Hide.me and ProtonVPN differ in how they sign up new users and in how they think about privacy. Hide.me is built around a free tier and technical customization. ProtonVPN was started by privacy advocates. It draws on…
Malaysia-based VPN supporting WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, SSTP and SoftEther. Suits technical users who value protocol choice over reliable streaming.
ProtonVPN is a Swiss VPN from the Proton Mail team with open-source apps and a free tier that has no data cap or ads. It suits privacy-first users.
Hide.me and ProtonVPN differ in how they sign up new users and in how they think about privacy. Hide.me is built around a free tier and technical customization. ProtonVPN was started by privacy advocates. It draws on Swiss engineering and has a comprehensive free tier.
Both free tiers are generous in different ways. Hide.me gives you 10GB of data a month with access to 5 server locations. ProtonVPN gives you unlimited bandwidth (speed-limited) across 3 countries. ProtonVPN is well ahead on privacy credentials, with Swiss privacy laws, open-source applications and independently audited infrastructure.
Hide.me offers detailed protocol customization and stealth options. ProtonVPN focuses on Secure Core routing and privacy tools that are easy to use. Streaming results are inconsistent on both, though ProtonVPN has recently made more effort toward geo-unblocking.
The apps differ a lot. ProtonVPN's are more privacy-focused and built to Swiss engineering standards. Hide.me's offer the technical depth and customization options that power users like. ProtonVPN puts privacy first as a business, while Hide.me is a traditional tech company with a freemium model.
Both set device limits by tier, though ProtonVPN's plans are more clearly built around privacy features.
| Feature | Hide.me | ProtonVPN |
|---|---|---|
Ad & Tracker Blocking | ||
Anonymous Payment Methods | ||
Connection Protocols | ||
Custom VPN Protocols | ||
Customer Support Availability | ||
Dedicated IP Option | ||
Encryption Standard | ||
Independent Audits | ||
IPv6 Leak Protection | ||
Kill Switch | ||
Multi-Hop | ||
No-logs Policy | ||
Open Source Apps | ||
RAM-only Servers | ||
Simultaneous Connections | ||
Split Tunneling | ||
Streaming Support | ||
Support Channels | ||
Torrenting Support |
Your privacy priorities and technical needs should decide this. Choose Hide.me if you want technical customization and detailed control over protocols. It suits people who like flexible free and paid options from a company with a traditional business approach. Choose ProtonVPN if you want Swiss privacy laws, unlimited free bandwidth and apps designed around privacy. It suits people who want a service built on thorough security principles. Privacy advocates looking for a principled service will find ProtonVPN's credentials stronger. Technical users who want to customize will find Hide.me more flexible.
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