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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.
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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.

HMA VPN vs TorGuard 2024

Table of Contents
    Our Score: 7.0/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Our Score: 6.6/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info

    Which VPN is better?

    Author Image Sarit Newman
    Sarit Newman

    Internet Security Researcher

    Evenly matched and (almost) evenly priced – TorGuard and HMA are two VPNs that have a lot in common.

    If you’re looking for a huge server network, you can’t go wrong with either of these VPNs. TorGuard has more servers overall (3,000+, compared to 760), while HMA gives you more than triple the server locations (190 against TorGuard’s 55). Both VPNs have very fast speeds and are great for unblocking Netflix, but you’ll need a dedicated IP on TorGuard, and that costs extra.

    Unfortunately, there’s another similarity, and it’s not positive. TorGuard is headquartered in the United States, while HMA is UK-based. Neither location is ideal for user privacy due to data retention laws and invasive legislation. Still, both VPNs have solid zero-logs policies.

    Encryption is strong with both VPN services, and you shouldn’t be worried about your security – at least on desktops. For those apps, TorGuard and HMA have all the essential features and easily pass leaking tests.

    HMA offers a 30-day money-back guarantee (as long as you haven’t used more than 10GB of bandwidth) in addition to a 7-day trial. TorGuard only has a 7-day refund guarantee, advertised as a “free trial,” which it’s not.

    Our Score

    Features 7.0/10
    Pricing 7.0/10
    Ease of Use 7.0/10
    Reliability & Support 6.6/10
    Features 6.6/10
    Pricing 5.0/10
    Ease of Use 5.5/10
    Reliability & Support 6.8/10

    Reviews

    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
    Review by our expert
    Author Image Doris Muthuri
    Doris Muthuri

    Senior Writer

    Our Score: 6.6/10

    TorGuard is an expensive service that focuses on keeping you safe while torrenting. However, it makes you jump through a lot of hoops to access its free trial, and the same is true for its refund policy. This really made me wonder whether this high-cost VPN is worth it. Overall, TorGuard is an okay VPN, but better alternatives are available. It offers excellent speeds and robust security featu...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    C
    Cathy
    10.0/10
    Love Torguard

    I have used several VPNs over the years and got blocked by Netflix or Amazon, etc. I went with Torgua... rd and I did have to get a personal IP address at an additional cost. But anytime there is any issue, they are right there and helping. They may have to change your IP address, but they do what they promise. I switched to their annual plan and I don’t see anyone with a much better price than what I am paying. I also have a free email address that I don’t use much, but a few people have it, so I keep it and use it. I consider trying someone else once in a while but am afraid if I do that, if I’m not happy and come back to them, the price will be higher. I honestly, don’t see why they aren’t more highly recommended. Also, I find them very patient, as I am not so young and not always great with current technology. They have been great with me.More

    Latest negative user review
    S
    Solomon
    2.0/10
    Does not work with firestick

    Their VPN does not work with 1st gen firesticks. They did not post this on their site. I paid $60 for ... a 1-year membership. After 7 days got a notice from Spectrum 18 complaints "Notice of Copyright Infringement" emails from the spectrum. Contact billing for refund, they gave me the runaround and kept asking the same questions over and over again. Then told me a refund is not available after 7 days. However, it takes spectrum over 7 days to send a complaint and they never said it didn't work with 1st gen firestick. Also, the app connected to vpn through the firestick and never said it had an issue. So this company is scamming, do not use it if you want to get a "Notice of Copyright Infringement" letter from Spectrum and no refund.More

    Read the full review

    Pricing

    Starting price $2.99/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license 10 devices
    Starting price $9.99/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 7 Days
    Number of devices per license 12 devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall

    Even if you aren’t a fan of the “anonymous superhero donkey” theme, you’ll appreciate HMA’s 760+ optimized servers, fast speeds, and easy clients. TorGuard isn’t far behind, but paying extra for features like dedicated IPs and port forwarding can quickly get expensive.

    Best VPN for Torrents

    The “Tor” in TorGuard is short for torrents, so it’s no surprise that it’s the better VPN for this activity, with multiple P2P servers and optional port forwarding. HMA allows P2P on paper, but it’s not a recommended VPN for torrenting due to sketchy terms, as many users have reported in the past.

    Best VPN for Windows

    HMA’s Windows client performs exceptionally well – beginners will enjoy the intuitive interface, and there are plenty of settings for advanced users. TorGuard also offers a polished Windows experience, complete with security essentials like DNS leak protection and a kill switch.

    Best VPN for Android

    HMA’s native Android app is the highlight of this VPN – it works with the OpenVPN protocol and you won’t notice a difference in performance compared to other platforms. TorGuard is a decent alternative if you want a cleaner theme, but it doesn’t have a kill switch and you’ll need third-party software if you want to run it with OpenVPN.

    Best VPN for Mac

    HMA is consistent across all of its supported platforms, including MacOS. TorGuard competes well here, with a clean interface and great performance for Apple fans to enjoy.

    Best VPN for iOS

    HMA uses the IPSec protocol on its iOS client, and the app itself has all the features you’ll need. You can have five simultaneous connections on both VPNs, but TorGuard falls behind here, mainly due to lacking a kill switch.

    Best VPN for USA

    If you’re interested in unblocking US content, HMA makes it much easier to reliably access US Netflix (and many other sites). If you want a bigger server network in the US, TorGuard is the better choice, but it doesn’t offer the same unblocking capabilities unless you pay extra for a dedicated IP address.

    The Bottom Line

    See Plans & Pricing

    As you can see, both VPNs in this comparison have clear strengths and weaknesses – and even though HMA takes first place in most categories, TorGuard is very close. Overall, both VPNs perform very well and are in the same price range – HMA is slightly more expensive, but is actually the cheaper option if you decide to add port forwarding or a dedicated IP to your TorGuard subscription. Two things are clear: TorGuard is the much better VPN for torrenting, and HMA takes the lead in unblocking/streaming. Make your choice with those facts in mind.

    Time to decide which one is best for you

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

    FAQ

    Is HMA VPN better than TorGuard?

    Yes, HMA VPN is better overall than TorGuard. It has 1080 servers in 210 countries, fast speeds, and impressive security features.

    Best of all, you can take advantage of its latest discount and get it for only $2.99 a month.

    What should I keep in mind when choosing between HMA VPN and TorGuard?

    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 HMA VPN may be perfect for you due to its performance during the tests .

    Is HMA VPN faster than TorGuard?

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

    Both HMA VPN and TorGuard 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

    Sarit is an experienced internet security writer who believes everyone has the right to online privacy.