IPVanish Review 2024: Unlimited Devices, High Cost [Tested] (2024)

IPVanish offers excellent value since it comes with unlimited simultaneous connections. Most virtual private networks (VPNs) have a limit on how many devices you can use, but IPVanish subscribers can connect as many devices as they need under one plan.

However, IPVanish's headquarters are in the United States, which could lead to privacy concerns in spite of its no-logs policy. It also lacks usability in the desktop app with a dated interface. Meanwhile the mobile app has a clean, easy-to-use interface.

If you're looking for a VPN with all the essential features, including unlocking Netflix content abroad, then you may enjoy IPVanish.

Overview

Our experience

IPVanish was easy to download and install once we signed up for a subscription. From your IPVanish account portal, you just need to select your preferred operating system and it'll lead you to a page to download the app. You can also view setup guides for each operating system.

IPVanish's dashboard may be confusing for those new to VPNs. It keeps track of how your data goes up and down while connected to a server, but you can close out this section if you don't need to use it.

Luckily, IPVanish offers an Optimal Locationoption to take the guesswork out of picking the best server location for you. You can also switch over to the server list tab to find the available server locations as well as their ping, load percentage, and number of servers per server location.

We did have some trouble connecting to servers in Australia, as the attempted connections kept timing out. Luckily, customer support was able to help us by recommending we change protocol.

Who is IPVanish best for?

• Recommended for people who want to connect an unlimited amount of devices and want an experience optimized for mobile.

One of the biggest perks of IPVanish is the ability to connect as many devices as you need. Most VPNs only allow a limited number of devices, but if you have a large household, then IPVanish could save you money on VPN costs.

Based on the user experience, IPVanish seems to have prioritized its mobile app over its desktop counterpart. The mobile app has a clean interface, and it's easy to find settings and receive support. Meanwhile, the desktop app isn't as intuitive and looks a bit more outdated.

IPVanish also has the standard security features you can personalize to your needs like a kill switch, multiple VPN protocols, and split tunneling. It's also added Threat Protection, which can block ads, trackers, and malicious websites. It does all this without compromising too much on bandwidth when connecting to international VPN servers.

IPVanish VPN prices and subscriptions

IPVanish offers three different payment subscriptions: monthly, quarterly, and yearly. They all include the same VPN features, but the yearly subscription also includes VIPRE Antivirus.

The longer the subscription, the more you can save every month. The cheapest plan is the two-year plan, which is $2.19/mo (billed every two years). The most expensive is the monthly subscription at $10.99/mo.

The annual plan is slightly cheaper or similar compared to other VPNs like NordVPN and Surfshark at $3.39/mo (billed every two years) and $2.19/mo (billed every two years), respectively.

IPVanish also places no limit on how many devices you can connect, whereas NordVPN limits its services to 10 devices. If you have a large household with many devices, IPVanish has great value.

Payment options include all major debit and credit cards, Google Pay, and PayPal.

IPVanish features

IPVanish has the standard features you expect from a VPN including a kill switch, split tunneling, and multiple VPN protocols to choose from. It also comes with Threat Protection, which can block ads, trackers, and malicious websites.

It also has a strict no-logs policy and won't track and store your online activity. However, its headquarters are in the United States, so this could be an issue for privacy-focused users.

IPVanish server count and countries

• 2,400+ servers in 90+ locations

IPVanish has over 2,400 servers in over 90 lovsyiond. Most of these servers are located in North America and Europe, but it also includes Asia, Oceania, and some South American countries.

That’s not the largest server list we’ve seen (NordVPN has 6,300+), but it’s decent. Having a large number of servers accessible is crucial to ensuring you have a stable connection no matter how much traffic a server receives. You can always connect to a new server in the same location to gain a faster connection.

If you're unsure which server will give you the quickest connection, you can always use IPVanish's "Optimal Location" option. This feature uses your real IP address to find the servers closest to you that should provide the fastest connection.

No-logs policy and headquarters

• IPVanish logs policy: No logs
• IPVanish headquarters: United States

IPVanish has a no-logs policy. It claims it won't track or keep records of your online activities while using IPVanish.

While many VPNs claim to have a no-logs policy, it's not always the case. Even IPVanish was once involved in a scandal in 2016 when it was revealed that it handed over log information on a user to the U.S. government despite claiming to have a no-logs policy.^[1]

Since then, IPVanish's no-log policy has been audited and verified by an independent cybersecurity firm. The most recent audit was completed in April 2022.

IPVanish is located in the United States, so it's part of the Five Eyes alliance. Along with the U.K. Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, the alliance monitors the online communications of citizens and foreign governments. It opens a door for countries to spy on their citizens by proxy. However, this can easily be combated by using a VPN with a no-logs policy, a security tool legal in all five alliance countries.

Kill switch

A kill switch feature automatically disconnects your device from the internet if the VPN loses its connection. This is a helpful privacy tool to prevent your data from leaking unexpectedly and ensure you always have an encrypted connection.

IPVanish has a kill switch feature included. However, it's only available on the macOS, Windows, and Android app. The IPVanish app for iOS doesn't have a kill switch feature.

The kill switch toggle appears on the main dashboard, so you can easily turn it on and off.

Split tunneling

Split tunneling can divide your internet traffic. With this feature, you can let some of traffic access your internet connection directly while other traffic goes through the VPN.

Split tunneling is beneficial if you need specific applications to run faster than a VPN allows. It also helps if you want to use a VPN to hide your true location but still need to use location-based services like Amazon Prime Video or Hulu.

IPVanish has a split tunneling feature. To turn it on, simply head over to the Settings menu and select the Split Tunneling tab. Then you can choose the applications you want to bypass the VPN connection.

Encryption

IPVanish uses AES-256 encryption to protect your internet traffic from prying eyes.

AES-256 encryption is the industry standard and makes it virtually impossible to decrypt your data. AES-256 got its name from the length of the encryption key with 2^256 possible combinations. This makes it extremely difficult to hack, and even a supercomputer would take millions of years to crack the code.

VPN protocol

IPVanish uses multiple VPN protocols, including IKEv2, OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IPSec.

Having multiple VPN protocols allows you to choose the option best for them. Some protocols prioritize speed while others focus on security. However, WireGuard is considered the best all-around VPN protocol since it provides quick speeds while optimizing encryption.

Threat Protection

IPVanish has expanded from its VPN offerings to support other cybersecurity needs. With Threat Protection, you canblock intrusive ads, online trackers, and malicious websites when IPVanish is connected.

IPVanish is available on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, and even Apple Vision Pro. To use Threat Protection, go to Settings < Network Security. From there, you can toggle on Threat Protection.

IPVanish test results

While the features seem nice, we had to put them to the test. We tested IPVanish for speed, streaming, and IP leaks.

We found that it offers full WebRTC and DNS leak protection, but some of its servers may dramatically reduce your internet speeds.

Speed tests

• Speed test results: IPVanish passed the speed test results, having had little impact on our computer speeds.

First, we tested our internet speed without an IPVanish connection. Then we selected several different countries as our VPN servers and tested our internet speed.

But, a VPN tends to slow down your internet speed as it encrypts your data. While a small lag may be expected, it shouldn't affect your overall ability to connect to your network.

The speed test was conducted on a PC laptop running Windows 11 from a physical location in the U.S.

Test results as of 05/29/2024.

Compared to our baseline speed, IPVanish had minimal effect on our internet connection. Our download and upload speeds mostly dropped 10% or less, with the exception of Australia. Slower speeds are to be expected with faraway servers, so we weren't surprised by our results with Australia.

IPVanish did impact our latency more significantly, but we found this to be common with VPNs. Latency, or ping, is how long it takes for data to travel back and forth between points following an instruction for its tranfer. Its better to have low latency because it means the internet reacts much quicker to your requests.

We like that IPVanish displays the ping for all of its servers, which helped us when selecting servers to test.

Netflix tests

• Netflix test results: IPVanish allowed us to watch Netflix in the U.S., Canada, and U.K., but failed to unblock Netflix Australia.

Streaming services like Netflix offer different content to subscribers in different regions. You may be based in the U.S., but if you want to watch a show available on Netflix U.K., you'll need a VPN to cover your current location and access the U.K. content.

Test results as of 05/30/2024.

We tested IPVanish, and it connected us to Netflix libraries in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. with no buffering and no problems.

However, Netflix immediately detected IPVanish once we switched to a server in Australia. We tried every Australian server location available, but Netflix caught on every time, unfortunately. If you're not looking to stream Netflix Australia, this might not be a big deal, though.

DNS leak test

• DNS leak test results: IPVanish passed the DNS leak test.

A domain name system (DNS) leak can happen when requests are sent to an internet service provider's DNS servers instead of being concealed by a VPN. It's a security flaw resulting in a breach of privacy.

We used the DNS Leak Test service from BrowserLeaks to test IPVanish. Before connecting to the VPN, our information was visible including the IP address, internet service provider, and location. After connecting to IPVanish, this information was properly concealed.

WebRTC leak test

• WebRTC leak test results: IPVanish passed the WebRTC leak test.

A WebRTC leak can expose your true IP address even if you’re using a VPN service. We used the BrowserLeaks website to test for WebRTC leaks before and after using IPVanish.

Our true IP address was shown on the test when we weren't connected to the VPN. But once we ran the test while connected to IPVanish, our IP address was masked by the VPN.

Kill switch test

• Kill switch test results: IPVanish failed its kill switch test.

A kill switch is a tool that should come standard with all VPNs. It helps protect your online activities in the event that your VPN connection were to drop by blocking your internet connection as well.

We confirmed that IPVanish has a kill switch when we first downloaded the app, so we toggled that on for testing. We initially connected to a server in France, then swapped to a server in Germany. Unfortunately, IPVanish leaked our true IP address during the switch, which could leave us vulnerable to hackers and other prying eyes.

IPVanish compatibility

IPVanish works with many operating systems and devices including:

• Windows 10+
• macOS 12+
• Linux: Debian- or RedHat-based distros
• Chrome OS 11
• Android 5.1+
• iOS 13+
• Fire OS 5+
  
• Amazon Fire TV Stick
• Apple TV
• NVIDIA SHIELD
• ONN 4k
• Google Chromecast
• Nokia Streaming Box
• Router firmware: DD-WRT v3, Tomato, ASUSWRT, ASUSWRT-Merlin
  
• Apple Vision Pro

IPVanish customer support

There are numerous ways to contact IPVanish to receive customer support. It offers phone, email, live chat, and online guides for assistance.

Phone

IPVanish actually has a call center, which other providers like NordVPN don't have.

The IPVanish phone number is +1-800-591-5241 and operates Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time (CT). It also provides phone numbers for Spain, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Brazil.

Email

Outside of call center hours, you can also submit a request online. But there is no mention of how quickly a member of the support team will get back to you.

Live chat

Alternatively, you can use the IPVanish chatbot to find answers. It's located on the bottom right of its website or app.

You can use the 24/7 live chat feature or leave a message. To use the chatbot on the website, you'll need to enter your email address or log in with your Facebook or Google account.

We opened the chat and were immediately greeted by the chatbot. There's a button to get in touch, so we selected that then chose live chat. From there, you'll fill out some personal information and determine which department you need to contact (billing, technical, or).

We selected technical support to try troubleshooting the issues we had while connecting to Australian servers. It took a couple minutes for an agent to connect to the chat, but they were friendly and quick to respond once they joined.

Support center

But you may not even need to get in touch with customer support since IPVanish provides an extensive online support center. You can find FAQs, troubleshooting advice, and numerous set-up guides.

On the mobile app, all of these customer support options are easily accessible. Simply click on the "Help" icon on the menu and your options will appear.

Top alternatives

FAQs

Bottom line: Is IPVanish good?

We can't say IPVanish is the best VPN out there, but if you have a large family or device-heavy household, the ability to connect unlimited devices to secure Wi-Fi provides excellent value.

While IPVanish doesn't have the most servers, it still offers a large variety of server locations around the world, including countries in South America, Asia, Oceania, and Africa. It also can help you choose the fastest server in your preferred location.

If you don't have many devices, then you might find IPVanish pricing too expensive — especially when the first-year discount ends. You may also not enjoy the dated desktop interface. However, we had an excellent user experience with IPVanish on our mobile device.

IPVanish is best for households with multiple devices looking for the essential features of a VPN without affecting internet speeds. If you aren't looking to connect several devices and want a more affordable plan, read how IPVanish compares to our alternatives:

• NordVPN vs. IPVanish
• Surfshark vs. IPVanish
  
• Private Internet Access vs. IPVanish
• ExpressVPN vs. IPVanish

Steph Trejos is an Editor at All About Cookies, leveraging her expertise in the cybersecurity field. She holds a B.A. in English: Editing, Writing, and Media, as well as Media/Communications Studies. With over five years of professional writing experience, she has garnered recognition for her work on anti-financial crime topics, such as money laundering, terrorist financing, and cyberthreats.