Hotspot Shield vs Mullvad
Side-by-side comparison based on Reddit & Twitter discussions
Community Pick
Mullvad
Based on community sentiment and discussions
Approval Rate
57%
8 recommend · 6 warn
Data Quality
Medium
Reviews
19
Reviewers
19
Best for:
People who want a simple VPN for school/work network blocks
Casual users who mainly need protection on public Wi‑Fi
iPhone or Windows users who want something straightforward
Hotspot Shield comes up a lot as a quick, easy VPN that can help on sketchy public Wi‑Fi and get around basic blocks at school or on restricted networks. People like that there’s a free option and tha...
Mullvad
Winner
Approval Rate
90%
473 recommend · 53 warn
Data Quality
High
Reviews
708
Reviewers
577
Best for:
Privacy-focused users who want minimal personal info tied to their account
People who want a straightforward VPN for everyday browsing and torrenting
Anyone who values a VPN that doesn’t rely on referral links and influencer promos
Mullvad has a really strong reputation for privacy, and it’s one of the few VPNs people trust when they say “no logs.” It’s also loved for letting you sign up without an email and pay in very private...
Performance by Use Case
| Use Case | Hotspot Shield | Winner | Mullvad |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming | 100% (1) | → | 76% (31) |
| Torrenting | - | → | 65% (28) |
| Privacy | 33% (4) | → | 95% (387) |
| Censorship | 100% (1) | → | 61% (33) |
| Gaming | - | - | 100% (1) |
| Travel | 33% (3) | → | 0% (1) |
| Work | - | → | 67% (4) |
| Router | - | → | 100% (2) |
| Price | - | → | 92% (21) |
Hotspot Shield
Strengths
- Easy to use
- Good for public Wi‑Fi
- Free tier available
- Often feels fast when it connects well
- Works on iPhone and Windows
Weaknesses
- Free tier can be unreliable
- Can be slow at times
- Connection issues and disconnects
- May conflict with Apple iCloud Private Relay/Cloud Relay
- Privacy and ownership concerns
Mullvad
Strengths
- Strong privacy focus
- No email required
- Anonymous payment options
- Fast speeds (especially with WireGuard)
- Good for torrenting
- Trusted “no-logs” reputation
- No influencer/affiliate marketing feel
Weaknesses
- Streaming can be hit or miss
- Port forwarding no longer supported
- Can feel pricey for a basic VPN
- Some apps/services may block it