IPVanish may be a veteran in the VPN business. However, have you let your excellent name rest on your laurels for too long? many rival VPN providers need to usurp IPVanish with higher speeds, prices, security, apps, and options.
Can IPVanish continue to compete with NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or Surfshark VPN Review in (2023): Features, Plans & More! hark? Or is it time to maneuver? IPVanish review, I wanted to know if IPVanish was still worth considering. I tested the poliovirus vaccine on every desktop and mobile device to find the answers:
- How fast is IPVanish?
- Does IPVanish work with region-locked streaming services (like Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Prime Video)?
- Is IPVanish safe and private?
- Can IPVanish be used in China?
- Does IPVanish offer fair value?
- I will discuss all of that and much more during this review.
During my time with IPVanish, I used the VPN service to unblock streaming websites, encrypt my connection on public Wi-Fi, and conceal my IP address while torrenting. I also put IPVanish through many tests to experience its speed and security.
My thoughts on IPVanish’s square measure are summarized below. Scan the full review to induce an associate degree to thoroughly investigate this long-running VPN provider.
Table of Contents
IPVanish VPN Review: Do I Recommend IPVanish?
Speed, security, and privacy are prioritized by IPVanish, a VPN service established in the US. What it will do, it will do well, and it ticks all the boxes when it includes the quality features that are necessary for a modern VPN.
Speeds vastly improved the last time we reviewed the poliovirus vaccine, and it’s still one of the fastest VPNs out there. If you want privacy on public wireless networks or while torrenting, it should be right for you.
However, it has problems in China and is not the best for streaming. IPVanish is one of the biggest names in the VPN industry, but whether its capabilities will extend beyond that of a mine-run VPN provider is a question we’ll try to answer during this review.
IPVanish Key Data
| OVERALL RANK: #5 OF 73 VPNS | |
|---|---|
| Speed | 10/10 |
| Average Speed* | 463 Mbps |
| Video Streaming Support | 4K UHD |
| Streaming | 5/10 |
| Netflix | Yes |
| Other Streaming Services | HBO Max |
| Security | 7/10 |
| Encryption Type | 256-bit AES |
| Kill Switch | Yes |
| Log Policy | Zero logs |
| Protocols | IKEv2, L2TP/IPSec, SSTP, WireGuard, OpenVPN |
| Value for Money | 7/10 |
| Lowest Monthly Cost | $2.50 |
| Money Back Guarantee | 30 days |
| Website | https://www.ipvanish.com |
IPVanish Pros And Cons
Here’s a quick rundown of what IPVanish does well and where it could do better:
Pros
- High speeds
- Works with Netflix
- Unlimited matching connections
- Privacy policy without logs
- strong coding
- great for torrenting
Cons
- Does not add China
- Does not work with some standard streaming services
- No UNIX OS application
- Based in the US
Speed: Is IPVanish Fast?
I ran speed tests numerous times during the day on servers in North America, Europe, and Asia. Across all times and places tested, IPVanish’s average transfer speed was 463 Mbps, which allowed IPVanish to maintain its place near the top of the list of fastest VPNs.
IPVanish’s fast speeds are largely due to its adoption of Wireguard, a more efficient open-source VPN protocol that’s becoming all the rage thanks to its competitive security and high throughput. When IPVanish made the switch over to WireGuard, its average download speeds grew tenfold.
Here are IPVanish’s average download speeds broken down by region:
- North America (nearest): 580 Mbps
- Europe: 456Mbps
- Asia: 352Mbps
We take a look at the servers in each of those locations at various times of the day with a 5 Gbps connection from the US s… you’ll see a lot of detailed information on how we tend to take a look at VPNs here.
Using nearby servers, it could be ready to stream 4K video with no buffer limit. and that I didn’t experience any isolation when playing console games online. I just created guaranteed to be connected to a nearby server to induce good ping times and all went well.
IPVanish speed improvements returned at the price of some stability. I encountered association issues with linked servers, on major Asian servers. The persistence pays off, and I was finally ready to connect, however, once I did some trial and error. Hopefully, these issues can be resolved because the Wireguard implementation is well-tuned.
Please note that our tests are not definitive indicators of which VPN is the fastest. The inherent volatility of the web adds a major randomness issue, therefore VPN speed tests should always be in love with a large grain of salt. Those with faster connections may notice a bigger discrepancy in speeds.
IPVanish Servers
As of this writing, IPVanish operates over 2,000 servers in over 75 countries. Countries with the most include the US (17), the UK (4), Australia (6), France (3), and Canada (3). The change of server is unlimited.
You can choose from the full list of servers in the location menu, a location on a map, or sort the servers by country, city, ping time, server load, and several servers. Ping times roughly correspond to proximity, and a lower ping time often means a faster connection.
Apps: What Devices Work With IPVanish?
A single subscription allows you to connect unlimited simultaneous devices at once, making IPVanish a good value for a large household.
Applications are available for:
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- ChromeOS
- Fire TV
IPVanish does not offer web browser extensions. And while Linux is supported, there’s no dedicated app – you have to set up your connection manually. IPVanish provides guides on how to achieve this.
Routers
IPVanish supports routers in two ways. First, you can buy a preconfigured router from Flash Routers:
Or you can manually configure your connection in one of the supported router firmware. This son:
- DD-WRT
- Tomato
- ASUSWRT
- ASUSWRT-Merlin
IPVanish provides instructions on how to manually configure each of the routers they support.
Check out our guide on VPN routers for more information on the subject.
Streaming, Netflix, And Kodi
Does IPVanish work with Netflix?
IPVanish now works with US Netflix from abroad. Not all servers are guaranteed to work, so you may need to change your US location once or twice to find one that does.
Unfortunately, IPVanish doesn’t unblock many other popular streaming services like Hulu or Amazon Prime Video. However, with a bit of fiddling (switching servers), I was finally able to get HBO Max working. Compared to the top-tier competition, IPVanish is right up there with some of its competitors when it comes to geo-unblocking.
IPVanish is a notable favorite among Kodi users. Kodi, a free home theater software that allows streaming of video and other content from multiple sources, is often installed on Android-based devices like the Amazon Fire TV Stick.
IPVanish builds an app specifically for Fire TV, and devices without access to Google Play or the Amazon App Store can directly download the Android APK right on their device. The interface is remote-control friendly. Beyond the initial login, very little typing is required to get it up and running. Everything can be selected via dropdown menus, and there’s no need to struggle with maps or other interfaces that don’t work well with remote controls.
If you’re interested in streaming via VPN, check out our recommended VPNs for streaming.
Does IPVanish Allow Torrenting?
Yes, IPVanish supports torrenting on all servers. P2P file sharers and frequent streamers will be pleased to know that there is no limit on bandwidth or data.
IPVanish apps come with an optional kill switch that stops internet traffic in case the VPN connection drops unexpectedly, a must for torrenting.
DNS leak protection is built in, including IPv6 leak protection.
The company does not keep logs of traffic or usage of its customers. It does not log your originating IP or any of your online activities.
If you like to download torrents through a VPN, check out our recommended VPNs for torrenting.
Does IPVanish Have Split Tunneling?
Yes, IPVanish offers a split tunneling feature on the Android and Fire TV apps, but not for other platforms at this time.
Split tunneling, or selective routing, allows users to choose which apps use the VPN tunnel and use a direct, unencrypted connection. I could, for example, set my torrent app to always use the VPN, while Spotify always uses a normal internet connection.
I look forward to seeing IPVanish adding split tunneling to its remaining apps on Windows, macOS, and iOS before too long.
Take a look at our suggested VPNs for split tunneling if that’s something you prefer to use.
Security, Privacy, And Logging
Aside from once, the associate degree account is first registered, IPVanish does not keep any logs or records of VPN usage on its users. Unfortunately, IPVanish has created Bitcoin as a payment method, forcing users to sign up with a master card or PayPal. that makes anonymous registration almost impossible.
Looking through their privacy policy, we discovered the following:
We like what we tend to see here.
As for VPN protocols, Vanish Science supports:
- WireGuard
- IKEv2
- SSTP (Windows only)
- L2TP/IPSec
- OpenVPN
IPVanish uses 256-bit encryption in the Wireguard protocol by default. SHA512 is used for authentication, and a DHE-RSA 2048 key exchange supports good forward secrecy. These are all up-to-date and 100% secure encryption standards, and ideal forward secrecy ensures that past traffic information cannot be decrypted even if a hacker or someone else obtains this decryption key.
The company operates its DNS servers and DNS leak protection is built in, as could a kill switch. We found no DNS, IPv6, or WebRTC leaks during our tests.
IP Test – Without VPN
IP Test – With VPN
DNS Test – Without VPN
DNS Test – With VPN
On the Membership page of the App Settings, IPVanish tags increased security measures. Here you will prefer Block native network interfaces, which block access to the computer network once the VPN is enabled. this is often together where you can enable/disable DNS leak protection and IPv6 leak protection. Every one of these options is turned on by default.
IPVanish is preached in the United States. This can create problems for cautious users of the National Security Agency, the FBI, and other law enforcement or intelligence agencies with a history of covertly spying on individuals with the help of US-based technical school corporations. IPVanish’s zero-logs policy should alleviate these issues, and thus the company has no public record of anyone being in a referral or hacked as a result of mishandling their service. Despite that, some users can still be put off by any VPN provider based in the North American nation, and thus in the countries, it cooperates within intelligence gathering.
IPVanish is one of the few providers that owns and operates all of its physical hardware, rather than renting it from a third party. While most VPNs just rent servers around the world, IPVanish buys them. There are executives and cons of the current. IPVanish maintains more control over the United Nations agency that has access to their servers. However, co-locating servers make a provider less versatile in certain circumstances, such as when a data center hosting the servers lowers its privacy or security standards. It is much easier to end a lease and rent another in different locations than it is to physically move a server.
IPVanish uses third-party email providers for different support and communication with customers. the only data that can be obtained is the email addresses of the users. No customer data is kept or accessible.
Does IPVanish Work In China?
IPVanish is not a reliable VPN for users in Asian countries at the moment. I can’t use it to unblock websites or apps rogued by the good Firewall.
China has blocked connections to IPVanish server addresses and scientific domains. In the past, IPVanish suggested users in China start their VPNs manually instead of hacking the official IPVanish app, but IPVanish now admits that even that might not work.
For more information on how to connect to a VPN from China, check out our recommended VPNs for China.
Is IPVanish’s Customer Service Any Good?
Since our previous evaluation of IPVanish, its customer assistance choices have increased. Back then, all he had was an email guy on his website. Currently, IPVanish also offers live chat for live support in seven languages through its email support.
On a weekday afternoon, the response from the website’s live chat support took approximately 2 minutes.
A fairly complete mental object can be found on the corporate website.
In 2021, IPVanish increased its money-back guarantee from seven to thirty days. and therefore the 30-day money-back guarantee is still in place today, giving you more time to do so before committing.
IPVanish Pricing
It offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so users who are trying to find a VPN for just one month, will transfer the VPN for thirty days and therefore cancel for a full refund. If you change your mind at the end of 30 days, you’ll still get most of your low short-term monthly costs.
IPVanish Pricing:
- Monthly setup: $11.99 per month
- Annual setup: 1st year: $39.99 for the first year ($3.33 per month)
- Two-year setup: Peak $70.99 1st year ($2.96 per month)
All plans offer an infinite variety of simultaneous connections.
Should I Buy IPVanish?
IPVanish is an easy-to-use VPN service with no limit on simultaneous connections, apps for all major device platforms, strong security, no logging, and seriously fast speeds. There are many different servers available. Built-in features include traffic obfuscation, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a kill switch. If you wish, you will register and pay anonymously. When using Kodi and other Android-based media players, the UI is simple to use.
The service works with Netflix, however, it is hit and miss with other streaming services. Users in China and presumably other heavily censored countries won’t be able to use the nifty apps to bypass blocks and blacklists. These are some of the most popular use cases for VPNs recently, so it’s a shame that IPVanish can’t or won’t overcome those hurdles.
IPVanish Alternatives
IPVanish is solid, but it’s not for everyone. If you want something that excels at unblocking region-locked streaming sites or bypasses the Great Firewall of China, check out these alternatives:
NordVPN offers wonderful security, good speeds, a no-logs privacy policy, and apps for a wide variety of devices. Unblocks most major streaming services from abroad, as well as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+, among others. And it works from China.
One of the fastest VPNs we tested is called Surfshark. It is one of the only VPNs besides IPVanish that offers unlimited simultaneous connections. Also, you can get competitive speed and security, and therefore the company does not store unique records. Surfshark works well in China and is good at unblocking streaming services from abroad.
How Does IPVanish Compare To Other Popular VPNs?
IPVanish scores high on security and privacy, but has more limited unblocking capabilities than the two preferred VPNs, NordVPN and Surfshark.
| No value | IPVanish | NordVPN | Surfshark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website | www.IPVanish.com | www.NordVPN.com | www.Surfshark.com |
| Average Speed | 463 Mbps | 369 Mbps | 324 Mbps |
| OpenVPN data encryption | 256-bit AES | 256-bit AES | 256-bit AES |
| Kill Switch | on desktop only | ||
| Allows Torrenting | |||
| Connection logs | None | Some | |
| Unblocks Netflix US | |||
| Unblocks Amazon Prime | |||
| Unblocks Hulu | |||
| Unblocks BBC iPlayer | |||
| Lowest monthly cost | $2.96 | $3.99 | $2.49 |
| Money back guarantee | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Overall rating | 8.3 | 9.7 | 9.6 |
| The best deal (per month) | $2.96 SAVE 75% on the 2-year plan | $3.99 SAVE 59% + 3 months FREE | $2.30 Get 2 Months FREE with a 2-year plan |
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