Hide Me VPN
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hide.me Review

How Does hide.me VPN Work?

Stefan

by Stephan Kubrik
digitalwelt Lead Columnist for IT Security

digitalwelt logo

Updated: July 2024

hide.me VPN isn’t exactly the cheapest VPN tool on the market, but could its features and widespread compatibility actually be worth paying for?

A subsidiary of eVenture Ltd., a privacy company based in Malaysia, hide.me has been helping users mask their internet activity since 2011. This service might have not as much brand recognition as competitors like ExpressVPN and NordVPN, but that doesn’t necessarily mean hide.me VPN isn’t worth considering. In this hide.me VPN review, we’ll take a look at everything the VPN tool has to offer, so you can decide for yourself if this is the VPN for you

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hide.me VPN
hide.me VPN
Review 4.5
from $4.99

Is hide.me a Good VPN?

hide.me is, without a doubt, one of the better VPNs we’ve tested. In our experience, the service was speedy and secure, and the interface offered many more bells-and-whistles than competing products. Additionally, hide.me has a strong privacy policy, and the fact that the business is headquartered in Malaysia — where logging requirements are near nonexistent — should appeal to most users. The only issue is that hide.me is a bit pricier than comparable products. But more on that later.

hide.me VPN Software Overview

  • hide.me makes apps for virtually all modern desktop and mobile operating systems.
  • The company also offers browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox.
  • An independent auditor has verified hide.me’s commitment to not logging customer traffic.
  • hide.me’s advanced features including split-tunnelling, IP leak detection, and IPv6 support.
  • hide.me has 1,800 physical servers in over 70 locations throughout more than 35 countries.
  • Customers can get a full refund thanks to hide.me’s 30-day money-back guarantee.
  • The company offers a decent free tier and a relatively expensive unlimited paid plan.
  • hide.me uses strong AES-256 encryption to protect subscribers’ privacy.
  • Users can install hide.me on Android TV, Amazon Fire products, and videogame consoles.
  • hide.me can also be configured to operate on many modern routers.
  • The service uses IKEv2 IPsec, OpenVPN, SSTP, and SoftEther among other protocols.
  • hide.me is headquartered in Malaysia, and the company is not subject to U.S. laws.
  • Unlike many VPNs, hide.me accepts anonymous payments via cryptocurrency.
  • This VPN’s apps include numerous and options other VPNs don’t offer.
  • hide.me supports P2P connections, but it isn’t necessarily the best for file sharing.
  • Support now offered for WireGuard.

Top VPN Tools | Updated: July 2024

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1 CyberGhost VPN
CyberGhost VPN
Review 5.0
from $2.19
The once-in-a-lifetime VPN software CyberGhost is one of the most well-known and fastest on the market. It is also known as the VPN software with the best connectivity to streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO and many more.
2 NordVPN
NordVPN
Review 4.9
from $3.30
NordVPN is the unbeatable #1 VPN software on the market. The company from Panama uses their local legal situation that no data has to be stored by law. They are so confident in the quality of their software that they even offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.
3 ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN
Review 4.9
from $6.67
ExpressVPN is officially government-proof: A recent incident lead to the fact that some of the ExpressVPN servers were seized by the government, and the investigation had to come to hard stop, after intelligence officers realized that there was no data on the servers.
 

Is hide.me VPN Safe?

Safety is one of the most significant aspects to consider when signing up for service with a VPN. So is hide.me safe? Absolutely. The company’s VPN uses AES-256 encryption as well as some of the most secure protocols available. Additionally, hide.me is one of the few VPN providers that has opened itself up to an independent audit. This means that third-party analysts have confirmed that hide.me does not keep a log of their customers’ activity. All the company does logs is the amount of bandwidth customers use. They also keep track of the email address used to create an account. That’s it.

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How Does hide.me VPN Work?

So how does hide.me VPN work? Most VPNs generally operate in the same way, and hide.me is no exception. Essentially, hide.me routes your internet activity through a remote server (or series of servers) located elsewhere on the planet. This makes it impossible for your internet service provider to monitor your activity, so you can use the internet with complete anonymity.

How to Use hide.me on Android

If you want to use hide.me on Android, there are two ways to go about installing the app. If your device has access to the Google Play Store, installing hide.me is as easy as searching for it in the store and tapping the install button. Otherwise, you can sideload the app by downloading the hide.me VPN APK directly from the company’s website. Some unscrupulous individuals may try to seek out a so-called “cracked” version of the hide.me VPN Pro APK, but signing up for the service legitimately is always the best way to go.

How to Use hide.me for Ubuntu

The instructions for installing the hide.me Ubuntu app are a bit more involved than they are on other platforms. hide.me recommends using OpenVPN, OpenVPN Command-Line, and IPsec IKEv2 protocols, and depending on which one you choose, you’ll find detailed instructions for configuring hide.me to work with your Ubuntu installation

How to Use hide.me for Mac, Windows, & Windows XP

You can download hide.me apps for Windows and macOS from hide.me’s website or from Microsoft’s and Apple’s respective software stores. It’s important to note that version of the hide.me app in the Windows Store is different than the one on hide.me’s website. The version in the Windows Store is only usable on Windows 10 devices, whereas the version on hide.me’s website can run on any machine using Windows 7 or later. Also, it is technically possible to manually configure Windows 10 to use hide.me without installing any software, but it’s not a great experience without hide.me’s UI.

hide.me VPN Pro vs hide.me VPN — What Is the Difference?

One of the most attractive aspects of hide.me is the fact that the company offers a relatively impressive free tier. This tier includes 10 GB of traffic per month using servers in five different countries. This plan precludes customers from using more than one device at a time, but it doesn’t inject advertisements or log any user activity.

hide.me’s Pro tier, on the other hand, includes unlimited traffic and access to all 1,700 of the company’s servers. And instead of limiting users to just one device, subscribers can enjoy up to 10 simultaneous connection through hide.me’s VPN.

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hide.me VPN
hide.me VPN
Review 4.5
from $4.99

hide.me VPN Speed Review & Average Speed When Connected

4.5/5

4.5 out of 5

During our time testing hide.me, we consistently achieved above-average speeds when downloading files, although upload speeds were similar to several other VPNs we’ve reviewed. Sometimes, our initial connection to a server took more than 5 seconds, but once the connection was established, we were good to go for hours on end without interruption.

hide.me Server Locations & Information

4.5/5

4.5 out of 5

At the time of this writing, hide.me operates more than 1,700 servers in 70 locations around the world. This is a relatively modest number of servers compared to other VPNs, but hide.me exclusively uses physical servers, whereas some companies employ virtualized servers.

Does hide.me VPN Keep Logs?

hide.me’s privacy policy clearly states that it does not maintain logs of customer activity. And because the business is based in Malaysia, they are not required to conduct logging by the local government. To back up hide.me’s claims, the company hired an independent auditor, which reviewed and verified that hide.me does not maintain customer logs any of kind.

Is hide.me VPN Reliable?

Although, compared to some leading VPNs, hide.me doesn’t have as many servers in as many locations, we found the VPN entirely reliable throughout the time we tested it. Whether we were watching videos, downloading files, or simply browsing the web, our connection to hide.me’s servers remained consistently strong the entire time.

hide.me VPN Customer Support

4/5

4.0 out of 5

If you ever experience issues with hide.me not connecting, your best bet is to use the company’s ticket-based support system to troubleshoot your connection. hide.me does offer chat-based support, but those support specialists can only assist with billing and account issues. If you need help with something technical, the ticket-based system is the way to go.

hide.me VPN for Streaming

4.2/5

4 out of 5

There’s a lot to like about hide.me, including the fact that the service is compatible with Apple TV, Android TV, and Amazon’s Fire TV products. But when it comes to streaming geographically restricted video service, you’ll likely have better luck with another VPN. Our experience was a bit hit-and-miss — YouTube generally worked worldwide, unlike Netflix, which was far less reliable. Simply put, watching geographically restricted videos is not this VPN’s strong suit.

More recently, additional support has been added to improve the Netflix streaming experience, and BBC, Disney+, and other streaming services are now available.

hide.me VPN Good For Mac & Windows

5/5

5 out of 5

When it comes to compatibility, few VPNs can match hide.me. The company supports all major operating systems, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. And hide.me also works well with BlackBerrys, routers, and most modern gaming consoles. Additionally, hide.me offers an extension for two of the most common browsers. The hide.me Chrome VPN and the hide.me VPN for Firefox can each be installed directly from hide.me’s website.

hide.me VPN for Torrenting

4.5/5

4.5 out of 5

If you spend a significant amount of time torrenting, you’ll be pleased to know that hide.me doesn’t throttle or limit P2P file sharing in any way. Not all of the company’s servers are optimized for P2P sharing, but many of them are hide.me’s apps make it easy to identify the best servers for torrenting.

How Much Is hide.me VPN?

At the time of this review, hide.me’s paid plan is $4.99 per month on a monthly basis. The company is constantly offering discounts to new subscribers, however, so it’s easy to sign up for a reduced rate.

Closing Thoughts: How Good is hide.me VPN?

All in all, hide.me is a fast, reliable, and secure VPN with an independently audited privacy policy. The service is approachable for users who are new to VPNs, yet it also includes tons of settings and features that VPN experts are sure to love. You’re likely to find a better deal if you shop around, but if money’s no object, than hide.me should surpass your expectations.

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hide.me VPN
hide.me VPN
Review 4.5
from $4.99


Stefan

by Stephan Kubrik
digitalwelt Lead Columnist for IT Security

digitalwelt logo

Stephan Kubrik is a Computer Scientist and expert on VPNs and computer viruses. Stephan has been researching for the Fraunhofer Society and has been developing software for the autonomous discovery of computer viruses and trojans using artificial intelligence.

He was previously a Research Associate at the Technical University of Cologne, studied Computer Engineering, and regularly publishes in IT magazines and journals, including the PC Magazine and digitalwelt.


Top VPN Tools | Updated: July 2024

Advertisement: Sponsored Listings
1 CyberGhost VPN
CyberGhost VPN
Review 5.0
from $2.19
The once-in-a-lifetime VPN software CyberGhost is one of the most well-known and fastest on the market. It is also known as the VPN software with the best connectivity to streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO and many more.
2 NordVPN
NordVPN
Review 4.9
from $3.30
NordVPN is the unbeatable #1 VPN software on the market. The company from Panama uses their local legal situation that no data has to be stored by law. They are so confident in the quality of their software that they even offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.
3 ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN
Review 4.9
from $6.67
ExpressVPN is officially government-proof: A recent incident lead to the fact that some of the ExpressVPN servers were seized by the government, and the investigation had to come to hard stop, after intelligence officers realized that there was no data on the servers.
4 RUSVPN
RUSVPN
Review 4.8
from $1.99
Among a sea of VPN provider, RUSVPN emerged offering a reliable, unlimited, and incredibly cheap VPN service that is totally secure. Compatible with most devices and with a network that covers 5 continents, is RUSVPN the best choice for you? We took a closer look.
5 TunnelBear VPN
TunnelBear VPN
Review 4.8
from $4.17
Started in Canada in 2011, TunnelBear stands out amid a sea of serious VPNs with a fun & easy to use interface, free tiered options, and the ability to pay with Bitcoin.
6 Proton VPN
Proton VPN
Review 4.7
from $4
The Swiss company Proton Technologies was already famous for its software ProtonMail. The more reason to have a closer look to to their new flagship ProtonVPN that suddenly began to win over lots of new fans in 2024.
7 IPVanish VPN
IPVanish VPN
Review 4.7
from $3.75
IPVanish VPN is one of the rare VPN tools that are in fact made in the U.S.A. It’s owned by an IT company located in Seattle which makes this software one of the most advanced and reliable in the industry.
8 Surfshark VPN
Surfshark VPN
Review 4.7
from $2.49
Surfshark VPN is one of the most affordable VPN tools in 2024. At the same time, the VPN tool offers one of the most diverse technologies in the VPN market. We have tested one of the best VPN tool newcomers in July 2024.
9 Hide My Ass VPN
Hide My Ass VPN
Review 4.6
from $2.99
What few people know: Hide My Ass is one of the best VPN providers on the market from the company AVG – the largest manufacturer of antivirus software. No wonder their VPN software is of such high quality.
10 vypr vpn
vypr vpn
Review 4.6
from $1.67
Vypr VPN is one of the companies based in Switzerland, where users have high expectations in terms of data protection and privacy. In addition, Vypr VPN was initially created for one purpose only: To outsmart the NSA’s surveillance program called Room 641A. Curious, yet?
11 Avast SecureLine VPN
Avast SecureLine VPN
Review 4.6
from $3.99
SecureLine VPN from the renowned manufacturer Avast is one of the oldest manufacturers of security software and one of the largest security companies in the world. They’ve been around since 1988, so it’s no surprise they offer one of the best VPN’s on the market.
12 Avira Phantom VPN
Avira Phantom VPN
Review 4.5
from $7.00
The German manufacturer Avira knows how to best meet user demand for data protection and anonymity. It’s hardly surprising since Avira is one of the oldest software companies for data security on the market.
13 ZenMate VPN
ZenMate VPN
Review 4.5
from $2.22
Since launching in 2013, there are now over 47 million people worldwide that use ZenMate VPN, and their Google Chrome extension is the #1 VPN extension in the Chrome Web Store.
14 Pure VPN
Pure VPN
Review 4.5
from $2.88
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Hong Kong, PureVPN is a virtual private network (VPN) provider owned and operated by GZ Systems Ltd., a company that develops Android apps.
15 Hotspot Shield
Hotspot Shield
Review 4.5
from $2.99
Among the longest-standing VPNs on the market, Hotspot Shield was created in 2005 by a privacy and security company called Anchorfree until 2019 when the company became part of Pango, a new privacy and security company that also owns 1Password and other privacy-focused apps.
16 VPN Unlimited
VPN Unlimited
Review 4.5
from $3.99
VPN Unlimited may not be a household name, but this affordable VPN service might be a good fit for you — if you can overlook the company’s questionable privacy policy.
17 hide.me VPN
hide.me VPN
Review 4.5
from $4.99
hide.me has been helping users mask their internet activity since 2011 and is a speedy & secure VPN provider that ticks all the boxes for most power users.

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