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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: Holiday.com, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: Holiday.com, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

IPVanish VPN vs Smart DNS Proxy: Which VPN Should You Pick in 2025?

Table of Contents
    Our Score: 9.2/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Our Score: 6.7/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Editor's Note: Transparency and impartiality are important to us when bringing you our best selection of VPNs. Some of the industry-leading products on our list, including Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost, and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company. The VPNs we choose are derived from a thorough testing process.

    Our Score

    Features 9.2/10
    Pricing 9.2/10
    Ease of Use 9.0/10
    Reliability & Support 9.3/10
    Features 6.7/10
    Pricing 9.5/10
    Ease of Use 8.0/10
    Reliability & Support 7.8/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image James Everard
    James Everard Senior Writer
    Our Score: 9.2/10

    IPVanish offers high-speed connections and an impressive list of advanced security features at a budget-friendly price. Over the years I’ve been working with this VPN, it’s continued to stand out as a reliable option for several different use cases. My team and I carefully studied its privacy policy and tested its speeds, security features, and streaming capabilities. We also looked into i...

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    Latest positive user review
    S
    Stu Taylor
    10.0/10
    Very, very satisfied

    I am into my third year of using IPVanish. I am extremely happy with the speed, reliability, features ... and reliability. The fact that I have used it for this long without trying the competition speaks volumes. I am never going to try anything else because I am completely happy with what I have. Why risk it?More

    Latest negative user review
    B
    Beth Gray
    2.0/10
    Misleading, false advertising, don't honor guarantee. BEWARE

    IP address and region not effectively blocked on most sites. Streaming sites do NOT work with their se... rvices, but they do not disclose that anywhere on their website. The support team had no idea in terms of technical knowledge. They claim that their 30-day guarantee is unconditional and there is no risk, but they have so many exclusions buried in their fine print that the average user would have huge difficulty finding. They advertise on many streaming how-to websites where they KNOW their services do not work. COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY. If I could give less than one star I would. SO unethical.More

    Read the full review
    Review by our expert
    Author Image Ivana Sarandeska
    Ivana Sarandeska Former Cybersecurity Researcher
    Our Score: 6.7/10

    Smart DNS Proxy claims to offer a 3-in-1 service that includes a proxy, a VPN, and a SmartVPN. In reality, I found out it really only offers 2 services — the proxy and the VPN. The proxy claims to offer fast access to 400+ sites and services (by rerouting only your traffic to those specific sites), but doesn’t provide any online privacy or the option to change your IP address. The VPN encrypt...

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    Latest positive user review
    G
    Guy B
    10.0/10
    I'm happy with Smart DNS Proxy since 2016

    I have used Smart DNS Proxy since 2016 on my Firestick (UK Prime) from Malaysia. It allows me to acces... s all UK content, including BBC iPlayer, NowTV, ITVx, Britbox, 4, 5, and PrimeVideo and Disney+ (US). I had to give up Disney+ access when I got NowTV(UK) due to the Region setting. I had no trouble accessing Netflix USA until I stopped watching Netflix on my tv and just used the tab when I travel. I found their Customer Service to be ok. They certainly helped me set up my router settings when I first signed on with them. After 2 bi-annual subscriptions, I went all in and got the Lifetime subscription in 2020. I didn't know SmartDNS was acquired by another company till recent when I found out that they are now based in Turkey. They were based in Mauritius or was it Seychelles up to then.More

    Latest negative user review
    N
    Nareskar
    2.0/10
    It is horrible experience to work with Smart DNS Proxy VPN

    I have been using this Smart DNS Proxy from Malaysia to unblock Indian streaming content for the last ... two years. I found it was the cheapest VPN and worked reasonably well to unblock content for the first two years of my work. But for the last two months, this has become horrible to work. Most of the DNS servers in Asia don't work at all. If it starts to work after a couple of minutes it stops. The speed of the internet through this DNS is very slow and repeated stoppages make streaming a nightmare. Complaining to customer care yields no results. They give a lot of tasks, after doing all those with no improvement in results. This company is doing nothing to maintain its servers. People should stay away from buying this VPN.More

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    Pricing

    Starting price $2.19/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license Unlimited devices
    Starting price $2.48/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license 5 devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall
    Read the full review
    Best VPN for Torrents
    Read the full review
    Best VPN for Windows
    Read the full review
    Best VPN for Android
    Read the full review
    Best VPN for Mac
    Read the full review
    Best VPN for iOS
    Read the full review
    Best VPN for USA
    Read the full review

    The Bottom Line

    See Plans & Pricing
    Author Image James Everard
    James Everard Senior Writer

    Final Verdict — Offers Great Security, Fast Speeds, and Is Great for Streaming IPVanish’s robust security features make it a super-secure VPN. It also provides fast speeds across its global server network, and the fact that you get unlimited simultaneous device connections makes this VPN really good value. Plus, its customer support is reliable and available in almost every language (there’s even phone support in 6 countries!). I had some concerns about its US home base and past compliance with the FBI. However, IPVanish has updated its privacy terms, been audited by a reputable third party, and found trustworthy. Overall, I found IPVanish delivers an excellent service and is an easy-to-use VPN. Plus, its money-back guarantee is legitimate. So, you can test IPVanish out for yourself for 30 days, knowing you can easily get a refund if you change your mind. Works well for streaming Fast speeds Large, private server

    More Info

    Time to decide which one is best for you

    Go with IPVanish VPN
    Go with Smart DNS Proxy
    Or click here to check best VPNs, rated by {{review_count}} users
    We rank vendors based on rigorous testing and research, but also take into account your feedback and our commercial agreements with providers. This page contains affiliate links.