Hola Free VPN Review

The founders of Hola Free VPN built upon their experiences creating home router operating systems to offer internet users around the world the ability to have fast, unrestricted access to the web. As the company’s name implies, many customers are introduced to Hola because of its completely free VPN plan. HTTP routing overlay, a method of securely funneling internet traffic, is Hola Free VPN’s primary technology. This is integrated into its servers around the world as well as its client-facing apps and services, helping internet users maintain their privacy online while bypassing corporate, governmental and workplace restrictions.

Pros & Cons of Hola Free VPN

Key Features of Hola Free VPN

We evaluated the four most important features of any VPN: security and privacy, server coverage, performance and price. Below is a breakdown of Hola Free VPN’s key features.

Security & Privacy

Hola Free VPN users a variety of security protocols to ensure user traffic and location data remain private. While AES-256-bit encryption is its default, the software also uses IKEv2/IPsec to help mobile users achieve the greatest balance between speed and security. To prevent users from sending or receiving files corrupted with viruses or backdoor code, Hola uses SHA1, MD5 and SHA256 integrity checks. Users on the free plan can’t take advantage of the company’s robust security features. The free plan’s Unblock Mode allows users to access restricted content; however, its proxy split tunneling doesn’t encrypt all of the transmitted data. Hola Free VPN’s paid users are protected by all of its security protocols as well as its no-log policy, which prevents users’ true identities from being exposed because the company doesn’t retain any personally identifiable data.

Server Coverage

Depending on the selected plan, Hola Free VPN allows users to connect to up to 1,500 servers around the world. Those on the free plan participate in a community-powered peer-to-peer VPN network, where each users’ traffic is routed through other users’ IPs, as opposed to servers in various data centers. With the free plan, every user’s connected device shares its resources to ensure all network users have access to a fast connection for unblocking websites. In addition to unlimited data, paid users may have access to more than three times the number of connections as those on the free plan. By spreading its servers in countries around the world, such as the United Kingdom, Algeria, the United States, Afghanistan and Germany, Hola Free VPN ensures users can always find a fast connection near home that allows them to safely access the entire web.

Performance

Users on Hola Free VPN’s Premium and Ultra plans can connect up to 10 and 20 devices at a time, respectively. The company doesn’t impose any monthly data limits, ensuring every member of the household can enjoy unbuffered HD or 4K video streaming. Because the company uses a wide variety of servers and several encryption protocols tailored to different uses, paid users can easily stream region-locked TV shows and movies without affecting the connection speed of their other connected devices. On the company’s free plan, users are only allowed a set amount of connection time, and video streaming is limited to standard definition. Additionally, users on the free plan are limited in the number of servers they can connect with, and only three devices may be connected at a time.

Price

Hola Free VPN offers three service plans: Free, Premium and Ultra. Premium subscribers can receive support through email, and Ultra subscribers have access to 24/7 live support. Users on the free plan, however, don’t have access to any assistance beyond the website’s FAQ section. In addition to the free plan’s restrictions on available community servers, streaming quality, connected devices and access time, the company may also retain logs of users’ internet activity. Paid users benefit from the no-log policy, advanced encryption and access to millions of IPs around the world. The Premium plan allows 10 simultaneously connected devices, and the Ultra plan allows up to 20. For both paid plans, users can stream video in high definition, with the Ultra plan allowing 4K streaming. Premium and Ultra subscribers can choose from around 1,000 and 1,500 servers, respectively. Hola Free VPN offers its paid plans in monthly, yearly and three-year increments. Considering that the price difference between a one-year Premium subscription and a three-year Ultra subscription is less than two months of service on the monthly plan, satisfied customers would be well served to choose the longest subscription plan they can afford.

Hola Free VPN Overview

What Customers Are Saying

Hola Free VPN receives constant praise for its easy-to-use apps and fast servers. In their online review, one customer said, “This app is very easy to use and actually works. I tried many other VPN apps but this one worked best.” Several customers have noted significant reductions in lag time and buffering when using the VPN to play online games or watch movies. “Works well on my phone which is an android. Gives me the chance to watch all the shows I’m addicted to,” mentioned another user.