faster? +
Mullvad is a bit faster on average (88 Mbit/s vs 86 Mbit/s). Both deliver good speeds for streaming and downloads.
Which VPN is cheaper – Mullvad or Hotspot Shield? +
Hotspot Shield is cheaper (from 2,99 €/month). Mullvad starts at 5,00 €/month.
Which VPN is more secure? +
Both offer AES-256 encryption and no-logs policies. Mullvad packs a few more security features.
Which VPN is better for streaming? +
Mullvad unblocks streaming services slightly more reliably in our test. Both VPNs work with Netflix and other platforms.
Is Hotspot Shield still worth it? +
Yes. Hotspot Shield is a solid VPN service with its own strengths. Depending on your use case Hotspot Shield can be the better pick.
