Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Hotspot Shield VS Pritunl Client

Compare Hotspot Shield VS Pritunl Client and see what are their differences

Hotspot Shield logo Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield is a software application developed by AnchorFree, Inc.

Pritunl Client logo Pritunl Client

Simple OpenVPN Client and GUI. Additional integration available when connecting to a Pritunl server.
  • Hotspot Shield Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-17
  • Pritunl Client Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-27

Hotspot Shield features and specs

  • High-Speed Performance
    Hotspot Shield is known for its high-speed connections, making it ideal for streaming, large downloads, and gaming.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The application is designed with a simple, intuitive interface that makes it easy for both technical and non-technical users to operate.
  • Large Server Network
    Hotspot Shield provides access to a large number of servers in various locations around the world, which can help bypass geo-restrictions.
  • Strong Security Features
    It offers robust encryption and security features such as malware protection, which enhance user privacy and data security.
  • Free Version Available
    A free version of Hotspot Shield is available, allowing users to try the service before committing to a paid subscription.

Possible disadvantages of Hotspot Shield

  • Logging Policy
    Hotspot Shield’s privacy policy has been criticized for potential logging of user data, which raises concerns for privacy-conscious users.
  • Ads in Free Version
    The free version of Hotspot Shield includes advertisements, which can be intrusive and disrupt the browsing experience.
  • Limited Features in Free Version
    The free version offers a limited set of features compared to the premium version, which may not meet all user needs.
  • Cost of Premium Version
    The premium subscription can be relatively expensive, which may not be affordable for all users.
  • Inconsistent Performance
    Some users have reported inconsistent performance, such as occasional slowdowns or interruptions depending on the server or location.

Pritunl Client features and specs

  • Open Source
    Pritunl Client is open-source software, which means its code is publicly available for review and collaboration, ensuring transparency and potential for community-driven improvements.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    The client supports multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux, providing flexibility and ease of integration across different environments.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Pritunl Client offers a straightforward and intuitive user interface that simplifies the process of connecting to VPNs, catering to users of all skill levels.
  • Security and Privacy
    The software provides secure communication using OpenVPN protocols, which are known for their strong encryption and reliability in safeguarding user data.
  • Integration with Pritunl Server
    It's designed to work seamlessly with Pritunl Server, allowing for efficient management and configuration in a server-client setup.

Possible disadvantages of Pritunl Client

  • Limited Standalone Features
    While it integrates well with Pritunl Server, standalone features compared to other VPN clients might be limited, requiring the server for full functionality.
  • Configuration Complexity
    Some users may find the initial configuration process challenging, especially if they are not familiar with network configurations or VPN setups.
  • Dependency on Pritunl Server
    To maximize the client’s potential, it often relies on a Pritunl Server setup, which may not be available or practical for all users.
  • Limited Advanced Features
    For users seeking advanced VPN features, such as split tunneling or enterprise-level customizations, Pritunl Client may not offer as many capabilities compared to other specialized VPN software.

Hotspot Shield videos

Hotspot Shield Review - Brutally Honest Review in 2019

More videos:

  • Review - Hotspot Shield VPN Review
  • Review - Hotspot Shield review: Should you get it? | VPNpro

Pritunl Client videos

No Pritunl Client videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Hotspot Shield and Pritunl Client)
VPN
94 94%
6% 6
Cloud VPN
95 95%
5% 5
Security & Privacy
95 95%
5% 5
Security
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Hotspot Shield and Pritunl Client

Hotspot Shield Reviews

The Best Top 10 VPNs for Spotify 2025
Hotspot Shield is a popular VPN solution for Spotify users, offering fast and secure connections to its vast network of servers. With a user-friendly interface and 24/7 customer support, Hotspot Shield is perfect for music lovers.
Turbo VPN Alternatives – Best Free VPN Apps For Android in 2022
Hotspot Shield is the best and most popular VPN proxy application for Android smartphones. It takes security and privacy very seriously. Since it’s a VPN app, it can be used to unlock geo-restricted websites and content.
Source: techviral.net
112 Best Chrome Extensions You Should Try (2021 List)
Hotspot Shield extension is a freemium security tool. It uses WebRTC technologies to hide your IP and uses military-grade encryption to protect your data. Yes! it offers both free and paid plans, but as free, it only connects to one location and provides primary security. But premium subscription plans come with a 45-day money-back guarantee. However, for beginners, the free...
8 Best Turbo VPN Alternatives for Android and iOS
HotSpot Shield is yet another VPN that offers unlimited data just like Turbo VPN. It does not throttle the speed and the servers are always up which translates to excellent performance. However, bear in mind, under the free service, you have servers only from the US region which could be a bummer for some. Nevertheless, the best part about Hotspot Shield is that it offers...
Source: beebom.com
8 Similar Apps like Psiphon that are Actually Better
Hotspot Shield VPN is yet another incredible app like Psiphon. However, it does require you to subscribe to a plan to be able to utilize the VPN service. The pricing plans are similar to the ones offered by other VPN providers.

Pritunl Client Reviews

We have no reviews of Pritunl Client yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Pritunl Client seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 4 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Hotspot Shield mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Hotspot Shield yet. Tracking of Hotspot Shield recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Pritunl Client mentions (4)

  • OpenVPN Client that doesn't require local admin rights to connect on Windows
    The only one I've found so far is https://client.pritunl.com/ so I will try that later today to see if it works with our server version and doesn't need admin rights to connect. But are there any other suggestions for third party clients? Source: over 2 years ago
  • I built an open source deployment pipeline of Pritunl to Digital Ocean using Github Actions and Atlantis. User-friendly, open source, VPN on Kubernetes at under $60/month!
    Https://github.com/autotune/pritunl-k8s-tf-do/blob/master/README.md is the repo. The README should answer any questions about how the pipeline works but the end result is a pritunl webgui listening on port 80 with an ingress route for https, a SERVICE load balancer that listens for VPN connections, and the ability to connect to said service load balancer over Pritunl VPN client. Note this is missing a few things,... Source: about 3 years ago
  • OpenVPN linuxserver GUI - How to add NordVPN
    You could try https://client.pritunl.com/ if you need a gui :). Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Pritunl VPN not working on Ubuntu 20.04
    For work we use a VPN server/client called Pritunl. The client used is this one. In the beginning it used to work fine. When I turned it on, my IP address would change but for some reason sites that were blocked by my ISP remained blocked (this was unexpected since the VPN server is in a different country). Source: about 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Hotspot Shield and Pritunl Client, you can also consider the following products

OpenVPN - OpenVPN - The Open Source VPN

ProtonVPN - ProtonVPN is a security focused FREE VPN service, developed by CERN and MIT scientists. Use the web anonymously, unblock websites & encrypt your connection.

WireGuard - Fast, Modern, Secure VPN Tunnel

TunnelBear - Really simple VPN to browse the web privately & anonymously.

Viscosity - Viscosity is a VPN client for Mac OS X and Windows.

Psiphon - Psiphon is circumvention software for Windows and Mobile platforms that provides uncensored access to Internet content. Read more about Psiphon.