Comparison

VPN Hotspot Shield vs Stepwise

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

VPN Hotspot Shield

This app provides fast, secure, and private internet access with industry-leading encryption. It shields your IP address and offers lightning-fast speeds for browsing, gaming, and streaming. Connect with one tap to encrypt traffic and block threats.

Highlights
  • Industry-leading VPN encryption
  • Lightning-fast speeds
  • One-tap VPN connection
  • No-logs policy
  • Military-grade encryption
  • Connect up to 10 devices
Features
Read full description

Hotspot Shield VPN is the fastest VPN for secure, private internet access on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Protect your online activity with industry-leading VPN encryption and protocols, shield your IP address, and enjoy lightning-fast speeds whether browsing, gaming, streaming movies, or using public WiFi. Activate our VPN with one tap to encrypt your traffic and block threats while maintaining a lightning-fast connection. Hotspot Shield VPN delivers superior privacy and performance with patented technology that automatically connects you to the fastest VPN server. Free VPN Features: • Industry-leading speed - up to 2.2x faster vs. other VPN apps • Unlimited bandwidth and data with our free VPN • Simple one-tap VPN connection • Secure proxy VPN with no-logs policy and military-grade encryption • Multiple VPN plans — use free with ads or upgrade to premium • Optimized for latest iOS on Apple devices • Advanced patented VPN protocols for reliable connections • 24/7 customer support Premium VPN Features (with subscription): • 1800+ ultra-fast VPN servers up to 1 Gbps • 125+ premium VPN locations across 80+ countries • Auto-connect VPN on startup with IKEv2 • Specialized VPN modes for gaming, browsing, and video streaming • Connect up to 10 devices simultaneously • Fully ad-free VPN experience Choose from flexible VPN subscription plans: monthly, 6-month, or annual. Unlock full VPN access with a premium subscription — 45-day money-back guarantee. Cancel anytime. Payments via App Store; subscriptions auto-renew unless turned off 24 hours before renewal. Unused trial portions are forfeited upon purchase. Privacy Policy: https://www.hotspotshield.com/privacy-policy/ Terms of Service: https://www.hotspotshield.com/terms/

About

Stepwise

Features
Read full description

Stepwise · Daily Focus Büyük işleri küçük adımlara bölerek, dikkat dağıtıcılar arasında kaybolmadan ilerlemeyi sağlayan bir odak uygulaması. Neden Stepwise? İşleri "yapılacaklar listesi"ne dönüştürmek sorunu çözmez. İnsanların dağılmasının sebebi çok iş olması değil, aynı anda çok şeye odaklanmaya çalışmalarıdır. Stepwise şunu yapar: • Hayatı alanlara ayırır (iş, okul, kişisel vb.) • Büyük işleri küçük adımlara böler • Kullanıcıyı "her şeyi yapmaya" değil, bugün bir adım atmaya odaklar Önemli olan: • Kaç saat çalıştığın değil • Kaç iş bitirdiğin değil Bugün odaklanıp odaklanmadığındır. Özellikler: Günlük Odak: Her gün sadece birkaç küçük adım (maksimum 5 tamamlanmamış adım) Hedef Yönetimi: Kategori bazlı hedef organizasyonu, öncelik ve önem seviyesi Adım Takibi: Günlük adım oluşturma, başlatma ve tamamlama İlerleme Görselleştirme: Günlük ilerleme kartı, streak takibi, tamamlanan adım sayısı Kategori Yönetimi: Özel kategori oluşturma, 32 farklı renk seçeneği Kişiselleştirme: Yazı boyutu ayarı (8-18 px), slider ile kolay ayarlama Bildirimler: Günlük hatırlatıcılar, adım tamamlama bildirimleri Güvenlik: Güvenli token tabanlı kimlik doğrulama, şifre güvenliği Modern Arayüz: Material Design 3, hızlı ve akıcı performans Kime Hitap Ediyor? • Aynı anda birden fazla sorumluluğu olanlar • Düzensiz çalıştığını düşünenler • Plan yapmaktan yorulmuş ama ilerlemek isteyenler • Akademisyenler, yazılımcılar, girişimciler, öğrenciler Psikolojik Etkisi: Suçluluk üretmez "Yetişemedim" duygusunu azaltır Başlamayı kolaylaştırır Bitirmeyi değil, devam etmeyi öğretir Slogan: Small steps. Clear focus. Her gün küçük bir adım, net bir odak. Geliştirici: Fenergytech.com.tr Versiyon: 3.2.6 Platform: iOS 13.0+

Screenshots

VPN Hotspot Shield4 screens
Stepwise4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Stepwise at none against VPN Hotspot Shield's 10. VPN Hotspot Shield's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 7 months) and chart position (#61 vs unranked). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. VPN Hotspot Shield sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Stepwise asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

VPN Hotspot Shield ships an update weekly, Stepwise every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
VPN Hotspot Shield versus Stepwise: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVPN Hotspot ShieldStepwise
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (365K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews75.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings365K — better—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 7 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
Best chart rank#61 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size146 MB22 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAnchorFree Inc.Mustafa Fenerci

Bugs and requests

VPN Hotspot Shield

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Frequent disconnections
  • Inability to turn off VPN
  • Compatibility issues with certain devices

Requested features

3 requests
  • More free server locations
  • Better compatibility with streaming services
  • Improved stability and reliability

Stepwise

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

9 purchases

VPN Hotspot Shield

Subscriptions9
  • Hotspot Shield Premium$9.991 Month
  • Hotspot Shield Premium7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • 1 month VPN subscription7 Days trial$9.991 Month
Show 6 more
  • Hotspot Shield VPN with Pango$12.991 Month
  • Hotspot Shield VPN with Pango14 Days trial$12.991 Month
  • 1 month VPN subscription7 Days trial2 variants$12.991 Month
  • 1 month VPN subscription$12.991 Month
  • Hotspot Shield Premium7 Days trial$79.991 Year
  • 1 year VPN subscription7 Days trial$95.991 Year
None

Stepwise

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is VPN Hotspot Shield free?
VPN Hotspot Shield is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Stepwise free?
Stepwise is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do VPN Hotspot Shield or Stepwise have ads?
Neither VPN Hotspot Shield nor Stepwise shows ads.
Which is updated more often, VPN Hotspot Shield or Stepwise?
VPN Hotspot Shield ships an update weekly, and Stepwise every 7 months. Most recently, VPN Hotspot Shield was updated on November 3, 2026 and Stepwise on October 25, 2026.

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