We have compared NordVPN vs IPVanish, two of the best VPNs on the market to save you time and money. Choosing the best VPN provider for you can be difficult and with so many VPNs on the market, it can be overwhelming.
This guide aims to help you make the right choice. Here is what you need to know about both providers.
NordVPN is one of the most popular VPN providers on the market. It offers an impressive VPN service that comes with P2P torrenting support, Netflix unblocking capabilities, and super-fast speeds thanks to its proprietary NordLynx protocol. IPVanish is another powerful VPN service with unlimited simultaneous connections and a range of sophisticated features that are rarely seen elsewhere. Here we have compared IPVanish VPN vs NordVPN.
NordVPN is relatively cost-effective with 6 simultaneous connections and subscription prices starting at $3.71 if you opt for its 2-year plan. If you want the freedom of a rolling contract, the monthly plan will set you back an expensive $11.95 a month. There is a range of payment options, including PayPal, credit card, Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies.
The NordVPN app operates on military-grade 256 bit AES encryption as standard. It comes with a range of additional security features, including Onion over VPN technology and a Double VPN feature that will encrypt your VPN connection twice rather than just once. NordVPN offers obfuscated VPN servers too, allowing you to mask the fact that you are using a VPN connection.
NordVPN comes with a reliable integrated kill-switch, too, to cut the transfer of unencrypted data if your VPN connection fails for any reason. NordVPN has even had its privacy policy independently audited by renowned security company PricewaterhouseCooper, a major advantage.
Connection speeds are excellent with NordVPN too, and users will have access to many servers in a wide range of locations. NordVPN has its own NordLynx protocol too, which boasts even faster and more reliable connection speeds. NordVPN is a great option for streaming fans too. It is successful at unblocking a range of geo-restricted content on streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, YouTube, and Disney+. There is P2P support on almost all of the NordVPN servers, too, which means it is useful for torrenters.
The NordVPN desktop apps are well-designed and easy to use, even for a beginner VPN user. The NordVPN mobile apps are slightly more awkward to use due to the smaller screen size. However, with NordVPN, there is support for a wide range of devices, including macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, and Linux. However, a single subscription does only enable 6 simultaneous connections.
If you run into any issues while using NordVPN, there is a helpful support site that offers a host of setup and troubleshooting articles. There is a 24/7 live chat customer support option too, in case you require additional assistance.
Overall, NordVPN is one of the best VPN providers on the market and excels in protecting user privacy and security.
IPVanish combines reliable connection speeds, affordable subscription prices, and powerful privacy and security features. There are apps for most popular devices, including macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Android TV, and Kodi. A single IPVanish subscription comes with unlimited simultaneous connections too, meaning you can protect all of your devices for no extra cost.
Another advantage is that IPVanish utilizes its own VPN servers instead of using third-party services. This means that the company has much more control over its servers.
IPVanish subscription prices start at just $2.34 a month for the first year on the 1-year plan. After the first year, prices rise to $3.49 a month. However, this is still outstanding value. It is necessary to pay attention to price fluctuations and look for VPN deals with IPVanish, as its subscription prices tend to change frequently. Previously, IPVanish offers its SugarSync storage as a free extra for VPN subscribers, but this is no longer the case. Users can choose to add on 500GB of storage for less than $1 a month.
IPVanish supports a wide array of security protocols, offers a range of configurable features, including a choice of OpenVPN ports, an integrated killswitch, and DNS leak protection. It also offers a transparent no-logging policy, but an independent privacy audit has not yet backed this up.
The provider is successful at accessing a range of geo-restricted streaming services, including Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, and more. However, IPVanish cannot overcome VPN blocks on the BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime Video, which is disappointing. There is excellent support for P2P sharing and torrenting, though. There is a SOCKS5 setup option, a reliable kill-switch, and full support for P2P sharing across all IPVanish servers.
The IPVanish apps are well-designed and offer an extensive range of configurable privacy features. There is excellent customer support too, with comprehensive support articles and a live chat option if you run into difficulties while setting up or using IPVanish VPN.
One of the most important factors when choosing a VPN provider is pricing. Therefore we have compared IPVanish vs NordVPN in terms of pricing, money-back guarantee, and payment options.
For new users, IPVanish offers excellent deals. For just $4.99, you can get access to the VPN for one month, which is significantly below the VPN industry’s monthly average. This makes IPVanish VPN one of the cheapest VPN services on the market. If you opt for a yearly subscription plan, you can access IPVanish VPN for just $3.33 a month. Also, users can choose to add-on SugarSync storage for less than $1 a month.
However, it is necessary to note that the price will rise after the first year for both the monthly and yearly plan. A monthly contract after the first year will set you back $9.99 a month, and a 2-year plan will cost $6.67 a month.
The NordVPN one-month plan is not quite as cheap as the IPVanish VPN option at $11.95 a month for a rolling contract. If you opt for a 6-month plan, the price does drop slightly, to $9 a month. However, as with any VPN provider, the most cost-effective option is the longest-term plan. A two-year subscription with NordVPN works out at $3.71, which is significantly lower than its monthly option.
We would tend to recommend opting for NordVPN’s two-year plan, considering that it comes with an almost 70% discount when compared to the monthly option. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee too, allowing you to test the product risk-free for a month before committing to the plan. If you are not completely satisfied, you can cancel your subscription to the provider and receive a full refund, no questions asked.
NordVPN offers a range of payment options to suit all users, including credit card, prepaid card, UnionPay, PayPal, AmazonPay, GooglePay, iTunes, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Monero, and more.
Although IPVanish VPN is not significantly cheaper in the long term, it is excellent value for money if you are a new customer. However, if you intend to commit to a provider for the long-term, NordVPN is arguably the more cost-effective option.
Online security and privacy are likely your main concerns when choosing a VPN provider. Both NordVPN and IPVanish offer a host of excellent to protect your anonymity on the internet. So, we have compared IPVanish vs NordVPN in terms of their individual privacy features.
Moreover, NordVPN operates on first-rate AES-256 bit encryption as standard, which is the same encryption technology utilized by governments and militaries. It also supports Perfect Forward Secrecy to ensure encryption and decryption keys are altered regularly. It uses 4096-bit-Diffie-Hellman encryption to ensure that even if a hacker gained access to one VPN session, they would be locked out of the subsequent one.
When connected to NordVPN, your privacy will be protected by a range of advanced features, including Onion over VPN that will reroute your private web traffic through its own VPN network before directing it over the Onion network then to its end destination. This double obfuscation technology offered by NordVPN will result in a slightly slower connection speed. Still, it makes it almost impossible for anyone to link your online activity back to you.
Using the NordVPN Onion over Tor feature does not require any understanding of the Onion network, nor is there anything to manually setup or install. Simply use the NordVPN client to connect to one of the provider’s specialist Onion over VPN servers, and the VPN will handle your traffic automatically.
NordVPN also provides a Double VPN feature that will send your web traffic to one VPN server, encrypt it before it sends it to a second server, and finally direct it to its end location. Although this is not useful or necessary for most users, if you require an additional layer of privacy for your online activity, it is a great feature. During speed tests, average connection speeds dropped from 70Mbps on a single VPN connection to 55Mbps when using the Double VPN feature.
IPVanish too comes with excellent privacy features, although not as many as NordVPN. It operates on secure industry-standard AES-256 bit encryption and supports first-rate OpenVPN and IKEv2 VPN protocols. There is also the option to configure your OpenVPN protocol setup by choosing between OpenVPN protocol ports 1194 or 443 and a “Scramble OpenVPN Traffic” feature to reduce the chance of your VPN use being detected or blocked.
When it comes to your online privacy and anonymity, it’s important to choose one of the best VPN services that come with a transparent no-logging policy to ensure that none of your private online activity is tracked, monitored, or stored by your chosen VPN provider. Both IPVanish and NordVPN offer excellent data privacy protections and no-logging policies. But which provider comes out on top when we compare IPVanish vs NordVPN and their logging policies.
IPVanish claims to be a no-logging VPN provider. Also, the company stated that restricting the number of simultaneous connections per user required it to log user data. Therefore, IPVanish removed the simultaneous connections restriction to abolish any form of related data logging.
IPVanish states that it does not record any user activity when connected to the VPN service. It does not store VPN connection, traffic, or activity information. However, unlike other VPNs, including NordVPN, it is disappointing that IPVanish has not yet released an independent security audit of its VPN services. We would like to see IPVanish allow an external company to audit their servers, systems, and policies to provide evidence for their privacy claims.
In comparison, NordVPN has recently completed the second independent security audit of its server network and privacy policy, reassuring users that it is trustworthy. This also serves to ease any concern related to NordVPN’s data server hack that occurred in 2018.
NordVPN offers a strict no-logging policy and defines its privacy commitments in more detail than most other VPNs. The provider guarantees that user activity is not monitored, recorded, stored, logged, or forwarded to any third party. NordVPN does not record VPN connection timestamps, bandwidth used, data traffic logs, user IP addresses, or browsing information.
This means that NordVPN doesn’t log general or session details, including incoming IP addresses when you connect to the VPN or the IP addresses that NordVPN allocates you. Many other VPNs suggest that they do not log information yet carry out some form of session logging, so it is reassuring to see NordVPN clarify this.
NordVPN, unlike many other VPNs, has completed multiple independent security audits of its privacy policies and servers. The audits were carried out by renowned security company PricewaterhouseCooper and verified the provider’s no-logging claims.
The audit was comprehensive and involved employee interviews, server network inspections, and infrastructure inspections. This means that NordVPN has significantly more evidence to support its no-logging claims than any other VPNs.
How secure are IPVanish and NordVPN? Secure VPN services come with advanced features, including a kill-switch, leak protection, and secure hard-drives to ensure your private information is always protected. Both VPN services come with excellent security standards, but how do they compare to each other? Here we will compare IPVanish vs NordVPN in terms of their security features.
NordVPN offers an integrated kill-switch to protect your data if the VPN connection ever fails for any reason. Without a kill-switch, if the VPN connection dropped for any reason, your real IP address and personal information may become leaked. Unlike most other VPNs on the market, NordVPN comes with two kill-switches instead of just one.
NordVPN offers a general kill-switch to prevent all internet access if you are not connected to the VPN, as well as an app kill-switch to close your current application if the connection drops. The service also blocks DNS leaks too, and DNS, IP, and WebRTC leak tests confirm this. Therefore, with NordVPN, your privacy and anonymity are well protected.
However, it is necessary to note that NordVPN did suffer a server hack in 2018, and the company was not largely transparent over this issue which is concerning. NordVPN has done a lot to rebuild customer confidence and has updated its whole server network to RAM-only memory, which is much more secure than hard-drive storage. It has also released two independent security audits, which are positive.
IPVanish comes with a reliable kill-switch and DNS/IPv6 leak protection to ensure your real identity does not become exposed even if the VPN connection fails for any reason. IP and DNS leak tests revealed complete protection while connected to the VPN service.
It is necessary to consider a VPN’s server network to ensure you will have sufficient choice when choosing a connection location. Therefore, we have compared IPVanish vs NordVPN in terms of their server networks and locations.
NordVPN offers servers in 15 United States cities, 3 Canadian cities, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, 5 Australian cities, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, South Africa, 2 Indian cities, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Turkey, and European servers in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Ireland, Czechia, Italy, Spain, Finland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Romania, Portugal, Luxemburg, Ukraine, Greece, Estonia, Iceland, Albania, Cyprus, Croatia, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, and North Macedonia.
IPVanish VPN enables access to 520 European server locations in Germany, United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Italy, Croatia, Luxembourg, Spain, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Denmark, Moldova, Slovakia, Serbia, Ireland, Finland, Albania, Austria, Ukraine, Poland, Portugal, Estonia, Belgium, Greece, and Iceland.
The provider boasts 910 servers in North America, in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Costa Rica. South American servers in Brazil, Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Buenos Aires. Oceania servers in Australia and New Zealand, as well as African servers in Nigeria and South Africa.
Many users choose to install a VPN for the sole purpose of accessing geo-restricted content on streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and Disney+. It is thus essential that VPNs such as NordVPN and IPVanish offer excellent streaming capabilities. Therefore, we have compared IPVanish vs NordVPN for streaming.
NordVPN is arguably one of the best VPN providers for accessing a host of streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and much more. During testing, there was no streaming site that NordVPN was unable to unblock.
IPVanish is almost as successful at unblocking such sites. However, it did struggle to access BBC iPlayer but if you are not a fan of British streaming content, this is likely not an issue. IPVanish will still allow you to watch geo-restricted content on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and more.
If you are a torrenting fan, using a VPN to protect your P2P sharing activities is essential. Both, NordVPN and IPVanish support P2P sharing, but which of these services offers the best torrenting experience? Here we have compared IPVanish vs NordVPN in terms of torrenting abilities.
IPVanish offers access to a large number of servers across 75 countries, allow of which support torrenting activities. This means that no matter which IPVanish server you connect to, you will be able to P2P share at optimal connection speeds.
In comparison, NordVPN offers a larger number of servers, but it does not support P2P sharing across all of them. However, this does not mean that you will need to search for a torrenting-optimized server manually. Many other VPN services that do not offer complete torrenting support can be difficult to use. However, if NordVPN detects torrenting activity, it will automatically reconnect you to the best available supported server. Even if you forget to activate NordVPN while torrenting, the provider will automatically re-route your connection to a safe alternative.
NordVPN does not openly advertise its support for P2P sharing, although this is not uncommon with VPN services. Despite that the number of NordVPN servers to support torrenting is restricted, users are not limited to just a few options. NordVPN still offers hundreds of torrenting-friendly servers worldwide in the United States, United Kingdom, and many other regions. No matter where you are located, there is likely a suitable VPN server close by.
NordVPN offers a strict no-logs policy, multiple DNS layers, leak protection, anonymous payment with bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, Double VPN technology, and Onion over VPN too, making it an excellent torrenting VPN. Both NordVPN and IPVanish come with a reliable integrated kill-switch to protect your privacy and torrenting activities even if the VPN server connection drops for any reason.
When you sign for a VPN such as NordVPN or IPVanish VPN, you will likely want minimal setup and the ability to test the service straight away. With NordVPN, all you need to do is click the VPN Apps link on the NordVPN site, and it will automatically direct you to the relevant download link for the device you are using. NordVPN will also offer additional links for other platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, and Android TV.
NordVPN offers a comprehensive list of setup tutorials that clearly explain how to set up the service manually. There is coverage for an additional 20 device types and platforms, including Chrome OS, Windows Phone, routers, NAS devices, and Raspberry Pi. The guides are extremely detailed yet easy to read. There are 11 tutorials for Windows alone that cover installing the standard client, manual setup for different protocols on Windows XP, 7, 8, and 10, and OpenVPN setup. There are also browser proxy setup guides for Chrome, Opera, Firefox, Safari, BitTorrent, uTorrent, Vuze, Deluge, Skype, and more.
IPVanish supports an extensive range of devices and platforms with standard IPVanish clients for macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire TV. There are no dedicated IPVanish browser extensions, although the IPVanish support page offers setup guides for Chrome, Firefox, Chromebooks, Linux, routers, and more.
Locating the download links on the IPVanish website is easy, and you do not even need to log in to your IPVanish account to use them. The client setup process with IPVanish is simple. The Windows and macOS clients can be downloaded directly from the IPVanish website, while Android and iOS apps can be installed from the relevant app stores. There is also the option to download the IPVanish Android APK file if you are an expert VPN user.
If you do not want to use the standard IPVanish clients, the provider also offers manual setup guides for macOS, Windows, Android, iOS, Linux, and more. Despite that they are not as detailed as those offered by NordVPN, there is still sufficient information. IPVanish provides 15 setup tutorials for Windows alone, including guides for IKEv2, L2TP, PPTP, and OpenVPN on Windows 7, 8, and 10. There is even a SOCKS5 guide to setup IPVanish on qBittorrent.
All of the best VPN services come with excellent apps, so we have compared IPVanish vs NordVPN in terms of their VPN apps. Both services offer different clients with a range of extra features. Choosing the right one for you will depend on personal taste. Both services come with necessary features, including split tunneling, a kill-switch, and leak protection as standard.
When it comes to client design, IPVanish and NordVPN’s apps are completely different. IPVanish offers a striking green and black color scheme on desktop and a grey and green color scheme on its mobile versions. The IPVanish apps are quite technical, meaning that they may be more suited to an experienced VPN user. We would like to see IPVanish include an option to search for servers in a particular country without the need to scroll through the entire server list. A Favorites system would also make a good addition.
NordVPN is slightly more modern when it comes to its client design. There is a large server map offering server locations on all of its apps. It offers a server list that is slightly easier to use than the IPVanish version. However, on smaller screens, the map interface can be awkward to navigate.
Both IPVanish and Nord offer easy-to-use apps for Windows. Installing the Nord Windows client is quick and easy; simply access the website’s download section, and it will detect the device you are using and offer the Windows download link. Click on the link, and the software should install in a few minutes.
The Nord Windows app opens to reveal a large map displaying all of the provider’s servers. Click, hold, and drag to move around the map, zoom in with your mouse wheel, or hover over a highlighted server to view its name and location, and left click to connect to your chosen server. Despite that the map of servers is aesthetically pleasing, it is somewhat awkward to use. To access a specific location in North America, it is necessary to map to that region of the map, zoom in far enough so that the location indicators aren’t overlapping, and hover over each indicator to find the location you require.
However, there is a more typical list of countries sorted in alphabetical order too. This enables you to scroll to the country you require, click, and connect to the best available server in that location. Tap More and Nord will offer a complete list of servers in that country, sorted by city or unique server ID. Users can also enter the name of a city in the search box, and Nord will display a list of servers located there.
Nord offers Speciality lists that display relevant servers for certain tasks such as P2P activities, accessing Onion over VPN, Double VPN, or using a dedicated IP. The lists work similar to the standard list, simply click on the list and let the VPN select the best connection available. Or, you can browse the complete list and select a server manually.
Unfortunately, Nord has replaced its Favorites list with a Recent list that displays your 10 recently used locations. Despite that this feature is likely enough for most users, we would like to see the service offer both a Favorites and a Recents feature.
Switching between Nord servers is easy; simply click o a different location, and the service will automatically connect you to a new IP address. There is no need to close your current connection. Click the Disconnect button, and the service will display options to pause the VPN connection for five, ten, or fifteen minutes. If you need to use a site or service that does not support a VPN, simply Pause the VPN, and the client will disconnect. When you are finished, click Resume to restore the connection. However, there is no need to worry about reconnecting to the servers; NordVPN will automatically reconnect you after your chosen timeframe.
IPVanish does things slightly differently. Its apps appear slightly more complicated than those offered by Nord, but they do come with extra features. The Windows client reveals a Quick Connect panel when launched. Click Connect, and the panel will display your chosen protocol, connection time, current IP address, and data used. The client even offers a real-time graph of the server’s upload and download speeds.
There is a more traditional list of servers too. A search box allows users to filter the list by a keyword and filter the list by country, response, or load time. You can also add servers to a Favorites list to display them at the top of the list. IPVanish allows users to select a location from the map too. The IPVanish map is somewhat easier to use when compared to NordVPN’s version. Double click on any location, and the service will automatically connect you to the optimal available server.
The Settings section of the IPVanish Windows client offers a host of configurable features. You can choose to switch between IKEv2, SSTP, L2TP, PPTP, OpenVPN TCP, and UDP VPN protocols. The kill-switch is not automatically activated on the IPVanish Windows client; this means that it is necessary to turn it on manually to ensure you are always protected.
NordVPN offers one of the most popular Android apps on the market. The provider boasts more than 10 million downloads and a 4.2 rating on Google Play. Setting up Nord’s Android app is easy; simply click install, allow the app to download, and launch it.
The Android app opens to reveal a world map displaying available locations on the top of the screen and a locations list on the bottom. The map operates in the same way as the desktop version; just pinch to zoom in on your desired location and tap a market to connect. The app offers a simpler locations list too that is sorted alphabetically.
The app also features smart auto-connect options that allow you to set up the app to automatically connect when you access an unsecured network or untrusted location. The client does not include an integrated kill-switch. Still, it is possible to set one up by enabling “Always-on VPN” and “Block connections without a VPN” to provide an additional layer of privacy protection.
Nord’s Android version even supports the provider’s new NordLynx protocol, as well as OpenVPN TCP or UDP, depending on your privacy preference. There is also the option to set up a customized DNS connection and enable split-tunneling to allow certain apps to run outside of the VPN tunnel.
IPVanish offers a well-designed Android app that features a simple Quick Connect panel displaying your current IP address and location, chosen country or city, and a Connect button for a quick connection. The app automatically selects the best available server in terms of speed and proximity, but you can also choose your destination country or city or a specific server with a few clicks.
Like the IPVanish desktop version, the Android app displays a real-time graph of your upload and download speeds, new IP address, location, connection time, and more. The location picker option is somewhat simple, but there is also the option to select servers by city or country. However, there are no ping or load time indicators, a Favorites or Recents list. Instead, users are required to scroll through the list manually.
The IPVanish Android app offers a range of configurable settings, including the option to create an OpenVPN UDP or TCP connection, as well as a Scramble feature to hide your use of a VPN.
Nord offers an extensive range of user support guides. However, it can be somewhat difficult to locate the relevant article, which can be frustrating if you want to resolve an issue quickly. IPVanish also offers detailed guides that offer useful information. The support section of the website is also easier to navigate.
When it comes to live customer support, both IPVanish and Nord excel. No matter which provider you choose, you can expect a helpful reply to your queries in a matter of minutes.
Hi, I'm Cliff. I'm based in Cleveland, Ohio, with my wife and two kids.
I have a keen interest in cybersecurity and have been writing about it for around a decade now. Due to my background in computer science, I am familiar ...
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