We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 as an independent site reviewing VPN services and covering privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
Advertising Disclosure

vpnMentor was established in 2014 as an independent site reviewing VPN services and covering privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

Private Internet Access vs IPVanish VPN vs hide.me VPN 2024

Table of Contents
    Our Score: 9.5/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Our Score: 9.2/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Our Score: 9.0/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info

    Which VPN is better?

    Author Image Kate Richards
    Kate Richards

    Managing Editor

    In this VPN comparison, we’ve got three services at different levels competing against each other. hide.me is a mid-tier VPN, based out of Malaysia, that prides itself on offering a simple, yet secure, service. IPVanish sits pretty in between the mid and top-tier VPNs. It’s known for delivering advanced security tools, like an OpenVPN Scramble for obbfuscation and SOCKS5 that are usually only found among more well-known providers. Lastly, we’ve got PIA, a top-tier VPN that caters to power VPN users who want full control over the performance and security of their VPN connections.

    All three services have relatively flexible and affordable pricing plans that are backed up by money-back guarantees. However, only IPVanish offers a free plan (although you’ll have limited bandwidth and server access).

    These competitors offer a variety of secure VPN protocols, plus military-grade 256-bit encryption. But, when it comes to a global footprint, neither IPVanish or hide.me can get close to PIA’s network of 29,650 servers. Both PIA and IPVanish allow you to secure your connections on an unlimited number of devices simultaneously, while hide.me limits you to 10. hide.me might be the only VPN of the three not based in the US, which is at the heart of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance, but both IPVanish and PIA have independently verified no-logs policies to reassure you of their commitment to privacy.

    Our Score

    Features 9.5/10
    Pricing 9.5/10
    Ease of Use 9.6/10
    Reliability & Support 9.8/10
    Features 9.2/10
    Pricing 9.2/10
    Ease of Use 9.0/10
    Reliability & Support 9.3/10
    Features 9.0/10
    Pricing 9.6/10
    Ease of Use 9.2/10
    Reliability & Support 9.6/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Angela Jovanoska
    Angela Jovanoska

    Cybersecurity Researcher

    Our Score: 9.5/10

    Private Internet Access has one of the cheapest VPN subscriptions available — you can sign up for as little as $2.03/month. With such a low price, I wondered whether PIA could really stand out against its higher-priced competitors. It’s been around for 10+ years, so it could be one of the best-value VPNs out there. I decided to find out just how good it is by looking into the company’s lo...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    E
    Ez
    10.0/10
    Best VPN Out on The Market

    I like PIA VPN the best for the following reasons: ● It's a reliable and trustworthy policy; they don... 't record anything harmful to you; strict no logs. ● I've been using it for one month and there are specific times when it speeds up my internet speed (varies by internet) ● It's a distinctive feature of DIP (dedicated IP) - I think not many popular VPNs have this feature, I also purchased this feature to avoid getting the captcha verification and it never showed up ever since. It's only been a month using this VPN but as I gain more experience with this client, I'm pretty sure I will find more good features and utilize them. Thanks for having read my review:)More

    Latest negative user review
    M
    Mike Johnson
    2.0/10
    PIA no longer works on Amazon Fire devices.

    I have used PIA for several years with no issues. Currently, amazon fire devices can no longer sign i... n to the account. Used on 3 TVs with 3 different fire devices with the same result. There is no way to resolve the issue.More

    Read the full review
    Review by our expert
    Author Image Keira Waddell
    Keira Waddell

    Senior Writer

    Our Score: 9.2/10

    IPVanish offers high-speed connections and an impressive list of advanced security features at a budget-friendly price. So, I was eager to test it out for myself. I carefully studied its privacy policy and thoroughly tested its speeds, security features, and streaming capabilities. I also looked into its network coverage and ease of use before putting its customer service team to the test. ...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    S
    Stu Taylor
    10.0/10
    Very, very satisfied

    I am into my third year of using IPVanish. I am extremely happy with the speed, reliability, features ... and reliability. The fact that I have used it for this long without trying the competition speaks volumes. I am never going to try anything else because I am completely happy with what I have. Why risk it?More

    Latest negative user review
    B
    Beth Gray
    2.0/10
    Misleading, false advertising, don't honor guarantee. BEWARE

    IP address and region not effectively blocked on most sites. Streaming sites do NOT work with their se... rvices, but they do not disclose that anywhere on their website. The support team had no idea in terms of technical knowledge. They claim that their 30-day guarantee is unconditional and there is no risk, but they have so many exclusions buried in their fine print that the average user would have huge difficulty finding. They advertise on many streaming how-to websites where they KNOW their services do not work. COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY. If I could give less than one star I would. SO unethical.More

    Read the full review
    Review by our expert
    Author Image Matthew Amos
    Matthew Amos

    Senior Editor

    Our Score: 9.0/10

    Offering a popular free version and cheap premium plans, hide.me claims to be one of the best value VPNs in the world. But will the free version keep you safe online, and how do its paid plans stack up to other premium VPNs? To find out, I performed extensive tests on every feature that hide.me offers. I explored speeds, streaming capabilities, and safety with the free and paid versions. In ad...

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    Latest positive user review
    A
    Anonymous Reviewer
    10.0/10
    Best VPN for free

    It 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.More

    Latest negative user review
    P
    Penki
    2.0/10
    Not working with my Asus RT-AX88U

    Will not work with Asus routers - Hide.me Service has no Interest in compatibility with Routers. I ha... d 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.More

    Read the full review

    Pricing

    Starting price $2.03/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license Unlimited devices
    Starting price $2.75/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license Unlimited devices
    Starting price $2.59/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license 10 devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall

    PIA is our top VPN pick and is clearly the more well-rounded VPN of these three contenders. Neither IPVanish nor hide.me can contend with its immense server network or advanced security capabilities. It caters to users at all levels without compromising on its features on any of the major platforms.

    Best VPN for Torrents

    PIA ticks all the boxes when it comes to torrenting. You can take extra precautions to secure your connection and hide your IP with Multihop and Obfuscation, which allows you to configure Shadowsocks. These might slow down your connection, but it has a huge server network, so you can find a server near you. It’s also one of the few VPNs with port forwarding, which is known to increase torrenting speeds.

    Best VPN for Windows

    PIA has one of the most configurable and feature-rich Windows VPN apps, so it takes the win here. It has tons of settings to optimize your performance and security, including the level of encryption, a variety of protocols, DNS settings, a kill switch, split tunneling, and more. To help you find the fastest server quicker, it shows the latency next to the server name. That being said, hide.me might be the better option for a straightforward and user-friendly experience. Lacking split tunneling, IPVanish falls short.

    Best VPN for Android

    As this is the only IPVanish app with split tunneling, it finally catches up with PIA and winss this category. Overall, IPVanish’s apps are slightly more casual-friendly than PIA’s technical interface. But it still comes with all its advanced features, like OpenVPN Scramble, API load balancing, a kill switch, and more. PIA and IPVanish have the same high overall rating on the Play Store, each with its own dedicated following.

    Best VPN for Mac

    It’s a close fight, but we have to give this one to PIA. IPVanish still lacks split tunneling, which is a significant usability flaw. Other than that, they share more similarities than differences, although IPVanish also lacks the ability to switch to 128-bit on macOS.

    Best VPN for iOS

    Not only does PIA’s iOS app have the highest rating on the App Store, but it’s also the superior option in comparison to its competitors. Unlike many other VPNs, it actually has a kill switch and split tunneling for iOS. Plus, you can choose between WireGuard and OpenVPN and set advanced Wi-Fi connection rules. IPVanish has a larger selection of protocols to choose from but lacks a kill switch and split tunneling.

    Best VPN for USA

    With servers in all 50 US states, and one of the largest networks of any VPN, PIA is the obvious winner here. The only con is that PIA is based in the US, which isn’t great from a privacy perspective. However, it has reliably showcased its willingness to refuse data requests, even in high-profile court cases. It also gives users in the US the broadest access to servers from other countries to change their IPs.

    The Bottom Line

    See Plans & Pricing

    With an unbeatable performance, PIA continues to be one of the best VPNs, not only on this list, but in the industry. This client’s commitment to online privacy is unquestionable, as showcased by its strict zero-logging policy, a robust selection of protocols, a kill switch and split tunneling on all devices, and DNS leak protection. IPVanish closely follows PIA regarding security and privacy-focused features but just lacks the same quality. Plus, PIA’s flexible and cost-effective pricing plans are a bargain considering what it has to offer.

    Time to decide which one is best for you

    Go with Private Internet Access
    Go with IPVanish VPN
    Go with hide.me VPN
    Or click here to check best VPNs, rated by {{review_count}} users

    FAQ

    Is Private Internet Access better than IPVanish VPN and hide.me VPN?

    Yes, Private Internet Access is better overall than IPVanish VPN and hide.me VPN. It has 29650 servers in 91 countries, fast speeds, and impressive security features.

    Best of all, you can take advantage of its latest discount and get it for only $2.03 a month.

    What should I keep in mind when choosing between Private Internet Access, IPVanish VPN and hide.me VPN?

    When choosing a VPN, you want to pay close attention to its number of servers, overall speed score, pricing, and the number of simultaneous device connections it offers. While some VPNs provide a flawless online experience, others will really slow you down.

    If you’re ready to commit, then Private Internet Access may be perfect for you due to its performance during the tests.

    Is Private Internet Access faster than IPVanish VPN and hide.me VPN?

    Yes, Private Internet Access is faster than IPVanish VPN and hide.me VPN. Since your VPN is your computer’s main connection to the internet, you need to use a service that won’t slow you down by more than 20%.

    If speeds are important to you, then I recommend you take a look at ExpressVPN. It’s the fastest service out there, provides unlimited bandwidth, and you won’t experience any slowdowns even when you connect to the other side of the planet. You can try it out risk-free.. It’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can get a full refund if you don’t like it.

    Do Private Internet Access, IPVanish VPN or hide.me VPN offer any deals?

    Private Internet Access, IPVanish VPN, and hide.me VPN offer deals on occasion. You can check out the current coupons and discounts here. However, ExpressVPN has the best deals. Right now, you can get a 49% discount and up to 3 months for free with a new subscription.

    We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
    Learn more
    vpnMentor was established in 2014 as an independent site reviewing VPN services and covering privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

    About the Author

    Kate is a Managing Editor at vpnMentor. Kate promotes the use of VPNs as a means to achieve unhindered access to the internet, as she strongly believes in online freedom for everyone.