Hotspot Shield VS CactusVPN Comparison

UPDATED Mar. 2024
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Hotspot Shield and CactusVPN are considered to be among the best VPN companies in the world. To an inexperienced eye, they may seem almost identical. Users interested in getting a VPN often face a dilemma concerning which of these two to go for and which provider is better for their particular needs.

Hotspot Shield
Best For General Users
VS
CactusVPN
Best For Users On A Budget

Highlights

Hotspot Shield
Hotspot Shield is a VPN service provider that offers anonymous and undisturbed Internet surfing. Unlimited bandwidth, numerous servers, and a no logs policy let you browse the Internet privately and safely on up to 5 devices.
  • User-friendly client
  • Unlimited bandwidth
  • Strict no logs policy
  • 7-day trial version
CactusVPN
CactusVPN is a world-class VPN service provider that uses 5 excellent protocols for maximum protection. In order to ensure your online anonymity, CactusVPN also provides Smart DNS proxy and doesn't keep any logs whatsoever.
  • Unlimited bandwidth
  • AES 256-bit encryption
  • No activity logs policy
  • Free trial version

Compare Prices

Company
1 Month
3 Months
6 Months
1 Year
2 Years
Hotspot Shield
1 Month
$12.99
3 Months
/
6 Months
/
1 Year
$7.99
2 Years
$6.99
CactusVPN
1 Month
$4.99
3 Months
$4.99
6 Months
/
1 Year
$4.99
2 Years
/
* The prices shown represent the cost of one month within different subscriptions. To see all available plans and pricing options, check individual reviews.

Compare Features

Hotspot Shield
Based In
USA
Number Of Servers
22
Number Of Countries
22
Protocols
Catapult Hydra
Encryption
AES-128
Simultaneous Connections
5
Logs Policy
no logs
Dedicated IP
Killswitch
DNS Leak Protection
Allows Torrenting
Torrenting Servers
SmartDNS
CactusVPN
Based In
Moldova
Number Of Servers
25
Number Of Countries
15
Protocols
OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, IKEv2, STP, SoftEther, PPTP
Encryption
AES-128
Simultaneous Connections
5
Logs Policy
no logs
Dedicated IP
Killswitch
DNS Leak Protection
Allows Torrenting
Torrenting Servers
SmartDNS

Supported Devices

Hotspot Shield
Windows
OS X
Android
iOS
CactusVPN
Windows
OS X
Linux
Android
iOS
Router

Compare Ratings

Hotspot Shield
FINAL RATING
7.7/10
Anonymity
Reliability
Performance
Features
Support
Value For Money
CactusVPN
FINAL RATING
7.9/10
Anonymity
Reliability
Performance
Features
Support
Value For Money

Compare User Reviews

Hotspot Shield
  • Submitted By bellokelvin on 03/17/2019
    hotspot shield works perfectly on iphone when i were using it in 2010 bt i dont kw if it also work great in an an android phone
  • Submitted By Felix Kiesinger, on 12/15/2016
    Very good vpn, easy to use and really reliable. I’ve been using it for a couple of years, still satisfied.
  • Submitted By Norma Kelly, on 11/04/2016
    Hotspot Shield really works for me. I get to watch Netflix and open any site, even from my dorm. Elite plan is great, I can use it on my laptop, phone and Kindle at the same time.
  • Submitted By Gregory Thomas, on 06/24/2016
    Quite good. Just don’t like that my internet gets slow sometimes, but I guess that’s because I often use those European servers.
CactusVPN
  • Submitted By Laurence Reeves on 07/09/2018
    I have been with cactus for quite a few years now, I love the brand and customer service that they provide. Their website is very easy to use as well as their own VPN software that is provided, you simply enter your username and password then you're connected. They provide Secure Smart DNS and a VPN that is true no log data. Nord for example is over 60 where Cactus is only around 30, both comparisons for their yearly subscriptions. Cactus however provide multiple VPN locations and their Smart DNS for 54 per year, which i'm currently using. Download speeds are pretty good and never seem to drop, i've had the VPN connected on my phone for over 2 weeks since installing it and it's not dropped yet. If the connection does drop then their software (on mac/pc) will close any applications you do not want to use without a secure connection, then reopen once the VPN has reconnected.
  • Submitted By Keisha Ford, on 01/21/2018
    It’s so cute and easy to use! Great thing, I can change whatever I want, whenever I want and open any website.
  • Submitted By Damien Woods, on 11/06/2016
    Excellent! I switch my phones too often, I must say and it’s so good that I don’t have to go through all that trouble of subscribing all over again, erasing my old phone from my subscription, adding the new one… Very simple and useful!
  • Submitted By Iris Barnaby, on 08/28/2016
    It works well, I watch Netflix all the time and can check any site, even when I’m on that restricted network at the library. I just don’t like so many options in my app, you know, I get confused sometimes since I’m not really sure what’s vpn, what’s proxy and what each of them does. Keep it simple, that’s the best.

Winner

CactusVPN is a top-notch VPN service provider that offers its customers exceptional online protection and anonymity. Check out our comprehensive CactusVPN review to learn more about its services.

* All the prices on this website are subject to change without notice. While we put a great deal of effort into making sure that all the prices are accurate, one or more products may have outdated prices. Please visit the specific product’s official website for exact prices.