IPVanish vs ExpressVPN: expert tests & comparison

IPVanish and ExpressVPN are two famous VPNs suitable for streaming, online gaming, torrenting, and more. They have excellent technical features to ensure speedy and secure connections under any circumstances.

IPVanish is the more affordable option and supports unlimited connections for protecting larger device fleets. Conversely, ExpressVPN offers more tools for improving online cybersecurity and privacy.

In this IPVanish vs ExpressVPN comparison, you’ll read about the details me and the Cybernews research team uncovered while analyzing these two providers. Read on to learn everything you need to decide which VPN is better suited to your needs.

ExpressVPN vs IPVanish overview

Both VPNs are ranked very closely in terms of overall quality. At the same time, there are certain aspects that set IPVanish and ExpressVPN apart.

For example, IPVanish is much cheaper than ExpressVPN if you choose a long-term plan, with prices starting from $2.19/month. Plus, it supports unlimited simultaneous connections, while ExpressVPN – only 8. And although both services offer fast tunneling protocols, IPVanish is quicker. So, taking everything into consideration, IPVanish provides you with better value for your money, making it the winner in this comparison.

	IPVanish	ExpressVPN
⭐ Rating:	4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★	4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
🥇 Overall rank:	#3 out of #41	#4 out of #41
🖥️ Servers:	2,400 + servers in 109 countries	3,000 + servers in 105 countries
📖 No logs policy:	No logs	No logs
💵 Price:	From $2.19/month	From $4.99/month
🔥 Coupons:	IPVanish coupon 83% OFF	ExpressVPN coupon 61% OFF
🔒 VPN protocols:	WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2	Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2
🍿 Streaming services:	Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Disney+, and more	Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and more
🖥️ Platforms:	Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
📥 Simultaneous connections:	Unlimited	8
💁🏻 Support:	Knowledge base, FAQs, email, 24/7 live chat	Knowledge base, FAQs, email, 24/7 live chat

IPvanish vs ExpressVPN: price comparison

IPVanish and ExpressVPN offer flexible plans for various terms, although IPVanish has more subscription tier options. As with most digital products, the longer the subscription period, the cheaper the monthly price. Both services also offer 30-day money-back guarantees.

Plan	IPVanish	ExpressVPN
1-month plan	$12.99/month	$12.95/month
1-year plan	$3.33/month	$6.67/month + 3 months free
2-year plan	$2.19/month	$4.99/month + 4 months free
Current deal	Now up to 83% OFF IPVanish	Now up to 61% OFF ExpressVPN + 4 months FREE

Note: Prices were last checked in March 2025.

IPVanish has two subscription tiers (Essential and Advanced), while ExpressVPN has only one. As the name suggests, the Essential plan includes the VPN, various privacy features, and unlimited device support. Meanwhile, the Advanced tier includes a secure browser, cloud backup capabilities, and a customer support phone line.

IPVanish is cheaper than ExpressVPN in practically all cases, except that ExpressVPN’s monthly tier ($12.95/month) is more affordable than the IPVanish Advanced monthly option, which costs $14.99/month.

When it comes to the 1-year plan, you’d pay $3.33/month for IPVanish and $6.67/month for ExpressVPN. It’s almost double the price of IPVanish. Even if you get IPVanish’s Advanced plan for an additional dollar per month, it’s going to be cheaper than ExpressVPN. For the biggest savings, opt for the IPVanish 2-year plan, which is only $2.19/month for the Essential package.

Moving on to the payment methods, IPVanish and ExpressVPN let you use a credit card or PayPal. However, ExpressVPN also lets you pay with Bitcoin or other options like UnionPay, which lets you pay anonymously.

IPVanish vs ExpressVPN: security overview

	IPVanish	ExpressVPN
Encryption	AES-256 and ChaCha20	AES-256, ChaCha20/Poly1305
Hash	SHA-512	SHA-512
RAM servers	❌ No	✅ Yes
A member of the 5-Eyes Alliance?	✅ Yes	❌ No
No-logs policy	Audited (April 2022 by Leviathan)	Audited (December 2023 by KPMG)
Kill switch	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Traffic obfuscation	✅ Yes (Scramble OpenVPN traffic)	✅ Yes (Stealth servers)

IPVanish and ExpressVPN are pretty similar regarding security. For starters, both services use robust AES-256 encryption, which is the VPN industry standard. No brute-force attack has been able to break it, as it would potentially take millions of years to do so.

Secondly, both IPVanish and ExpressVPN use the SHA-512 hash function for authentication. This goes a bit above most other VPNs in the industry, as most VPN tools still use SHA-256. It’s also worth noting that both services offer traffic obfuscation, which guarantees privacy by not letting anyone detect that you’re using a VPN.

It’s also important to note that IPVanish and ExpressVPN support perfect forward secrecy. This means that a portion of the encryption keys constantly changes, making your past data inaccessible in case of a security breach.

Jurisdiction

ExpressVPN is the clear winner regarding jurisdiction. That’s because this VPN service is based in the British Virgin Islands, while IPVanish is located in the United States.

The key difference is that the US doesn’t have a good track record regarding privacy. Its government is known for spying on companies, requesting access to private user data, and other nefarious practices. The US also belongs to the 5 Eyes intelligence alliance.

Meanwhile, the British Virgin Islands is a territory with a much more privacy-friendly atmosphere.

No-logs policy

There are significant differences between IPVanish and ExpressVPN regarding their no-logs policies. For instance, ExpressVPN uses RAM-only servers, wiping out data every time the server is rebooted or unplugged. Many other reliable providers like NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost use RAM-only servers for added reliability. Meanwhile, IPVanish still doesn’t have this benefit.

However, both services have solid privacy policies. IPVanish and ExpressVPN state that they don’t keep logs, including activity logs, browsing history, connection logs, and similar data. Naturally both VPNs collect your email address and payment method since those details are necessary when signing up.

Crucially, both services have been audited by independent parties to confirm their reliability. For instance, ExpressVPN’s latest privacy policy audit was done in December 2023 by KPMG, while IPVanish – by Leviathan Security Group in April 2022.

Kill switch

Both ExpressVPN and IPVanish offer a kill switch, which is a crucial security feature to any VPN service. It automatically disconnects your device from the internet if the VPN connection is disrupted, not letting your real IP address be detected.

Aside from blocking the internet, IPVanish’s kill switch also allows you to block LAN traffic in case of VPN failure. Additionally, IPVanish offers a separate kill switch app for devices that don't support kill switches, such as Fire TV.

The kill switch of ExpressVPN is called Network Lock. Just like IPVanish, ExpressVPN lets you deny or allow access to other devices from the same LAN when the VPN connection is down. Both providers include kill switches with all of their dedicated apps.

Speed comparison: is IPVanish or ExpressVPN faster?

Our latest February 2025 speed tests showed that IPVanish is slightly faster than ExpressVPN regarding downloads, while ExpressVPN is quicker when uploading. In my opinion, download speeds are more important for most daily activities, which is why IPVanish is the winner in this category.

IPVanish uses the WireGuard protocol, which is currently considered one of the fastest tunneling protocols. Meanwhile, ExpressVPN has a proprietary protocol called Lightway.

Using these two protocols, the research team and I tested the speeds of IPVanish and ExpressVPN in 6 locations in various parts of the world. This includes the US, the UK, Canada, Germany, France, and Japan.

The competition between the two providers was pretty close. The retention rates showed similar results, with each provider leading in one country while the other in another. However, IPVanish had better download speed retention rates overall than ExpressVPN. Meanwhile, ExpressVPN was slightly better at retaining upload speeds.

Even though there were a few instances where ExpressVPN’s Lightway protocol was faster, it was also prone to inconsistencies. Therefore, we have to give the win to IPVanish.

Features overview

IPVanish and ExpressVPN have essential VPN features included, such as a functional kill switch, split tunneling, and quick connect.

	IPVanish	ExpressVPN
Split tunneling	✅ Yes (Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Fire TV)	✅ Yes (Windows, Mac, Android, routers)
Smart DNS	❌ No	✅ Yes (MediaStreamer)
Dedicated IP	❌ No	✅ Yes (for additional price)
Auto connect	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
SOCKS5 proxy	✅ Yes	❌ No
Specialty servers	✅ Yes (Double Hop)	✅ Yes (Stealth servers)
Tor over VPN	❌ No	❌ No
Port forwarding	❌ No	✅ Yes
Web filter	✅ Yes (Threat Protection)	✅ Yes (Threat Manager)

However, there are some differences, too: IPVanish offers a SOCKS5 proxy, while ExpressVPN supports Smart DNS. The latter also includes additional features, such as port forwarding and Threat Manager, to eliminate online trackers.

Split tunneling

Split tunneling is available with both IPVanish and ExpressVPN. It allows you to choose specific apps that should use the VPN connection. When using ExpressVPN, you can either include or exclude the applications of your choice.

ExpressVPN lets you use it with its Windows, Mac, and Android applications, while on routers, you have the Device Groups feature as an alternative.

As for IPVanish, it supports split tunneling on Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, and Fire TV. It lets you choose which apps should not connect with a VPN.

Split tunneling can be beneficial when you want to unlock foreign content libraries on streaming platforms but still want to view other sites and content locally. Both providers include the feature on most of their apps for improved flexibility.

Smart DNS

One feature offered by ExpressVPN and not IPVanish is Smart DNS. In ExpressVPN’s apps, it’s also called MediaStreamer.

This feature helps you watch geo-blocked content on devices that don’t support VPN connections, like some smart TVs or gaming consoles. However, keep in mind that at the moment it only allows you to access US libraries.

Dedicated IP

A dedicated IP is an IP address that’s exclusive to you. This feature is only available with ExpressVPN and isn’t included with its subscription by default. You must first choose a subscription plan and then add this optional feature on top.

Since the feature is tied to your subscription, its price will depend on the subscription’s duration. To be precise, it costs $4.39/month on the annual plan and $3.49/month on the two-year plan. You can choose your unique IP from 29 countries after subscribing.

SOCKS5 proxy

Unlike ExpressVPN, IPVanish offers a free SOCKS5 proxy. This is a great feature for torrenting. It helps maintain great download speeds but hides your real IP address for extra privacy.

However, remember that it doesn’t encrypt your data, so your ISP may still see what you’re doing online.

Specialty servers

IPVanish and ExpressVPN offer one specialty server category each for improved performance in certain categories.

IPVanish offers Double Hop servers for improved security while browsing the web. You can customize your entry and exit locations to suit your needs, similar to Surfshark’s MultiHop category. Just remember that these servers severely impact connection performance.

With ExpressVPN, you have Stealth servers. These are enabled automatically whenever the app detects network restrictions.

Port forwarding

Only ExpressVPN supports port forwarding, and even then, it’s only available on routers. You can use it to improve torrenting performance, but keep in mind that forwarded ports will be outside the VPN tunnel. As such, this feature isn’t ideal if you’re looking for extra privacy.

Feedback on web filters usage

The research team tested both providers’ web filter features using various third-party tools to objectively determine their effectiveness. Overall, ExpressVPN’s Threat Manager was more effective than IPVanish’s Threat Protection. So, let’s dive into the details to see how significant the difference was.

IPVanish scored 59/100 points on AdBlock Tester, which isn’t very impressive. To be precise, it failed regarding flash banner, gif image, and static image tests. On the other hand, it blocked all ads during the CanYouBlockIt evaluations. Meanwhile, Cover Your Tracks claimed the feature grants only partial protection against tracking ads and invisible trackers.

Conversely, ExpressVPN’s ad blocker garnered 77/100 points on AdBlock Tester, which is more than what IPVanish scored. Interestingly, ExpressVPN failed in the same categories. Similarly, the service also passed the CanYouBlockIt test by blocking all ads. Lastly, Cover Your Tracks showed that ExpressVPN grants full protection against tracking ads and invisible trackers.

As for hands-on testing, both Threat Protection and Threat Manager blocked YouTube ads but didn’t report any blocked ads on Facebook. Moreover, online publications like CNN were free from ads when visiting their websites with these features enabled.

Server locations

IPVanish and ExpressVPN have reasonably sized server networks. However, ExpressVPN doesn’t disclose its exact server numbers anymore, making it difficult to determine which provider has more servers. At least it’s clear that ExpressVPN has servers across more countries than IPVanish, but not by a large margin.

	IPVanish	ExpressVPN
Servers	2400+	Undisclosed
Countries (total)	109	105
Locations	140+	160+
Specialty servers	Yes	Yes

IPVanish has around 2400+ servers across 109 countries, which is a solid network. However, plenty of other providers offer more impressive fleets, such as NordVPN (7400+ servers in 118 countries), Proton VPN (11800+ servers in 117 countries), and Surfshark (3200+ servers in 100 countries).

Meanwhile, ExpressVPN has an undisclosed number of servers across 105 countries. The country variety is slightly better than with IPVanish, while the situation regarding servers is unclear. Another provider that hides exact server figures is CyberGhost.

Both providers have a few unique perks that make them appealing in different ways. For example, IPVanish owns its entire server fleet, which improves its overall security since it doesn’t rely on third-party server providers. It also has a customizable Double Hop server category to improve your privacy.

On the flip side, ExpressVPN utilizes TrustedServer technology, which means the provider’s servers are RAM only. In short, it means the provider can’t store any user data on its servers because the software runs on volatile memory, which is deleted whenever the servers are unplugged or rebooted.

Netflix and streaming performance

Both ExpressVPN and IPVanish are excellent choices for streaming, thanks to their speedy connections, impressive country variety, and diverse device compatibility. Both providers demonstrated excellent results during tests. However, since ExpressVPN offers Smart DNS, I declare it the winner because IPVanish lacks this crucial streaming perk.

Streaming platform	IPVanish	ExpressVPN
Netflix	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Amazon Prime Video	❌ No	✅ Yes
Hulu	❌ No	✅ Yes
Disney+	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
BBC iPlayer	✅ Yes	✅ Yes

During our February 2025 tests, IPVanish managed to unblock US Netflix without any glitches or changes in video quality. In addition, the VPN had no trouble unblocking various YouTube videos blocked in our physical location.

Similarly, ExpressVPN managed to unblock all of the content I wanted, including Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, and, of course, YouTube. It’s also worth mentioning that ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer feature is of great use when you want to watch geo-blocked content on smart TVs or gaming consoles.

Torrenting performance

IPVanish and ExpressVPN are two excellent VPNs for torrenting. Once again, we had to conduct some hands-on tests to determine which provider was actually better in this category. We evaluated both by downloading a 5.27GB Ubuntu ISO file using qBittorrent. Without a VPN, the file downloaded in around eight minutes with an average download speed of 11.2MB/s. After that, we used each provider’s fastest protocol with a nearby server for the best performance.

Let’s take a look at IPVanish first. As it doesn’t have specialized torrenting servers, you can use one of its regular servers that allow torrenting. In our recent February 2025 tests, the service worked with local servers. It steadily stayed at 8.7MB/s, which meant the file downloaded in ten minutes. The overall performance was consistent with only minor speed dips.

As for ExpressVPN, it supports torrenting on all of its servers. The speeds were very consistent during my tests, and I downloaded the file in nine minutes at an average rate of 9.7MB/s. That means it was quicker than IPVanish, but not by a large margin.

Platforms, interface, and ease of use

IPVanish and ExpressVPN have apps for the most popular operating systems – Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. On Linux, you can use both services through the terminal, but there are no GUI apps.

	IPVanish	ExpressVPN
Supported OS	Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Other software and devices	Android TV, Apple TV, Fire devices, routers, Nvidia Shield, Chrome OS	Android TV, Fire devices, routers, Apple TV, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox devices, and more
Browser extensions	–	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Vivaldi
Simultaneous connections	Unlimited	8
Usability level	Easy to set up and use	Easy to set up and use

IPVanish doesn't offer any browser extensions – meanwhile, ExpressVPN has them for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and other browsers like Vivaldi that work with the same extension software. However, with unlimited connections, IPVanish gains a solid advantage. 8 connections on ExpressVPN fall short of industry norms, especially considering the price of the service.

As for the usability, both services are straightforward to use. However, IPVanish apps are more modern, giving it the upper hand.

Desktop apps

Just take a look at the main screen of the Windows and macOS apps of IPVanish, and you’ll find everything organized in one place. There’s the map (you can also choose the list view), the settings tab, and all sorts of info about the connection.

Meanwhile, ExpressVPN took a minimalistic approach. The main window of both Windows and Mac applications is relatively tiny, with a huge button taking up the majority of the space. If you want to tweak a feature or two, you must open the Settings window, which looks outdated.

Unlike IPVanish, ExpressVPN apps don’t display a map. However, this doesn’t cause issues, as there’s a convenient country filter available.

It’s also worth noting that IPVanish and ExpressVPN do not have a graphical client for Linux users – you have to use the command line interface.

Mobile apps

The mobile version of IPVanish looks different from its desktop counterparts. As it’s made to fit a mobile screen, it’s much more compact and less cluttered.

However, keep in mind that IPVanish's Android app is superior to its iOS application, as it has more features, such as an obfuscation toggle.

Now, the mobile version of ExpressVPN looks almost identical to the desktop version.

As with IPVanish, the Android app of ExpressVPN is the superior one, offering more features that include split tunneling and a kill switch.

Customer support

While both services offer excellent customer support, IPVanish ensures more customer service options than ExpressVPN. That’s because, unlike the latter, IPVanish offers a support phone line for users in the US, Mexico, the UK, Spain, Australia, and Brazil. However, a change in IPVanish’s pricing structure means only Advanced plan subscribers gain this unique perk.

	IPVanish	ExpressVPN
24/7 live chat	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Email	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Phone line	✅ Yes	❌ No
Guides or articles	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
FAQs	✅ Yes	✅ Yes

Aside from that, you can contact either of the providers through their 24/7 live chat if you need a fast reply. Both ExpressVPN and IPVanish also offer email support if the issue isn’t that pressing.

Yet, if you like figuring things out yourself, you can use either provider’s extensive knowledge centers and FAQs.

Comparison methodology: IPVanish vs ExpressVPN

The research team and I extensively evaluated IPVanish and ExpressVPN to accurately determine which one is superior. We analyzed them across various categories to clearly understand their strengths and weaknesses while also obtaining the necessary information to justify our ranking.

Here’s a summary of our overall comparison methodology and testing process:

1. Pricing (10%). The first thing that a customer judges about a potential product is its price. We checked each provider’s subscription prices, included features, free trial options, and refund policies.
2. Privacy policy (15%). We analyzed each provider’s privacy policy to determine if they’re suitable for online anonymity.
3. Device installation (10%). We downloaded and installed both VPNs on our testing devices to see whether the process was user-friendly and accessible.
4. Ease of use (10%). We took note of the overall user experience while using the two VPNs on desktop and mobile devices for extended periods of time.
5. Speed testing (20%). It was vital to measure the VPNs’ connection speeds across various locations to determine which VPN is faster on average.
6. Feature analysis (20%). Once the apps were installed, we were able to test each provider’s various in-app features to judge their overall effectiveness.
7. Other use cases (15%). We used the two VPNs in various use cases (streaming, gaming, torrenting) to evaluate their effectiveness at accomplishing common everyday tasks.

ExpressVPN vs IPVanish: which should I get?

Although both services provide high-quality security, IPVanish is a better VPN solution than ExpressVPN.

Category	IPVanish	ExpressVPN
Speed	✅	❌
Features	❌	✅
Privacy	✅	✅
Streaming	❌	✅
Torrenting	✅	✅
Price	✅	❌
Server locations	❌	✅
Ease of use	✅	❌
Customer support	✅	❌

For starters, IPVanish is relatively faster than ExpressVPN. It also provides more customer support options and unlimited simultaneous connections. Plus, you can get the VPN for half of what you’d pay for ExpressVPN.

Meanwhile, ExpressVPN has more features and can unlock more streaming platforms.

Either way, considering the price of IPVanish, it provides you with much better value for your money, making it a clear winner in this comparison.

FAQ