Hide My Ass vs IPVanish: which wins?

With so many VPN providers out there, finding the perfect fit for your requirements can be challenging – but if you’re reading this, I’ll guess that you’ve narrowed your search down to IPVanish and Hide My Ass. Both of these VPNs are good choices, but they offer slight differences in services that, mean one might be a better choice for you.

To help make your decision easier, this head-to-head comparison will compare security, streaming, pricing, and much more. Read on to discover which of these top VPN providers is on top.

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Hide My Ass vs IPVanish: highlights

Pricing

Looking for a reliable and budget-friendly VPN? IPVanish offers unbeatable value for money compared to HMA, no matter your needs. With IPVanish, you can enjoy unlimited simultaneous connections at just $4.50 per month for a one-year subscription – that’s less than a cup of coffee! Plus, it’s even cheaper at only $3.33 per month if you’re willing to commit to two years.

On the other hand, if you go with Hide My Ass (HMA), you’ll need to commit to three years to get close to the same value as IPVanish. Its three-year plan costs $2.99 per month for 5 connections or $5.99 per month for 10 devices. But there is no option that gives you unlimited device connections like with IPVanish.

Bottom line: Opting for a longer-term subscription could save you some serious cash regarding online privacy protection. IPVanish has some unbeatable deals to give you more bang for your buck!

Money-back guarantees

If you’re unsure which VPN to go for, IPVanish and Hide My Ass (HMA) both offer 30-day money-back guarantees – so you can test out their services without any risk. If you’d rather save some cash up front, HMA also offers a 7-day free trial. Just remember to cancel within the first week so you don’t get charged.

No matter what plan you choose, you’ve got peace of mind knowing that both providers have excellent refund policies – so if one doesn’t work out for you, it’s easy to get your money back (within the 30-day period) and try something else.

Payment options

If you want to subscribe to IPVanish or Hide My Ass (HMA) and don’t want to use cash – then fear not. You can pay using any major debit or credit card, as well as PayPal, if that’s easier.

Both services offer anonymous payment options, so you don’t have to link your bank account when signing up. HMA also accepts prepaid cards like Alipay, Apple Pay, and Mastercard for added security and convenience.

However, if you’d prefer to keep your payment completely anonymous, you’ll have to look elsewhere. Unfortunately, neither provider supports Bitcoin or cryptocurrency payment methods, so bear that in mind before signing up.

Features

Apps

If you want the ultimate protection for your devices at home, and don’t mind a bit of setup to get it, both IPVanish and Hide My Ass have you covered. They both have apps available for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, but IPVanish goes further with apps for FireOS (Firestick and Fire TVs).

What’s more, setting up a VPN connection on your home wifi will protect every device connected – meaning your consoles, smart TVs, and any other device can benefit from secure browsing.

IPVanish also has dedicated apps for Linux machines, Kodi boxes, and Roku boxes. These apps aren’t available with HMA, but it’s not the end of the world! Both providers offer browser extensions for Chrome that act as proxies (not full VPNs), so this could be a good backup plan in a pinch.

But for true peace of mind, IPVanish also allows “full” split tunneling over Android and FireStick/FireTV to specify which apps use the VPN tunnel and which don’t.

What’s more, you can easily set up a wifi hotspot on Windows for both providers and macOS for IPVanish (as HMA doesn’t support L2TP or IPSec) – leaving you free to enjoy worry-free secure browsing from anywhere in your home.

Simultaneous connections

If you’re looking for flexibility and want to be unrestricted regarding the number of devices, then IPVanish has you covered. No matter which subscription plan you choose – you’ll be able to connect unlimited devices to your network.

With Hide My Ass, things are a bit more complicated. Five connections are available through its yearly or three-year plans, and up to 10 possible connections with any other plan. So make sure you understand what you need before signing up.

Streaming and unblocking

If streaming is a priority for you, IPVanish could be the best option. Its average download speeds of 488 Mbps are some of the highest on the market – perfect for streaming HD videos with no hiccups.

And it supports a whole host of platforms; in our testing, we managed to access Netflix US and UK, Hulu, HBO Max, Sky Go, CBS, NBC, ITV, Peacock, Disney+, and Channel 4. Unfortunately, Amazon Prime or ABC won’t work, nor will DAZN or BBC iPlayer.

For Hide My Ass users, streaming options are limited – this VPN can access Netflix US, but that’s about it. So if you’re looking for more content available at speed without lag, you may need a different VPN.

Performance in China

A VPN is an essential tool for anyone visiting or living in China and wanting to break free of the censorship imposed by the government. Unfortunately, IPVanish and Hide My Ass are not two of the options that currently work in the country – so it’s necessary to look elsewhere for reliable VPNs.

Our top pick would be NordVPN, which offers unbeatable protection and is our go-to choice for the best overall VPN in 2024. Another strong alternative Is Surfshark – a highly reliable provider offering plenty of features at a fraction of the price.

Whichever one you choose, these options should help you stay connected even if your access to popular services like Facebook, Google, Wikipedia, Netflix, and YouTube has been blocked for political reasons.

Hide My Ass vs IPVanish: Setup and Interface

No matter which one you choose, getting set up with IPVanish or Hide My Ass is straightforward. All you need to do is head over to their website, sign up, and pay for the plan of your choice. Once your payment has been accepted, log in and download the apps for Windows, Mac, or Android/iOS. Installation is quick and easy – and you won’t have to worry about any components or drivers, as the wizard will do all that work for you.

When you log in using your credentials, connecting is just a matter of selecting a server – either by country or city for IPVanish or from the category dedicated to streaming optimized servers on HMA. You can even save favorite servers for easier access in the future. With just one click, both VPNs make connecting easy.

Advanced features like XOR obfuscation and split tunneling are available on IPVanish’s mobile apps – an impressive touch. The “smart connect” feature automatically connects users to the fastest server near them. And if you’d like extra control over your connection, then there are plenty more options available, too – like choosing an individual server in a given location (IPVanish offers 23 different servers in Melbourne alone).

So whatever VPN floats your boat, rest assured that connecting with it couldn’t be easier.

Servers and performance

IPVanish offers an impressive global server network encompassing 2,000 servers in 75+ countries. Whether you’re trying to access region-locked TV streams while traveling or bypass local censorship or restrictions, IPVanish has it covered with 17 US cities (perfect for accessing state-level websites like bookies, casinos, and sports broadcasts!) ready and waiting.

Meanwhile, Hide My Ass is no slouch, offering 1080+ servers across 200+ countries. However, many of these are virtual servers – meaning the traffic is subject to different country’s laws than what first appears. You might be connected to a server that is physically located in one country but that bears an IP address from another country.

So how does performance stack up? In our speed tests, IPVanish achieved average download speeds of 488 Mbps – making it the second-fastest  VPN in the world – with no noticeable disruption to base internet speeds, perfect for gaming and streaming UHD videos in 4K.

The runner-up was HMA, producing 40 Mbps on average; although slightly slower than IPVanish, still more than fast enough if you’re dealing with a relatively slow connection from the get-go.

Hide My Ass vs IPVanish: Security

Security is paramount with a VPN, so both IPVanish and Windscribe provide 256-bit AES encryption to keep your data safe from the unwelcome attention of hackers, eavesdroppers, and other prying eyes. In addition, IPVanish uses RSA-2048 for its key exchange while HMA boasts an even stronger RSA-4096 configuration – both providing plenty of protection for modern standards.

But wait, there’s more! Both services offer OpenVPN connections, kill switches, and DNS leak protection, ensuring you’re always secure when connected. If you’re signing up with IPVanish, you have an additional layer of security options – from L2TP and SSTP to WireGuard (faster and easier to audit than OpenVPN). Plus, IPv6 leak protection helps protect against DNS leaks when using IPv6 over VPN.

Of course, we can’t forget IPVanish’s private fiber-optic network of tier-1 servers and 90% control over the data centers they are housed in. This further safeguards against snoops or malicious actors getting in your way online. And like HMA, neither service sends DNS requests to the user’s ISP, keeping privacy buffs extra protected. Not to mention – no IP or WebRTC data leaked during our tests.

If that wasn’t enough to sway your decision towards IPVanish, then perhaps throw into the mix its annual plan, which comes with VIPRE Antivirus included as standard, protecting you from viruses, malware, ransomware, and other such unwelcome guests on your device. Check out our VIPRE review to find out more. In addition, each provider has its own form of an IP rotator that periodically changes your address, thwarting tracking attempts even further.

Privacy

If you care about your online privacy, you should first consider the jurisdiction of VPN providers. For example, IPVanish runs its network from the US, part of the Five Eyes security alliance, meaning that US authorities can request user data from another country’s authorities if they suspect illegal activities are taking place. On the other hand, Hide My Ass is based in the UK and is a member of Fourteen Eyes. So if requested, your online activities could be shared with several other countries.

However, IPVanish operates under a strict no-logs policy, so your data is never stored or shared with third parties. HMA also has a no-logging policy ensuring your activities stay secure – there’s nothing to give away to authorities even if they ask for it!

Hide My Ass vs IPVanish: Configuration

Both IPVanish and Hide My Ass use shared address systems, meaning everyone on a specific server shares the same IP address. As a result, it’s practically impossible to tell which user visited which websites, but don’t worry – neither provider stores any activity logs, so your browsing habits remain private.

They both have a NAT firewall to protect you from DDoS attacks and external security threats, so you can always browse safely online. Unfortunately, they don’t offer a static IP address option. However, if you’re looking for bank-level security or access to services with strict login locations, it might be better to look at other providers, such as NordVPN.

Customer service

IPVanish offers round-the-clock customer support, so you can be sure that your queries will be answered quickly. It has a live chat system and a comprehensive knowledge base full of tips and tricks to help you get the most out of the service. It also offers support via email or through a ticketing system.

HMA lacks live chat for customer support, but it still has a searchable knowledge base where you can find answers to common questions. If that doesn’t solve the problem, users can submit tickets for help with more complex problems or watch video guides on the HMA YouTube channel. Alternatively, if you’re looking for more peer-to-peer advice, there’s always the HMA forum; however, staff usually respond to questions via private messages rather than public posts.

Hide My Ass vs IPVanish: winner

IPVanish

After comparing IPVanish and Hide My Ass, we found that IPVanish was the clear winner. Don’t get us wrong – Hide My Ass has its strengths; for instance, it’s one of the best VPNs if you want to access services from different countries. In addition, it offers a great security toolkit, fast speeds, and user-friendly apps.

But when it comes down to pricing and features, IPVanish edges out the competition. It’s more affordable than HMA and includes VIPRE Antivirus as standard, plus you can connect unlimited devices at once! It also unblocks more streaming services than HMA and provides more customer support options.

Whether you’re streaming, torrenting, gaming, or just browsing the web casually, IPVanish will have your back every step of the way – not to mention it’s one of the fastest VPNs on the planet!

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See also:

• CyberGhost VS Hide My Ass
• NordVPN vs Hide My Ass
• ProtonVPN vs IPVanish
• Avast vs IPVanish