- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7
- Date added: August 11, 2009
- Total Downloads: 2,054,968
- Downloads last week: 24,417
- See full specifications
A newer version of Hotspot Shield is available.
(Download doesn't provide access to previous versions of this program.)
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 204 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on February 18, 2009
This freeware program promises to encrypt all your Internet connections, but since most public wi-fi access points in the U.S. are open, it's a bit hard to gauge Hotspot Shield's effectiveness. However, the connection itself is a bit wonky.
Once the program is installed, it creates an HTML link on your desktop. Double-clicking on it will open the application in your Web browser, and you'll be taken to a page detailing your Connection Status, IP Address, Server Address, Bytes sent and received, and the duration of the connection. Hotspot Shield is ad supported, so you'll get a big banner ad that lives at the top of every Web page, too. Closing the tab with the app's control panel doesn't disconnect the shield, though: for that, or to reload the control panel, you have to go through the green shield icon that gets loaded into your system tray. Also, there's a 5 GB transfer limit.
Overall, we can't give Hotspot Shield a strong recommendation, but as a last resort it might be worth trying out.
Publisher's description
From AnchorFree :Hotspot Shield is a freeware which ensures anonymous and censor-free Internet usage. With Hotspot Shield you can even access blocked Web sites. For example: Skype is blocked in certain parts of the world. With Hotspot Shield, anyone can access Skype (and any other site they choose). The free software ensures censor-free Internet usage by encrypting all communications to and from your computer to protect you from online spying. While advertising supported, HotSpot Shield is is not an invasive adware or pervasive spyware application.
What's new in this version:
Version 1.22 now supports 64-bit Operating Systems.
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User reviews of Hotspot Shield 1.22
- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 204 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 7 user reviewsSee all 7 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Hotspot Shield 1.22
Pros: It real free
Cons: Too much ad - i Know http://thefreevpn.com site with same programm without ad
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Hotspot Shield 1.22
"Product crashed my wife's Vista laptop."
Pros: Nothing positive to say.
Cons: Product crashed my wife's Vista laptop.
Summary: My wife wanted to do some internet work at public hotspots with herVista laptop and I figured a little extra protection would be a good idea. HotSpot Shield sounded promising so I downloaded it and proceeded to do an install. It never finished the i... read more >>
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Version: Hotspot Shield 1.22
"Good software specially in UAE"
Pros: I use this in UAE and its running very good. UAE blocks all the hotspot shield download sites but you can also download it to torrent. There is nothing wrong with the software and works perfectly. I hope they will make another updates for this.
Cons: Too large banner and so many ads.
Makes your internet a bit slower than normal.
Pop up are coming every time -
Version: Hotspot Shield 1.22
"I cant thank enough the developers of this software"
Pros: works great, free, one of a kind
Cons: None that I can see
Summary: Iin coutries, where they spend millions of dollars filtering and breaking this provider, they have kept a setp ahead of them. It is an esstensial for many people in courties, where censourship is the norm "they know what is good for us to watch" rig... read more >>
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Version: Hotspot Shield 1.22
"It works! You'll be able to access filtered sites!"
Pros: It works! You'll be able to access sites filtered by your government or organization.
Filtering software can't block it.Cons: Ads. Tolerable, or just use non-IE/FF browsers.
The limit. 5 Gigs is actually good enough for me, though.
Occassionally redirected to Anchor Free. Trivial if you use alternative browsers.
Disconnected after some time. Just reconnect!Summary: If you're behind a "great firewall" like I am, this program is a godsend. Few alternatives are as easy and effective. The ads are tolerable (hint: use something other than IE or Firefox). Also, it's obviously not for heavy duty downloading or stream... read more >>
- See all 7 user reviews Write review
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