Hide.me is safe for everyday use and suits torrenting and budget streaming. The 30-month plan costs $2.33 per month ($69.99 upfront, same price at renewal). Paid servers unblock Netflix US, Hulu and BBC iPlayer in HD and keep 97.7% of download speed on average across 11 locations. StealthGuard cut off qBittorrent when our VPN dropped. Hide.me scores 7.3/10, and its main trade-off is the $69.99 upfront payment.
1. Quick verdict and score breakdown
Hide.me is a strong pick for torrenting and budget streaming, with a fixed low price and a broad toolset. It scores 7.3/10 across nine categories. Its best results are speed, torrenting and apps, and its lowest are gaming and live-chat . See how every VPN is scored in How we test and review VPNs.
VPN Score: 7.3/10 Hide.me - A Power-User's Privacy Toolkit Best for: affordable torrenting and HD streaming.
Attribute
Hide.me
Safelyo rating
7.3/10
Starting price
$2.33/mo (30-month plan)
Money-back guarantee
30-day money-back
Free trial / Free plan
Free plan: unlimited data, 1 connection, 8 locations
Servers and countries
2,600 servers in 57 countries
Simultaneous connections
10 devices (free plan: 1)
Jurisdiction and owner
Malaysia (eVenture Ltd)
No-logs policy
Securitum no-logs audit (2024); DefenseCode security audit (2015)
Protocols and encryption
WireGuard (ChaCha20), OpenVPN (AES-256 per hide.me), IKEv2, SSTP, SoftEther; Bolt
Streaming
Paid: Netflix (11 libraries), BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video, Max, ITVX.
Free: blocked
Torrenting / P2P
Paid plan, P2P on all servers; SOCKS5, dynamic port forwarding
Speed
Paid: 195.6 Mbps average across 11 locations (97.7% of baseline). Free Amsterdam server: 2.24 Mbps from Vietnam
Apps & Extensions
Windows, Android, iOS, macOS, Linux, Smart TV, routers, browser extensions Windows and iOS reviewed
Customer support
24/7 live chat, support tickets, email (per hide.me)
The overall score is the weighted sum of all nine categories (7.34, rounded to 7.3). See how every VPN is tested and scored in How we test and review VPNs.
Pros
- StealthGuard blocks chosen apps when the VPN drops.
- Paid servers kept 97.7% of download speed on average across 11 locations.
- Netflix US, Hulu and BBC iPlayer stream in HD on paid servers.
- P2P is allowed on all paid servers, with SOCKS5 and dynamic port forwarding.
- Same price and duration at renewal, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Five protocols (WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, SSTP, SoftEther) plus Bolt.
- RAM-only servers, confirmed in the latest Securitum report.
- DNS, WebRTC and IPv6 tests passed on the Windows app.
Cons
- The best price needs $69.99 paid at once for 30 months.
- 2,600 servers in 57 countries is a smaller network than the largest providers.
- Upload speed fell to 12–23 Mbps on the Singapore, Brazil, France and UK servers.
- The Kill Switch is off by default in the iOS app.
- Latency reached 237 ms on the Amsterdam server from Vietnam.
- Live chat did not answer our protocol and Bolt questions.
2. Pricing, refund and free plan
Score: 8.5/10
Hide.me costs $2.33 per month on the 30-month plan ($69.99 upfront), and the official page promises the same price and duration at every renewal. All plans carry a 30-day money-back guarantee. The cost risk is the upfront payment, not a price hike.
2.1. Pricing, refund
| Plan | Billing | Effective monthly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | $11.99 per month | $11.99 |
| 16 months (12 + 4 free) | $54.99 every 16 months | $3.44 |
| 30 months (24 + 6 free) | $69.99 every 30 months | $2.33 |
| Free | No credit card required | $0 |
Prices checked on the official hide.me page on Nov 4, 2026.
Paying monthly for 30 months would cost $359.70, so the 30-month plan saves $289.71 (about 81%). The 16-month plan saves $136.85 (about 71%). Prices are in USD and VAT may apply. Verify on the official hide.me page before purchase.
All plans carry a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you can cancel anytime. Request a refund in writing by ticket or email and pay with PayPal or a credit card, so you keep a timestamped record and can open a dispute if a valid refund is refused.
2.2. Free plan reality check
The free plan gives unlimited data, 8 locations and 1 connection with no credit card, but it blocks streaming and P2P. The free Amsterdam server delivered 2.24 Mbps from Vietnam, enough for email and messaging.
| Feature | Free | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Data | Unlimited | Unlimited data and bandwidth |
| Locations | 8 | 57 countries, 2,600 servers |
| Devices | 1 connection | 10 simultaneous connections |
| Streaming support | No | Yes |
| P2P / torrenting | No | Yes, on all servers |
| Dynamic port forwarding | No | Yes |
3. Ownership, jurisdiction and no-logs claims
Score: 6.5/10
Hide.me is owned by eVenture Ltd in Labuan, Malaysia, outside the 5, 9 and 14 Eyes alliances Securitum published a no-logs audit of hide.me in 2024, and the latest report confirms RAM-only servers. A 2015 security audit by DefenseCode is also on record. Securitum is an independent security firm.
Hide.me does not log your original IP, browsing activity, connection timestamps, VPN server IP or device information. It stores per-user bandwidth and your account email, and it uses a random username and internal IP per connection for troubleshooting, deleted after a few hours. Anonymous payment with crypto is supported.
4. Security features: protocols, Multihop, StealthGuard, Bolt and leak tests
Scores 6.5/10
Hide.me offers five main protocols (WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, SSTP, SoftEther), Multihop, StealthGuard app blocking and Bolt (TCP over WireGuard). StealthGuard cut qBittorrent when the VPN dropped, and DNS, WebRTC and IPv6 tests passed on the free Windows app. Two points need attention: the Kill Switch is off by default in the iOS app, and the dashboard briefly showed our real IP after the laptop woke from sleep.
4.1. Protocols and encryption
WireGuard and OpenVPN are the protocols to use. Legacy protocols are weaker and should stay on router setups only.
| Protocol | Notes |
|---|---|
| WireGuard | Uses ChaCha20 |
| OpenVPN (UDP/TCP) | Hide.me states AES-256 |
| IKEv2, SSTP, SoftEther | Available |
| L2TP, PPTP | Legacy, router use only |
4.2. Multihop, StealthGuard and Bolt
StealthGuard blocked our torrent client when the VPN dropped. We bound qBittorrent to it and disconnected the VPN; the client lost internet access while the browser kept working.
Multihop routes traffic through two servers, and setting up a custom entry and exit pair in the app was simple. Bolt (TCP over WireGuard) kept the connection up on a restrictive coffee-shop Wi-Fi in one session and on a stable home network it did not always add speed.
4.3. Apps and user experience (iOS and Windows)
The iOS app prioritizes ease of use with a minimal layout, featuring single-tap connection, automatic server selection, and core security controls like SmartGuard and Kill Switch. Meanwhile, the Windows version offers a data-dense dashboard with instant IP monitoring and structured server filtering (Standard, Streaming, and Multihop) for more control.
The Kill Switch was off by default in the iOS app, so we enabled it manually; the Windows app had IP Leak Protection on (section 4.4). The iOS settings show no Bolt option and no split tunneling, and a yellow free-plan banner sits at the top of the iOS home and location screens.
4.4. Leak tests: DNS, WebRTC, IPv6 and kill switch
Hide.me passed our DNS, WebRTC and IPv6 leak tests on the free Windows app connected to Amsterdam servers (45.144.196.29 and 45.144.196.123 in different tests). The dashboard briefly showed our real IP after the laptop woke from sleep, while ipleak.net showed no leak.
| Test | No VPN | Hide.me connected | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNS leak | ipleak.net: 4 resolvers, Google LLC (Singapore, India) | dnsleaktest.com, 6 query rounds: 1 resolver, RoyaleHosting, Amsterdam | Pass |
| WebRTC | ipleak.net: exposed our real ISP-assigned IP (Vietnam, redacted) | BrowserLeaks: public IPs 45.144.196.29 and 2a0b:64c0:f800:0:69b::1, no local IP leak | Pass |
| IPv6 | ipleak.net: IPv6 not reachable | test-ipv6.com: 2a0b:64c0:f800:0:69b::1 (RoyaleHosting BV, NL) | No leak detected |
| Kill switch, sleep/wake | Not applicable | IP Leak Protection on; ipleak.net reloaded right after wake showed no real IP | Pass with caveat |
BrowserLeaks flagged that the WebRTC IP differs from the remote IP because it also lists the VPN’s IPv6 address. Both addresses resolve to the Netherlands. BrowserLeaks lists the VPN’s IPv6 address next to the public IP.
Ipleak.net reloaded right after wake showed no real IP, but the dashboard showed our Vietnamese IP for a moment before the Amsterdam IP appeared. The Windows Kill Switch tab shows IP Leak Protection (on), an IP whitelist and Allow local network connections (on). StealthGuard stopped qBittorrent in our test.
5. Servers: 2,600+ servers, RAM-only claim and ownership
Score: 6.5/10
Hide.me operates 2,600+ physical servers in 57 countries, concentrated in Europe and Asia, and every server runs RAM-only.
| Region | Countries |
|---|---|
| Europe | 30 |
| Asia | 14 |
| South America | 5 |
| North America | 3 |
| Africa | 3 |
| Oceania | 2 |
City-level servers exist in 7 countries, including 14 US states (useful for sports blackouts) and 6 Australian cities. Africa is limited to South Africa, Egypt and Morocco, and Central America has no servers. Hide.me states it runs self-managed bare-metal infrastructure.
6. Hide.me Speed
Score: 9.0/10
Hide.me is fast on paid servers, averaging 195.6 Mbps across 11 locations and keeping 97.7% of the 200.19 Mbps no-VPN download speed. Dallas was the fastest server at 236.87 Mbps, and the UK was the slowest at 159.76 Mbps (79.8% retention). Upload fell harder than download, averaging 73.4 Mbps against an 81.53 Mbps baseline.
| Server location | Download (Mbps) | Upload (Mbps) | Ping (ms) | Speed retention (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No VPN | 200.19 | 81.53 | 4 | 100% |
| USA (Dallas) | 236.87 | 113.50 | 9 | 118.3% |
| USA (Miami) | 188.23 | 95.16 | 116 | 94.0% |
| USA (Los Angeles) | 192.36 | 69.66 | 41 | 96.1% |
| USA (New York) | 197.13 | 88.64 | 46 | 98.5% |
| Canada | 193.35 | 44.12 | 43 | 96.6% |
| Brazil | 174.22 | 17.71 | 147 | 87.0% |
| UK | 159.76 | 23.45 | 108 | 79.8% |
| France | 216.64 | 21.46 | 118 | 108.2% |
| Japan | 192.22 | 143.63 | 142 | 96.0% |
| Australia | 210.38 | 177.35 | 188 | 105.1% |
| Singapore | 190.43 | 12.28 | 208 | 95.1% |
| Average (11 locations) | 195.6 | 73.4 | 106.0 | 97.7% |
Retention above 100% (Dallas, France, Australia) reflects normal test variance, not a speed gain from the VPN.
That average is enough bandwidth for 4K streaming, torrenting and large downloads. Nine of the 11 servers kept 94% or more of the baseline download speed, and only the UK (79.8%) and Brazil (87.0%) dropped below 90%.
Distance affects latency more than download speed. US servers answered at 9 to 116 ms, with Dallas adding just 5 ms over the 4 ms baseline. Europe ran at 108 to 118 ms, and Asia-Pacific at 142 to 208 ms, with Singapore the highest. Download speed stayed above 190 Mbps on every Asia-Pacific server.
Upload speed is the weak point on four servers: Singapore (12.28 Mbps), Brazil (17.71 Mbps), France (21.46 Mbps) and the UK (23.45 Mbps) kept less than 30% of the baseline upload, which matters for video calls and cloud backups. Five servers matched or exceeded the baseline: Dallas, Miami, New York, Japan and Australia.
7. Hide.me Gaming
Score: 3.8/10
Hide.me suits casual and turn-based games, but fast-paced online games are not enjoyable on distant servers. Our test from Vietnam to an Amsterdam server showed 237 ms latency (74 ms without VPN), nearly triple the 80 ms top of our Casual Only band. The best result was stability, with 0% packet loss and 3.7 ms idle jitter.
7.1. Latency and Jitter on the Amsterdam Server
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Idle latency | 237 ms (no VPN: 74 ms) |
| Latency under download / upload load | 233 ms / 238 ms |
| Idle jitter | 3.7 ms |
| Jitter under download / upload load | 105 ms / 10.9 ms |
| Packet loss | 0% |
| Cloudflare gaming score | 2 out of 5 (Poor) |
Gaming metrics on the Amsterdam server, Cloudflare Speed Test from Vietnam (Oct 2026).
Latency grows with distance, so connecting to a far-away server makes fast-paced games such as Valorant or Counter-Strike 2 unplayable. Jitter under download load rose to 105 ms, a sign of bufferbloat, so a background download makes lag worse. Turn-based and card games remain practical.
7.2. Console, Cloud Gaming and DDoS Protection
Hide.me states it protects gamers against DDoS attacks. Cloud gaming services are a poor fit for this VPN, because their streams need low latency and only a server in your own country or a neighboring one keeps delay tolerable. Paid servers kept 97.7% of download speed on average, so game downloads and updates are not limited by bandwidth.
Hide.me has no Smart DNS, so a console needs a manual router setup, which hide.me does not recommend because it can break the router’s configuration. Split tunneling on Windows, macOS and Android lets you route only the game client through the VPN.
8. Streaming capabilities
Score: 8.0/10
Paid servers reliably access Netflix US and UK. Peacock worked on the 4th attempt on a regular US server, so use a streaming-optimized server. RaiPlay and Mediaset Infinity fail even on Italy-optimized servers.
| Streaming service | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix (US) | Works | HD, no proxy error |
| Netflix (UK) | Works | |
| Hulu (US) | Works | HD |
| Disney+ (US) | Works | |
| Prime Video (US) | Works | |
| Max (US) | Works | |
| BBC iPlayer (UK) | Works | HD, fast playback |
| ITVX (UK) | Works | |
| Sky Go (UK) | Works | |
| DAZN (CA) | Blocked |
9. Torrenting and P2P safety
Score: 9.0/10
Hide.me allows P2P on all paid servers and blocks it on the free plan. Paid servers averaged 9.6 MiB/s in the torrent test (4% speed loss), and a 1 GB test file downloaded in under 2 minutes. We bound qBittorrent to StealthGuard and disconnected the VPN, and the client lost internet access while the browser kept working. Dynamic port forwarding (UPnP, set up manually in the Members Area) and SOCKS5 proxy support are available on the paid plan, and there is no static port forwarding.
10. Customer support
Score: 4.5/10
Hide.me offers 24/7 live chat, support tickets and email, but its live chat gave a generic answer to our technical questions. The agent replied only after a follow-up message, and our questions about the best protocol and whether to enable Bolt went unanswered.
We asked which protocol and server location give the best speed, and whether to turn on Bolt. The only advice we received was to connect to the nearest server location. A reply that skips protocol and Bolt guidance is below what users on a $69.99 plan should expect from live chat.
11. User reviews
Hide.me holds 4.2/5 on Trustpilot (1,025 reviews), 4.5/5 on Google Play (39,100 reviews) and 4.5/5 on the App Store (8,100 reviews). Complaints focus on slow support responses and occasional account blocks. One July 2026 review describes an account frozen for about a month after auto-renewal for “weird connection patterns”. A few reviews call the Linux CLI malware, and hide.me states the CLI is open source on GitHub (Nov 4 2026).
| Platform | Rating | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot | 4.2/5 | 1,025 |
| Google Play | 4.5/5 | 39,100 |
| App Store | 4.5/5 | 8,100 |
12. Hide.me alternatives for audited no-logs and streaming
Choose NordVPN for advanced security and streaming, Surfshark for unlimited devices, ExpressVPN if streaming reliability matters most, and Proton VPN if you want a free plan with published audits. Proton VPN is the closest match to Hide.me.
| Alternative | Pricing (2-year plan) | Key Features | Streaming Support | No-Logs & Audit | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | From $3.39/mo | Meshnet, Threat Protection, Double VPN, 6,000+ servers | Excellent (Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Prime) | Deloitte-audited, RAM-only | Users wanting top-tier speed, advanced security, and seamless streaming |
| ExpressVPN | From $2.99/mo | Lightway protocol, Smart DNS (MediaStreamer), intuitive UI | Industry-leading (Reliable access to global libraries) | KPMG-audited, RAM-only | Users prioritizing smooth performance, simple setup, and consistent streaming |
| Surfshark | From $2.49/mo | Unlimited device connections, CleanWeb, Camouflage Mode | Excellent (Netflix US/UK, Disney+, HBO Max) | Deloitte-audited, RAM-only | Families or users with multiple devices seeking maximum value |
| Proton VPN | From $3.49/mo | Free plan (unlimited data), Secure Core, NetShield, Open-source | Great (Paid plan unlocks 10+ streaming platforms) | Independently audited, Swiss privacy laws | Privacy purists and users wanting a high-security VPN with a solid free tier |
13. FAQs
Is hide.me safe?
Yes, hide.me is safe for everyday use. It is based in Malaysia, runs RAM-only servers and published a no-logs audit by Securitum in 2024. For high-risk needs, check that the audit scope matches your threat model.
Is hide.me still free?
Yes, a free plan exists with unlimited data, 8 locations and 1 connection, and it needs no credit card. It blocks streaming and P2P.
Where is hide.me from, and is Malaysia in the 14 Eyes?
Hide.me is run by eVenture Ltd in Labuan, Malaysia, outside the 14 Eyes.
Will hide.me raise the price at renewal?
No. Hide.me states the same price and duration at every renewal.
Does hide.me work for Netflix?
Yes, on the paid plan: Netflix US, Hulu and BBC iPlayer stream in HD, and the free plan does not support streaming.
Is hide.me good for torrenting?
Yes, on paid servers. P2P is allowed on all paid servers, and StealthGuard stopped our torrent client from reaching the internet when the VPN dropped. P2P is not allowed on the free plan.
Is hide.me good for gaming?
Not for fast-paced games on distant servers: our Amsterdam test from Vietnam showed 237 ms latency.
Is hide.me support good?
Mixed. Our live-chat test scored 4.5/10: the agent replied only after a follow-up and gave a generic answer.
Does hide.me leak my IP, DNS or WebRTC?
No. No DNS, WebRTC or IPv6 leak appeared in our tests on the free Windows app (Amsterdam servers). The dashboard briefly showed our real IP after the laptop woke from sleep.
14. Final verdict
Hide.me is a strong pick for torrenting and budget streaming. Its biggest strengths are StealthGuard, fast paid servers (97.7% average download retention across 11 locations) and a fixed $2.33 monthly price. Its biggest trade-off is the $69.99 upfront payment. It fits torrent users, tinkerers and budget buyers, while competitive gamers should look elsewhere.
