Please check out our full speed test explanation for more details.
Each colored block in the graphs represents the range of speeds encountered, from highest to lowest. In each case, I amassed the results from five tests.
I tested both the Netherlands and UK from the UK test server in London. I tested the US server using a New York test server on. Connection speeds were checked without the VPN connected first, to get base level results (for the UK and US). The speed tests were performed from the UK, using a London server on. The speed tests for this review were undertaken using Hotspot Shield premium. Make no mistake - Hotspot Shield is fast. With servers in over 80 countries, Hotspot Shield Premium is undoubtedly a great VPN for unblocking content around the globe. Identity Guard - Monitor and protects you from identity theft (premium subscription based in the US-only).
This is a fast VPN that is considered better for unblocking than for privacy. For example, it was the main VPN used during the Arab Spring protests. The vast majority of those consumers use the free version, and there can be no doubt that Hotspot Shield has been an invaluable tool for people living in places suffering from website blackouts. In total, more than 600 million users around the globe have installed the VPN showing just how popular this product is on the global stage. Since then, its service has been split into two products: a free service, and a premium VPN called Hotspot Shield Premium. AnchorFree (based in California) first released the US-based VPN service Hotspot Shield as a free Virtual Private Network (VPN) in 2008.