Hotspot Shield vs Namecheap VPN

​​Hotspot Shield, developed by Pango (formerly AnchorFree Inc.), is a prominent VPN service headquartered in Redwood City, California, with additional offices in Boston and Ukraine. Founded in 2005 by David Gorodyansky and Eugene Malobrodsky, the company has grown significantly, boasting over 3,200 servers across over 80 countries. This extensive server network allows users to bypass geo-restrictions and access region-locked content, enhancing privacy and security online. Hotspot Shield offers both free and premium plans. The free version includes limited server access and a daily data cap, while the premium version provides faster speeds, a broader server selection, and additional features like antivirus protection. A standout feature of Hotspot Shield is their proprietary Catapult Hydra protocol, which aims to deliver enhanced speed and security compared to traditional VPN protocols. Despite their strengths, Hotspot Shield has faced criticism for not conducting third-party audits to verify their no-logging policy. However, they maintain a strict no-logging policy to protect user privacy. The service is available on multiple platforms, including iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, and Linux. As of December 31, 2024, Hotspot Shield will discontinue support for router-based VPN configurations.

FastVPN, formerly known as Namecheap VPN, is a budget-friendly VPN service offered by Namecheap, a well-established domain registrar and web hosting provider founded in 2000 and headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Designed for casual users, FastVPN provides basic online security, privacy, and unrestricted browsing with over 1,000 servers in 50+ locations worldwide. The service stands out with their affordable pricing, unlimited bandwidth, and multi-device support, making it accessible for users looking for a simple VPN solution. It also follows a strict no-log policy, claiming not to track or store user activity, though it has yet to undergo an independent security audit. While FastVPN successfully unblocks some Netflix libraries, users report inconsistent access to Hulu, Amazon Prime, and BBC iPlayer, making their streaming capabilities hit-or-miss. Customer feedback is mixed—many praise their low cost and easy setup, while others highlight limited protocol options, slower customer support response times, and the lack of a kill switch. Despite these concerns, their competitive pricing and straightforward interface make it a compelling choice for those prioritizing affordability over advanced security features. Curious if FastVPN is right for you? Read our full review to dive deeper into its strengths and weaknesses.