Hola VPN Alternative: Choose a Better VPN Service in 2024
Hola VPN is an unsafe VPN. Read on to find out what’s wrong with the VPN provider and how to choose a great Hola VPN alternative, including the best free VPNs.
Written by Samuel Okoruwa (Writer)
Reviewed by Jackie Leavitt (Co-Chief Editor)
Facts checked by Jasna Mishevska (Lead Fact-Checking Editor)
Last Updated: 2024-09-30T17:10:49+00:00
All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.
Key Takeaways: Best Hola VPN Alternative (Free & Premium)
- NordVPN — The best VPN alternative overall. Get 73% off the first two years with NordVPN, covered by its 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Surfshark — Hola VPN alternative with unlimited simultaneous connections. Surfshark offers 86% off on the first two years for new users.
- ExpressVPN — Best beginner-friendly alternative. ExpressVPN’s best deal is available at a 49% discount.
- Proton VPN — Secure, unlimited-data VPN alternative.
- Hide.me — A trustworthy and fast free VPN.
- Windscribe — The fastest free VPN with excellent security.
Facts & Expert Analysis
- Hola VPN is an unsafe free VPN with a peer-to-peer server network, which sends other users’ traffic through your internet connection. It also sells access to third-parties and does not encrypt your connection.
- There are several other VPN services you can use instead of Hola VPN. In this article, we recommend the six best Hola alternatives, with our top suggestion being NordVPN.
- These VPNs maintain a more secure server architecture, using dedicated servers located in different countries around the world.
The core function of a VPN is to protect your privacy, encrypt your connection and put you at ease when you’re online. Unfortunately, Hola VPN fails to meet these requirements, both for free users and paid users. If you’ve been using this VPN, you should switch to a trustworthy Hola VPN alternative.
In a crowded VPN field, everyone craves novelty, and a new opportunity has the potential to be a better option. That’s what Hola VPN succeeded in doing — at least, according to Insider — when the Israeli company emerged as a free VPN service with no restrictions.
For many VPN users, this was a breath of fresh air, since most free VPNs place restrictions on certain features in their free plans. For example, Windscribe restricts the amount of data on its free version. The problem is that Hola’s free version comes with no restrictions because it uses a peer-to-peer server network.
Anyone familiar with P2P networks knows they’re not the safest — it’s best to use P2P networks paired with quality VPNs that provide encryption. It didn’t take long for well-meaning users to realize that Hola’s P2P server network model can actually put the user in harm’s way instead of protecting them.
Achieve Online Privacy and Security Even as a VPN Novice
- Comprehend the essential role a VPN plays in safeguarding your digital life
- Gain a deep understanding of how VPNs function under the hood
- Develop the ability to distinguish fact from fiction in VPN promotions
Plus, it also turns out that certain advanced features — like fast speeds — are locked behind Hola VPN’s paid versions, rather than free Hola VPN. In this guide, we will explain Hola VPN’s failings and suggest six alternatives to Hola VPN with solid VPN features.
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10/20/2022
Updated this guide to include more sourcing for Hola VPN and Luminati facts, as well as data from our own WireShark testing of Hola VPN’s encryption testing.
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11/09/2023
Updated the article to reflect ExpressVPN’s expansion of server presence from 94 to 105 countries.
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10/01/2024
We adjusted the article’s VPN positions to reflect recent improvements and feature updates.
The Top Hola VPNs Alternatives
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Average speedDownload Speed96 MbpsUpload Speed9 MbpsLatency111 ms - 3
- : PayPal, Credit card, Bitcoin, UnionPay, iDeal, Sofort, Giropay, Pixpay, Sepa Direct Debit
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Average speedDownload Speed91 MbpsUpload Speed9 MbpsLatency4 ms - 4
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Average speedDownload Speed89 MbpsUpload Speed9 MbpsLatency2 ms
What Makes the Best Hola VPN Alternative?
Since safety is our main concern with Hola, all the VPN services we’ve recommended are the safest of the safe.
Hola VPN’s big draw (after its $0 price tag) is that it has a large network of servers worldwide — and its large number of global IP addresses — so the VPNs we recommend as alternatives should also provide a large server spread.
We also considered certain criteria when coming up with this list, including the VPN’s security, privacy and the quality of the VPN’s server network.
The VPN services on this list all have dedicated servers located in different cities around the world and the best available encryption. The best alternatives to Hola VPN should also offer strong speeds, the ability to access streaming sites and a solid no-logs privacy policy.
Finally, we have also made sure to include some free VPNs, since the main draw of Hola VPN is its free option. However, all VPN listed here offer excellent first-time user discounts and money-back guarantees.
Why You Need a Hola Alternative: How Hola Works
Like any VPN service, Hola masks your location and traffic by routing your connection through a server.
However, Hola doesn’t use dedicated secure servers; instead, the VPN routes data through subscriber devices, like a peer-to-peer network. When you sign up for Hola, your IP address becomes accessible to every other user.
This means that your IP address is exposed to other users, who can use your IP for illicit acts. TrendMicro issued a warning against Hola VPN, saying that its tests show Hackers can also execute programs on your device or infect your device with malware.
Additionally, Hola VPN does not encrypt your entire connection, which we were able to verify via WireShark testing (see image below). After running three tests, we verified some information failed to be encrypted while connected to a Hola VPN server.
You should also note that Hola VPN is a sister company to Luminati, a company notorious for selling networks of computers that have been hijacked by malicious software for the purpose of cybercrimes (read our Hola VPN article to learn more about this).
Luminati also sells access to Hola VPN for a price, though the company claims it screens users now beforehand. With a reputation such as this, there’s no question as to why you might be looking at Hola alternatives.
The 6 Best Hola VPN Alternatives
Now that we’ve explained the security risks of using Hola VPN — and that our top choices have none of these issues — we’ll break down what each of these VPNs has to offer in terms of server network and security.
1. NordVPN — Best Hola VPN Alternative
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NordVPN is leagues above Hola VPN. The VPN provider has a large physical server network on the market, boasting nearly 60 countries. Europe has the largest share of servers, followed by North America, the Asia-Pacific region, Africa and the Middle East.
NordVPN serves only one country in Africa (South Africa), but three in the Middle East (the United Arab Emirates, Israel and Turkey). Its servers are strictly bare-metal — or physical — servers, with no virtual servers in its network (read our article on virtual and bare-metal servers to see how they affect VPN usage).
NordVPN is a paid VPN service, so there’s no limit on the number of servers you can access. However, it offers a seven-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee, which lets you test out the service and request a refund if you’re not satisfied.
NordVPN’s servers support OpenVPN, IKEv2 and NordLynx (NordVPN’s proprietary protocol built around WireGuard).
A Great Collection of Specialty Servers
NordVPN features specialty server types, some of which can only be used with certain protocols. Obfuscated servers provide additional encryption by making your IP address appear like regular HTTP traffic.
For example, it’s wise to use a VPN with obfuscation in a country like China, known for its Great Firewall censorship network.
The other server types in NordVPN’s network are double VPN, dedicated P2P servers and Onion Over VPN servers. Double VPN servers route your internet traffic through two servers for an added layer of encryption, while Onion over VPN servers are optimized to allow you access the Tor network securely.
Meanwhile, the dedicated P2P servers enable users to torrent securely and at high speeds, thanks to their capacity for handling large data transfers.
NordVPN’s monthly plan is very pricey at $12.99, but it offers a lot of value for the money. If you pay for two years up front, it brings the price down to $3.09 per month.
You get a seven-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee when you sign up for any of NordVPN’s paid plans. Read more about the VPN in our NordVPN review.
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
2. Surfshark — Best Budget Hola VPN Alternative
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Surfshark is an excellent Hola VPN alternative because its biggest highlights perfectly complement disgruntled Hola VPN users’ needs. First, it offers excellent security, encryption and privacy across all plans. It has a no-logs policy, further ensured by its RAM-only servers, which means that any data is wiped any time the servers restart.
Although Surfshark is a fast VPN, it does tend to have higher latency than other top VPNs, like NordVPN. While it might not be the top pick for a gaming VPN, it’s more than enough for streaming.
Excellent Pricing
The other draw to Surfshark is that it’s an excellent pick for someone on a budget. Although Surfshark does not have a free plan, new users can get amazing long-term deals.
You can try Surfshark risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee and 86% off the first two years, costing only $2.19 per month on the Starter Plan. If you want to learn more, read our full Surfshark review.
- Unlimited GB bandwidth, Unlimited devices, Secure VPN, Ad blocker, Cookie pop-up blocker. Plans renew: $231.75 for one year, $417.15 for two years
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
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- Everything in Starter, plus Antivirus protection, Identity protection, Email Breach and Credit Card Alerts, Online Alias Plans renew: $239.25 for one year, $430.65 for two years.
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Everything in One, plus Data removal Plans renew: $269.25 for one year, $404.65 for two years
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
3. ExpressVPN — Best Beginner-Friendly Alternative
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With a large network of dedicated secure servers spanning more than 100 countries, it’s easy to see that ExpressVPN operates a more secure server network than Hola VPN.
ExpressVPN’s server network is highly concentrated in Europe, followed by the Americas and Asia. Like most top-tier VPNs, its server network also reaches underserved locations, like South America, the Middle East and Africa.
All of ExpressVPN’s servers support OpenVPN (TCP or UDP), and many support the well-known IKEv2 and the Lightway protocol, the latter of which is ExpressVPN’s proprietary protocol. All these protocols use industry standard encryption, making ExpressVPN a better option than Hola VPN.
Although ExpressVPN has maintained an unblemished reputation since it emerged, its acquisition by Kape Technologies (formerly known as Crossrider), a U.K.-based cybersecurity company, raised some security concerns. Thankfully, ExpressVPN has reiterated its commitment to undergoing external audits and penetration tests.
High Speeds and Security With Lightway Protocol
Security is ExpressVPN’s real forte, and it proves this with the Lightway protocol. Lightway was built for always-on protection, keeping your VPN connection on standby mode when you’re switching networks instead of disabling it.
Lightway uses the open-source WolfSSL cryptography library, which is recognized for its lightweight framework. It is also incredibly fast, holding its own against protocols like OpenVPN and WireGuard.
Although ExpressVPN is expensive, it is one of those VPNs that’s well worth the price. It offers quality features and services that you don’t find in just any regular VPN. The monthly plan costs $12.95, but the annual plan brings the cost down to $6.66 per month.
ExpressVPN offers a seven-day free trial, but it’s only available for Android and iOS users. It does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, which is available on any device. You can use it to test out ExpressVPN’s features and request a refund before it runs out.
- Unlimited GB
- 8
- Yes
4. Proton VPN — Strong Security Alternative
Next up on our list of Hola alternatives is Proton VPN, which maintains a network of dedicated, secure servers located in 64 countries across the world. Its highest concentration of servers is in Europe and North America, but it also reaches underserved locations, such as Africa (Nigeria and South Africa) and the Middle East (Israel and the United Arab Emirates).
For optimal security, Proton VPN offers three protocols: OpenVPN, WireGuard and IKEv2. Note that IKEv2 is not available on Proton VPN’s Windows desktop app, and OpenVPN is the only option for Linux users.
Secure Core Servers
In addition to its standard servers, Proton VPN has a category called “secure core servers,” located in privacy-friendly countries like Switzerland, Iceland and Sweden. When these servers are enabled, the VPN first routes your traffic through a secure core server before connecting through the VPN server of your choice.
This helps protect your privacy when you’re in a high-risk jurisdiction where servers could become compromised, like Russia, India, Turkey or China. Unfortunately, Proton VPN’s secure core servers can only be accessed on the Plus and Visionary plans.
Proton VPN has cheap plans. Its monthly plan costs $9.99, but if you subscribe to its two-year plan, it works out to $4.49 per month. It does offer a limited free plan, and Proton VPN also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee that enables you to test out more features and request a refund if you’re not satisfied.
You can read more about the service in our Proton VPN review.
- Unlimited GB
- 1
- Yes
- Renewal prices are different after the first year for the 1-year plan, and after the second year for the 2-year plan.
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
5. Hide.me — Good Free VPN Alternative
Hide.me is a VPN with servers in nearly 50 countries; however, the free version restricts you to just five servers, located in North America and Europe. Hide.me’s server network is made up of physical, bare-metal servers, which are highly secure, making it a better option than Hola VPN.
On the premium version, Hide.me has most of its servers in Europe, followed by Asia-Pacific. It also reaches underserved locations, especially in Africa (Egypt, South Africa and Morocco). Hide.me offers secure protocols, including WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2.
Like most VPNs, Hide.me’s servers get slower with increased distance. Based on our speed tests, you shouldn’t have trouble — at least with download speeds and latencies — when connected to Hide.me servers nearest to you. However, the download speeds are pretty weak when you’re connected to more distant servers.
Extra Layer of Security and Privacy
For a free VPN, Hide.me comes with a lot of features, one of which is multi-hop double VPN servers. This feature routes your data through two servers in different locations, fortifying your connection with additional security and privacy.
Although the multi-hop feature is quite popular with top-tier VPNs, Hide.me distinguishes itself by letting you choose your entry and exit servers instead of giving you a list of paired servers to choose from. This allows you to choose locations near you to balance speed and security.
The multi-hop double VPN is only available to premium users.
Hide.me’s monthly plan is cheaper than NordVPN, costing $9.95. Its two-year plan is the best deal, costing just $3.75 per month. Beyond the free plan, all Hide.me paid plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Read more about the VPN in our Hide.me review.
- 5 servers
- 10GB
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- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
6. Windscribe — Fast Free VPN Alternative
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If you’re looking for the best free alternative to Hola, Windscribe is another good recommendation. In terms of security, Windscribe offers secure protocols — including OpenVPN, WireGuard and IKEv2.
Windscribe also has a wide network, with servers in more than 60 countries. All Windscribe servers are dedicated physical servers (read our physical vs virtual server article for why that’s generally a plus).
Windscribe has most of its servers in Europe and North America. It also has servers in commonly overlooked locations, such as Africa (Kenya, Ghana and South Africa) and the Middle East (Israel). However, Windscribe gives you access to just 10 countries on the free plan.
Generous Free Version
Windscribe has one of the most generous free plans, in spite of a few restrictions. You get 2GB of data per month up front, which you can increase to 15GB per month permanently if you confirm your email address and tweet about the VPN. You also have access to 10 server locations.
Beyond these restrictions, Windscribe Free gives you access to all the other security features in its suite. Windscribe also offers unlimited simultaneous connections and unlimited bandwidth on all its plans. It’s also easy to configure on Windows, making it one of the best free VPNs for PCs.
While Windscribe has an excellent free plan, its paid plans come with a three-day money-back guarantee, which is much shorter than the industry-standard 30 days. It would be nice to have a longer money-back guarantee, but this is understandable since Windscribe already has a free plan.
Windscribe’s paid plans are very affordable and flexible. The monthly plan costs $9, but the one-year plan gives you a better deal of $5.75 per month.
For flexibility, Windscribe offers a build-a-plan option, which lets you select your own servers for $1 each per month (with a $3 minimum). Read more about the VPN in our Windscribe review.
- Up to 15 GB free with email confirmation and Tweet
- 15GB
- Unlimited
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Yes
Is Hola VPN Malicious?
Without a doubt, Hola VPN is not trustworthy. It runs an unencrypted peer-to-peer server network that puts you at great risk, but under the guise of giving users a free plan with no restrictions.
If you’re looking for trustworthy VPN software, there are other better free service options, as well as other popular paid VPN services that are worth the money investment.
Final Thoughts: Alternative to Hola VPN
Unfortunately, Hola VPN raises many red flags. Thankfully, there are several VPNs on this list — free and paid — that make great alternatives to Hola. For similar articles, check out our HideMyAss alternative guide.
Our top alternative to Hola VPN is NordVPN for its strong security, fast speeds and decent pricing. Take NordVPN for a test drive with peace of mind, knowing you can request a full refund within 30 days if it doesn’t meet your expectations.
Have you used Hola VPN before? Do you have any more recommendations for Hola alternatives? What other VPN features do you need in a premium VPN or free VPN? We’d like to hear from you in the comment section below and, as always, thanks for reading.
FAQ
You can use NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN or any of the other VPNs in this article.
Hide.me and Windscribe are good Hola VPN alternatives.
Yes, Proton VPN is safe. It uses the best encryption and protocols. Plus, Proton VPN claims to be a no-log VPN and has never been caught logging or sharing user data. It’s also based in Switzerland, which has some of the best privacy laws in the world.
Hola VPN is not a completely free VPN. Like many VPNs, Hola offers paid versions that offer more advanced features. It also sells access to third-parties via its sister company, Luminati. Plus, by using a peer-to-peer system, it doesn’t need to invest in setting up and maintaining a network of dedicated servers around the world.