5 Best HMA VPN Alternatives: Better Privacy & Physical Servers

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ExpressVPN is the best alternative to HideMyAss VPN, especially if you care about having a reliable no-logs provider with no ties to the 14 Eyes countries for optimum privacy.

I researched 20+ other VPN providers over two weeks, diving into their security audits, jurisdiction, and history of government cooperation. Of these, only NordVPN, Surfshark, CyberGhost, and VyprVPN are strong contenders for being HMA alternatives.

Each VPN I ranked excelled in a different aspect of user privacy and data security.

So, continue reading to find which best aligns with your privacy goals.

Let’s discuss!

HMA VPN is based in the UK, one of the founding members of the 14 Eyes surveillance countries. Likewise, it took a while to get its no-logs promise audited.

So, a combination of these resulted in the disaster that happened when the VPN provider shared the connection logs of one of its users with the FBI.

Now, even though it’s based in the UK, it cooperated with the US authorities since it’s also a part of the 14 Eyes. That tells you the VPN may be asked by its government to hand over such data to 13 other countries it’s in alliance with.

On top of that, HMA is notorious for using virtual servers instead of physical servers. Thus, these servers are concentrated in the same data centers.

This increases access to every server to compromise them.

That’s unlike my alternative HMA VPNs, which also use virtual servers, but only in a fraction of their entire server haul.

Finally, HMA provides a competitive pricing promise, but what if you can get so much more for the comparatively same price, or even less?

That’s why I tested 20+ VPNs for the last two weeks and compiled this easy-to-follow guide to the best HMA alternatives.

In a hurry? Check out the summaries below.

Get Better Privacy, Reliable No-Logs, and Physical Servers With These VPNs

ban from hma tweet
One (isolated) reason why you should consider HMA alternatives

Don’t leave your private internet data at the hand of a VPN company that may share it with the government, store it for personal use, or be compelled to collect data on you.

Try these Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) instead.

  • ExpressVPN – Twice audited for its no logs policy, ExpressVPN also has an in-house, equally audited protocol that guarantees the best speeds and security.
  • NordVPN – Get almost 5x as many servers as HMA, and enjoy reliable privacy from a VPN service based in Panama.
  • Surfshark – Enjoy the services of an audited no-logs VPN provider with an active warrant canary to tell you when it’s getting served with a subpoena, gag order, or court summons.
  • CyberGhost – Offers the most recently audited no-logs policy and is based in data-friendly Romania. Also, it offers 7x more servers than HMA.
  • VyprVPN – Might not offer as many secure servers as HMA, but it’s based in privacy-friendly Switzerland and is audited for its no logs claims.

I’m sure those summaries piqued your interest in these premium VPN services, but that’s far from what they can offer.

So, it’s best to continue reading to make the best choice of what HMA alternative VPN to choose.

Comparisons and Mini-Reviews of the Best Alternative HMA VPNs

These premium VPN service providers compare best to HMA on privacy, security, servers, and all the best things you need from a reliable VPN.

But asides from being suitable HMA alternatives, how do they compare to each other too?

Find out the details in my tests and comparisons below.

ExpressVPN – Twice-Audited No-Logs VPN Provider Based in the BVI

ExpressVPN’s 94-country count is less than HMA’s 290+ countries.

But let’s be honest – do you need VPN servers in all the countries?

Even if you did, HMA maintains just 1000+ servers in these locations.

Thus, there’s bound to be overcrowding. Instead, ExpressVPN offers 3000+ servers in its 94 countries, ensuring a better server spread to prevent overcrowding.

Furthermore, HMA uses virtual servers in most of these locations.

Thus, the actual servers could be in the USA/UK data centers but assign you IP addresses in other countries.

expressvpn server regions

The issue with this is that the servers are still within reach of a 14 Eyes member country and may not be as reliable for unblocking content.

While ExpressVPN also uses virtual servers, they’re less than a serious fraction of its 3000+ server count.

Besides the chances of connecting to a more stable, less overcrowded, and reliable server with ExpressVPN, it also beats HMA with its automatic obfuscation. So, you enjoy better security by masking your VPN traffic from your internet service provider (ISP), government, and online platforms.

On the flip side, HMA doesn’t even offer obfuscation tools.

And, ExpressVPN is the only VPN provider (besides VyprVPN) to manage reliable speeds with obfuscation enabled.

expressvpn lightway-udp protocol
ExpressVPN uses obfuscation on all protocols

Thus, you don’t have to sacrifice speed for security or the other way around.

On top of that, ExpressVPN boasts a serious security arsenal to boost your online privacy. This consists of tools and features like:

  • AES 256-bit encryption. To keep the government, your ISPs, and other hackers out of your live internet traffic so they can’t see what you’re doing online.
  • Kill switch. Dubbed Network Lock, the kill switch prevents IP/DNS leaks whenever the VPN encrypted connection randomly drops.
  • Threat Manager. Blocks trackers and malware from browser fingerprinting attempts, deanonymization tactics, and online tracking.
  • Lightway protocol. Built from scratch, audited for no logs, and guarantees faster speeds.

However, HMA also promises these features or variations, except for the in-house Lightway protocol. But, even with those features, HMA still shared data with the FBI. Thus, telling you they might not mean as much as ExpressVPN’s.

expressvpn ipleak test
ExpressVPN's 256-bit encryption ensures no data leaks

I discovered that ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands.

This region is outside the 14 Eyes Alliance and isn’t in any data-sharing treaty with any country. In fact, the BVI signed a new Data Protection Act (DPA) into law in July 2021 that prevents companies in the region (like ExpressVPN) from

  • Transferring your data outside the country
  • Processing your data without your express consent
  • Not informing you if your data is ever requested for use by other parties

In fact, the law allows you to withdraw your consent to allow data-sharing and processing at any time. In other words, ExpressVPN is legally bound to not listen to any government requesting your data.

Even if ExpressVPN wanted to cooperate with the authorities, its audited no-logs policy makes that impossible. The VPN provider has even been audited by two independent security firms – Cure53 and PwC – who found no evidence of data logging on its servers.

If in doubt, you can refer to the Turkish incident where authorities seized some ExpressVPN servers and found nothing on them!

expressvpn log policy

Likewise, you won’t have to use ExpressVPN with fewer devices than HMA since they both offer five simultaneous device connections.

However, HMA lacks Smart DNS support which would have allowed you to unblock content on gaming consoles and smart TVs that can’t download a native VPN app.

But ExpressVPN offers a router app (like HMA) and Smart DNS to give you options.

expressvpn configure mediastreamer

The only part where ExpressVPN falls short of HMA is in the pricing.

While their monthly plans are almost on par, the long-term deals have HMA pulling ahead. Even so, I’ll gladly pay more for sure security than gamble with low payment for a service that may compromise my security.

ExpressVPN plans
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It’s even better that I’ve got these ExpressVPN discounts for better savings on your chosen plan.

Pros

Cons

NordVPN – PwC-Audited No Logs VPN Provider Based in Panama

nordvpn connected to us server

HMA looks to quickly eliminate NordVPN, which covers just 59 countries, almost a fourth less than what HMA brings. But with 5500+ servers, NordVPN is 5x more capable of reliable, less overcrowded, and speedier servers in the locations it supports.

But you won’t get as many African, Middle Eastern, and less populated European countries on NordVPN compared to HMA.

Given that most of us don’t always connect to a VPN for a server in our country but to unblock streaming services and other content abroad, NordVPN’s server spread is just fine.

Likewise, NordVPN rarely uses virtual servers unless it can’t help it.

That explains why it would rather maintain a presence in a few countries where it can deploy physical servers than bounce around with virtual servers.

nordvpn server countries
NordVPN's comparatively smaller country count doesn't affect its content unblocking ability

Moving on from that, NordVPN is based in Panama, another data-friendly and user privacy-advocating location. So, you don’t have to worry about the Panama government imposing on the VPN provider to release your data to any government. After all, it’s not in any alliance with data-hungry countries.

In fact, the Panama government has been working on Law No. 81 since 2019, which came into effect in 2021. Some of the notable aspects of the law state that NordVPN and other Panama companies must

  • Inform you if there’s ever a data breach
  • Not keep your data for more than 7 years for any reason
  • Obey your request to delete your data from its servers
  • Send you a free record of all data it has on you within 10 days of your request

This isn’t like the UK’s data retention laws, permitting providers to collect and retain your data for up to 20 years.

nordvpn personal data terms and conditions

Moreover, NordVPN has an audited no-logs policy by PwC to prove that it doesn’t even collect any data. So, it doesn’t have anything beyond your email address and other registration information. And these were the data you supplied, so it didn’t invade your privacy to find out those details about you.

Despite that, NordVPN also offers security tools such as

  • Kill switch – With two on the PC app to keep your activities safe and secure if the VPN connection drops
  • Threat manager – To block malicious ads and trackers from deanonymizing you on the internet
  • NordLynx protocol – Based on the WireGuard protocol to ensure better safety, compatibility, and security
  • AES 256-bit encryption – The industry standard, used by even the military, to prevent the hacking of your live traffic

NordVPN stands out with an ad blocker and in-house protocol, both missing on the HMA VPN.

nordvpn adblock tester
NordVPN's ad blocker keeps a lot of ads and malware away

But there’s the elephant in the room that I need to address too.

During my research into NordVPN, I saw that it suffered a data breach from a breached data center. However, since NordVPN’s servers don’t log any data, the hacker wouldn’t have access to any user data.

And that has informed NordVPN to stop renting data centers and use more of its own infrastructure.

Since then, no internet leaks have shown up to prove something was found on the servers, and NordVPN has never cooperated with the government.

It’s worth knowing this, so you’ll know what lengths this provider will go and adapt to ensure your data privacy.

nordvpn ipleak test
NordVPN's encryption prevents any data leaks

Interestingly, NordVPN and HMA are similar in their monthly and one-year plans. This makes the decision to switch even easier for you.

Considering the extra security features, protection, and peace of mind you get from NordVPN, that is. Even so, you can use NordVPN on one more device than HMA for six simultaneous connections.

On top of that, NordVPN also provides Smart DNS support to gaming consoles, smart TVs, and other units that can’t download a native VPN app, unlike HMA.

NordVPN pricing
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Get these NordVPN discounts to save more and test the VPN risk-free for 30 days.

Pros

Cons

Surfshark – Best Budget Privacy-Focused VPN With No-Logs Audit

surfshark us servers
Surfshark connected to the US, one of the 99 countries it covers

Surfshark surges to get closer to HMA’s country count, but it only manages a reach of 99 countries. Still, it covers more locations than this and offers 3x more servers than HMA.

So, again, Surfshark continues the impressive run of offering multiple servers in different locations rather than cramming a few servers into a lot of countries.

Another thing I love about Surfshark is its transparency on the virtual servers it uses. In fact, you’ll see a ‘V’ tag on its virtual servers in the PC and mobile apps. Thus, you can judge that it uses more physical servers than virtual options.

surfshark connected to malta server
Malta server is a virtual server with the V tag

That said, there’s a quick issue that may cause a conflict of interest here:

Surfshark is based in the Netherlands, another member of the 14 Eyes countries. But why did it still make this list?

On the one hand, Surfshark has long been audited for its zero data logging policy by Cure53, one of the companies that audited the reliable ExpressVPN. On the other hand, it has never shared any data with any government or disclosed user data that would make us believe otherwise.

Furthermore, it maintains a warrant canary on its website, updated daily to show that it hasn’t gotten

  • Any gag orders.
  • Any warrants from a government organization.
  • Any national security letters.

You can keep checking that page every day for full transparency to know if the VPN provider has been asked by bodies to give up data.

Even then, its no logs service means it won’t have any data to give.

Surfshark improves with the standard kill switch addition, top-notch encryption, and IP/DNS leak-protected servers.

surfshark kill switch features

It even offers a CleanWeb service with every VPN subscription to prevent trackers, ads, and malware from interfering with your online privacy.

That’s missing on HMA as of the time I did this research.

As if this isn’t enough, Surfshark blows HMA out of the water with its unlimited simultaneous connections. Instead of managing five simultaneous connections, you can now connect all your PCs, mobile devices, gaming consoles, routers, and smart TVs to a single Surfshark subscription.

And, on top of the router support, Surfshark is in the league of ExpressVPN and NordVPN with its Smart DNS offering. Again, HMA is lacking in this department.

surfshark smart dns feature

You’ll think Surfshark would be an expensive VPN provider for all these. Instead, it’s the cheapest provider on this list.

Screenshot MS 1 1
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Save more with these Surfshark discounts and get a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros

Cons

CyberGhost – 8x More Servers Than HMA in 90+ Countries

cyberghost all servers

CyberGhost offers the biggest server difference compared to HMA, providing 8x more servers than you get on the other provider.

With a server count that’s over 9000, it’s a miracle how CyberGhost maintains most of them as physical servers.

This eliminates unblocking issues and reliable IP assignments that sometimes plague virtual servers.

CyberGhost follows up on that with its headquarters in Bucharest, Romania. So, it has GDPR protection as the first layer of user data privacy.

That’s good, but it’s not enough.

Fortunately, I found Romania is an EU region that’s not shy to repeal EU data collection and retention laws that it deems invasive.

In fact, it has done this in the past. So, that tells you a lot about its willingness to protect user data.

cyberghost ipleak test
CyberGhost's AES 256-bit encryption prevents IP & DNS leaks

Even then, CyberGhost got an independent third-party audit of its no-logs claims and passed with flying colors.

In other words, you now have the combination of

  • A VPN based outside the 14 eyes countries
  • A VPN service that promises no data logging has been audited for it
  • A reliable VPN that’s based in a privacy-friendly country

HMA isn’t two of those things; it has even been caught cooperating with the government. So, no joy there!

I checked, and CyberGhost has no history of data breaches or shady behavior. The only thing that comes close is its current owner, Kape Technologies, being accused of malware shipping when it was still known as Crossrider.

But the truth is that Crossrider created a platform for app developers and some bad actors used that to create malware. Hardly its fault.

cyberghost adblock tester
CyberGhost's ad blocking feature

CyberGhost checks the boxes with a kill switch and AES 256-bit encryption like my other VPNs. It also provides Block Content, an ad blocker, to keep intrusive ads and malware trackers at bay.

Finally, it offers two more simultaneous connections than HMA VPN.

It might not be on the level of Surfshark with unlimited simultaneous connections, but seven is a great start.

Then you must consider that you get Smart DNS with CyberGhost to alternatively support smart TVs, gaming consoles, and devices that can’t use a VPN.

cyberghost review tweet
It truly is fantastic

That will come in handy when you don’t have a VPN-compatible router.

Still, CyberGhost also has router support, so HMA doesn’t score any points there, either.

Finally, CyberGhost is affordable too. You only pay more for CyberGhost if you prefer the monthly plan instead. Otherwise, it’s almost a steal.

cyberghost vpn subscription plans and pricing
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Here are some CyberGhost discounts to save more and get a 45-day money-back guarantee.

Pros

Cons

VyprVPN – Fast Obfuscation & Reliable Privacy on Swiss-Based VPN

vyprvpn connected to canada server
VyprVPN may have less servers, but they're reliable for unblocking

One of the best things you can have is a data-handling company in Switzerland, which is why VyprVPN also impressed me in my tests and research.

I did a quick search on Swiss data retention and management laws and found that:

  • Your IP address is your personal data and can’t be tracked by Swiss companies.
  • The Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection protects your data under Swiss laws, even if you’re neither a citizen nor resident.
  • Swiss companies must request your express permission before processing your data.

This takes all the power from companies and puts it in your hands.

That’s something you don’t get with HMA, which could be impressed upon by the UK on behalf of the US or its other strong allies.

vyprvpn ipleak test
Reliable encryption from VyprVPN prevents IP and DNS leaks

However, it’s not all rosy with VyprVPN. My biggest gripe with this provider is that it carries fewer servers in lesser countries than HMA.

The only saving grace is that I’ll choose security and privacy over server count, and VyprVPN uses more physical than virtual servers.

So, instead of just getting an IP address in a preferred country, it’s reliable enough to unblock content where HMA may fail. I’ll take that.

Thankfully, VyprVPN is not all bark and no bite since it has an audited no-logs policy.

vyprvpn no-logs policy

Even though it’s in a government that’ll most likely not request your data or share it with others, the VPN provider is still proactive to ensure your data is never written to its servers. That’s impressive!

On top of that, VyprVPN introduces military-grade encryption, features a kill switch, and brings a proprietary Chameleon Mode protocol to obfuscate network traffic without losing significant speeds.

This is almost like the fast obfuscation on ExpressVPN.

Only that it’s not as fast, and it’s not enabled on all servers.

Still, it’s better than HMA, which doesn’t have an in-house protocol or obfuscation tools.

On further research, I saw that VyprVPN’s servers once had a bug that could have been exploited for DDoS attacks. But I didn’t mind that piece since the team deployed solutions within one hour of finding the bug.

With such a fast and responsive technical team, I know my privacy isn’t compromised.

Perhaps the biggest win with VyprVPN is that it’s cheaper than HMA VPN on all comparable plans. And that’s because VyprVPN offers 30 simultaneous device connections, 6x more than HMA VPN.

If you switch to the HMA 10-device plan, you’ll be paying over twice what you could have gotten VyprVPN for. Surprisingly, VyprVPN would still offer 3x more connections in that case.

vyprvpn subscription plans and pricing
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Despite that, use these VyprVPN discounts to save more.

Pros

Cons

Why It's Important to Get an HMA Alternative VPN Services?

HMA VPN is still one of the most used VPNs, but it might not be your cup of tea for various reasons. Here are some legitimate and concerning reasons to inform getting an alternative to this VPN provider:

  • Jurisdiction: HMA VPN is based in the UK, a 14 Eyes region with strong data retention laws. Thus, it can sue HMA for data collection and share that data with other regions it’s in alliance with.
  • Price: HMA VPN isn’t the most affordable VPN provider. And, when it comes to getting more simultaneous connections, it gets comparatively more expensive.
  • Data Logging: HMA VPN has been caught in a data logging scandal. It still collects minimal data it claims to use for connection purposes.
  • Virtual vs. Physical Servers: HMA uses more virtual than physical servers, which is why it covers many countries. However, these servers are often unreliable at unblocking, even though they’ll generate an IP address in the chosen location.
  • History: HMA has a history of cooperating with the FBI, outside its UK jurisdiction. That shows the influence of the 14 Eyes alliance on the provider.

Can You Get a Free VPN Service as HMA Alternative?

You shouldn’t get a free VPN as an HMA VPN alternative since they’re bad at handling user data and privacy and don’t offer sufficient security tools.

Likewise, most free VPNs are based in questionable countries with shady data retention and submission laws. Thus, they’ll bend over backward very fast and throw you under the bus if the authorities come calling.

free vpns log data tweet

That said, most free VPN providers collect data about you which they sell to third parties to make a profit since you’re not paying for the service.

Thus, they log your data, which may fall into a hacker’s hands or be given to government authorities if asked.

I prefer affordable VPNs like Surfshark if cost is an issue. If not, stick with the highly reliable and privacy-focused ExpressVPN.

Know What You’re Paying For

I dislike when users pay for a VPN that makes lofty promises only to still log sensitive data, collect connection timestamps and collaborate with the government.

That’s what informed this guide, and ExpressVPN remains my top choice.

So, grab these ExpressVPN discounts to start using a VPN that truly cares about your privacy, won’t be compelled to cooperate with the government, and isn’t greedy enough to sell your data.

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