Hide Expert Review (2024): Is This VPN Trustworthy or Safe?

Hide Expert can easily be confused with the more popular Hide.me VPN, but it’s not the same service. It claims to protect your device with “maximum encryption” for a low price. On top of that, it says that it follows a strict no-logging policy. But should you trust a VPN that makes it so hard to learn more about its technology and practices?

After my tests, I do not recommend Hide Expert. It’s unsafe because it doesn’t come with a kill switch, and the privacy policy is too vague. In fact, the entire website tells you almost nothing about the VPN, and there’s no way to get in touch with support.

In addition, it isn’t available for several popular devices, and the server network is small. You’re better off sticking with one of the top VPNs, which are trustworthy, safe, and great for uninterrupted streaming.

I could only access one major streaming platform with Hide Expert. When I was able to stream, the picture quality was good, and I didn’t have to deal with buffering. However, Hide Expert is only available on iOS, Android, or Mac Devices. This means you can’t use it with your PC, and there’s no way to connect it to your router to stream on incompatible smart TVs.

If it worked with casting, this wouldn't be so bad. Unfortunately, I could never get videos to play on my big screen while connected to Hide Expert.

Unblocked: Netflix

I was able to access the full US Netflix library, but there’s a catch. During my tests, I used servers from the US, Canada, the UK, and Germany. They all worked, but each one unblocked the full US library. That seemed strange to me because leak tests showed me each time I was getting an IP from the corresponding location.

However, during my speed tests, I noticed that every Hide Expert server is from the same location in Nevada, US (where the VPN is based). I believe that’s why I could only access the US library. On the plus side, I was pleasantly surprised with how well it worked. Each server let me instantly load videos, and I never experienced any buffering. The picture quality was also solid.

Blocked By: Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime Video

I couldn't access any other streaming platforms. The first platform that blocked me was Hulu.

Hide Expert was easily detected and blocked

Next, I was blocked by HBO Max on all 3 US servers and 1 from Spain. I used those same servers to try and access Disney Plus.

There was no way to watch videos since this error screen showed up after I logged in

With Amazon Prime Video, I received a similar message each time I tried to click on a video. It told me my VPN was detected. This happens often during testing because Amazon Prime Video is one of the hardest platforms to access.

However, there are great VPNs that make it easy to watch all these services from anywhere. If you want to stay safe while streaming every major platform, check out this list of the best VPNs for streaming.

I always lost a ton of speed with Hide Expert. Fortunately, I have a pretty high base connection rate, so this didn’t make it harder to load web pages or stream. However, if your base speed is around 40 Mbps or less, you’ll probably have to deal with long load times while connected to Hide Expert.

Normally, our dedicated speed tester in the UK handles these tests. Unfortunately, Hide Expert doesn’t let you connect multiple devices, so I couldn’t share the VPN with her (there are no login details). So, I had to carry out the tests myself from the US. However, I still followed our guidelines and thoroughly tested each server, so these tests are accurate.

I lost 63% of my speed on local servers and 67% on long distance ones

The US servers were the closest ones to my actual location, but they were some of the slowest. I lost 73% from my base download rate with these “local” servers. My upload speeds dropped at a similar percentage. However, I did get solid ping results on a few of my tests, although sometimes it would reach 150 ms on these US servers.

The fastest server I could find (Canada) still dropped my speed by 54%. That’s a very disappointing result because many VPNs will only lower my speeds by 20% or less at that distance. In addition, the fastest VPNs might only lower my speeds by 40% with servers on the other side of the world. Hide Expert couldn’t even do that with nearby servers.

If you want fast speeds for streaming, gaming, torrenting, or any other online activity, check out this list of the fastest VPNs.

I could play mobile games without issue, but that’s not a great test of a VPN’s gaming performance. Hide Expert is also available for Mac desktop devices, but many gamers play on PCs, and most of the top VPNs are available for Windows and macOS.

Ping is the most important aspect of your speed when you’re playing online games. That’s because it measures how quickly your data can travel. You want it to be below 85 ms, so your character can react instantly to your commands. This is most important when you’re playing competitive online games.

I was able to get some decent ping results with Hide Expert’s US servers. However, I can’t recommend it for gaming when it’s not compatible with so many devices.

If you want to protect your vital information while you are playing online games lag-free on any device, read this list of the best VPNs for gaming.

Hide Expert has a bare bones network of 29 servers that does nothing to stand out. There are no city-level locations, and there are no specialty servers. The top VPNs all have much larger server lists that allow you to pick which city you want to connect to in several countries. Most also offer servers optimized for different activities (like torrenting or streaming).

Every server is free, you just need to pay to keep using them after the 3 day trial

Hide Expert offers IPs from the US, Germany, and the following countries:

Although I couldn’t confirm this with Hide Expert support, I believe all its servers are virtual. As I mentioned above, during my speed tests, I noticed that every test showed results from a location in Nevada, where Hide Expert is headquartered.

There’s nothing wrong with virtual servers, but it’s nice when VPNs also offer physical servers. That makes it easier to optimize your speeds since you know how far away the server actually is. I’m also disappointed Hide Expert doesn’t make it clear on its website that these are virtual locations.

On top of that, Hide Expert doesn’t offer dedicated servers. Many VPNs let you pay extra to access a server only you use. That can be helpful if you run a website where you need a consistent IP. Since I couldn’t contact support, I don’t know if it uses RAM-only servers or if it owns its infrastructure. Most VPNs are open about these features on their websites, so I assume Hide Expert doesn’t have them.

For a similar price, you can get a VPN with a much larger server network with way more security and privacy features.

Hide Expert passed my leak tests, but it’s not really secure. With tests on 10 different servers, it always successfully hid my real location and made it look like I was in the country listed on the server. However, the lack of a kill switch makes me feel unsafe using it.

A kill switch is a necessary feature that blocks your internet connection if the VPN ever disconnects. That way, you’re never left vulnerable online with an unencrypted connection. Hide Expert doesn’t tell you what level of encryption it uses. Its website just states it uses “maximum encryption.”

Most VPNs are upfront about the encryption level they use. AES-256 bit is the industry standard, and it’s the same level used by banks and militaries. There’s no good reason to use a VPN without at least AES-256 bit encryption. I can’t confirm what level Hide Expert uses, but often when a VPN is vague, it’s because they have something to hide.

IKEv2 Protocol

The only security feature Hide Expert tells its customers about is the IKEv2 protocol. A protocol is a set of rules a VPN follows to funnel your traffic through its servers. It also helps determine how the VPN will encrypt your information. Each protocol comes with different pros and cons.

For the price you pay, you should get access to more than 1 protocol

IKEv2 is effective for mobile devices due to its ability to promptly restore connections. This is particularly beneficial for phones as they frequently switch between WiFi and mobile networks. However, I would prefer if Hide Expert provided additional options. For instance, OpenVPN is an extremely secure protocol, and WireGuard is designed for enhanced speed.

The top VPNs give you many more options when it comes to protocols, as well as many other security features. To get a VPN that comes with a kill switch, multiple protocols, and more, you can try one of the safest VPNs available from this list.

Hide Expert’s privacy policy is decent, but it’s a little more vague than I’m comfortable with. It also hasn’t been proven in court or with an independent audit. There are a few other areas that leave me unsure if I can truly trust the company, but I’ll get into those in the following sections.

Does Hide Expert Keep Logs? Maybe

Hide Expert states it won’t log any of your information, but I wish it was more specific. For example, it doesn’t say anything about IP addresses in its policy.

Hide Expert is owned by 4K SOFT LTD, a company with no prior privacy controversies

Another thing that worries me is Hide Expert doesn’t tell you what kind of data it does store. Most VPNs have to store some anonymized information to keep their servers running. This is usually things like how much data you’ve used, how many times you’ve connected, or what device you’re using.

As long as this data can’t be linked to your IP address or browsing history, it’s not a problem. Unfortunately, Hide Expert doesn’t give you any idea what it stores, and I’m guessing it records something. Once again, I wasn’t able to learn more through support. You can find a VPN that’s more transparent about its practices with a proven privacy policy in this list.

Was Hide Expert Audited? No

There has never been an independent audit of Hide Expert’s tech or policies. The top VPNs work with auditing firms to prove their claims are true. They give these third parties access to their infrastructure, so they can tell people how the company is really operated and suggest changes to make them more secure. Without an audit, you can only take Hide Expert at its word.

Based in the US

Hide Expert keeps its headquarters in Mesquite, Nevada in the United States. This is concerning because the US government has been known to spy on its citizens' data. It’s also a part of the 14 Eyes Alliance. This is an agreement between governments to share information gathered from their residents. While Hide Expert has a strong privacy policy, it’s possible the US government could eventually force them to change it.

Does Hide Expert Work in China? No

Since there was no way to contact support, I can’t confirm if Hide Expert works in China. However, there is a server in Hong Kong, which might allow you to access Chinese online content.

Many VPNs have been banned by the Chinese government. Thankfully, it usually only goes after the technology, rather than getting individuals in trouble for using them. I recommend you read up on Chinese laws before choosing to use a VPN in the country. To find a VPN that can get past the Great Firewall, look at this list of VPNs that work in China.

I wasn’t able to torrent any files while connected to Hide Expert. The website never mentions torrenting, so I’m guessing it just doesn’t support it. Connected to servers in the US, Spain, and Canada, I could never get uTorrent to start downloading, even with files that had tons of seeders.

But even if Hide Expert allowed P2P downloads, I still wouldn’t recommend it. This is due to its vague privacy policy and the lack of a kill switch. You can get a VPN that’s optimized for torrenting on all major devices with better security and privacy features in this list.