Hidester VPN

Hidester VPN is new and promises fast connections, high bandwidth, and the ability to unblock popular streaming platforms. I wanted to see if Hidester lived up to these claims and if being a new entrant in the VPN space meant better features on its part.I found Hidester to be an unreliable VPN as I couldn’t get it to work for weeks, even with the help of support. Unfortunately, while Hidester claims it unblocks most streaming platforms, its limited servers were too slow and laggy to unblock a single content library. Most worrying is that it was challenging to get the app to connect to Hidester’s servers, and I could only test the CamoWeb proxy service that’s built-in within the app. The VPN service was too slow to test.

Features:

Lightning-fast Speed: The app ensures a lightning-fast speed for all your online activities. Whether you're streaming movies, playing online games, or browsing the web, it guarantees seamless and uninterrupted performance.

Global Coverage: With an extensive network of servers located in various countries around the world, it allows you to access content and websites from anywhere. Enjoy unrestricted internet access and explore the web without any limitations or restrictions.

Enhanced Security: Hidester VPN protects your online activities by encrypting your internet connection and ensuring the privacy and security of your data. Browse the internet with peace of mind, knowing that your personal information is safe from cyber threats and potential hackers.

Easy-to-Use Interface: The app offers a user-friendly interface, making it incredibly simple to navigate and operate. Connect to the desired server with just a few clicks and enjoy seamless browsing and streaming experience.

Highlights:

Security and privacy: The renowned security powerhouse sets the standard for the most advanced AES-256 encryption. However, encryption alone is not enough to keep you safe, so NordVPN supplements it with not one but two kill switches. It also has leak protection, which passed out my tests with flying colors. When it comes to privacy, NordVPN ticked all the boxes – privacy-friendly location (Panama), triple audited no-logs policy, and RAM-only infrastructure. So, not only does it not log your data, the provider doesn't store it either.

Performance: I can't help but be amazed by NordVPN speeds. My VPN speed test tool constantly logs it as the fastest provider on the market. It's all due to its proprietary NordLynx protocol, based on WireGuard, and a fleet of 6900+ servers in 113+ countries. You can even get dedicated IPs from more than 10 countries to boost performance for specific use cases.

Features: As a VPN expert, I have to praise this provider for its specialized hardware, such as obfuscated Double VPN, dedicated IP, and Onion Over VPN servers. There are also more common features, such as Threat Protection, split-tunneling, a SOCKS5 proxy, Invisibility on LAN, and even Dark Web Monitoring.

Streaming & P2P: Thanks to its SmartPlay feature, NordVPN can easily unblock various streaming platforms. Without any issues, I gained access to Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Hotstar, and several other platforms. Similarly, NordVPN works well for file-sharing purposes. It has enabled P2P on its network, with servers optimized for torrenting.

Compatibility: You can use NordVPN with all of your devices. It has apps for all major platforms, such as Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. If you prefer to use the VPN directly in your browser, you can use Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Opera, and Edge browser extensions. The best part is the Smart DNS feature and router applet. These two allow users to set up a VPN on devices that don't support the apps natively. Plus, there 6 simultaneous connections to cover all of your devices.

Strengths:

Fast and Reliable Connection: The app ensures the best speed and fast connection, allowing you to browse the web seamlessly.

Extensive Location Options: With the app, you can access a wide range of locations, giving you the freedom to explore content from around the world.

Unblock Websites: Say goodbye to restrictions and access blocked websites effortlessly with the app.

Location Change and Privacy Protection: Hide your actual location and enjoy online anonymity with the app. Safeguard your personal information from prying eyes.

Torrenting Support: The app allows you to securely torrent files without compromising your privacy or connection speed.

Public Network Security: Protect your connection against potential intruders when using public networks. The app ensures your data remains private and secure.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

OpenVPN and OpenVPN-based protocols: Hidester offers three different VPN protocols designed for different uses and applications, whether you want to prioritize speed, privacy, or unblocking.

Over 20 P2P servers: Of Hidester’s 43 server locations, 20 support torrenting and P2P access. This is vital for users who want to hide their torrenting activity from their ISP.

No IP address leaks: We tested Hidester for DNS and WebRTC leaks, which are quite common for weaker VPNs. Hidester passed both our tests.

Cons:

Short risk-free trial: You can request a refund if Hidester isn’t working to your expectations, but depending on your plan, you can do so only within three to seven days of buying a subscription. Others offer 30- to 60-day money-back guarantees.

Slow speed: Hidester’s speed was disappointing, as it decreased our internet speed by more than 40-percent in all but one of the tests we conducted.

Weak unblocking ability: Hidester isn’t the best choice for unblocking geo-restricted content. It failed to clear Netflix’s VPN blocks several times.

Final words:

The Hidester privacy policy is extremely short and leaves out quite a lot of information. We have already mentioned above that, despite claiming to keep no user logs, Hidester does actually retain quite a bit of metadata.The privacy policy makes no mention of details such as how long this metadata is retained. It also makes a reference to ‘diagnosis data’ which it admits to sharing with a ‘third party analytics provider’. There is no detail on what this data is or who the third party is, which is rather troubling.The company behind Hidester is incorporated in Hong Kong, which does not have a data retention law as such. However, Hong Kong is now a special administrative region of Communist China, which has the world’s most extreme online surveillance regime.It is not clear how much this surveillance regime has reached into Hong Kong yet, but Hidester users should be aware of the potential risks. On the other hand, many VPN companies choose to incorporate here so it’s up to you to see the potential benefits or pitfalls of their location.