Hide.me
Hide.me is a Malaysia-based VPN service by eVenture Ltd. that delivers encrypted internet privacy and censorship circumvention to individual consumers and small businesses across 57 countries, using self-managed 2,600+ servers and proprietary Bolt fast-proxy technology under a freemium subscription model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersLabuan, Malaysia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Hide.me does
Hide.me is a consumer and small-business VPN service operated by eVenture Ltd., a privately held company incorporated in Labuan, Malaysia under registration number LL09685. Founded in 2012 by Sebastian Schaub, the company offers encrypted internet connectivity, IP masking, censorship circumvention, and multi-platform privacy protection. Its infrastructure is self-managed, spanning 2,600+ servers in 91+ locations across 57 countries on 10 Gbps capacity, with protocol support for WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, SoftEther, and SSTP, plus proprietary Bolt fast-proxy technology, Multihop Double VPN, StealthGuard app control, SmartGuard ad/malware blocking, split tunneling, dynamic port forwarding, and full native IPv6. Independent no-logs audits by DefenseCode (2015) and Securitum (2024), along with VPN Trust Initiative accreditation, underpin a privacy-first brand positioned outside the Fourteen Eyes intelligence alliance.
The business runs on a freemium model: a permanently free tier (10GB/month, no signup, 8 server locations) feeds a self-serve premium subscription stack priced from $2.59/month on a 27-month plan to $11.99/month monthly, with up to 10 simultaneous devices per account and a 30-day money-back guarantee. A separate Business VPN SKU sells per-employee accounts from $5/account/month for 30+ seats, with pay-as-you-go billing, a Windows SDK, account automation API, and dedicated client success management. Distribution combines direct website self-serve, mobile app stores, browser extensions, and router partners (GL.iNet, Asus, MikroTik, FRITZ!Box) with affiliate (up to 30% lifetime recurring) and reseller (25% discount, $250 deposit, API) programs. The company reports 30 million+ users served since inception, is featured in Forbes, PCMag, ZDNet, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, and PCWorld, and maintains a small 11-50 person organization.
Hide.me firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hide.me
- Legal name
- eVenture Ltd.
- Website
- https://hide.me
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Hide.me is a Malaysia-based VPN service by eVenture Ltd. that delivers encrypted internet privacy and censorship circumvention to individual consumers and small businesses across 57 countries, using self-managed 2,600+ servers and proprietary Bolt fast-proxy technology under a freemium subscription model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hide.me industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Virtual Private Network (VPN) Software
- NAICS
- Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (51711), Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) (561621)
- SIC
- Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Network Security Services (Firewall/VPN/ZTNA/SASE Integration) (BPAEAEAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- VPN & Remote Access Gateways (HDADABAD)
Keywords
Where Hide.me is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Labuan
- HQ country
- Malaysia
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hide.me business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Premium VPN Subscriptions: Paid subscription plans for individual users. Plans include 1-month ($11.99), 12-months ($54.99), and 27-months ($69.99 with 3 extra months). Renews at same price and duration. Supports up to 10 simultaneous device connections.
- Free VPN (Freemium): Completely free VPN with 10GB monthly data transfer, no signup or payment required. Same security as paid plans. Serves as top-of-funnel for premium conversion.
- Business VPN: Enterprise VPN solution with unique credentials per employee, pay-as-you-go billing, dedicated client success manager, and API for account automation. Pricing starts at $5/account/month for 30+ accounts.
- Affiliate Commissions: Partners earn recurring commissions (25-30%) for referring paying customers. Lifetime revenue share model.
- Reseller Program: Resellers purchase accounts at 25% discount (pay 75% of actual price) and resell to end customers. Initial deposit of $250 required with pay-as-you-go model.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free VPN - no signup required |
| Subscription | Monthly | Premium 1 Month |
| Subscription | Annual | Premium 12 Months |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Premium 27 Months (Exclusive) |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Business VPN (30 accounts) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Hide.me product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hide.me operates a global virtual private network service that encrypts internet traffic, masks IP addresses, and bypasses censorship for individual and business users. The product portfolio spans a free VPN tier requiring no signup, premium consumer subscriptions with up to 10 simultaneous device connections, a Business VPN with per-employee credentials and API automation, and supporting Free Proxy and SOCKS Proxy services. The service runs on a self-managed network of 2,600+ servers in 91+ locations across 57 countries with 10 Gbps capacity.
Product overview
Hide.me is a VPN service provider operated by Malaysia-based eVenture Ltd, offering a comprehensive portfolio of privacy and security products. The core offering is the Hide.me VPN Premium service (paid) alongside a permanently free Hide.me Free VPN tier with unlimited data and 8 server locations. Advanced features include Bolt (proprietary fast proxy), SmartGuard (ad/malware blocking), Multihop Double VPN, StealthGuard, and split tunneling. The product line spans native apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, plus browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, and router configurations for GL.iNet, Asus, MikroTik, and FRITZ!Box. Beyond consumer VPN, Hide.me offers a Business VPN solution with dedicated servers, per-employee credentials, a Windows SDK, and an API for workflow automation. Additional offerings include a Free Proxy service, an affiliate program, and a reseller program. The ecosystem is complemented by free security tools: DNS Leak Test, WebRTC Leak Test, Password Generator, and IP check tools.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- hide.me Business VPN: Enterprise VPN solution with unique credentials per employee, API automation, dedicated servers, and SME discounts.
- hide.me VPN Reseller Program
- hide.me Affiliate Program
- SmartGuard
- Bolt
Products and services
- Hide.me Premium VPN Subscription-based VPN service for individual consumers providing encrypted internet connections, IP masking, multi-protocol support (WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, SoftEther, SSTP), up to 10 simultaneous devices, and access to all server locations with unlimited data.
- Hide.me Free VPN Free tier of the Hide.me VPN service offering 10GB monthly data transfer, no signup or payment required, access to 8 server locations, and the same no-logs security standards as paid plans.
- Hide.me Business VPN Enterprise VPN solution providing unique credentials per employee, pay-as-you-go billing starting at $5/account/month for 30+ accounts, dedicated client success manager, Windows SDK, and API for workflow automation. Targeted at organizations from freelancers to large enterprises needing secure remote work.
- Hide.me Free Proxy Free proxy service available across Windows, Android, iOS, macOS, and Linux platforms plus Smart TV, providing basic IP masking without the full encryption of the VPN tunnel.
- Hide.me SOCKS Proxy SOCKS proxy service for premium users providing an additional layer of anonymity for specific applications without full VPN encryption.
Quantifiable outcome
- Independent audit confirms zero-log policy (Securitum, June 2024)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Hide.me
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Hide.me technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Feature10 records
Hide.me partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core and minor.
- FreifonstrategicHide.me partnered with Freifon to provide stronger mobile privacy and secure internet access on the go. Freifon is a privacy-focused mobile OS that integrates hide.me VPN for enhanced mobile security.
- StartpagestrategicHide.me partnered with Startpage, a private search engine, to provide users with direct access to private search functionality. This collaboration integrates Startpage's privacy-focused search within hide.me's ecosystem.
- VPN Trust Initiative (VTI)coreHide.me is a founding member and VTI certified provider of the VPN Trust Initiative, an industry coalition focused on improving VPN trust and transparency standards. VTI accreditation confirms hide.me meets trust principles for privacy, security, and business practices.
- Valiance eSportsminorHide.me acquired Croatian eSports organization Valiance. Hide.me became the main jersey sponsor and the acquisition supports hide.me's gaming-focused marketing, targeting the large gaming community that uses VPN services.
- Kanaria NFTminorHide.me partnered with Kanaria NFT platform to release NFT collectibles. Multiple successful collaborations released NFT items including the Legendary Guy Fawkes Mask which sold out in hours.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Hide.me competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Proton VPN: Proton VPN is a Swiss-based consumer and business VPN service operated by Proton AG, offering a similar freemium model, audited no-log policy, and strong privacy positioning. Direct competitor across privacy-focused consumer and SMB segments.
- NordVPN: NordVPN is the largest consumer VPN brand by recognition, owned by Nord Security (Lithuania). Directly competes with Hide.me on consumer privacy, streaming unblocking, multi-protocol support, and global server footprint.
- ExpressVPN: ExpressVPN is a premium consumer VPN brand owned by Kape Technologies, marketed on speed and unblocking. Competes with Hide.me in the consumer premium segment and increasingly in the privacy/audited no-log positioning.
- Surfshark: Surfshark is a consumer VPN service also owned by Nord Security, positioned on affordability and unlimited devices. Direct competitor to Hide.me's consumer and multi-device value proposition.
- Windscribe: Windscribe is a Canada-based VPN service offering a free tier with monthly data allowance and a paid plan, similar to Hide.me's freemium positioning. Direct competitor in the freemium consumer VPN category.
- TunnelBear: TunnelBear is a consumer VPN owned by McAfee, known for a simple UX and a free tier with monthly data cap. Comparable to Hide.me on simplicity, free-tier funnel strategy, and consumer privacy branding.
- Mullvad VPN: Mullvad VPN is a Sweden-based privacy-focused VPN with anonymous account creation and a flat €5/month pricing model. Competes with Hide.me for the most privacy-conscious users and journalists/activists segment.
- CyberGhost VPN: CyberGhost is a large consumer VPN service owned by Kape Technologies with broad global server coverage and streaming-optimized servers. Direct competitor to Hide.me across consumer and SMB VPN use cases.
- Private Internet Access (PIA): PIA is a long-established consumer VPN service owned by Kape Technologies, emphasizing privacy, court-proven no logs, and value pricing. Direct competitor to Hide.me across consumer privacy and SMB use cases.
Emerging players
- IVPN: IVPN is a smaller, Gibraltar-based privacy-focused VPN targeting security-conscious users and journalists. Comparable to Hide.me on privacy-first positioning and audited no-logs, though significantly smaller in scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hide.me social profiles
Digital presenceHide.me compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Hide.me financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hide.me leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Hide.me subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Hide.me funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hide.me M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hide.me
What does Hide.me do?
Hide.me operates a global virtual private network service that encrypts internet traffic, masks IP addresses, and bypasses censorship for individual and business users. The product portfolio spans a free VPN tier requiring no signup, premium consumer subscriptions with up to 10 simultaneous device connections, a Business VPN with per-employee credentials and API automation, and supporting Free Proxy and SOCKS Proxy services. The service runs on a self-managed network of 2,600+ servers in 91+ locations across 57 countries with 10 Gbps capacity.
Is Hide.me a public or private company?
Hide.me is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Hide.me founded?
Hide.me was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Hide.me based?
Hide.me is headquartered in Labuan, Malaysia, in the Asia region.
How does Hide.me make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Premium VPN Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are free VPN (Freemium), business VPN, affiliate Commissions and reseller Program.
Who are Hide.me's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Proton VPN, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, Windscribe, TunnelBear, Mullvad VPN, CyberGhost VPN and Private Internet Access (PIA). IVPN is listed as an emerging player.
Does Hide.me have an API?
Yes. Hide.me Business VPN offers a flexible Windows SDK to control VPN connections over an API, which can be bundled into existing applications or used to build a custom GUI. The API enables creating, deleting, disabling, and enabling VPN accounts, changing passwords, and automating entire account management workflows without manual intervention.
What industry is Hide.me in?
Hide.me's product category is Virtual Private Network (VPN) Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEAEAG, Network Security Services (Firewall/VPN/ZTNA/SASE Integration), with a secondary code of HDADABAD, VPN & Remote Access Gateways. Its NAICS code is 51711 and its SIC code is 4813.