hide.me vs Proton VPN
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
hide.me is a VPN service offering both a free plan and paid subscription tiers, positioned around a no-logs policy and features like split tunneling, multihop (routing traffic across multiple servers), and dedicated IP options. Its free plan allows one connection and access to a smaller set of locations with unlimited data, while paid plans unlock roughly 91 server locations and up to 10 simultaneous connections. Paid pricing runs from about $9.95/month on a 1-month plan down to roughly $2.69/month on a 26-month plan, backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee and a stated no-price-hike policy after the first term. Apps are available for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS, plus browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox and support for some smart TVs and consoles.
Proton VPN is a security-focused VPN from Proton (of Proton Mail fame), featuring a strong no-logs policy, open-source apps, and a genuinely usable free tier. It is Swiss-based with a privacy-first reputation.
Free tier with unlimited data; paid plans add more servers/features.
- Genuine free tier with unlimited data, unusual among VPN providers
- Long-term plans bring the price down to roughly $2.69/month
- Supports split tunneling and multihop, features not all budget VPNs offer
- Broad platform coverage including desktop, mobile, browser extensions, and some smart TVs/consoles
- Strong privacy reputation
- Open-source apps
- Real free tier
- Swiss jurisdiction
- Free tier is limited to one connection and seven locations
- Longer commitment plans (12-26 months) are required to reach the lowest per-month price
- Fewer server locations than the largest VPN providers
- Free tier has limited servers
- Slower than premium on free
- Fewer servers than giants
What reviewers say
hide.me Reviews
No reviews yet.
Proton VPN Reviews
4.3 (4)Recommend Proton VPN
Proton VPN has been part of our stack. Real free tier. Minor gripe: free tier has limited servers. Would recommend.
Solid choice
We rolled out Proton VPN last quarter. Strong privacy reputation. Minor gripe: fewer servers than giants. Would recommend.
Great vpn
Been using Proton VPN for a while. Swiss jurisdiction. No real complaints. Would recommend.
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The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataBoth VPNs offer a genuine free tier, but hide.me gives unlimited data with more simultaneous connections, while Proton VPN provides open‑source apps and Swiss‑jurisdiction privacy guarantees.
Key differences
- •hide.me’s free tier allows unlimited data but only one device and 7 locations; Proton VPN’s free tier also unlimited data but with limited servers and slower speeds
- •hide.me offers split tunneling and multihop as built‑in features; Proton VPN’s multihop is called Secure Core and is limited to premium plans
- •Proton VPN’s apps are open‑source and audited; hide.me’s apps are closed source
- •hide.me’s lowest paid price (~$2.69 / mo) requires long‑term commitment; Proton VPN’s pricing details not specified
- •Proton VPN operates under Swiss law, a strong privacy jurisdiction; hide.me’s jurisdiction not specified
Pricing & value
hide.me’s long‑term plan drops to ~$2.69/month, the cheapest price mentioned; Proton VPN pricing not provided.
Ease of use / learning curve
Both provide desktop apps; no data on UI complexity, so they appear comparable.
Features & depth
hide.me includes split tunneling and multihop on all plans; Proton VPN’s Secure Core is limited and not listed for free tier.
Integrations & ecosystem
Proton VPN lists Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android and open‑source apps; hide.me only mentions desktop app.
Security & privacy
Proton VPN advertises audited no‑logs policy, open‑source code, and Swiss jurisdiction; hide.me’s privacy details not specified.
Support
No support information provided for either product.
Scalability
Proton VPN supports multiple platforms including Linux and mobile; hide.me’s platform coverage is broader but less detailed.
Choose hide.me if…
Budget‑focused users who need unlimited free data and advanced routing features on a single device.
Choose Proton VPN if…
Privacy‑focused users who value open‑source code, Swiss jurisdiction, and cross‑platform support.
Common questions
Which VPN offers the cheapest paid plan?
hide.me’s long‑term plan is about $2.69 per month; Proton VPN’s paid pricing isn’t disclosed.
Do either of the free tiers limit data usage?
Both provide unlimited data; hide.me limits to one connection and seven locations, Proton VPN limits server choice and speed.
Are the applications open source?
Proton VPN’s apps are open source; hide.me’s apps are closed source.