Hidden24 VPN promises to offer online safety, integrity, and anonymity, and almost delivers that.
I took the VPN for a full test to see how it performs when it comes to streaming abilities, security, speeds, privacy, and more. I was impressed with its unblocking abilities, decent security measures, and some of the speeds I got.
Sadly, it let me down with its complicated manual setup, unreliable servers, no money-back guarantee, and a pretty concerning privacy policy (or lack thereof). Read on to find out why I wouldn’t personally feel safe using Hidden24.
Short on Time? Here Are My Key Findings
- Doesn’t unblock Netflix. Hidden24 VPN didn’t bypass Netflix’s geoblocks during my tests, but it managed to unblock a few other leading platforms.
- Variable speeds. I only got high speeds on the US server, but other locations slowed me down by up to 83%.
- Small server network. Hidden24 VPN has 100 servers in 7 countries, and some of them didn’t work during my tests.
- Strong encryption. The VPN uses military-grade AES-256 encryption, along with the LT2P/IPSec and PPTP protocols.
- No privacy policy. Hidden24 VPN doesn’t have a privacy policy on its website. It only states that it doesn’t keep logs in its FAQ section.
- Torrenting is allowed. The VPN allows secure P2P transfers, but it doesn’t have a kill switch to protect you even further.
- Only 1 connection. You can only use Hidden24 VPN on 1 device, which is a lot less than the industry standard.
- Manual setup required. Hidden24 VPN doesn’t have native apps, so you’ll have to manually set it up for each device and server you want to use.
- No money-back guarantee. The VPN makes it very clear that it doesn’t offer any type of refunds.
Hidden24 VPN Features — Updated in September 2021
| Price | $5.99/month |
| Does VPN keep logs? | No |
| Number of servers | 100 |
| Number of devices per license | 1 |
| Kill switch | No |
| Based in country | Sweden |
| Support | Via Email |
| Supports torrenting | No |
Streaming — Bypassed Most Geoblocks
Hidden24 unblocked Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, BBC iPlayer, and a few other platforms. However, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video were out of reach.
Since the speeds on the US server were quite fast, I could watch any movie and show in HD — without buffering or interruptions.
Unblocked: Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, YouTube
I had no problems accessing Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and YouTube TV with Hidden24 VPN. The connection was established in just a few seconds and I started streaming immediately.
I could watch BBC iPlayer with no buffering
I was impressed that it unblocked HBO Max, as it has super-strong geoblocks and detects most VPNs.
I could watch The Flight Attendant on HBO Max with Hidden24 VPN
Disney+ and Hulu were also unblocked and the quality was brilliant. I didn’t have to wait for the movies to load and had no errors.
Hidden24 VPN unblocked Disney+
Blocked By: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
I couldn’t unblock Netflix and Amazon Prime Video using the US server. I was expecting some issues with Amazon Prime Video because it has tough geoblocks. Netflix, on the other hand, is usually unblocked by most VPNs.
I couldn’t access my Amazon Prime Video account with Hidden24 VPN
Overall, I am impressed with Hidden24 VPN in terms of streaming. It unblocked most of the platforms I tested and gave me fast enough speeds to watch in HD.
However, it doesn’t have a large number of servers — this means that you’re quite limited and won’t be able to access platforms from all over the world. You can take a look at these streaming VPNs with thousands of servers if you want access to global content.
Speeds — Fast Connections, But Only On Some Servers
Hidden24 VPN impressed me with its fast speeds, but only on the US server.
I started by measuring my base speed — I recorded 37.16 Mbps download, 12.22 Mbps upload, and a ping of 4ms.
The first server I tested was the US one, which gave me similar results to my base connection — this is impressive, as most VPNs will decrease your speed by about 20%. In this case, I noticed a 0.4% increase in my download speed, while the upload dropped by 38%. The ping stood at 120ms, which can be high for gaming, but it’s still great for most online activities.
The US server I tested was particularly quick
The German server I tested connected me to France — this isn’t normal for a VPN and it makes me think that Hidden24 VPN is unreliable (I’ll talk more about that below). Besides, it decreased my download speed by 83% and raised the ping up to 209ms.
Finally, the UK location gave me the results I was expecting in the first place. The download dropped by 55%, upload decreased by 76% and ping was decent at 54ms.
Overall, I can recommend Hidden24 VPN for its US server, but nothing more. I got fast speeds and a reliable connection, but it wasn’t very helpful with its other locations. You should also take a look at these VPNs with fast speeds and large server networks for comparison.
Get Started With Hidden24 VPN!
Server Network — Small and Unreliable
Hidden24 VPN has 100 servers in 7 countries, which is a very small number compared to other services in its price range. It has locations in the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Spain.
The main problem is that some of these servers didn’t work properly. I had success with its US and UK locations, but the others were a lottery. The Italian server didn’t work at all, while the French and German ones located me in different countries.
This could be an issue with the VPN’s GeoIP database. Or it could be that the VPN is wrongly labeling its servers purposefully, to claim it covers more countries than it does.
Either way, it’s frustrating to be connected to the wrong country when you’re trying to unblock streaming sites or access censored content.
There aren’t any specialized servers for streaming, gaming, or torrenting either. That’s not always a big problem for VPNs but, since Hidden24’s servers aren’t all reliable, a list of optimized servers would’ve made my search easier.
I can’t recommend Hidden24 VPN’s network. Instead, take a look at more reliable services that allow you to connect to almost any location in the world.
Security — Strong Encryption, But Not Much Else
Hidden24 VPN’s security measures are good, but not great. It secures your connection with the LT2P/IPSec protocol with AES 256 type encryption. You can also opt for the faster (but less secure) PPTP protocol with 128 bits encryption.
I’d always go for AES 256-bit encryption; it’s the highest level available and it keeps your traffic safeguarded against hackers and snoopers.
The VPN’s UK variant (which is a different subscription) also uses the IKeV2 protocol. Unfortunately, neither version has OpenVPN support.
L2TP/IPSec and IKEv2 are great protocols, providing good speeds and security. But OpenVPN is the industry standard; it’s got the best combination of speed and safety. I was disappointed not to see it as an option.
I also wouldn’t recommend using PPTP. It’s a much older protocol, with next to no security. It’s only really suitable for smart TVs, as it’s fast.
There were no IP or DNS leaks detected during my testing. I ran a couple of tests on US and UK servers, and my data was protected every time.
The VPN didn’t leak my real IP address or DNS requests
I noticed that my security settings were lacking a lot of additional features offered as standard with most other VPNs. Most disappointingly, there was no kill switch. A kill switch cuts off your traffic if your VPN connection goes down. It prevents your IP and online activity getting leaked to your ISP by accident. Not having one is risky.
Overall, I found Hidden24’s security measures fairly basic. I was satisfied with the encryption and protocols on offer but would’ve liked to have seen some more features available for additional protection. If total anonymity is important to you, I’d go for one of the more secure VPN companies instead.
Privacy — No Privacy Policy
Hidden24 VPN doesn’t have a privacy policy on its website, which is a little concerning. The only mention of privacy is in a FAQ, where it states that it only retains your email address to communicate with you.
I found the information on privacy seriously lacking
In the same FAQ answer, the VPN claims to store no logs but gives no information about its logging policy. Without a full privacy policy and with no independent audits, we can only take the service’s word for it.
It also claims its HQ in Sweden is good for your privacy. The FAQ states that Sweden has “one of the strongest protection [sic] for the individual’s right to privacy in the world.”
In reality, Sweden is actually a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance — an international intelligence-sharing pact. While Sweden is generally privacy-friendly, VPNs located in Eyes Alliance member states can be forced to hand over your data if requested by the government.
If Hidden24 really doesn’t store any logs, that shouldn’t be an issue. However, I personally need a more solid privacy policy to feel completely safe when using a VPN. There are VPNs with independently-guaranteed zero-logs policies that I’d feel more secure using.
Torrenting — Allowed, But Not Necessarily Safe
Hidden24 VPN allows torrenting on all its servers. The speeds were fast enough for file transfers during my tests, so you shouldn’t notice any slowdowns.
However, you need to check the rules and regulations in your country before you torrent. I don’t condone illegal downloads, and Hidden24 says that it may close your account for that.
The VPN claims to offer anonymous torrenting but lacks an all-important kill switch
Keep in mind that Hidden24 VPN doesn’t have a kill switch — if the VPN fails, your IP address could be exposed to all other peers on the network. You can take a look at these VPNs that are suitable for torrenting if you want more protection for P2P connections.
Transfer Files Safely With Hidden24 VPN!
Does Hidden24 VPN Work in China? Not Guaranteed
Hidden24 VPN claims that it works in China.
However, the support agents acknowledged the fact that China is known to block VPNs, so it all comes down to the server and protocol you’re using.
The customer service response wasn’t exactly confident
If you’re looking for a VPN that can get past the Great Firewall, you should check out one of these VPNs with strong obfuscation.
Simultaneous Device Connections — Just 1
Hidden24 VPN allows 1 connection per user. This is a lot less than the industry standard, and a little disappointing.
However, you can set theVPN up on your router. That means that you can protect all the devices in your house by connecting to the same VPN server.
If you’re out and about on cell or public WiFi though, you’re stuck with just 1 device.
Device Compatibility — Extensive
Hidden24 VPN is compatible with most operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux.
On top of that, you can also set it up on gaming consoles, smart TVs, FireSticks, Apple TV, and routers.
I found this level of compatibility impressive for a smaller VPN. It’s a shame you can’t really make the most of it since you can only connect 1 device at a time.
