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HotBot VPN Review (March 2024)

Solid fundamentals make HotBot VPN a sound choice for the everyday user.

Reviewed By |

Overall Rating

4.2/5

FAST FACTS

Fees: $3.33 - $9.99/mth

Best For: Users looking for a well-rounded, but basic, VPN offering

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HotBot has been around for decades in one form or another.  Beginning life as a search-engine, this company has since grown to offer services such as its popular VPN platform.

The current iteration of HotBot VPN provides a fairly no-frills approach to regaining online privacy.  While it may not boast extras like an adblocker, it does have sound fundamentals which should allow for a secure service.

Click Here to Visit HotBot VPN.

Pros

  • Solid Privacy Features
  • Attractive Pricing
  • Based in Seychelles w/ No-Log Policy

Cons

  • Limited Payment Options (Not Bitcoin, Etc.)
  • Modest Server Network

Accessibility

4/5

For the average user, accessibility should not be a concern when considering HotBot VPN.  Not only does this service have a network comprised of over 2000 servers, it has no data caps, and allows for 6 simultaneous connections.  While this may fall behind a select few competitors that boast unlimited connections, 5-10 is the industry standard.

With regards to media consumption, HotBot VPN states that it not only allows P2P sharing (torrenting) over its network, it will successfully circumvent geo-blocks imposed by streaming providers.

Currently HotBot VPN provides its services for the following operating systems.

  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Windows
  • Android

For the time being, there is no mention of linux and browser integrations.

Security Features

4/5

From a security standpoint, HotBot VPN hits all the major checkmarks, including,

  • AES-256 encryption
  • Kill-switch
  • DNS leak protection
  • Support for TOR browser
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (2FA)

What this means is that not only will your data be encrypted, it will be safeguarded from exposure, all while allowing for secure identification and browsing.

HotBot VPN makes no mention of features such as split-tunnelling, port forwarding, SOCKS5, etc.  It should be noted that such features are not typically required by the average user, and typically only hold appeal to those that are ‘tech-savvy’.

Privacy

4.5/5

A VPN service is only as good as its ability to provide privacy to its customers.  For this to be the case, there needs to not only be a solid ‘no-log’ policy in place, the company needs to be based in a country boasting strong privacy laws.  HotBot VPN hits both of these, being based out of Seychelles, and stating “HotBot VPN has a zero log promise.  We don’t track or log anything when you connect.  Nothing remains to identify who you are or where you are.”

While expensive, a third-party audit would go a long way towards backing up these claims.  Something done by various competitors in an attempt to increase operational transparency with clients.

Performance

4.5/5

While not the fastest, HotBot VPN provides above average network speeds.  It achieves this through use of various protocols, including,

  • OpenVPN
  • WireGuard
  • IKEv2
  • L2P/IPSec

Like any VPN service, speeds can greatly be affected by the location of whichever server you are connecting to.  Make sure that whichever service provider you opt for has enough servers in whichever area you hope to connect through.

Purchasing

4/5

If you have decided that HotBot VPN is the service for you, you are probably wondering how much it costs, and how you can pay.

Plans currently range from $9.99/mth, to as low as $3.33/mth on a yearly plan.  Like most VPNs, this yearly discount diminishes in subsequent years.

As it stands, HotBot VPN accepts the following forms of payment.

  • credit card
  • paypal

Notably, HotBot VPN does not accept Amazon Pay, Google Pay, or any form of cryptocurrency.  This is a definite drawback that may set other services apart from this otherwise solid offering, as the same consumers prioritizing privacy typically appreciate what digital assets like Bitcoin, Monero, Dash, and others have to offer.

Conclusion

4.2/5

HotBot VPN is a solid offering with a few notable drawbacks.  While it excels at security and privacy features (both extremely important), it finds itself slightly less accessible by not supporting a full array of operating systems and payment methods.

Moving forward, it would be nice to see the inclusion of features such as split-tunneling, port forwarding, and an audit of its logging practices to set itself apart from the competition.

Click Here to Visit HotBot VPN.