ExpressVPN vs Hotspot Shield
ExpressVPN is cheaper: $2.71 a month when you pay for 2 years, against $7.99 for Hotspot Shield when you pay for 1 year, about 66% less.
Prices are the lowest monthly price of each VPN in USD, usually on its longest plan, with any free months included. If you buy through one of our links, we may earn a fee which supports VPN Scouting. How we rank
The short answer
- ExpressVPN is cheaper: $2.71 a month when you pay for 2 years, against $7.99 for Hotspot Shield when you pay for 1 year, about 66% less.
- Hotspot Shield allows 10 devices at once, against 8 for ExpressVPN.
- ExpressVPN has servers in more countries: 105 against 80.
- On features, only ExpressVPN offers WireGuard and OpenVPN, while only Hotspot Shield offers an ad blocker.
- Hotspot Shield gives you longer to change your mind: 45 days against 30.
Side by side
| Side by side | ExpressVPN | Hotspot Shield |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest monthly price | $2.71 (better) | $7.99 |
| Plan length for that price | 2 years | 1 year |
| Month-to-month price | – | $12.99 |
| 1-year plan, per month | – | $7.99 |
| 2-year plan, per month | $2.71 | – |
| Devices at once | 8 | 10 (better) |
| Server countries | 105 (better) | 80 |
| Servers | 3,000 | 3,200 |
| No-logs policy | Yes | Yes |
| Kill switch | Yes | Yes |
| WireGuard | Yes (better) | No |
| OpenVPN | Yes (better) | No |
| Split tunneling | Yes | Yes |
| Streaming support | Yes | Yes |
| P2P and torrenting | Yes | Yes |
| Double VPN | No | No |
| Ad blocker | No | Yes (better) |
| Dedicated IP | No | No |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days | 45 days (better) |
| Based in | British Virgin Islands | USA |
| Founded | – | – |
| Apps for | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Routers | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Routers |
Plans and prices
Monthly price for each plan length, free months included.
| Plan length | ExpressVPN | Hotspot Shield |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | Not offered | $12.99 |
| 1 year | Not offered | $7.99 |
| 2 years | $2.71 | Not offered |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ExpressVPN cheaper than Hotspot Shield?
ExpressVPN has the lower price: $2.71 a month when you pay for 2 years, against $7.99 for Hotspot Shield.
Which is better for privacy, ExpressVPN or Hotspot Shield?
Both have a no-logs policy. ExpressVPN is based in British Virgin Islands, outside the Fourteen Eyes countries, and Hotspot Shield is based in USA, one of the Fourteen Eyes countries.
Which has more servers, ExpressVPN or Hotspot Shield?
ExpressVPN has servers in 105 countries, against 80 for Hotspot Shield.
How do you compare the prices?
We use each VPN's monthly price for every plan length, in USD, with free months included. Prices come from the providers' own pricing pages and are checked every week.