Hola vs Atlas VPN: the head to head

Hola and AtlasVPN both offer free and commercial VPN services. They’re both very good at unlocking location-locked content from streaming services. Yet, the distinctions between these two VPNs stand out more than the similarities.

AtlasVPN is a fairly new VPN with a small but growing network of servers. Hola uses servers but also shares the internet connections of free users. In this article, we’ll chart and analyze the features and benefits, performance, privacy, security, customer relations, and prices of their free and commercial plans to help you determine which is better.

Hola vs AtlasVPN: Highlights

AtlasVPN has been offering service since 2019 and was acquired by Nord Security (provider of NordVPN) in 2021. Nord also recently acquired Surfshark. This consolidation should benefit the customers of all three VPNs, but they currently still operate independently and target different niches. AtlasVPN’s niche is price. NordVPN is a premium VPN and Surfshark is a budget premium VPN.

Hola’s niche is the peer-to-peer (P2P) sharing model. With Hola’s free plan, users allow other Hola users to share their internet connection. Users of Hola’s commercial plans also have access to those user-owned devices.

 Price comparison

Hola offers a free plan and two paid plans called “premium” and “ultra.” AtlasVPN offers a free plan for Windows 10 or 11 users and an inexpensive paid plan.

Subscribers to Hola’s paid plans do not have to share their internet connections with other Hola users. They get faster speed, access to many more servers, and higher-quality streaming video. Multiple websites claim that data is not encrypted for users of Hola’s free plan. Hola assures us that it does use encryption. Still, the price of Hola’s free plan is shared internet connections, no privacy protections, and security risks.

AtlasVPN’s paying customers get a slew of benefits not included on the free plan: access to many more servers (only three on the free plan), servers optimized for streaming, better speed, no data cap (5 GB/month on the free plan), 24/7 customer support, and extra security features. AtlasVPN’s free plan is handicapped, but the only price is frequent upselling, some of which can’t be avoided.

AtlasVPN is radically cheaper than Hola. Hola’s cheapest plan requires a three-year subscription. For about a third less money per month, you can get Hola’s lowest rate with only a two-year subscription. For one-year subscriptions, Hola’s premium plan is more than twice as expensive as AtlasVPN’s plan, and Hola’s ultra plan is six times more expensive than AtlasVPN’s plan.

Hola does occasionally run promotions that give you a better deal, but generally, AtlasVPN is one of the cheapest VPNs, while Hola is one of the most expensive.

Features

Both services can be used with the four most popular operating systems. AtlasVPN also makes an app for Linux, but neither has a Chrome extension. Hola works with a very impressive variety of entertainment devices, while Atlas recently added apps for a couple. AtlasVPN’s free plan is only available for Windows 10 or 11 users.

Hola’s free plan is limited to one device. You can use 10 or 20 devices at once with its premium or ultra plan. AtlasVPN allows unlimited simultaneous connections, even with its free plan. VPNs typically allow five simultaneous connections, so both Hola and AtlasVPN are competitive in this regard. As neither makes apps for routers, the extra connections are an offset. All the devices connected to a router would only count as one connection.

Hola’s notable extra feature is its own Chromium-based browser. This could be a great bonus, but as Hola tracks your browsing, you aren’t getting a private browser like Brave or Vivaldi. It is supposedly more secure than Chrome or Edge because it doesn’t serve ads, and Hola won’t sell your personal data.

While Hola tracks users and logs information about everything, AtlasVPN’s Tracker Blocker feature keeps third parties (e.g. Facebook and Google) from collecting information about what you do online. AtlasVPN also blocks dangerous websites and ads.

Split-tunneling is a very useful feature that lets you bypass your VPN for activities like online banking or other services that need to identify you by your real IP address. Hola has the feature in all its apps, but AtlasVPN only has it in its Android app.

Streaming & Netflix access

Hola is very good for streaming video, and AtlasVPN worked with every service we tried. Hola’s P2P network is an advantage for unblocking location-blocked content. Streaming services can identify VPNs by the heavy volume of traffic coming from individual servers and block them. With Hola, you can connect to the streaming service through someone else’s personal internet connection.

Hola will probably let you access the blocked video content you want to watch, but you won’t be gallantly streaming unless you subscribe to its ultra plan. Hola’s ultra plan and AtlasVPN’s paid plan are capable of 4k (highest resolution) streaming, and AtlasVPN dedicates some servers to streaming. Popular content is often streamed in high resolution.

Hola’s free plan limits you to standard definition SD video quality, which is usually 480i or 480p. Its premium plan limits you to high-definition (HD) video quality, which is usually 720p. In spite of the name, HD is old technology and has to be considered a low resolution in 2022.

Your viewing device is also a factor in the streaming video resolution you will get. Televisions and computer monitors most commonly have 1080p resolution, but much higher resolution monitors (2k or 4k) are rapidly replacing them. The best smartphone displays have 2k or 4k resolution. iTechtics has a graphic that illustrates the difference in sharpness between HD and SD.

Neither Hola nor AtlasVPN made our list of the “7 Best Streaming VPNs,” but AtlasVPN meets our criteria for being a contender.

Hola vs AtlasVPN: China

Hola doesn’t work in China. AtlasVPN might work in China with patient trial and error, but it did not work in our most recent testing. Check out the results of our extensive tests of VPNs in China if you live in China or any other country that forces ISPs to block VPNs.

Setup and interface

AtlasVPN does not have automated setup wizards, but the process is as simple as installing any software, so don’t let that intimidate you. Getting started only takes a few steps.

Both Hola and AtlasVPN have desktop and mobile apps that are easy to understand and use. User reviews indicate that anyone would be satisfied with any of their apps. Both VPNs have setup tutorials on their websites with screenshots for each operating system.

The apps from both of these VPNs are minimalist. That makes them simple to use, but advanced users may prefer more options and more control.

Servers and performance

Sixty years ago, Canadian country singer Hank Snow had a number-one hit with the song “I’ve Been Everywhere” (written by an Australian country singer). Different versions for different countries list the names of dozens of cities in those countries.

Hola is in more places than Snow has been. Hola claims to have “super powerful servers” in 212 locations, and none of those locations are cities. Hola lists Turkmenistan as one of its super-powerful locations, but Turkmenistan has the slowest internet service in the world. Its average speed is just .5 Mbps. In contrast, Liechtenstein has the fastest average speed: 211.26 Mbps (more than 400 times faster).

Hola undoubtedly has users in all 212 locations, and any Hola subscriber can access their internet connections. The idea that Hola has physical servers in more than twice as many places as the top VPNs do is stunning. Many of the locations where Hola claims to have servers could have virtual servers. A virtual server, or virtual IP, in this context, is a server that is in one physical location but is using an IP address assigned to another location.

In spite of possible hyperbole, Hola appears to have much bigger networks for its free and commercial plans than AtlasVPN does for its free and commercial plans. With AtlasVPN’s free plan, you only have access to servers in Amsterdam, Los Angeles, and New York. Those servers are likely to have too many simultaneous users and therefore be slow. Likewise, if you connect to one of Hola’s servers because the location appears to be close to you, but it is actually a virtual server, it will be slow. If you connect to the internet connection of another Hola user, your connection might be fast or might not.

Only subscribers to Hola’s ultra plan can access all of its servers. AtlasVPN does not operate any virtual servers.

AtlasVPN is building a business with its ultra-low introductory rates. As it grows, it will add servers. In the meantime, you can be amused that the network named “Atlas” isn’t everywhere.

Hola’s speed cannot be accurately measured because you can connect to a Hola server or to any of the millions of devices owned by Hola users. When you connect to Hola, you may not get a fast connection if you need to connect to a device in a specific country. ISP speeds vary considerably, and most offer budget plans with slower speeds and expensive plans with higher speeds.

When we measured Hola’s speed, we got the extremely mixed results you would expect. Hola’s average speeds were good.

Hola gives you “basic” speed with its free plan, “fast” speed with the premium plan, and “ultra-fast” speed with the ultra plan. Speed differences can be engineered by dedicating the fastest services to the ultra plan and letting users of the free plan oversaturate usage of the servers they are allowed to access.

We tested AtlasVPN’s speed using servers on three continents. AtlasVPN’s average download rate was 247 Mbps in our tests, which is so outstanding that it ranks sixth on our new list of the dozen fastest VPNs.

AtlasVPN is going to be consistently fast, although its free plan will be slow. Hola can be fast, especially if you experiment with connections and avoid connecting to users in Turkmenistan. As Hola wants you to buy its ultra plan, do not expect its premium plan to be as fast as AtlasVPN’s premium plan.

On the other hand, you can expect Hola’s free plan to have faster service than AtlasVPN’s free service does. As AtlasVPN is only giving you access to three servers, the free plan is just a frustrating taste of the plan AtlasVPN wants you to buy. Meanwhile, Hola’s free plan enables lots of connections, many of which will be fast. They won’t be as fast as a direct connection (with no VPN) would be, but you only have one more unshared device in your signal path.

Hola vs AtlasVPN: Security

AtlasVPN has a full complement of security features. The addition of the WireGuard protocol enhances speed and security. AtlasVPN gives you a private DNS. We experienced no DNS leaks in our tests.

Hola doesn’t tout any security measures except encryption and kill switches. If the company is taking additional measures to protect its customers, we don’t know about them.

Kill switches automatically terminate your internet connection if the VPN becomes disconnected. This protects you against unintended exposure.

AtlasVPN offers a couple of great features to increase your anonymity. SafeSwap lets you simultaneously use several different IP addresses. The feature is limited to a few server locations. MultiHop+ lets you rotate your virtual locations, adding layers of encryption. This feature is available on servers in North America and Europe. Neither of these bonus features is available for AtlasVPN’s free plan users, but all the basic security features are.

Hola’s free plan presents unique security risks. By sharing your internet connection with strangers, you are creating a point of entry that could be exploited by sophisticated hackers. Your computer could become part of a hacker’s botnet. 

Third parties that know how to do it can track your online activity. If you use cloud-based products from Google or Microsoft (such as their browsers, email programs, or office programs), those companies, along with Hola and unknown third parties, can all simultaneously track you and record your website usage.

A stranger using your internet connection is using your IP address. Depending on where you live and the company’s policies, your ISP may be monitoring the activity coming from your IP address. This means that if one of your Hola peers engages in an activity that is illegal in your country, you may be the person to suffer the consequences.

The likelihood of any of these security breaches with Hola’s free plan is low. Yet, they are real risks you should weigh before experimenting with Hola’s free plan.

Privacy

As an Israeli company, Hola does not have to worry about its government requesting or demanding information, but nonetheless, it collects as much personal information about you as possible. It even harvests personal information on social media sites you visit. Hola tracks all your internet activity with all of its plans. Upgrading from the free plan will not buy you any more privacy.

Hola does not claim to be privacy-oriented, and it is not. However, the company will not sell your information. Along with tracking you, Hola monitors your internet activity to make sure you are not doing anything that might be illegal. While most adults are likely to be uncomfortable with this level of corporate snooping, some parents of teenagers might see that as a benefit.

Although AtlasVPN is now owned by Nord Security, which is based in Panama, AtlasVPN is still headquartered in the United States. The U.S. government can request or demand information from VPNs, but AtlasVPN does not track or log your activity. However, its privacy policy is not completely reassuring. It collects a fair amount of data, primarily for analytics and marketing purposes. AtlasVPN acknowledges that some of that data could be considered personally identifying.

Some VPNs collect no information. Others only collect aggregate information for their own analytics. If you want complete privacy, you can get it with another VPN. Still, AtlasVPN’s invasion of privacy is minimal and extremely unlikely to pose a threat to you. Its no-logs policy has not been audited. It does have a warrant canary on its website that shows the VPN has never turned over information to the government.

Atlas accepts several cryptocurrencies for payment. If you use a burner email account and pay by cryptocurrency, you can be completely anonymous to AtlasVPN.

Neither Hola nor AtlasVPN serves ads to their free plan customers. The free plans from both VPNs have slow service and a slew of other handicaps instead. The strategy is designed to entice free users to upgrade.

Configuration

With Hola’s plans, you connect either to servers or to other people’s personal internet connections. When you are connected to a server, you are using its shared IP address. When you are connected to a peer, you are using the IP address of that person’s computer. If you are trying to connect to a website that blocks VPNs, such as streaming media sites, the private IP address is a very useful benefit.

You are always using a shared IP address when you connect to one of AtlasVPN’s servers. The SafeSwap and MultiHop+ features described above make it even harder for anyone to identify your real IP address.

Shared servers are good for increasing your anonymity but potentially a curse to users of a free VPN. If too many people are using a shared server, you run into a traffic jam. Web pages will load more slowly, and you’ll have to fill out more CAPTCHAs. That’s highly likely with AtlasVPN’s free plan, because users can only access three servers. It can happen with Hola’s free plan users, too, but they users connect through peers allowing access to another user’s internet connection instead. Users choose countries, not connection points, in Hola’s apps, so some trial and error may be necessary to find a fast connection. Backroads can be faster than the information superhighway.

Most people don’t need or want a static IP address. You would if you need to receive incoming connections or are trying to access something that filters users by their IP addresses, which isn’t very common.

A NAT firewall can filter out unsolicited traffic between your devices and the internet. You often find them built into Wi-Fi routers, but VPNs can use them as well. Neither of these VPNs mentions having that capability. AtlasVPN gives you some protection against malware and malicious websites, so that is somewhat of an offset.

Customer service

Hola uses a single form for tech support, customer service, or requesting a refund. We received same-day and next-day responses to our queries, which was satisfactory for non-urgent questions.

AtlasVPN customers generally report favorable experiences with Atlas’s support on Trustpilot, but the email response we received took eight hours, and other queries were ignored. Various sources report the number of AtlasVPN employees, but no one says it has more than 27. The company has 26 employees on LinkedIn, but none of them have customer service or related job titles. AtlasVPN may contract for support services.

Both Hola and AtlasVPN fare very well in user reviews on Trustpilot. They both currently have 4.5/5 ratings, which Trustpilot considers “excellent.” AtlasVPN has 176 user reviews at press time, so its sample size is modest. Hola, the larger and more established VPN, has about 1,200 reviews.

Keep in mind that user review ratings on Trustpilot, the Google Play store, and the App Store may be artificially high for freemium VPNs because the reviews come from users of the free plans as well as the commercial plans. Users of free plans aren’t, for example, going to have billing problems. They are also less likely to complain about something they are getting for free.

While 72 percent of AtlasVPN customers rate it excellent, 17 percent rate it bad. A common complaint is that people have trouble getting refunds. We experienced the same thing at the end of our test. Many VPNs earn excellent ratings from customers on Trustpilot. CyberGhost, PrivateVPN, Hotspot Shield, and IPVanish are among them. Those four VPNs offend only two or three percent of their customers to the point that they rate service as bad.

AtlasVPN is still a small business. As it grows, it will need to invest in improving customer service and relations.

Hola’s website is difficult to navigate and has minimal content. On the plus side, it has very helpful setup guides with screenshots. On the negative side, it lacks a search box on its home page and buries its support link at the bottom of the page. The search tool frequently did not find answers to our queries. Hola’s knowledge base is just answers to 79 FAQs.

AtlasVPN has a well-organized website that can be used in four languages. It also lacks a search box on its home page and buries its help center link. The search tool is very effective and divides answers into categories, which can save some time. The site has tutorials with screenshots covering quite a few topics. The installation guides have tables of contents, which can also be a time saver. While users may experience difficulty getting a timely response from AtlasVPN, they usually will be able to get the answers they need from the website.

Hola vs. AtlasVPN: The winner

Although the company needs to be more responsive to its customers, AtlasVPN gives you a lot of capabilities and features for a small, budget VPN. AtlasVPN’s commercial plan is much cheaper than either of Hola’s commercial plans. AtlasVPN’s use of the WireGuard protocol gives it a speed and security advantage Hola lacks. Hola’s service can be fast, but AtlasVPN is consistently fast. AtlasVPN is more secure and has worthwhile extra security features. AtlasVPN has a no-logs policy; Hola logs all usage and keeps the information. Hola tracks users and collects personal data from subscribers to all of its plans.

Both VPNs are very good for streaming, but Hola only allows users of its ultra plan to stream at the highest resolution.

Hola has a couple of advantages over AtlasVPN. It has more servers (although the number varies by plan) and has servers in more locations. At this point, AtlasVPN has no servers in large portions of the world. If you don’t live in North America or Europe, or if you are traveling elsewhere, you may be too far from a server to get an acceptably fast connection. That’s never a problem with Hola because you can always connect to a peer.

Hola also has an edge in customer relations. AtlasVPN needs to answer emails in a timely manner and make it easier for customers to get a refund. With its great prices, impressive security and speed, and unblocking ability, AtlasVPN can rival the best VPNs with responsible growth and better customer service.

Comparing just the free plans is a closer match. Hola is going to be faster than AtlasVPN most of the time because you can connect to peers or to more than just three servers. Both free plans are inadequate for streaming. Hola bans torrenting. Hola has holes in security, while even AtlasVPN’s free plan is more than sufficiently secure. Hola gives you no privacy, but AtlasVPN extends its privacy policy to its free plan. AtlasVPN’s free plan is safer and private. Hola is preferable only if you are willing to accept risks, share your online activities with Hola’s virtual eyes, and value speed over all other considerations.

Hola vs AtlasVPN: our methodology

We evaluated and compared these two services in the following:

• Server networks: Hola’s list of server locations probably includes many virtual servers. AtlasVPN has a relatively small network of server locations, and most are in Europe and North America. Bigger server networks allow you to be able to access more content. They increase the likelihood of finding a server near your physical location, which enables faster speed. Hola relies on peer connections as well as servers, and we evaluate the value of that.
• Speed: Using a VPN slows your internet connection. The fastest VPNs, AtlasVPN included, make little difference. Hola presents unique challenges because no sample test can be considered representative. We conduct our speed tests on VPN servers on three continents.
• Unblocking: People commonly use VPNs to bypass blocked content and geographic restrictions. Websites and countries with restrictions are currently engaged in a battle with VPNs. We test all VPNs with popular streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+, to determine whether they can successfully overcome blocking attempts. We also test the ability of VPNs to unblock censorial governments.
• Security: We review encryption, connection protocols, the availability of kill switches in apps, protection against data leaks, and extra features (such as Hola’s own web browser and AtlasVPN’s SafeSwap and MultiHop+).
• Privacy: We review logging practices, data collection, government requirements in the VPN’s home country, the possibility of anonymous user registration, and company history regarding privacy.
• Ease of use: Every VPN creates apps for some or all of the major operating systems for computers and smartphones. Creating user-friendly apps, as Hola and AtlasVPN do, takes care, time, money, and continual refinement. Those apps must be backed with good tech support and other customer services, including a helpful website, multiple methods of contact, and quick responsiveness. We test, review, and compare all those factors.
• Value: Price is part of value, but what you get per dollar determines value. Even free VPN services, like those from Hola and AtlasVPN, have a price. VPNs try to make oranges-to-oranges price comparisons difficult, but we find ways to make comparisons. We look for money-back guarantees and test their credibility. We note upselling practices and report any unsavory business practices. We also report extra features that competing VPNs do not routinely offer.

If you’d like to know more about the specific tests we run on VPNs like Hola and AtlasVPN, check our full VPN testing methodology.

Hola or AtlasVPN FAQs