Hide My IP VPN Review 2024: Can It Compete with Modern VPNs? (2024)

Hide My IP VPN is a virtual private network (VPN) under the parent company My Privacy Tools, Inc. and was founded in 2006. This VPN provider showed us considerably lower speeds and unreliable servers during our testing. Although the service has been around for a long time as far as VPNs go, it’s still lacking in several areas, including its disclosure of servers, lack of features, and antiquated dashboard

On the plus side, Hide My IP doesn't leak data and has improved its logs policy since we last tested it. It’s running military-grade encryption and boasts a Smart DNS Proxy as its flagship feature. Even with its strong encryption and free Smart DNS Proxy, we’re not sure its outdated dashboard and confusing user interface are worth it.

Pros and cons

Hide My IP VPN overview

Prices as of 06/14/2024.

Our experience

We tested Hide My IP VPN on a MacBook Pro with an M2 chip running the latest macOS software. We tried both the desktop agent and the app. The desktop agent has more clutter that you may not know what to do with, but the app is painfully sparse. Neither was user-friendly. For no-frills VPN enthusiasts, this may be a good option.

We were surprised at how poorly Hide My IP VPN did in the speed tests. Our internet speeds are pretty good, but if we were in an environment like a hotel or a coffee shop, we could see Hide My IP making those Wi-Fi networks unusable.

The testing went well, and Hide My IP is definitely secure. We were even surprised that it unblocked almost all Netflix regional libraries. We were also excited to see that headquarters had moved out of the US and to the Bahamas, which exudes far less control over data.

Overall, there are positives and negatives to the VPN service. For us, the negatives outweigh the positives. We don't think it would be a service we'd use ourselves.

Who is Hide My IP VPN best for?

• Recommended for experienced users who don’t want frills.

Hide My IP VPN is a no-frillsVPNthat offers solid protection— at least when you get a server that connects well. If you do find servers in one of its 141 locations that aren't useable, you can connect quickly to another, and it should work. VPN speeds weren't the best, but we were still able to stream.

Hide My IP VPN is headquartered in the Bahamas. It used to have a dicey privacy policy, but we noticed that it has improved since it moved its headquarters. We couldn't find an independent audit of it, though, so keep that in mind.

Prices and subscriptions

Hide My IP is similarly priced to competitors for its longer terms, but less expensive on a month-to-month basis than other VPNs. Starting at a flat $2.91/mo for one year.

A quarterly subscription plan is also an interesting option because most companies only provide a monthly or yearly subscription. The quarterly option allows you to really test out the VPN service at a low price without a year-long commitment.

If you are ready to plunk down a fee for a year’s subscription, Hide My IP rings in at monthly prices lower thanNordVPN ($3.09/mo (billed every two years)), CyberGhost ($2.03/mo (billed every two years)), or Surfshark ($2.19/mo (billed every two years)).

Hide My IP VPN accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover Card, JCB, Diners Club, PayPal, and Bitcoin as payment methods. It provides a 30-day money-back guarantee on all purchased plans.

Prices as of 06/14/2024.

Features

Hide My IP improved its free app to be more robust, but it's still greatly lacking in features. We couldn't find support for split-tunneling or torrenting, and there was no kill switch on either the Mac desktop or Mac app that we tested. There are three payment options, but the features stay the same no matter what paid option you choose. The payment options are based on your preferences for subscription length.

Server count and countries

• Unlisted servers in 141 locations

There’s a lot of differing information on the server count for Hide My IP VPN. The site itself isn’t easy to navigate or forthcoming with its operational information.

The location count is on par with other VPN services, but we found that not all servers worked. The one we were most surprised by was London, UK. Choosing a capital city should be a no-brainer, but this failed to connect.

No-logs policy and headquarters

• Hide My IP VPN logs policy: No logs
• Hide My IP VPN headquarters: Bahamas

Hide My IP VPN has changed its log policies since we last reviewed it. Now, it's located in the Bahamas, where it was previously in the United States. We also found that the privacy policy states that no logs are kept.

We like that Hide My IP is no longer in aFive Eyes Alliance country. This means it has greater control over what it does and doesn't have to share with the government.

Kill switch

The kill switch is an essential part of any VPN. Hide My IP doesn't offer a kill switch on any of the versions we tested. A kill switch is an essential feature. Since Hide My IP offers products on multiple operating systems and mobile devices, it’s a wonder why this isn't available.

Split tunneling

Split tunneling is when you allow certain kinds of traffic to go through your VPN connection while redirecting other traffic through nothing or a different connection. This is especially helpful for VPNs that don’t unlock streaming content or for certain sites, such as online banking websites, that don’t allow VPN usage. We tried to find any information on Hide My IP’s split tunneling options but there was no indication it was a feature.

Encryption

The type of encryption used by Hide My IP is military-grade AES 256-bit encryption with a 2048-bit key. This means, given our current computing capabilities, it would take more than a billion years to crack this type of encryption. It does use OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols, but you’ll need to be a virtual archeologist to uncover that information. It’s unclear why Hide My IP keeps this information so buried instead of making it easily available.

VPN protocol

As previously mentioned, Hide My IP uses OpenVPN protocols. This is one of the strongest and most reliable ways of transmitting data. There are six protocols you should look for when researching VPNs:

• WireGuard - Windows and iOS
• OpenVPN - All other operating systems

Smart DNS Proxy

The flagship feature, Hide My IP’s Smart DNS proxy, allows you to use its proxy service without any additional downloads. This gives you the option to configure a proxy server for devices that usually don’t have that option, such as gaming consoles. In fact, Hide My IP makes a case that nearly any device that has an IP address (and connects to the internet) can use this feature.

Test results

We tested Hide My IP VPN for speed, IP address leaks, and Netflix watchability. Although it passed most of the tests, we still couldn't connect to Australian Netflix. We test all of these variables so you can get a better understanding of how secure the VPN is and whether it provides the necessary functions you’re looking for in a product.

Speed tests

• Hide My IP VPN speed test results: Passed - sort of

Let’s talk speed. We tested on a Macbook Pro with an M2 chip running the latest version of macOS while on a Wi-Fi connection. Our internet connection is pretty standard, but we realize this may not be the case for everyone. Even though Hide My IP drastically reduced our speeds, we were still able to stream Netflix.

With the exception of the Australian connection, we were able to use the internet normally. Most of the connections were similar to what you'd get in a coffee shop or some hotels. They weren't stellar, but we were still able to use them.

Below are test results of our speed without a VPN connection and then our speed on the Australian server, which was the slowest.

Hide My IP VPN speed test results

Test results as of 06/14/2024.

Netflix tests

• Netflix test results:Pass

Netflix is probably the most difficult streaming service to access with a VPN. Wanting to access Netflix’s regional libraries is a common wish among travelers, enthusiasts, and anyone who enjoys different content. As Netflix continues to crack down on VPNs and password sharing, we anticipate accessing its catalogs will become increasingly difficult.

Hide My IP VPN worked with most Netflix libraries. We had no issues watching a variety of catalogs with the exception of Australia. After turning on our Australian server, we couldn't even access Netflix's site. We're finding accessing Australian Netflix is becoming increasingly difficult with any VPN. If you really want to watch Netflix with a VPN, Hide My IP should work for most regions.

Netflix test results

Test results as of 06/14/2024.

DNS leak tests

• DNS leak test results: Pass

Domain Name System (DNS) is, in plain terms, the internet’s address book. When you’re using the internet, there will be constant DNS requests between your computer and the sites and apps you’re trying to access. A good VPN will make sure your IP address stays hidden, even as you share loads of information in the form of web surfing.

Our tests found that Hide My IP is a solid VPN that doesn’t leak. It passed with flying colors.

WebRTC leak tests

• WebRTC leak test results: Pass

A very brief summary of WebRTC is that it’s a function used by messaging and communication apps such as WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger. It allows those apps to communicate with each other and, therefore, with your intended recipient. These are all fancy terms for a simple answer: It’s how you can video chat or make internet-based phone calls.

If your VPN experiences a WebRTC leak, it means your real IP address shows up when using these applications. Internet-based communication has opened up our world, but it can also leave you vulnerable. Hide My IP is a solid VPN with no leaks. So now you have no excuse not to dial up your cross-country friends.

Compatibility

Hide My IP has decent compatibility with different operating systems and browsers. There’s no reason why most people wouldn’t be able to use this VPN. It has operating system and browser compatibility for the following:

• Windows
• macOS
• Linux
• iOS
• Android
• Chrome
• Edge
• Brave
• Opera
• Vivaldi

Customer support

The customer support for Hide My IP is better than it used to be but we still ran into issues. We had access to the FAQ page, but when we tried to access the Support Center through the main dashboard, we were sent to a broken link.

We tested the live chat feature on the website, which was actually pretty fast. Nick, our agent, answered all our questions to a point. After a while, he stopped responding, and we weren't able to get anyone else to help us. After a few hours, we tried again, but it seems like we're blocked for the time being as it won't even register we've asked a question.

If you do want to reach out directly, you can call toll-free1-866-343-6722 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. PST, Monday through Friday. The Hide My IP support page also encourages you to submit a ticket via the page.

Accountless VPN

The accountless VPN feature is, by far, the most interesting part of Hide My IP’s VPN offerings. You can purchase its VPN service for 25 cents per day, and no identifiers are needed to sign up. This is achieved through Bitcoin payment for a true identity masking experience. Unfortunately, it’s still logging your original IP address and location.

This feature is great for people who may want to try out the paid service before committing to a monthly payment. It’s also useful if you’re traveling and need a VPN for online privacy while using hotel Wi-Fi. The only real downsides to this option are the logging policies and the Bitcoin payment, as no credit cards are accepted for this accountless VPN server. To pay with crypto, you’ll need a service or crypto wallet that allows for payments.

Alternatives

If you're looking for a more intuitive VPN, try one of the alternatives we've listed below. We've tested all of them and would feel comfortable recommending any of the options listed below.

FAQs

Bottom line: Is Hide My IP VPN good?

Hide My IP VPN uses a strong protocol and passed all of our tests, but the problems really come with its speed and availability of servers. It's a secure VPN with competitive monthly pricing. If you’re looking to save money on a VPN, this could be the option for you.

The problems really come with its speed. The speeds dropped way too much for us to consider using this VPN. Couple that with the lack of features across products and the poor support, and you have a product that’s not as strong as other VPNs. Overall, we found the experience using Hide My IP to be frustrating and not worth the time. If you’re still looking for the best VPN for your needs, look to NordVPN or ExpressVPN, which are both trusted in the industry.