Hide.me VPN Review: Is It the World’s Fastest VPN? We Tried It to Find Out
Hide Me VPN is owned by eVenture Ltd, a Labuan Island company founded in 2012. Due to PDPA, PII transfers overseas aren't allowed. Read Hide Me VPN review.
Price: 4.99
Price Currency: $
Operating System: Windows
Application Category: Utility
8.2
Hide.me VPN is a no-logs VPN service with advanced features and fast server speeds, from a company that has spent more than a decade providing anonymity and security for users’ online activities and personal information.
In this review, we’ll look at features like speed, server locations, and ease of use. We’ll also assess hide.me VPN’s encryption, logging policies, and speed testing, alongside advanced features like multihop and split tunneling to see if it’s the best VPN for you.
Founded over a decade ago in 2012, hide.me VPN was started by eVenture Limited to “provide internet security and freedom for every internet user.” The company is based in Malaysia, which is not a member of the 14-Eyes Alliance and legally prohibits companies from transferring personal data outside of Malaysia.
Contents
Hide.me VPN Overview
| Countries | 50 |
| Servers and Locations | 2,100 servers in 79 locations |
| Customer Support | 24/7 via live chat, email, and tickets |
| Log Policy | No logs |
| Encryption Protocols | IKEv2 (up to AES-256), WireGuard, OpenVPN, SSTP, and SoftEther |
| Supported Platforms | macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, |
| Routers Supported | Yes |
| Simultaneous Connections | 10 |
| Split Tunneling | Yes |
| Kill Switch | Yes |
| Torrenting (P2P File Sharing) | Supported |
| Country of Registration | Malaysia |
| Dedicated IP | No |
| Smart DNS | No |
| Multihop | Yes |
| Price | From free, or premium plans start at $2.59/mo |
| Free trial/money-back guarantee | Free version/30-day money-back guarantee |
Hide.me VPN Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Strict no-logging policy | Varied server speeds |
| Unblocks Netflix, great for P2P and gaming | No dedicated IP options |
| Strong encryption methods |
|
| Works with iOS (iPhone & iPad), Known to work in China |
|
| Supports split tunneling |
Streaming Movies and TV Shows With hide.me VPN
Hide.me VPN has streaming-optimized servers around the globe, so you should be able to unblock and watch online content from anywhere, without interruptions.
Compatible Devices and Services
Hide.me VPN works on many popular devices and services, with apps for the following platforms:
- Windows (version 7 or later)
- macOS (10.15 or later)
- Linux
- iOS (12 or later)
- Android (6.0 or later)
- Amazon Fire TV
Hide.me VPN also works with routers, and includes a full list of compatible devices (available through Amazon) on its website.
Most streaming services should work with hide.me VPN, including:
- BBC iPlayer
- Amazon Prime Video
- Hulu+ Live TV
- Fubo TV
- Netflix
- Disney+
- HBO Max
The hide.me VPN website provides instructions on how to access these sites, as well as many more.
Desktop and Mobile Apps
The apps hide.me VPN offers are native VPN client applications, specifically optimized for each device to ensure they are convenient and easy to use.
These apps are designed to make things as simple as possible for users, and they can be downloaded for free.
And for Android and iPhone users, with just one tap through the Google Play or Apple App Store they can start using a lifetime free mobile VPN without having to register, sign up, or provide credit card details.
Web Browser Extensions
For those wanting a fast and easy way to improve their internet experience, hide.me VPN offers secure proxy extensions for Google Chrome, Firefox, and Edge browsers.
These secure your browser traffic and mask your IP address, providing an extra layer of protection from IP leaks.
Setup and installation are as simple as clicking “add” from your browser’s Extensions store, but hide.me VPN offers instructions on its website if you need them.
Using Streaming Devices With hide.me VPN
Hide.me VPN supports the following streaming devices:
- iPad (iOS)
- Android
- Amazon Fire TV
- Network Attached Storage (NAS) (Synology DSM and QNAP QTS)
- Media boxes (Amazon Fire OS LibreELEC Kodi OpenELEC Kodi)
By installing hide.me VPN on your router, you can also use it for gaming with the following consoles:
- PlayStation (4 and 5)
- Xbox (One, S, and X)
- Nintendo Switch
Features
In this section, we will take a look at some of the features that they offer.
Encryption Protocols
Hide.me VPN is equipped with a range of encryption protocols including Wireguard, SoftEther, SSTP, OpenVPN, and IKEv2.
Switching between these protocols is useful when trying to figure out the most effective way to either unblock sites, stream, or stay anonymous.
Stealth Guard
With the Stealth Guard feature, users’ online activities are kept private as it restricts connectivity when the VPN connection is inactive.
Kill Switch
The Kill Switch feature automatically cuts off the internet connection if the VPN connection drops, preventing data leaks.
SOCKS Proxy
The SOCKS proxy feature allows users to bind their torrent client to the VPN service, routing all torrent traffic through the VPN tunnel.
Simultaneous Connections
With its Premium plan, hide.me VPN allows paying users to connect up to ten devices at the same time, regardless of the platform. You can use the same username and password to connect all of them.
You have the option to install hide.me VPN on any number of devices (including computers, phones, tablets, and routers), but only ten devices can be connected simultaneously. If you reach this limit and wish to connect another device, simply disconnect one you are not currently using. This can be done in the Connection Settings area.
If you need to connect more than ten devices simultaneously, you can purchase an additional Premium plan or share your VPN connection from a Windows or Mac computer.
Alternatively, you can configure a VPN router so any device connected is automatically routed through the VPN, without counting as an additional device.
Split Tunneling
Hide.me VPN provides split tunneling, which enables users to exclude particular apps from the VPN tunnel or utilize inverse split tunneling.
With split tunneling, users can exclude certain apps from the VPN tunnel, whereas inverse split tunneling allows users to specify which apps will only use the VPN tunnel.
Plans and Pricing
Hide.me VPN offers a range of pricing plans to suit different needs and budgets. These include the following options:
Hide.me VPN Free
The company offers a free VPN plan that doesn’t require a credit card or other payment method to access.
Although the free plan provides hide.me VPN’s services at no cost, there are certain restrictions. These include a limit to the number of server locations they can access (8 instead of 79), the ability to connect only one device at a time (instead of 10), and a data transfer limit of 10GB a month.
Hide.me VPN Premium Plans
To access hide.me VPN’s full capabilities and features, users can upgrade to a paid plan:
- $2.59/mo for 27 months (includes 3 free months)
- $4.99/mo for 12 months
- $9.95/mo billed monthly
All plans come with a no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee.
Subscribers can cancel their service at any time, and hide.me VPN often offers additional deals that lower the price of long-term subscriptions.
Its pricing compares favorably to that of ExpressVPN or NordVPN.
Money-Back Guarantee
If you are not entirely satisfied with its services, hide.me VPN allows subscribers to cancel their plan within 30 days, no questions asked.
To cancel, you must notify hide.me VPN in writing via email within the first 30 days of your plan beginning. If you meet the following criteria, you will be refunded the full amount specified in the contract:
- You have not previously claimed a refund.
- You have not violated hide.me VPN’s Terms of Service.
- It is your first order with hide.me VPN (renewals do not qualify).
Once your refund is processed, hide.me VPN will notify you via email, but it may take up to 10 days after canceling your contract to receive the money, depending on the payment form used.
Hide.me VPN offers a free version with many of the same features as the premium version and does not require a form of payment to access.
Payment Options
Hide.me VPN offers more payment methods than many other VPN companies. Users can pay by:
- Credit Card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Diners Club)
- PayPal
- Google Pay
- Amazon Pay
- Apple Pay
- SEPA
- SOFORT
- Wire transfer
- Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Monero, Horizen, ZCash)
How To Cancel hide.me VPN
If you wish to cancel your hide.me VPN subscription:
- Log in to your account and navigate to the “Purchase History” tab (located on the left-hand side of the screen).
- Click on the “Manage Subscription” link on the right-hand side of the screen.
- Select the “Cancel subscription” link and indicate the reason for the cancellation.
You are entitled to a full refund if you cancel your subscription within 30 days of purchase.
To delete your hide.me VPN account, you should scroll down once logged in and click on the “Delete My Account” button located on the right-hand side of the screen.
Privacy and Security Features
In this section, we will look at some of the privacy and security features offered by hide.me VPN.
No Logs Policy
Hide.me VPN has a long history of performance without any data breaches, and in 20215 it became one of the first VPN providers to be independently audited.
In its privacy policy, hide.me VPN states: “We do NOT keep logs of your VPN sessions, browsing behaviour, websites you visit or any activity related to your VPN connection. In addition we NEVER store VPN connection logs and timestamps that match your incoming and outgoing IP address or session duration.”
Hide.me VPN has also joined the i2coaliton and the VPN Trust Initiative, which aims to create standardized industry benchmarks for VPN providers to help develop comprehensive best practices.
Yearly Transparency Reports
Hide.me VPN releases yearly transparency reports, and has done since pioneering them in 2016.
These reports disclose the requests for information hide.me VPN has received during the year. By doing so, the company aims to demonstrate its commitment to transparency within its operations and its dedication to safeguarding the privacy of its users.
Prevents Leaks
Hide.me VPN uses a zero-knowledge DNS service, which means it doesn’t monitor or record the websites its users visit.
Sometimes, governments or corporations may block access to certain content by intercepting DNS requests. To prevent this, hide.me VPN uses an encrypted tunnel that no one can intercept.
Unlike other VPN services that may leave DNS requests exposed and could reveal your IP address, hide.me VPN prevents DNS leaks by running its own DNS on every server to protect all traffic, including DNS requests. This also ensures you receive a faster and more effective VPN service for the IP address and country you’re connected to.
As a zero-knowledge DNS, hide.me VPN doesn’t inject ads or sponsored content into your DNS request, nor does it manipulate the websites you visit.
Hide.me VPN has also implemented measures to address WebRTC leaks. The service includes a WebRTC leak test to help users determine if their IP address is being exposed.
Hide.me VPN offers a straightforward solution to disable WebRTC and prevent such leaks. Users can simply enable the “Disable WebRTC” option in the VPN settings to block WebRTC and avert IP address leaks.
Port Forwarding
For security reasons, hide.me VPN doesn’t provide static port forwarding on any of its VPN servers. Instead, the service offers dynamic port forwarding through UPnP, which dynamically maps a network port whenever an app requires it.
Premium members can use the UPnP functionality offered by hide.me VPN to dynamically open necessary ports on high, unrelated ports that are unlikely to be in use by others.
Technical Details
Let’s take a look at some of the more technical details for hide.me VPN, such as its speed and server network.
How Fast Is It?
According to its claims, hide.me VPN is among the fastest offshore VPN providers, delivering uncompromised fast speeds.
The service has carefully selected its servers to ensure maximum uptime and does not set any speed restrictions on its connections. All its servers are capable of 10Gbps.
VPN speeds can vary depending on several factors though, such as the user’s location, wifi speed, and server location.
We decided to put hide.me VPN to the test and see how it actually performs under real-world settings.
To do this we used Speedtest.net and, as you can see, there is a clear difference between the original connection and while using a hide.me VPN server in New York, USA.
| Location | Ping | Download Speed (Mbps) | Upload Speed (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| VPN Off (India) | 9 | 43.42 | 52.40 |
| VPN On (New York, US) | 275 | 5.62 | 0.83 |
Server Network
Hide.me VPN has a large and widespread network of VPN servers (over 2,100 servers in 79 locations throughout 50 countries) that users can connect to for secure and private internet access.
Countries include Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Netherlands, UK, and USA.
Having a large number of servers in multiple countries is an important factor for the functionality of a VPN, as it reduces any congestion and the distance between a user and their closest VPN server, to improve connection speeds and global coverage.
Does It Work in Other Countries?
Hide.me VPN has a global network of servers, so it should work in the most popular countries and locations.
These include:
| Continent | Countries |
| Africa | Egypt, South Africa |
| Asia | Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Morocco, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam |
| Europe | Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany (Frankfurt and Berlin), Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy (Rome and Milan), Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain (Madrid and Barcelona), Sweden, Switzerland (Zurich and Zug), Ukraine, United Kingdom (London and Manchester) |
| North America | Canada, Mexico, United States (Phoenix, Miami, Ashburn, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Secaucus, New York City, Los Angeles, Denver, Seattle) |
| Oceania | Australia (Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane), New Zealand |
| South America | Argentina, Brazil, Colombia |
Customer Support
Hide.me VPN offers multiple ways to contact its support teams: live chat, email, online tickets, FAQs, and its community.
Its support is available 24/7, and there is a comprehensive help section on hide.me VPN’s website where users can find tutorials, articles, and set-up guides, as well as access to its community and Knowledge Base.
Does It Work in China?
The Chinese Government has restricted the use of VPNs since 2012, though they’re not illegal to use within the country.
Hide.me VPN reports that some users have managed to use its service to gain unimpeded internet access within China, and offers a few step-by-step instructions on its website that users can try.
Methodology
We personally try out each VPN for our reviews. We evaluate speed, security features, ability to unblock streaming services, support for torrenting, customer support, and many other factors. We also look at the VPN company’s jurisdiction, history, past security incidents, privacy policy, and audit reports to ensure that you get a complete picture of the service. Learn more about how we test VPNs on our methodology page.
Wrapping Up
Hide.me VPN is a reliable privacy company. Its service includes top industry features comparable to what you’d find with larger companies like ExpressVPN or NordVPN, including AES 256-bit encryption, multiple protocols (such as OpenVPN and Wireguard), a kill-switch, split tunneling, and a no-logging policy.
Hide.me also offers multiple connections and customer support options, along with a global network of 10Gbps servers optimized for streaming. Owned and operated by individuals who prioritize internet privacy and security, hide.me VPN is a trustworthy and well-rounded VPN choice.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Is hide.me VPN a reliable VPN service?
Hide.me VPN was set up to provide internet security and freedom for every internet user, and has had no data breaches in more than a decade of service. Based in Malaysia, which is outside the 14-Eyes Alliance, hide.me VPN has a strict no-log policy that has been independently verified and releases annual transparency reports.
With AES-256 encryption, multiple protocol options, a Stealth Guard function, kill switch, and split tunneling, hide.me VPN is a secure and reliable VPN service.
Can I use hide.me VPN for torrenting?
Hide.me VPN is an excellent choice for torrenting, as it provides unrestricted P2P traffic and offers a range of features designed to keep users’ online activities private and secure. These features include Stealth Guard, Kill Switch, and SOCKS proxy. Additionally, the VPN service operates under a strict no-log policy, making it highly unlikely that torrenting activity could be traced on a network.
The VPN service also offers a Double VPN feature called hide.me VPN Multihop, which adds an extra layer of security and helps combat online censorship.
Is hide.me VPN trusted?
Hide.me VPN employs robust bank-grade encryption with a range of secure protocols, including the new WireGuard.
To further enhance data protection, hide.me VPN provides DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leak protection, effectively preventing any potential data leaks that could compromise user privacy.
Hide.me VPN has a strict no-logs policy and has undergone independent audits to receive certification validating its compliance with its privacy policy claims.
Does hide.me VPN have a free unlimited VPN?
No, hide.me VPN does not provide an unlimited free VPN plan.
The free version of hide.me VPN offers access to its service without a credit card, but it limits users to 10GB of monthly data and access to only 8 server locations on one device.
While users will need to upgrade to hide.me VPN’s paid subscription plan to access additional features such as a kill switch and unlimited data, the free plan is entirely ad-free and doesn’t cap bandwidth.
Does hide.me VPN sell your data?
Hide.me VPN does not sell or share users’ data with external organizations, even with its free plan.
The service adheres to a strict no-logging policy, meaning no user data is collected or stored, and this has been independently verified by a third-party audit.
Hide.me VPN prioritizes user privacy and security, offering advanced features like a kill switch, stealth guard, and leak protection to protect customers against inadvertent data leaks.
Who owns hide.me VPN?
Hide.me was founded in 2012 by Sebastian Schaub, and is owned by eVenture Limited.
Schaub has a strong background in the internet security industry, having worked in the sector for over a decade.
Hide.me was created to provide internet security and freedom for every internet user.
