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Ran Greenberg
New-Media and online expert, Venture Capitalist and investor
Astrill and Hide.me are well-respected VPN providers known for the many security features and overall value they offer. Both VPNs offer split tunneling, 256-bit encryption, and support for P2P file-sharing activities. You can enjoy using these features from both providers in dedicated apps for MacOS, iOS, Android, and Windows. You also get 24/7 live chat support with either of these providers. There are some key differences between Astrill and Hide.me, however. You can benefit from dynamic port forwarding and VoIP unblocking only with Hide.me, while only Astrill offers Stealth VPN and Onion over VPN. In addition, while both VPNs are great for unblocking top media content from around the world, only Astrill can reliably unblock US Netflix. We’ve analyzed both VPNs over several categories below, so read on to determine which is better in the end.
Features
8.5
Pricing
6.0
Ease of Use
8.8
Reliability & Support
8.4
Features
8.0
Pricing
7.6
Ease of Use
8.4
Reliability & Support
8.4
Rating
Features
8.5
8.0
0.0
Pricing
6.0
7.6
0.0
Ease of Use
8.8
8.4
0.0
Reliability & Support
8.4
8.4
0.0
Reviews
Review by our expert
Andreea Juganaru
Cybersecurity Researcher
8.0
Astrill’s marketing team does a great job of advertising it as one of the best VPNs out there — but are they telling the truth about how good it is?
I went ahead and tested its every feature and analyzed its privacy policies and security measures to see if it’s good enough to recommend. I also paid attention to its server network, speeds, torrenting support, gaming, streaming and finally...
Been using it for a long time.. but have to goI have been using Astrill for more than 10 years. Never had a problem. A couple of times I used the chat for support and it was excellent.
However this is probably going to be my last year. Reason .... price.
With the virus crisis I am unemployed and can not afford it. They do not give any kind of discount and keep raising the price year after year.
I am not in China so I suspend it, I do not need all those features.
Latest negative user review
Chris
2.0
Astril are not interested in keeping regular customersI agreed. Astrill increases the price year after year. I have been using Astril for 5 years. I paid 75 USD to 120 USD. I have a friend that paid 400 USD one time! If you don't delete history and cookies they show the high price. Tricky! They don't have a special price for regular customs. THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN KEEPING REGULAR CUSTOMERS. Too greedy! Done with them too!
Ariel Hochstadt
Ex-Google, International tech speaker
8.2
hide.me is known for speed, security, and transparency. They do not keep logs, which their privacy policy reasonably reliable. Also, with apps for almost all major platforms, they remain a favorite among millions of users. I'll dive into this more further into the review.
It also joined the i2Coalition, further evidence of its commitment to internet safety. The i2Coalition is a group of VPN pro...
Best VPN for freeIt works perfectly fine, the speeds are good, and there are a lot of different locations.
I have had no problems with this VPN, and I like that it has a 10GB data limit monthly (more than most competitors). I tried every other free VPN, but all of them are slow and aren't as fast as this one.
In my opinion, download this VPN and you will be happy.
Latest negative user review
Penki
2.0
Not working with my Asus RT-AX88UWill not work with Asus routers - Hide.me Service has no Interest in compatibility with Routers.
I had to change the Provider from Hide.me to NordVPN and its all OK now.
I had a Bad Time and now the sun shines on the VPN Sky - thanks NordVPN.
Astrill’s marketing team does a great job of advertising it as one of the best VPNs out there — but are they telling the truth about how good it is?
I went ahead and tested its every feature and analyzed its privacy policies and security measures to see if it’s good enough to recommend. I also paid attention to its server network, speeds, torrenting support, gaming, streaming and finally...
hide.me is known for speed, security, and transparency. They do not keep logs, which their privacy policy reasonably reliable. Also, with apps for almost all major platforms, they remain a favorite among millions of users. I'll dive into this more further into the review.
It also joined the i2Coalition, further evidence of its commitment to internet safety. The i2Coalition is a group of VPN pro...
Been using it for a long time.. but have to goI have been using Astrill for more than 10 years. Never had a problem. A couple of times I used the chat for support and it was excellent.
However this is probably going to be my last year. Reason .... price.
With the virus crisis I am unemployed and can not afford it. They do not give any kind of discount and keep raising the price year after year.
I am not in China so I suspend it, I do not need all those features.
Anonymous Reviewer
10.0
Best VPN for freeIt works perfectly fine, the speeds are good, and there are a lot of different locations.
I have had no problems with this VPN, and I like that it has a 10GB data limit monthly (more than most competitors). I tried every other free VPN, but all of them are slow and aren't as fast as this one.
In my opinion, download this VPN and you will be happy.
Latest negative user review
Chris
2.0
Astril are not interested in keeping regular customersI agreed. Astrill increases the price year after year. I have been using Astril for 5 years. I paid 75 USD to 120 USD. I have a friend that paid 400 USD one time! If you don't delete history and cookies they show the high price. Tricky! They don't have a special price for regular customs. THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN KEEPING REGULAR CUSTOMERS. Too greedy! Done with them too!
Penki
2.0
Not working with my Asus RT-AX88UWill not work with Asus routers - Hide.me Service has no Interest in compatibility with Routers.
I had to change the Provider from Hide.me to NordVPN and its all OK now.
I had a Bad Time and now the sun shines on the VPN Sky - thanks NordVPN.
Hide.me delivers a very fast VPN service that prioritizes security and ease of use across all major operating systems. Astrill also offers a reliable VPN service that’s effective for bypassing geoblocks and keeping you anonymous, regardless of your online activity.
Hide.me delivers a very fast VPN service that prioritizes security and ease of use across all major operating systems. Astrill also offers a reliable VPN service that’s effective for bypassing geoblocks and keeping you anonymous, regardless of your online activity.
Hide.me offers unrestricted support for torrenting on its servers and also includes dynamic port forwarding to keep your P2P activity anonymous. Astrill also provides dedicated servers for torrenting and unlimited P2P traffic for downloads.
Hide.me offers unrestricted support for torrenting on its servers and also includes dynamic port forwarding to keep your P2P activity anonymous. Astrill also provides dedicated servers for torrenting and unlimited P2P traffic for downloads.
Hide.me provides a very intuitive Windows app that features strong encryption, IPv6 leak protection, and a SOCKS proxy. With Astrill, you can also expect to find a user-friendly Windows app that features split tunneling and a Stealth VPN protocol.
Hide.me provides a very intuitive Windows app that features strong encryption, IPv6 leak protection, and a SOCKS proxy. With Astrill, you can also expect to find a user-friendly Windows app that features split tunneling and a Stealth VPN protocol.
The standout features of Hide.me’s Android service include its dedicated app, VoIP unblocker, and split tunneling. Meanwhile, Astrill offers an Android app featuring a smart mode that allows you choose which applications on your device should connect via the VPN tunnel.
The standout features of Hide.me’s Android service include its dedicated app, VoIP unblocker, and split tunneling. Meanwhile, Astrill offers an Android app featuring a smart mode that allows you choose which applications on your device should connect via the VPN tunnel.
256-bit encryption, split tunneling, and IPv6 leak protection are some of the outstanding features that make Hide.me a reliable VPN for macOS. Astrill also provides a dedicated Mac app with split tunneling that further competes with a stealth VPN protocol and Onion over VPN.
256-bit encryption, split tunneling, and IPv6 leak protection are some of the outstanding features that make Hide.me a reliable VPN for macOS. Astrill also provides a dedicated Mac app with split tunneling that further competes with a stealth VPN protocol and Onion over VPN.
Hide.me provides a dependable service for iOS that features a dedicated VoIP unblocker for services like Skype, a SOCKS proxy, and support for up to five simultaneous connections (on its most expensive plan). Astrill also features an iOS app with a well-designed layout that provides tracking protection, a dedicated streaming feature, and split tunneling.
Hide.me provides a dependable service for iOS that features a dedicated VoIP unblocker for services like Skype, a SOCKS proxy, and support for up to five simultaneous connections (on its most expensive plan). Astrill also features an iOS app with a well-designed layout that provides tracking protection, a dedicated streaming feature, and split tunneling.
Astrill provides a dedicated streaming feature for unblocking top US media content from any part of the world, including Netflix and Amazon prime. Meanwhile, Hide.me offers very fast US servers for accessing geoblocked content, but does not unblock US Netflix.
Astrill provides a dedicated streaming feature for unblocking top US media content from any part of the world, including Netflix and Amazon prime. Meanwhile, Hide.me offers very fast US servers for accessing geoblocked content, but does not unblock US Netflix.
The Bottom Line
Ran Greenberg
New-Media and online expert, Venture Capitalist and investor
Hide.me slightly edges Astrill to win this contest as a better VPN provider. Its provision of more budget-friendly subscriptions, faster server connections, and a free limited version are the advantages Hide.me has over Astrill. Hide.me also provides a 14-day money-back guarantee, which is absent with Astrill’s service. So for most users, Hide.me will deliver a better overall experience. However, if your top priority is accessing US Netflix or using your VPN in China, Astill VPN would make more sense for you.
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