Ivacy is a popular VPN service that has been around since 2007.
They promise to “protect your digital presence,” and they uphold that with a well-encrypted, zero-logs service.
The VPN also has an extensive feature list and is one of the best-priced in the market.
But is it worth your time and money?
In this Ivacy VPN review, I will look at the pros and cons of the service.
I’ve used the VPN extensively over the last couple of days and tested all aspects, including speed, usability, and Netflix compatibility.
But before we dive any deeper into this Ivacy review, here is a quick overview.
| vpnAlert Rating: | 8.4 of 10 ⭐ |
| Jurisdiction: | Singapore |
| Logging: | No logs |
| Encryption: | AES 256-bit, OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP, PPTP |
| Servers: | 100+ countries, 1000+ servers |
| Torrenting: | Allowed |
| Supported Devices: | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| Simultaneous Connections: | 5 |
| Live chat: | Available |
| Discount: | Exclusive Ivacy VPN Offer |
| Official Website: | https://www.ivacy.com |
Overview of Ivacy VPN
Launched in 2007, Ivacy VPN is a Singapore based VPN that is owned and operated by PMG Private Limited.
With over a decade in the industry, Ivacy has helped pioneer some of the most exciting VPN technologies in use today.
In fact, the VPN was the first to offer the split tunneling feature, which allows you to route some of your traffic through the VPN while letting the rest access the internet directly.
Ivacy offers lots of other nifty advanced features and has a global server network that covers over 100 countries.
You can use the VPN with almost every platform, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, smart TVs, game consoles, routers, and even Kodi.
Ivacy is the official VPN partner of West Ham United, an English premier league side. So if you are a West Ham fan, this could be a nice option for you.
Is Ivacy VPN Good?
Ivacy has been around for quite a while and is a reliable service with excellent security and privacy features.
Its speeds are also decent, and I was pleased with their pricing.
But as I’ve said earlier, I’ll be looking at both the good and the bad.
And Ivacy does have some note-worthy weaknesses.
Keep reading to find out whether the VPN is the right fit for you.
I will look at each aspect, one after the other, starting with privacy and jurisdiction.
Pros
- 1-day free trial
- 100+ server locations
- Good speeds
- Robust security
- Allows torrenting
- 5 simultaneous connections
- Simple-intuitive apps
- Good customer support
Cons
- Five Eyes-friendly jurisdiction
Privacy & Jurisdiction
If you value your online anonymity, then you need to make sure your VPN not only has a strict no-logs service but also is located in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction.
Does Ivacy VPN Keep Logs?
Ivacy VPN assures its users that they keep neither connection nor activity logs.
"Ivacy has sworn to keep you secure and anonymous, and keeping logs is like breaching our own privacy policy. Therefore, no user activities are logged."
The provider has a transparent privacy policy, and they do not beat about the bush when it comes to what they collect and what they don’t.
Like most of the other VPN providers, Ivacy requires some necessary information during signup.
This includes:
- Your Name
- Email Address
- Payment Method
That’s all they collect.
And this data is deleted once your account has been inactive for 12 months.
Jurisdiction & Applicable Laws
Ivacy VPN is located in Singapore, which sits well outside the 14-Eyes sphere of influence and does not have mandatory data retention laws.
While this does make Singapore a great jurisdiction for online privacy, there are still concerns about the country’s intelligence affiliations with 14-Eyes nations like the USA, UK, and Australia.
According to leaks from Edward Snowden, a former US intelligence contractor, Singapore is a key third-party of the 14-Eyes spy network.
This means the city-state may provide other governments with access to sensitive data.
While this might be a bit concerning, it shouldn’t worry you much since Ivacy keeps zero logs. Should the authorities come knocking, there would simply be no data to give.
Security
This is one of the first things I looked at when writing this Ivacy VPN review.
Hackers are a total menace nowadays.
Heard about wannacry?
Or the Adobe data breach which affected millions of users?
Hackers are getting craftier by the day, and without you even noticing, they can easily steal personal details such as passwords and credit card information.
If a VPN can’t protect your data, then, by all means, you should ditch it.
So, how secure is Ivacy VPN?
Tunneling Protocols & Encryption
When it comes to security, Ivacy VPN leaves no stone unturned.
The VPN is well-encrypted and comes with advanced security features to keep you safe online.
Ivacy uses AES 256-bit encryption, which is the gold-standard in the VPN industry.
The cipher is virtually impenetrable and offers total protection against both brute force and man-in-the-middle attacks.
In regards to protocols, there is a wide range of options to choose from:
- OpenVPN (TCP/UDP)
- IKEv2
- L2TP
- PPTP
- SSTP
OpenVPN is the most popular and the top-recommended protocol.
It’s highly reliable and strikes a perfect balance between speed and security.
Ivacy supports both the highly reliable OpenVPN over TCP as well as OpenVPN over UDP, which is faster and hence more ideal for streaming and gaming.
Other Great Security Features
- Internet kill switch: Prevents connection leaks (more on this later) by halting your internet traffic if the VPN stops working.
- IP leak protection: Disables IPv6 traffic, which can expose your identity, allowing your ISP and other third parties to monitor your online activities.
- Secure DNS: Prevents your DNS requests from bypassing Ivacy’s secure tunnel and going through your ISP’s DNS servers.
- DDoS protection (great for gamers): Protects you from Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, which can be used to disrupt your gameplay.
Leak Tests
VPN connection leaks can hurt your online anonymity while using a VPN.
If your IP, DNS, or WebRTC information is exposed, then your identity and real location are likewise laid bare.
Luckily, Ivacy VPN does not have any connection leaks whatsoever.
Here are the snapshots of the leak test results.
Note: When conducting the tests, I was connected to the Seattle, US server.
IP Leak Test – IPLeak.Org
DNS Leak Test – IP8.Com
WebRTC Leak Test – IP8.Com
A Complete Picture (IP, DNS, & WebRTC Test) –IPLeak.Net
Server Locations
Ivacy has an incredible VPN server list.
It provides access to over 1000 servers in 100 countries across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, the Asia Pacific, and Africa.
While the total number of servers still lags behind the likes of NordVPN and ExpressVPN, Ivacy has, by far, the highest number of locations of all VPNs I’ve tested.
In addition to popular locations such as the US, UK, and Australia, Ivacy has servers in multiple countries that aren’t usually covered by most providers.
Does Ivacy VPN Work in China?
China is one of the most censored countries in the world.
The Great Firewall blocks thousands of websites, including Facebook, YouTube, Wikipedia, and even Gmail.
The list goes on.
If you are traveling to China, better arm yourself with a VPN.
But then again, not all VPNs work in the country.
Fortunately, Ivacy is one of the few VPNs that can bypass the Great Firewall of China.
Also, the service offers 3VPN servers in China, allowing you to obtain a local Chinese IP.
Does Ivacy Offer Dedicated IPs?
Besides shared dynamic IPs, Ivacy also allows you to obtain a dedicated IP address.
While shared IPs are great for anonymity, dedicated IPs allow you to remotely access restricted networks.
Ivacy provides dedicated IP addresses from 7 countries:
- US
- UK
- Canada
- Australia
- Germany
- Singapore
- Hong Kong
Speed & Performance
Speed can make or break a VPN service.
And in this aspect, Ivacy does not disappoint.
The service delivers decent speeds, and I found their connections to be quite stable.
I ran speed tests on several of their servers, and you can see the results below.
Note: When conducting the speed tests, I was using a 100 Mbps internet connection.
| Location | Ping (ms) | Download (Mbps) | Upload (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 102 | 69.85 | 28.51 |
| UK | 31 | 76.92 | 39.26 |
| Russia | 38 | 69.70 | 34.77 |
| Sweden | 42 | 65.44 | 30.13 |
| Australia | 238 | 51.29 | 24.85 |
As I expected, the nearest servers (Europe) delivered the best results with the London, UK server recording a small speed loss (-23%).
The US servers performed admirably as well, but there were some significant dips in speed as I tried more distant servers.
Price & Value
Ivacy is a competitively priced VPN.
This is one of the most favorable aspects I’ve seen in most user reviews. And while price and value are on the opposite ends, Ivacy does know how to balance both.
The provider offers three basic subscription plans – a monthly plan, a 6-month plan, and a 1-year plan.
How Much Does Ivacy VPN Cost?
Additionally, Ivacy also has a 5-year plan, which allows you to save up to a massive 87% per month.
However, it’s not always easy to locate, so you might have to do a little digging around.
Ivacy is generally affordable, but if you plan on using port forwarding or dedicated IPs, it gets costlier.
The features are not included in any of Ivacy’s packages and must be purchased as add-ons.
Payment Methods
- Credit Cards – Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, JCB
- PayPal
- Alipay
- BitPay
- Paymentwall
- Cryptocurrency
Does Ivacy VPN Have a Free Trial Version?
The provider offers a 1-day free trial allowing you to try the service risk-free.
No credit card is needed, but you will need to credit an account to activate it.
Refund Policy
All Ivacy subscriptions, except for the 1-month plan, are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
If you purchase the monthly plan, you should claim your refund within 7 days.
As is often the case, the money-back guarantee does have a few limitations.
According to their refund policy, payments made via BitPay, Cryptocurrency, and Paymentwall are not refundable.
Also, if you have opted for a trial account, the amount paid is non-refundable as well.
Streaming
Netflix offers different content in a different location, but with a VPN, you can view the titles you would normally be unable to watch.
US Netflix offers the largest collection of movies and TV shows.
The problem is, only countable VPNs can access the American version.
Does Ivacy unblock US Netflix?
Absolutely.
Unlike many other VPNs, Ivacy works reliably with Netflix.
It comes with a dedicated Netflix server that makes the whole process a breeze.
Besides Netflix, Ivacy also works well with other streaming services such as BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, and HBO GO.
Torrenting (P2P)
Torrenting without a VPN presents all manner of risks.
If your ISP or a copyright troll doesn’t get you, then a hacker might.
Ivacy supports torrenting.
However, not all of their servers are compatible with P2P traffic.
To start torrenting, you will need to connect to any of the following servers:
- Canada
- UK
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Costa Rica
- Denmark
- Germany
- Latvia
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Russia
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- Sweden
- Turkey
- Venezuela
Port Forwarding
Even with a fast connection and a high number of seeders, sometimes your BitTorrent download speeds can be frustratingly slow.
Often, this is caused by the NAT Firewall.
The feature blocks malicious connections, but while at it, it can also prevent you from establishing peer connections when torrenting.
Ivacy’s port forwarding solves this problem.
It routes your connections around the NAT Firewall, allowing you to connect to more peers and improve your download speeds.
Read Also: Top VPNs That Offer Port-Forwarding
Platforms & Devices
When it comes to compatibility, Ivacy is one of the best VPNs you can find.
It works with numerous devices including all the primary platforms – Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.
You can also set up the VPN on multiple other platforms, including:
- Android TV
- Amazon Firestick
- Chromebook
- Raspberry pi
- Kodi
- Routers
The VPN provider also offers browser extensions for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.
How Many Devices Does Ivacy VPN Allow at a Go?
Customer Support
In addition, to live chat support, Ivacy also offers a searchable knowledgebase where you can find FAQs, setup guides, and other tutorials.
User Experience
Ivacy is easy to set up and use. Its apps are well-designed and feature a beautiful and highly navigable interface.
Recently, Ivacy launched the “Smart Connect” feature which allows you to configure the VPN according to your desired purpose with just a few clicks.
Its Windows client offers easy access to unblocking, streaming, secure download, and dedicated IP servers.
Final Word
As mentioned earlier, I set aside a good number of days to review Ivacy.
Overall, it’s a decent VPN that comes with some incredible features you would expect to find in a top VPN. It delivers respectable speeds and works flawlessly with Netflix.
I was also pleased with Ivacy’s compatibility as well as the quality of their customer support.
Do I recommend it?
For the price, yes!
The VPN could use some improvements in regards to P2P compatibility, but overall, it offers great value for money.
So, if you are looking for a budget-friendly VPN, IvacyVPN could be a fantastic option.
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.
