Speed & Performance
Pricing
Features
Customer Support
Inside This Article...
There are lots of VPNs out there, and IVPN is another service that I have been excited to try. Below, you can read my full review on the VPN and all of its features.
Overview
IVPN is incorporated in Gibraltar. It is a fairly small operation, but one that I found to be pretty transparent, which is always a good thing!
So, what does the Gibraltar jurisdiction mean for this VPN? Well, it is an okay-ish place for a VPN to be incorporated! It is a member of the EU, and so this is a negative on the data sharing front. However, while being a British Overseas Territory, it is not a subordinate of the United Kingdom.
What is IVPN’s server network like?
It is fair to say that the IVPN server network is pretty small. It is only going to be suitable for you if you live in Europe or the United States, in my opinion. IVPN only has 40 server locations, and they are mainly in North America and Western Europe.
If you live in South America or Africa, this is not a viable VPN for you. In fact, it only covers a very small part of Australia.
IVPN has three servers in East Asia, which can be found in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan. There is one server in Australia, which can be found in Sydney, and there is one in South America, which is situated in Brazil.
On the flip side, you can find some city-level locations in the United States, so it is not a bad choice if you live in this part of the world, or you are looking to connect to a US address most of the time.
One thing that I should point out is that there are only a very small number of IP addresses for each server, typically between three and five.
Speeds
When it comes to speeds, I would say that IVPN is middle-of-the-road. It is pretty good for local connections, but it could be better if you are connecting to a server that is far away.
While it is not the slowest VPN on the market, you can find better options out there for speed, especially ExpressVPN and NordVPN.
Security
Security is definitely one of IVPN’s strong points. You can expect a ton of extra security features, as well as strong encryption too. IVPN uses the AES256 cipher, which is the industry standard, as it is as close to unbreakable as you’re going to get.
There are four protocols for you to choose from at IVPN, including IKEv2, IPSec, WireGuard, and OpenVPN. The latter is my preferred choice, as you will know if you’ve read any of my other reviews; I am always championing it!
There is a kill switch included as well, which is great because it means that you are going to be protected even if your connection drops out.
IPVN also makes sure that you are protected against IPv6 leaks and DNS leaks, as well as offering tracker-blocking and ad-blocking features.
Another advanced feature is the split tunneling for the Android app, meaning you can route privacy-sensitive apps through the VPN whereas others stay on your general Internet connection so that performance is maintained.
The security features do not end there either, as there is a multi hop feature as well. This gives you an added layer of protection because your connection will be re-routed through numerous servers in various countries. This means that your online activity would stay private even if the exit server was compromised.
IPVN is also one of the very few apps of today that are fully open-source. The company has published its code onto GitHub. This means that there is more transparency and that more people are able to discover potential issues and ensure that they are rectified.
Does IVPN collect logs?
There are a lot of VPNs out there that claim to be no logs, yet when it comes down to it, they do actually collect logs.
I read the privacy policy in full, and it is pretty clear. It does NOT collect any of the following information:
- Any account activity aside from the complete simultaneous connections
- IP addresses
- User bandwidth
- Connection duration or connection timestamps
- DNS requests
- Traffic
I was more than happy with this privacy policy. While IVPN is based in a country that is a member of the EU, the privacy policy mitigates this because even if they did need to comply with a data request, they would not have any data that would identify you in any case.
Ease Of Use
It is only going to take you a few minutes to get fully up and running with IVPN. The main screen is simple, with a large connect button, and your chosen location being displayed underneath.
Torrenting
I would certainly recommend IVPN for torrenting purposes, but only if you have no intention of using the US servers.
While torrenting is permitted on most of the network, it is not allowed on any of the servers in the United States, so do keep this in mind.
IVPN have explained why this is the case, stating that the company was getting a lot of DMCA notices. As a consequence, they have asked users of their service to stop torrenting on the United States servers, which includes any double hop connections that utilise a US exit node.
Unblock Streaming Services
If you are looking for a VPN for streaming purposes, I can only recommend IVPN for Netflix in the United States. If you want to unblock any other streaming library, it is not a good choice.
I was not able to unblock the Netflix libraries in other countries; only the United States.
I’ve also not had any success in terms of unblocking other streaming services like BBC iPlayer.
Does IVPN bypass the Great Firewall of China?
If you are looking for a VPN that can bypass the strict security walls in place in China, IVPN could be a viable choice.
While I am not based in China myself, after doing a lot of research, it seems that many IVPN users have been experiencing success while utilising the Obfsproxy tool that will mask VPN traffic. This makes traffic appear normal, and so it enables it to get past the blocks that are in place on content.
Another great benefit associated with IVPN is that the site itself is not blocked in China at the moment. This means you can download it while you’re in the country.
So, does this mean that IVPN is a suitable choice for other high-censorship countries? Unfortunately, it is not that simple.
IVPN has poor server coverage, and so this means that it is unlikely to offer good performance in the likes of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Iran.
Compatibility
There are some slick and modern custom apps for all of the following platforms:
- Android
- iOS
- Linux
- macOS
- Microsoft Windows
Not a lot of the VPNs out there offer custom apps for Linux, so this is a nice touch!
You also have the ability to install IVPN on a number of compatible routers, for instance, Tomato, pfSense, and DD-WRT. There are set-up guides that can take you through the process.
If you do not like the idea of doing some manual configuration, there is another option, and this is to purchase a router that is pre-configured with the IVPN. You can do this via the likes of Vilfo or Flashrouters.
You can check out my reviews if you would like more information on the best VPN for a specific device.
In terms of simultaneous connections, it depends on the plan you choose. The Standard plan enables you to have two simultaneous connections. The Pro plan allows for there to be seven simultaneous connections at once.
Games Consoles & Streaming Devices
You have a few options if you would like to use IVPN with a streaming device or games console.
The easiest option is to purchase a router that has the IVPN software already on it or to manually configure a supported router. If you do this, all of your devices that are connected in your home will be protected. You can access a complete set-up guide via the website at IVPN.
Another option is to use the OpenVPN software to manually configure your device. However, there are only guides available for Amazon Fire TV and Kodi on IVPN.
The last solution is to use another VPN connection and piggyback off this, yet this is not a certainty for all of your devices.
Browser Extensions
There are no browser extensions available with IVPN. For a personal standpoint, this is not something I am too fussed about, as browser extensions should always be used with the desktop client. They’re not sufficient on their own from a security standpoint.
However, if you were looking for a VPN with some good extensions, I would advise going for ExpressVPN.
Customer Support
The live support on offer is good, but it would be perfect if they made their live chat available 24/7, rather than only being available during business hours.
Still, it’s pretty good! All my queries have been answered quickly, and the answers have been sufficient.
I have been impressed by the knowledge base on IPVN, which is filled with a lot of useful guides and information.
Pricing
There are two options for you to choose from when purchasing IVPN. You can either go for the Standard or the Pro package.
So, what does the Pro package offer that the Standard doesn’t?
- Multi-hop
- Port forwarding
- 7 devices (rather than 2)
You can pay for both packages on either a monthly or yearly basis. The Standard package is either $6 per month or $60 for a year. The Pro package is either $10 per month or $100 for a year.
Both options come with a free trial, but this is only a three-day trial, so do keep this in mind.
Summary
All in all, IVPN is a good choice if security is your main concern. Yes, there are a few drawbacks when it comes to this VPN, yet overall, there are a lot of positives and it is especially beneficial if you want a VPN that has a strong logging policy in mind.
User Reviews
IVPN Pros:
- Kill switch
- Strong encryption
- No logs
- Viable choice for those in China
- Custom Linux app
IVPN Cons:
- Small network
