IPVanish Review

IPVanish is a popular VPN, known for its personal online security products. In this IPVanish review, I’ll explain whether this product is a must-have online privacy tool or should be avoided at all costs.

I put this US-based VPN through a real, impartial test so to give you a balanced and clear picture about this service.

Before I could decide whether to recommend it or not, I answered some crucial questions about what IPVanish is, how it works, is it fast, is it secure and whether it’s easy to use.

In this guide 🔎

• What is IPVanish?
• How much does it cost?
• Is it good for privacy?
• How does IPVanish work?
• Does it work for streaming?
• Does it offer helpful support?
• More IPVanish FAQs

IPVanish overview

What is IPVanish?

IPVanish is a VPN service based in the United states.

It’s a veteran market and is particularly popular for streaming purposes, which explains its diverse compatibility with a range of streaming services like Netflix, Kodi, Fire TV and others.

But, besides the streaming use case, the software is also heavily used for privacy reasons. And for this, the provider implements industry-standard security features like AES-256-CBC for encryption, IP leak protection, custom DNS and OpenVPN obfuscation.

IPVanish is a relatively fast VPN, reaching peak download speeds of 149 Mb/s over its OpenVPN protocol. You can expect slightly faster speeds over some of its less secure VPN protocols.

IPVanish price – decent value on one year plan

You can choose between two types of IPVanish plans — either the VPN on its own or with SyncScan Storage bundled into the subscription.

Likewise, you can select the most suitable billing cycle between monthly or yearly.

How much is IPVanish?

Regardless of which IPVanish plan you might opt for, you will always save 50% on the first billing cycle.

VPN only

In this package, you’ll get access to all IPVanish VPN features.

You’ll snag the biggest discount on the longer one-year plan — which costs the equivalent of just $3.33 per month — saving you $40 for your first year.

VPN + SugarSync secure storage

With this plan, you’ll not only get full VPN access but also secure, private cloud storage.

This bundle is a little bit more expensive than the VPN-only option, but even if you go for the maximum one-year term, it will still set you back just $4.15 per month during the first year of your subscription.

Coupon code

IPVanish often runs special offers with discounted prices and coupons on its VPN plans.

You can find out if an offer is available at this time by heading to IPVanish.com.

Or head to see our regularly updated list of the latest VPN deals.

IPVanish free trial & refunds

IPVanish does not offer a free trial period. But like with many other VPNs, you can make use of the 30-day money back guarantee after purchasing.

Payment methods

You can pay for an IPVanish subscription either by credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, JCB).

PayPal is also an option.

IPVanish speed – fast and reliable (200 Mb/s)

I tested IPVanish connections to see if the service is as fast and as reliable as it claims.

In all honesty, my expectations were already high going into this review given IPVanish boldly brands itself a ‘top tier’ VPN.

Seven days of testing six different locations later and the results were impressive for an OpenVPN connection.

How fast is IPVanish?

• The fastest download speed recorded was 200 Mb/s through a UK server
• The overall average speeds were just above 100 Mb/s
• US and Canada speeds were decent given the 70-80ms ping latency
• Japan and Australia speeds were slower than expected even when factoring in slow ping response

Results breakdown

I ran these speed tests using a baseline 500 Mb/s broadband connection.

At the time of writing this review, the service doesn’t yet support the faster WireGuard protocol. Therefore, I tested its speeds over OpenVPN (UDP).

Is IPVanish safe?

Every VPN service, without exception, should get one thing absolutely right – user privacy.

To find out if it checks all the right boxes in this department, I tested IPVanish for DNS leaks and unpacked a few important facts about the company’s past that you should know about.

DNS leak test (passed ✅)

After checking a few, random servers for potential DNS leaks, I was pleased to find that none of them exposed my real IP address.

The results – tested on IPLeak.net – showed correct IPv4 and DNS IP addresses assigned to me by the VPN:

Does IPVanish keep logs?

Since its inception, IPVanish has been adamant about having a strict ‘no-log’ policy.

This is the statement you’ll see a lot on their website.

IPVanish is a zero-logs VPN service provider, which means that we do not keep a record of any connection, traffic, or activity data in regards to our Services

From IPVanish VPN’s privacy policy

Logs and the FBI case

In 2016, IPVanish – which at the time was owned by another parent company – assisted the FBI with a serious criminal investigation.

The suspect’s IP address was traced back to a server run by the provider, and the company was ordered to provide information about its user.

Its ‘zero-log’ policy held up – the company actually had no traffic logs to share with the authorities.

But it did provide the FBI with the user’s account information and connection logs, matching them with the online criminal activity.

Their cooperation with the authorities helped identify the suspect and ultimately led to a successful conviction.

Make of that what you will. This certainly hasn’t made their PR manager’s job easy.

But my key takeaways on its logging policy are:

• IPVanish has a real ‘zero-logs’ policy (although, hasn’t recently been audited)
• Today, it claims it no longer keeps connection logs
• Remember – No VPN is immune to criminal investigations

Where is IPVanish based?

IPVanish VPN and its parent company are registered in the United States.

It therefore falls under US jurisdiction.

This isn’t ideal for any VPN, as it becomes subject to the Five Eyes international surveillance network.

On the upside, however, I’ll reiterate – not many other VPNs can say they have a proven ‘no-log’ privacy policy.

I asked the company about what being registered in the US means for their privacy policy. This was the company’s official reply:

NetProtect and IPVanish’s global operations are registered in the USA. Ultimately, our customers benefit from the location of our operations more than any implied risk to privacy.

We enforce our zero-log VPN policy through the underlying architecture of our service. Traffic passing through our service is protected by strong encryption.

In effect and practice, we do not have any information beyond that disclosed in our privacy policy. While some will argue that the business location of a VPN service is of paramount concern, we believe that in reality, this detail has little bearing on the security and integrity of the service provider. 

IPVanish representative on logging and being a US-based VPN

Who owns IPVanish?

IPVanish is operated by by NetProtect, which is part of publicly-listed tech giant – J2 Global.

J2 Global owns many other recognisable brands, including IGN, Ookla Speedtest, Mashable and PCMag.

But ownership of the US-based VPN has changed hands on a few occasions.

Ownership timeline

• Originally launched in 2012 by Mudhook Media Inc. – a subsidiary company of Highwinds Network Group
• In 2017, Highwinds was acquired by Texas-based tech security outfit StackPath
• In 2019, just two years later, the company again found a new and current owner in NetProtect – owned by J2 Global

Furthermore, NetProtect houses several other, well-known VPN services, including StrongVPN, OverPlay, SaferVPN and Encrypt.me.

This means these services are part of one family and actually share parts of the network between them.

Virus scan (passed ✅)

I ran the IPVanish PC client through a virus scan, which showed no security risks present.

This means, the app is safe to download and install.

To run the scan, I used the online antivirus detector – VirusTotal, which is designed to spot known viruses and malware in the scanned files.

Encryption test (passed ✅)

I also checked to make sure that IPVanish’s encryption was working as it was supposed to.

Using a method called Deep packet inspection, I manually scanned the encrypted OpenVPN data packets created by IPVanish.

Normally, without an active VPN, these packets would show the addresses of the websites I’ve been visiting.

This is precisely the type of personal data your ISP would have access to if you weren’t using a VPN.

When using IPVanish, however, you can see that my traffic data has been completely obscured by the VPN tunnel.

In other words, this is really good news as it means IPVanish can successfully hide your browsing activity from your ISP or any other malicious third party.

How does IPVanish work?

IPVanish is also compatible with Linux (Ubuntu, Fedora, Kali Linux, Linux Mint, Lubuntu, Pop! OS).

Additionally, if you plan on running your VPN through your entire WiFi network, the service works with DD-WRT, Tomato, ASUSWRT and ASUSWRT-Merlin routers.

Where are IPVanish servers?

One of the biggest advantages to using IPVanish is having access to a large VPN network (pardon the tautology).

It offers access to more than 1,400 servers in 70+ geographic locations.

This makes it super easy for changing your virtual location to be able to bypass geoblocking or online censorship.

While testing the service for this IPVanish review, I did spot that some locations didn’t completely match those listed in the app.

Though, for the most part, the difference was the app connecting me to another city in the same state.

For example, I selected Houston, but actually landed in Austin – both in Texas, USA.

Otherwise, the list of countries to choose from is big.

You’ll have access to entire clusters (many servers in the same location) in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, to name a few.

Therefore, for optimal speeds, you’re bound to find a server close to your location.

Is IPVanish easy to use?

IPVanish is definitely one of the more user-friendly VPNs.

It’s easy to install and takes one click to connect.

The Windows app interface isn’t that compact. In fact, you can expand the client’s window to full screen, if you needed to.

What I also really like about the IPVanish app is that despite all these additional features, the UI itself still feels light.

It’s not clunky or laggy when switching between tabs, unlike some overloaded apps in our other VPN reviews.

However, the client does take up a chunky 90-100MB of memory while running.

Security features

You’ll want to fine-tune your IPVanish security settings to ensure you’re getting the most out of your VPN.

Below are the security features you can toggle directly from the app:

• Internet killswitch
• DNS leak protection
• IPv6 leak protection
• LAN traffic blocking
• OpenVPN obfuscation

VPN protocols

IPVanish supports various connection types, depending on what you need the VPN for most (i.e. speed, security or bypassing censorship):

• OpenVPN (UDP or TCP) – fast and secure
• IKEv2 – fast and secure
• SSTP – slow but very secure
• L2TP – average speed and security level
• PPTP – fast but not secure

Note: supported VPN protocols will vary by operating system

While testing the VPN for this IPVanish review, I was mainly connecting using the OpenVPN UDP protocol.

Data encryption

IPVanish uses some of the highest encryption standards implemented by VPNs today:

• Encryption: AES-256 bit
• Key authentication: RSA-2048 bit key
• Data authentication: HMAC SHA1 data
• Control authorisation: HMAC SHA-256

Android app

The IPVanish Android app is certainly as slick as the desktop version.

There are a few differences, though.

For example, in settings you’ll see the Split Tunnelling option. You can use it to filter out specific apps you don’t need running through the VPN tunnel.

Also, the VPN protocol choice is limited to OpenVPN, as tends to be the case with VPN apps on Android. But you can switch between UDP (for normal connections) and TCP (bypass strict networks).

How many devices can I use IPVanish on?

Yes, IPVanish is one of the few providers to allow unlimited connections, making it a suitable VPN for large households and even small businesses.

But, according to the provider’s Terms of Service, it ‘reserves the right to reduce or limit connections to ensure the proper functioning of systems’.

Does IPVanish work with Netflix?

IPVanish works with Netflix without issues.

As you can see, I was able to access Netflix US library by connecting to a US server using the Windows app.

IPVanish and torrents – allowed through SOCKS5 proxy

IPVanish allows torrenting but only through one of its SOCKS5 proxy servers.

What is SOCKS5?

If you’re not familiar with SOCKS5 proxies, you should know it doesn’t work exactly like a VPN.

A SOCKS5 proxy can hide your IP address for both web (HTTP) and BitTorrent traffic. But what it doesn’t do is encrypt your traffic like a VPN tunnel would.

What’s clear from the the company’s terms of service and from speaking to its support team – the provider prefers you to use the SOCKS5 proxy for torrenting.

This makes sense, especially as the company is based in the US and owns its server infrastructure.

Most likely, this means it runs a higher risk of receiving copyright infringement notices for unauthorised content distribution over its VPN.

It is our policy to terminate in appropriate circumstances the accounts of subscribers who infringe the copyrights of others. You may not upload, download, post, publish, transmit, reproduce, or distribute in any way, files, material, information, software or other material obtained through the System that is protected by copyright or other proprietary right or derivative works with respect thereto, without obtaining permission of the copyright owner or other right holder.

Excerpt from IPVanish’s Terms of Service

Is IPVanish safe for torrenting?

You can safely use IPVanish VPN for torrents.

And there are no restrictions on which server you should use for P2P.

It does, however, prefer customers using its SOCKS5 proxy for torrents.

The proxy is quick to set up in your BitTorrent client settings, and you can find information on how to do it along with the server addresses here.

I don’t recommend using the SOCKS5 proxy together with an active VPN connection as this can destabilise your connection and potentially compromise your anonymity.

I also don’t recommend using the SOCKS5 proxy on its own for torrenting as your connection should really be encrypted at all times.

Which is why, if you’re reading this review hoping it’s suitable VPN to torrent with, I would suggest to sticking to VPN servers.

SOCKS5 proxy torrent IP leak test (passed)

To check the proxy works as intended, I ran a quick IP address leak test on IPLeak.net.

My publicly visible IP address was shown to be that of of the SOCKS5 server, proving the proxy works well.

IPVanish reviews on Reddit – what the users say

Reddit is generally a credible source for IPVanish reviews. Although, I do recommend taking some time filter out the noise and shill posts.

After a few searches and filtering for quality user feedback, I found that, for the most part, people who’ve claimed to use the service were usually happy with the VPN.

IPVanish support – is it helpful?

IPVanish offers a broad range of customer support options, including:

• chatbot,
• email,
• phone support,
• online knowledge base.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get through to a live chat agent, even though the company claims it’s available 24/7.

Is there a phone number for IPVanish?

Phone support is a rarity among VPNs, and IPVanish is one of the very few services that actually offers it.

It’s offered to customers in select regions, and you can find those support line numbers below.

• United States: 1-800-591-5241
• Mexico: +525541652627
• Brazil: +556140427858
• UK: +442039660521
• Spain: +34919490509
• Australia: +61251335555

IPVanish review verdict (⭐ 8.3 / 10)

Here’s a simple recap of what I liked and disliked about IPVanish:

👍 Why you should buy it (pros)

• Doesn’t store traffic logs and has proven it in the past
• Large server network with access to 1,400+ servers in 70+ locations
• Great applications – very slick and easy-to-use VPN apps
• Works with Netflix and other streaming services and platforms (e.g. Kodi)
• Torrents are allowed through designated nodes or via the SOCKS5 proxy
• Strong security: AES-256-CBC encryption, kill switch, custom DNS, IP leak protection and obfuscation
• Unlimited device connections – perfect for an entire household or even a small business
• Offers live chat & phone support

👎 Why you should look for alternative VPNs (cons)

• Registered in the US, and is therefore subject to the Five Eyes surveillance network
• Doesn’t work in China
• Doesn’t support WireGuard yet

In a nutshell, I’m confident my review shows that this is a very decent VPN.

It’s on the cheaper end of the premium VPN market.

Thus, it’s safe to say you’ll be paying a below-average price for features normally charged at a premium.

The company has had a slightly bumpy past with connection logs, and you’ll see this mentioned in almost every IPVanish review on the web. But, I genuinely disagree with claims there was any major foul play on the part of the company.

At the end of the day, the third party it handed over user data to were the authorities, and it was already transparent about its connection logs.

More importantly, it’s worth noting that, just like ExpressVPN in 2016, IPVanish has also managed to prove itself to be a credible, ‘no-log’ VPN in terms of not logging traffic data.

This is undoubtedly a big deal.

And that’s why I scored IPVanish a solid 8.3 out of 10.

If you’re a first-time buyer, and especially if you need a VPN for streaming, don’t overlook this provider.

IPVanish alternative VPNs

1

ExpressVPN

Our score

9.2 / 10

User rating

4.4 based on 5 reviews

Price from

$6.67 p/mo

Visit Site Read review

Our score

9.2 / 10

User rating

4.4 based on 5 reviews

Price $6.67 p/mo

Visit Site Read review

Available on

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Works with

Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, DAZN, YouTube, HBO Go, Spotify

Pros

• Based in the BVI (no data retention)
• No logs (audited)
• Excellent speeds
• Also has nice apps
• Tough encryption
• Torrents allowed
• Worked with Netflix

Cons

• A bit expensive

Show less details

2

Private Internet Access

Our score

9.2 / 10

User rating

4.4 based on 5 reviews

Price from

$2.69

Visit Site Read review

Our score

9.2 / 10

User rating

4.4 based on 5 reviews

Price $2.69

Visit Site Read review

Available on

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• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Works with

Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, DAZN, YouTube, HBO Go, Spotify

Pros

• Top speeds
• Proven no-log track record
• Up to 10 simultaneous connections
• Slick VPN clients
• DNS leak protection

Cons

• Based in US (5 Eyes network)

Show less details

IPVanish FAQ

What does IPVanish do?

IPVanish is a combination of VPN and proxy services in one. Its VPN works by encrypting your web traffic and spoofing your IP address with a virtual IP that it assigns to your device whenever you connect.

Is there a free version of IPVanish?

IPVanish does not offer a free VPN service — it has always been accessible through a paid subscription. Likewise, it doesn’t offer a free trial, although the US-based provider does offer a 30-day money back guarantee if you sign up.

Is IPVanish worth it?

Undoubtedly, IPVanish is one of those VPN providers that has stood the test of time, and its court-verified ‘no log’ privacy policy is very much a testament to this. So, if you’re searching for a proven service with strong security features plus access to thousands of VPN servers, then this provider is definitely among those worth a tryout.

Does IPVanish work in China?

Although IPVanish does come equipped with the obfuscation feature — a popular setting for avoiding VPN detection by the China’s Great Firewall, it’s unlikely to work in the country due to the likelihood of its IP addresses being blacklisted. On top of that, its website’s domain is also blocked in China.

Does IPVanish have Smart DNS?

IPVanish does not come with Smart DNS addresses. However, if you’re looking to use it with your Smart TV, you can install its Android TV app in order to access your favourite streaming content.

Can I share IPVanish with friends?

Despite the fact that IPVanish does not impose limits on the number of connected device, it does not technically allow account sharing with third parties, as per its T&Cs.

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Ben Green

I've written reviews about VPNs and privacy tools for ten years, with the goal of helping people lead a secure and unrestricted life online. Founder of BestVPNz.com. Love sports and the outdoors.