VPN · Alternatives
What are the best Hotspot Shield alternatives?
Short answer
The cheapest paid alternative in the first year is Windscribe ($12; Hotspot Shield: $95.88). 2 have a free plan: Windscribe, Proton VPN.
| Alternative | Best for | Free plan | From | 1st year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windscribe | VPN with a free tier and build-a-plan | Yes | $1 / mo | $12 |
| Proton VPN | Privacy-first VPN with a free tier | Yes | $4.49 / mo | $53.88 |
| Surfshark | Cheap VPN with unlimited devices | No | $2.49 / mo | $29.88 |
| Private Internet Access | VPN with unlimited simultaneous devices | No | $2.03 / mo | $24.36 |
| CyberGhost VPN | VPN with 45-day refund window | No | $2.19 / mo | $26.28 |
| NordVPN | Fast VPN with security extras | No | $4.99 / mo | $59.88 |
| ExpressVPN | Premium VPN with identity protection | No | $2.99 / mo | $35.88 |
| IVPN | Audited no-logs VPN with anonymous signup | No | $60 / yr | $60 |
Which Hotspot Shield alternative is cheapest?
Windscribe, at $12 for the first year (Hotspot Shield: $95.88).
| Alternative | 1st year |
|---|---|
| Windscribe | $12 |
| Private Internet Access | $24.36 |
| CyberGhost VPN | $26.28 |
| Surfshark | $29.88 |
| ExpressVPN | $35.88 |
| Proton VPN | $53.88 |
| NordVPN | $59.88 |
| IVPN | $60 |
Which Hotspot Shield alternatives are free?
2 of 8 have a free plan.
- Windscribe: limited free locations
- Proton VPN: unlimited data, limited servers
The 8 alternatives, one by one
1
Windscribe
Best for: VPN with a free tier and build-a-plan
- Free plan
- Yes, limited free locations
- From
- $1 / mo
- 1st year
- $12
2
Proton VPN
Best for: privacy-first VPN with a free tier
- Free plan
- Yes, unlimited data, limited servers
- From
- $4.49 / mo
- 1st year
- $53.88
3
Surfshark
Best for: cheap VPN with unlimited devices
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $2.49 / mo
- 1st year
- $29.88
4
Private Internet Access
Best for: VPN with unlimited simultaneous devices
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $2.03 / mo
- 1st year
- $24.36
5
CyberGhost VPN
Best for: VPN with 45-day refund window
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $2.19 / mo
- 1st year
- $26.28
6
NordVPN
Best for: fast VPN with security extras
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $4.99 / mo
- 1st year
- $59.88
7
ExpressVPN
Best for: premium VPN with identity protection
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $2.99 / mo
- 1st year
- $35.88
8
IVPN
Best for: audited no-logs VPN with anonymous signup
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $60 / yr
- 1st year
- $60
Sources
| Vendor page | URL | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Hotspot Shield pricing | hotspotshield.com/select-plan/ | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Windscribe pricing | windscribe.com/upgrade | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Proton VPN pricing | protonvpn.com/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Surfshark pricing | surfshark.com/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Private Internet Access pricing | privateinternetaccess.com/buy-vpn-online | 27 Oct 2026 |
| CyberGhost VPN pricing | cyberghostvpn.com/en_US/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| NordVPN pricing | nordvpn.com/pricing/ | 27 Oct 2026 |
| ExpressVPN pricing | expressvpn.com/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| IVPN pricing | ivpn.net/en/pricing/ | 27 Oct 2026 |
Prices in USD as published by each vendor, billed yearly where offered. How we compare