# HotTunnel VPN vs Online Shield

The clearest difference is rating: Online Shield at 4.5 against HotTunnel VPN's 3.6. Online Shield also leads on ratings volume (8K vs 40) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). HotTunnel VPN's advantage is review sentiment (93% vs 55%) and monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HotTunnel VPN sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Online Shield sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Online Shield holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Online Shield has 8K ratings behind it against 40, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 93% of HotTunnel VPN's written reviews are positive against 55% of Online Shield's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HotTunnel VPN | Online Shield |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (40 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hottunnel-vpn/id1645856972/reviews) | **[4.5 (8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/online-shield-fast-vpn-proxy/id6443399771/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 40 | **8K** |
| Positive reviews | **93.3% of reviews** | 55.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 37 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NOTIONSSTOCK - FZCO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1729996281) | [WEB 3.0 SOFT LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1656520813) |

## What reviewers say

### HotTunnel VPN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hottunnel-vpn/id1645856972)

This app provides a secure and private internet connection with unlimited data and bandwidth. It offers a simple one-tap connection and protects your security on public Wi-Fi. Multiple devices can be supported with a single account.

**Highlights:** Unlimited time, data, and bandwidth, No registration or login required, One-tap connect, Protects security and privacy, Supports multiple devices, Anonymous browsing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly offer | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| One Week Subscription | $8.49 | per 7 days |
| Weekly | $8.49 | per 7 days |
| Week | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| premium | $12.99 | per 7 days |
| One Month Subscription | $21.49 | per month |
| Yearly offer | $49.99 | per year |
| Half-Year Subscription | $54.99 | per 6 months |
| Quarter | $69.99 | per 3 months |
| One Year Subscription | $94.99 | per year |


### Online Shield

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/online-shield-fast-vpn-proxy/id6443399771)

Enhance your online privacy and device security with a comprehensive suite of tools. This app offers a VPN, ad blocker, photo locker, and storage cleaner to protect your data and free up space. Enjoy a secure and private web experience with advanced encryption and a no-log policy.

**Highlights:** VPN connection for online privacy, Ad blocking on websites, Photo and video duplicate search/delete, Contact duplicate organization/delete, Smart cleaning for storage, Internet speed test, Content and website blocking

**Features:** Safari Extension, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Week Premium | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Hide Lock & Password Manager | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| 1 Week access to all features | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| 1 Week access to all features | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| 1 Month Premium | $11.99 | per month |
| Vault Password Manager (month) | $14.99 | per month |
| 1 Year Premium | $75.99 | per year |
| Data & Contact transfer (year) | $84.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Efficient
- 💖 Wonderful
- 👍 Good
- 🚀 Effective

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paid subscription required
- 🤬 Forced to use
- 💰 Stole money
- 🐛 Doesn't work
- 🦠 Gives virus

**Reported bugs**

- Impossible to cancel subscription
- Freezes on login screen
- Incompatible with older devices

**Requested features**

- Cancel subscription option
- Free version


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HotTunnel VPN free?

HotTunnel VPN is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Online Shield free?

Online Shield is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, HotTunnel VPN or Online Shield?

Online Shield is rated higher. HotTunnel VPN averages 3.6 out of 5 from 40 ratings, while Online Shield averages 4.5 from 8K ratings.

### Do HotTunnel VPN or Online Shield have ads?

Both HotTunnel VPN and Online Shield show ads.

### Which is updated more often, HotTunnel VPN or Online Shield?

HotTunnel VPN ships an update fortnightly, and Online Shield fortnightly. Most recently, HotTunnel VPN was updated on November 3, 2026 and Online Shield on November 12, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*