Hotspot Shield vs Windscribe: Which Should You Choose?
Side-by-side comparison of Hotspot Shield and Windscribe: free plans, trials, refund windows, servers, devices and pricing.
Sample data — pending verification
| Feature | ⚡ Hotspot Shield | 🌬️ Windscribe |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 7.2 | 8.4 |
| Privacy score | 6.6 | 8.6 |
| Speed score | 8.5 | 7.9 |
| Free plan | Yes — 500 MB/day (~15 GB/month) | Yes — 10 GB/month |
| Real free trial | No | No |
| Money-back window | 45 days | 3 days |
| Cheapest plan | $7.99/mo | $5.75/mo |
| Server countries | 80 | 69 |
| Simultaneous devices | 10 | Unlimited |
| Audited no-logs | ✕ | ✕ |
| Restrictive networks | Limited | ✓ Obfuscation |
| Protocols | Hydra, WireGuard, IKEv2 | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, Stealth |
| Jurisdiction | United States | Canada |
Verdict
Hotspot Shield refreshes 500 MB daily on one US location with ads; Windscribe's 10 GB across 10+ countries with no ads is the stronger free tier for most people.