HideMyAss VPN came into the scene in 2005 and blew our minds away. It had the largest servers globally, provided online safety and security for its large subscribers, and was the darling of everyone. But before long, this seemingly perfect VPN became enshrined in many controversies, from data leaks to IP address leaks and data logs. These conflicting situations triggered the need to review HMA (HideMyAss) VPN for you thoroughly.
HMA (as it’s called now) rose to its promise to “offer more value for money” in light of all the commotions. It updated its privacy policy and improved its services to win back the trust of its users.
The big question, however, is, has HideMyAss been able to redeem itself?
This extensive HMA VPN review addresses that question following hands-on testing of the latest versions of the VPN’s desktop and mobile apps. You will also find the answers to other pressing questions here, such as:
- How fast is HMA?
- How effective is HMA in China?
- Does HMA protect user’s privacy?
- Will HMA be able to unblock streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Netflix US, and BBC iPlayer?
- Should you invest in the VPN?
After going through this review, you will be able to decide if HMA is worth your time or you should better go with a market leader such as ExpressVPN or NordVPN.
Let’s get started.
Overview of HMA (HideMyAss) VPN
HMA (aka HideMyAss) VPN is capable of unblocking streaming websites at a decent speed. While it used to keep logs, it no longer does. Also, it offers hundreds of servers across the globe and has a strong security layout.
In general, if you are looking for a VPN that allows you to stream videos and surf the internet without data leaks, then HMA is a fine option to consider. It’s also a workaround for those looking to torrent safely. However, it is not ideal for use in countries like China.
| Rank | No. 20 of top 50 in the market |
| Speed rank | 7/10 |
| Average speed | 40 Mbps |
| Video streaming | 4K, HD video quality |
| Streaming | 7/10 |
| Security rank | 9/10 |
| Type of encryption | 256-bit AES |
| Kill switch | Yes |
| Logs data | No |
| Protocols used | L2TP, IPSec, PPTP, OpenVPN |
| Value for money | 8/10 |
| Least monthly subscription cost | $2.99 |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days |
| Website | www.hidemyass.com |
HMA VPN servers and network coverage
The main reason why most users look for VPNs is the liberty to change IP locations. If a service doesn’t offer enough locations, it is simply not worth trying.
HAM VPN surely recognizes this point, which is evident from its diversified network. Interestingly, HMA VPN offers servers from more than 210 countries. This is even more than ExpressVPN that offers 94 countries. At present, their website lists 223 different countries with physical or virtual servers offering over 290 locations.
Now you might think HMA must have thousands of servers to maintain this huge choice of locations. However, in reality, the provider has a very modest network of roughly 1100 servers.
It means that, while it offers more locations, it doesn’t have enough servers from one location. This scarcity of servers isn’t something a VPN should exhibit since it directly affects the servers’ speed due to network congestion.
How fast is HMA VPN?
When I tested HMA VPN’s speed, I wasn’t overly impressed. Its average download rate appeared 40Mbps with substantial latency.
It’s a score that’s a little below the average speed rate compared to other VPN services.
However, I made HD video conference calls and streamed 4K videos without encountering buffering problems or compromising quality.