hide.me vs Windscribe
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.
Windscribe is a VPN service offering a genuinely usable free tier (10GB/month with email confirmation) alongside paid plans with unlimited data across 69+ countries. Beyond tunneling traffic through WireGuard, IKEv2, or OpenVPN, it includes R.O.B.E.R.T, a network-level ad/tracker/malware blocker, plus split tunneling, a firewall, port forwarding, and browser extensions with anti-fingerprinting tools.
- 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
- Free tier is genuinely usable, not just a trial
- Built-in ad/tracker/malware blocking beyond basic VPN tunneling
- Flexible Build-a-Plan pricing for users needing only specific locations
- Transparent 'forever' pricing promise on subscriptions
- 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 limited to 10GB/month and fewer server locations
- Speeds can lag premium competitors on some server locations per third-party reviews
- Some advanced features require understanding VPN protocols to configure well
More alternatives & similar tools
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Alternatives to Windscribe
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No-logs VPN with open-source apps, unlimited connections, and strong torrenting support.
The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataBoth hide.me and Windscribe offer freemium VPNs, but hide.me gives unlimited data on a limited free tier while Windscribe caps free data at 10 GB but includes built‑in ad/tracker blocking.
Key differences
- •Unlimited free data vs. 10 GB monthly cap
- •Number of free server locations (7 vs. 69+ countries)
- •Built‑in ad/tracker/malware blocker only in Windscribe
- •Multihop support only in hide.me
- •Pricing floor: hide.me as low as $2.69/mo with long‑term plan vs. Windscribe’s standard pricing (not specified)
Pricing & value
hide.me’s long‑term plan drops to $2.69/month; Windscribe’s pricing not detailed, only mentions “low‑cost upgrad”.
Ease of use / learning curve
Windscribe provides browser extensions and anti‑fingerprinting tools, making setup easier for non‑technical users.
Features & depth
hide.me offers multihop and split tunneling; Windscribe lacks multihop and only offers split tunneling.
Integrations & ecosystem
Windscribe lists browser extensions (Chrome, Firefox, Edge) and port forwarding; hide.me mentions only desktop/mobile apps.
Security & privacy
Both claim no‑logs policies; specific encryption details not provided for either.
Choose hide.me if…
Privacy‑focused users who need unlimited free data and advanced routing (multihop) and can accept limited server locations.
Choose Windscribe if…
Users who want a free tier with built‑in ad/tracker blocking and broader server coverage, even if data is capped.
Common questions
Which VPN gives more free data?
hide.me offers unlimited data on its free tier; Windscribe caps at 10 GB per month.
Do either of the VPNs support split tunneling?
Yes, both hide.me and Windscribe support split tunneling.
Is there a multihop feature?
Only hide.me provides multihop routing; Windscribe does not list this feature.