IPVanish Review 2023 — A Safe VPN, But Is The Service Good?

IPVanish offers high-speed connections and an impressive list of advanced security features at a budget-friendly price. So, I was eager to test it out for myself.

I carefully studied its privacy policy and thoroughly tested its speed, security features, and ability to access popular streaming services (like Netflix). I also looked into its network coverage and ease of use and put its customer service team to the test.

Overall, I can say that IPVanish is a safe and reliable option with fast speeds and a decent network of servers. However, I was disappointed that it doesn't unblock all popular streaming platforms, unlike other premium VPNs. If you decide to give IPVanish a try, you can take advantage of IPVanish's 30-day money-back guarantee. If you’re not happy with it, getting a refund is hassle-free.

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IPVanish has significantly improved its streaming capabilities in recent times. While it previously could only unblock Netflix US, it has now added more sites to its repertoire. I tested multiple server locations with a dozen streaming platforms and had a high success rate.

Unblocked: Netflix US, UK, India, Japan, and Kodi

The first platform I tried to unblock was Netflix, which was mostly issue-free. The first 3 US servers I tested (New York, Los Angeles, and Houston) could access the US Netflix library without any problems. But the following 3 servers I used (Miami, Chicago, and Seattle), couldn’t unblock the site. But considering that even the top VPNs can struggle to unblock Netflix from time to time, this wasn’t surprising.

IPVanish doesn’t mention the servers that can unblock Netflix and couldn’t provide the answers when asked, so you’ll probably need to do a bit of testing for a working server. But once you find one, it’s very reliable. I could stream both Radium Girls and New Girl in UHD without any interruptions.

IPVanish works fine with US Netflix once you find the right server

In addition to Netflix US, IPVanish managed to unblock Netflix libraries in the UK, India, and Japan. I didn't experience any buffering or connection issues on any of these servers, including the UK servers, which were the furthest away at over 10,000 kilometers. The waiting time for my videos to load was around 7-10 seconds, which was very similar to my non-VPN connection.

IPVanish can unblock different Netflix libraries worldwide

While it’s not a streaming site, IPVanish is compatible with Kodi, a home theater software that lets you stream P2P files. I could watch Sita Sings the Blues while connected to an IPVanish server in Miami and stream without buffering. However, please note that plenty of P2P files available through third-party Kodi apps are protected by copyright. We do not condone any illegal activity, so I recommend that you check that the files you stream aren’t protected under copyright.

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Unblocked: Hulu

I had no issues unblocking Hulu on the 3 US servers I tested, and my load times were under 10 seconds each time. This was quite pleasing considering most VPNs struggle to unblock Hulu. As soon as I accessed the site, I watched Kardashians in UltraHD for over an hour on its Dallas server, and my stream didn't lag the entire time.

You can use IPVanish to access Hulu while traveling abroad

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Unblocked: Disney+

I tested 4 US servers with Disney+ and all of them unblocked the platform with ease. After a load time of around 5 to 7 seconds, I managed to stream Hollywood Stargirl and Luca on its Dallas and Denver servers without buffering. The picture was crystal clear the entire time, too. Next, I tested IPVanish’s servers in Canada and Australia with Disney+, and again I had no issues. The only difference was that my load times were closer to the 10-second mark.

It's possible to stream Disney+ without any buffering

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Unblocked: HBO Max

Unblocking HBO Max with IPVanish was easy. After connecting to a server in Los Angeles, I watched Game of Thrones without any interruptions for an extended period. The load time was around 8 seconds and the quality was UltraHD. Then, I streamed Euphoria on its Las Vegas server, and again, I had no issues with the load time or picture quality. Considering I’m a big fan of Game of Thrones, I was very pleased with the result.

IPVanish is a reliable choice for accessing HBO Max

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Unblocked: BBC iPlayer and ITV

IPVanish’s UK servers proved to be reliable, as I streamed shows on BBC iPlayer and ITV without any issues. I began my tests by connecting to its London and Glasgow servers, which unblocked both platforms in a little under 10 seconds.

While I was watching The Queen and Love Island UK, my streams were smooth and the picture quality never dropped below HD the entire time. Since most VPNs focus mainly on unblocking US platforms, I was pleasantly surprised.

IPVanish has many UK servers that let you enjoy uninterrupted streaming on ITV and BBC iPlayer

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Unblocked: ESPN and ESPN+

Sports lovers will be pleased that IPVanish can unblock ESPN and ESPN+, meaning you’ll never miss out on important matches. I didn’t experience any lag or delay while I streamed an NBA match on its Dallas server, and the load time was a little over 10 seconds. While this was a bit slower than other platforms, I thought it was still worth the wait as everything else ran smoothly.

You can use IPVanish to easily watch sports on ESPN

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Blocked By: Amazon Prime Video and DAZN

Amazon Prime Video and DAZN users will be disappointed to know that IPVanish can’t unblock either platform. When I tested 4 US servers with Amazon Prime Video and used the OpenVPN protocol, I had no success at all. The same thing happened when I tested a couple of US servers with DAZN.

I even asked IPVanish about this via live chat, and while they confirmed that DAZN doesn’t work, they told me that Amazon Prime Video could work if I used a browser. However, my tests proved otherwise, as I was unable to access the platform through my browser. To successfully access Amazon Prime Video, check out these premium VPNs.

You can't access Amazon Prime Video with IPVanish

IPVanish provides fast speed on both short and long-distance servers, making it one of the fastest VPNs available. Long distances tend to slow speeds because your data needs to travel further. So, I was impressed that even though the speeds on the faraway servers were slightly slower, they were still fast enough for streaming and torrenting. Gaming, however, was a different story.

I conducted my speed tests on my MacBook Pro and used Ookla’s speed test to get the figures. As I was testing different locations, I only used the OpenVPN TCP protocol to ensure consistent results. This is the default protocol for IPVanish. After my location tests, I tested the different protocols using the Quick Connect feature, which automatically connects you to the best server available.

During my tests, I looked at 3 factors:

• Download speed. This is the time it takes to receive data. It’s measured in megabits per second (Mbps) and indicates how quickly you can load web pages and content.
• Upload speed. This refers to how fast you can send data, such as uploading videos, sending emails, sharing files, and more. Like the download speed, it’s measured in Mbps. But it’s always slower because a lot more data is received than sent.
• Ping. This measures how long it takes for data to travel and is an indicator of latency. A low ping rate indicates a more responsive connection, which is ideal for gaming. It’s measured in milliseconds (ms).

I tested servers across 9 spread-out locations at different times of the day, which didn’t record any drastic slowdowns. This was all done from my location in New Zealand, and none of my speeds dropped below 29 Mbps the entire time.

The only inconsistency I found was with the Tokyo server, which was slower than other servers further away

My non-VPN speed came in at 104.65 Mbps, while the total average of the servers I tested was 56.84 Mbps (that’s an average drop of 46%). The underlying trend was that the short-distance servers provided the fastest speeds. On the Auckland server the drop was 20%, whereas on the Sydney server it was only 8%. For reference, a speed reduction of 10-20% is expected on short-distance servers. Anything above a 40% drop in speed on long-distance connections I would consider a bad result.

The long-distance servers proved to be inconsistent, although fast. Los Angeles showed excellent results with just 24% drop, considering it’s more than 10,000 km away from me. São Paulo performed a bit slower with 41% speed drop, while on the Dubai and Frankfurt servers I noticed around 65% drop, which is quite a lot. Tokyo was one of the slowest servers at 29.44 Mbps, even though it’s the third closest of the locations I tested. Only London was slightly slower at 29.38 Mbps, which is understandable since it’s the furthest.

It’s normal for a VPN to slow down your speeds because of encryption. Nevertheless, this is still quite a big drop of 72% on these 2 servers, but it wasn’t an issue for me since my non-VPN speed is quite fast. However, if your base speed is 20 Mbps or lower, you might experience some lag and slowdowns.

Next, I tested all of IPVanish’s protocols on my home servers in New Zealand to see if there were any differences in speed. To my surprise, the differences were very minimal. The fastest protocol was WireGuard, with a download speed of 99.15 Mbps. I expected this since it’s a modern protocol that’s purpose is to provide strong security without noticeably reducing speeds.

WireGuard came in as the fastest protocol for IPVanish

Also, keep in mind that the volatility of your internet connection has a bigger impact on speeds than the VPN you use. However, percentage drops in speed tend to be similar no matter your base speed, so you can use those numbers to determine how IPVansh will affect your connection.

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IPVanish’s short-distance servers are fast enough for gaming, but its long-distance servers proved otherwise. The underperformance of its long-distance servers was primarily attributed to high ping rates. Higher ping rates equal higher latency, which results in slower response times and in-game lag.

I played Age of Empires 2 Definitive Edition for my tests on a local server in New Zealand and long-distance servers in the US and UK. The protocol I used was WireGuard, as it gave me the fastest speeds. The game can get pretty full-on when the battles take place, so having low latency is crucial.

I played Age of Empires 2 lag-free on IPVanish’s New Zealand server

While gaming on its New Zealand server, I recorded an average ping rate of 12 ms, which is very low latency. A ping rate of under 100 ms is deemed suitable for gaming, so this was highly sufficient. It did not affect the performance of the game: with every press of a button, the action took place almost immediately, as if I wasn’t connected to a VPN at all.

But when I tested its US and UK servers, everything changed. The US server in Los Angeles gave me a ping rate of 168 ms, while the UK server in London came in at 254 ms. There were times where the gameplay would freeze for up to 5 seconds, while my scrolling and command inputs would take a bit longer to catch up. With such a disadvantage, I frequently lost my battles on those servers. For the best gaming experience, try one of the top-level VPNs.

IPVanish has an extensive server network of 2,200 servers in 75 countries, with the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and Germany having the most servers. You can choose city-level servers in these countries, as well as Brazil. There are even some servers in Africa and South America, which most VPNs don’t cover. However, no servers exist in restrictive countries like China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. The domain "ipvanish.com" is blocked in these countries, too.

Having an extensive server network is beneficial because it can provide faster speeds with less overcrowding and give you more IP addresses to access more global content and protect your privacy.

What’s most impressive is that IPVanish owns its entire server network and doesn’t rent any servers from a third party. This provides increased security since it’s very unlikely that your data will ever fall into the wrong hands. IPVanish doesn’t use any virtual servers either, which means all of its servers are physically located in their respective countries.

Connecting to the best server available is easy, too, as IPVanish has a Quick Connect feature. When I used it, it connected me to a nearby server in Auckland that was slightly faster than the others. All you need to do is select the country or city you want to connect to and click “Connect”. You can also filter servers by latency, country, or protocol to manually select one. In addition to choosing a server from a drop-down box, you can use its interactive map to find a server. Being able to zoom in and out of the map makes it easy to use.

An intuitive map is handy for locating servers and connecting to them

Similar to other VPNs like ExpressVPN and CyberGhost, all of IPVanish’s servers are P2P-friendly, which means you can freely torrent on them without any restrictions. There are no limits on server switches, too, meaning you can change as many times as you want.

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IPVanish is a safe VPN and one of the main reasons for that is its world-class security features. These features include military-grade encryption, a kill switch, DNS/IP leak protection, split tunneling, and advanced protocols. There’s even a Scramble feature for the OpenVPN protocol, making it look like you’re not using a VPN by obfuscating your traffic. Its main function is to help bypass tough firewalls.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t have its own malware or ad blocker, which are handy features I always like to see in a VPN. Another security feature it lacks is multi-hop, which adds extra encryption layers to your connection. However, IPVanish has split tunneling, although it's only available on the Android app. Split tunneling lets you redirect some of your internet traffic through a VPN so that you can get the best of a VPN and non-VPN connection at the same time.

Military-Grade Encryption

Military-grade encryption, also known as AES 256-bit encryption, is the highest level of encryption available and is very secure. 256 refers to how long the character key is, which protects your data like a password. The longer the character key, the better, as it takes more time to crack it. In fact, 256 bits is so long that it would take several lifetimes for the world’s most powerful supercomputers to break it.

It also uses the SHA512 algorithm for authentication and the DHE-RSA 2048 key exchange that supports perfect forward secrecy. These encryption standards ensure that none of your data can be read even if a hacker gets hold of the decryption key (which is very unlikely, anyway).

Kill Switch

IPVanish has a reliable kill switch and it performed well during my tests. This is a feature that has become standard with VPNs, so I expect to see it. The kill switch cuts off your internet connection if your VPN malfunctions. It is available on the macOS, Windows, and Android apps, but not on iOS. The benefit is that it prevents any accidental exposure of your data. This makes it a handy feature to use on public WiFi networks because hackers can easily intercept your connection if it’s unprotected even for a minute.

Enabling or disabling the kill switch is very easy on desktops. On Windows, there’s a kill switch check box in the main window, you don’t need to open your settings at all. On macOS, it can be toggled on or off by going to your OpenVPN settings under Preferences.

You can use the kill switch with any protocol with Windows and Android, but only with OpenVPN on macOS

Enabling the kill switch on Android is a bit more complicated. You have to turn it on in your Android’s advanced connection settings. Under the “Connection” tab in the IPVanish app, you’ll see a section called “Android OS kill switch”. When you tap it, a popup will explain exactly how to enable it. It still only took me about 15 seconds to activate.

DNS/IP Leak Protection — No Leaks Detected

IPVanish provides both DNS and IP leak protection on all of its apps and it worked really well during my tests. This ensures that both your DNS requests and actual IP address remain hidden, so no one can uncover your browsing activity, location, and identity. These features are already in place, so you don’t have to enable them manually.

I tested 6 different servers (in the US, UK, Australia, Germany, Japan, and France) for any DNS/IP leaks on ipleak.net. No leaks were detected.

IPVanish provides protection against DNS/IP leaks

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Several Advanced Protocol Options

IPVanish provides strong security through several protocols: OpenVPN (TCP and UDP), WireGuard, IKEv2, IPSec, and L2TP. These protocols allow you to customize your connection for whatever you’re doing online, mainly through speed and security. The default protocol is OpenVPN TCP, which can be changed in the settings menu.

• OpenVPN: A highly secure protocol that is open-source. This means that its code is always visible, which allows people to examine and improve it. It comes with 2 options, TCP and UDP, which produced very similar speeds in my tests.
• IKEv2: A fast protocol that works well on mobile devices. This is because of its ability to auto-connect, which protects you while you switch between a mobile and WiFi network. However, it’s not as fast as OpenVPN or WireGuard.
• WireGuard: The newest protocol that provides a good balance between speed and security. It gave me the fastest speeds out of any protocol, although not by much. For this reason, I recommend it for streaming, video calls, and browsing.
• L2TP: A good protocol to use on mobile devices that don’t support OpenVPN. It was designed to improve the old PPTP protocol, although it produced the slowest speeds in my tests.
• IPSec: A safe protocol that provides a framework for secure transport by encrypting IP packets. While it’s predominantly used for security, it still produced fast speeds in my speed tests, coming in as the 3rd fastest.

Overall, the protocol I’d recommend is WireGuard since it offers strong security without compromising your speeds as was evident in my speed test results.

IPVanish has a transparent privacy policy that is outlined on its website. The policy states it only collects payment details and email addresses from customers, which are used to make payments and contact customers when required. While the company was involved in a dubious privacy scandal in 2016, it has changed ownership and come a long way since then. In March 2022, Leviathan Security Group conducted IPVanish’s first security audit.

Does IPVanish Keep Logs? No

IPVanish follows a no-logs policy. This means it won’t collect or record your data, such as the websites you visit, DNS queries, and connection timestamps. However, it collects random bits of data to help improve its product performance. But says this is anonymously collected, so it can’t be traced back to you.

IPVanish is transparent in its privacy policy and has been recently audited by a third party (Leviathan Security Group)

​​The collected information includes user language preference, device model, UI interactions, country, and session lengths. Also, you need to provide your email address, name, and payment information when signing up. And since you can’t pay with cryptocurrencies, there’s no way to pay anonymously.

IPVanish has only had 1 third-party audit in its history, which was undertaken by Leviathan Security Group in March 2022. The audit confirmed that IPVanish doesn’t collect user logs or violate any part of its privacy policy, making it trustworthy.

Ownership and Headquarters — Inside the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance

A bigger concern with IPVanish is that its home base is in the US, which is at the heart of the 14 Eyes Alliance. This is a global surveillance network where member nations share data about their citizens. Plus, they have the power to make third parties hand over this data by law.

This actually happened when the FBI requested IPVanish to hand over user data in 2016, which proved it was collecting user logs. They complied with the FBI as part of a criminal investigation after 2 requests.

However, IPVanish has updated its privacy policy numerous times since the scandal and is now owned by a different company called Ziff Davis (previously known as J2 Global). Ziff Davis is a group that has a number of subsidiaries in cybersecurity and digital services, including StrongVPN and Encrypt.me.

While IPVanish’s security features proved to be strong and reliable in my tests, its past and its location are concerning. However, the privacy scandal happened a long time ago and the VPN has undergone changes in ownership twice since then, updating the privacy policy each time. Additionally, the independent audit from Leviathan Security Group is further proof of its safety and trustworthiness.

IPVanish is a great option for torrenting since its entire network works for P2P file-sharing. It also has unlimited bandwidth and no data caps, so you can torrent as much as you want, for as long as you want.

Using a VPN for torrenting is recommended since it hides your online identity and location while encrypting your data. This keeps you well protected from malicious parties on the other end. Just make sure you turn on your kill switch in case you disconnect from your VPN.

During my tests, I connected to its US, UK, and New Zealand servers to download a movie on uTorrent. I got an average speed of 50 Mbps while torrenting Mabel’s Strange Predicament on its New Zealand server, which took less than 2 minutes to complete. It was a 700MB file, so this was really fast. However, IPVanish lacks port forwarding, which can help you find a larger number of seeders.

All of IPVanish’s servers support torrenting

But keep in mind that your torrenting speeds are largely determined by the number of seeders and leechers that are assigned to your torrent and not by your internet speeds or VPN. Additionally, the IPv6 protection, DNS leak protection, and no-logs policy let you torrent safely.

IPVanish also offers SOCKS5 proxies in more than 25 locations. You can manually configure this in your BitTorrent client to hide your IP address. Since it doesn’t encrypt your traffic, you’ll get much faster speeds for downloading. My speeds were 25% faster using the proxy address in Sydney as they were using the regular VPN server.

Even though the proxy offers good speeds, keep in mind that it is less secure since it doesn’t encrypt your data. You can access the full list of SOCKS5 proxy addresses in your IPVanish dashboard and there are guides on its website to help you set it up.

Please note a lot of torrents are protected by copyright, and we do not condone any illegal activity. Always make sure you refer to the laws in your country before torrenting and don’t download anything protected under copyright.

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Does IPVanish Work in China? No

IPVanish doesn’t work in China. The country has blocked all of its servers and IP addresses and access to the IPVanish website. Even its obfuscation tool called Scramble cannot bypass the great firewall of China and other restrictive nations. I confirmed this by asking customer support.

IPVanish can’t bypass the Great Firewall of China

There are other VPNs that work reliably in China, so I’d suggest choosing one of them instead.