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How to activate Hola VPN?

Activate Hola VPN

VPNs are tools best known for their ability to provide online privacy and safety. However, many users have recently started using VPNs as a means to bypass geo-restrictions on streaming services. VPNs were not a mainstream solution before commercial providers found a lucrative market and started tailoring VPNs to cater to various user needs. Furthermore, many VPNs do not focus on the privacy and security aspects when compared to circumventing geo-blocks. The demand for such services is high, as the run-of-the-mill user doesn’t have a “high-pressure job” that requires a powerful VPN. So, they can happily manage with lax security if a VPN lets them do what they want at affordable prices. One such lightweight VPN is Hola VPN. Though they do not claim to be a weak VPN service, reality begs to differ. Thus, if you are interested in learning how to activate Hola VPN, continue reading.

What is Hola VPN?

Hola is not a VPN per se, especially in a traditional sense. Hola VPN is more like a network of separate privately-owned servers or relays that share resources to facilitate encrypted communication. It is a peer-to-peer network, essentially. However, that doesn’t make it any less popular. Despite not having decent client software, it enjoys immense popularity among its users. Hola records a user base of 237 million, with almost 5-star rating reviews in most app stores. Why? Because it offers VPN services for free.

The thing to note is that Hola VPN doesn’t focus on heavy security. The free version doesn’t encrypt any online traffic. Instead, it solely focuses on circumventing geo-restrictions. Another important thing is that Hola VPN doesn’t own any servers. Instead, it uses the infrastructure of private peers to facilitate communication. Hola does offer a paid version, which, admittedly, is one of the cheapest we have seen. As you might have expected, it’s not a good value for money. That’s because the only difference between the two is the ability to use encryption for traffic.

Where does this lead us?

Coming to the topic of resource sharing, Hola admits that, to remain free, the peers in its infrastructure share the CPU resources of one another. This notwithstanding, Hola remains popular as it is grudgingly easy to use, isn’t resource-heavy, and, above all, free of charge. Therefore, if you are an online security-conscious user, this VPN will repel you strongly. Not only does it share information with peers, but the company itself also engages in data logging almost everything. And there is no encryption to boot, making your every move online transparent. However, for a casual user that doesn’t have to care for privacy nor security, it is a tool that can enable them to bypass Netflix’s VPN blocking. Sometimes, that’s all that matters.

Pros and cons of Hola VPN

Some benefits and drawbacks of Hola VPN are detailed below:

ProsCons
It is easy to set up and easier still to use.It doesn’t offer any encryption.
It can unblock geo-restricted content. It shares resources with other peers.
It has a Free version for users.Essentially a glorified proxy.
The peer network is vast.The paid version is bad value for money.
It is fast enough to stream 4K videos. It sells the bandwidth of free users to paid ones.
Hola doesn’t support torrents.
It has a disgustingly intrusive logging policy.
Only works with browsers.
Full of personal information leaks.

How to activate Hola VPN?

It is relatively easy to activate Hola VPN for your device. All you need to do is to follow the steps detailed below. But before that, let us remind you, Hola is more like a VPN proxy suitably optimized for streaming and less like a VPN. If you want a service that offers a dedicated online profile to aid you in privacy and security, I implore you to reconsider using Hola VPN. However, if you want something lightweight and easy to use for your daily streaming needs, this VPN service may work for you.

Note — We recommend practicing caution while using Hola VPN. If possible, choose another free VPN like Windscribe or Proton VPN that is miles ahead in features and user satisfaction.

Activate Hola VPN with a paid subscription

Although Hola offers services for free, you can still select a paid subscription to enjoy some added benefits. To activate Hola VPN, follow the steps below:

  1. First, go to the official Hola VPN page.
  2. Then, click on the Join tab located in the top right corner,
  3. You can use the following to sign up:
    • Google
    • Facebook
    • Apple
    • A valid e-mail address
  4. Now select a plan from “Pricing.”
  5. Hola offers four subscription plans:
    • Basic – no cost
    • Pro – limited time at no cost
    • Premium – $7.49 per month (monthly) or $1.49 per month (3-year plan)
    • Ultra – $29.99 per month (monthly plan) or $7.99 per month (3-year subscription)
  6. Now select your payment method. It supports:
    • Credit card
    • PayPal
    • Google Pay
    • Ali Pay
    • Giro Pay
  7. After you complete your payment, log into your account.
  8. Go to the Download center to find your application.
  • Android users should know that Google Play Store removed Hola VPN from its stores.
  • Chrome OS users, you can’t find the Hola VPN extension on the Chrome Store.
  • Huawei, Samsung, and Amazon users can still download the Hola VPN APK file from their respective stores.
  • iOS end users can download Hola VPN from the Apple App Store.
  • Users of Xbox, PlayStation, and Smart TV, Hola VPN doesn’t support your platform despite listing them on the website.
  • Desktop users can download Windows and Mac applications, but not Linux.
  • Hola offers browser extensions for Opera and Mozilla Firefox.
  1. Now, launch the app after it finishes the installation.
  2. Log in using your credentials.
  3. Connect by selecting a country based on the desired VPN server location.

Start using Hola VPN for free

To use Hola free of charge is straightforward. Here’s all you must do:

  1. Head over to the official Hola VPN website.
  2. Then, create an account using Google, Facebook, Apple ID, or a working e-mail address.
  3. Now, on the homepage, find a tab named “Get Hola. It’s Free.” and click on it.
  4. It will automatically download the necessary application based on the device you are using.
  5. Alternatively, you can also go to the Download Center and select your specified application.
    Reminder. Hola VPN doesn’t support routers, consoles, or Smart TVs, It only works on these platforms:
    1. Android
    2. iOS
    3. Mac
    4. Windows
    5. Opera and Firefox Browser extensions only
  6. Now, check your downloaded file and install it.
  7. After installation, run it and log into the app.
  8. Then, connect to a VPN server in a country of your choice.