Let’s start the review of IPVanish with a look at the company. The team has over 15 years of experience in network management, IP and content delivery. The same team manages a content delivery network (CDN) that helps gaming companies like Steam and GameFly provide fast, reliable service. They also stream live events including NBA games and the Masters.
Pricing and Special Offers
Let’s jump right into pricing since it’s an important part of your decision when choosing the best VPN service to meet your needs. IPVanish offers one simple plan that includes unlimited VPN and free client software. You can connect with up to two devices simultaneously and use as much bandwidth as you want.
As you can see IPVanish is currently offering a special promotion with up to 60% off their regular discounted prices. Save 25% off the first three billing cycles in addition to their term discounts. IPVanish offers monthly, quarterly and annual terms. Annual sign ups are the best deal. The coupon code to take advantage of the offer will be hard-coded through our link. Visit our IPVanish special page to save.
When you sign up for an account they offer a number of payment options for you to choose from. I like using PayPal for any online service since you can manage the subscription. IPVanish offers PayPal along with credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and JCB. We’re also pleased to share that they recently added bitcoin as a payment option.
Risk Free Trial Period
While I’ll try my best to offer a full review of the service there’s only one way to make sure IPVanish fits your needs. You’ll want to test the service out for yourself. They know that as well. To help they offer a 7 day money back guarantee. If you’re unhappy with the service simply cancel in the first 7 days for a full refund.
IPVanish Network and Server Locations
When choosing the best VPN services I looked closely at server locations. You want a provider that can offer good performance in different areas of the world. IPVanish has shown time and time again to be faster than other leading VPN services that we’ve tested. They have a large network that continues to grow.
Countries
Locations
Servers
IP's
Protocols
63
79
225
25,000
OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP
As you can see in the table above the IPVanish team has stayed busy expanding their server locations. They already have one of the largest networks and continue to add new locations on a regular basis. Here’s a list of countries in which they currently have servers. They have a full list of locations on their site.
IPVanish has servers in Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong. Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States.
Privacy and Security
It doesn’t matter how fast a service is or how great their client might be if they can’t protect your privacy and secure your Internet connection. That’s not an issue with IPVanish. They clearly state their logging policy on the site and provide high end encryption to secure your online privacy.
IPVanish supports OpenVPN, PPTP and L2TP protocols. Their implementation of OpenVPN uses 256-bit encryption and allows for TCP and UDP connections. I recommend UDP for the best performance. IPVanish uses shared dynamic IP addresses which helps ensure your anonymity as several users share an IP.
There is another feature we should mention in terms of securing your system. IPVanish includes a NAT firewall with all accounts. That’s a feature that most providers either don’t support or offer at an add-on cost. The NAT firewall helps block inbound traffic to protect your system from being attacked.
Hands-On Testing
I only consider privacy services with good client software for the top 10 VPN list. A feature rich client with an easy to use interface is a must have to compete. IPVanish definitely delivers in this category. They offer free client software for Windows and Mac. Along with free mobile apps for iOS and Android.
Video Review of IPVanish
Watch our video review to learn more about IPVanish. We give you a first hand look at their VPN software and the speed of their network. Learn how to use the service to protect your privacy. See how IPVanish will help you unblock geo-restricted sites and channels in other countries.
Connecting with the Windows VPN Client
Let’s jump right into their network using the Windows client.
The image above is from the new IPVanish version 2.0 client for Windows. When you log into the software it presents you with a number of options for choosing a server location. My preference is to go to the “Server Selection” tab on the left hand side of the screen. From there I like to select a location using the Map tab to the right. You can also select a server based on purpose “By Use” or view a full list of servers with ping times.
When using the “Map” view you can move around the map zooming in and out as you go. When you zoom in on a location it will expand that area of the map and show you a more detailed view of the server locations. Move your mouse over any circle to see the servers in that area. When you find a desired server simply click the “On” button to the right of the server to connect.
Below is a look at the “List” tab which shows every IPVanish server. I like the default sort order which is based on ping time. The lower the ping time in milliseconds (ms) the better you can expect the speed to be. For gamers it’s especially important to have a low ping time to reduce latency and lag.
In addition to connecting to their network using OpenVPN (TCP or UDP), PPTP or L2TP protocol the IPVanish client has a number of additional features that help enhance your experience with the service. To access the extra options you’ll want to click on “Settings” at the top of the client to see the following screen:
From the preferences screen you can set these options:
Save login credentials (username and password)
Set active protocol (OpenVPN UDP, OpenVPN TCP, L2TP, PPTP
OpenVPN port (443 or 1194)
Connect on Startup options (shown in image above)
User Interface (minimize to tray will minimize it to your Windows taskbar)
There’s an additional tab on the left side of the client marked “IP Settings”. You can set the client to change your IP address at set intervals. If you enable this feature the default settings will change your IP address every hour. You can adjust the timing.
Connect with the Mac VPN Client
IPVanish has developed an excellent client for Mac OSX users. They also support Tunnelbick but there’s no reason to use a third-party app. Their client is very easy to use and includes advanced features including a VPN kill switch. I like the clean user interface. You can select a location from a map or sort servers from a list based on city, country or response time.
The Mac client supports OpenVPN (both TCP and UDP), PPTP and L2TP protocols. I use OpenVPN UDP for the best performance. You can switch between server locations and protocols any time you want. I use the software to connect from an iMac and MacBook Pro.
As I mentioned their Mac VPN client includes advanced features that most VPN services don’t support on any platform. Our favorites are the VPN kill switch and the ability to change your IP address at set intervals. Both features provide an extra layer of privacy protection.
Connect with the Android App
Connecting to IPvanish with your Android mobile phone or tablet is a breeze. You can download the app from Google Play for free. All members receive unlimited bandwidth regardless of what device your using. They also allow two connections which is especially nice when traveling. I connect from my laptop and phone simultaneously with a single account.
The screenshot to the left shows the IPVanish Android user interface. The app is very simple to use. You just tap on any server to connect. After that you can view the time connected, speed and total data uploaded and downloaded for the session. IPVanish accounts include unlimited bandwidth but the info comes in handy for those on a limited cell data plan.
Connect from your iPhone or iPad
IPVanish also offers a free iOS app for members. You can download it directly from the Apple iTunes App Store. It requires at least iOS 7.0. The app will run on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. It has been optimized for iPhone 5.
The iOS app saves you time. Instead of entering in the server and protocol details you can let the app take care of the configuration. You choose a server location and the app will set up a profile on your iPhone or iPad with the desired VPN. Then you can enable the VPN connection anytime.
IPVanish Speed Test
I started the review talking about how fast IPVanish is compared to other privacy services. Here’s a look at my Internet performance without a VPN and then again while connected to an IPVanish server in Atlanta. As you can see I’m almost maxing my connection even with the extra layer of encryption.
Check IP Address
Every review should include some fundamental tests. Performance is key but it still comes down to privacy. Does the VPN service offer anonymity and protect you from outside threats. Once connected to IPVanish we tested to make sure our IP address was showing up in Atlanta.
DNS Leak Test
You also want to make sure that the VPN provider you use doesn’t leak your DNS settings while connected. You can use a site like ipleak.net to test. As you can see I tested for a DNS leak while connected to a server in Atlanta and the test came back clean. That means IPVanish isn’t leaking my DNS information.
Netflix and BBC iPlayer Test
In the previous tests I’ve ensured that my IP address location was correct and my DNS wasn’t being leaked. That’s good for privacy purposes. Next I tested IPVanish for streaming media sites like Netflix and BBC iPlayer. It passed with flying colors. Given the speed of the service you’ll have no problem streaming media.
The key to accessing services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer is to have an IP address in the right location. In the case of Netflix that means the United States or whichever country you want to view the content. They offer different programming in different countries. For BBC iPlayer you want an IP in the United Kingdom.
This one is easy to test. For US based sites simply connect to an IPVanish server in the US. From there you can use services like Netflix, Amazon Video, Hulu, Pandora, etc. Of course you’ll still need an account for some of them. As for BBC you’ll want to connect to a server in the UK and then you can use iPlayer.
IPVanish Review: Conclusion
As you can see I’m a big fan of VPN services. Especially those that are fast and reliable. To that end IPVanish is the best performing VPN in the market. They manage a large network of server locations. All of which are included in the price. With discounts you can enjoy unlimited VPN from just $4.87 a month.
What I liked most about the service:
Unlimited access to a large network of servers
OpenVPN (TCP, UDP), PPTP and L2TP protocols
Shared dynamic IP’s for better privacy
Free NAT firewall protection
Client software and mobile apps
Wide range of payment options including bitcoin
Ideas to improve the service:
Offer dedicated IP even as a paid add-on
Add services like encrypted email
As with any VPN you’ll want to test IPVanish for yourself. You can visit their special offer page for the best pricing. Feeling assured that you’re protected by their 7 day money back guarantee. If for any reason you find that the service doesn’t meet your needs you can simply cancel. I doubt you’ll have to though.
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