The hide.me Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about hide.me in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
hide.me
The Insider’s Guide
Malaysia-based VPN with a no-signup free plan and flat renewal prices
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among VPNs, read from hide.me’s own pages.
Made by eVenture Ltd. · checked Oct 17, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from hide.me’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on hide.me’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 17, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 16 of the 16 other VPNs we grade
hide.me is a VPN from eVenture Ltd., based in Malaysia, with apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, smart TVs and Chrome, Firefox and Edge. A free plan needs no sign-up, and Premium covers 10 devices across 92 locations. Paid plans renew at the same price and length as the first term.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about hide.me, taken from its own pages and our grades.
On the free plan there's no account to make, so you install it and connect.
- 1
Best for a free VPN with no sign-up
The free plan runs at restricted speeds, though, and hide.me's own pages disagree on whether its data is capped.
- 2
Paid plans start at $2.69 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $2.69 per month, billed $69.99 every 26 months at the same price on renewal.
- 3
There is a free plan
No sign-up needed: one device, 8 locations and restricted speeds. The pricing page lists unlimited data, though the site's FAQ still says 10GB a month.
- 4
It runs on 5 platforms
macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android, with a browser extension too.
- 5
Renewals at the first-term price
hide.me's pricing guarantee says a plan always renews at the same price and for the same length as the term first bought.
- 6
SmartGuard
Blocks malware, tracking, ads and phishing sites while connected.
- 7
Multihop and port forwarding
Pick separate entry and exit servers to route through two locations, and open ports automatically for games and P2P.
- 8
A 3.0 GPA, above 16 of 16
That is against the other VPNs we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace hide.me you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
hide.me at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $2.69 per month, billed $69.99 every 26 months at the same price on renewal
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
- Made by
- eVenture Ltd.
- Category
- VPNs
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
- Store rating
- 4.5 on the App Store, 7,927 ratings
The report card
Best for a free VPN with no sign-up
hide.me lets you use its free plan without even making an account, and its paid plans renew at the price you first paid, so there's no jump after the first term. The 26-month plan is $69.99 on 10 devices, with port forwarding and a fixed IP. The free plan runs at restricted speeds, though, and hide.me's own pages disagree on whether its data is capped.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | The 26-month plan bills $69.99, so two years cost about $2.92 a month, inside the cheaper quarter of VPNs, and it renews at that same $69.99. The 13-month plan is $54.99, and monthly is $11.99. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Free for good with no sign-up and no card: one device, 8 locations and restricted speeds. The pricing page says unlimited data, though the FAQ still says 10GB a month. If the pricing page is right, one person could live on it. |
| Features | B | 10 devices, 92 locations, the SmartGuard blocker, multihop, port forwarding, split tunneling, a kill switch, WireGuard, IPv6 and an audited no-logs policy. The Bolt speed-up is Windows only, but the core job is covered. |
| Ease of use | B | 4.53 from about 7,900 App Store ratings. On the free plan there's no account to make, so you install it and connect. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android, smart TVs, and Chrome, Firefox and Edge extensions. There's no integration list or API on record, so it stops at B. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who hide.me is for
- Great if you want a free VPN without handing over an email
- Handy when you hate renewal jumps, as plans renew at the price you first paid
- Good for gamers and torrenters who need port forwarding or a fixed IP
Who it is not for
- Tight if you're staying free and need more than one device or full speed
- Pricey if you pay monthly, at $11.99 a month
- Not for you if you want the Bolt speed-up on a Mac or phone, as it's described for Windows only
Good to know
Good for
- People who want a free VPN without creating an account
- Buyers who want the renewal price to match the first term
- Users who need port forwarding or a fixed IP address
Worth knowing
- The free plan allows one device and 8 locations at restricted speeds; Premium is needed for 10 devices and all 92 locations.
- The pricing page mentions 3-, 6- and 36-month terms but links to them only through a coupon checkout, with no price shown.
- Bolt, hide.me's speed technology, is described for Windows only.
- Prices are in US dollars and VAT may be added at checkout.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$2.69
A month to start. There is a free plan too
hide.me has a free plan. Paid plans start at $2.69 per month, billed $69.99 every 26 months at the same price on renewal.
If the pricing page is right, one person could live on it.
Free
$0
One device and 8 server locations at restricted speeds, with the same no-logs policy as paid plans.
1 Month
$11.99
per month
Premium on 10 devices with 92 locations, port forwarding and a fixed IP address. Renews monthly at the same price.
12 Months + 1 Month
$4.23
per month, billed $54.99 every 13 months
The same Premium plan for 13 months at a time; it renews at $54.99 for another 13 months.
24 Months + 2 Months
$2.69
per month, billed $69.99 every 26 months
The same Premium plan for 26 months at a time; it renews at $69.99 for another 26 months.
The free plan
No sign-up needed: one device, 8 locations and restricted speeds. The pricing page lists unlimited data, though the site's FAQ still says 10GB a month.
Read from hide.me on Oct 17, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Longer terms cost less per month
The 26-month plan works out to $2.69 a month and the 13-month plan to $4.23, against $11.99 on the monthly plan. Both renew at the same price.
Stated on hide.me
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
6
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android and Browser extension
Malaysia-based VPN with a no-signup free plan and flat renewal prices. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: vPN, ad and tracker blocking.
The Bolt speed-up is Windows only, but the core job is covered.
- Renewals at the first-term price
- hide.me's pricing guarantee says a plan always renews at the same price and for the same length as the term first bought.
- SmartGuard
- Blocks malware, tracking, ads and phishing sites while connected.
- Multihop and port forwarding
- Pick separate entry and exit servers to route through two locations, and open ports automatically for games and P2P.
- Split tunneling and StealthGuard
- Choose which apps go through the VPN, restrict some apps to VPN-only, and cut the internet if the VPN drops.
- WireGuard, Bolt and IPv6
- WireGuard support, Bolt speed technology on Windows, and native IPv6 so IPv6 traffic does not leak around the tunnel.
- Audited no-logs policy
- The no-logs policy has been independently audited, and hide.me publishes a yearly transparency report.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
- Browser extension
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
hide.me is made by eVenture Ltd.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
16/16
Other VPNs it is graded above
hide.me's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 16 of the 16 other VPNs we grade.
Its paid plans start at $2.69 a month, against a middle price of $5 for the category: 1 of the 15 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 17 VPNs we grade, cut by the letter each got. hide.me’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 11 of 16
- BFree plan and trialAbove 15 of 16
- BFeaturesAbove 5 of 16
- BEase of useAbove 6 of 16
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 16
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 16 VPNs. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. hide.me is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace hide.me you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 16 of the 16 other VPNs we grade. It costs $32.28 a year.
What you could make
- Ad and tracker blocking: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. hide.me’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Windscribe, Proton VPN, Private Internet Access, TunnelBear and Surfshark
The 5 tools hide.me is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Windscribe
Free plan · from $3/mo
VPN with a 10GB free plan and pay-per-location pricing.
- Windscribe is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
Proton VPN
Free plan · from $83.88/yr
Open-source Swiss VPN with a free plan that has no data cap.
- Proton VPN is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.2GPA
Private Internet Access
From $47.88/yr
Open-source VPN with unlimited devices and servers in all 50 US states.
- hide.me has a free plan. Private Internet Access does not.
- Private Internet Access is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.4GPA
TunnelBear
Free plan · from $3.33/mo
McAfee-owned VPN with a 2GB free plan and pay-once multi-year plans.
- Only hide.me lists a Linux app.
- 2.8GPA
Surfshark
Free trial · from $79/yr
VPN with no device limit, sold alone or in security bundles.
- hide.me has a free plan. Surfshark does not, though it has a free trial.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is hide.me free?
hide.me has a free plan. No sign-up needed: one device, 8 locations and restricted speeds.
How much does hide.me cost?
hide.me lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does hide.me work on?
hide.me is available on macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android. It also has a browser extension.
Does hide.me offer any discounts?
hide.me publicly lists the following: Longer terms cost less per month.
How is hide.me rated?
hide.me's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.5 out of 5 from 7,927 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Is hide.me open source?
hide.me is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Who makes hide.me?
hide.me is made by eVenture Ltd.
What are the alternatives to hide.me?
The closest alternatives to hide.me in our directory are Windscribe, Proton VPN, Private Internet Access, TunnelBear and Surfshark.
How does hide.me compare with other VPNs?
hide.me's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 16 of the 16 other VPNs we grade. Its paid plans start at $2.69 a month, against a middle price of $5 for the category: 1 of the 15 others that charge start lower.
Is hide.me good value for money?
ToolGPA grades hide.me B for value for money. On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Could I make my own version of hide.me?
To replace hide.me you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from hide.me’s own pages on Oct 17, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 17, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from hide.me's own pages on 17 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by eVenture Ltd. Prices change, so check hide.me before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
1,858
Tools graded, in 46 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
1,858
tools graded
46
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- hide.me, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/hide-me
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "hide.me: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 17, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/hide-me
Know someone choosing between VPNs?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/hide-me/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded VPNs after hide.me, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- VPNs Insider's GuideEvery one of the 17 VPNs we grade, compared
- PrivadoVPN Insider's GuideVPN with a 10GB free plan and ad blocking on paid plans2.8 GPA
- Proton VPN Insider's GuideOpen-source Swiss VPN with a free plan that has no data cap2.8 GPA
- Surfshark Insider's GuideVPN with no device limit, sold alone or in security bundles2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what hide.me’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. hide.me is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by eVenture Ltd. Prices and plans change: check hide.me before you buy.