Compare speeds, free options, subscription prices and renewal terms to see which VPN fits your needs.
| Speed | Amnezia Self-hosted | Hotspot Shield |
|---|---|---|
| Paid · Download | 741.31 Mbps | No data |
| Paid · Upload | 889.98 Mbps | No data |
| Free · Download | Not applicable | 497.08 Mbps |
| Free · Upload | Not applicable | 255.47 Mbps |
No speed history available.
| Free options | Amnezia Self-hosted | Hotspot Shield |
|---|---|---|
| Free options | Free Basic offers unlimited traffic, one connection and one virtual location on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS; ads may appear. A 7-day trial is also offered with an annual subscription. It converts to paid access unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the trial ends. |
| Pricing | Amnezia Self-hosted | Hotspot Shield |
|---|---|---|
| Paid plan | Vultr High Performance AMD | Premium |
| 1 month | 1 month / $6.00 $6.00 per month At renewal: 1 month / $6.00 $6.00 per month (Same monthly price) | 1 month / $1.99 $1.99 per month At renewal: 1 month / $12.99 $12.99 per month (+553%) |
| 1 year | No plan for this term | 1 year / $29.00 $2.42 per month At renewal: 1 year / $95.99 $8.00 per month (+231%) |
Direct purchases only. Monthly equivalents include bonus time; the full amount is charged upfront. Taxes and eligibility may differ.
| Managing your subscription | Amnezia Self-hosted | Hotspot Shield |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic renewal | No data | Subscriptions purchased through the VPN website, App Store, and Google PlayRenews automatically. |
| How to turn off renewal | No data | Subscriptions purchased through the VPN websiteIn your VPN account or Through support In your VPN account
Through support
After your paid period ends, your account returns to Basic. Canceling your subscription does not automatically request a refund. Subscriptions purchased through App Store and Google Play If you purchased through the App Store or Google Play, open the subscription settings in that store, select the VPN and cancel the subscription. |
| When to cancel | The exact cancellation deadline is not specified. Cancel well before the next renewal charge to avoid being charged again. | Subscriptions purchased through the VPN websiteIn your VPN account: At least 24 hours before the next charge. |
| Access after cancellation | No data | Subscriptions purchased through the VPN website, App Store, and Google PlayAvailable until the paid period ends. |
| Removing a card from your VPN account | No data | It is unknown whether the saved card can be removed. |
| Refund conditions | Amnezia Self-hosted | Hotspot Shield |
|---|---|---|
| What can be refunded and under what conditions | Could not confirm | Purchases on the VPN websiteThe provider’s refund guarantee applies subject to conditions. Within 45 days Starting from your initial purchase Refund amount & fees The website advertises a full refund within the guarantee window. How to request a refund
App Store & Google Play purchasesIf you paid through the App Store or Google Play, you can request a refund through that store. Requests are assessed under the store’s rules; approval is not guaranteed. |
| What is not covered by refunds | Could not confirm | Purchases on the VPN websiteRenewal payments after the initial 45-day guarantee period are not covered by the money-back guarantee. Purchases through resellers have separate refund terms. |
| Ownership & jurisdiction | Amnezia Self-hosted | Hotspot Shield |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs the VPN? | Could not confirm | The legal documents name Anchorfree, LLC and Pango Gmbh as possible service operators, but we could not confirm which company provides your subscription. Terms name either Anchorfree, LLC or Pango Gmbh depending on purchase location; the exact mapping was not established. |
| Which laws apply? | Could not confirm | The terms specify New York law while preserving mandatory consumer protections. The company may be registered elsewhere. |
Each audit covers particular systems and a particular point in time. A provider announcement is distinct from a publicly available audit report.
| Audits | Amnezia Self-hosted | Hotspot Shield |
|---|---|---|
| No-logs policy | Audit information has not been reviewed. | No-logs review Aon · 2023 What was checked: Logging behaviour in free and paid clients and a development server node. Findings: The review found no browsing activity traceable to an individual and no plaintext IP-address logging in the examined setup. Limitations: This privacy review did not assess the security of data storage or hosting. Read the auditor’s summary |
| App security | Audit information has not been reviewed. | No independent audit found for this area. |
| Infrastructure security | Audit information has not been reviewed. | No independent audit found for this area. |
| Apps, protocols & servers | Amnezia Self-hosted | Hotspot Shield |
|---|---|---|
| Computers & mobile devices | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS |
| TV devices | PaidNo data FreeNot applicable | PaidAndroid TV, Fire TV FreeNot supported |
| Browser extensions | No data | Chrome |
| Manual setup | No data | Not supported |
| Apps, protocols & servers | Amnezia Self-hosted | Hotspot Shield |
|---|---|---|
| Simultaneous connections | PaidNot applicable FreeNot applicable | Paid10 Free1 |
| WireGuard | Supported | Supported |
| OpenVPN | Supported | Supported |
| IKEv2/IPsec | Supported | Supported |
| Provider-specific technologies | AmneziaWG (based on WireGuard) | Hydra |
| Other connection technologies | Shadowsocks, Xray | — |
| Apps, protocols & servers | Amnezia Self-hosted | Hotspot Shield |
|---|---|---|
| Servers | PaidNot applicable FreeNot applicable | PaidSources give different counts FreeNo data |
| Countries | PaidNot applicable FreeNot applicable | Paid85 Free3 |
| Locations | PaidNot applicable FreeNot applicable | PaidSources give different counts Free1 |
| Features | Amnezia Self-hosted | Hotspot Shield |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-connect | — | Supported |
| Kill Switch | — | Supported |
| Split tunneling | — | Supported (Smart VPN) |
| VPN traffic obfuscation | — | Supported (Hydra) |
| Multi-hop | — | Supported (Android app only) |
| Tor over VPN | — | Supported |
| P2P / torrenting | — | Supported |
| Ad blocking | — | Not supported |
| Tracker blocking | — | Not supported |
| Malicious website blocking | — | Supported |
| Port forwarding | — | Not supported |
| Dedicated IP | — | Not supported |
| Shared static IP | — | Not supported |
| Automatic IP rotation | — | Not supported |
Based on providers’ published information. “Not supported” means the service was not listed in the reviewed materials; playback has not been tested.
| Features | Amnezia Self-hosted | Hotspot Shield |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix | — | Supported |
| Amazon Prime Video | — | Supported |
| Disney+ | — | Supported |
| Hulu | — | Supported |
| Features | Amnezia Self-hosted | Hotspot Shield |
|---|---|---|
| HBO Max | — | Not supported |
| Paramount+ | — | Not supported |
| Apple TV+ | — | Not supported |
| Peacock | — | Not supported |
| Crunchyroll | — | Not supported |
| YouTube TV | — | Not supported |
| BBC iPlayer | — | Not supported |
| iQIYI | — | Not supported |
| WeTV | — | Not supported |
| Viki | — | Not supported |
| DAZN | — | Not supported |
| ESPN+ | — | Not supported |
| F1 TV | — | Not supported |
| beIN Sports | — | Not supported |
| fuboTV | — | Not supported |
| Kayo Sports | — | Not supported |
| JioHotstar | — | Not supported |
| ZEE5 | — | Not supported |
| SonyLIV | — | Not supported |
| Vidio | — | Not supported |
| Canal+ | — | Not supported |
| ITVX | — | Not supported |
| Channel 4 | — | Not supported |
| NOW TV | — | Not supported |
| France.tv | — | Not supported |
| TF1+ | — | Not supported |
| RTL+ | — | Not supported |
| Joyn | — | Not supported |
| ARD | — | Not supported |
| ZDF | — | Not supported |
| RaiPlay | — | Not supported |
| Mediaset Infinity | — | Not supported |
| Movistar Plus+ | — | Not supported |
| RTVE Play | — | Not supported |
| Viaplay | — | Not supported |
| U-next | — | Not supported |
| TVING | — | Not supported |
| Coupang Play | — | Not supported |
| Wavve | — | Not supported |
| FPT Play | — | Not supported |
| VieON | — | Not supported |
| VTV Go | — | Not supported |
| Vision+ | — | Not supported |
| RCTI+ | — | Not supported |
| Exxen | — | Not supported |
| puhutv | — | Not supported |
| M6+ | — | Not supported |
| Videoland | — | Not supported |
| NPO Start | — | Not supported |
| Ziggo Go | — | Not supported |
| RTÉ Player | — | Not supported |
| RTBF Auvio | — | Not supported |
Relevant mainly where VPN services are blocked
If you are in the US, a European country, or elsewhere and VPN services are not blocked on your network, these results need not rule this VPN out of your purchase decision. A failed test under blocking in Russia does not, by itself, mean the VPN is poor quality or will not work where you live. Consider its speed, features and price for your needs.
| Censorship | Amnezia Self-hosted | Hotspot Shield |
|---|---|---|
| Does it work on restricted networks? | Could not confirm | In our tests in Russia, the free plan bypassed VPN blocking and allowed data transfer. We could not establish a working connection with data transfer on the paid plan. |