HMA is a mainstream VPN supplier with good features of 1,000+ servers in 190+ countries.
Some of this VPN’s greatest qualities are its easy to understanding interface, amazing rates, and capacity to sidestep geoblocks (even Netflix’s!)
Its newest update, HMA Version 5, incorporates new plan features and an auto-produced diagnostics mode. Arguably the most impressive update is its Lightning-mode feature, which associates you to the fastest and nearest server consequently.
HMA additionally offers robust security; all apps are protected by military-grade encryption. Mac, Windows, and Android users appreciate extra protection from a smart kill switch. The VPN also maintains a no-logs policy for all viable gadgets referenced on its site and has been checked no-logs by VerSprite.
Drawbacks incorporate how you can’t select a month-by-month membership, and the organization’s concerning UK base camp.
Pros:
- Excellent speed test scores
- Friendly, simple interface.
- Handy IP shuffler
- Split Tunneling
Cons:
- Expensive, monthly subscription not available in certain regions
- Needs to continue to improve its privacy practices
- Unclear where servers are located
- No recent transparency reports
Streaming:
HMA claims to be a phenomenal VPN for bypassing geo-blocks, including Netflix’s notoriously difficult blocks. The VPN’s network even has five servers streamlined for streaming so you can watch your favorite content in HD without buffering delays.
I began my streaming tests by associating with HMA’s US servers. Three of HMA’s specialties streaming servers are situated in the US, which is incredible for getting to US streaming content. I’m satisfied to report that I could stream Netflix on each worker I attempted—and the quality was acceptable, as well, with no slacking or buffering issues.
Next, I attempted Amazon Prime Video, BBC player, and Hulu. HMA opened all these real-time features for me over numerous servers— blocked once. The main significant stage I couldn’t dependably get to was Disney+. It’s a fresher help, yet different VPNs like NordVPN do give access, so I’d prefer to see HMA venture up its game here.
Speed:
I was intrigued by the aftereffects of my speed tests on HMA’s worker organization. Before associating with HMA’s workers, I began with an association speed of 111.10 Mbps download and 8.05 Mbps upload. Using HMA’s Lightning Connect, which consequently interfaces you to the best close by servers, I associated with a nearby worker in the UK. The worker gave me a 104.00 Mbps download speed and 7.79 Mbps transfer speed. Next, I tried the speed of one of HMA’s streaming advanced US workers. Even though this server was a lot farther away than my physical area, my download speed just dropped to 101.99 Mbps – even though my transfer speed took, even more a hit. Unfortunately, these velocities aren’t reliable overall servers. Interfacing with a worker on the opposite side of Japan caused my download speed to drop to 24.69 Mbps. Significantly, a large portion of HMA’s servers gives astounding paces. It would help if you didn’t experience difficulty finding a quick worker as long as you don’t have to associate with an excessively far away area.
Be that as it may, I would have jumped at the chance to have seen more predictable velocities overall worker areas in the organization.
Netflix:
In case you’re alive this far into the 21st century, you’re most likely real-time video and music consistently. Lamentably, many streaming organizations, and particularly Netflix, block VPN clients.
I experienced no difficulty streaming Netflix while I was associated with an HMA worker in the US. That is incredible. Note, in any case, that VPN obstructing is somewhat of a waiting game. The administration that works for viewing Netflix with a VPN today may be hindered tomorrow.
Security:
At the point when you interface with HMA’s worker organization, your IP address is covered up, and your information is secured with military-grade AES 256-bit encryption. There is also a decision to ensure conventions, including UDP and TCP OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, and PPTP. HMA offers solid security with practically zero setups. An OpenVPN association with a UDP port is the default convention on all stages aside from iOS, which utilizes an IPsec convention. It’s commonly a smart thought to use OpenVPN conventions at whatever point conceivable. They offer the most powerful security without the weaknesses of more seasoned traditions. Contingent upon your gadget, the IPsec convention can once in a while offer preferred association speeds over OpenVPN. I would suggest maintaining a strategic distance from PPTP as a rule. It’s a more established convention that has greater security weaknesses. HMA likewise offers an off button on its Mac, Windows, and Android applications. It is an incredible security highlight that will guard your information regardless of whether your VPN association abruptly drops. Barring iOS applications, all other HMA customers highlight IP rearranging. It naturally changes you to another IP address after a predetermined timeframe and can help you abstain from following and observing.
Logging:
HMA is situated in the UK, which is one of the establishing individuals from the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance. It isn’t ideal from a protection viewpoint.
The UK government is known to keep an eye on its residents on the web. Any observation accumulated by the UK can be imparted to different nations in the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance as a feature of the insight sharing understanding.
While this is worrisome, HMA now keeps up a no-logs strategy. It implies it doesn’t store any recognizable data about you or your online exercises, including your IP address, the sites you visit, or any information you send or get. Should an administration come to HMA looking for records, HMA would need to give them—yet it can’t give whatever it doesn’t store.
The main things that HMA records are the date you interface with the VPN (yet not the time), and the measure of information moved, adjusted down. HMA gathers this data to screen administration limits and erases it following 35 days.
Bottom-line:
HMA offers extraordinary speed and an unequaled number of server locations; however, it isn’t clear about where those servers are found, and it charges a chunk of change for its services.