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Kyle JuffsUpdated last year

Solid virtual private network application

IPVanish VPN is a VPN service provider that secures your private internet activity with AES 256-bit encryption. The IPVanish program does not log your confidential information. Its 1,600 servers in 75 countries let you stream and torrent content online with above-average speeds.

CyberGhost, ExpressVPN, Hotspot Shield VPN, NordVPN, ProtonVPN, SurfShark, and Windscribe are alternative VPN solutions to use instead of IPVanish. Hotspot Shield, ProtonVPN, and Windscribe offer free versions of each software. Many consider NordVPN and SurfShark as the top-performing VPN services on the market, too. NordVPN and SurfShark cover each important category comprehensively: performance, security, and user experience.

Is IPVanish VPN free?

IPVanish VPN gives iOS users a free trial to use for a limited time—however, the trial is not available for the rest of the compatible operating systems. The IPVanish VPN app is available on Amazon Fire TV, Android, Apple iOS, Chrome OS, Linux, macOS, and Microsoft Windows PC operating systems.

You can use IPVanish on routers, tablets, smart TVs, laptops, cell phones, and computers. IPVanish does not offer a free license but its money-back guarantee will let you refund your money during a limited-time period. You can choose either a yearly or monthly plan

Free VPNs often compromise your privacy by logging your personal info butIPVanish has a transparent log policy. While IPVanish had questionable practices in the past, the privacy policy is now stricter. Ownership of the company switched from Mudhook Media Inc. to StackPath and J2 Global.

IPVanish has always been situated in the United States. This location can cause privacy concerns because of the United States' affiliation with pro-surveillance alliances: 5, 9, and 14 Eyes. If guaranteed security is important to you, then a VPN based in a pro-privacy country is important; examples include NordVPN and SurfShark.

Can IPVanish be hacked?

IPVanish VPN is safe. The VPN software uses one of the highest security practices to protect you from identity theft while you are online. Your internet traffic speeds remain fast despite the highly secure encryption process: AES 256-bit. IPVanish gives you plenty of VPN protocols: IKEv2 IPSec, L2TP IPSec, OPENVPN TCP, OPENVPN UDP, and PPTP.

While the available tunneling protocols are powerful, WireGuard protocol integration would be optimal. PPTP is an outdated protocol that should be avoided unless you are aware of the security risks. The free SOCKS5 proxy is an additional layer of VPN protection that does not impact speed. The feature can change your location and conceal your IP address completely.

Your DNS and IP addresses will remain hidden with IPVanish VPN. The DNS and IP leak protection feature makes sure that your personal data is not shown to external sources. IPVanish VPN will give you DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC protection. Combine this with the platform’s independently verified no-logs policy, and you can rest assured that even the VPN provider has no access to your browsing history.

Only the Android app will let you use split tunneling. You can route your simultaneous connections to either your VPN or regular network. Split tunneling lets you manage your browsing activity optimally. A kill switch is available only for Android, Mac, and Windows applications. The iOS and Linux apps are at risk of dropped VPN connections revealing sensitive data.

IPVanish VPN gives you two types of kill switch options. The system-level kill switch will disconnect your internet connection immediately when a disturbance happens. The application-level option lets you take control of the particular programs that will remain open and shut down when the kill switch gets activated. You can conveniently control whether the kill switch is enabled or disabled in the “Quick Connect” tab.

Is IPVanish VPN any good?

Strategically placed VPN servers let you torrent at quick speeds. Military-grade encryption practices will mask your data. You can use the OpenVPN or IKEv2 connection protocols for an optimal torrenting experience. Additionally, the free SOCKS5 proxy can direct IPVanish to only cover the torrent connection.

IPVanish developed a cloud storage service that keeps your confidential data encrypted: SugarSync. You can add the cloud service to your subscription package to securely back up and store your content. Unlimited connections let you run IPVanish on up to 10 devices at the same time. You can get help from customer support representatives 24/7 via live chat or email. 

Additionally, an FAQ page and setup guides are available. The tabbed user interface is clean yet informative. You can establish an immediate connection in the “Quick Connect” tab. You can customize the country, city, and server locations by expanding the dropdown menus. The default options will automatically pick the best areas to connect to.

You can see the connected protocol on the left side of the screen. The “Server List” tab lists all of the server locations. You can manage your kill switch and leak protection preferences from within the “Settings” menu, along with additional important information. Additionally, the in-app customer support button is located in the “Settings” tab.

A powerful streaming partner

Aside from being a general-purpose VPN tool that masks your IP to the rest of the Internet, IPVanish comes with a couple of powerful features designed specifically to improve the streaming experience. Recent updates have bolstered its streaming and content access capabilities. Aside from global streaming platforms, the VPN tool now fully supports major streaming services in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Japan. Even better, this support extends to all major devices.

It has also set a new standard for secure streaming. IPVanish holds the distinction of being the first service provider to offer a native Apple TV VPN app. This is an added tool to the streaming app, letting users access all content hosted within Apple TV, without geographical restrictions. This works with the latest version of the VPN, as well as devices running Apple tvOS 17 or later.

For Amazon FireTV stick users, the FireStick Kill Switch will come in handy. It is a separate app that automatically blocks your internet connection to the FireTV-driven device once your VPN cuts off. This makes sure that your streaming experience is safe and secure. Aside from encrypting your traffic, the kill switch also ensures that you don’t reveal your actual location and change the content available on your account. 

IPVanish is a secure VPN

IPVanish is a reliable VPN service that protects your identity from unwanted sources for a reasonable price. While IPVanish delivers fast streaming speeds, the list of libraries is limited. Torrenting is semi-safe since IPVanish is in the United States. IPVanish offers you good value for everyday internet access protection.

What’s new?

The developers publish new software versions regularly to stay up-to-date with the ever-changing cyber climate. New prevention benefits are released as threats become more apparent. You can check your software version number in your IPVanish account.

  • Pros

    • Supports multiplatform functionality
    • Has multiple security protocols
    • Includes a cloud storage service
    • Now adds a native Apple TV VPN tool
    • Comes with a FireStick Kill Switch feature
  • Cons

    • Not situated in a pro-privacy country
    • Full content support only available in certain countries
 0/10

App specs

Also available in other platforms

Program available in other languages



User reviews about IPVanish

by Johnson Real

Great app, it actually perform more of its prior, i will recomend it to anyone

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Laws concerning the use of this software vary from country to country. We do not encourage or condone the use of this program if it is in violation of these laws. The regulation about the use of VPN services varies per country; If the Law of your country forbids or limits its usage, don’t download. Any unlawful behaviour of this software is not permitted. You are solely responsible for any use of the service. Softonic may receive a referral fee if you click or buy any of the products featured here.
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Your review for IPVanish
Softonic

In Softonic we scan all the files hosted on our platform to assess and avoid any potential harm for your device. Our team performs checks each time a new file is uploaded and periodically reviews files to confirm or update their status. This comprehensive process allows us to set a status for any downloadable file as follows:

Clean

It’s extremely likely that this software program is clean.

What does this mean?

We have scanned the file and URLs associated with this software program in more than 50 of the world's leading antivirus services; no possible threat has been detected.

Warning

This software program is potentially malicious or may contain unwanted bundled software.

Why is the software program still available?

Based on our scan system, we have determined that these flags are possibly false positives.

What is a false positive?

It means a benign program is wrongfully flagged as malicious due to an overly broad detection signature or algorithm used in an antivirus program.

We’d like to highlight that from time to time, we may miss a potentially malicious software program. To continue promising you a malware-free catalog of programs and apps, our team has integrated a Report Software feature in every catalog page that loops your feedback back to us.

Flag any particular issues you may encounter and Softonic will address those concerns as soon as possible.