There are also no ads displayed on the desktop, but one will play when you hit the Connect or Disconnect buttons. This is a condition of the unlimited data usage that comes with Hotspot Shield Basic.

Nicely, Hotspot Shield configures itself silently; there’s no entering a user name and password or specifying a server location. Simply run it, and turn it on. To use the $30 Elite version you buy it ...

Our biggest gripe with the usability of Hotspot Shield Basic stems from its mobile apps, which are inundated with ads. They're (almost) ever-present on the home screen in banner form, and you can ...