Hotspot Shield vs OysterVPN

​​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.

Founded in 2022 and headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, OysterVPN is a relatively new entrant in the cybersecurity space, but one that’s already gaining traction for its commitment to performance, transparency, and ease of use. Their VPN service includes features like WireGuard support, strong ChaCha20-Poly1305 encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and compatibility with all major operating systems. Users can enjoy unlimited bandwidth, fast server connections, and dedicated apps for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. OysterVPN also provides split tunneling, multi-hop capabilities, and DNS leak protection, making it a compelling option for both privacy-focused users and everyday streamers. While independent customer reviews are still limited, early adopters have praised its interface and reliability. With a growing network and modern encryption standards, OysterVPN positions itself as a capable and privacy-first VPN solution worth exploring.