Hotspot Shield vs Psiphon

Hotspot Shield8.7Visit Psiphon8.3Visit

Higher score Hotspot Shield #5 in Free VPNs for iPhone 8.7/10 Free plan · 7-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 0 of 1 features Visit Hotspot Shield

vs

Psiphon #7 in Free VPNs for iPhone 8.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 1 features Visit Psiphon

• Hotspot Shield fits best

  iPhone users who want free VPN basics

• Psiphon fits best

  Users needing VPN access on restrictive networks

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Side by side

Feature	Hotspot Shield 8.7/10 Visit ↗	Psiphon 8.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.7	8.3
Ranking	#5 in Free VPNs for iPhone	#7 in Free VPNs for iPhone
Best for	iPhone users who want free VPN basics	Users needing VPN access on restrictive networks
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	$6.99/mo	—
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	7 days	—
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile, Browser extension	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome extension	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Support	Live chat, Email, Docs · 24/7	Email, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business
Features Hotspot Shield 0/1 · Psiphon 0/1
Ads in free app	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Free data limit	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Free server locations	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Simultaneous connections	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Supported protocols	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Streaming support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
P2P support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Basic includes one U.S. virtual location and 500 MB of data daily Paid plans add unlimited data and locations across 115+ locations Kill switch, Smart VPN split tunneling and multiple protocols	Combines VPN, SSH, and HTTP/SOCKS proxy connectivity with traffic obfuscation Automatically discovers servers across more than 20 selectable countries Offers open-source clients and split tunneling on Android
Cons	Basic is limited to one device and speeds up to 2 Mbps Basic data is capped at 500 MB per day Unlimited data and streaming access require a paid plan	It is designed for circumvention rather than conventional VPN use Whole-device tunneling depends on supported configurations Paid subscriptions are needed to remove ads and increase speed
Our verdict	Hotspot Shield is a consumer VPN for people who want to encrypt internet traffic, hide their IP address and connect through virtual locations. Its iOS app makes it relevant to iPhone users, and the free Basic plan offers secure private… Read the review →	Psiphon is open-source censorship-circumvention software for people trying to access content blocked by governments, institutions, or networks. It is available on iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS, with a free service and optional… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Hotspot Shield — where it wins

  • Basic includes one U.S. virtual location and 500 MB of data daily
  • Paid plans add unlimited data and locations across 115+ locations
  • Kill switch, Smart VPN split tunneling and multiple protocols

  Where it doesn't

  • Basic is limited to one device and speeds up to 2 Mbps
  • Basic data is capped at 500 MB per day
  • Unlimited data and streaming access require a paid plan

• Psiphon — where it wins

  • Combines VPN, SSH, and HTTP/SOCKS proxy connectivity with traffic obfuscation
  • Automatically discovers servers across more than 20 selectable countries
  • Offers open-source clients and split tunneling on Android

  Where it doesn't

  • It is designed for circumvention rather than conventional VPN use
  • Whole-device tunneling depends on supported configurations
  • Paid subscriptions are needed to remove ads and increase speed

• Hotspot Shield8.7/10 · Free plan · 7-day trial

  A limited free iPhone option; paid plans add speed, locations, data and devices.

  Visit Hotspot ShieldFull verdict →
• Psiphon8.3/10 · Free plan

  A free, multi-mode tool for reaching blocked content, with optional faster, ad-free subscriptions.

  Visit PsiphonFull verdict →