Hola VPN is a popular app to mask your real IP address. Thanks to a widespread peer-to-peer network, you can hide your virtual location and anonymize your online activities. Does it mean, however, that an anonymous connection is enough for safe torrenting? In this post, we’ll share some thoughts regarding the service’s features and answer the ultimate question “Is Hola VPN good for torrenting?’ The truth about Hola is shocking, so make sure to read till the end.
Table of Contents
Does Hola VPN allow Torrenting?
Before we give an explicit answer, let’s see if using Hola is worth it altogether. We highlighted features necessary for torrenting and analyzed how well the service is doing in their regard.
Speed
A VPN’s speed depends on its infrastructure. If it has highly-optimized servers with increased bandwidth, you’ll benefit from a fast and smooth performance. The problem with Hola is that it doesn’t have any servers. You connect to the computers of other users. Needless to say, they are not as powerful as servers. Therefore, speeds throughout the network are extremely sluggish.
Security
Despite calling itself a VPN, Hola isn’t one. It is rather a proxy. It doesn’t have encryption, DNS or IP leak protection, Kill Switch feature… nothing you could expect even from a mediocre VPN.
Privacy Policy
It is probably easier to list data Hola doesn’t collect. It logs websites you visit, date and time you accessed them, your IP address, and so on. On top of that, the service retains billing information, your name, email, and other personal details. Not only will Hola use this information for God knows what, but also share it with the third parties.
Jurisdiction
Although Israel, the country where Hola is registered, isn’t a member of the Fourteen Eyes, it is known for sure that it cooperated with spy alliances in the past. If asked, the Israeli government will share the data it has on Hola’s subscribers. Given the extensive logging, Hola has a lot on its hands.
User Experience
Hola’s browser extensions and desktop apps are pretty simple. You’ll have a list of supported countries, language settings, and a FAQ section. You can’t really fine-tune your connection. There is no real customer support either.
Security Concerns
Hola uses your bandwidth and shares it with other users. Not only that, but your bandwidth will be also used by the company’s controlled Luminati proxy. To make things worse, you may be involuntarily involved in a Botnet. It was proven that Hola used its subscribers to organize DDoS attacks.
Summing up the said above, it is obvious that Hola isn’t safe enough. Yet, we still need to figure out if torrenting is possible with it.
Can You Torrent with Hola at All?
Torrent is a peer-to-peer (P2P) technology that works through accessing computers on the network. You can obtain files (or pieces of those files) directly from those computers. Other users can also connect to your device to download files you have. Hola is based on the peer-to-peer technology as well – your connection redirects through computers of other users who installed this app and are online. Other ‘peers’ can hook up to your device, too.
It would seem that two peer-to-peer technologies should get along nicely but it is not so. In fact, P2P traffic is forbidden through Hola’s network. But don’t take it as a downside. If some stranger could use your computer (and your IP address accordingly) to download content illegally, you would get in trouble. So it is better not to have a chance to use Hola for torrenting at all than face responsibility for something you didn’t do.
Trustworthy Hola Alternatives for Torrenting
When torrenting, security must be your number one priority. In terms of privacy and protection, you’d be better off without Hola. It’s just not worth the risk, especially when there are so many reliable VPNs around. Here are a few top-notch VPNs that deliver ironclad security while stepping up your overall torrenting experience:
- Provider
- User Rating
- Our Review
- Price
PureVPN- 4807 Votes
- $3.24 / month
ExpressVPN- 3795 Votes
- $6.67 / month
Conclusion
Hola is a no-go solution from a security standpoint. It doesn’t even allow P2P traffic despite P2P technology at its core. If you need a fast, reliable, and convenient service giving you peace of mind while downloading files, consider getting one of the alternative services we recommended.