HMA VPN

If you’re trying to disguise your internet browsing, what better way to do it than Hidemyass? HMA is a fast and beginner-friendly VPN that allows you to bypass some geo-restrictions for streaming and it comes with a seven day free trial which is great if you’re unfamiliar with VPNs.

What is Hidemyass VPN?

Hidemyass or HMA jumped into the market in 2005 and it offers more than 1,000 servers across 290 locations. They have a server in almost every country on the globe which means you’re bound to get what you want if you search long enough.

If you’re trying to bypass geo-restrictions or torrent blocks you’ll certainly find a server somewhere on the planet that grants you the ability to do so.

Better yet, they make it even easier by offering dedicated servers for streaming Netflix with lightning fast speeds and limitless bandwidth. If you’re trying to unblock content in your country, download HMA because it will make it easy for you.

HMA VPN Jurisdiction Information

One of the signs of a good vpn service is a privacy-friendly jurisdiction. Based on the location of the VPN (this one is in the UK) this is not the best jurisdiction because the UK has many data retention laws through a law called the Investigatory Powers Act.

Many Brits have even referred to it as the “Snooper’s Charter” because none of your information is private.

Why is this a bad thing for you if you don’t live in the UK? Well, while Hidemyass says they don’t log your information, someone could come knocking at any moment and demand that the company pass on every bit of information they have.

Your information is unlikely to be completely safe with HMA so we wouldn’t recommend it for complete privacy. But as far as for casual browsing and streaming it should be fine.

How Fast is Hidemyass?

It’s important to understand how using a VPN impacts your browsing speed. Everything you do is being routed through a different IP address to disguise your current one. As a result, the process slows things down a bit. If the VPN has slow download speeds, it will make browsing almost unbearable.

The good news is, Hidemyass has very fast download speeds and in a speed test, the only percentage lost was around 3% of the total download speed. It’s one of the fastest VPNs on the market which makes it a great choice for streaming and torrenting.

One great feature of HMA is their speed test that allows you to see the average speed of a server before joining it. This helps take the thinking out of the equation so you can just ping into the fastest server to save time.

Can You Bypass Geo-Restrictions with HMA?

If we haven’t made this clear yet, the Hidemyass proxy is the ideal choice for streaming because you can bypass geo-restrictions and the streaming speed is so fast you don’t have to worry about low-quality, constant buffering, and many of the other issues you experience with high latency.

You can bypass restrictions to platforms like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime. HMA also has dedicated servers specifically for streaming and they’re super reliable. The problem is, they’re not labeled so you don’t know what streaming services you’ll be able to unblock when you join the server. You have to play around with it and learn as you go.

Can You Torrent with HMA?

First of all, security and anonymity are not HMA’s strongest features.

Secondly, there have been a number of cases where accounts were suspended for torrenting as a result of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

For that to happen, there needs to be some type of tracker that monitors who is torrenting and when.

Hidemyass would be a great choice for torrents because of the lightning fast speed and they even have specific P2P servers for it but it just seems like a “fake front” to get people in the door when in reality, it’s against their terms of service to even torrent anything.

HMA Pricing

We’re not trying to be overly-critical of HMA but their pricing structure quite frankly, sucks.

They only offer a 12-month and a 36-month pricing option. So, if you’re dead set on Hidemyass, go ahead and get the 36-month plan so you lock in a low rate of $3.99 per month for three years.

If you go for the 12-month plan you’re locked in at $6.99 per month for 12-months.

Most VPNs offer a month-to-month which is highly preferable when you’re using a new VPN because you don’t know what to expect. They offer a 30-day money back guarantee but that’s not enough. Sometimes it takes months to figure out if you’ve chosen the right service and if you don’t like HMA after two months, too bad because you’re locked in.

HMA for Business

Now, if you’re shopping for business, they do offer a few unique pricing options:

• 10 connections
  • $12.99 per month (billed yearly at $155.88)
• 20 connections
  • $23.99 per month (billed yearly at $287.88)
• 30 connections
  • $32.99 per month (billed yearly at $395.88)

We think these prices are pretty affordable and they’re not even too bad if you go down to the month-to-month billing. At least they offer monthly for the business plans.

What Devices Does HMA VPN Support?

The good news is that Hidemyass supports a whole bunch of devices so no matter where you need a private network, you’re likely to find one. They’ve got a ton of servers, the speeds are good, and you can pick and choose which device you’d like to re-route. Here are some of the devices you can use:

• Windows
• Mac
• iOS
• Android
• Linux
• Router
• Apple TV
• Android TV
• Chrome
• Firefox
• Playstation
• Xbox
• Roku
• Nintendo

Features of Hidemyass VPN

Let’s take a look at some of the features that make this VPN tick. We’re looking for features that support privacy and security because that’s where HMA is falling short in our book.

Hidemyass Proxy

You get a Hidemyass free proxy extension when you use the service. This helps unblock things like Netflix and it has unlimited bandwidth. The best factor here is that it’s free. The only problem is, you’re limited to a few locations including:

• France
• Germany
• Netherlands
• UK
• USA

While the proxy will re-route your IP address, keep in mind that it doesn’t hide it with a proxy. All you’re doing is moving it somewhere else to bypass a geo-restriction.

HMA IP Checker

Every VPN should come with an IP checker and HMA does. Basically, all this does is let’s you verify whether or not the VPN is working. Once you’re signed in and you flip the switch, you’ll want to know if your IP address is disguised and this will help you do that.

Smart Kill Switch

A kill switch adds another layer of security. In the event that you lose internet connection, the kill switch will automatically close the browser to prevent your data from being leaked. This feature is highly important.

HMA does have one but it’s not available on iOS or MacOS devices which is a huge issue. We assume it will come around at some point but as of right now, no dice for Apple users.

Alternatives to Hidemyass

Here is a list of some of the other best VPN providers on the market today:

• NordVPN – Fast and providing high levels of security
• ProtonVPN – High-speed Swiss VPN
• IvacyVPN – Secure VPN
• Hotspot Shield – Fastest VPN on the market
• FrootVPN – Cheap VPN provider

Conclusion

Choosing the right VPN is important because your security and anonymity are on the line if you make a mistake. Regardless of what types of online activities you’re conducting, digital security is important and we can always use an extra line of encryption and protection to keep our data safe and our browsing private.

While Hidemyass might not be perfect, it is a great choice for streaming and it offers a ton of servers all over the planet so you’re sure to experience rapid fast download speed everywhere you go.

If you’re interested, you can download HMA or HMA Pro VPN by clicking here.