IVPN Review

IVPN is a pretty basic yet extremely effective VPN located in Gibraltar. The software is devoid of any fancy and flashy features, but everything it has to offer works flawlessly. The price does come off as a bit steep for what’s basically a pretty bare-bones VPN, but less is definitely more on some occasions, especially if everything is done right. The most prominent selling point of IVPN is its incredible speed, which is among the best we’ve ever seen. 

Our comprehensive IVPN review will tell you all there is to know about the company and its service. By the end of the review, you’ll have enough information to decide if this provider fits your online security needs. 

Interface

The IVPN client is pretty unassuming and minimalistic, which makes it ideal for VPN beginners. It provides you with information about your entry and exit servers and current connection, including status, duration, and client/server IP addresses. The top right corner features a cog icon that opens up a settings menu. On the very bottom, there is a slider that turns the VPN firewall on or off. The main window also allows you to pick between a single-hop and multi-hop connection. 

The aforementioned firewall also doubles as a killswitch and protection against DNS leaks. One of the peculiar features is the option to leave the firewall on even if you’re not running your VPN client. This is certainly helpful in all those situations when you accidentally connect to the Internet without turning on your VPN. 

Performance And Reliability

As we already mentioned at the beginning of our IVPN review, the VPN features some amazing connection speeds, as proved throughout our extensive testing process using different servers. The results were somewhat better on the European servers. We did not experience any tedious fluctuations, speed drops or sudden disconnects, so we can definitely say IVPN is one of the fastest VPNs out there.

We did not detect any IPv4/6, WebRTC or DNS leaks during our testing either. 

Additionally, we also managed to connect to Netflix US with IVPN, which is excellent news for all dedicated streamers. 

Multi-Platform

IVPN covers all the mainstream platforms, including Windows, Mac OSX, iOS, Android, Linux/GNU, and more. It also supports NAS and DD-WRT routers. The official website features a ton of comprehensive guides that’ll help you set up the software for your particular device or platform. 

Features

First of all, IVPN features servers in 29 countries of the world. The servers are tactically placed in Europe, Hong Kong, Canada, and the US. The apps are very easy to use and even beginners can set them up in mere minutes. The software supports up to 5 simultaneous connections, which is more than enough to cover all the devices you might be using at any given moment. The company nurtures a very P2P-friendly attitude but kindly requests that its customers avoid US-based servers for torrenting. 

IVPN allows full access to all of its servers and provides its users with unlimited speed and bandwidth, so the only limits to your speed and traffic will be those imposed by your ISP. 

One of the most impressive features offered by IVPN is definitely its ultra-fast (double) multi-hop, which allows you to create a “chain” of VPN servers and route your data between two servers instead of one. Additionally, the company owns and operates its own DNS servers, which guarantees no leaks. Finally, IVPN never oversells servers in order to avoid potential overcrowding, which means there’s always bandwidth on tap. 

Security And Privacy

Security and privacy are where IVPN really gets to shine. The company’s “paranoid” encryption, as they call it, uses AES-256 cipher paired with RSA-4096 handshake and HMAC SHA-1 authentication. It also features DHE perfect forward secrecy that generates a new encryption key every single hour. 

The company is located in Gibraltar, which is a British Overseas Territory that features no mandatory data retention laws. This enables the company to incorporate a strict no-logging policy. However, we aren’t quite sure if Gibraltar falls under the scope of the Fourteen Eyes alliance. True, the UK has very little influence over internal affairs in Gibraltar, but the territory still lies under the kingdom’s sovereignty and jurisdiction. 

When it comes to connection protocols, IVPN provides its users with OpenVPN and L2TP/IPsec. Of course, we recommend going with OpenVPN since it’s the most secure VPN protocol today. The aforementioned AES-256 cipher, which is literally unbreakable by modern computers, is an inherent part of OpenVPN. 

As we already mentioned, IVPN doesn’t have a dedicated killswitch feature, but its reliable firewall basically does the same thing. The firewall is an even better solution since it can protect you even when your VPN is switched off. 

Support

IVPN features 24/7 user support provided either through a live chat on the official website or the company’s email system. The support team is very professional and knowledgeable and they will provide you with actionable answers to all your questions. Note that the live chat feature isn’t available 24/7 but only during regular working hours. 

The site also features a rich FAQ section alongside a comprehensive list of step-by-step setup guides, so you might want to check those pages out before contacting user support.

Pricing Options

IVPN features only one price for all your devices, which is determined by the length of your subscription. The service is charged: 

• Monthly – 15.00$/month 
• Quarterly – 13.33$/month (40.00$ billed quarterly) 
• Annually – 8.33$/month (100.00$ billed annually) 

As we previously stated, the prices do look a bit steep, but IVPN comes with a free 3-day trial period, which is more than enough time to determine if the software works for you before buying it. It also features a full, no questions asked 7-day money-back guarantee. 

IVPN Pros And Cons

As we wrap up this IVPN review, here’s a quick overview of the features that wowed us and the aspects of the service that could use some improvement.