- 3000+ servers in 94 countries (160 locations)
- Fast obfuscation on all servers
- Unblocks Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, Crave TV, Hulu, CNN, etc.
- Based in the British Virgin Islands
- 2000+ servers in 75+ locations
- Unblocks Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, Crave TV, Hulu, CNN, etc.
- SOCKS5 Proxy for better torrenting
- Based in the United States
ExpressVPN and IPVanish are similarly matched in offering extensive server locations, robust encryption, and securing your online experience.
However, they also differ in their pathways to encryption protocols, simultaneous connections, and proprietary technology for improved security, among other things.
Thus, it’s essential to have a comparison guide that deep-dives into both VPNs and helps you make the better choice.
So, read on to find out how these reliable VPN services compare against one another.
Before getting complete comparisons, check the table below for the comparison criteria and a sneak peek of which VPN placed first in each category.
| ExpressVPN | IPVanish | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Privacy & Jurisdiction | British Virgin Islands | United States | ExpressVPN |
| Security and Encryption | 256-bit AES encryption, automatic obfuscation on all servers/protocols | 256-bit AES encryption | ExpressVPN |
| Logging Policy | No-logs (Audited twice) | Shady no-logs (audited once) | ExpressVPN |
| Countries & Servers | 3000+ servers in 160 locations across 94 countries | 2000+ servers in 75+ locations | ExpressVPN |
| Supported Protocols | OpenVPN (TCP & UDP), Lightway (TCP & UDP), IKEv2, L2TP/IPSec | OpenVPN (TCP & UDP), WireGuard, L2TP, SSTP, IKEv2 | ExpressVPN |
| Speed & Performance | Fastest on US - New York server (15.8Mbps) | Fastest on US - New York server (14.3Mbps) | ExpressVPN |
| Gaming | Low ping, DDoS protection, faster speed | Lower ping, DDoS protection, fast speed | IPVanish |
| Torrenting | P2P support on all servers & Port forwarding on router | P2P support on all servers & SOCKS5 proxy for torrenting | IPVanish |
| Media Streaming | Unblocks Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, CNN and more. MediaStreamer for Smart TVs/gaming consoles | Unblocks Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, CNN, Amazon Prime and more | ExpressVPN |
| Multi-platform compatibility | Apps for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, Amazon Kindle Fire/Fire TV | Apps for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, Amazon Kindle Fire/Fire TV | Tie |
| Simultaneous connections | Five (5) | Unlimited | IPVanish |
| Customer support | Live chat, email, social media, tutorial guides, tutorial videos | Live chat, email, phone calls, tutorial guides, tutorial videos | Tie |
| Usability | User-friendly, easy-to-use apps | Clumsy apps | ExpressVPN |
| Best Deal | Here | Here | ExpressVPN |
ExpressVPN vs. IPVanish: Which VPN Is the Best?
I spent a few weeks on this comparison guide to determine the best VPN for speed, privacy, security, and online protection. I also compared both VPNs under other unique features that improve the user experience and overall security model.
At the end of the extensive tests, I chose the headings below for an in-depth dive into what both VPN providers offer.
So, let’s discuss which VPN fares better than the other.
Privacy and Jurisdiction
VPN providers must be true privacy champions so we can trust our data to them. It’s also essential they’re based in privacy-friendly countries, lest our data be seized by their government.
On top of that, I considered other privacy parameters like data logging policies (or lack thereof). Here’s what I found.
Jurisdiction
ExpressVPN has its headquarters in the British Virgin Islands, a privacy-friendly location. Also, the British Virgin Islands isn’t in data-sharing agreements with any country, nor is it part of any alliance (such as the Five/Nine/Fourteen Eyes alliance).
However, IPVanish VPN sets up shop in the USA, the heart of the 14 Eyes countries.
This means they can be served with a user data request accompanied by a gag order, preventing them from informing the suspect or everyone else.
This is a problem in a data-invasive location with strong laws like the USA. However, a strict no-logs policy can help them get out of this bind.
So, let’s see what the data logging policy on both ExpressVPN and IPVanish holds.
ExpressVPN’s Logging Policy
ExpressVPN has always maintained that it’s a no-logs VPN service.
The VPN provider also has a privacy page that details the information it never collects about users. Some of these are:
- Browsing history
- Activity logs
- VPN-assigned IP address
- User’s actual IP address
- Connection logs
- VPN usage duration
Likewise, ExpressVPN is open about the information it collects about users.
Note that most of the information in this category is provided by the user or used anonymously to improve the VPN service.
For example:
- Name, email address, physical address, and other account information you provided on sign up
- App crash report summaries sent to ExpressVPN to help troubleshoot problems
- Aggregated app usage data collected from an anonymous pool of random users to understand how the VPN works and improve it further
Fortunately, you can sign up for ExpressVPN with a fake name, burner email address, and enter a random physical address. So, they won’t have the correct information about you on file.
In fact, you can choose to pay for ExpressVPN with bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. That way, not even your payment information is logged on file.
Still, claiming a no-logs policy and verifying it is one thing.
So, I was glad to find two reputable security audits (from Cure53 and PwC) certifying ExpressVPN’s no-logs claims.
On top of that, it’s vital to recall a 2017 Turkish event where authorities seized some ExpressVPN servers but couldn’t find any user data.
In fact, to prevent a security breakdown where some of your data may be written to a physical drive, ExpressVPN created an in-house TrustedServer technology.
In layman terms, your data is NEVER written to a physical drive, even for a picosecond.
IPVanish’s Logging Policy
There’s a lot to unpack under IPVanish’s logging policy, even if it claims it has a no-logs policy too.
For starters, IPVanish was once outed for complying and providing user data to US authorities.
The interesting part of that exchange was that the VPN provider only got a summons from the court, not a compelling request to provide the data.
Likewise, IPVanish didn’t get a gag order, so it could have announced the news in its own words before a Reddit user leaked it.
To be fair, the accused was being investigated for distributing child pornography. At vpnAlert, we always remind users that a VPN isn’t a tool to commit and hide crimes but to safely access the unfiltered internet.
Likewise, in our guide to the police and VPN companies, we mentioned that VPN providers could choose to cooperate with the police if they’re convinced a user is committing serious crimes on their servers.
Still, it would’ve been better if IPVanish revealed this incident themselves.
At the time of breaking the news in 2018, though, IPVanish was acquired by StackPath. The StackPath team reassured users that the issue occurred under former management, and they re-audited the servers internally before purchasing the VPN brand.
However, there was no independent audit to back the claim up.
By 2019, IPVanish changed ownership to J2 Global, under which an independent security audit was approved in 2022.
Interestingly, there are some discrepancies in the audit timeline and IPVanish’s privacy policy statement.
For starters, Leviathan Group (a reputable cybersecurity firm) completed its audit in March 2022. In the published report, Leviathan group mentioned that IPVanish was truly no-logs, considering only
- User traffic
- Internet session content
- Destination addresses
- IP address
- Distinctive port numbers
However, Leviathan also noted that IPVanish logged:
- Session duration data: includes connection times and duration
- VPN client IP address
- Traffic volume
Also, Leviathan Group mentioned that this logged data is consistent with the IPVanish privacy policy.
I checked the privacy policy page, and IPVanish claims to not log any user data.
That was confusing since I don’t think a large firm like Leviathan would make such a mistake. So, I did a little digging and saw that IPVanish updated its privacy policy page by May 2022. This is two months after the security audit!
In other words, the company was audited for its no-logs but hasn’t been audited for not logging your session duration times, your VPN client IP address, or traffic volume.
To double-check, I looked for an IPVanish blog post on its no-logs policy.
It was carefully worded to show what it doesn’t log. Still, it doesn’t mention IP addresses, connection timestamps, session duration, and volume.
So, I can safely believe it logs that data till it proves otherwise in an audit.
Thus, it’s no wonder I choose ExpressVPN as the landslide winner in this section.
Besides being in a data and privacy-friendly BVI, it’s also serious about its data logging policies and has everything checked with independent audits.
In fact, as mentioned, some ExpressVPN servers in Turkey were seized by authorities who searched and found no user data on them.
This puts ExpressVPN further ahead of IPVanish since it has independent audits and real-life scenarios to back up its no-logs claims.
| Winner: ExpressVPN. Based in the British Virgin Islands, it doesn't have a shady no-logs claims either | Follow-up: IPVanish has been involved in a data scandal, and its audits aren't consistent with the privacy policy page either | |
|---|---|---|
| Criteria: | ExpressVPN | IPVanish |
| Does it store activity logs? | No | No |
| Does it store session data? | No | Yes |
| Does it record the user's IP address? | No | Yes |
| Does it record VPN-assigned IP address? | No | Yes |
| Ever handed user data to authorities? | No | Yes |
| Has it been audited? | Yes, twice (Cure53 and PwC) | Yes, once (Leviathan Security) |
| Where is it located? | British Virgin Islands | United States |
Security and Encryption
ExpressVPN and IPVanish come fully equipped with AES 256-bit military-grade encryption and protocols for improved privacy and security.
They both offer OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols, but that’s as far as their similarities go.
Both VPN providers also take unique approaches to tunneling under obfuscation to bypass harsh censorship and VPN traffic blockers.
So, let’s discuss these security and encryption features and see how they compare.
ExpressVPN’s Tunneling Protocols
ExpressVPN developed an in-house Lightway protocol that works over UDP and TCP connections for lightning-fast speeds (UDP) and industry-standard security.
It also provides OpenVPN (UDP and TCP), IKEv2, and L2TP/IPSec tunneling protocols.
If you’re in doubt, you can select the Automatic setting, and ExpressVPN’s systems choose the best protocol based on:
- Where you’re connecting from
- The server you’re connecting to
- What you’re doing on the internet
- The device you’re using
The Lightway protocol was built from the ground up by ExpressVPN instead of using WireGuard. According to the VPN provider, Lightway takes advantage of WireGuard’s strengths and fixes its weaknesses, such as:
- Not allowing obfuscation
- Trusting connected peers and revealing user IP address
- Storing IP addresses on a server
- Not assigning IP addresses dynamically
- Support for TCP
When Lightway launched, it offered very fast obfuscation that beat WireGuard’s speeds and eclipsed obfuscation speeds from most other VPN providers.
For total transparency, ExpressVPN commissioned an independent audit of its Lightway protocol and even released the code so it could be publicly monitored and verified.
However, you don’t get the OpenVPN and L2TP/IPSec protocols on ExpressVPN’s iOS app. Still, you can do so much with the available Lightway (UDP and TCP) and IKEv2 connections.
IPVanish’s Tunneling Protocols
IPVanish offers WireGuard, IKEv2, SSTP, L2TP, and OpenVPN tunneling protocols. You also get an Automatic protocol selection like ExpressVPN.
Likewise, you get obfuscation with a Scramble feature on IPVanish, which can only be enabled on OpenVPN connections. I also noticed you could only toggle between UDP and TCP when using OpenVPN, unlike ExpressVPN, which also has that on its Lightway protocols.
Interestingly, IPVanish also provides the SSTP connection protocol, noticeably missing on ExpressVPN. However, ExpressVPN used to support this protocol till recently due to:
- Preferred compatibility with Windows devices and poor compatibility with other OSes
- Limited configurability
Likewise, there are claims that SSTP is owned by Microsoft, another American company. It’s challenging to believe your internet activity won’t be logged over its servers.
Switching to the mobile side, IPVanish only allows WireGuard, IKEv2, and IPSec. OpenVPN is obviously missing, so you don’t get obfuscation with IPVanish on mobile.
Again, ExpressVPN offers obfuscation on all servers, using any protocol, on any device you have the VPN running on.
ExpressVPN and IPVanish Leak Tests
Your VPN may assign you an IP address, but if the online servers you interact with still see your old IP, the new IP is worthless.
So, leak tests are essential to ensure your internet traffic is routed via the VPN server network before reaching the target destination.
Otherwise, your IP, DNS, and WebRTC details are leaked to the servers you’re communicating with.
Let’s see how both providers fare under leak tests.
ExpressVPN Leak Test Results
I connected to ExpressVPN from multiple server locations and under various protocols.
My IP/DNS/WebRTC details didn’t leak during these tests.
Thus, I’m confident the tunneling protocols and encryptions are strong enough against actual IP detections.
However, I didn’t have access to an IPv6 connection for this test, but I don’t doubt that ExpressVPN works fine on that too.
IPVanish Leak Test Results
I also tested IPVanish from a few locations and under different protocols.
Luckily, I didn’t get any IP or DNS leaks during my tests.
So, I’m confident in its tunneling and encryption protocols.
Rest assured that any server you connect to while using these VPNs will think you’re browsing from the remote server location.
Again, I didn’t have access to an IPv6 network for this test.
Still, there’s no doubt that IPVanish protects against leaks on those networks.
Kill Switch
You get a kill switch with IPVanish and ExpressVPN. They’re also similar in that they offer the kill switch on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Android but not iOS devices.
However, the kill switch is built into the iOS app code, automatically enabling it anytime you connect to a remote server.
ExpressVPN’s kill switch is called Network Lock, preventing your device from transmitting data to the internet whenever it loses connection to the VPN remote server.
On IPVanish, you also get an option to block LAN traffic when the VPN connection drops.
Fortunately, ExpressVPN does the same.
Likewise, the customer support agent I checked with reminded me that Network Lock doesn’t work if you disconnect the device.
Furthermore, ExpressVPN’s Network Lock has an extra setting where local connections to file servers and printers aren’t disrupted.
IPVanish has something similar in the PC app to block or allow local network interfaces when connected to the VPN.
So, another tie there.
Other Security Features
Each VPN provider codes other advanced security features into its app.
Looking at ExpressVPN, you get:
- Threat Manager: The threat manager blocks trackers and malicious sites from hijacking your sessions, monitoring internet traffic, or deanonymizing you. It’ll also block your apps from sharing data with third-party trackers.
- IP Address Checker: To check whether your device is reaching web servers with its actual IP address or the VPN assigned IP address.
- DNS Leak Test: Confirms that your DNS requests are getting routed via ExpressVPN’s Private DNS technology to prevent leaks.
- WebRTC Leak Test: Checks for WebRTC leaks which may also expose your IP address if not contained.
- Password Generator: Create secure passwords for your online accounts with a single click.
IPVanish, on the other hand, has a VPN On-Demand security feature.
This can be configured to automatically connect you to a secure server whenever:
- You’re browsing over a cellular network
- You’re browsing over (manually added) untrusted Wi-Fi networks
- You’re browsing specific websites
That’s such an impressive and specific configuration you don’t get on ExpressVPN.
Likewise, IPVanish brings two extra toggles for IPv6 and DNS leak protection.
While those are great, I believe it should be a function of the kill switch and shouldn’t need additional settings.
Overall, this is a tricky section to judge, but ExpressVPN pulls forward by a hair.
This is primarily due to building its own Lightway protocol for faster speeds and security, offering obfuscation on all servers/protocols, and bringing obfuscation to mobile users.
| Winner: ExpressVPN. ExpressVPN offers a faster in-house protocol, brings obfuscation on mobile, and better additional security features | Follow-up: IPVanish is also impressive at security but doesn’t offer mobile obfuscation. No in-house protocols either | |
|---|---|---|
| Criteria: | ExpressVPN | IPVanish |
| Protocols? | OpenVPN (UDP & TCP), Lightway (UDP & TCP), IKEv2, L2TP/IPSec | WireGuard, OpenVPN (UDP & TCP), IKEv2, SSTP, L2TP |
| Obfuscation? | On all servers and protocols | On OpenVPN with Scramble |
| Kill switch? | Yes (Network Lock) | Yes |
| Obfuscation on mobile? | Yes | No |
| Security additions? | Threat Manager; IP Address Checker; DNS/WebRTC leak test; Password Generator | VPN On-Demand; IPv6 protection; DNS leak protection |
| In-house protocol? | Yes (Lightway) | No |
| IP/DNS/WebRTC leak tests? | Passed | Passed |
Countries, Server Locations & Servers
ExpressVPN is the hands-down winner in this section for offering more servers in locations and regions where IPVanish isn’t even present.
To start, ExpressVPN’s haul of 3000+ servers is more impressive than IPVanish’s 2000+ servers.
IPVanish doesn’t disclose how many countries it has servers in, but it mentions 75+ locations.
Note that locations are usually lesser than the general countries where these servers are, so ExpressVPN’s presence in 94 countries puts it way ahead.
But, there’s more. IPVanish claims only 75+ locations globally, whereas ExpressVPN has servers in about 160 locations.
With ExpressVPN’s server reach over IPVanish, you have a better chance of:
- Beating DDoS attacks
- Avoiding server overcrowding
- Connecting to choice locations
- Browsing the web locally over a VPN
Speaking of browsing the web locally, ExpressVPN has another ace up its sleeve.
A peek at the general ExpressVPN server locations shows presence in:
- Asia Pacific
- Americas
- Europe
- Oceania
- Middle East
- Africa
Whereas on IPVanish you only get:
- Asia
- Americas
- Europe
- Oceania
This means you can’t secure the web and browse locally in Africa or the Middle East with IPVanish.
By extension, you can’t unblock banking applications, local TV shows, or other regional content based in those countries when connecting via IPVanish.
On top of that, gamers looking for DDoS protection in those regions can’t choose a server closer to them. So, they risk high ping, higher latency, and lower gaming speeds.
Fortunately, you never get any of such problems with ExpressVPN’s nicely distributed servers.
So, it’s no surprise that ExpressVPN is the winner, and by a mile!
| Winner: ExpressVPN. ExpressVPN has more servers, covers more locations, and is present in more countries | Follow-up: IPVanish doesn’t have any servers in the Middle East and Africa at all, but ExpressVPN does | |
|---|---|---|
| Criteria: | ExpressVPN | IPVanish |
| Servers? | 3000+ | 2000+ |
| Countries? | 94 | Undisclosed |
| Locations? | 160 | 75+ |
| Coverage | North America, South America, Oceania, Asia, Europe, Middle East & Africa | North America, South America, Oceania, Asia, Europe |
Speed and Performance
Speed is a strong suit of ExpressVPN, so it’s already the favorite in this comparison. But does it ride on its legacy to win these speed tests, or does IPVanish have a super speed trick up its sleeve?
Follow through with my extensive speed tests on both VPNs to find out which is faster.
Is ExpressVPN or IPVanish Faster?
Since both VPNs don’t have the same protocols or servers in the exact locations, I designed the speed tests to be as equal as possible.
Thus, for ExpressVPN:
- I chose the Lightway (UDP) protocol since it’s the fastest for ExpressVPN.
- I tested the VPN speeds across two server locations (Canada – Montreal, and the US – New York).
- I repeated the test via both locations for obfuscation using my PC (since Lightway – UDP is also an obfuscation protocol).
And, for IPVanish:
- I chose the WireGuard protocol since it’s the fastest.
- I tested the VPN speeds across Canada – Montreal and the US – New York server locations.
- I switched to OpenVPN (UDP) on PC and enabled Scramble mode to test for obfuscation speeds.
- I repeated the test across the exact server locations for obfuscation.
Note that I switched to PC for the obfuscation tests since IPVanish doesn’t offer obfuscation on mobile. Thus, I could keep it equal between the two providers.
Besides finding which of the VPNs was faster, I also wanted to know how much of a connection drop I’ll get when connected. So, I took a benchmark speed test without connecting to any VPN server.
Now that you know how I structured these tests for equality, you can find the results below.
ExpressVPN Speed Test Results
ExpressVPN showed its ability to bypass ISP throttling and the promise of ultra-fast servers by getting better scores than my benchmark tests.
When I re-tested the same servers for obfuscation, I got almost the same pings and similar speeds.
Overall, I didn’t get a speed drop on any of these servers.
Likewise, the ping values are low enough to entice gamers and content streamers.
| Server Location | Protocol | Ping (ms) | Download speed (Mbps) | Upload speed (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US – New York | Lightway – UDP | 301 | 15.8 | 9.02 |
| US – New York | Lightway – UDP (obfuscation test) | 198 | 12.47 | 8.14 |
| Canada - Montreal | Lightway – UDP | 226 | 15.3 | 8.75 |
| Canada - Montreal | Lightway – UDP (obfuscation test) | 217 | 14.82 | 5.40 |
Does this mean you’ll always get better speeds than your benchmark values without a VPN?
No.
If you’re on ultra-fast networks, you might see a slight drop as ExpressVPN tries to keep up with those speeds. However, the connection drop will be so negligible that you won’t notice it when streaming or surfing the web.
IPVanish Speed Test Results
The IPVanish speed tests revealed something I didn’t notice earlier, but we’ll get to that in a minute.
For now, it’s impressive that IPVanish got better than my benchmark speeds in New York under the WireGuard protocol. However, it doesn’t keep up that performance for Canada.
Still, I didn’t lose too much of my benchmark speeds, so no concerns.
That said, ExpressVPN is way faster than IPVanish on its WireGuard connection. This is even with ExpressVPN having obfuscation enabled by default.
Likewise, IPVanish’s servers were getting higher ping values from the exact location as ExpressVPN. The pings aren’t too high for comfort, but they’ll make a difference in high-intensity games.
The results of my IPVanish speed tests can be seen in the table below.
| Server Location | Protocol | Ping (ms) | Download speed (Mbps) | Upload speed (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US – New York | WireGuard | 307 | 14.3 | 7.9 |
| US – New York | OpenVPN (UDP) + Scramble | |||
| Canada - Montreal | WireGuard | 309 | 9.48 | 9.31 |
| Canada - Montreal | OpenVPN (UDP) + Scramble |
Switching to OpenVPN (UDP) and enabling Scramble for obfuscation revealed that IPVanish’s obfuscation either doesn’t work correctly or at all.
I tried with all the available ports but couldn’t connect to the internet.
Likewise, I reached out to the customer support agents who asked me to try New York as it’s a stable location.
However, I had already connected to New York for the test, which didn’t work.
I could briefly browse the web once I changed to TCP (instead of UDP), but my actual IP address was showing, so I knew it wasn’t active.
After some time, the TCP kicked in, and I couldn’t browse the web anymore.
Even customer support recommended I uncheck Scramble to get back online.
Since it’s common knowledge that obfuscation will reduce network speeds even further, it’s safe to say that ExpressVPN takes the lead again.
I tested the Scramble feature again, weeks after compiling this comparison guide.
It seems IPVanish pushed out a working update but the feature is WAY TOO slow for comfort.
So, my stance on ExpressVPN winning this category hasn’t changed.
| Winner: ExpressVPN. ExpressVPN got better ping values, and impressive speeds with obfuscation enabled | Follow-up: IPVanish’s obfuscation isn’t ready to go and may be glitchy on most occasions. Still, it doesn’t rival ExpressVPN on speed | |
|---|---|---|
| Criteria: | ExpressVPN | IPVanish |
| Fastest Protocol? | Lightway (UDP) | WireGuard |
| Highest Ping? | 226ms | 309ms |
| Fastest speed in the US – New York? | 15.8Mbps | 14.3Mbps |
| Fastest speed in Canada - Montreal (Download)? | 15.3Mbps | 9.48Mbps |
Gaming: Ping, Latency, and DDoS Protection
Gamers want servers with low ping, low latency, and high speeds.
Likewise, DDoS protection is vital as many gamer-hackers would direct a botnet army to mess with your IP address and boot you off gaming servers.
So far, I’ve used ExpressVPN to play games like:
Still, I checked and tested ExpressVPN and IPVanish to see which performed better for gamers overall.
Find out the results of those tests below.
Ping and Latency
I chose a server across the shared major locations for ExpressVPN and IPVanish.
The chosen locations and specific servers are:
- Asia – Tokyo (Japan)
- North America – USA (New York)
- South America – Argentina
- Europe – UK (London)
- Oceania – Australia (Sydney)
I set the fastest protocol to get the best results since gamers need the best speeds. Thus, I enabled Lightway (UDP) for ExpressVPN and WireGuard for IPVanish.
With that, check the ping and latency results for both VPN service providers below.
Latency Results
The table below shows the specific locations I tested from and what ping values I got across each VPN provider.
| ExpressVPN | IPVanish | |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo (Japan) | 528ms | 517ms |
| USA (New York) | 445ms | 333ms |
| Argentina | 512ms | 456ms |
| UK (London) | 171ms | 168ms |
| Australia (Sydney) | 542ms | 478ms |
In all my tests, IPVanish got better scores than ExpressVPN.
This should be surprising since ExpressVPN was the fastest in the speed tests above. However, because you get obfuscation on all ExpressVPN’s ultra-fast servers, it’s impressive that it stays this close to IPVanish.
Likewise, remember that we have 1.5x more servers to test and choose from with ExpressVPN.
If you’re gaming from the Middle East or Africa or want to join a gaming guild, ExpressVPN’s servers in those locations would also be the better choice.
After all, IPVanish doesn’t have servers in those areas.
DDoS Protection
A DDoS attack requires your actual IP address to which a botnet is directed.
Thus, preventing you from accessing the entire internet or specific platforms such as gaming servers.
Fortunately, ExpressVPN offers DDoS protection on all its servers, under any protocol.
So, if a hacker discovers your VPN-assigned IP address and tries to DDoS you, they’ll have ExpressVPN’s robust systems to contend with.
Likewise, IPVanish offers DDoS protection on all servers in your subscription bundle.
Thus, you don’t have to pay extra to add this security feature.
Therefore, under latency and ping alone, IPVanish is the better VPN of the duo. When we bring DDoS protection into the argument, there is no tie-breaking. Overall, I’ll give this section to IPVanish.
| Winner: IPVanish. With DDoS protection on all servers and relatively better pings than ExpressVPN, IPVanish wins here | Follow-up: ExpressVPN doesn’t do badly with pings either. Likewise, it offers DDoS protection on all servers too | |
|---|---|---|
| Criteria: | ExpressVPN | IPVanish |
| Test protocol? | Lightway (UDP) | WireGuard |
| Highest ping? | 542ms | 517ms |
| Lowest ping? | 171ms | 168ms |
| DDoS Protection? | Yes | Yes |
Torrenting (P2P Support & Speed)
You shouldn’t download torrents without a VPN if you don’t want to get into the crosshairs of copyright trolls.
Your ISP may also see your internet traffic, and it’s required by law to hold that data for a relatively long time. So, it knows the torrent sites you’ve been on and what you downloaded.
Likewise, some ISPs are notorious for bandwidth throttling when you’re transferring a large amount of data, like when you’re torrenting.
On top of that, certain countries like the Netherlands block access to popular torrent download websites.
Thus, you need a reliable VPN to torrent safely, legally, and securely.
So, is torrenting possible with ExpressVPN and IPVanish? Time to find out!
Can You Torrent With ExpressVPN?
ExpressVPN’s obfuscation on all servers makes it great for torrenting since your ISP and copyright trolls can’t see what you’re doing online nor block your VPN traffic. Thus, they can’t come after you with any claims.
I didn’t mention earlier that ExpressVPN has P2P support on all servers.
Thus, you get extra speed boosts when torrenting and connecting to peers.
Also, ExpressVPN is an excellent unblocking VPN, so you always get access to your favorite torrent sites, even if they’re restricted in your region.
On top of that, the Network Lock kill switch ensures your IP data never leak to the government, your ISP, and copyright trolls. This is important when downloading large files that take a while, as the connection may drop.
However, ExpressVPN doesn’t offer port forwarding except on the router app. So, you can’t take advantage of extra speeds from port forwarding to download torrents.
But it’s fast, so you might not notice the difference.
Can You Torrent With IPVanish?
IPVanish has the ideal recipe for torrenting, combining:
- P2P-supported servers
- SOCKS5 proxy servers
- Some kind of port forwarding
Of course, we already established that IPVanish isn’t as fast as ExpressVPN. Although, it’s not slow itself. Still, it won’t naturally get the same torrent download speeds as ExpressVPN.
That said, IPVanish supports routing your torrent traffic through its ports on the VPN network for better download speeds. This is also on P2P servers, protecting your online privacy while granting you better speeds.
However, IPVanish doesn’t offer the traditional port forwarding – not even on its router app, like ExpressVPN.
IPVanish vs. ExpressVPN Torrent Test Results
I downloaded the same file while connected to ExpressVPN and IPVanish (separately).
For this test:
- I enabled Lightway (UDP) on ExpressVPN
- I chose WireGuard protocol on IPVanish
- I connected to a P2P-supported location in Spain for both VPNs
- I enabled the SOCKS5 proxy on IPVanish and repeated the test
- I chose the same 243MB copyright-free file to download
When using SOCK5 Proxy, I set up IPVanish for my uTorrent client as described by IPVanish in an official blog post.
Before connecting to either VPN or using their services, I downloaded the chosen file with my standard connection to get a benchmark.
My benchmark tests got me a download time of 8 minutes and 32 seconds.
My max download speed came in at 1.2MB/s, while the average download speed was 488.4kb/s.
With that in mind, find the summary of the other torrent tests in the table below.
| VPN Provider | Protocol | Download time | Avg. Download Speed | Max. Download Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ExpressVPN | Lightway (UDP) | 9 minutes, 26 seconds | 488.4kb/s | 1.2MB/s |
| IPVanish | WireGuard | 8 minutes, 14 seconds | 502.2kb/s | 1.4MB/s |
| IPVanish | SOCKS5 Proxy | 7 minutes, 25 seconds | 571.1kb/s | 1.5MB/s |
IPVanish fared better than ExpressVPN in both tests even though both VPNs matched or got better than my benchmark maximum torrent download speeds.
However, ExpressVPN didn’t beat my average benchmark download speed.
Likewise, IPVanish’s extra SOCKS5 proxy option came in handy, as it got the best time, highest download speed, and highest max download speed.
IPVanish is the clear winner here. ExpressVPN does come close, but it lost to the extra torrent support from IPVanish and speeds from the exact server location.
| Winner: IPVanish. IPVanish got the better torrent download speed. With SOCKS5 Proxy, you get even better download speeds | Follow-up: If you want to set up port forwarding for torrenting, ExpressVPN has it on the router app, while IPVanish doesn't | |
|---|---|---|
| Criteria: | ExpressVPN | IPVanish |
| Max download speed? | 1.2MB/s | 1.5MB/s |
| Avg. download speed? | 433.3kb/s | 502.2kb/s |
| Port forwarding? | Yes (Router app) | No |
| SOCKS5 Proxy? | No | Yes |
| P2P Support | All servers | All servers |
| Fastest torrenting protocol? | Lightway – UDP | WireGuard |
Media Streaming
Besides all the serious stuff, you also need a VPN that continually unblocks access to streaming services and geo-blocked media content.
Even for available platforms in your region, you need a VPN to get the best content. For example, Netflix US has the most extensive library, and some of the juicy content isn’t available anywhere else in the world.
That’s why I checked how applicable ExpressVPN and IPVanish are for unblocking media content.
Let’s find out the results!
ExpressVPN and Media Streaming
ExpressVPN is a household name for unblocking content.
In fact, some of the services with harsh restrictions I’ve unblocked with ExpressVPN include:
On top of that, ExpressVPN has a MediaStreamer free add-on to unblock and stream content from your smart TV and supported gaming consoles that can’t use a native VPN app.
However, you only get the content unblocking promises here without the security and protection features of a VPN.
Still, that’s excellent support to unblock preferred content on other streaming devices.
Likewise, ExpressVPN’s ultra-fast servers make it possible to unblock and stream content in up to 4K quality. So, don’t worry about settling for low video/audio quality over a VPN.
For this comparison and test, I took ExpressVPN through another round of unblocking tests.
Here, I checked for two things:
- How well ExpressVPN unblocks specific libraries for general services like Netflix.
- How well ExpressVPN unblocks access to location-specific services like Crave TV (for Canada), Voot (for India), and CNN (for the US).
You’ll find the results of these tests below.
ExpressVPN Netflix Test
I searched for the titles Arrow, Major Dad, and Final Account on Netflix since these titles are all:
- Unavailable in my region
- Exclusive to the USA
Thus, it wasn’t surprising I didn’t get any of those titles to show up on Netflix.
So, I connected to a US server location on Netflix and tried again.
The results of those tests (hint: they were successful) can be seen in the screenshots below.
I made sure this wasn’t a one-off by checking the two other titles in my test basket.
So, for Arrow:
And, for Final Account:
I also never got any lags or buffering when streaming this content in HD quality.
Only Major Dad had a relatively lower quality, which is understandable since it’s an old series shot on lesser quality equipment.
However, I noticed that Netflix might not allow you to sign in from a location different from where your account was registered.
I understand that, given the different pricing plans for other regions.
So, here’s how I got around the issue on PC:
- Opened Netflix in my browser and logged in BEFORE connecting to ExpressVPN.
- Exited the Netflix tab in my browser.
- Launched ExpressVPN and connected to my preferred server location.
- Cleared my browser cache.
- Re-opened the Netflix website tab in my browser.
- Got access to the new location’s library.
Suppose you connect to the VPN before logging in. In that case, you might get a password error which is Netflix trying to let you know your account isn’t registered for that region.
Likewise, suppose you don’t clear the cache. In that case, some cookies and other browser data might tell Netflix what your original location is.
So, the VPN doesn’t work to unblock content.
ExpressVPN CraveTV Test
Crave TV is only available in Canada, so I got the following geo-block when I tried to stream the service from my country.
I connected to ExpressVPN’s Toronto server and unblocked Crave TV with ease.
No time during my streaming tests did the video lag or buffer, so I’m sure the Canadian servers are plenty fast.
ExpressVPN Voot Test
Voot is only available in India, but I wanted to see if I could get it from another region.
While the website was available, I couldn’t stream any content and was getting hit by the error below.
So, I connected to an Indian server location via the UK on ExpressVPN (more on this later) and tried again. It worked!
I’m fascinated by ExpressVPN’s server transparency, as it lets me know where the Indian virtual servers are routed through.
For example, the recommended Indian server (which unblocked Voot for me) is an Indian virtual server based in the UK.
Why do you need virtual servers for streaming?
Well, it will take your browser a long time to reach Indian servers, unblock the content, and send it back to you. That depends on where you are and how far from India you are.
Likewise, Indian servers will mostly get crowded by many other users who want to unblock local content in the region.
Thus, ExpressVPN provides virtual locations to solve such problems.
That way, you get better connection speeds by connecting to an ordinarily slow location (such as India) via a faster place (such as the UK).
Genius, right?
And it worked for streaming Voot since I didn’t get any buffering on top of the unblocked content!
ExpressVPN CNN Test
CNN will let you watch some free clips on its website from almost anywhere in the world. For the live videos, though, you have to be in the US.
Thus, I connected to an ExpressVPN US server and tried again.
True to form, I could stream CNN Go live, access all the programs in the catalog, and didn’t experience buffering.
In fact, the streaming rates I managed assured me I could get CNN in 4K with ExpressVPN.
IPVanish and Media Streaming
IPVanish does well at unblocking content too. Still, remember it doesn’t have servers in the Middle East and Africa. So, you’ll have no luck unblocking content specific to those regions with IPVanish.
I also noticed a lack of SmartDNS service with IPVanish.
Thus, the only way to unblock and stream content on devices without a native VPN app is to set up IPVanish on your router.
It’s worth mentioning that ExpressVPN also has a router app.
And it offers a smart DNS service via MediaStreamer.
To not rule out IPVanish too fast, though, I took it through the same unblocking tests as ExpressVPN.
Let’s see how it fares.
IPVanish Netflix Test
I tried the same titles (Major Dad, Final Account, and Arrow) as I did with ExpressVPN for an equal playing ground.
The good news is I got all three unblocked with the first US server I connected to on IPVanish.
Here’s Arrow unblocked with IPVanish.
Then, I tried Major Dad.
Finally, I tried to unblock Final Account.
All through, I had no buffering or lag.
Besides being excited by the buttery smooth unblocking, I’m also glad you have even more USA servers to unblock Netflix from in case one doesn’t work.
IPVanish CraveTV Test
IPVanish also unblocked Crave TV via its Canada remote server location.
I streamed a few videos on Crave for a while with no buffering.
The video quality did switch around, but it never got grainy, so I don’t have anything against IPVanish here.
IPVanish Voot Test
IPVanish continues its impressive form with quick Voot unblocking.
The video failed at the start like Voot was trying to determine if I’m genuinely streaming from India. However, I didn’t get that issue once the video started playing.
IPVanish CNN test
Finally, I tested IPVanish on CNN Go and wasn’t disappointed.
I instantly unblocked the live video and got access to the re-runs of episodes on other main CNN shows.
Overall, IPVanish is evenly matched with ExpressVPN in unblocking major content providers. I’m impressed that they’re both fast with this unblocking too.
Considering the extra streaming support ExpressVPN has via its MediaStreamer, though, IPVanish loses out here.
Regardless, it’s an excellent streaming VPN. But when it comes to unblocking media content on devices without a native VPN app, ExpressVPN has improved utility.
| Winner: ExpressVPN. Besides unblocking content on PC and mobile devices, it has a MediaStreamer for smart TVs and gaming consoles | Follow-up: IPVanish is also excellent for unblocking content, but you'll need the VPN router for devices that can’t use a native VPN app | |
|---|---|---|
| Criteria: | ExpressVPN | IPVanish |
| Unblocks Netflix? | Yes | Yes |
| Unblocks Crave TV? | Yes | Yes |
| Unblocks Voot? | Yes | Yes |
| Unblocks CNN Go? | Yes | Yes |
| Media streaming add-ons? | Yes (MediaStreamer) | No |
Multi-Platform Compatibility
ExpressVPN and IPVanish have native apps for mobile and PC.
Within this circle, they provide support for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Chromebook, and Linux devices.
Still, there’s much to unpack in how these two support multiple platforms differently.
I’ve presented all my findings in the following headings.
ExpressVPN’s Multi-Platform Compatibility
The table below shows the platforms and devices on which you can get a native ExpressVPN app.
| Platform | Devices/OS |
|---|---|
| Mobile | Android, iOS, Kindle Fire |
| PC | Windows, Linux, Chromebook, Mac |
| Others | Routers, Fire TV, Fire Stick |
While ExpressVPN brings all its protocols to the PC apps, OpenVPN and IPSec are noticeably missing from the iOS mobile app.
Likewise, ExpressVPN supports only OpenVPN (TCP and UDP) and L2TP on its Chromebook VPN app.
However, the only protocol missing from the router is IPSec/L2TP.
I want to assume the provider tested the various protocols and only retained the best ones for each platform.
That said, let’s see how IPVanish manages here.
IPVanish’s Multi-Platform Compatibility
Interestingly, ExpressVPN and IPVanish support the same broad range of devices. You’ll find the similarities in the table below.
| Platform | Devices/OS |
|---|---|
| Mobile | Android, iOS, Kindle Fire |
| PC | Windows, Linux, Chromebook, Mac |
| Others | Routers, Fire TV, Fire Stick |
However, there are differences in the protocols you get on these units.
For example, you have only OpenVPN on the Chromebook and routers.
On iOS, you get neither of the OpenVPN protocols.
So, while both VPNs work fine on many platforms, you get more connection options with ExpressVPN.
In this regard, ExpressVPN is the better compatible VPN across multiple devices.
But the scales shift again when we enter the simultaneous connections argument. Find out below!
Simultaneous Connections
IPVanish offers unlimited simultaneous connections, miles ahead of the five devices you can connect on a single ExpressVPN subscription.
Plus, IPVanish doesn’t throttle your bandwidth on any of the connections, so you keep enjoying its relatively fast servers.
The only way to get this much out of ExpressVPN is to set up the VPN on your router. Since the router counts as just one device, you can connect many more devices to it.
However, that requires all devices to be in a single location, a supported router, and may overload the router too. In short, IPVanish’s out-of-the-box offering just works better.
In fact, this is enough to claw back the lead that ExpressVPN got under the supported platforms above. So, this one ends in a tie.
| Winner: Tie. ExpressVPN offers more protocols across supported devices, but IPVanish supports more devices overall | Follow-up: ExpressVPN’s router app can increase the number of connected devices, but IPVanish’s unlimited offering is better | |
|---|---|---|
| Criteria: | ExpressVPN | IPVanish |
| Supported mobile devices? | iOS, Android, Kindle Fire | iOS, Android, Kindle Fire |
| Supported PC units? | Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook | Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook |
| Other supported units? | Routers, Fire TV/ Fire Stick | Routers, Fire TV/ Fire Stick |
| Chromebook protocols? | OpenVPN (UDP & TCP) and L2TP | OpenVPN |
| Router protocols? | Lightway (UDP & TCP), OpenVPN (UDP & TCP), IKEv2 | OpenVPN |
| Simultaneous connections? | Five (5) | Unlimited |
Customer Support
Before and during these comparison tests, I reached out to the customer support agents at ExpressVPN and IPVanish.
I tested both providers’ live chat and social media support channels.
I also dug up tutorial videos and articles that could save me some time speaking with an agent.
So, which VPN provider has the better customer support? Find out below.
Live Chat
You don’t have to log in to your account to get customer support via live chat on ExpressVPN and IPVanish.
This is great for new users who have inquiries before committing to a paying plan. It’s also nice that you don’t have to enter your login credentials on untrusted computers to make a request, lodge a complaint, or reach out for anything else.
On top of that, the customer support agents on both sides attended to me quickly.
Just like its servers, ExpressVPN’s agents were the fastest.
In fact, they sometimes texted me first once I opened the live chat interface. Meanwhile, I’m usually assigned a Queue position of 1 and promptly attended to with IPVanish.
Sounds like a slight difference, but it counts.
Moving on, ExpressVPN’s customer support agents seemed to know more about their VPN than the IPVanish guys.
I say this because I had to wait longer for some answers on IPVanish than with ExpressVPN. However, that takes nothing away from the quality of responses and advice I got from both providers.
So, in the little things, ExpressVPN takes a narrow lead here.
Social Media Support
I’m not a fan of social media support since it’s not instant.
However, if that’s the only source available, ExpressVPN states you can DM for support on Twitter.
I also tried this support channel, and even though it took some hours, I got a response.
Going over to the IPVanish official Twitter channel, I see it prefers you to shoot it an email for support instead.
I’ve never been a fan of email support channels since it can take a long time to get responses. However, both VPN providers promise a reply in the first 48 hours of getting your request.
Note that the 48-hour timeframe is a blanket to give the VPN provider enough time to get back to you. Most times, it’ll be faster than that.
Tutorial Guides and Videos
A robust library of support videos and articles makes it easier to troubleshoot problems on your own rather than contacting support.
So, I checked to see what these VPN providers have.
With ExpressVPN, a rich troubleshooting section contains information about almost any general inquiries.
In fact, you get device-specific troubleshooting guides on top of the general support articles.
But that’s not all. A peek at the ExpressVPN YouTube channel shows an active presence and library of helpful videos.
Besides troubleshooting the app, you get valuable insights on making the most of your VPN.
In contrast, IPVanish has older videos on its YouTube channel, with the earliest published 11 months ago.
Still, I looked through and saw it covers the basics of using its app and some troubleshooting guides.
Likewise, IPVanish ties ExpressVPN with its quality, depth, and breadth of support articles.
Almost nothing you’re looking for on the general VPN or specific to your chosen platform isn’t covered here yet.
However, while it looks like both VPN providers will be tied in this section, IPVanish has an extra ace up its sleeve.
Other Support Channels
You can call IPVanish support staff on the phone if you’re not with a computer for live chat or simply prefer the call option.
Of course, the VPN provider doesn’t have a number for all countries.
But it manages fine with phone numbers in major regions.
I contacted IPVanish support and confirmed that the USA line is toll-free. However, you’ll incur carrier charges to speak with IPVanish over the phone via any other numbers.
Thus, you’re racking up some serious phone bills if you’re calling the support lines internationally or have to hold for a long time before an agent is available.
Fortunately, the US number is toll-free from outside the US too.
Likewise, you only get these phone line support channels between 9am – 5pm CST. On the contrary, live chat support is available 24/7 and costs you nothing.
Overall, they tie on those fronts because IPVanish and ExpressVPN are almost evenly matched in live chat and email support.
ExpressVPN pulls ahead with social media support but IPVanish claws back with phone support, which is non-existent with ExpressVPN.
So, a tie is only befitting here.
| Winner: Tie. Both VPN providers are matched in the speed, quality, and depth of their various support channels | Follow-up: ExpressVPN offers Twitter social support, while IPVanish's users can call in to speak with a support staff | |
|---|---|---|
| Criteria: | ExpressVPN | IPVanish |
| Live chat? | Yes | Yes |
| Social media support? | Yes | No |
| Email support? | Yes | Yes |
| Tutorial guides? | Yes (in-depth) | Yes (in-depth) |
| Tutorial videos? | Yes | Yes |
| Phone support? | No | Yes |
User Experience and Usability
A good VPN app must be easy to use and navigate.
Otherwise, all the premium security and privacy benefits it brings will be a headache to use.
I tried the ExpressVPN and IPVanish apps across mobile (iOS) and PC (Windows) to see how they fare.
My findings are detailed in the following sections.
ExpressVPN Apps (Windows and iOS)
ExpressVPN keeps things reasonably simple and similar on iOS and Windows apps.
If you don’t know what you’re doing with the VPN, clicking the big power button automatically connects you to:
- The best protocol
- The best/fastest country
- The best/fastest location in that country
- The best server in the chosen location
This smart location feature means you can start getting unblocking features, data privacy, and online security from the VPN in a one-tap click setup.
If you’re interested in tweaking the settings, the PC app opens up the settings and location feature in a side-by-side tab.
I’m also fascinated by the PC and mobile app’s explanatory headings that show you where everything is. In fact, you can get everything done with a maximum of two taps under each settings sub-dashboard.
However, you’ll notice that ExpressVPN has OpenVPN (UDP and TCP) and L2TP/IPSec protocols missing on the mobile app.
I suppose the VPN provider only chose to retain its propriety Lightway and IKEv2 since they work best on mobile.
On top of that, the mobile and PC apps feature in-built support sections.
So, you can get all the help you need without leaving the app.
On top of that, ExpressVPN makes navigating its app in 16 languages easier if English isn’t your first-choice language.
Though that’s not all the languages in the world, you get the major ones to start with.
Finally, the PC and mobile app provide added security features discussed above. So, an IP address checker, DNS/WebRTC leak checker, and password generator.
When you’re done with the VPN session, disconnecting from ExpressVPN and relegating it to the background is just as easy as connecting.
IPVanish Apps (Windows and iOS)
IPVanish has a clumsy iOS and Windows app. So, it takes time to get them working fine.
For starters, the PC app wildly differs from the iOS app.
Thus, you’ll have to relearn it rather than transfer the knowledge of one onto another.
On top of that, it opens to a world-map-like scene instead of instant access to locations to connect from.
You’ll even have to double-tap on the preferred location to connect when you’re on the location screen.
I once single-tapped and clicked the “Fastest Available” in the panel above, thinking that got me the fastest location.
Instead, I got another random server, currently the fastest on IPVanish.
Once you figure that out, though, you get smoother sailing in the app.
Moving on, you must enable several things to use obfuscation on IPVanish.
For example,
- You first have to switch to OpenVPN.
- You need to choose whether to connect using UDP or TCP.
- You need to select a preferred port.
- You need to enable Scramble.
Whereas connecting to any ExpressVPN server grants you obfuscation on mobile and PC.
Still, you don’t get the OpenVPN protocols on IPVanish’s iOS app.
All you have there are WireGuard, IKEv2, and IPsec.
Furthermore, there aren’t additional details on the security features that come with the app.
Taking “Alternative Connection” on mobile, for example, I don’t have any idea what it does. ExpressVPN, on the other hand, does a fine job of explaining what each feature does inside its apps.
However, I like that IPVanish’s mobile locations screen allows you to choose a preferred server in your preferred remote location.
Tap on the server count on the right of the screen, and you’ll get a list of arbitrarily named servers.
Most of the time, though, I only tap the central location, and it automatically assigns the best server there.
Finally, you’ll also get customer support access inside the iOS and PC apps.
We’ve already established that IPVanish is up with ExpressVPN in the support game, so you’re in good hands with these clickable links.
Still, ExpressVPN is the neater, easier to navigate, and easier-to-use app.
You get into the app and have everything explained in bare terms.
Without a doubt, ExpressVPN is the winner here.
| Winner: ExpressVPN. The ExpressVPN apps are pretty the same across mobile and PC, and they're easy to navigate too | Follow-up: The ExpressVPN app is also self- and well-explanatory, with a unique user interface for better interactions | |
|---|---|---|
| Criteria: | ExpressVPN | IPVanish |
| User-friendly app? | Yes | Not really |
| Great for beginners? | Yes | No |
| Well-explained settings/features? | Yes (PC and mobile) | PC app only |
| Similarly built across platforms? | Yes. Retains single design | No. Tries multiple app designs across platforms |
| Learning curve? | Simple | Relatively steep |
Pricing, Plans, and Deals
Almost every time ExpressVPN comes against any other VPN provider on a price basis, it loses for being costlier.
Does that change here?
Follow through as I discuss the pricing tiers from each provider to help you save money and exclusive deals to get you even better prices on your VPN purchase.
ExpressVPN Plans and Payments
ExpressVPN’s monthly plans are the most expensive, as is the general trend with VPN providers. There are deals on the bi-yearly and yearly plans, which make them a better financial decision.
Still, all of its price tiers are more expensive than IPVanish’s.
Granted, ExpressVPN went for a 6-month plan for its second level offering instead of the quarterly option on IPVanish. Even at that, the quarterly pick is better priced.
Fortunately, you can pay for ExpressVPN with flexible options like a credit card, debit card, PayPal, or via other payment providers.
In fact, you can pay with bitcoin and other cryptos for more anonymity.
IPVanish Plans and Payments
The most expensive plan on IPVanish is also the monthly plan, and it doesn’t cost as much as ExpressVPN.
Here, you get a quarterly plan instead of the 6-month offering on ExpressVPN. And, it’s cheaper compared to ExpressVPN’s plan.
When you get to the yearly plan, which has the best price, IPVanish throws in extra ransomware and malware protection via its VIPRE antivirus.
Already, this makes it an even better value-packed offering.
However, I’m slightly disappointed with the limited payment options of credit cards and PayPal on IPVanish.
Free Trials and Money Back Guarantees
IPVanish doesn’t offer a free trial of its services. But you can try the service risk-free for the first 30 days.
However, this is only available for:
- New users
- Users who don’t sign up via the iTunes store or other Apple programs
So, continue reading to find exclusive discount links that give you access to the full refund if you don’t like IPVanish’s services within 30 days.
Switching over to ExpressVPN, you get free trials on the mobile side, but the trials are dicey.
For starters:
- You can only get the free trial in some regions.
- The free trial lasts 7 days.
- You don’t get all the VPN features to test during these 7 days.
- Any purchase you make from this free trial is non-refundable.
- You can only use the free trial on one device.
Alternatively, you can get the 30-day risk-free trial which gives you:
- Access to all ExpressVPN’s features and servers.
- No bandwidth throttling.
- Support for all devices.
- Up to five devices connected under the same account.
- Router VPN software to connect even more devices.
- Full 30-day test period.
- Full refund if you don’t like the service.
The second sounds like a better option, so grab discount links to the 30-day risk-free trial below.
ExpressVPN and IPVanish Discounts
You can save more on your first IPVanish and ExpressVPN subscriptions while staying eligible to get a full refund after 30 days.
Grab these discount deals to get started:
- Grab ExpressVPN discounts
- Grab IPVanish discounts
Don’t forget to cancel your subscription and request a refund before 30 days if you don’t like the service.
However, if you’re hard-pressed for a provider to choose, I reccomend ExpressVPN.
Of course, it looks like the pricier option. But, consider:
- ExpressVPN has 1.5x more servers than IPVanish.
- ExpressVPN has servers in the Middle East and Africa, but IPVanish doesn’t.
- ExpressVPN has never been embroiled in a data logging scandal.
- ExpressVPN’s servers are lightning-fast.
- ExpressVPN offers obfuscation on all servers and all protocols.
- ExpressVPN’s obfuscation isn’t glitchy.
- ExpressVPN offers more security tools in its apps.
- ExpressVPN has the more straightforward to use apps.
Now, it’s easy to see that ExpressVPN offers the value you’re paying for, but you might be cheating yourself with IPVanish.
| Winner: ExpressVPN. Although the pricier option, it justifies the price by offering more value | Follow-up: IPVanish is missing a lot of critical areas and doesn't justify its price against ExpressVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Criteria: | ExpressVPN | IPVanish |
| 7-day free trial? | Yes | No |
| Money-back guarantee? | Yes (30 days) | Yes (30 days) |
| Plans? | 1-month, 6-month, 12-month | 1-month, 4-month, 12-month |
| Best plan? | 12-month | 12-month |
| Best deal? | Here | Here |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ExpressVPN or IPVanish Faster?
ExpressVPN is consistently faster than IPVanish on all servers and using any protocol. Under obfuscation, ExpressVPN is even quicker since this feature is automatically enabled on all its servers, yet it maintains impressive speeds.
Is ExpressVPN or IPVanish Cheaper?
ExpressVPN is more expensive compared to IPVanish at face value.
Still, ExpressVPN is the better value VPN when all offerings are considered.
ExpressVPN offers 1.5x more servers and more than 2x the server locations of IPVanish. Likewise, it provides obfuscation on all servers, has an easy-to-use app interface, and gets consistently better speeds than IPVanish.
So, Which VPN Wins These Rounds?
ExpressVPN is the clear winner in the majority of categories.
Besides being based in a privacy-friendly country, it’s also reliable for its no-logs policy, great for torrenting, gives stellar gaming speeds, and brings DDoS protection.
On top of that, it packs servers in more countries and offers obfuscation by default on all these ultra-fast servers.
However, I’m cutting IPVanish slack because coming up against a juggernaut like ExpressVPN isn’t easy. Thus, it still offers plenty of security in unique server locations, and you get relatively fast speeds.
Therefore, you can get started on either VPN with ExpressVPN discounts or IPVanish discounts that still qualify you for a 30-day money-back promise.
Protect private web traffic from snooping, interference, and censorship. All plans are covered by a no-hassle 100% money-back guarantee for your first 30 days of service.
