HideMyAss VPN Review 2021: Your Are Under-Cover

HideMyAss VPN Global Distribution 

HideMyAss VPN (HMA) is a virtual private network provider based in the United Kingdom and has been owned by Avast since 2016. It has been offering its services since 2005, and now it has more than 1060 servers in 290 locations around the globe. HideMyAss VPN team thinks that using a VPN should not be rocket science so that it has a user-friendly interface with easy-to-use and find tools.

All Features Packed in One VPN!

Features That Have Your Privacy Covered 

• HideMyAss is a no-logs VPN 

No-logs policy is such a relief, but knowing that HMA services are continuously audited and tested by an independent cyber-risk consultant firm VerSprite, it is a great advantage, too. HMA's privacy policy prevents third parties and the company itself from recording, collecting, or seeing your sensitive information. Including the websites you visit, your IP, apps you are running or using, timestamps of your sessions, or any other online queries.

• Advanced Encryption Standards 256-bit (AES 256-bit encryption) 

You may have heard about Military-grade encryption, or in short (AES 256-bit encryption), it is the highest encryption standard used recently and up to the moment. HideMyAss VPN uses AES 256-bit encryption on Windows and Android; they implement it with the OpenVPN protocol. On Mac and iOS, they implement it with IKEv2/IPsec. 

• Smart Kill-Switch

When your connection to a VPN server drops, it is Kill-switch time to save the day; with a VPN includes a kill—switch, you will never have to worry about any leaks that could occur as a result of a VPN disconnection. On windows, you can customize to all apps, or on app-by-app basis.

• DDoS protection

DDoS attacks confuse your device with heavy traffic on your bandwidth, preventing websites from working correctly, or simply hold back your internet speed. HMA servers shield your device against cybercriminals and make sure that your online presence is secure.  

Get A VPN Prevents DDoS Attacks

• Comprehensive Coverage 

With more than 1060 and 290 locations attentively contributed in 190 countries, HideMyAss VPN ensures comprehensive coverage and a wider range of options for people around the world to connect to the internet. Also, it serves the best for people who want to enjoy an unlimited online experience while traveling or existing in any spot around the globe. 

• Never behind the beat

Paying much attention to privacy does not mean giving the cold shoulder to quality because an unlimited online experience with a slow internet connection is not what internet users ask for. HideMyAss core data centers have servers with 20 Gbps. Servers in other locations are capable of 10 Gbps, allowing users to enjoy zero-buffering internet connection.

One more thing to be said here is that HideMyAss VPN provides a new speed test, to evaluate your network speed yourself and pick the location that works the best for you. The speed test also great to find a specific P2P or streaming optimized server.  

• Peer-to-Peer Optimized Servers 

When you want to share files with a decent speed, P2P technologies are the right option. With HMA P2P customized servers, you can enjoy uploading and downloading files without compromising your IP address gets unmasked, with the minimum impact on your connection speed and efficiency.

HideMyAss VPN for Streaming

Nothing better than a secure VPN that also unblocks region-locked content. HideMyAss VPN can do it for you. However, you need to know that your location and how close the servers you use to your physical location makes a noticeable difference. Netflix libraries, for instance, many users find HideMyAss VPN works differently in variable locations. Still, all tests resulted that HideMyAss VPN can unblock Netflix US and Netflix UK without any errors. 

What about other streaming compatibilities, like BBC iPlayer? HideMyAss website claims that their servers can unblock BBC iPlayer live shows, old shows, BBC radio, news channels, BBC ALBA, and more. However, they made things clear on their website, if it does not work abroad, which means outside the UK, then there must be a problem that can be solved with the customer support team assistance, or try connecting to a different server. Watching dark comedies, satirical series, and movies is in a hand-reach with HideMyAss VPN. There are dozens of Amazon originals on Amazon Prime that you can enjoy. You might have error messages when trying to use Disney+ using HideMyAss VPN. Therefore, we recommend using NordVPN or ExpressVPN to ensure that you won't be stopped by an error message or slow internet connection.

Well, all VPN providers claim having a strict privacy policy when it comes to customers’ personal information and logs. However, we do no expect the opposite. If a VPN provider lets a third party put hands on customers’ data, they would never admit it. Even if it went public and people found out about it, they would justify it as being a necessity or that they do not collect any critical data. 

HideMyAss has a transparent and straightforward privacy policy mentioning that they do not keep logs, and the only information they keep is website logs, like IP address, date, time, and the files you viewed. But what for? Read the following snippet from their privacy policy to know the answer.

With that being said, let’s get back to the one-million question, can we trust HideMyAss privacy policy?

To answer that question, we want to make things clear about one of the hacking groups called LulzSec that was behind the break into Sony Pictures website and compromising thousands of people names, passwords, home and e-mail addresses, and date-of-birth. It did not stop at that point. LulzSec started targeting government websites. They were behind taking websites for some big names offline, like the CIA and the UK's Serious Organized Crime Agency (Soca). 

In 2011, a court order was sent to HMA asking for an account involved in the above hacking cases, as it appeared later that one of the hackers was using HideMyAss to hide his real IP address. Unsurprisingly, handing-in personal information to the FBI disturbed many HMA customers and even customers of other VPN providers. On their website, HMA replied frankly to all the concerns and claims, explaining that it is mere nativity to think any VPN provider won’t comply with law enforcement to uncover any criminal acts that threaten both government and people's security.
 

Is that All?

One more problematic issue has been overwhelming HMA customers; it is about the fact that HMA being a subsidiary of the Czech cybersecurity company Avast. Not before 2020 when an investigation by Motherboard and PCMag showed that Avast made a simple equation; using its users' confidential data by selling them to third parties and getting paid in return. Thereby overriding all privacy policies and putting both its reputation and people’s safety, who trusted its services, at considerable risk. 

In the face of the storm, Avast came out to the world with an explanation. The CEO, Ondrej Vlcek, wrote in a blog post about the reason behind acquiring Jumpshot, as an attempt to elevate the data analytics capabilities and take security beyond what is expected. In more detailed justification, Avast asked its users to put their fears away by emphasizing that users’ data were extracted out before handing them off, in a process called “De-identification.”

Avast’s scandal shocked many of Avast’s antivirus users, especially those who use the free version.
 

HideMyAss VPN offers three different plans in terms of subscription duration and the number of connected devices. All plans have servers for streaming and P2P connections, split-tunneling, kill switch, and unlimited bandwidth.

Prices for 5 connections

Prices for 10 connections

Pick Your Plan Now!

Last to Say

We listed out all features, plans, prices, and more about the company and its services to make your choice easier. It is essential to know your purpose and pick what looks suitable for your ultimate goal and interest. 

Give it a kick with the 7-days risk-free trial. If not satisfied, then you will have zero regrets.