IPVanish VPN Review: In-Depth Tests and Ratings!

IPVanish offers a fast and secure VPN with a verified no-logs policy and unlimited connections. It’s great for torrenting, streaming and privacy.
IPVanish VPN logo with a 93/100 rating from BestSafeVPN.com. Test and review of the service with a focus on speed, security and features in 2025.

Finding a reliable VPN that combines fast speeds, trusted privacy, and solid streaming features is a challenge. The market is full of services that promise mountains, but few actually deliver what they promise. IPVanish VPN, however, is building a name for itself among the best thanks to its uncompromising no-logging policy, high speeds, and wide network of servers.

IPVanish has undergone a major transformation in recent years – expanding its server list to 107 countries, adding multi-hop functionality and even improving streaming.

It offers solid privacy protection, but lacks some advanced tools like Smart DNS for smart TVs and consoles or dedicated browser extensions. But that doesn’t have to be a hindrance if you’re looking for a fast VPN with quality encryption and unlimited connected devices.


โœ… Contents

1. Key Features of IPVanish VPN

  • More than 2,400+servers in 107 countries
  • Unlimited device connection: yes
  • Encryption: AES-256, ChaCha20
  • Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, routers, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV
  • Special features: multi hop, Threat Protection, Split Tunneling, SOCKS5 proxy

With unlimited connections, IPVanish is ideal for families or heavy users with multiple devices. Combined with strong encryption and its own network of third-party-free servers, it offers a decent balance between privacy, performance and user experience.


2. Overall rating of IPVanish VPN

IPVanish holds a strong position among the top VPN services. Its high speeds, no-logging policy, and solid streaming options make it a great choice for users looking for a reliable VPN for everyday use.

It has its weaknesses, such as the lack of Smart DNS or the absence of browser extensions, but most users probably won’t care.

Overview of our evaluation

CategoryRating (out of 100 points)
Privacy and Logging Policy89
Connection speed97
Streaming93
Security90
Servers and coverage88
Torrenting95
User friendliness89
Device compatibility86
Additional features79

Benefits of IPVanish VPN

โœ… Verified no-logging policy
โœ… Fast servers in 107 countries
โœ… Unlimited connections per account
โœ… Excellent speeds over short and long distances
โœ… Great for Fire TV Stick and Kodi
โœ… Owns entire network of servers (no third parties)

Disadvantages of IPVanish VPN

โŒ Smart DNS for streaming on smart TVs and game consoles is missing
โŒ No browser extensions available
โŒ Does not work in China

Overall rating: 93/100 – The ideal VPN for users looking for high speed, quality privacy and good torrenting or streaming performance.


3. Privacy and Data Retention Policy

When it comes to VPNs, privacy is key. You can have the best speeds and thousands of servers, but if the service is secretly storing your data or sharing information with third parties, it’s useless. IPVanish has gone through an evolution in this area – and not always in a positive light.

In 2016, a controversy emerged when the then owner of IPVanish handed over user data to the FBI. That was a huge blow to the service’s reputation. Since then, however, IPVanish has changed hands several times, coming under Ziff Davis and undergoing an independent audit by Leviathan Security Group in 2022, which confirmed its strict no-logs policy.

What does this mean in practice? IPVanish does not keep any logs of your activity, connections or IP addresses. The only data it collects is your email address and payment details – which is perfectly common practice for most VPNs.

Jurisdiction – safe or not?

IPVanish is based in the US, which could be a concern as the US is part of the Five Eyes alliance – a group of countries that share information about internet activity. However, with no logs stored, IPVanish has nothing to hand over even in the event of a government request.

Compare Logging Policies of Other Premium VPNs

VPN servicePrivacy ratingLogging PolicyJurisdictionAudit
IPVanish89No-logsUSAโœ… Yes
PIA VPN97No-logsUSAโœ… Yes
Surfshark93No identifiable dataBritish Virgin Islandsโœ… Yes
ExpressVPN93No identifiable dataBritish Virgin Islandsโœ… Yes
CyberGhost88No identifiable dataRomaniaโœ… Yes

What does IPVanish collect?

  • โŒ No – IP addresses, browsing history, connection times, bandwidth
  • โœ… Yes – E-mail, payment details
  • ๐Ÿ”น Anonymous diagnostic data (for performance improvement, cannot be linked to a specific user)

If you want maximum anonymity, PIA supports cryptocurrency payments, eliminating the need to share personal information.

Should IPVanish improve transparency?

While the audit confirms that IPVanish does not store any sensitive data, it lacks something called a “warrant canary” – a page that would transparently inform users of any government data requests. Windscribe, for example, regularly publishes reports on requests from police and government agencies – something I’d like to see with IPVanish as well.

Result

IPVanish has cleaned itself of past controversies and is now one of the most trusted VPNs with a strict no-logs policy. The US as a jurisdiction may be a disadvantage, but thanks to no logging and independent auditing , IPVanish has no user data to hand over to government authorities.

โœ… Trusted, audit-validated, log-free policy
โœ… No collection of browsing history or IP addresses
โœ… Anonymous cryptocurrency payment options
โŒ Lack of transparent reporting on government agency requests


4. Streaming: how will IPVanish handle Netflix, Disney+, MAX and more?

VPN and streaming – a combination that can save a lot of nerves. Today, most streaming services actively block VPNs, so finding a service that actually lets you access content from anywhere in the world is getting harder and harder. IPVanish has improved a lot in this area and is now one of the top performers.

In the past, IPVanish has had problems unblocking some platforms, but that has changed. Today it works with Netflix in 16 regions, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+ and more. Plus, it offers a great app for the Fire TV Stick, which puts it at the top of the list for streaming VPNs.

Unblocked streaming platforms

PlatformDoes it work with IPVanish?Quality of transmission
Netflix (USA, UK, CA, AU, IN + 12 more)โœ… Yes4K Ultra HD
BBC iPlayer (UK)โœ… YesFull HD, 4K
Disney+ (UK, USA)โœ… Yes4K HDR
HBO Max (US, EU)โœ… YesFull HD, 4K
Amazon Prime Video (US, UK, IN)โœ… Yes4K Ultra HD
Hulu (US)โœ… Yes4K
Sky Go (UK)โœ… YesFull HD
ITVX, All 4 (UK)โœ… YesFull HD
DAZN (CA, DE)โœ… YesFull HD
Hotstar (IN)โœ… YesFull HD
VOYO (CZ,SK)โœ… Yes4K HDR
O2 TV (CZ)โœ… Yes4K Ultra HD
CT Sport (CZ)โœ… YesFull HD

Unblock Netflix with IPVanish

IPVanish now works with all Czech VOD platforms and with US Netflix on all its US servers, which is a big shift from the past. In addition, it also handles Netflix UK, Canada, Australia and 12 other countries.

During testing we experienced fast loading and no dropouts, but occasionally it was necessary to change the server when connecting.

๐Ÿ’ก Tip: If Netflix won’t load, switch the protocol to WireGuard. For me, it helped speed up the connection and bypass VPN detection.

BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Sky Go – British classics available from anywhere

British streaming services are notorious for their strong VPN blocking. However, in my test I was able to unblock BBC iPlayer and ITVX on all UK IPVanish servers without any problems.

The stream ran in 4K quality with no choppiness – an advantage over some competing VPNs that have issues with iPlayer’s stability.

Hulu and Amazon Prime – no blocks, no worries

Hulu tends to be one of the hardest platforms to unblock, but IPVanish handled it brilliantly.

Of the 10 US servers tested, 9 worked without problems. The same goes for Amazon Prime Video – I tested the US, UK and Indian catalogues and in all cases the connection worked.

How does IPVanish compare to the competition?

When I compare IPVanish to top VPNs like ExpressVPN or NordVPN, it still lacks some optimized servers for streaming. It works, but sometimes you have to fiddle with the settings or change the server.

In addition , Smart DNS is missing, which means that on smart TVs and consoles (Xbox, PlayStation) , VPN configuration on the router is required.

Result

IPVanish is a great VPN for streaming, especially if you watch Netflix in different regions. It unblocks most popular platforms and offers fast servers for smooth 4K playback.

But if you want Smart DNS or dedicated servers for streaming, ExpressVPN or NordVPN are still a step ahead.

โœ… Unblocks all Czech and Slovak VOD platforms
โœ… Unblocks Netflix in 16 regions
โœ… Works with BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+ and Prime Video
โœ… Fast servers for 4K streaming
โŒ Lacks Smart DNS for smart TVs and consoles
โŒ Occasionally need to change server to make stream work


5. IPVanish VPN connection speed

Speed is key for a VPN. No one wants a VPN that slows down the connection so much that pages load slower than they did in the 1990s. IPVanish promises fast speeds and is one of the fastest VPNs on the market thanks to the WireGuard protocol.

But how did the real test on 150 Mbps connection turn out? I measured in different locations to see how IPVanish performs over short and long distances.

Speed test results

Server LocationDownload speedSending speedPing (ms)
Without VPN (CR, benchmark)150 Mbps150 Mbps4 ms
Nearby server (Germany, Frankfurt)144 Mbps140 Mbps9 ms
USA (New York, East Coast)132 Mbps126 Mbps72 ms
USA (Los Angeles, West Coast)129 Mbps122 Mbps84 ms
United Kingdom (London)136 Mbps131 Mbps62 ms
Australia (Sydney)94 Mbps88 Mbps215 ms
Japan (Tokyo)101 Mbps96 Mbps187 ms

๐Ÿ’ก Summary: IPVanish loses only 5-12% speed on average on most servers, which is an excellent result. Even when connecting across the planet to Australia, it still offers speeds of over 90 Mbps, which is sufficient for 4K streaming and fast downloads.

WireGuard vs. OpenVPN – big difference in speed

IPVanish uses WireGuard by default, which is the fastest VPN protocol today. In my tests, I also tried OpenVPN and the difference was noticeable:

ProtocolDownload speed (average)Ping (average)
WireGuard135 Mbps68 ms
OpenVPN102 Mbps102 ms

๐Ÿ’ก Tip: If you need maximum speed, always use WireGuard. OpenVPN offers stronger encryption, but in 2025 you practically don’t need it – WireGuard can handle speed and security better.

Speed and online gaming – can IPVanish handle gaming?

It’s important for players to keep the VPN ping as low as possible. IPVanish performed very well on nearby servers – the ping was under 10ms on the German server, which is practically imperceptible.

When testing online games, I tried CS2 (Counter-Strike 2) and Call of Duty Warzone.

โœ… European servers (Frankfurt, London) – no lags, stable ping around 9-15 ms
โœ… American servers (New York, Los Angeles) – slight increase in ping to 70+ ms, but still playable
โŒ Australian servers (Sydney) – ping 200+ ms, noticeable lags

๐Ÿ’ก Summary: If you’re playing online games, IPVanish is a great choice for Europe and the US, but for remote servers the ping can be too high.

Result

IPVanish is one of the fastest VPNs out there, especially with the WireGuard protocol. It offers consistently fast speeds even over longer distances and is great for streaming, online gaming and large file downloads.

โœ… Average speed loss of only 5-12%
โœ… WireGuard significantly faster than OpenVPN
โœ… Low ping for online games on European and US servers
โŒ Slowdowns already occur on extremely remote servers (Australia)


6. Safety features

Speed and unblocking streaming services are fine, but without proper security, a VPN would be pointless. IPVanish boasts strong encryption, data leak protection, and ownership of the entire server network.

Top-level encryption

IPVanish uses AES-256, which is a military encryption standard – virtually unbreakable. For even better performance, it also offers ChaCha20 on mobile devices, which improves efficiency on weaker processors.

ProtocolEncryption usedBenefits
WireGuardChaCha20Highest speed, low latency
OpenVPNAES-256-GCMStrong security, slightly slower
IKEv2/IPSecAES-256Good for mobile connectivity

๐Ÿ’ก Tip: If speed and security are your primary concerns, use WireGuard. It’s faster than OpenVPN and still secure enough.

Data leak protection – does it really work?

A VPN without proper data leak protection is like a lock on the door, but with the window open. Therefore, I ran a few tests to verify that IPVanish was not exposing IP address or DNS queries.

Data leakage testResult
IPv6 leakโŒ No leakage
DNS leakโŒ No leakage
WebRTC leakโŒ No leakage
Kill Switch functionalityโœ… It works

IPVanish passed all tests and did not leak any IP address or DNS queries. This means that your ISP and website have no chance of detecting that you’re using a VPN.

Kill Switch – what happens when the VPN goes down?

IPVanish offers a kill switch that automatically disconnects the internet connection if the VPN drops unexpectedly. This is a key privacy feature – for example, if you torrent or use VPNs on unsecured networks.

During testing on Windows and Android, the kill switch worked flawlessly. On macOS, however, a small IP address leak occurred when changing servers, something IPVanish needs to fix.

IPVanish owns its entire server network – what does that mean?

Most VPNs rent servers from third parties, which means they don’t have full control over security. But IPVanish owns and manages all of its own servers, which is a big advantage – it minimizes the risk of server tampering and data leaks.

VPN serviceYour own servers?Does it use virtual servers?
IPVanishโœ… YesโŒ No (except India)
ExpressVPNโŒ Noโœ… Yes
NordVPNโŒ Noโœ… Yes
SurfsharkโŒ Noโœ… Yes

The exception is the server in India, which is virtual due to data collection laws there.

Main security features of IPVanish

โœ… AES-256 encryption – maximum data protection
โœ… WireGuard and OpenVPN – modern and secure protocols
โœ… Kill Switch – interrupts the internet when the VPN fails
โœ… DNS, IPv6 and WebRTC leak protection – protects IP address
โœ… Custom servers – increases security
โŒ No RAM-only servers – disk storage is less anonymous

Result

โœ… No data leakage – IP, DNS or WebRTC
โœ… Strong encryption and advanced protocols
โœ… Own the entire server network (no third parties)
โŒ Kill switch on macOS has a minor bug when changing server
โŒ No RAM-only servers available as with ExpressVPN

IPVanish is a highly secure VPN with excellent encryption and strong data leak protection. The custom infrastructure is a big advantage, but the lack of RAM-only servers and a minor issue with the kill switch on macOS is something that could improve.


7. Server locations and availability

A VPN is only as good as its network of servers. If the VPN doesn’t have servers in your country or nearby region, you can expect higher latency, lower speeds, and fewer connection options. IPVanish offers servers in 107 countries, which is some of the best coverage on the market.

Total coverage of IPVanish servers

RegionNumber of countriesExamples of locations
Europe44Czech Republic, Germany, France, UK, Poland, Spain
Asia31Japan, South Korea, India, Singapore, Thailand
North America13USA, Canada, Mexico
South America10Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia
Africa7South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya
Oceania2Australia, New Zealand

IPVanish has doubled the number of servers compared to 2022/23, significantly improving connection stability and speeds worldwide.

๐Ÿ’ก Comparison with competitors

VPN serviceNumber of countriesServers in the Czech Republic?Servers in the US?
IPVanish107โœ… Yesโœ… Yes (17 countries)
NordVPN60โœ… Yesโœ… Yes (15 countries)
ExpressVPN94โœ… Yesโœ… Yes (14 countries)
CyberGhost91โœ… Yesโœ… Yes (11 countries)

If you’re after the widest server coverage, IPVanish is one of the best VPNs – for example, it has more sites than NordVPN or ExpressVPN.

USA: Excellent coverage in 17 states

If you need a US IP address, IPVanish is one of the best options. It has servers in all major regions, which is convenient not only for streaming Netflix USA, but also accessing sports, Hulu, or HBO Max.

Available US states:
โœ… California
โœ… New York
โœ… Texas
โœ… Florida
โœ… Illinois
โœ… Washington
โœ… and 11 other states

๐Ÿ’ก Why is it important? Some streaming services block access based on states – for example, NBA League Pass, NFL Game Pass or MLB TV, so being able to choose a specific US state increases the chances of unblocking content.

Servers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia – how is IPVanish doing here?

IPVanish has physical servers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which means:
โœ… Access to Czech and Slovak streaming services (VOYO, Prima+, iBroadcast, O2 TV)
โœ… Low ping when connected in the Czech Republic (9-15 ms when tested on a Czech server)
โœ… Connection speed with minimal loss (144 Mbps when tested in the Czech Republic)

๐Ÿ’ก Tip: If you are abroad and want to watch Czech content, connect to IPVanish Czech servers and bypass geoblocks.

Virtual Servers – India only

IPVanish does not use virtual servers, except in India. This is positive news, as some VPNs provide virtual IP addresses but are physically located in another country – which can cause higher latency and poorer connection stability.

IPVanish has decided to remove physical servers from India due to new data retention laws, but still allows connections to Indian IP addresses via virtual servers located outside India.

Special servers – what does IPVanish offer in addition?

๐Ÿ”น Servers optimized for P2P and torrenting – all servers support P2P
๐Ÿ”น Servers with Multi-Hop functionality – connect via two VPN servers for increased anonymity
๐Ÿ”น Servers with SOCKS5 proxy – faster torrenting with IP masking

Result

IPVanish offers excellent coverage in 107 countries with a wide range of servers in the US, Europe and Asia. With local servers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, it’s a great choice for users in our country.

โœ… Servers in 107 countries – above average coverage
โœ… Excellent server availability in the USA (17 states)
โœ… Czech servers – access to local content from anywhere
โŒ Only virtual server in India (due to legislation)


8. IPVanish device compatibility

There’s nothing worse than paying for a VPN and finding out it doesn’t work on your device. IPVanish has broad compatibility, but not everything is perfect. It works on all major platforms, but it lacks some important features compared to its competitors – for example, it doesn’t offer Smart DNS and doesn’t have browser extensions.

Supported devices and platforms

PlatformAvailable applicationsSmart DNS
Windowsโœ… YesโŒ No
macOSโœ… YesโŒ No
iOS (iPhone, iPad)โœ… YesโŒ No
Androidโœ… YesโŒ No
Linuxโœ… YesโŒ No
Amazon Fire TVโœ… YesโŒ No
Android TVโœ… YesโŒ No
Apple TVโœ… YesโŒ No
Routersโœ… Yes (manual installation)โŒ No
Xbox, PlayStationโŒ No (router installation required)โŒ No
Chrome, Firefox, Edge (extension)โŒ NoโŒ No

๐Ÿ’ก The main disadvantage? No browser extensions and no Smart DNS. That means if you want to use the VPN on devices that don’t support VPN apps (Apple TV, PlayStation, Xbox, some smart TVs), you’ll need to install it directly on your router.

IPVanish apps – how are they used?

IPVanish has undergone several application redesigns over the past few years and it shows. The interface is clean, uncluttered and simple, so even beginners will have no problem operating it.

What’s great about apps?

โœ… Dark mode – looks modern and is easy on the eyes
โœ… Fast connection – connect to the fastest server with one click
โœ… List servers by speed – see which server is fastest for you
โœ… Detailed settings – adjust encryption, switch between WireGuard/OpenVPN
โœ… Auto-connect – VPN can automatically turn on when the device starts up

๐Ÿ’ก What could be improved? The home screen of the app contains too much information. Some elements are messy – for example, the list of servers could be better organized by region.

IPVanish on Windows and macOS

On Windows and Mac, the app is almost identical – and that’s a good thing. It has fast connections, detailed protocol settings and visual connection monitoring.

๐Ÿ”น What’s cool? The ability to manually filter servers by latency and load – great if you’re looking for the fastest connection.
๐Ÿ”น What’s worse? Kill switch on Mac has minor bugs, IP address can be leaked when changing servers.

IPVanish on Android and iOS

Mobile apps are simpler but still contain most of the key features. On Android, the kill switch works directly in the app, which is better than other VPNs where you have to turn the kill switch on directly in the phone’s settings.

๐Ÿ”น Android has all the key features as the desktop version (WireGuard, OpenVPN, Kill Switch, Split Tunneling).
๐Ÿ”น iOS is more limited – it lacks the Scramble protocol for censorship circumvention, for example.

IPVanish on Amazon Fire TV – one of the best VPNs for Kodi

If you use a Fire TV Stick, IPVanish is one of the best VPNs for this platform. The app is fast, simple and stable – perfect for unblocking Netflix, BBC iPlayer or HBO Max on your TV.

๐Ÿ’ก Why is IPVanish so good on Fire TV?

โœ… Full VPN app directly downloadable from the Amazon App Store
โœ… Optimized servers for streaming
โœ… Remote control support (not all VPNs can do this)

Router support – bypassing Smart DNS restrictions

If you want to use IPVanish on an Apple TV, Xbox, PlayStation or smart TV without the VPN app, you’ ll need to set up a VPN on your router. IPVanish supports most common routers, but the setup can be more complicated than VPNs that have Smart DNS.

๐Ÿ”น S upported routers: asusWRT, DD-WRT, Tomato, pfSense, OpenWRT
๐Ÿ”น Lack of pre-configured routers (e.g. as with ExpressVPN)

๐Ÿ’ก Tip: If you don’t want to set up the VPN manually, I recommend buying a router with a pre-installed VPN (e.g. ASUS RT-AX86U, which is fully compatible with IPVanish).

Unlimited device connections – a huge advantage

IPVanish does not limit the number of simultaneously connected devices. This means you can protect your entire family or small business with a single account.

๐Ÿ’ก How does it compare to the competition?

VPNNumber of devices
IPVanishUnlimited โœ…
NordVPN10 โŒ
ExpressVPN8 โŒ
SurfsharkUnlimited โœ…

The unlimited number of connections makes IPVanish an ideal choice for families and people with many devices.

Result

IPVanish is an excellent VPN for all common platforms, but it lacks some advanced options – such as Smart DNS for smart TVs and game consoles, or browser extensions.

โœ… Full support for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Fire TV and Linux
โœ… Simple and clear apps, dark mode
โœ… Unlimited number of connected devices per account

โŒ Chrome and Firefox extensions missing
โŒ No Smart DNS – VPN installation required on router
โŒ iOS app is slightly limited compared to Android


9. Torrenting and P2P support

If you use a VPN for torrenting, you need a combination of high speed, privacy and a reliable kill switch. Not all VPNs support P2P traffic on all servers, but IPVanish has no limitations in this regard – you can torrent anywhere.

Key features of IPVanish for torrenting

FunctionsAvailability at IPVanish
P2P traffic on all serversโœ… Yes
Port forwardingโŒ No
Kill switch for IP address protectionโœ… Yes (Windows, macOS, Android)
SOCKS5 proxy for more anonymous torrentingโœ… Yes
No logs (no-logs policy)โœ… Yes
Download speed (150 Mbps connection test)๐Ÿ”ฅ 139 Mbps

IPVanish allows downloading via torrents on all of its servers, which means you don’t have to search for dedicated P2P servers like some competitors (e.g. CyberGhost).

How fast is IPVanish for torrenting?

For the test I used qBittorrent and downloaded a 5GB file while connected to different servers. The results were great:

Server LocationDownload speedSending speed
Nearby server (Germany)139 Mbps135 Mbps
USA (New York)128 Mbps122 Mbps
Australia (Sydney)95 Mbps91 Mbps

๐Ÿ’ก Summary: IPVanish is an extremely fast VPN for torrenting, speeds were virtually the same as a regular connection without a VPN.

Download privacy – how well does IPVanish hide your IP address?

When torrenting, it is crucial that your IP address remains hidden from other users on the P2P network. I tested for possible IP address leaks when downloading, and IPVanish passed at 100%.

๐Ÿ”น No data leaked via WebRTC, DNS or IPv6
๐Ÿ”น Kill switch immediately dropped connection when VPN failed
๐Ÿ”น SOCKS5 proxy masked IP address when connecting via torrent client

โœ… IPVanish ensures that your real IP address remains hidden when downloading.

Port forwarding is missing – is this a problem?

IPVanish does not support port forwarding, which means that some torrents may have slower connections to the peer-to-peer network. However, unless you have extremely specific P2P connection requirements, IPVanish still offers great speed and anonymity.

๐Ÿ’ก Tip: If you really need port forwarding for seeding, consider alternatives like Private Internet Access (PIA) or Mullvad.

SOCKS5 proxy – extra anonymity for torrents

IPVanish offers a SOCKS5 proxy, which is a great option for users who want faster speeds when torrenting without VPN encryption.

๐Ÿ”น Benefits of SOCKS5 proxy:
โœ… Hides your IP address when downloading
โœ… Slightly faster than a VPN because it does not encrypt data
โœ… Can be set up directly in qBittorrent or uTorrent

๐Ÿ”น Disadvantages of SOCKS5 proxy:
โŒ Does not encrypt traffic – if you want maximum security, use a full VPN instead.
โŒ Requires manual configuration in the torrent client

๐Ÿ’ก When to use SOCKS5? If you’re all about speed and don’t care about encryption, SOCKS5 may be a better choice than a full VPN.

Result

IPVanish is one of the best VPNs for torrenting, especially with its high speeds, lack of restrictions, and functional kill switch. The lack of port forwarding may be a minus for seeders, but for regular P2P users , IPVanish is an excellent choice.

โœ… Support P2P traffic on all servers
โœ… Kill switch and IP address leak protection
โœ… Extremely fast download speeds (139 Mbps)
โœ… SOCKS5 proxy for better anonymity and speed
โŒ Does not support port forwarding
โŒ SOCKS5 proxy does not encrypt traffic


10. Special Features of IPVanish VPN – what extra features does it offer?

In addition to basic features like encryption and IP masking, some VPNs have advanced tools that improve security, anonymity, or performance. IPVanish has added some interesting features in recent years, but it still lags behind the competition in some areas.

1. Multi-Hop (Double VPN) – better anonymity?

IPVanish added Multi-Hop servers last year, which means your connection is routed through two VPN servers instead of one.

๐Ÿ’ก Benefits of Multi-Hop

โœ… Increased anonymity – your ISP and websites cannot see your real IP address
โœ… Censorship circumvention – useful in countries with limited internet (Russia, Turkey)

๐Ÿ’ก Disadvantages of Multi-Hop

โŒ Lower speeds – in testing, I had on average 35-40% slower speeds than on a regular VPN server

Multi-Hop server locationDownload speedSending speedPing (ms)
Czech Republic โ†’ Germany โ†’ USA92 Mbps88 Mbps145 ms
Czech Republic โ†’ UK โ†’ France95 Mbps90 Mbps130 ms

Multi-Hop is great for maximum privacy, but if speed is your concern, stick with a regular VPN connection.

2. Threat Protection – a weak ad blocker and tracker

IPVanish offers Threat Protection, which is a blocker of ads, trackers and malicious websites.

๐Ÿ”น How does it work?

It blocks ads and trackers similar to uBlock Origin or built-in blockers in other VPNs (NordVPN’s Threat Protection, Surfshark CleanWeb).

๐Ÿ”น Ad blocking test

During the test I visited 10 sites with strong ads (Seznam, iDnes, CNN, Blesk, YouTube, Forbes) and IPVanish blocked only 37% of ads and trackers, while PIA MACE or CyberGhost blocked over 91%.

๐Ÿ’ก Result? Threat Protection is not very effective, better to use a separate adblocker in the browser.

3. SOCKS5 Proxy – faster torrenting

IPVanish is one of the few VPNs to offer a SOCKS5 proxy, which is an alternative to a traditional VPN that masks the IP address but does not encrypt traffic.

๐Ÿ”น What is SOCKS5 good for?

โœ… Increases torrenting speed – ideal for downloading large files
โœ… Better anonymity than regular P2P connections

If you’re downloading large files, a SOCKS5 proxy can speed up downloads, but it won’t provide the same security as a full VPN.

4. Scramble – does it work against censorship?

IPVanish offers Scramble, which is a traffic obfuscation that masquerades the VPN as regular internet traffic.

๐Ÿ’ก What is Scramble useful for?

โœ… Bypassing censorship in countries where VPNs are blocked (e.g. China, Iran)
โœ… Prevents ISPs from blocking VPNs

Does Scramble work in China? โŒ No. IPVanish still doesn’t work reliably in China because it doesn’t have sufficient masking against DPI (Deep Packet Inspection).

5. Dynamic IP address rotation – hiding from trackers

IPVanish can automatically change your IP address as you connect, increasing anonymity and preventing activity tracking.

โœ… Works well for web browsing
โŒ May cause video disconnection when streaming

๐Ÿ’ก Tip: If you want to watch Netflix or play online games, turn off automatic IP change.

6. Independent audit of no-logs policy

IPVanish has had a problem with data logging in the past, but in 2022 it underwent an independent audit by Leviathan Security Group, which confirmed that it does not store any logs.

๐Ÿ”น Important!

โœ… Audit confirmed that IPVanish does not store IP addresses or connection history
โŒ Unlike NordVPN or ExpressVPN, it does not yet have regular audits every year

๐Ÿ’ก Tip: If you’re after maximum privacy, I recommend a VPN with regular audits (e.g. NordVPN, ExpressVPN).

Result

IPVanish offers some interesting features, but some are not as strong as those of its competitors. Multi-Hop and SOCKS5 proxies are great for anonymity and P2P, but Threat Protection and Scramble need improvement.

โœ… Multi-Hop servers for extra anonymity
โœ… SOCKS5 proxy for faster torrenting
โœ… Dynamic IP address rotation
โŒ Ad and tracker blocker is weak
โŒ Scramble does not work reliably in China
โŒ Lacks regular security audits like competitors


11. Price and subscription

A VPN may have great features, speed and security, but if it’s overpriced, many users will look elsewhere. IPVanish is one of the more affordable VPNs, but some of the features that competitors offer for free come at a premium or are missing altogether.

Comparison of IPVanish VPN pricing plans for 2025. The Essential plan for $2.19/month and the Advanced plan for $3.29/month with a 30-day money back guarantee.
IPVanish price list

Current IPVanish pricing in 2025

Subscription lengthPrice per monthTotal price
1 month$11.99$11.99
12 monthsUSD 3.33$39.99
24 months (most advantageous)2.19 USD52,56 USD

๐Ÿ’ก Best value for money: a 2-year plan for $2.19 per month – one of the lowest prices among premium VPNs.

How does IPVanish stack up against the competition?

VPNPrice per month (best value plan)Unlimited connection?
IPVanish2,19 USD (24 months)โœ… Yes
NordVPN3,29 USD (27 months)โŒ No (max 10)
ExpressVPN4,99 USD (28 months)โŒ No (max 8)
Surfshark2,19 USD (24 months)โœ… Yes

If you’re looking for a VPN with the lowest price and unlimited connections, IPVanish is a good choice.

Trial and money-back guarantee

๐Ÿ”น 30-day money-back guarantee – valid for annual and two-year plans only
๐Ÿ”น No free version available

๐Ÿ’ก A ttention! If you buy a monthly plan, you are not entitled to a refund – a disadvantage compared to the competition.

Available payment methods

โœ… Credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, AmEx)
โœ… PayPal
โœ… Google Pay, Apple Pay
โŒ Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.) are not supported

๐Ÿ’ก Want to pay anonymously? Unfortunately, IPVanish does not support cryptocurrency payments, which is a big minus for users who want maximum anonymity.

Additional packages and services

IPVanish does not offer any comprehensive security packages, such as NordVPN (with malware protection) or Surfshark One (with built-in antivirus).

๐Ÿ”น Static IP address? โŒ No
๐Ÿ”น Smart DNS? โŒ No
๐Ÿ”น S ecure cloud storage? โœ… Yes (via SugarSync, but at an additional cost)

๐Ÿ’ก IPVanish offers SugarSync encrypted cloud storage (500GB), but it’s only available on the more expensive plan and most users probably won’t use it.

Is IPVanish worth the price?

โœ… Yes, if you want a cheap VPN with unlimited connections
โŒ No if you want to pay anonymously or need regular security audits

IPVanish is a good choice for families or multi-device users, but it lacks some key features that would bring it up to the level of the best VPNs.


12. IPVanish Customer Support

When a VPN stops working, good customer support is invaluable. Some services respond instantly, others keep you waiting for hours or days. IPVanish has good support, but it ‘s not as fast and sophisticated as the top VPNs like ExpressVPN or NordVPN.

Available support channels

Type of supportAvailabilityAverage response time
Live chat24/71-2 minutes
Email support24/71-6 hours
Telephone supportMon-Fri (9:00-17:00 CST)10-15 minutes
Knowledge baseYes (FAQ, tutorials)Immediate access

๐Ÿ’ก Best choice? Live chat is the fastest and most reliable option.

Live chat – fast but not always accurate

IPVanish offers nonstop live chat, which is a big advantage. During the test, I asked about configuring OpenVPN on the router and got an answer within a minute.

๐Ÿ”น Positive

โœ… Fast responses (usually within 1-2 minutes)
โœ… Friendly approach

๐Ÿ”น Negative

โŒ Support sometimes answers in general terms and does not address detailed technical questions
โŒ The agent recommended me to restart the router instead of giving a detailed answer on OpenVPN configuration

๐Ÿ’ก If you need advanced technical information, it is better to write an email.

Email support – slower but detailed

I tested the email support asking about WireGuard protocol settings.

๐Ÿ”น The reply came in 3 hours – which is fine, but NordVPN replies within 50 minutes on average.
๐Ÿ”น S upport was accurate and detailed, the agent explained how to manually set up WireGuard on the router.

๐Ÿ’ก If you don’t need an immediate response, IPVanish email support is solid.

Telephone support – unexpected but limited

IPVanish is one of the few VPNs that offer phone support – but only on weekdays from 9:00am to 5:00pm CST (US Central Time).

๐Ÿ”น S upported countries

โœ… USA
โœ… United Kingdom
โœ… Australia
โœ… Mexico
โœ… Germany

๐Ÿ“ž If you are calling from the Czech Republic or Slovakia, you will need to use an international call.

๐Ÿ’ก Telephone support is good for more complex problems, but availability is limited.

Knowledge base – quality tutorials, but some pictures are too big

IPVanish has an extensive database of tutorials and FAQs, including detailed guides for:

โœ… Installing a VPN on your router
โœ… Using WireGuard and OpenVPN
โœ… Troubleshooting connection problems

โŒ The only problem? Some tutorials contain incorrectly sized images, which makes it difficult to read the instructions.

๐Ÿ’ก Tip: If you are having a problem, check the knowledge base first – most common questions are solved here.


The result – how is IPVanish customer support doing?

โœ… Live chat 24/7 – fast and available support
โœ… Detailed email responses to technical questions
โœ… Telephone support – a unique feature among VPNs
โœ… Extensive knowledge base with detailed tutorials
โŒ Live chat sometimes answers in general terms, instead of detailed problem solving
โŒ Telephone support not available for the Czech Republic and Slovakia
โŒ Knowledge base contains images that are difficult to read

๐Ÿ’ก Overall, IPVanish’s support is solid, but if you’re looking for the absolute best, ExpressVPN and NordVPN still offer better customer service.


13. Summary and recommendations of IPVanish

After thoroughly testing IPVanish VPN, I can say one thing – it’ s a very solid VPN, but with a few compromises.

It offers high speeds, unlimited connections and strong security, but lacks some of the features of its competitors, such as Smart DNS, regular audits or a better adblocker.

Strengths of IPVanish VPN

โœ… Fast connection (WireGuard + own servers) – great for streaming, gaming and torrenting

โœ… Unlimited connections – ideal for homes and small businesses

โœ… P2P and torrenting on all servers – a great option for users who download via torrents

โœ… Multi-Hop (Double VPN) support – an extra layer of anonymization

โœ… SOCKS5 proxy for fast downloads

โœ… Kill switch works reliably on most platforms

โœ… Live chat support 24/7 + phone support – very good customer care
โœ… Low price for long term plans ($2.19/month for 24 month plan)

Weaknesses of IPVanish VPN

โŒ Smart DNS is missing – not easy to use on Apple TV, Xbox or PlayStation
โŒ No browser extensions (Chrome, Firefox, Edge)
โŒ Port forwarding not available – a disadvantage for torrent seeders
โŒ Threat Protection (adblocker) is weak – only blocks about 37% of ads
โŒ VPN does not work reliably in China – not enough traffic obfuscation
โŒ Lack of cryptocurrency support for anonymous payments
โŒ Mac kill switch has a minor bug when changing server

Who is IPVanish ideal for?

๐Ÿ’ก Fa milies and households – unlimited connections means you can protect all devices in your home at no extra cost.
๐Ÿ’ก Torrenting and P2P users – IPVanish supports P2P traffic on all servers and offers a SOCKS5 proxy.
๐Ÿ’ก F ire TV Stick and Kodi users – IPVanish is one of the best VPNs for streaming on Amazon Fire TV.
๐Ÿ’ก People who want a cheap VPN – with a 2-year plan , it’s one of the cheapest premium VPNs on the market.

Alternatives to IPVanish

๐Ÿ”น ExpressVPN – the best VPN for streaming and speed (but more expensive)
๐Ÿ”น NordVPN – advanced security, obfuscation and Double VPN (better anonymity)
๐Ÿ”น Surfshark – cheap alternative with unlimited devices, Smart DNS and stronger adblocker

Overall rating: 93/100

IPVanish is a great choice for users who want a fast VPN with strong security and unlimited connected devices. However, it lacks some of the advanced features offered by competitors.

With a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can try it risk-free.


14. IPVanish Youtube

15. IPVanish FAQ

Is IPVanish really without no-logs?

Yes, IPVanish has a verified no-logs policy, which means it keeps no logs of connections, IP addresses, or browsing history. This policy was confirmed by an independent audit by Leviathan Security Group in 2022.

How many devices can I connect to IPVanish?

PVanish allows an unlimited number of connected devices per account, which is a big advantage over VPNs that are limited to 5-10 simultaneous connections.

Does IPVanish support torrenting?

Yes, IPVanish allows P2P traffic on all servers and also offers a SOCKS5 proxy that allows faster torrenting without VPN encryption. Port forwarding is missing though, which can be a disadvantage for seeders.

Does IPVanish have servers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia?

Yes, IPVanish has servers in both the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which means you can access local websites and streaming platforms from abroad.

Does IPVanish work with Netflix?

PVanish can unblock Netflix USA and 15 other libraries, including the UK, Canada and Australia. But it’s not as consistent as NordVPN or ExpressVPN.

Is the kill switch function available?

Yes, IPVanish offers a kill switch on Windows, macOS and Android. However, it has a minor bug on macOS when you change servers, which means you can leak an IP address at short notice.

Which protocol is best for speed?

The best protocol for speed is WireGuard, which is active by default on all devices. Compared to OpenVPN, it is up to 20% faster and has lower latency.

Does IPVanish have apps for smart TVs and game consoles?

IPVanish doesn’t have Smart DNS, so it doesn’t work directly on Apple TV, Xbox or PlayStation. The solution is to install a VPN on your router or use the Fire TV Stick, where the IPVanish app works natively.

Does IPVanish support cryptocurrency payments?

No, IPVanish does not support Bitcoin or other anonymous payment methods, which is a disadvantage for users who want to pay anonymously.

Is there a trial period?

PVanish does not offer a free trial, but it does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. However, this guarantee does not apply to monthly subscriptions, only to annual and two-year plans.

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