IVPN Review 2024: Before You Buy, Is It Worth It?

Decent and Consistent on Most Servers

I had good connection speeds when connected to a local server in the United States. While the IVPN connection to a UK server was also reliable, what impressed me most was that I could also connect to distant countries like Australia with decent speeds.

I particularly liked how IVPN provides a color-coded ping system that makes finding the fastest servers easy. My tests showed that the ping was accurate with the fastest speeds being on servers with green pings.

Speed Test Results

For the most part, browsing, streaming, and torrenting worked well for me. I conducted speed tests in each of the 32 countries where IVPN has a server to estimate the VPN’s average speed. I first tested my internet speed while not connected to an IVPN server to get a baseline. I had a download speed of 18.41Mbps and an upload speed of 12.68Mbps.

I saw an average 42% decrease in download speed from my baseline speed, which was impressive since it is not uncommon for VPNs to slow your speed by 50-80%. I then used IVPN’s ‘Fast Connect’ feature to connect to the fastest available server in Atlanta. I saw a 48% decrease in my download speed, which was decent for a local VPN server. I barely noticed any changes in my internet usage — I accessed the internet and watched Netflix without a hitch.

When I tried a server in France, I got a slightly faster download speed than I did in the US with just a 46% speed drop. Surfing the web, gaming, and downloading files went smoothly. My experience using the UK server was identical.

Lastly, I connected to one of the furthest servers from my location, a server in Australia. I was surprised to find that even though my latency was quite high, my download speeds only decreased by 27% when connected to a distant server in Australia. These speeds allowed me to seamlessly stream content and browse the internet without issues.

Is IVPN Fast Enough for Gaming? Yes!

IVPN short-distance servers are a great choice for online gamers who value a constant and reliable connection. The service’s speed is adequate, so it should work well for gamers who typically use an ISP with a speed range of 100 MB to 200 MB per second. Avoiding long-distance servers is the surest way to keep the game flowing smoothly.

While there isn’t an IVPN app for consoles, you can still use it on gaming devices by purchasing a router with the app already installed on it or manually configuring an authorized router. Another choice is to download the OpenVPN configuration files and manually set them up using a third-party program that supports OpenVPN. The second option was my pick for this particular gaming test.

Server Network — 100+ Servers in 32 Countries

IVPN has a small server network with roughly 100+ servers spread across 48 cities and 32 countries. With a main emphasis on Europe, Asia, and North America, IVPN has established servers in many important regions of the world. But there are obvious coverage gaps, particularly in Africa, South America, and the Middle East.

Despite this limitation, IVPN is present across 12 different cities throughout America as well as 2 prominent locations within the United Kingdom. Additionally, it maintains a strong presence within major nations such as France, Australia, Sweden, Spain and Italy among others to enhance its global reach.

IVPN sets itself apart from other providers by providing detailed information regarding its servers. You can find a wealth of information on its Server Status page, including the location of each server, its hostname, the load it is currently supporting, and who provides it. In addition, the application offers an option named “Fastest Server” which enables you to connect with the server that has the highest speed.

Unlike IVPN, CyberGhost will give you access to a wider range of servers. It currently offers an impressive selection of 11,780 servers across 100 countries, ensuring that you never run out of options when it comes to finding the perfect server for your needs.

Security — Many Advanced Features for Greater Security

IVPN’s robust security measures make it one of the most secure VPN services in the market. With a range of advanced security features, including military-grade encryption and multi-layered protection protocols, your sensitive data is always safeguarded from potential cyber threats.

By subscribing to IVPN, you will be able to avail of the following security feature for your benefit:

• Advanced Encryption Standard – IVPN uses AES-256, the most secure encryption algorithm. Breaking it is impossible even for supercomputers, so your browsing history and website visits are safe when connected to IVPN.
• Wireguard and OpenVPN – my macOS and Windows device is configured with WireGuard as the primary protocol, whereas OpenVPN can also be selected. Experts consider WireGuard to be the future of VPNs due to its strong encryption capabilities that ensure data security.
• Firewall/killswitch – this feature stops your Internet if it malfunctions to prevent data leakage. The Firewall can be always-on for added security even when the VPN client is off, making it a better option than a kill switch. Use the kill switch when online, especially in P2P file-sharing or sensitive activities.
• Obfsproxy option – this technique obfuscates VPN traffic to resemble regular internet activity, commonly utilized in countries with strict VPN limitations. Obfsproxy adds a security layer that makes it challenging for administrators to identify and restrict the VPN connection.
• Port forwarding – if you’re using applications that require open inbound traffic, the VPN server’s port forwarding feature can help. This feature forwards specific ports from the VPN server to your local device while ensuring proper encryption and routing through the VPN.
• Custom DNS servers – while most VPN services use their own DNS servers, IVPN gives you the choice of selecting custom DNS servers. This feature can be advantageous for those who prioritize privacy or security and want to employ a personal DNS server instead.
• Split tunneling – split tunneling routes some of your traffic through VPN while leaving other traffic to use normal internet connection. It’s useful for accessing local network resources and improving performance, as well as reducing load on the server.
• Multi-hop – when using a Multi-hop server, your traffic goes through 2 VPN servers for increased anonymity and privacy. However, this feature is only available with IVPN Pro and may slow down speeds.
• AntiTracker – IVPN’s AntiTracker stops ads, trackers, adware and malware while also protecting against snooping by social networks and data brokers. In the Hardcore Mode, heightened security measures are put in place by completely blocking all IP addresses and services associated with surveillance powerhouses such as Google and Facebook.

IVPN also has IPv6 and DNS leak protection. I tested this feature by connecting to various servers and then verifying that the VPN wasn’t leaking my exact location. Above you will find one instance where the IP address displayed matches the server I selected, making it appear that I am located in Georgia.

Privacy — Verified No-logs VPN

Thanks to its location, privacy policy, and ownership, IVPN is one of the safest VPNs available. The company’s headquarters is situated in Gibraltar, a British overseas territory on Spain’s southern coast. By virtue of its parliament and government, it enjoys almost complete internal autonomy. Gibraltar is therefore beyond the scope of UK intrusive jurisdiction.

In addition to having an excellent privacy policy, IVPN is transparent about which information is stored and deleted. Among other things, the VPN implements a no-logging policy, which means they do not record sensitive data such as user bandwidth, DNS requests, traffic logging, connection timestamps, or customer IP addresses.

The company doesn’t even request your name or email address. However, you may also enter your email address after registration if you want the VPN to be able to contact you or if you need to submit a support ticket.

By default, the VPN stores very little information about your account such as your ID number, date of registration, and the number of concurrent connections. It also keeps some payment records like subscription IDs and transaction IDs. It is necessary to store payment information to resolve refund issues, facilitate subscription renewals, and resolve other payment issues.

To avoid sharing your payment details, you can choose to pay using cash, Monero, or Bitcoin instead. It can generally take about 3 weeks for cash payments to reach their destination depending on where they come from.

Another useful feature is how IVPN employs a warrant canary page to alert you when government authorities send subpoenas and information requests. The page will remain on the website if no data requests are made. If it’s removed, it indicates that the VPN has received a notification from a government agency.

Additionally, IVPN has been independently audited by Cure53 in 2019. Cure53 uncovered nine vulnerabilities with varying severity levels, all of which were fixed immediately. Despite the identified flaws, Cure53’s report was nonetheless very positive, validating iVPN’s security.

Torrenting — Good Torrenting Capabilities

IVPN supports P2P file-sharing with some restrictions. Subscribers are advised not to use the company’s US servers for P2P activities since they are sensitive to DMCA requests. However, you can torrent on all the other servers. You don’t need to select special servers or take any extra steps. Just select a non-US server and you will be good to go.

My team and I do not support illegal torrenting, so I advise you to make sure any local laws and regulations are met before engaging in peer-to-peer file-sharing.

Does IVPN Work in China? Maybe!

There may be a chance for IVPN to work in China. As with streaming, IVPN makes no guarantees regarding its service’s operation in China. It supports obfsproxy in its Windows, macOS, and Linux clients, though I haven’t tested it in China since I do not reside there.

To get a better understanding, I reached out to the IVPN support team to ask about the possibility. A representative answered that it would depend on how restrictive the network was.

So if you’re using Linux, macOS, or Windows and you enable the obfsproxy option, there’s a possibility you’ll be able to connect but there’s no guarantee. If you plan on using a VPN in China, it is best to install it before you travel there. While non-government-approved VPNs are illegal in China, there have been no cases of tourists being penalized by the Chinese government. Choosing ExpressVPN is a better choice if connecting from China is crucial as it has been proven to bypass China’s “Great Firewall.”

IVPN provides customer support through live chat, email, and an extensive FAQ section as well as a troubleshooting guide. I found that IVPN’s live chat typically connected me with a customer representative within 15 seconds and the information provided was accurate. But note that the live chat service does not operate round-the-clock, and hours of operation are not provided. Furthermore, I tested IVPN’s email support numerous times and got a helpful and friendly response every time, which was very impressive.

IVPN can also be reached through their Twitter account or website message board. Rewritten text: These platforms are well-suited for addressing broad subjects. You’ll also find FAQs, privacy guides and installation instructions available for all supported platforms and applications if you prefer to solve your issues independently.

Overall, I received a satisfactory level of service, and the representative answered my questions clearly and thoroughly. In the event that support is unable to assist you, the IVPN knowledge base is filled with valuable and well-organized information.