IVPN Review: How Valuable is this Provider from Gibraltar?

VPNs play an integral role in a user’s day-to-day prolific digital activities. Hence, one must heed the importance of technology. However, many incumbent providers are plying the field in hopes of quick success. Although we regularly warn our readers to avoid any suspicious vendors, netizens often wonder how to distinguish a subpar VPN from others. Towards this issue, we regularly cover a wide range of such products that include both up-and-coming providers and the old guard. Thus, our IVPN review provides an unbiased and open evaluation positive to our readers.

Albeit unknown, we came across the vendor and prepared a detailed examination to aid our visitors. Therefore, if you are one of those looking to employ IVPN services, we implore you to first glance at this review. This will surely help you with your predicament and ensure you make the right decision.

Disclaimer: The following write-up is a subjective representation of the writer. We do not endorse any exclusive products, nor do we condone the use of one illegally. User discretion is advised.

A quick look at IVPN

IVPN, albeit small, is a name that associates itself with privacy and security. It is a relatively transparent company that evokes trust in the user. Although, the service is undoubtedly costly at $8 per month. The company hails from Gibraltar and doesn’t fall under any subsequent data retention jurisdiction. The provider offers a network of 70+ servers and practices a strict no-logging policy. Furthermore, the vendor has taken corresponding steps to set itself apart from the competition. It is one of the most private VPNs on the market and boasts of being the most transparent, too.

Be it an independent audit, open-source apps, or information on the top brass, the company has dealt with everything in an above-board manner. However, it loses big on the streaming front, which reduces its value for money. Also, it doesn’t have the most attractive speed. All this, combined with the steep monthly price of $8, the lowest possible, turns away most customers. Thus, it is a VPN with a highly restricted clientele.

This price can get lower while delivering more. For instance, one of the leaders in the industry, ExpressVPN, charges around $6 per month, and it comes equipped with all the latest features and security measures. Hence, IVPN has a long way to go if it wants to succeed in the VPN arena. The sole selling point of enhanced privacy can’t keep it going, especially at such sky-high prices.

IVPN data at a glance

Features	IVPN
Bandwidth	Unlimited
Connection speed	59 Mbps
Logging policy	Zero-logs VPN
Data leaks (WebRTC, IPv6, or DNS)	None
Jurisdiction	Gibraltar
Number of servers	70+
Available IP Addresses	225+
Server locations	29 countries
Streaming	Not viable
Torrenting	Allowed
Number of simultaneous connections	7 for pro / 2 for the standard plan
Obfuscation	Available
Customer Support	Live chat but not 24/7
Cheapest price	$8.33 per month for pro / $5 for the standard plan
Money-back Guarantee	30-day money return warranty
Official website	ivpn.net

Features of IVPN

Now let us look at the numerous perks IVPN has to offer.

Servers, location, and performance

The provider has over 200 IP addresses and 70+ servers located in nearly 30 countries. Although it is a relatively small network, it can get the job done. On the anti-censorship front, the vendor uses the Obfsproxy tool to bypass restrictions. However, this critically slows down the internet. Yes, the service favors torrenting as the servers are P2P optimized (except the US ones), but the middle-tier speed doesn’t help. The VPN is not adequate for streaming. Moreover, it fails to bypass most geo-blocks, and even if it does, the connection is not stable and suffers from slow speeds.

Privacy and security

IVPN is transparent and a privacy-centric service. It is one of the most private VPNs on the market. Furthermore, it has been audited independently and hails from Gibraltar, away from the prying eyes of the Five Eyes Alliance. It doesn’t log any PII (Personally Identifiable Information) such as:

• Traffic
• DNS request
• Connection timestamps
• Bandwidth
• Any account activity

It is a strict no-logs VPN. And the same was verified by the security auditing firm Cure53 in March 2019. Plus, IVPN is very secure—its apps are open source and updated, a testimony to transparency and security. It also uses the most stable protocols on the market, including OpenVPN and WireGuard. For encryption, it relies on the industry-standard 256-bit AES. Although the VPN comes with a few advanced features such as anti-tracking tech and multi-hop, the pricing leaves a shadow on the services offered.

The security features are as follows:

• VPN protocols — IKEv2/IPSec, L2TP/IPSec, OpenVPN (TCP/UDP), WireGuard
• VPN encryption — AES-256
• Security — DNS leak blocking, First-party DNS, IPv6 leak blocking, supports TCP port 443, VPN kill switch
• Advanced features — ad blocker, double VPN (multi-hop), SOCKS5 proxy, split tunneling

Customer Support

IVPN offers decent Customer Service and helpful online materials and guides. It also provides installation tutorials and a live chat feature. You can connect with their representative via mail too if you prefer. The only drawback is that the live chat isn’t available 24/7. It’s also key to know that IVPN doesn’t use e-mails for accounts, so you can remain anonymous.

Apps and platform support for IVPN

The VPN can run on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. It also supports routers and IoT (Internet of Things) devices. But there are no native apps for routers or Linux. Similarly, it doesn’t have exclusive applications for IoT devices, so users must rely on manual installation. The browser extensions are missing too. Thankfully, the apps are attractive and easy to use.

IVPN pricing and subscription models

IVPN is expensive despite the fact it came out with a relatively cheaper “standard” plan. It’s still costly given the limited functionality of the service. However, IVPN is revolutionary as it accepts cash for payment. But the catch is that the user has to apply for the annual plan. Furthermore, it permits paying with cryptocurrencies and the traditional methods.

The standard version is below average as it further reduces the efficiency of the app. It limits the simultaneous connection to two per plan and doesn’t offer additional features. On the other hand, the pro version comes equipped with port forwarding and seven simultaneous connections. However, there is a money-back guarantee in place. The plans are as follows:

• Pro version
  • 1 week @ $4 per month
  • Monthly plan @ $10 per month
  • 1 year for $100
  • 2 years for $160
  • 3 years costing $220
• Standard version
  • Weekly plan @ $2 monthly
  • Monthly plan @ $6 per month
  • Yearly plan for $60
  • 2-year plan priced at $100
  • 3-year plan costing $140

Verdict

The IVPN is a decent product if your primary concern is privacy and security. However, it is costly and doesn’t come with enough advanced features. Although the VPN has done the basics right, it lacks an all-around performance. The apps are well-designed and sophisticated enough to be well-liked by beginners and advanced users alike.

You gain something with torrenting support, but the mediocre speed and unreliable streaming performance will render users away. The obfuscation techniques are good but slow. The VPN is for those who care about privacy and won’t satisfy the mainstream public. Finally, it is too costly to try out, as a free trial is absent. We can recommend the VPN to some curious users, but overall it has a lot of work to do.