Compare Hola VPN and SetupVPN: Which Extension is the Best?

	Hola VPN	SetupVPN
	We tested Hola VPN to unblock sites and streaming. It’s easy and fast for geo‑access, but the free plan has time limits and privacy trade‑offs. Premium is smoother, yet pricey for what you get. VPN	SetupVPN offers a free VPN service with limited features. While it provides basic privacy protection, it has significant limitations and frequently ads. VPN
Key Features	Country switching per tab: Pick a different location for each tab or site. One‑click unblocking: Connect and switch countries in seconds. Free and Premium tiers: Free use with time limits; Premium removes limits. Multi‑device (Premium): Use on up to 10 devices with one subscription. Split/multi‑tunneling approach: Routes traffic efficiently to improve speed. Streaming access: Unblocks many regional libraries; occasional retries needed.	Free Version: Access to five different countries. Ease of Use: Simple interface suitable for beginners. Basic Privacy: Provides basic privacy protection.
Our Rating	7.5	6.3
Total users	5,333,592	13,707,482
Total ratings	368,283	53,410
Average rating	4.3 ⭐	4.4 ⭐
Entry Level Price	Free	Free
Chrome	4.8 367.8K+ ratings 5.0M+Users	4.7 47.3K+ ratings 13.0M+Users
Edge	3.7 478 ratings 333.6K+Users	4.0 988 ratings 636.6K+Users
Firefox	-	4.4 5.1K+ ratings 70.9K+Users
Safari	-	-
Features	8.0 Hola VPN standout strength is geo‑unblocking: in our tests, it opened regional libraries on major platforms after a few reconnects when needed. Per‑tab routing is genuinely useful—being able to set different countries for different tabs keeps workflows simple when you need multi‑region access at once. Premium’s allowance of up to 10 devices is generous for households and multi‑device users, and removing time limits meaningfully improves everyday use. Depth is where Hola lags; there’s no kill switch, no WireGuard or OpenVPN option, no ad/malware blocking, and no multi‑hop—features many competitors include by default.	7.0 SetupVPN offers basic VPN functions with limited free access. With free access, you have the choice of 5 countries to log in to for 30 minutes at a time. When using the premium version, these limitations do not apply, but here too there is a lack of advanced security features like those offered by competitors.
Performance	7.9 Speeds were good enough for HD streaming in many regions, though not top‑tier versus leading competitors. Stability varied by country and time of day; reconnecting typically resolved buffering or access hiccups. Availability can be limited in some regions due to external restrictions, which may temporarily impact reliability.	4.5 SetupVPN offers basic performance for occasional use. The free version has limited server locations, but the premium version offers better speed and reliability. Our tests included establishing a VPN connection to London and then using online services to try to localize the location. It turned out that in some cases the actual location was still localized and not London. From our point of view, a continuous secure connection is therefore not guaranteed.
Design	8.0 The interface is clean, with a clear connect button and country picker that make first‑time use straightforward. Per‑tab controls are intuitive in the extension, with obvious feedback when a tab is routed through a different location. Status indicators are easy to read, and switching countries is quick without diving into dense settings. One caveat: behavior differs between the extension (tab‑level) and desktop app (system‑level), which can confuse new users until they understand the default scope.	7.0 The design of SetupVPN is simple and intuitive. However, the layout in the free version is very dubious and annoying due to the excessive number of advertisements.
Value for Money	7.5 The free tier is genuinely useful for occasional unblocking despite time limits, making it an easy try‑before‑you‑buy option. Premium improves speed, removes time limits, and adds multi‑device support, but pricing is higher than rivals that also deliver stronger privacy and more features. Long‑term plans look cheap per month, but require big upfront payments and commitment. Support is mostly form‑based without the richer help channels common at similar or lower prices, which affects perceived value.	6.0 In this category, the extension performs completely differently if you are looking for a free or premium extension. The costs for the premium version are reasonable compared to the competition. However, it should be noted that many other providers have even more functions that can be used at the same time. Here you only get the VPN service. With the free version, you have the option of selecting 5 different countries. Due to the presence of a lot of advertising and performance problems with the VPN, there are much better alternatives for free users.
Ease of Use	8.6 The Installation is quick, and you can test without setting up an account on the extension. The learning curve is minimal—click to connect, pick a country, and browse. Troubleshooting flows like “No, fix it” help refresh a stuck connection. Country switching is fast, and per‑tab routing keeps things flexible for casual streaming and site access. A quirk worth noting: on the free plan, sessions can stop or reset with navigation if you expect app‑wide coverage—using the desktop app helps when you want persistent browser‑wide unblocking.	8.0 Setting up the extension is straightforward. A connection can be established immediately after installation and you can even test whether the connection works. Nobody should have any problems here.
Security & Privacy	3.5 Hola’s policy includes collecting IP and usage logs retained for up to 12 months, which won’t suit privacy‑focused users. Protocol support is limited; it can fall back to older protocols and lacks modern options like WireGuard/OpenVPN and a kill switch. There’s an inconsistency between marketing claims and the breadth of data collection disclosed in policy documents—another red flag for privacy purists. The historic peer‑to‑peer approach for free users and lack of third‑party no‑logs audits further reduce our confidence for sensitive use cases.	5.0 SetupVPN offers only basic privacy protection, with limited security features. However, the many advertisements in the free version raise concerns about data collection. Many who use a VPN want to use it precisely so that their data is not stored. From our point of view, a VPN service with such many advertisements is very dubious.
Conclusion	If you mainly need quick, hassle‑free access to geo‑blocked sites, Hola is effective and very easy to use. Per‑tab country control is handy, and we could reach major streaming sites after a few retries when needed. The trade‑off is privacy. Hola’s policy includes IP and usage logging (retained up to 12 months) and a history of a peer‑to‑peer model for free users. That’s a deal‑breaker if you want strict anonymity or advanced security features. We recommend Hola as a lightweight unblocking tool, especially for casual streaming on a budget. For stronger privacy, deeper features, and more consistent speeds, consider Surfshark, Proton VPN, or NordVPN.	SetupVPN is a good choice for users who are only rarely looking for a simple, free VPN service. While it offers privacy features, it has strong drawbacks, such as dubious frequent advertising and limited free access. For those who need more robust privacy and security features, the premium version might be worth considering, but there should be better alternatives. Overall, we agree with the current reviews from other users that there are much better alternatives.
	Install Hola VPN	Install SetupVPN
Our Recommendation	In our comparison between Hola VPN and SetupVPN, Hola VPN came out on top, scoring 7.5. SetupVPN is the most widely used, with over 14 million users and 53k+ reviews, but Hola VPN outperformed it in our review. We rate Hola VPN and SetupVPN lower than users do. Notably, SetupVPN has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.37, which is even higher than our rating of 6.3. There are some noticeable differences between these extensions, so it's worth considering your priorities and the details below. Looking for the richest feature set? Hola VPN stands out with a rating of 8. On the other hand, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 7. Need top performance? Hola VPN stands out with a rating of 7.9. On the other hand, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 4.5. Design lovers, take note: Hola VPN stands out with a rating of 8. On the other hand, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 7. Want to get the most for your money? Hola VPN stands out with a rating of 7.5. On the other hand, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 6. If you hate complicated tools, Hola VPN stands out with a rating of 8.6. On the other hand, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 8. With privacy and security becoming ever more important, SetupVPN stands out with a rating of 5. On the other hand, Hola VPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 3.5. If you want a quick recommendation, Hola VPN is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you.