Hide.me

Network security and web browsing anonymity are vital as never before. Preventing IP and DNS leaks means keeping confidential information safe. VPN applications are one of the best instruments in this regard. Hide.me is a universal solution for all popular operating systems and mobile devices. It is made to protect Internet connection and access geographically blocked services. The goal of this Hide.me review is to inspect all sides of it, benefits and disadvantages, and see how it performs.

Specifications

Thanks to interface languages selection, Hide.me can cover a massive number of users. Besides Linux, Windows, or Mac, there are Android or iOS apps, as well as extensions for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. It can also be installed on routers and Amazon Fire TV.

Desktop app

The program has a friendly interface and connects just in one click. In the left bottom we see the IP address in use. Click the Change button next to it to view the list of available servers. Keep in mind that the free version doesn’t allow you to change servers manually, rather selecting the most suitable one automatically.

All security features divided into 5 categories:

1. Auto Connection. It can be applied in 3 instances: secure Wi-Fi, unsecure Wi-Fi, and default Ethernet. Particular actions for each can be set, e.g. Ask, Enable, Disable, Ignore Network.
2. Split Tunnel. Ability to apply VPN protection for specific programs only, or vice versa - exclude programs from secure connection.
3. Kill Switch. Automatically turns off the Internet access when a connection to a chosen VPN server is broken. Additional options are reconnect and disable a local network.
4. Stealth Guard. Advanced kill switch, so to speak. Set limits on in and out traffic by specific programs, even without Hide.me VPN running.
5. VPN Protocol. IKEv2, OpenVPN, SoftEtherVPN, SSTP are free to use, while WireGuard is only for Pro customers. The latter provides high-level cryptography.

Additional desktop app settings can help optimize the performance, e.g. set a custom DNS server, choose “best location” options (best ping, nearest location, lowest load), etc. 

Browser extension

Hide.me VPN for Google Chrome and Mozilla FireFox comes with 3 free servers - Canada, Germany, Netherlands; as well as the automatic option (uses a server with a lowest ping). Default settings include 3 options (on/off): WebRTC, SOCKS, and Proxy. Unfortunately, the last option doesn’t work. Also, servers have a high ping and low connection speed.

iOS app

Application has a positive rating (4.7/5) and a lot of user reviews. The interface looks similar to the desktop app in both aspects - user experience and settings. It provides 4 protocols: IKEv2, UDP, TCP, and WireGuard (paid). Kill switch and Auto-connect options are included as well, although there is no possibility to change free location manually. Connection speed is limited to 20 Mbps. The app is available in 19 languages.

Privacy policy

Hide.me doesn't keep logs of users' sessions, browser history, web surfing behavior, or any type of information. Same conditions apply to incoming/outcoming IP addresses and session duration. The only collected information is user email, which is stored encrypted on the developers secure servers. There are no requests for users real name, physical location, or any personal data. Check more details on the official website

Locations and servers

The information on the official website says that Hide.me VPN provides 72 different locations and 1800 servers, but in fact these numbers aren’t realistic. Actually this app offers 63 locations in 49 countries.

As for the number of servers, we can’t check it properly because of physical impossibility. The vendor probably indicates such a number (1,800) due to 1 IP address supporting over 200 connections. Each connection would have different IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, so that’s the trick.

As we see from the example above, the basis of both connections is the same (IPv4 - 217.138.194.XX; IPv6 - 2001:ac8:20:222:XXX::1), but the last number is different. Due to this property, every modern VPN software can include thousands of servers, and Hide.me is no exception.

Performance testing

To check the program efficacy, we’ve conducted a few essential tests.

SpeedTest - however, it is impossible to inspect the download and upload speed objectively, as each free server has restrictions (20 Mbps down / 5 Mbps up). In regards to ping, Germany (Frankfurt) shows the best results - 20.3 ms average. To get the final ping index, we’ve performed 3 tests using each server.

DNS Leak Test - Hide.me has successfully passed it by each location. We’ve chosen the extended mode that performs 6 query rounds. There are no DNS leaks.

BrowserLeaks / Geo Test - perfect results. All tested servers disguise the real physical address of a user. There are no errors, and the website displays the same information as set in Hide.me.

BrowserLeaks / IP Test - pass. None of chosen locations have troubles or experience the real IP address leak. Provided data fully matches the location and IP address set in Hide.me application.

BrowserLeaks / WebRTC Test - each server copes with this task well. Only IPv4 and IPv6 addresses are visible externally, which is a positive result.

Blacklist Status - the worst value doesn’t fall lower than 95%, and this is outstanding. Free locations by Hide.me are fit for constant use, and are not banned by most services. 

Technical support

Contact with the support team is possible in 2 ways: via the web form on the website and via the Support tab within the desktop program. Replies are quick. In our case, we’ve got a step-by-step guide on fixing desktop app updating problems in 4 minutes. 

P.S. When contacting through the program, we recommend turning on such options as “Send logs and system diagnose report” and “Run advanced diagnostics and perform speed test” in the Support tab. It can help to solve problems faster.

Pricing

At the moment of this review (January 2021) Hide.me provides 3 types of paid licenses: 1-month ($13), 6-month ($5), and 12-month ($3.3 monthly) plans. There is also a possibility to download the free app version, but it requires account registration. Besides, it has limited features and connection speed, as well as a trial period - 30 days. Payment methods are really flexible as they support different credit cards (Amex, Visa, Mastercard, Diners Club), PayPal, SEPA, SOFORT, bank transfer or cryptocurrencies.

Conclusion

Hide.me VPN free version is quite acceptable for simple web surfing, yet low connection speed won’t be suitable for films or videos in high quality. Pricing is competitive. Full version provides all essential features including kill switch, split tunneling, AES 256-bit encryption. As our tests show, there are no IP and DNS leaks, so you have no reasons to worry about personal information safety.