Hotspot Shield Basic is the free-tier offering from long-established VPN provider Hotspot Shield which is owned by Pango Inc., formerly known as AnchorFree Inc. Based in the US, with offices in California, Massachusetts, and Ukraine, the company has a history dating back to 2005, when it was founded by David Gorodyansky and his father Eugene.
Unlike many free VPNs that impose tight data caps or limitations, Hotspot Shield Basic offers unlimited usage, decent speeds, and a sleek desktop interface – all without requiring a login. But that generosity comes with caveats. There are only four server locations to choose from – Los Angeles, New York, Singapore and the UK – mobile apps have ads, and key security features like kill switches and split tunneling are missing on some platforms. Not only that, but Hotspot Shield Basic does not offer streaming support, meaning major streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ don’t work when connected to Hotspot Shield Basic.
