ROOT VPN vs Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield is a genuinely good VPN, and we will say exactly where it wins. Here is an honest, side by side look at price, privacy, protocols and streaming, so you can see which one fits you, not which one we would rather sell you.

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ROOT VPN vs Hotspot Shield at a glance

The facts that actually decide it, side by side.

	ROOT VPN	Hotspot Shield
Price	Free, then £3.99/mo	Free tier, paid varies
Free tier	Yes	Yes
No activity logs	Yes	Yes
Protocols	WireGuard, REALITY, Shadowsocks, Hysteria2	Catapult Hydra (proprietary), IKEv2
Devices	10	10
Streaming	Good	Good
Jurisdiction	Independent, no activity logs	USA

Where Hotspot Shield is strong, and where it is not

What Hotspot Shield does well

Hotspot Shield is genuinely fast thanks to its custom Catapult Hydra protocol, and the free daily allowance is enough for a quick check-in on public Wi-Fi.

Where it falls short

The free tier is tiny at around 500MB a day with ads, the core protocol is proprietary rather than open WireGuard, it is US-based, and it faced an FTC-related privacy complaint in 2017.

ROOT takes a different route. Instead of the biggest server count or the deepest add-on menu, it focuses on a genuinely free way in, four modern protocols including REALITY and Hysteria2 for networks that fight back, and a plain no-activity-logs promise. Free to start with unlimited data, four protocols including REALITY and Hysteria2 for restrictive networks, and no activity logs.

Who each one is best for

No VPN is best for everyone. Here is the honest split.

Choose ROOT VPN if

You want a genuinely free tier with unlimited data before paying anything.
You connect on networks that block VPNs and need REALITY, Shadowsocks or Hysteria2 stealth.
You want no activity logs and up to 10 devices from £3.99, with a growing server network.

Choose Hotspot Shield if

Hotspot Shield is best for speed-focused casual users who want a fast connection and only need a small daily allowance for free.
You value very fast speeds on its proprietary Hydra protocol and a small daily free allowance.

ROOT VPN vs Hotspot Shield, answered

Is ROOT VPN better than Hotspot Shield?

Neither is simply "better", it depends on what you need. ROOT is the better pick if you want a genuinely free tier, stealth protocols for networks that block VPNs, and no activity logs from £3.99. Hotspot Shield is the better pick for speed-focused casual users who want a fast connection and only need a small daily allowance for free.

Is Hotspot Shield or ROOT VPN cheaper?

ROOT VPN is free to start with unlimited data, then £3.99 a month for every location. Hotspot Shield starts from £0, and also offers its own free tier. For starting at zero cost, ROOT wins; compare renewal prices before you commit.

Does Hotspot Shield keep logs?

Hotspot Shield runs a no-logs policy (Runs its own audited privacy policy, but uses a proprietary protocol and is US-based.). ROOT VPN also keeps no activity logs, so neither records the sites you visit.

Can I try ROOT VPN before switching from Hotspot Shield?

Yes. ROOT VPN has a free forever plan with unlimited data and no card required, so you can run it alongside Hotspot Shield and see how it performs on your own connection before you decide.

More ROOT VPN comparisons

See how ROOT stacks up against the rest, or read the full list of comparisons and the best free VPNs.

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