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PureVPN vs Hotspot Shield – Which VPN is better?

PureVPN or Hotspot Shield – which VPN suits you better? We tested both providers across speed, security, and price.

Our winner

PureVPN

In this head-to-head comparison PureVPN delivers the better overall performance.

See PureVPN deal

Comparison table

Feature
PureVPN
Hotspot Shield
Speed
72 Mbit/s
86 Mbit/s
Servers
6.500+
1.800+
Countries
78
80+
Streaming
Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, BBC iPlayer
Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu
Security
No-logs policy (checked)
No-logs policy (Premium)
No-Logs
Yes
Yes
Price
1,99 €/month
2,99 €/month
Apps
Win, Mac, iOS, Android (10 devices)
Win, Mac, iOS, Android (10 devices)
Support
24/7 Live Chat
24/7 Live Chat

Speed – PureVPN vs Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield leads our speed test (86 vs 72 Mbit/s). The gap is most noticeable during 4K streaming and large downloads.

PureVPN
Download 72 Mbit/s
Upload 58 Mbit/s
Ping 30 ms
Hotspot Shield
Download 86 Mbit/s
Upload 72 Mbit/s
Ping 20 ms

Security – PureVPN vs Hotspot Shield

Security comes first at PureVPN and Hotspot Shield. Both providers use AES-256, a kill switch and a strict no-logs policy – the differences are in the details.

PureVPN
  • No-logs policy (checked)
  • AES-256 Encryption
  • Kill Switch
  • Port forwarding
Hotspot Shield
  • No-logs policy (Premium)
  • AES-256 Encryption
  • Kill Switch
  • Catapult Hydra protocol

Streaming – which VPN works better?

PureVPN supports Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, BBC iPlayer. Hotspot Shield supports Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu. Both VPNs work for streaming, with PureVPN being slightly more reliable.

PureVPN

Netflix
Amazon Prime
Disney+
BBC iPlayer

Hotspot Shield

Netflix
Amazon Prime
Disney+
Hulu

Pricing

PureVPN

from 1,99 €/month

5-year subscription - 31-day money-back guarantee

See PureVPN deal

Hotspot Shield

from 2,99 €/month

3-year subscription - Free tariff available

See Hotspot Shield deal

Which VPN is better for…

Streaming

PureVPN

PureVPN unblocks streaming services slightly more reliably.

Security

PureVPN

More security functions and features.

Value for money

PureVPN

Lower price with comparable performance.

Our verdict – PureVPN or Hotspot Shield?

After our test the verdict is clear: PureVPN is the stronger provider in this duel. Hotspot Shield still has solid arguments and suits users with more specific requirements.

FAQ – PureVPN vs Hotspot Shield

Is PureVPN or Hotspot Shield faster? +

Hotspot Shield is a bit faster on average (86 Mbit/s vs 72 Mbit/s). Both deliver good speeds for streaming and downloads.

Which VPN is cheaper – PureVPN or Hotspot Shield? +

PureVPN is cheaper (from 1,99 €/month). Hotspot Shield starts at 2,99 €/month.

Which VPN is more secure? +

Both offer AES-256 encryption and no-logs policies. PureVPN packs a few more security features.

Which VPN is better for streaming? +

PureVPN unblocks streaming services slightly more reliably in our test. Both VPNs work with Netflix and other platforms.

Should you still go with Hotspot Shield? +

Yes, in some scenarios. Hotspot Shield convinces with its own strengths and can be the more fitting choice depending on your needs.

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