HideMyAss! (HMA) VPN review
Our Verdict
HMA'due south extensive network of servers, verified no-logs policy, useful apps and interesting characteristic-set make the venerable VPN a solid choice today, but its relatively high price and issues with content unblocking go along it from the top spot.
For
- Incredibly wide server network
- Some defended P2P servers
- 24/7 live chat support
- No-logging policy
Confronting
- Cheaper comparable VPNs exist
- No Netflix unblocking
Tom's Guide Verdict
HMA's extensive network of servers, verified no-logs policy, useful apps and interesting characteristic-gear up make the venerable VPN a solid choice today, but its relatively high price and issues with content unblocking continue it from the summit spot.
Pros
- +
Incredibly wide server network
- +
Some dedicated P2P servers
- +
24/7 live chat back up
- +
No-logging policy
Cons
- -
Cheaper comparable VPNs exist
- -
No Netflix unblocking
HideMyAss! (HMA) is one of the longest-standing VPN companies out there with a xv-yr history, and information technology'southward now owned by security powerhouse Avast. That's a skilful thing as it means a certified no-logs policy for superb levels of privacy.
The servers of HMA, having grown for a decade and a half, are some of the near widely sprawling of any service, now available in over 210 countries. The apps are as well decent in coverage with all the major platforms covered.
This HideMyAss! (HMA) review volition lay out all yous demand to know about this VPN to determine if it'due south the one for yous.
- Sign up now on the HMA website
HideMyAss! (HMA): Latest updates
There's non a huge amount to report on since our last review, although it's noticeable that HMA'southward server count has gone down from one,100 to ane,080. That might look meagre compared to others, simply as always, information technology's quality over quantity. And with those 290 locations beyond 210 countries, information technology's leading the way in coverage.
Information technology's worth likewise noting that the latest round of speed testing has revealed the service is working faster than our last tests.
On the downside, it however won't unblock Netflix, and then it appears this isn't getting fixed anytime presently.
HideMyAss! (HMA) on newspaper
Supported platforms: Window, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, routers, Apple Tv set, Android TV, Chrome, Firefox
Supported protocols: OpenVPN UDP & LCP, L2TP, PPTP
No. of servers: 1,080+
No. of countries: 210+
State of registration: U.k.
Payment options: Credit card, PayPal
Existent proper noun necessary? No
Encryption protocol: AES-256
Data usage: Unlimited
Bandwidth usage: Unlimited
Max. no. of simultaneously connected devices: Five/10
Customer support: 24/7 conversation and email
Privacy policy: No logging
How much does HMA cost?
Full details of HMA pricing plans are curiously difficult to find. Upon visiting the pricing folio, you lot might think the visitor only offers a VPN free trial, a 12-month plan, and a 36-month program, only hidden deep in the website y'all'll besides notice two-year plans, business plans, and family plans.
You can start with a complimentary seven-day trial, but you'll have to hand over your payment details in advance before you can effort the service. If you don't abolish the subscription within vii days, you'll automatically exist charged for a 12-calendar month program. Thankfully, information technology'south like shooting fish in a barrel to abolish your trial, and you'll still be able to use the VPN for the total seven days.
For five connections you'll pay, on a 12-calendar month plan, $4.99 per calendar month, billed equally $59.88 at once. Jump that to 10 connections and information technology'll be $7.99, at $95.88 annually.
Jump to a 36-month programme, for 5 connections, and it'll cost you $2.99 per month at $107.64 billed at once. Or extend to the ten connexion selection for $5.99 per month charged at $215.64 every three years.
There'south also a 24-month option but this is for the x connections pick only. This is volition cost y'all $6.99 per month billed at $167.76 every two years.
The family program lets you lot connect to 10 devices at once, only information technology starts at $7.99 per month for the annual plan, is $6.99 per month for the 2-yr option, and is $5.99 per month for the 3-yr program. And then, aye, this is identical to the normal plans, they're just calling it a family plan.
Business plans extend this to even more simultaneous connections ($12.99/mo for 10, $23.99/mo for 20, $32.99/mo for 30) and tailored quotes are available on request.
While the longer basic plans offer decent value for coin, HMA cranks up the price of its family unit plans simply to increase the number of connections – and in the grand scheme where some providers are offering unlimited connections on basic plans that are cheaper than HMA's, it'south difficult to justify paying almost double just for extra connections.
- More: Grab yourself a bargain with the best cheap VPN
How private is HMA?
HMA has a few relatively unique features hidden away in the preferences menu. Y'all can make the VPN connect whenever yous access the cyberspace, and you can also gear up your IP address to change automatically at a defined interval – from every ten minutes to every day.
HMA has not one only two kill switches. The standard kill switch blocks all internet traffic if your VPN fails for any reason. In our testing it worked perfectly, preventing our true IP address from existence leaked when the application was forcibly closed.
Setting upwards an app kill switch will besides terminate specific apps if the connection drops and auto-start the VPN when you launch those programs. That's a really peachy characteristic if you're using it as a torrenting VPN but tin't trust yourself to remember to burn down upwardly your VPN for every session.
The service also boasts a certified no-logs policy. This means that the policy isn't just words on the visitor'south website merely rather this has been audited by an independent company. In this case the audit was carried out by VerSprite in 2020 which gave the VPN a pass with a "depression-risk" user privacy and impact rating.
- More: If yous honey streaming, check out our Netflix VPN list
How practiced is HMA for streaming and torrenting?
HMA does have a few dedicated P2P servers, but it's just that – a few. With five in Europe and 3 in the Usa, you won't have a huge selection. However, we're glad to see any torrenting support at all, so this is however a plus.
You lot'll also be able to ready split tunnelling, which allows you to cull which apps route through the VPN and which use your regular internet connexion – swell if certain apps don't play ball with HMA.
Talking of not playing ball... In the United states, we had issues accessing Amazon Prime Video, Usa Netflix and Disney+, meaning we couldn't stream content from any of these services when continued to HMA. Nevertheless, HMA was able to unblock BBC iPlayer using a UK server.
This could be due to HMA having spread itself quite sparse on the ground server-wise. While its 1,000+ servers are plenty, having them dotted over a huge 210+ countries means that each location has a much smaller number of individual IP addresses to choose from – even the commonly well-populated Netherlands but currently has 38 addresses. Therefore, there'south a much higher chance of it being detected and blocked by streaming providers.
Exercise we have any hope of this improving? Well, the HMA website does have defended Netflix pages, and so at some indicate the make was certainly trying capitalize on this nearly popular of VPN uses. Even so, seeing how much of a struggle even the pinnacle-tier VPNs like NordVPN and ExpressVPN take had recently, we're not hugely hopeful – but you can never rule anyone out in this game.
How good are HMA's apps?
The HMA apps have all recently been updated with brand-new, simplified interfaces. The Windows app now functions like most of the other VPN clients on the market, with an on/off switch, a list of server locations, and a settings dialog.
Unlike many other services, HMA offers non one simply 2 kills switches. So, if your connexion drops, you have a system-wide kill switch offer protection, but also an optional extra kill switch to shut downwardly your chosen processes, like a browser or torrent client for example. In our testing all blocks worked and leaks were prevented.
IP Shuffle is some other stand up-out characteristic for HMA which allows you to modify your IP address without reconnecting. This keeps you more deeply subconscious and can be washed with a uncomplicated Refresh button option. You lot tin can also set the app to automatically modify your IP notwithstanding often you require.
The iOS app is near identical to the Windows client but the Android app packs in more. Split tunnelling is a welcome characteristic which lets you use a VPN IP address on some apps just not on others as you crave – ideal if you want to continue your banking local, for example. The TCP options helps yous potentially improve connection reliability. At that place's too a Contact Support area that lets you send messages inside the app.
How fast is HMA?
When testing the connections themselves, even the most afar locations connected inside five seconds, and while ping times were naturally longer for locations on the other side of the globe, we detected no bug or connection failures. We tested speeds using a variety of speed testing tools and services.
HMA simply supports OpenVPN, and so at that place's obviously no information using other protocols like IKEv2 or WireGuard. On our 1Gbps US line, we got fantabulous speeds of 270-410Mbps. Over to the UK, besides using a 1Gbps line, and results were 340-350Mbps. That'due south upward there with the very best on the market place using OpenVPN, although other services deliver connections more than twice that fact when using WireGuard.
WireGuard tin can ways speeds of over 800Mbps, as is the case for NordVPN and CyberGhost – but unless you take a 1Gbps connection, this may not be a concern for you.
How good is HMA'south back up?
HMA's website offers setup guides, FAQs, a community forum, and a searchable knowledge-base. It'southward not the most comprehensive support site (ExpressVPN has much ameliorate guides and documentation, for instance), just information technology'southward serviceable for most users' needs.
For more complex queries, live 24/7 support is available. Nosotros were able to become answers to our questions from a back up agent within a few minutes, which is in line with the best providers. We're glad HMA offers this, because at present we're used to having live chat, we're not quite sure what nosotros'd do without information technology.
HideMyAss! Final verdict
HMA is a well-established, reliable VPN with an all-encompassing network. Its connection speeds are skilful, the technical support is fast, and the various apps are well laid out – just it doesn't quite offering enough to warrant its premium price.
For those looking for a cheaper and, if we're honest, more reliable service, nosotros'd propose Surfshark. If you're willing to spend a fiddling more for the very all-time, we'd instead propose ExpressVPN.
However, we tin definitely recommend HMA to those who want a VPN that has servers in plenty of unlike nations, equally HMA'south servers in over 210 countries far outstrips the contest. And, with its 30-solar day money-back guarantee, you lot tin can test information technology out risk-free.
- If you don't fancy splashing the cash, check out the best free VPN
- If you're on Android have a look at the best Android VPN...
- ...or if you're an Apple tree fan, browse the best iPhone VPN
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/hidemyass-review
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