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 to review VPN services and cover 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 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 to review VPN services and cover 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 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.

PrivateVPN vs HMA VPN 2024

Table of Contents
    Our Score: 9.2/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Our Score: 7.0/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Editors' Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, Cyberghost and Expressvpn are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company.

    Which VPN is better?

    Author Image Kristina Perunicic
    Kristina Perunicic

    Managing Editor

    HMA and PrivateVPN are among the most popular and trusted VPNs on the market. Both providers are respected for the strong security features they provide, like IPv6 leak protection and AES 256-bit encryption. You can also rely on either provider to bypass geo-restrictions on Netflix-US and similar websites. HMA and PrivateVPN both provide budget-friendly subscription plans and offer 30-day money-back guarantees, although PrivateVPN’s prices run lower overall. You’ll get dedicated apps for MacOS, Windows, iOS, and Android with either of these VPNs. If you own multiple devices, you can enjoy support for up to five and six simultaneous connections with HMA and PrivateVPN, respectively. While it may seem that these two VPNs are entirely similar, there are some key differences. HMA offers access to over 900 servers across 190 countries, whereas PrivateVPN has around 100 servers in 56 countries. However, features like StealthVPN and remote help with installation can only be found with PrivateVPN. Scroll down to see a side-by-side comparison across several key categories.

    Our Score

    Features 9.2/10
    Pricing 9.2/10
    Ease of Use 8.8/10
    Reliability & Support 9.2/10
    Features 7.0/10
    Pricing 7.0/10
    Ease of Use 7.0/10
    Reliability & Support 6.6/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Matthew Amos
    Matthew Amos

    Senior Editor

    Our Score: 9.2/10

    PrivateVPN advertises itself as one of the best VPNs for streaming at a low price. It also claims to have great torrenting support, strong security features, and a true no-logs policy. But PrivateVPN is a small company, so can it compete with the biggest VPNs? To learn the answer, I tested out everything it offers. My global team and I found out if it really lets you stream securely in the bes...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    D
    Daniel Andersson
    10.0/10
    Works Great for many years.

    I've been using their service for a great many years, and I'm very pleased indeed. Great service and s... upport, and more than enough speed for covering my needs. As long as they have coverage in countries I need to connect to, the number of servers in total is less relevant, as long as the servers they Do have provide enough speeds. They also support Wireguard, which is seldom mentioned in these reviews, probably since they don't have it in their native app, but they do and it's rock solid using that with their provided config files, and that in and of itself also increases the connection speeds, at least for me. All in all, they provide anything and all I want from a VPN provider. What others see as a downside, split tunneling and such, I see as a strength. I want my VPN provider to stick their nose in my business as little as possible, but rather provide a "clean VPN line" and then let Me decide what to do with my routing table. In short, they're Great, for my needs, but others will have to test and make up their own minds. :-DMore

    Latest negative user review
    E
    Emil
    2.0/10
    Been There

    I've been using PrivateVPN for a year. The main reason was due to good price. It's slow, on certain ho... urs of the day you can't watch video smoothly. They have down time or some other problem frequently and it take ages to fix it. Customer support are so poor that my mum without IT knowledge could probably do a better job. Now I switched to another one and feelings for PrivateVPN is much worse because I have something to compare withMore

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

    Senior Editor

    Our Score: 7.0/10

    HMA (formerly HideMyAss) is a relatively cheap VPN that claims to offer more server locations than anyone else. However, it has faced some serious controversies in the past. Is it a VPN that can keep you safe and anonymous online? To find out, I performed extensive tests on all its features and explored its updated privacy policy. I also checked out several connection issues customers have rep...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    P
    Paulo
    10.0/10
    Excellent value for money!

    First, it's a full VPN. Very intuitive and easy app. Lots of connection options and without much loss ... of speed. The official website has the payment method in my local currency, with a localized value and thus leaving a fair value through the VPN. Thank VPNMentor for the product recommendation and targeted discount.More

    Latest negative user review
    K
    Kaan
    2.0/10
    Terrible Support

    I had a return request. because my ISP blocked their servers and I contacted their support team. My ti... ckets have not been answered for 14 days. I do not recommend them with this terrible support and no wireguard support. 1/10More

    Read the full review

    Pricing

    Starting price $2/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license 10 devices
    Starting price $2.99/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license 10 devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall

    PrivateVPN offers a reliable service with very fast servers, strong security features, and a knack for bypassing tough geoblocks worldwide. HMA also offers an exceptional service with a very large network of servers, fast connections, and apps that are simple to use.

    Best VPN for Torrents

    PrivateVPN has dedicated high-speed UK servers reserved for torrenting anonymously. The provider also offers a transparent privacy policy and stores no logs to protect your anonymity. HMA competes with numerous high-speed, dedicated P2P servers that are ideal for torrenting anonymously. Additional features like leak protection help ensure you can download torrents with peace of mind.

    Best VPN for Windows

    PrivateVPN’s provision of a dedicated Windows app with a StealthVPN protocol and 2048-bit encryption with AES-256 makes it an exceptional VPN for Windows users. HMA closely competes with its own Windows app that features strong encryption and access to the provider’s entire network of 900+ servers in 190 countries.

    Best VPN for Android

    PrivateVPN offers a dedicated Android app that includes features like tracking and wi-fi protection and uses OpenVPN as the default encryption protocol. HMA also has a secure Android app that features a very simple design that’s easy to learn and use.

    Best VPN for Mac

    With StealthVPN functionality and advanced DNS leak protection, PrivateVPN delivers a powerful VPN service in its user-friendly MacOS app. With HMA, you can expect a MacOS app with a minimalist user interface and support for several encryption protocols, including OpenVPN and IKEv2, along with protection from IPv6 leaks.

    Best VPN for iOS

    PrivateVPN provides a powerful service for iOS, with a dedicated app that features the provider’s StealthVPN protocol and leak protection. Meanwhile, the availability of a dedicated streaming feature in an app that also includes a kill switch and a smooth user interface makes HMA a very reliable VPN provider for iOS.

    Best VPN for USA

    PrivateVPN offers several high-speed US servers that unblock Netflix and hundreds of other American websites and apps from anywhere in the world. HMA is also a very effective service for unblocking Netflix-US and many other American websites via dedicated high-speed servers.

    The Bottom Line

    See Plans & Pricing

    While these two VPNs may be similar in many key aspects, PrivateVPN wins this battle by a nose by providing more budget-friendly subscription plans, more advanced security features, and more responsive customer support. The availability of features like StealthVPN, along with value-added services like free remote help for installation, pushes PrivateVPN into the highest tier of VPN services. Nevertheless, HMA is a trustworthy provider with many happy users.

    Time to decide which one is best for you

    Go with PrivateVPN
    Go with HMA VPN
    Or click here to check best VPNs, rated by {{review_count}} users

    FAQ

    Is PrivateVPN better than HMA VPN?

    Yes, PrivateVPN is better overall than HMA VPN. It has 200 servers in 63 countries, fast speeds, and impressive security features.

    Best of all, you can take advantage of its latest discount and get it for only $2 a month.

    What should I keep in mind when choosing between PrivateVPN and HMA 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 PrivateVPN may be perfect for you due to its performance during the tests .

    Is PrivateVPN faster than HMA VPN?

    Yes, PrivateVPN is faster than HMA 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 PrivateVPN or HMA VPN offer any deals?

    Both PrivateVPN and HMA 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 to review VPN services and cover 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 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

    Kristina Perunicic is a former editor for vpnMentor. She’s a cybersecurity expert with an interest in VPNs and their importance in the digital privacy landscape.