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In this article, we will review IPVanish VPN. On its own, it’s a serviceable enough offering with plenty of great features and excellent security options.
However, when put next to its many competitors who offer much greater value and even more features, things get a lot more difficult to place.
IPVanish VPN Review: Quick Expert Summary
IPVanish also comes with some security concerns. While the lack of RAM-only servers is worrisome but understandable, when paired with IPVanish’s scandal of being forced to send logged user data to the FBI, some may find themselves looking elsewhere quickly. Despite this, IPVanish has gone to great lengths to fix its reputation, with a zero-logging policy verified by an independent security audit.
- WireGuard – WireGuard is one of the best VPN protocols, providing top-notch security and some of the best speeds among VPN services.
- Unlimited Devices – Connect as many devices to the VPN as you’d like with unlimited device support.
- VIPRE Advanced Security – A powerful antivirus program that keeps your device safe from viruses, trojans and malware.
- Split Tunneling – Keeps your data safe by choosing specific traffic to route through your VPN.
As if all this weren’t already making things difficult, IPVanish further complicates things by offering a free trial, but only for Android devices. For desktop users, you’re essentially out of luck and need to purchase a plan to try out the service, which is frustrating. We can’t in good conscience recommend IPVanish because of this, there are simply too many flaws and not enough positives here.
IPVanish VPN Full Review
US-based VPN provider IPVanish has been in the VPN market for over a decade now, establishing itself in 2012. Since then, the company have been stalwart in their efforts to improve its services. While not as flashy as competitors like NordVPN and ExpressVPN, IPVanish’s focus on being a safe and reliable option for users keeps it in circulation.
There have been a fair few mishaps when it comes to IPVanish’s management, some more infamous than others. Today, we’ll be giving the service a closer look, examining its strengths and weaknesses in comparison to its competition in the market. We’re also looking to see what measures IPVanish have taken to prevent past mistakes from surfacing again, so join us as we take a deep dive into our full review.
IPVanish VPN Quick Specification Rundown
| Server Count | 2000+ Servers |
| Server Countries | 75+ Countries |
| Base Location | USA |
| Max Device Count | Unlimited Devices |
| Supported Protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IPSec, IKEv2 |
| Key Features | WireGuard Protocol, VIPRE Advanced Security, Split Tunneling, |
| Customer Support Options | Support Articles, FAQs, Live Chat Support, Toll-free Phone Support, Email Support |
| Supported Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Routers |
IPVanish VPN Features
IPVanish comes with an impeccable set of features, built up over many years of participation and research into the VPN market. Many of the features you’ll find here are industry standards, though IPVanish has some extras to sweeten the deal. Split tunnelling is an especially nice feature to have since it makes using a VPN a lot more practical.
- WireGuard Protocol – WireGuard serves as the industry-standard protocol when it comes to VPNs, and for good reason. Not only is it blazing fast, but it’s also incredibly secure, making it the go-to choice for the best VPN providers.
- Split Tunneling – With split tunnelling, you can reroute your traffic to either your normal IP address or through your VPN. It’s a feature that comes in handy when you have wireless peripherals like printers that require your normal IP address to work. The caveat however is that this is unfortunately only available on Android and Fire TV.
- VIPRE Advanced Security – VIPRE Advanced Security is IPVanish’s antivirus solution, which comes as part of a package deal with some IPVanish plans. Like most antivirus solutions, it filters through all your program files and keeps your PC malware and virus free.
- Unlimited Devices – IPVanish doesn’t limit the number of devices you can use on one single account. Thanks to this, one VPN account can be shared with as many people as you’d like, and there’s never any worry about whether you’ll hit the device cap.
Some of these features do come with caveats though. Split tunnelling unfortunately only works on Android devices, which is a huge misstep that we can’t wrap our heads around. The VIPRE Advanced Security program also only comes bundled with longer payment plans.
IPVanish VPN Privacy & Security
With 256-AES encryption and a zero-logs privacy policy, IPVanish starts off strong with regard to privacy and security. Add to that the availability of the WireGuard protocols, and you’ve got a solid foundation for a great set of security features. Generally, if security is a concern for you, then IPVanish has you covered. Every feature here is robust, secure and sure to keep your internet connection safe.
We’ve also got the VIPRE Advanced Security suite, an antivirus application that comes with IPVanish. As with any antivirus, it keeps your PC safe from malware and viruses, filtering every file you download and scanning your system for any issues. With this in mind, IPVanish does a pretty good job of providing a well-rounded security package. The problem then is that VIPRE is an add-on for some payment plans.
Rounding out the security features, we have the important internet killswitch, which ends turns off internet traffic in the event that your VPN connection drops. With so many VPN companies switching over to diskless servers, IPVanish unfortunately is sticking with normal servers. We’re not particularly happy about this, though it does lead into our next point.,
Does IPVanish VPN Keep Logs?
This section is a bit of a concern when it comes to IPVanish, and we can understand if users worry about it. As a US-based company, IPVanish is inside the jurisdiction of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance, a global surveillance network, which has the power to force third parties to hand over personal data. In 2016, IPVanish was forced to hand over user logs at the request of the FBI, a scandal that left lasting effects felt to this day.
Since then, IPVanish has made many updates to its privacy policy, on top of changing ownership completely. There’s also been one independent audit from the Leviathan Safety Group in March 2022, confirming that the company does not keep user logs anymore. While it’s still a difficult issue to get around, between the many changes made, a new no-logs policy and the third-party audit, we feel IPVanish has managed to regain some consumer trust.
IPVanish VPN Speed & Performance
With WireGuard, IPVanish naturally manages to post some great speeds. While it’s not exactly breaking any records, the speeds match most of their competitors and place it firmly in the upper echelons of VPNs. Consistency is also excellent, thanks to the plentiful number of servers. If you’re using WireGuard, there’s little to complain about.
IPVanish VPN Protocol Speed Comparison
| IPVanish VPN Protocol | Peak Speed |
| WireGuard | 720Mbps |
| OpenVPN | 120Mbps |
Things do take quite the dip when it comes to OpenVPN however. At peak speeds of 120Mbps, it’s usable, but not optimal. Many of IPVanish’s competitors post OpenVPN speeds much more impressive than this, so it’s disappointing to see it. Stability however is still good, maintaining these speeds all throughout testing. Generally, performance is good with WireGuard but falters on OpenVPN.
IPVanish VPN Servers & IP Addresses
When it comes to servers, IPVanish lags behind its competitors by a fair margin. While the number of servers is alright, with over 2000 servers in over 75 countries, none of these servers is RAM-only. While there’s still no chance that IPVanish is logging data thanks to their zero-logging policy, it’s still uncomfortable considering their past controversies. Performance however is generally fine, nothing to complain about on that end.
IPVanish VPN Streaming Support
Streaming support is generally good with IPVanish, though some reports give us a more spotty outlook. While most sites you could want to watch like Netflix, Hulu and ESPN are all supported perfectly fine, some don’t seem to work that well. One source reports that Amazon Prime Video doesn’t work, despite IPVanish’s insistence that it does. 10Play also doesn’t work in any capacity.
Outside of this, the streaming experience on IPVanish is good. The speeds and consistency of connections make for a smooth viewing experience, regardless of what site you’re trying to access. 4K streaming is handled without much of a fuss, so unless you need the few channels IPVanish doesn’t support, it’s a fine option.
IPVanish VPN Torrenting Support
Like most VPN providers, IPVanish supports P2P networks and torrenting. In fact, every single IPVanish server supports P2P connections, making the overall experience pretty smooth. In terms of safety, there should be no worries thanks to the implementation of the no-logs policy. The encryption available is also of the highest degree, matching military standards of security, so there aren’t any worries there.
IPVanish VPN Gaming Support
IPVanish takes great satisfaction in its gaming performance, dedicating a large portion of its website towards it. The VPN protects users from DDoS attacks, works on a variety of platforms, including consoles and smartphones, and has no data cap, which makes throttling a non-issue. Speeds are also consistent, which is important for gaming. All of these features come together to create a fairly satisfactory gaming VPN.
IPVanish VPN Bypassing Censorship
Bypassing censorship is another area where IPVanish finds itself having some issues. For most countries, IPVanish works perfectly fine, getting right past any censorship effortlessly. Unfortunately, China is a completely different story. There are no IPVanish servers in China, meaning that you can’t access any content from the country, and using the VPN in the country is a hassle.
If you’re looking for a VPN that works well for bypassing Chinese firewalls or accessing Chinese content, we’d recommend looking somewhere else. ExpressVPN is well-known for supporting Chinese servers, so if this is what you need, then go ahead.
IPVanish VPN Plans & Pricing
IPVanish comes in three different pricing plans: a 1-month plan, a 3-month quarterly plan, and a 12-month yearly plan. Generally, IPVanish’s plan prices are middle of the road, not exactly breaking the bank but still not particularly affordable next to most competitors. There are some interesting things to take note, however.
IPVanish VPN Plans and Pricing
| Package Type | Monthly | 3-month Plan | 1-year Plan |
| IPVanish VPN | $11.99/month | $29.99/ 3-months ($10.00/month) | 1st year – $47.89/ 1 year ($3.99/month) Subsequent years – $89.99/ 1 year ($7.50/month) |
For starters, IPVanish’s one-year plan is more affordable for the first year only. Subsequent years place it a lot closer to the standard monthly price, making it not particularly worth it. It’s also interesting to note that the yearly payment plan is the only option with a 30-day money-back guarantee. So, if you take the quarterly payment plan but find yourself unhappy with your performance, you’re out of luck.
Does IPVanish VPN Have A Free Trial?
Yes, and no. While IPVanish does have a free trial, it’s only for the mobile versions of the service. If you’re on any other platform, unfortunately, there are no trials available to you. We find this a shame since it doesn’t make much sense to limit the trial to specific platforms to us. So while there is a free trial available, it may not be available for your device of choice.
IPVanish VPN Ease of Use: Mobile & Desktop Apps
Installation on the desktop is pretty painless, with most of the sign-up information being baked into the loading screens. Regardless of what platform you use, we find that IPVanish installs quickly and doesn’t take up much in the way of resources. Once you open the application, you’ll find yourself instantly greeted by a quick-connect button, with the option to dive into deeper settings.
Both versions of the application were recently updated with a brand new UI and features. The result is an application that’s pretty spartan in its design choices, choosing practicality over design. Many options and settings come with useful data and usage information, all in the form of meters, graphs and passages. It’s helpful, and one of the more in-depth VPN applications we’ve seen. All these improvements are nice, though the many complex and intricate settings do mean that things can be daunting for newcomers. Seasoned VPN users will find a lot to dig through with this application though, regardless of platform. The only thing that sours the deal is how certain features like split tunnelling are platform specific, which we hope changes at some point.
IPVanish VPN Customer Support
VPNs need good customer support as a prerequisite, and thankfully we find IPVanish has their bases covered in this regard. For DIY resources, there’s a site filled with articles all about troubleshooting different issues that can arise while using the VPN. They’re all well-written, guiding you through most issues without the need for outside help. If you’re finding yourself in need of personalized assistance, IPVanish also covers you. There’s a live chat client, and even a phone hotline, which is nice to have. For the most part, customer service is competent and they’re fully capable of guiding users towards a fix. The customer support here isn’t the best in class, but it’s reliable and solid.
Is IPVanish VPN Good in 2024?
Rating IPVanish is difficult to do due to all the conflicting points it has. While the VPN certainly performs fine enough on WireGuard, it’s also not the fastest VPN around and OpenVPN speeds are sluggish. In terms of security, IPVanish comes with a slew of good protection features on top of its VIPRE Antivirus solution. But on the other hand, IPVanish lacks RAM-only servers, and there’s not even a full free trial to try out before buying for non-Android users.
Other aspects like streaming performance and censorship bypassing are also sore sports for IPVanish as a service. Great features like split tunnelling are only available on Android, and the prices aren’t particularly affordable. Of course, all this isn’t to say IPVanish is a bad service, it’s just a little lacking in certain aspects. While perfectly good on its own merit, all of its disadvantages pile on each other and make it hard to recommend next to competitors.
Ultimately, we’d recommend using IPVanish if something on the feature list seems enticing to you. If nothing draws you in, we feel that competitors such as Private Internet Access and ExpressVPN offer better services for comparable prices.
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