Simon Migliano is a recognized world expert in VPNs. He's tested hundreds of VPN services and his research has featured on the BBC, The New York Times and more.
IPVanish is an excellent no-logs VPN, scoring 9.1/10 according to our testing methodology. It has an excellent Fire TV Stick app and its fast file-sharing speeds are ideal for torrenting. It also owns its entire server network and can unblock US Netflix. However, IPVanish isn’t great for bypassing web censorship and its device compatibility falls short of competitors.
Ranked #6 out of 65 VPNs
IPVanish VPN Category Ratings
9.19.1/10
9.29.2/10
8.88.8/10
9.89.8/10
8.98.9/10
66.0/10
9.69.6/10
99.0/10
99.0/10
88.0/10
IPVanish VPN Pros & Cons
Zero-logs and no IP address leaks
Streams US Netflix & BBC iPlayer
Fast connection speeds
Unlimited simultaneous connections
Best VPN for Fire TV Stick & Kodi
Owns its entire server network
No VPN browser extensions
No Smart DNS for Smart TV & games consoles
Kill switch leaks on macOS
Doesn't work in China
Can’t unblock HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, or Hotstar
Why Trust Us?
We’re fully independent and have been reviewing VPNs since 2016. Our ratings are based on our own testing results and are unaffected by financial incentives. Learn who we are and how we test VPNs.
Founded in 2012, IPVanish is an excellent VPN service that competes with the best on the market. It’s been a trustworthy no-logs VPN since 2017, and this didn’t change following its 2019 acquisition by Ziff Davis.
IPVanish is known for its secure and anonymous VPN apps. It remains our best VPN for Fire TV Stick and an excellent choice for P2P and Kodi users.
You want to torrent anonymously. IPVanish has faster P2P speeds than most of its competitors and a private logging policy to ensure your torrenting activity can’t be linked back to you.
You want to stream using Kodi. IPVanish’s excellent Fire TV Stick app, alongside its no-logs policy and IP leak protection, makes it a great choice for Kodi.
You want to connect to a physical VPN server. IPVanish is one of the few VPN services to use an all-physical server network (except its India location). This ensures the VPN server you connect to will always be located in the country it claims to be in.
Avoid IPVanish if:
You want to access geo-restricted streaming content. IPVanish can’t unblock HBO Max or Amazon Prime Video, and it can only access 4 Netflix libraries. There’s also no Smart DNS feature for Smart TV or games console users.
You’re an experienced VPN user who wants advanced features. IPVanish covers the basics well (encryption, protocols, kill switch), but it lacks the advanced features of its competitors. It hasn’t got any multi-hop servers or a dedicated IP address feature.
You need to bypass web censorship in a restricted country. IPVanish has never worked in our China testing and its website warns against using the VPN in censored regions.
IPVanish Video Review
Before reading our in-depth IPVanish review, see our short video covering the best and worst features of the VPN:
We calculate the VPN’s speed rating using our download speeds, upload speeds, and ping (latency) measurements.
We regularly test the VPN’s local and international speeds using a dedicated 100Mbps internet connection in New York, USA.
Using the newly-added WireGuard protocol, we registered fast connection speeds on every IPVanish server we tested. We recorded an impressive average download speed loss of 5% on local servers and 12% on international ones.
Ranked #2 out of 65 VPNs for Speed
To calculate IPVanish’s speed performance, we recorded the speed of the connection between our location and IPVanish VPN servers around the globe.
Below is a table showing IPVanish’s speed test results, in full:
Previously, we recorded average speeds using IPVanish due to its reliance on the slower and older OpenVPN protocol. With the introduction of WireGuard, IPVanish now ranks among the fastest VPNs on the market.
As shown in the table above, IPVanish is consistently fast across all locations with an average international download speed of 88Mbps.
In fact, IPVanish is the only VPN service, other than Hotspot Shield, to record download speeds faster than 80Mbps in every location we test.
You can use the chart below to see how IPVanish’s international speeds compare to other top VPNs:
These results indicate that IPVanish is one of the fastest VPNs available. It’s more than fast enough for HD streaming, web browsing, and torrenting large files.
Low Ping for Online Gaming
While connected to a local IPVanish server, we consistently recorded a ping time of 7ms. This is an excellent result that allows you to play fast-paced online games without any lag.
We didn’t experience any lag while connecting to a nearby US server.
On longer-distance connections, we experienced increased ping times and very occasional periods of lag. However, we were still able to play online with minimal disruption and avoid any sudden disconnections.
Server Locations
2,200 Self-Owned Servers & 40,000+ IP Addresses
8.98.9/10
How is this calculated?
The key factor for calculating this rating is the global spread and coverage of the VPN’s server network.
We also consider the total number of servers, the number of city-level servers, and the number of IP addresses available.
IPVanish has 2,200 servers spread over 53 countries and 84 cities. This accommodates most regions, but falls short of the very best VPN services like Private Internet Access. We tested IPVanish’s servers and found none of them to be virtual, apart from its India server.
Use the table below to see how IPVanish allocates its server coverage:
Continent
Number of Countries
Europe
31
Asia
10
South America
5
North America
4
Africa
1
Oceania
2
IPVanish’s network consists of 2,200 servers in total. This puts it amongst the top half of VPN services we’ve tested, but is eclipsed by PIA’s 18,651 servers and CyberGhost’s 9,769.
Though smaller than some competitors, IPVanish’s server count is more than adequate and we found that server congestion is rare even during peak times.
IPVanish has servers in most European countries and over 1400 servers in North America. The choice is more limited outside these regions, with only one server location in Africa.
In fact, 58% of IPVanish’s server network coverage is concentrated in Europe. We’d like to see IPVanish rectify this by introducing new servers in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa.
The VPN service offers city-level server choice in six countries including the US and the UK. This is useful for accessing geographically restricted content like NBA blackouts, or for connecting to servers close to you for fast speeds.
IPVanish has servers in 14 US states. This is more than Windscribe’s 7 states and ExpressVPN’s 11, but is far behind PIA’s complete coverage of all 50 US states.
IPVanish Doesn’t Use Virtual Servers
All of IPVanish’s servers are physical. Its bare metal servers are physically located in their advertised online location.
This avoids the drawbacks of virtually located servers, which can sometimes assign you the wrong IP address or hinder your internet speeds.
The only exception to IPVanish’s physical server network is its virtual server location in India. This is due to the introduction of intrusive data laws in India in late 2022. As a result, IPVanish removed its servers from within the country, but still offers access to Indian IP addresses via virtual servers that are not subject to those data laws.
Privacy & Logging Policy
A Trustworthy & Verified No-Logs VPN
8.88.8/10
How is this calculated?
We analyze and dissect the VPN service’s logging and privacy policy. A VPN should never log and store:
Your real IP address
Connection timestamps
DNS requests
Headquarters outside of 14 Eyes or EU jurisdictions are also preferable.
IPVanish is a zero-logs VPN service you can trust. It does not keep records of your connection data or browsing activity. The only information it does log is your email address and payment method, which are necessary for maintaining the service. Its jurisdiction is the US, but this is nullified by its no-logs policy.
Ranked #15 out of 65 VPNs for Privacy & Logging Policy
Below is a summary of the data that IPVanish logs:
IPVanish does not log any connection or usage data. It does collect your email address and payment method, but this is standard practice for most VPN services.
Its privacy policy states that the VPN also collects “aggregated and anonymous performance data” to improve its overall functionality. This data is completely anonymous and not linked to individual users.
Unlike many VPNs, IPVanish doesn’t enforce any simultaneous connections limit. Therefore, it doesn’t need to log device connections to its network.
IPVanish’s no-logs policy has been verified by an independent audit carried out by Leviathan Security Group in April 2022. The audit confirmed that IPVanish does not log your IP address, browsing activity, or downloads.
For greater transparency, we’d like to see IPVanish include a warrant canary on its website to highlight any DMCA requests it receives.
Similarly, we’d encourage IPVanish to follow Windscribe’s approach of publishing regular transparency reports of its law enforcement requests. This would serve as real life proof that IPVanish does not log any user data.
You can see how IPVanish’s logging policy compares to other top-shelf VPNs in the table below:
IPVanish Is Owned by Ziff Davis
IPVanish is currently owned by New York-based company Ziff Davis. It’s part of a family of VPN products including StrongVPN and Encrypt.me.
Normally a US jurisdiction isn’t great for privacy due to the country’s intrusive data laws and its membership of the Five Eyes alliance.
However, this isn’t relevant to IPVanish, as its no-logs policy means that it wouldn’t have anything to hand over to US authorities.
Therefore, as long as it continues to operate the same logging policy, we’re not overly concerned by the company’s US jurisdiction.
Previous Data-Sharing Incident
In 2016, IPVanish handed user logs to the FBI to aid in a criminal investigation. This was only possible as IPVanish was actively logging this data.
In the seven years since this incident, IPVanish has changed ownership multiple times, improved its logging policy, and verified its practices with an independent audit.
We now consider IPVanish to be a reputable and trustworthy service with a verified no-logs policy.
Streaming
IPVanish Unblocks US Netflix but Not HBO Max
9.19.1/10
How is this calculated?
This rating is calculated by how many different streaming services and regional content libraries the VPN can unblock, and how consistently it can access them.
We test access to Netflix, Disney+, Max, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and many more platforms on a weekly basis.
IPVanish successfully unblocks US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu. All of these services are accessible on its native Fire TV Stick and Android apps, too. However, it doesn’t work with Prime Video or HBO Max, and we’d like to see a Smart DNS feature added. ExpressVPN and Surfshark are far better options if streaming is your top priority.
Ranked #12 out of 65 VPNs for Streaming
You can use the list below to see which popular streaming services IPVanish works with:
Streaming Platform
Works with IPVanish VPN
Amazon Prime Video
No
BBC iPlayer
Yes
Channel 4
Yes
Disney+
Yes
Hotstar India
No
Hulu
Yes
ITVX
Yes
Max
No
Netflix US
Yes
IPVanish Works with US Netflix & Three Other Regions
IPVanish unblocks American Netflix on all of its US servers. It also worked with the India, Canada, and Turkey libraries in our tests.
We were able to unblock US Netflix with IPVanish.
While it’s impressive IPVanish can access US Netflix, it’s poor compared to the highest-performing Netflix VPNs. For example, Windscribe can access 10 times as many Netflix regions than IPVanish.
Additionally, IPVanish can be slow to load the Netflix website and mobile app. We were able to mitigate this by switching to the WireGuard protocol.
Works with All UK Streaming Platforms Except Netflix
Using IPVanish’s UK servers, we were able to access every major British streaming service. We recorded a 100% success rate unblocking geo-restricted content on BBC iPlayer, ITVX, and All 4.
All of IPVanish’s UK servers can access BBC iPlayer.
In each instance, the stream loaded quickly in our browser and we were able to watch without any buffering. This was the case for both on-demand and live content.
IPVanish Consistently Unblocks Hulu
Our recent tests confirm that IPVanish is a great choice for Hulu. Using IPVanish, we were able to stream Hulu from outside the US on all of our devices.
IPVanish lets you watch Hulu exclusives from outside the US.
Out of the 10 US servers we tested, only one IP address was blocked. This is an excellent result and indicates that IPVanish is a reliable choice for unblocking Hulu.
IPVanish Doesn’t Unblock All Streaming Platforms
We also tested IPVanish with HBO Max and didn’t have any success. The same was true of Amazon Prime Video and Hotstar India.
Overall, there are far better VPNs available for streaming. Compared to these, IPVanish works less often, streams in lower quality, and is compatible with fewer streaming devices.
Torrenting
IPVanish Is Ideal for Fast & Anonymous Torrenting
9.29.2/10
How is this calculated?
This rating is determined by the VPN’s torrenting speeds, the percentage of servers that allow P2P file sharing, the service’s privacy and trustworthiness, and useful settings like port forwarding.
For speed specifically, we calculate the VPN’s average download bitrate using our bespoke torrenting setup.
Both the IPVanish app and its SOCKS5 proxy are great for torrenting. P2P traffic is permitted on all servers and its torrenting speeds are amongst the fastest we’ve recorded. It doesn’t allow port forwarding, though.
Ranked #4 out of 65 VPNs for Torrenting
Here’s a summary of how IPVanish performed in our latest torrenting tests:
Torrenting Attribute
Result
Average Download Bitrate
9.9MiB/s
No. of P2P Servers
2,200
Logging Policy
No Logs
Kill Switch
Yes
Port Forwarding
No
We tested IPVanish by connecting to one of its nearby servers and downloading a torrent test file. In each instance, we were able to open the file in the qBittorent client and complete the download without interruption.
IPVanish kept our real IP address hidden while torrenting.
IPvanish recorded an average bitrate of 9.9MiB/s — an excellent result. In fact, IPVanish is the joint third fastest VPN for torrenting that we’ve tested.
P2P traffic is permitted on all of its servers which is ideal for minimizing congestion and maintaining fast speeds.
Plus, IPVanish owns and manages its entire server network. First-party server ownership is great for user anonymity as it prevents any third-parties from accessing your torrenting activity. Importantly, the VPN doesn’t log usage data, either.
It also has a reliable VPN kill switch to prevent IP leaks following an unexpected VPN disconnection. It’s not enabled by default, though.
We’d like to see IPVanish introduce port forwarding support to further optimize its P2P speeds and close the gap on the top torrenting VPNs.
IPVanish Has a SOCKS5 Proxy
The VPN also offers its own SOCKS5 proxy. This masks your IP address while torrenting by routing your P2P traffic through a remote proxy service.
Although this is generally faster than using a VPN, it won’t encrypt your internet traffic.
EXPERT ADVICE: Connect to your VPN before launching your torrent client, and disconnect from the VPN after closing the torrent client. This avoids IP address exposures if your torrent client is seeding in the background.
Security & Technical Features
IPVanish Is Very Secure, but Lacks Advanced Features
9.69.6/10
How is this calculated?
A secure VPN must offer OpenVPN or WireGuard protocols, AES-256 encryption, and a working kill switch.
To calculate this rating, we also factor in additional security settings and features.
IPVanish is a safe VPN service thanks to its use of AES-256 encryption and trusted protocols, like OpenVPN and WireGuard. It does not leak DNS requests or IPv6 addresses, and it owns its entire server network. However, its macOS kill switch is faulty and we’d like to see more advanced features added to all of its applications.
Ranked #3 out of 65 VPNs for Security & Technical Features
You can see the full list of VPN protocols, encryption ciphers, and technical features IPVanish offers in the table below:
Protocols
Available in IPVanish VPN
IKEv2/IPSec
Yes
L2TP/IPSec
Yes
OpenVPN (TCP/UDP)
Yes
PPTP
Yes
SSTP
Yes
WireGuard
Yes
Encryption
Available in IPVanish VPN
AES-128
Yes
AES-192
No
AES-256
Yes
Blowfish
No
ChaCha20
Yes
Security
Available in IPVanish VPN
Diskless Servers
No
DNS Leak Blocking
Yes
First-party DNS
Yes
IPv6 Leak Blocking
Yes
Supports TCP Port 443
Yes
VPN Kill Switch
Yes
WebRTC Leak Blocking
No
Advanced Features
Available in IPVanish VPN
Ad Blocker
Yes
Dedicated IP
No
Double VPN
No
SOCKS
Yes
Split Tunneling
Yes
Static IP
No
Tor over VPN Server
No
Tracker Blocker
Yes
IPVanish Is Safe to Use on All Platforms
IPVanish encrypts your traffic using industry-standard encryption methods. You can choose between AES-256 and ChaCha20 encryption ciphers, which are both considered virtually unbreakable.
All of IPVanish’s applications use the WireGuard VPN protocol by default. This is an open-sourced VPN protocol which you can trust to keep your data secure.
To verify this, we inspected our web traffic while connected to an IPVanish VPN server. We carried out this test using Wireshark, a free and open-source packet inspection tool.
IPVanish encrypted the data packets leaving our device.
We found no unencrypted TCP or UDP traffic, and no HTTP or DNS traffic traveling in plain text. Every data packet we inspected displayed an incoherent series of symbols.
In other words, IPVanish works exactly as intended. When it runs, it fully encrypts the traffic leaving the device. We trust the VPN to hide web activity from ISPs or protect data transfers on public WiFi networks.
Minor Kill Switch Fault on macOS
IPVanish’s kill switch prevents any internet traffic from leaving your device when the VPN is not connected.
We were only able to conduct this test on macOS by switching to the OpenVPN protocol. IPVanish’s kill switch isn’t available on macOS if you connect using the default WireGuard protocol.
We can confirm that IPVanish’s kill switch successfully blocked our network traffic on its Windows app. However, its macOS kill switch failed to prevent our IP address from leaking during a VPN server change.
We only detected a minor issue with IPVanish’s macOS kill switch.
Thankfully, its macOS kill switch did hide our IP address following a sudden VPN disconnection, which is the more important test.
It’s still safe to use IPVanish on macOS, but we recommend you completely shut down your online activity before switching VPN servers as your internet traffic will not be encrypted in the intermediary period.
Sadly, this fault is not unique to IPVanish — ExpressVPN and PrivateVPN experience similar issues with their macOS kill switches.
We hope to see IPVanish address this in a future update.
IPVanish Owns Its Entire Server Network
IPVanish owns and manages its entire server network, including its DNS servers.
Owning your entire server network reduces the risk of server security issues. IPVanish does not lease any of their servers from third-parties, which means it has full control over how your data is handled.
However, unlike ExpressVPN’s servers, IPVanish’s are not diskless, meaning they do store information on physical hard drives.
While RAM-based servers are safer for anonymity, very few VPN services currently offer this solution — take a look at ExpressVPN if it’s a feature you really want.
IPVanish Doesn’t Leak IP or DNS Data
We tested IPVanish’s apps for leaks and can confirm that it does not leak IP or DNS data.
We tested IPVanish with our leak detection tool.
This is due to its in-built DNS and IPv6 leak protection, as well as its first-party ownership of its server network.
Threat Protection Requires Improvement
Threat Protection is a security feature that blocks ads, trackers, and malicious websites as long as you’re connected to IPVanish. We tested its effectiveness using an objective ad blocker checker:
IPVanish only blocks 35% of ads and trackers compared to PIA MACE’s 95%.
As shown above, Threat Protection only blocks 35% of ads and trackers. This is a poor result especially as IPVanish failed to block the vast majority of social trackers, such as those from TikTok and Facebook.
While we were disappointed by Threat Protection’s performance, we appreciate that IPVanish has made the feature available on all of its VPN apps. This is rare from a VPN service and is something we’d like to see adopted across the industry.
Extra Technical Features We’d Like to See
IPVanish includes all the standard features you’d expect from a reputable VPN service, but lacks the additional technical features of the very best VPNs. We’ve listed the most important ones we’d like to see IPVanish implement moving forward:
Multi-hop servers to add a further layer of encryption and increase protection against traffic correlation attacks.
Diskless VPN servers for close to guaranteed anonymity across IPVanish’s privately owned server network.
Dedicated IP for secure remote access, improved streaming performance in specific locations, and greater control over your VPN IP address.
Open-sourced desktop apps for increased transparency over how IPVanish’s software functions. This would allow anyone to inspect its apps and identify possible security flaws.
Most of these features are advanced and not essential for a VPN service to have, however as one of the best VPNs we’ve reviewed, we expect IPVanish to include them.
Bypassing Web Censorship
IPVanish Doesn't Bypass Strict Web Censorship
66.0/10
How is this calculated?
We routinely test if the VPN can bypass strict internet restrictions in China using our remote-access server in Shanghai.
Other important factors we consider include obfuscation technologies and the availability of servers in neighboring countries (for faster connections).
IPVanish comes with some obfuscation technology, but it has never been able to beat China's censorship in our tests. It might work in less aggressively censored regions, though.
Ranked #35 out of 65 VPNs for Bypassing Web Censorship
IPVanish does not work in China and other highly-censored countries.
We test IPVanish weekly on our Shanghai server and we have never seen it work. Each time we opened the VPN app it failed to connect to a server location.
Its obfuscation tool, called “Scramble VPN traffic,” simply can’t bypass China’s Great Firewall.
IPVanish might work in restricted countries with less sophisticated web censorship. As a top-rated VPN, we find it likely that IPVanish works in Russia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
If you need a VPN to beat Chinese censorship, there are far more reliable VPNs with bespoke obfuscation technology. Our top choice, Astrill VPN, has a 100% success rate in bypassing the Great Firewall of China using its proprietary protocols.
Device & OS Compatibility
IPVanish Works on Most Devices, but Lacks Smart DNS
How is this rated?
A high-quality VPN should maintain functional, fully-featured applications and browser extensions for as many platforms and devices as possible.
Our ‘Device & OS Compatibility’ assessment contributes to the Ease of Use rating.
IPVanish has native apps for most platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Fire OS, and Linux. All of its apps are easy to set up, even on your home router. However, it doesn’t have any browser extensions or Smart DNS.
Apps
You can download and install IPVanish on the following devices:
Windows
Mac
iOS
Android
Linux
Router
ChromeOS
IPVanish mostly feels the same to use across its various platforms, but not every feature is available on each app. Below is an overview of the key differences between IPVanish applications:
Unlimited Simultaneous Connections
You can use IPVanish on unlimited devices simultaneously. It’s rare to see a top-shelf VPN offer this. Most services limit concurrent connections to five devices per account.
Games Consoles & Streaming Devices
IPVanish can be used on the following devices by installing it on a router:
Apple TV
Amazon Fire TV
Android TV
Chromecast
PlayStation
Roku
Smart TV
Xbox
Router installation can be carried out manually or by purchasing a pre-flashed router. Frustratingly, this is the only way to use IPVanish on Smart TV and games consoles as the VPN doesn’t have a Smart DNS tool.
IPVanish is one of the few VPNs to offer a native app for Amazon Fire TV. Its Fire TV app is easy to use, and it’s currently our top-rated VPN for Fire TV Stick.
IPVanish can also stream geo-restricted content on official Kodi add-ons like IceFilms and NBC sport.
Ease of Use
Highly Configurable Apps & Easy to Use Interface
99.0/10
How is this calculated?
This rating mainly consists of the user-friendliness and intuitiveness of setting up and regularly using the VPN.
We also factor in customization settings, as well as device and OS compatibility (see section above).
All of IPVanish’s applications are simple to use and feature multiple configuration options. Its Windows, Android, and iOS apps all use a similar interface, ensuring a consistent user experience across all platforms. We’d like to see its apps remove some of the unnecessary clutter on their homescreens, though.
Ranked #9 out of 65 VPNs for Ease of Use
To install and start using IPVanish, go to its website and click Get Started. Choose your pricing plan, create your account, and download the app. We found this entire process to be quick and straightforward — it only took around five minutes.
IPVanish has recently redesigned all of its apps for the most popular platforms. The latest being its macOS app, which launched with its new design in June 2023.
This redesign is a massive improvement. Previously, IPVanish’s app design was outdated and overly-technical, resembling a router app interface. We’re pleased to see IPVanish has adopted a more modern user interface for its new VPN apps.
We explain our experience using IPVanish on every operating system in the section below:
Desktop & Laptop (Windows & Mac)
IPVanish’s desktop apps are almost identical in their design and features, but there are some inconsistencies.
You can pick a country, city, or server to connect to from the locations list. Or, just press “connect” to use the best server available.
In the side-menu, you can sort the server list by country, server load, or response time. We found this particularly useful for avoiding server congestion during peak times.
There’s also a helpful search function where you can filter servers by keyword. One click adds a server location to your ‘favorites list,’ for quicker future access.
You also have the option to pick a location from a map. Zooming in will display the full server network for a particular region. Following its recent app redesign, this feature is no longer restricted to just Windows and has been added to the macOS app.
Moreover, the macOS redesign has integrated its VPN settings into the IPVanish app itself. Previously, its settings and customization options were hidden in the Mac’s native menu bar, leading to a frustrating user experience.
Once you’ve connected to a server, a status panel will display the protocol you’re using, time connected, server name, and bandwidth used. This is far more compact and less intrusive than IPVanish’s previous user interface.
Both desktop apps come with a kill switch, IPv6 leak protection, port selection, and the Scramble feature for censorship. On macOS, you’ll need to switch to OpenVPN to access these features, though. On Windows, only port selection and the Scramble feature are limited to OpenVPN.
Mobile (iPhone & Android)
Unlike its desktop counterparts, IPVanish’s mobile apps use a similar interface. Both feature a map on the top half of their homescreens, with the connection status and server location below.
You can access advanced settings, customer support, and the full server list from the tabs at the bottom of both apps.
Live chat is integrated within IPVanish’s mobile apps for quick and accessible customer support.
Similar to the desktop apps, you can select servers by country or city in the locations menu. Filtering by cities allows you to view the ping and server load data of each location.
There’s also the same built-in search function and option to ‘favorite’ locations for quick server access.
We also appreciate how well-integrated IPVanish’s mobile apps are within their respective operating systems.
The Android app has a toggle for connecting on startup, and its kill switch is integrated within the system settings on the mobile. There’s also an option to switch to ‘dark mode’ to improve accessibility.
On the iOS app, IPVanish has implemented several optional Siri shortcuts to simplify the user experience. For example, saying, “secure connection” will connect you to the last server used. There’s also the same option to switch to a darker background on iOS, too.
Unfortunately, the iOS app does lack some features, such as IPv6 leak protection and the Scramble protocol.
Amazon Fire TV
The IPVanish Firestick VPN app is the best we’ve tested. It isn’t quite the best-designed one, but it’s highly secure and easy to use.
The app has many customizable settings, including auto-startup, auto-reconnect, LAN exemption, and even split tunneling.
The real-time upload/download speed graph is prominent, like IPVanish’s other apps, but it doesn’t affect functionality. If anything, it looks better on a TV than on a phone or computer screen.
You can use either OpenVPN (UDP or TCP) or WireGuard connection protocols. You can also use the Scramble feature, which worked to unblock certain apps that were blocking standard VPN traffic.
IPVanish has recently added a kill switch to its Fire TV Stick app, addressing our previous concerns. Although this is an improvement, IPVanish forces you to install a separate Fire TV app to set up its kill switch. This is an unnecessary step which isn’t the case for other VPN services.
How to install IPVanish on your Fire TV Stick:
Select ‘apps’ and then ‘categories’ from the Fire TV Stick home screen.
Choose ‘utility’ and then select the IPVanish application.
Download IPVanish and select ‘open’ to enter your login details.
Click ‘connect’ to use the nearest server, or pick a server from the ‘options’ menu.
Apple TV
Since the launch of tvOS 17, IPVanish is the highest-rated VPN to release an app for Apple TV. Coupled with its excellent streaming performance and download speeds, IPVanish has displaced ExpressVPN as the best VPN for Apple TV.
Although it only took us five minutes to set up IPVanish on our Apple TV, we would’ve appreciated the option to sign-in via web browser. We found using the Apple TV remote to manually enter our login details frustrating and time-consuming.
The app itself is easy to navigate due to its streamlined user interface. You can use its search bar to save scrolling through the server list or, more simply, ask Siri to locate the server for you.
You can also favorite servers for more convenient access in the future.
Despite its user-friendly design, we were disappointed by the lack of features on IPVanish’s Apple TV app. It only supports the outdated IKEv2 protocol, not OpenVPN or WireGuard, and we couldn’t find a kill switch in its settings.
Moving forward, we’d like to see IPVanish address this by adding some of the features from its desktop and mobile apps.
To use IPVanish on Linux, you’ll have to therefore use standard command lines, in the absence of a graphical user interface.
IPVanish is compatible with Ubuntu, Fedora, Kali, Mint, Lubuntu, and Pop! OS. The CLI (Command Line Interface) supports OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP, and IKEv2 connections.
Price & Value
IPVanish Is Worth the Slightly Higher Cost
88.0/10
How is this calculated?
While we do assign a ‘Price & Value’ rating, it doesn’t contribute to the Overall Rating. We believe the reader should decide what is or isn’t a reasonable price.
A good rating isn’t just based on how cheap the VPN is, but for the overall value it offers.
At $2.75 per month on its longest subscription plan, IPVanish is reasonably priced for a top VPN service. IPVanish is also free for seven days if you create an account on mobile, which isn’t offered by many of its competitors. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee on all platforms if you want to try out the VPN service for longer.
At $12.99, IPVanish’s monthly plan is roughly in-line with the industry average. As with most VPNs, IPVanish’s two-year plan provides the best value at just $2.75 per month.
To start your free trial, download IPVanish from the Apple App store or Google Play Store and create an account. When prompted, select any plan length to trigger your seven-day free trial. Your account details can then be used to try out IPVanish’s apps on Windows, Android, and macOS.
You will be charged the full price of the subscription plan you select if you fail to cancel before the end of the trial period.
Alternatively, you can take advantage of IPVanish’s 30-day money-back guarantee.
This 30-day refund promise is no-questions-asked, and refunds are processed within 10 working days. However, it only applies to yearly subscriptions, and it falls short of CyberGhost’s 45-day money-back guarantee.
Also, if you sign up for IPVanish via the Apple App Store, you won’t qualify for the money-back guarantee at all.
Payment & Refund Options
Here are all the different payment methods that IPVanish accepts:
American Express
Mastercard
PayPal
Visa
You can pay for your IPVanish subscription by credit card, debit card, or PayPal. International payments are possible through UnionPay, too.
Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, and cash payments are also not accepted. It’s therefore impossible to subscribe to IPVanish with total anonymity.
Customer Support
Helpful 24/7 Live Chat Support & Online Resources
99.0/10
How is this calculated?
This rating is based on our assessment of the VPN’s:
Live chat support
Email support
Online resources
Not every VPN offers all these support options, and they often vary in quality and response times.
IPVanish has excellent customer support options, including an extensive online help section, 24/7 live chat, and email support. We’ve always found its support agents to be responsive and friendly.
Ranked #7 out of 65 VPNs for Customer Support
You can reach IPVanish’s customer support team in the following ways:
Customer Support
Available in IPVanish VPN
24/7 Email Support
Yes
24/7 Live Chat Support
Yes
Chatbot
Yes
Email Support via Online Form
Yes
Online Resources
Yes
Tutorial Videos
No
The fastest way to get support is via live chat, which you can reach from the top-right of the website. Live chat agents are helpful, and always respond quickly. The round-the-clock email support is also excellent, with prompt and well-written responses.
IPVanish recently added an automated chatbot to its customer support.
Equally, the website features many detailed tutorials on using IPVanish on various platforms. For example, there are 12 guides just for using the VPN on Windows.
The online FAQ section is also good for straightforward solutions to common issues.
There’s telephone support, too, which is offered by a small number of top VPNs. It’s available from 9am to 5pm CST, Monday to Friday.
One minor criticism is the poorly sized images on IPVanish’s setup guides. They’re often too large, which makes it difficult to read the instructions.
The Bottom Line
Is IPVanish Worth It?
IPVanish is an excellent VPN service that performs well in almost every category.
At just $2.19 per month, IPVanish is worth purchasing for most users, but particularly for anonymous torrenting, Fire TV Stick, and Kodi streaming.
This is due to its fast P2P speeds, no-logs policy, IP leak protection, and excellent Fire TV Stick app. It also includes SOCKS5 proxy support within its default subscription, which is uncommon among VPN services and further justifies its price.
Plus, IPVanish takes the rare step of owning its entire server network, including its DNS servers. This is another positive for torrenters and Kodi users, as it ensures your activity remains anonymous from third-parties.
However, the VPN service isn’t good for bypassing strict VPN blocks or geo-restrictions. Whether it’s a streaming platform or a country’s firewall, IPVanish is unlikely to work well.
It also lacks some of the advanced features of its competitors, which is disappointing for a top VPN service.
Overall, we recommend purchasing IPVanish if you want to torrent anonymously and stream content on Kodi. It’s also worth it generally for everyday browsing, as it’s quick and easy to use casually.
Alternatives to IPVanish
There are VPN services available that outperform IPVanish in almost every testing category. Though, in most cases they will cost slightly more.
As our top-rated VPN service, ExpressVPN excels in almost every department. It doesn’t focus on Fire TV Stick or Kodi to the same extent, but it beats IPVanish in most other areas. ExpressVPN is far better for streaming, easier to use, and works in censored countries.
ExpressVPN is also compatible with a greater number of devices than IPVanish, thanks to its Smart DNS tool and dedicated router app.
Private Internet Access is also one of the most fully-featured VPNs we’ve tested, including all the extra features that IPVanish lacks. It’s also one of the few VPNs to outperform IPVanish in torrenting and it has a larger VPN server network.
You can compare IPVanish with its alternatives in greater depth below:
FAQ
Is IPVanish Better than NordVPN?
We compared IPVanish and NordVPN in 10 key testing categories and found that IPVanish performed slightly worse overall. NordVPN is faster, has more responsive customer support, and can unblock 17 Netflix libraries.
However, IPVanish is the better choice for torrenters due to its faster P2P speeds and SOCKS5 proxy support.
Is IPVanish Safe?
IPVanish is safe due to its use of AES-256 encryption and trusted OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols. This ensures that your personal data is kept secure and anonymous at all times.
The VPN service has no history of malware or leaks, and all of its apps have been verified as safe by third-party audits, too.
Lastly, IPVanish does not log any information that can be used to identify you or link you to specific browsing activity.
What Is IPVanish Used For?
IPVanish allows you to securely access the internet through its encrypted VPN tunnel. Your internet traffic is encapsulated in unbreakable encryption and routed through one of IPVanish’s secure VPN servers.
You can use IPVanish to securely access public WiFi, anonymously torrent, and change your online location to access geo-restricted content. It’s also ideal for private web browsing and messaging.
History of Major Updates to IPVanish
12 March 2024: IPVanish releases Threat Protection across all platforms.
31 January 2024: IPVanish adds a kill switch to its iOS app.
18 September 2023: IPVanish announces the launch of its dedicated VPN app for Apple TV.
23 June 2023: IPVanish releases its new macOS app.
28 November 2022: IPVanish reintroduces its seven-day free trial for Android and iOS.
22 July 2022: IPVanish launches the redesign of its iOS app.
27 June 2022: IPVanish removes its physical VPN servers from India.
31 May 2022: IPVanish launches the redesign of its Windows app.
4 April 2022: IPVanish publishes independent logging policy audit from Leviathan Security Group.
23 February 2022: IPVanish launches the redesign of its Android app.