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hide.me VPN alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave hide.me VPN: monthly plan is expensive, and free plan has limited locations. We ranked 4 alternatives by how directly each one replaces hide.me VPN, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Proton VPN currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Proton VPN logoProton VPNFree plan + paidYesWindows, macOS, Linux +35 of 566.5
2Windscribe logoWindscribeFree plan + paidYesWindows, macOS, Linux +35 of 562.6
3PrivadoVPN logoPrivadoVPNFree plan + paidNoWindows, macOS, iOS +13 of 359.6
4Mullvad VPN logoMullvad VPNPaidYesWindows, macOS, Linux +25 of 557.2
  1. Proton VPN logo

    1. Proton VPNTop pick

    Best for: Privacy-focused users, and anyone who needs a free VPN they can trust

    Free plan + paidOpen sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from hide.me VPN

    Free tier with no data cap and open-source apps.

    Pros

    • Free plan with no data cap and no ads
    • Open-source, audited apps on every platform
    • Secure Core multi-hop routing on paid plans

    Cons

    • Free plan allows only one device and fewer locations
    • Full price is high without a long commitment
    • Some streaming and P2P features are paid only
    Visit Proton VPN Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Proton VPN a good hide.me VPN alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, $0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026protonvpn.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan limits
    1 device, no data cap, no ads
    Checked Oct 25, 2026protonvpn.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Devices on VPN Plus
    10
    Checked Oct 25, 2026protonvpn.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Money-back guarantee
    30 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026protonvpn.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Open source
    Yes, apps open source and audited
    Checked Oct 25, 2026protonvpn.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Windscribe logo

    2. Windscribe

    Best for: Budget users who want a decent free plan or to pay only for the locations they use

    Free plan + paidOpen sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from hide.me VPN

    Free plan plus flexible pay-per-location upgrades.

    Pros

    • Free plan with a monthly data allowance
    • Build-a-plan pricing per location
    • Customisable ad and tracker blocking

    Cons

    • Free plan has limited data and locations
    • Smaller network than the biggest providers
    • Interface style can feel cluttered
    Visit Windscribe Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Windscribe a good hide.me VPN alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Pro monthly price
    $9/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026windscribe.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro yearly price
    $69/year
    Checked Oct 25, 2026windscribe.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Build A Plan
    $1 per location per month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026windscribe.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Server countries
    69+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026windscribe.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Desktop app licence
    GPL-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. PrivadoVPN logo

    3. PrivadoVPN

    Best for: Budget users who want a free monthly allowance before paying

    Free plan + paidWindows, macOS, iOS, Android

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from hide.me VPN

    Another free allowance with cheap unlimited upgrades.

    Pros

    • Free plan with a monthly data allowance
    • Cheap long-term paid plans
    • SOCKS5 proxy included

    Cons

    • Smaller, less proven provider
    • No Linux app
    • Free plan limits locations and data
    Visit PrivadoVPN Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is PrivadoVPN a good hide.me VPN alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Free plan
    10GB every 30 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026privadovpn.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Connections
    10 on paid plans
    Checked Oct 25, 2026privadovpn.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Ad blocker
    Included in paid plans
    Checked Oct 25, 2026privadovpn.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Mullvad VPN logo

    4. Mullvad VPN

    Best for: Privacy-minded users who want anonymous signup and a simple flat price

    PaidOpen sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from hide.me VPN

    Flat low price and anonymous accounts if you don't need a free tier.

    Pros

    • No email or personal details needed to sign up
    • Same low price for any length of subscription
    • Open-source apps and published audits

    Cons

    • Not aimed at unblocking streaming services
    • No port forwarding
    • Smaller server network than the big providers
    Visit Mullvad VPN Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Mullvad VPN a good hide.me VPN alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Price
    €5 per month, any term
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mullvad.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Money-back guarantee
    14 days (not for cash payments)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mullvad.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Licence
    GPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mullvad.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Company location
    Gothenburg, Sweden
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mullvad.net(opens source in a new tab)

The best hide.me VPN alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Proton VPN logo

Best hide.me VPN alternative for most people

Proton VPN

Free tier with no data cap and open-source apps.

Windscribe logo

Best hide.me VPN alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Windscribe

Free plan plus flexible pay-per-location upgrades.

Mullvad VPN logo

Best hide.me VPN alternative for open source

Mullvad VPN

Flat low price and anonymous accounts if you don't need a free tier.

PrivadoVPN logo

Best hide.me VPN alternative for Mac

PrivadoVPN

Another free allowance with cheap unlimited upgrades.

Proton VPN logo

Best hide.me VPN alternative for Windows

Proton VPN

Free tier with no data cap and open-source apps.

Proton VPN logo

Best hide.me VPN alternative for Linux

Proton VPN

Free tier with no data cap and open-source apps.

Proton VPN logo

Best hide.me VPN alternative for iPhone and Android

Proton VPN

Free tier with no data cap and open-source apps.

hide.me VPN alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to hide.me VPN?

Proton VPN ranks first right now. Free tier with no data cap and open-source apps. Windscribe and PrivadoVPN follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to hide.me VPN?

Yes. Proton VPN (free plan + paid), Windscribe (free plan + paid) and PrivadoVPN (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to hide.me VPN?

Yes: Proton VPN, Windscribe and Mullvad VPN.

Which hide.me VPN alternatives work on Linux?

Proton VPN, Windscribe and Mullvad VPN run on Linux.

Why do people switch from hide.me VPN?

The complaints we hear most: monthly plan is expensive; free plan has limited locations; less known than larger providers.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces hide.me VPN, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.