CyberGhost vs Hotspot Shield in 2024
While CyberGhost is one of the leading VPNs on the market with thousands of servers worldwide, Hotspot Shield tries to beat it and take its position. Can this become a reality in the upcoming period?
Although Hotspot Shield boasts impressive features and extras, CyberGhost has an established reputation. Consequently, we have compared these two rivals to determine which is better.
If you want to find out the winner of the Hotspot Shield versus CyberGhost comparison, then continue reading!
Hotspot Shield vs. CyberGhost: specifications
Hotspot Shield is a decent VPN provider with 1800+ servers in 80+ countries. Besides this, it implements a strong VPN protocol. More precisely, this VPN has its unique Hydra protocol that allows it to provide fast speeds.
However, CyberGhost has a huge server fleet of 11700+ servers across 100 countries. Regarding speeds, CyberGhost might not be the fastest on the market, but it still has some pretty amazing speeds.
Overall, the winner is CyberGhost. But let’s get into more detail about our CyberGhost vs. Hotspot Shield comparison and see where does CyberGhost surpass Hotspot Shield.
| CyberGhost VPN | Hotspot Shield | ExpressVPN | |
| ⭐ Rating: | |||
| 🥇 Overall rank: | #16 out of #240 | #47 out of #240 | #27 out of #240 |
| 🖥️ Servers: | 11,700 + servers in 100 countries | 1,800 + servers in 80 countries | 3,000 + servers in 105 countries |
| 📖 No logs policy: | Independently-audited no-logs policy | Minimal data collection | Independently-audited no-logs policy |
| 💵 Price: | - | - | - |
| 🔥 Coupons: | - | - | - |
| 🔒 VPN protocols: | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | Catapult Hydra | Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2 |
| 🍿 Streaming services: | - | - | - |
| 🖥️ Platforms: | - | - | - |
| 📥 Simultaneous connections: | 7 | 5 | 8 |
| 💁🏻 Support: | 24/7 | 24/7 | 24/7, email |
CyberGhost vs Hotspot Shield: pricing
| Plans and payments | CyberGhost | Hotspot Shield |
| Free version | No |
Yes |
| Free trial | Yes |
Yes |
| One month | – | $12.99/month |
| Six months | $6.99/month | – |
| One year | – | $7.99/month |
| Two years | $2.03/month | – |
| Money-back guarantee | 45 days | 45 days |
| Payment options | Credit/debit card, PayPal, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, BitPay | Credit cards, PayPal |
As one of the most important factors for choosing a VPN, we decided to have a look at CyberGhost’s and Hotspot Shield’s pricing plans. At first sight, Hotspot Shield tricked us with the free version, but CyberGhost is far more affordable. Therefore, CyberGhost is the winner of this first round.
Hotspot Shield pricing
Hotspot Shield surprises us with a free trial and a free version. It also includes a 45-day money-back guarantee in all of its additional plans. Let’s see what this VPN offers:
- $12.99/month for one month
- $7.99/month for one year
Regarding payment methods, you can make a payment with a credit card and PayPal, making it quite a limited VPN option.
CyberGhost pricing
Compared to Hotspot Shield, CyberGhost has a few free trials. It has a 24-hour free trial for Windows and macOS, a 3-day free trial for Android, and a 7-day free trial for iOS. While it doesn’t have a free plan, it has a 45-day money-back guarantee on all of its other plans. So, let’s have a look:
- $6.99/month for six months
- $2.03/month for two years
Also, this VPN comes with various payment options, such as credit and debit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, and BitPay. Due to accepting cryptocurrencies, you can make anonymous payments.
Speed comparison
Speed is the second aspect we’ve tested in our CyberGhost vs. Hotspot Shield comparison. With a minor advantage, CyberGhost beats Hotspot Shield once again.
CyberGhost has a huge server network of 11700+ servers in 100+ countries. It also utilizes two amazing protocols – WireGuard and IKEv2.
Hotspot Shield vs CyberGhost: 14-Day Speed Average
| Hotspot Shield | CyberGhost | |
| USA server | ||
| Download speed | 179 Mbps | – |
| Upload speed | 251 Mbps | – |
| UK server | ||
| Download speed | 136 Mbps | – |
| Upload speed | 283 Mbps | – |
| Germany server | ||
| Download speed | 329 Mbps | – |
| Upload speed | 483 Mbps | – |
On the contrary, Hotspot Shield has significantly fewer servers. More precisely, it comes with 1800+ servers in 80+ countries. In order to improve its speeds, the VPN has a unique Hydra protocol, but it seems like it isn’t enough to beat CyberGhost.
Hotspot Shield vs. CyberGhost: which is more secure?
| CyberGhost | Hotspot Shield |
|
| Encryption | AES-256 | AES-256 |
| Hash | SHA-256 | SHA-256 |
| Jurisdiction | Romania | US |
| Logging | Audited no-logs | Independently audited no-logs |
| Kill switch | Yes, Always-on | Yes |
| Leak protection | DNS, IPv6 | DNS, IPv6 |
| RAM servers | No | No |
When choosing a VPN provider, you must consider its security. In our case, both Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost are secure, but CyberGhost is the better option. Before we find out why, let’s discover their common features:
Privacy
Regarding privacy, CyberGhost has an unbeatable advantage over Hotspot Shield. In other words, CyberGhost headquarters in Romania. This country is very security-friendly as it is outside any government surveillance.
Unfortunately, Hotspot Shield is located in the US, which is part of the 5-Eyes Alliance and may collect and share your data with the government.
Logging
CyberGhost comes with an independently audited no-logs policy, further proving its top-notch security. Even better, this VPN provider goes under regular no-logs audits. On the other hand, Hotspot Shield also comes with an audited no-logs policy, but people still fear it may collect your personal data and cause data leaks.
Servers location
| Server specifications | CyberGhost | Hotspot Shield |
| Servers | 11700+ | 1800+ |
| Countries | 100+ | 80+ |
| All physical servers | No | No |
| Owns all servers | No |
No |
As you can see from the table’s data, CyberGhost’s server fleet is more than two times bigger. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean lower server load or better speeds. As I’ve seen numerous times, quality wins over quantity nearly every time.
Other than that, both VPNs are pretty identical, offering great worldwide coverage with 90+ countries. And even though Hotspot Shield allows P2P on all servers, CyberGhost compensates with a longer server list. So since I don’t know how many of their servers are virtual, I have to call this one a tie.
Features comparison
| Features | CyberGhost | Hotspot Shield |
| Smart DNS | ✅Yes |
❌No |
| Ad & malware blocker | ✅Yes |
❌No |
| Split tunneling | ✅Yes | ✅Yes |
| Specialized servers | ✅Yes | ✅Yes |
The next round of our Hotspot Shield vs. CyberGhost comparison goes in CyberGhost’s favor. The reason for this is only one feature, which means that the outcome was pretty close.
Smart DNS
The SmartDNS feature allows you to connect your VPN on a device that doesn’t support it. Due to this, you can stream, torrent, or unblock geo-restricted content on any device. Luckily, CyberGhost comes with a SmartDNS that enables you to have a seamless VPN experience, while Hotspot Shield lacks this feature.
Split tunneling
Split tunneling is crucial if you want to reduce pressure on a particular app. More precisely, you can route your VPN traffic through one app. At the same time, you can disconnect the other apps and avoid unnecessary VPN usage.
Luckily, both CyberGhost and Hotspot Shield offer split tunneling, allowing you to avoid any connection disruptions.
Ad & malware blocker
The ad & malware blocker feature is great if you use the VPN to browse online. Thanks to this feature, the VPN will detect abnormal behavior and block all suspicious sites and links.
However, only CyberGhost offers this feature.
Netflix and streaming comparison
| Streaming platforms | CyberGhost | Hotspot Shield |
| Netflix US | ✅Yes | ✅Yes |
| Other Netflix libraries | ✅Yes | ✅Yes |
| Amazon Prime Video | ✅Yes | ✅Yes |
| Hulu | ✅Yes | ✅Yes |
| HBO Max | ✅Yes | ✅Yes |
| Disney+ | ✅Yes | ✅Yes |
| BBC iPlayer | ✅Yes | ✅Yes |
| YouTube TV | ✅Yes | ✅Yes |
Even through CyberGhost has the edge in terms of speed and it also has a larger number of servers, HotSpot Shield is equally as good for streaming. As a result, we declare a draw for this category.
CyberGhost and Hotspot Shield effectively unblock Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, and BBC iPlayer. Therefore, they’re both great options for streaming.
CyberGhost may have an advanced for its Smart DNS feature, which allows you to stream your favorite content on any device you want. But HotSpot Shield makes up for it with an applet that allows to set up the connection on your router.
Device compatibility
| Device support | CyberGhost | Hotspot Shield |
| Major dedicated apps | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS |
| Other dedicated apps | Android TV, Fire TV & Fire Stick | Android TV, Fire TV & Fire Stick |
| Browser extensions | Chrome, Firefox | Chrome |
| Manual setup | Routers, NAS | Routers |
| Simultaneous devices | 7 | 5 |
We’re moving forward with our comparison, and we get to the device compatibility part. After conducting a few tests, we decided that CyberGhost gets another point.
Desktop applications
CyberGhost comes with apps for Windows, MacOS, and Linux devices. The apps for Windows and Mac are very similar in design. They look lightweight, allowing you to find everything you need without issues. The interface is easy to navigate, and the settings are easy to understand.
The main difference between these apps is that MacOS seems to be a bit cleaner and more modern. However, it lacks some features.
HotSpot Shield also offers apps for Windows, MacOS, and Linux. Similarly to CyberGhost, HotSpot Shield decided to make both Windows and MacOS apps visually identical. Both apps are well-designed and easy to navigate.
Mobile applications
CyberGhost features apps for iOS and Android. Both of them look very similar. These apps look outstanding and are easy to use.
The main difference between the two is the features. The Android version offers almost the same features as its Windows counterpart. Meanwhile, iOS has fewer features. It lacks Split tunneling, port randomization, and several others.
HotSpot’s iOS and Android apps are almost identical. They are both user-friendly and look smooth. Once again, the iOS version is much more stripped down than Android. For instance, it doesn’t offer WireGuard protocol and some settings.
Torrenting
| P2P specifications | CyberGhost | Hotspot Shield |
| Allowed on | ✅All |
✅All |
| Free SOCKS5 proxy | ✅Yes |
❌No |
| Split tunneling | ✅Yes |
✅Yes |
Things are definitely getting more intense before the end of our Hotspot Shield vs. CyberGhost comparison. However, once again, CyberGhost wins.
Torrenting requires fast speeds and stable connections. The only VPN that can offer that is CyberGhost. The provider has amazing download and upload rates and also comes with a SOCKS5 proxy and split tunneling for enhanced privacy while torrenting.
Hotspot Shield allows P2P, but they are quick to tell you to download at your own risk. If your VPN is telling you that they are not protecting you, it is better to avoid doing it at all. Let’s also not forget that this provider is based in the US (Five Eyes)
Neither has port forwarding, though. This means that if you’re behind a router and need to upload, peers may have trouble connecting to you.
China
| Specifications | CyberGhost | Hotspot Shield |
| Works in China | ✅Yes | ❌No |
| Stealth VPN | ✅Yes | ❌No |
| Tor over VPN | ✅Yes | ❌No |
The Great Firewall of China is a pretty tough obstacle for VPNs. Luckily, CyberGhost has everything you need if you want to bypass online censorship.
CyberGhost comes with unique NoSpy servers that hide you’re even using a VPN. This restricts your ISP and DPI from accessing your data, making it undetectable. Moreover, CyberGhost has a Tor over VPN feature that allows you to browse the Tor Browser without your ISP knowing.
Unfortunately, Hotspot Shield does not work in China. This provider lacks obfuscation and the Tor over VPN feature.
Customer support
| Support options | CyberGhost | Hotspot Shield |
| 24/7 live chat | ✅Yes |
❌No |
| Phone line | ❌No |
❌No |
✅Yes |
✅Yes |
|
| Knowledgebase | ✅Yes |
✅Yes |
The last round of our CyberGhost vs. Hotspot Shield comparison is customer support. As you need a VPN with reliable and always available customer support, we recommend using CyberGhost.
CyberGhost has 24/7 customer support via live chat, email, knowledgebase, and other written guides. As a result, you’ll get help with any issue that may arise.
On the contrary, Hotspot Shield offers support through live chat, email, and knowledgebase, but it’s unavailable 24/7.
CyberGhost vs Hotspot Shield video review
Hotspot Shield vs. CyberGhost – which is better?
| CyberGhost🥇 | Hotspot Shield🥈 | |
| Speed | Wins✔️ | Loses❌ |
| Servers | Wins✔️ | Loses❌ |
| Pricing | Wins✔️ | Loses❌ |
| Security | Wins✔️ | Loses❌ |
| Features | Wins✔️ | Loses❌ |
| Compatibility | Wins✔️ | Loses❌ |
| China | Wins✔️ | Loses❌ |
| Streaming | Tie🤝 | Tie🤝 |
| Torrenting | Wins✔️ | Loses❌ |
| Customer support | Wins✔️ | Loses❌ |
| Total wins | 9 out of 10 | 0 out of 10 |
We haven’t encountered a similar thing for a long while! After many tests and comparisons, CyberGhost is the overall winner. In fact, CyberGhost is the winner in every round of our comparison. It has an extensive server range, fast speeds, amazing streaming and torrenting capabilities, and 24/7 customer support.
You may also like to read:
Hotspot Shield vs ExpressVPN
Hotspot Shield vs NordVPN
CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN
NordVPN vs ExpressVPN vs Surfshark VPN
FAQ
Is CyberGhost better than Hotspot Shield?
Yes, CyberGhost is better than Hotspot Shield. This is because the VPN has a huge server network, amazing speeds, streaming, and torrenting capabilities, and it bypasses online censorship without any issues. Also, it’s part of a security-friendly country.
Which is faster – CyberGhost or Hotspot Shield?
CyberGhost is faster than Hotspot Shield as it has 11700+ servers in 100+ countries. Besides this, it has strong VPN protocols, WireGuard and IKEv2, that also contribute to fast speeds.
