- Faster than NordVPN
- 2,200+ servers in 75+ locations
- Offers a 7-day free trial on Android and iOS
- Downloads torrents faster
- Reliable security and privacy offerings
- Cheaper with more robust customer support
IPVanish and NordVPN launched in the same year (2012). Having spent over a decade in the VPN market, they’re doing something right to have lasted this long.
Even so, you don’t need both providers to get the best torrenting experience, content unblocking, streaming, and online privacy. For example, NordVPN posted better numbers for torrenting, while IPVanish took the win on simultaneous connections.
So, which is the best for your needs?
Let’s dive into this NordVPN vs. IPVanish comparison to see how they fare against one another.
IPVanish vs. NordVPN (Overview Table)
Short on time? Here’s a quick overview of the test criteria and which VPN performed better.
| IPVanish | NordVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Servers: | 2,200+ servers in 75+ locations | 5,700+ servers in 60 countries |
| Speed: | -4.2 Mbps drop | 7 Mbps drop |
| Protocols: | WireGuard, L2TP, SSTP, IPSec, IKEv2, and OpenVPN | NordLynx, OpenVPN (UDP) and OpenVPN (TCP), IKEv2 |
| Streaming: | YouTube TV, CNN Go, BBC iPlayer, NRK, France.tv | YouTube TV, CNN Go, BBC iPlayer, NRK, France.tv |
| Torrenting: | On all servers + no seeding | Only all servers + P2P-optimized servers + no seeding |
| Gaming: | 140 ms ping + 2.3% packet loss | 148 ms ping + 0% packet loss |
| Logs: | Verified no-logs policy | Verified no-logs policy |
| Security: | Obfuscation, kill switch, WiFi Protection, DDoS Protection | Obfuscation, kill switch, WiFi Protection, Double VPN, Threat Protection, DDoS Protection, Onion over VPN, Dedicated IP, split tunneling |
| Devices: | Android, iOS, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Chrome OS, Android TV, Fire TV | Android, iOS, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Chrome OS, Raspberry Pi, Oculus Quest, Android TV, Fire TV |
| Simultaneous Connections: | Unlimited | 6 |
| Customer Support: | 24/7 live chat | 24/7 live chat |
| Best Deal: | Get Offers | Get Offers |
Server Locations
IPVanish offers 2,200+ servers in 75+ locations compared to NordVPN’s 5600+ server haul in 60 countries. However, I’ve worked with enough VPNs to know that “locations” doesn’t equal “countries.” So, I counted and discovered that IPVanish’s servers are in 52 countries (as of May 2023), less than NordVPN’s coverage.
The additional locations refer to server cities within some countries. For example, you get IPVanish servers in
- Five Australian cities
- Three Canadian cities
- Three French cities
- Two Spanish cities
- Four UK cities and
- 20 US cities
IPVanish allows users to sort these servers by ping and load to always connect to the least crowded and fastest one.
This is missing on NordVPN, but it makes up for that by automatically connecting you to the fastest server on any location you click.
On the further upside for NordVPN, it uses RAM-based servers instead of IPVanish’s disk-based servers. This means NordVPN’s servers delete your session information the instant you disconnect from the server, while IPVanish’s server may retain such data for a while longer.
NordVPN and IPVanish tie on server area coverage with servers spanning North and South America, Africa, Oceania, and Asia. But even with their presence in these regions, they still offer some exclusive server locations to one another.
For example, NordVPN is missing a Peru server you can find on IPVanish, while IPVanish lacks a North Macedonian server that NordVPN has.
Does IPVanish or NordVPN Work in China?
NordVPN offers obfuscated servers, making it suitable to bypass the Great Firewall in China. In response, IPVanish offers “Scramble” to avoid VPN detection in China. Hence, bypassing the firewall.
However, NordVPN’s customer support admits that Windows PC users might struggle to use the VPN in China, even though it’s working on a quick fix to the problem. In the same vein, IPVanish’s Scramble feature was a hit-and-miss once I enabled it on Windows, sometimes killing my entire internet connection.
The worst part was that IPVanish’s OpenVPN protocols (for Scramble) sometimes failed to connect to the internet during my tests, even outside China.
This makes me doubt how well it’ll work in China too.
NordVPN offers more servers in more locations and countries than IPVanish. While both VPNs offer hit-and-miss obfuscation (only on Windows), IPVanish’s obfuscation protocol is more unreliable. So, NordVPN wins on sheer server coverage.
Is IPVanish Faster Than NordVPN?
IPVanish beat NordVPN on all the speed tests, except for one, even with NordVPN’s proprietary NordLynx enabled. I tested both VPNs across their comparable protocols, which bore new insights.
For starters, NordVPN’s protocols are:
- NordLynx
- IKEv2
- OpenVPN (UDP & TCP)
In contrast, IPVanish carries:
- WireGuard
- IPSec
- SSTP
- L2TP
- OpenVPN (UDP & TCP)
- IKEv2
For a fairer comparison, I compared both VPNs on similar protocols thus:
- NordVPN’s NordLynx against IPVanish’s WireGuard.
- NordVPN’s IKEv2 against IPVanish’s IKEv2.
- NordVPN’s OpenVPN (UDP) against IPVanish’s OpenVPN (UDP).
To get more comparable results, I chose the same three servers on both providers:
- USA – New York
- UK – London
- Canada – Montreal
Speed & Performance Tests
| US Server | UK Server | Canada Server | |
|---|---|---|---|
| IPVanish (WireGuard) | 14.1 Mbps drop | 7.9 Mbps drop | 17.4 Mbps drop |
| NordVPN (NordLynx) | 9.3 Mbps drop | 14.9 Mbps drop | 19.9 Mbps drop |
| IPVanish (IKEv2) | 2.7 Mbps drop | 7.2 Mbps drop | -4.2 Mbps drop |
| NordVPN (IKEv2) | 7 Mbps drop | 11.9 Mbps drop | 10.1 Mbps drop |
I abandoned the OpenVPN (UDP) tests as IPVanish blocked my internet once this protocol was enabled. This makes it less than ideal for obfuscation, as discussed above.
However, NordVPN worked seamlessly with this protocol and had no issues with the relatively slower OpenVPN (TCP) protocol.
That said, IPVanish was surprising during my IKEv2 test over the Canada server.
Rather than registering a speed drop, it added 4.2 Mbps to my base speeds.
Thus, showing that this VPN can bypass ISP throttling attempts to unlock true speeds!
NordVPN was slower than IPVanish on most servers and protocols tested. IPVanish also breezed past the base internet speed on a test. However, NordVPN wins for being more reliable on all protocols since IPVanish didn’t work via OpenVPN (UDP).
Streaming
NordVPN and IPVanish unblocked all the US and non-US streaming services I threw at them, namely France.tv, NRK, CNN Go, BBC iPlayer, and YouTube TV.
| Streaming Service | IPVanish Access? | NordVPN Access? |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube TV | Yes (Partial) | Yes |
| BBC iPlayer | Yes | Yes |
| CNN Go | Yes | Yes |
| NRK | Yes | Yes |
| France.TV | Yes | Yes |
The most significant difference between these two providers occurred during the YouTube TV tests. NordVPN unblocked access to all the channels I tested it with, but IPVanish faltered on some (such as the Formula 1 channel).
Besides this, both providers seamlessly handled HD and 1080p streaming with zero to no buffering. However, only NordVPN offers SmartDNS to unblock and stream content on your smart TVs, gaming consoles, and other devices that can’t download a native VPN app.
Netflix Tests
These VPNs are also robust providers to unblock the main US Netflix library and niche content libraries on the global streaming giant. I verified this by unblocking content across Netflix’s UK, German, and Japanese libraries.
| Unblocks: | Netflix US? | Netflix UK? | Other Netflix Libraries? |
|---|---|---|---|
| IPVanish | Yes (US - New York) | Yes (UK - London) | Netflix DE, JP |
| NordVPN | Yes (US - New York) | Yes (UK - London) | Netflix DE, JP |
I didn’t suffer any buffering or lag when watching The Lost Daughter on Netflix UK via IPVanish, or when streaming Gin Tama via NordVPN’s Japan server.
On top of that, both VPN providers unblocked the tested Netflix libraries with the first servers I connected to in the target region.
However, I liked that NordVPN offers a specialty P2P server section, making finding servers optimized for high-speed activities like streaming easier.
NordVPN and IPVanish unblock various streaming services, including Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Netflix, NRK TV, and France TV, without buffering or lag. But NordVPN is more reliable for services like YouTube TV and has dedicated P2P servers optimized for streaming. Hence, NordVPN wins this round.
Torrenting
NordVPN quickly impresses for torrenting with its P2P servers, which are optimized for faster downloads. IPVanish lacks such, and its customer support staff confirmed that I could simply try any IPVanish server for secure torrent downloads.
While they’re both different in this regard, these VPNs are similar in offering SOCKS5 proxies for faster torrent downloads. Note that this proxy server doesn’t provide encryption like a VPN does, but you won’t necessarily be without anonymity when downloading, either.
Another similarity between both providers is the shared lack of port forwarding. By extension, this means that they don’t allow torrent seeding.
NordVPN states security reasons for not offering this feature, but IPVanish doesn’t explain. Not that it needs to, anyway.
On top of that, I checked the providers’ torrenting policy, and they both kick against copyright infringement using their servers.
But besides what’s on paper, how do they compare in real-life torrent download tests?
P2P Tests
I connected to the recommended fastest server on both VPN providers to give them the best chance at success for this test.
For IPVanish, clicking the “Connect” button did the magic.
But for NordVPN, I clicked the “P2P” tag to get the fastest server there.
I also chose the fastest protocols for both providers since I have the speed test results from above. Hence, NordLynx for NordVPN and IKEv2 for IPVanish.
Once configured with the above parameters, I downloaded the same 130MB copyright-free file from The Pirate Bay on both providers, using the uTorrent client. This is an excellent place to mention that they’re compatible with BitTorrent, Deluge, Vuze, and other popular torrent clients.
Enough said. How did they perform?
| Average Download Speed | Max Download Speed | Download Completion Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| IPVanish | 73.7 KB/s | 130.6 KB/s | 30 minutes, 43 seconds |
| NordVPN | 148.2 KB/s | 1.5 MiB/s | 15 minutes, 22 seconds |
NordVPN took no prisoners in this test, shaming IPVanish’s fast protocols in the actual tests.
If anything, this shows that a one-lap speed test isn’t enough to determine which VPN will be faster in actual applications.
Both providers offer reliable torrenting support and keep copyright trolls/DMCA notices away. But NordVPN’s P2P servers make a difference, downloading twice as fast as IPVanish. Thus, NordVPN takes the crown here.
Gaming
I did a quick packet loss and ping test to get an overview of how these VPNs would fare for gaming:
| Server | Protocol | Ping | Packet Loss | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPVanish | UK - London | IKEv2 | 140 ms | 2.3% |
| NordVPN | UK - London | NordLynx | 148 ms | 0% |
While IPVanish did better with the ping, it fared worse than NordVPN on the packet loss side.
I believe this is due to the lack of an ad blocker on IPVanish, causing some data packets to get chewed up by these ads. After all, I saw zero ads when testing for NordVPN’s packet loss but got a few when connected to IPVanish.
But since the speed and torrenting tests already showed that we couldn’t trust numbers alone, I tested both VPNs with Asphalt 6 and GTA 5 Online.
These VPNs held their own on these games, but I was especially impressed with NordVPN’s buttery-smooth gameplay. It was almost like I wasn’t even playing over a VPN!
IPVanish had a few jitters at the start of each game, but nothing so severe as to cost me a win or mission.
NordVPN and IPVanish are both stellar gaming VPNs, recording almost similar ping and minimal to no packet loss. They also both perform similarly in real-world gameplay, with nothing separating them. Thus, thus round ends in a tie.
Privacy
NordVPN is based in Panama, one of the most privacy-friendly countries in the world. However, IPVanish is based in the United States, the heart of the 14 Eyes alliance. In other words, NordVPN can’t be forced to give up user data, but the US government can bear down on IPVanish to do so.
The good news is that IPVanish and NordVPN don’t collect more than your email address and payment details when you’re signing up. So, you can sign up with a fake name, address, and other details to protect your identity.
Speaking of payments, NordVPN gives you an extra layer of privacy with its cryptocurrency payment options. Unfortunately, IPVanish lacks such an option, which would have been a substantial privacy boost.
In short, NordVPN users can whip up a burner email, register with a fake name and pay with cryptocurrency to ensure the VPN purchase is never traced back to them!
On top of that, NordVPN ensures better privacy for its users with the Threat Protection feature, which keeps online trackers and malware at bay.
IPVanish doesn’t have an answer to that, and it also lacks an alternative to NordVPN’s Dark Web Monitor – another privacy feature I will discuss later.
Before then, let’s see how these providers’ logging policies compare.
Logging Policies
A quick look at the logging policies on both VPN providers yielded the table below:
| Traffic Logs? | Connection Logs? | IP Address? | Server Location? | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPVanish | No | No | No | No |
| NordVPN | No | No | No | No |
Before anything else, note that IPVanish has been caught in a data-logging scandal, cooperating with Homeland Security in 2016. This cooperation led to the provision of a customer’s:
- IP address
- Email address
- Connection timestamps (date and time)
- IPVanish server IP connected to
In contrast, NordVPN had only ever been involved in an incident where a hacker tried to take advantage of one of its servers, but failed to get any information. Since then, NordVPN has upgraded to RAM-based servers, which IPVanish has failed to do up till now.
But it’s not all bad news with IPVanish.
The VPN provider has been acquired by another company since that incident and audited for its no-logs claims by Leviathan, a respected security company, in 2022.
If this puts your mind at rest, wait till you learn that NordVPN has been audited at least four times:
- 2022 – Source code and systems audit by Cure53
- 2022 – No-logs audit by Deloitte
- 2020 – Second no-logs audit by PwC
- 2019 – Mobile and desktop app security audit by VerSprite
- 2018 – No-logs audit by PwC
This shows audits from four different companies, with two (PwC and Deloitte) in the Big Four audit firms!
It’s worth noting that neither VPN operates an open-source platform.
However, NordVPN pulls slightly ahead by offering its Linux VPN app, networking library, and some Meshnet frameworks under open-source licenses.
This further cements the provider’s transparency in allowing anyone to review its code to ensure it keeps to claimed privacy practices.
NordVPN is based in a more privacy-friendly location than IPVanish, has never been embroiled in data scandals, and has 5x more security audits. NordVPN is also open source on some platforms and offers cryptocurrency payments. In short, NordVPN wins by a landslide.
Security
NordVPN and IPVanish are evenly matched in their AES 256-bit encryption offerings, ensuring no one outside your network can see what you’re doing online.
I tested this feature using Wireshark, and it delivered gibberish output.
In other words, that’s the same thing anyone snooping around your network would see.
I moved on to IP/DNS leak tests, over which neither VPN disappointed.
For example, NordVPN only displayed the US IP address it assigned to me while I was connected to its server rather than exposing my actual IP address:
The same was true for IPVanish on a Canada server:
But this IP/DNS leak security only works when the VPN is active.
What happens when the VPN server connection drops? In that case, these VPNs have kill switches to terminate the internet connection. Thus, your online anonymity isn’t unraveled.
However, I noticed the lack of a kill switch on both providers’ iOS apps, even though it’s on their Android and PC apps. Luckily, that’s not an oversight.
Instead, they built the functionality into the system, automatically enabling it whenever you connect to any server on your iOS app.
I tested this by switching networks abruptly (cellular to Wi-Fi) while connected to both providers’ servers (one at a time). Their kill switches prevented data transmissions or leaks until the VPN connection returned.
This isn’t where security ends for both providers, though. There’s more in the following sections.
Public Wi-Fi Protection
You can get extra security and protection on public WiFi networks by connecting to NordVPN or IPVanish servers. This keeps public WiFi network admins from seeing what you do on the network and prevents hackers from hijacking your credit card details, login information, conversations, or other sensitive information you transmit.
Luckily, both VPNs also allow you to automatically get this protection when your device connects to strange WiFi networks.
NordVPN keeps this neat trick under “Auto-connect” on mobile and PCs.
On the other hand, you get it under IPVanish’s “Network Security” settings tab on PC or “On Demand Settings” on mobile, allowing you to choose what networks to trust.
DDoS Protection
IPVanish and NordVPN include DDoS protection in their basic packages across all pricing tiers. This makes them suitable for gamers in competitive P2P game settings like Overwatch, GTA 5 Online, and FIFA, who want to escape constant harassment by other gamers who DDoS them.
Extra Security Features
NordVPN offers an ad blocker under its Threat Protection feature, great for keeping pesky ads at bay on manga sites, torrent websites, or other online services ridden with ads.
The Threat Protection also contains a malware scanner and tracker blocker for better online security and privacy. However, IPVanish lacks all of these things.
On top of that, NordVPN packs DoubleVPN, a multi-hopping technology that connects you to two servers simultaneously. Hence, ensuring a better security profile.
As if that’s not enough, NordVPN’s Onion Over VPN servers makes it possible to browse the dark web securely without downloading the Tor browser.
In other words, you also don’t have to suffer the slow speeds of the Tor browser or expose your IP address at the entry node to the server operators.
Online privacy buffs will also appreciate NordVPN’s dedicated IP offerings.
These keep the CAPTCHAs away and make it less likely to get detected for using a VPN. After all, you’ll always sign into your sensitive accounts from the same IP address, throwing the suspicion off your activity.
Think that’s all? Wait till you learn about NordVPN’s split tunneling to separate what apps pass through the VPN tunnel and which can stay outside.
So, you can get that much-needed DDoS protection for playing Overwatch on your PC without setting off location-change bells when accessing your Paypal account via another app, like the Google Chrome browser!
Sadly, IPVanish lacks any extra security features to claw back with.
NordVPN and IPVanish share the spotlight for their AES 256-bit encryption, IP/DNS leak protection, reliable kill switches, public WiFi protection, and DDoS Protection. However, NordVPN tips the scales in its favor with extras such as Double VPN, Onion Over VPN, and Threat Protection. Hence, winning this round.
Devices & Connections
NordVPN and IPVanish offer native apps for smartphones and PC devices.
You have a mix of Windows, macOS, Linux, Chromebook, Android, and iOS devices.
These VPN providers also offer router setups, so you can install them on compatible routers to broadcast to the devices above. I prefer the router setup method to connect devices (like smart TVs and gaming consoles) that can’t download a native VPN app.
Regarding units that can’t download a native app, remember NordVPN’s SmartDNS, which makes it extra compatible with such units.
NordVPN also offers browser extensions for Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox browsers, all missing on IPVanish.
But that’s not all. Despite both providers having native Amazon Fire TV apps, only NordVPN has a solution for the Raspberry Pi.
I’ve tabled the devices you can connect with either VPN below for easy referencing.
| IPVanish | NordVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Compatible OS? | Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome OS | Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome OS, Raspberry Pi, Oculus Quest |
| Smart TVs? | Android TV, FireTV | Android TV, FireTV, + SmartDNS |
| Router Support? | Yes (manual) | Yes (manual) |
| Browser Extensions? | None | Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox |
Furthermore, IPVanish beats NordVPN by offering unlimited simultaneous connections to NordVPN’s six. It would’ve been best if IPVanish had backed that up with more device platforms to connect.
NordVPN covers the same range of devices as IPVanish, pulling ahead with setup options for Raspberry Pi, multiple browser extensions, and Smart DNS for units without native VPN app support. Even though it offers lesser simultaneous connections, it’s the preferred VPN for a broader range of units. Thus, giving NordVPN the win.
Customer Support
Both VPNs have reliable 24/7 live chat to reach customer support agents faster and in real time. I only had to wait a little longer for the IPVanish live chat agent to respond the first time, but that’s not enough to put it behind NordVPN.
I also like that you don’t have to log in to your account to use the live chat feature on both VPNs. Plus, if you can’t access the Live Chat panel or the main VPN website, other help options are available.
You can reach IPVanish via email by submitting an online form with an email address or using the support email address [support@ipvanish.com].
NordVPN offers the same option, but only with the email address itself [support@nordvpn.com].
Moving on, NordVPN has a healthy video campaign on a YouTube channel that posts multiple times a month. These videos are a mix of tutorials, cybersecurity awareness, and how-to videos to get the best out of the VPN.
On the other hand, IPVanish‘s latest video was posted a year ago, with most from three years ago or later.
You could argue that it already covered all relevant topics on using the VPN and troubleshooting issues. However, it has updated the VPN app and interface multiple times since then. So, it should have released new videos to address the recent changes.
Moving on, an area where both providers almost pull level is the breadth of tutorial articles on their websites and blogs. I especially like how they neatly split these text-based tutorials into sections and even have a section for common problems.
IPVanish is the only provider with an additional support channel besides the mentioned ones: phone support.
I checked with support, and only the US number is toll-free. The call must come from another US number to enjoy the zero-charge promise. So, please don’t call it from an international line, lest you incur high international call charges.
Likewise, this support channel is only available from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (UTC-6) daily, seven days a week. So, not 24/7 like the live chat option.
I’ve never had reason to use this option, but it’s nice to have if all else fails.
NordVPN and IPVanish offer email support and 24/7 live chat. NordVPN’s YouTube video guides and tutorials are better and more relevant. In comparison, IPVanish provides extra phone support. Hence, this section ends in a tie.
Usability
I tested NordVPN and IPVanish’s PC apps via Windows and the mobile apps via iOS.
The first thing I noticed for NordVPN was a sameness in the apps, making it easy to switch from PC to mobile without undergoing a new learning curve.
Here’s the welcome interface to NordVPN’s PC app:
And the first screen you get on the mobile (iOS) app:
But with IPVanish, the PC app differs from the mobile app. You might have to look around to find stuff.
Here’s what the server section looks like on the mobile (iOS) app:
And here’s the same server screen on the PC (Windows) app:
Speaking of IPVanish’s PC app, the current version looks cluttered.
I appreciate that IPVanish wants to provide the user with many options and information. Still, it does too much at once with ping/load information and other data.
That said, everything I needed was within a maximum of three taps on both providers’ apps. However, NordVPN’s app interface was less overwhelming than IPVanish’s, especially on Windows.
For instance, IPVanish requires you to toggle “Scramble,” choose a port, and then a transport mechanism (UDP or TCP) after selecting OpenVPN for obfuscation.
With NordVPN, you can connect to an obfuscated server from any screen.
The VPN automatically switches/configures the proper protocol for you.
I also loved that I could choose NordVPN’s specialty servers on the neatly-arranged mobile app. In contrast, you don’t get any specialty servers on IPVanish.
Moving on, both providers offer Quick Connect buttons optimized to connect you to the fastest server by default. So, you don’t have to worry about testing all the servers to know the best one.
However, NordVPN’s quick connect feature is customizable, allowing you to change the default option to a
- Dedicated IP server
- Obfuscated server
- P2P server
- Onion Over VPN server
- Double VPN server
You can also customize it further to connect to the fastest server under standard/specialty servers or a preferred location. For instance, you can set the Quick Connect button to connect to the fastest P2P server in the US if you mainly use your VPN to unblock and stream content in the USA!
Finally, NordVPN has built-in Siri functionality on the iOS app, which is lacking on IPVanish. This allows you to customize your shortcuts and connect to the VPN’s servers via voice commands.
I set it up to automatically connect to my configured NordVPN server whenever I say, “Hey Siri, Connect Me.”
NordVPN has an easier-to-use app interface across mobile devices and PCs and neatly arranges its specialty options/settings, compared to IPVanish. Its apps are also more streamlined across mobile and PC units. So, NordVPN takes this round.
Price & Value
NordVPN offers monthly, 1-year, and 2-year plans across three pricing tiers:
- Standard: You’ll pay for the VPN service alone.
- Complete: You’ll get the VPN and NordPass, NordVPN’s password management platform.
- Plus: You’ll get the VPN, NordPass, and 1TB of cloud storage via NordLocker.
In contrast, IPVanish offers comparable monthly, yearly, and 2-year pricing plans.
The IPVanish monthly plan is almost on par with NordVPN’s, costing $11.99 to NordVPN’s $12.99 if you’re paying month-to-month.
IPVanish’s one-year plan ($4.50/month) is also slightly cheaper than NordVPN’s offering ($4.59/month). NordVPN’s best cost savings are on the 2-year plans, priced at $3.69/month for a total savings of 55%. In contrast, IPVanish’s best offer is the two-year plan, costing $3.33/month instead.
No matter which plan you choose, NordVPN allows you to pay with credit/debit cards, cryptocurrency, Google Pay, or PayPal. While these are the general payment methods, some region-specific payment options (such as cash payment and Sofort) are available elsewhere.
So, check with NordVPN customer support to know what other options you have in your region.
IPVanish also supports the same general payment methods but lacks cash and cryptocurrency options. Instead, it adds an Amazon Pay payment option.
Before checking out, you can add Dedicated IPs to your NordVPN package.
Recall that IPVanish is missing Dedicated IPs if that could make or break your purchase.
NordVPN doesn’t offer a free trial option to test its software, but you can get one in select regions via the Google Play Store (on Android). However, note that this isn’t provided directly by NordVPN, so it can’t solve any issues from this free trial.
Instead, it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee to test the VPN risk-free.
In other words, you can pay to use the VPN and get a full refund of your payment amount if you request a cancellation within the first 30 days of purchase.
Special:
On the other hand, IPVanish offers a 7-day free trial on mobile devices (iOS and Android), but only when you sign up via the respective app stores.
Before you choose this option, know you won’t get the 30-day money-back guarantee anymore.
I prefer the risk-free guarantee because it allows you to test the VPN on all devices and for a longer time.
Both VPNs have a 30-day money-back guarantee to test risk-free across all apps and devices. However, IPVanish has the best long-term deals and offers better prices than NordVPN on comparable plans. Hence, winning this section
IPVanish vs. NordVPN (Overview Table)
| IPVanish | NordVPN | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Servers: | 2,200+ servers in 75+ locations | 5,700+ servers in 60 countries | NordVPN |
| Speed: | -4.2 Mbps drop | 7 Mbps drop | IPVanish |
| Protocols: | WireGuard, L2TP, SSTP, IPSec, IKEv2, and OpenVPN | NordLynx, OpenVPN (UDP) and OpenVPN (TCP), IKEv2 | NordVPN |
| Streaming: | YouTube TV, CNN Go, BBC iPlayer, NRK, France.tv | YouTube TV, CNN Go, BBC iPlayer, NRK, France.tv | NordVPN |
| Torrenting: | On all servers + no seeding | Only all servers + P2P-optimized servers + no seeding | NordVPN |
| Gaming: | 140 ms ping + 2.3% packet loss | 148 ms ping + 0% packet loss | Tie |
| Logs: | Verified no-logs policy | Verified no-logs policy | NordVPN |
| Security: | Obfuscation, kill switch, WiFi Protection, DDoS Protection | Obfuscation, kill switch, WiFi Protection, Double VPN, Threat Protection, DDoS Protection, Onion over VPN, Dedicated IP, split tunneling | NordVPN |
| Devices: | Android, iOS, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Chrome OS, Android TV, Fire TV | Android, iOS, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Chrome OS, Raspberry Pi, Oculus Quest, Android TV, Fire TV | NordVPN |
| Simultaneous Connections: | Unlimited | 6 | IPVanish |
| Customer Support: | 24/7 live chat | 24/7 live chat | Tie |
| Best Deal: | Get Offers | Get Offers |
Which Would It Be?
Both providers are decent in their lanes, but NordVPN wins in more categories than IPVanish.
This doesn’t mean IPVanish is poor. After all, it beats a lot of other VPNs in the market. Likewise, it posts faster base speeds than NordVPN, despite losing out to NordVPN on fast torrent downloads.
So, depending on what you most need your VPN for, you can grab these NordVPN discounts or IPVanish deals to save more and enjoy a 30-day money-back guarantee.
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.
