IPVanish is a feature-rich and user-friendly VPN. In fact, it’s a great tool for improving your online security and privacy or just enjoying Netflix or YouTube. Plus, all of this comes at a wallet-friendly price.
Based in the US, this VPN unblocks Netflix, works with a variety of torrenting clients, and offers decent speeds via the WireGuard tunneling protocol.
Just to tease you a bit more – IPVanish is able to provide you with a wide range of features, some of which you won’t find with any other VPN. For example, you can set your VPN connection to work on your preferred wifi network or with the app on demand. Also, a SOCKS5 proxy is included, which will come in handy if you are a torrent lover.
But don’t rush into the pink glasses. Just like any other VPN provider, this one has its own drawbacks. For example, the app can be awkward to use.
But if you’re ready to shell out a few bucks for the service, there’s a lot more to explore. So read on to this IPVanish review to find out what you can expect from it, or just grab the limited web news deals we managed to bring you!
Pros and Cons of IPVanish
Advantage
- One of the cheapest annual options
- geographically dispersed servers
- unlimited connection
- Free SOCKS5 proxy
- No Logs Policy
- Military Grade Encryption
- kill switch
- high speed
- Great Customer Support
Shortcoming
- price increase after one year
- doesn’t work in china
What other streaming platforms does IPVanish unblock?
I picked a couple of large sites to test out IPVanish’s capabilities, but the results weren’t as exciting as you’d hope. Only 3 streaming sites get unblocked with IPVanish – Netflix (US, UK, Indian library, HBO Max, YouTube and BBC iPlayer).
Aside from Netflix US getting unblocked, YouTube TV isn’t a hard nut to crack either. When connected to an IPVanish server, you will have no problem unblocking geo-restricted sports highlights or trailers.
I encountered the following disappointment when trying to access Hulu. The VPN gets caught by their filters, returns an error and blocks access to the site. The same happened with other subsequent streaming platforms.
Does IPVanish work with streaming boxes?
Or, if you prefer, you can set up IPVanish with a streaming box, such as a Kodi box, Amazon Fire TV Stick, or Roku.
With a Kodi box, you can download the .apk file from their website and install it on your device. With IPVanish, unlocking a specific library of content is a simple process. Regarding the Amazon Fire TV Stick, you need an Amazon Fire TV, Amazon 2nd Generation or later Fire Stick to install the VPN service and access content. Roku will also work, but requires additional hardware, as the streaming platform itself cannot connect to IPVanish. You can connect your Roku via DD-WRT or Tomato router.
Overall, IPVanish seems like a solid streaming option. If you’re only interested in Netflix and YouTube TV, IPVanish will do just fine. However, if you need to unblock more niche streaming sites, you might run into some issues. That’s a shame because they have apps for the Fire TV, Fire Stick and even the Fire Cube, which make streaming even more convenient.
Is IPVanish good for torrenting and safe?
Yes, IPVanish is great and safe for torrenting. However, it would be wrong to call it a great option for torrenting. To be honest, IPVanish doesn’t get a huge selling point from its P2P features. The service does not offer dedicated torrenting servers, so you must use the same pool.
I don’t find this to be a huge problem as I have no issues with torrenting with IPVanish. During testing, download speeds were 7-8MB/s (56-64mbps) once connected to all peers. So, the speed is a bit higher than the average speed I’m used to seeing.
There is also a free SOCKS5 proxy. To be precise, this server is perfect for those looking to maintain high speeds but at the same time want to be safe and have online privacy. So those who want to take advantage of the higher speeds also have options.
But remember, we all have different needs and it’s always useful to have extra options. In that case, it might be helpful to check out our top VPNs for torrenting.
Plans and Pricing
The main dilemma you face when choosing an IPVanish pricing plan is whether or not you need SugarSync. You can get just the VPN or a bundle that includes its encrypted storage.
- 1 month plan $11.99/month
- 1 year plan $4.50/month
- 2-year plan $3.33/month
No matter how you split the amount, you will be charged the full amount immediately. Although, their monthly prices are not that high in the long run. Considering the amount of features you get, this is a very good deal.
The SugarSync bundle option is well worth it if you want to have encrypted storage. However, the pricing won’t be as low after the first month or year when the discount is no longer valid. That pretty much makes IPVanish the cheapest VPN to use all year. You can contact IPVanish directly for more information about the bundle.
Their 30-day money-back guarantee is only available on their annual plans. If you want to get a free trial of IPVanish, please do not choose the monthly option as you will not get a refund. All plans support unlimited simultaneous connections, so you have complete freedom to decide how many devices you can use the VPN on.
Available payment methods include credit cards and PayPal. So, if you plan to pay with cryptocurrencies, you won’t be able to.
Can you get IPVanish VPN for free?
Yes, you can get IPVanish for free on your mobile device. When you subscribe to an annual plan, you get a 7-day free trial, which will give you access to all the premium features IPVanish has to offer.
To activate your free trial, you need to download the IPVanish mobile app from the App Store or Google Play Store. After downloading the app, sign up to create your account. It must be a new account to get the free trial option.
You can then choose the plan you want with a free trial. To confirm your account, you must authorize your subscription through the mobile app store.
After setting up your free trial account, you can also download the IPVanish app on your computer and log into your free trial account.
Plus, IPVanish has a 30-day money-back guarantee after the trial period. So you can combine these two deals and enjoy 37 days of free premium IPVanish VPN.
The free app version is exactly the same as a paid IPVanish subscription. You get the same security features, protocols, features, and server choices.