IPVanish vs NordVPN: which service to choose?

IPVanish and NordVPN remain two of the most popular VPNs in an increasingly competitive market, both vying for the title of best VPN. NordVPN is widely recognized for its well-rounded performance, while IPVanish stands out with its budget-friendly deals. But which one is the better choice for you?

In this updated comparison, I'll break down their security, privacy, speed, pricing, and other key features that matter most to VPN users. I'll also name a winner in each category – some of the results may surprise you. Let’s dive into what makes these VPNs top contenders today.

IPVanish vs NordVPN

NordVPN outperforms IPVanish in most categories, including speed, features, protection, streaming, torrenting, server locations, ease of use, and customer support. While IPVanish offers competitive pricing and unlimited connections, NordVPN provides a more extensive server network and better access to streaming services.

	NordVPN	IPVanish
⭐ Rating:	4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★	4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
🥇 Overall rank:	#1 out of #41	#3 out of #41
🖥️ Servers:	7,400 + servers in 118 countries	2,400 + servers in 109 countries
📖 No logs policy:	No logs	No logs
💵 Price:	From $3.09/month	From $2.19/month
🔥 Coupons:	NordVPN coupon 77% OFF	IPVanish coupon 83% OFF
🔒 VPN protocols:	OpenVPN, WireGuard (NordLynx), NordWhisper	WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2
🍿 Streaming services:	Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and more	Netflix, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Disney+, and more
🖥️ Platforms:	Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS	Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, Linux
📥 Simultaneous connections:	10	Unlimited
💁🏻 Support:	Knowledge base, FAQs, email, 24/7 live chat	Knowledge base, FAQs, email, 24/7 live chat

Speed comparison: IPVanish vs NordVPN

In speed testing comparison, I, with the help of the research team, evaluated IPVanish and NordVPN using their fastest protocols – IPVanish's WireGuard and NordVPN's NordLynx – across the US, the UK, France, Canada, and Sweden to see which service is faster on average.

No wonder NordVPN demonstrated superior performance since it’s considered the best VPN for 2025. With download speeds above 93% of the baseline, NordVPN facilitates smooth HD streaming and lag-free gaming. Its upload speeds also impressed, consistently staying above 92%, essential for high-quality gaming and video calls.

IPVanish achieved commendable download speeds, mostly above 88%, allowing for uninterrupted streaming and responsive gaming. However, IPVanish's lower upload speeds, especially notable in Canada, could impact live content uploads and interactive gaming sessions.

Overall, while IPVanish and NordVPN provide robust speeds for daily activities, NordVPN's consistent upload rates ensure smoother online interactions and more reliable performance in multiplayer online gaming and live streaming environments.

To sum up, this round is pretty even, but NordVPN wins due to better overall speed performance.

Features overview

Both IPVanish and NordVPN have all the main features that a premium VPN should have. However, NordVPN has something extra that IPVanish doesn't. Check out the feature overview and see for yourself.

Split tunneling

Split tunneling is a useful feature that allows you to choose which apps use the VPN tunnel and which connect directly to the internet. This way, you can use your real IP address for online banking while streaming Netflix Japan simultaneously.

IPVanish is better than NordVPN in this case because it offers more compatibility options. It allows split tunneling on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Amazon Fire TV, and even Apple Vision Pro, while NordVPN has it on Windows, Android, and Android TV apps only.

Stealth VPN

This feature helps to hide VPN usage from apps or services. It's also known as a great tool against China's Deep Packet Inspection (DPI).

NordVPN calls this feature Obfuscated servers, and you can find them under the Specialty Servers section. Turning it on will make your traffic look like regular HTTPS traffic. In the case of IPVanish, you turn on this traffic obfuscation by ticking the Scramble OpenVPN traffic box under OpenVPN options, thus enabling the XOR cipher that does all the rest.

However, IPVanish's Stealth VPN seems to have trouble unblocking the internet in China, so NordVPN is superior in this instance.

Free SOCKS5 proxy

The SOCKS5 proxy is particularly favored for torrenting. Essentially, setting it up on your torrent client (or any other app that supports proxies) will hide your IP without encrypting the traffic. This way, you get anonymity plus full-speed downloads.

You can configure the SOCKS5 proxy on all popular P2P clients. However, be aware that your ISP could still see what you're doing if they wanted.

Exclusive features

PVanish stands out as one of the few premium VPNs offering encrypted cloud storage through two services: SugarSync and LiveDrive.

SugarSync provides up to 500GB of secure cloud storage, allowing you to easily upload and share files. Meanwhile, LiveDrive offers more extensive features, including up to 1TB of storage and continuous backup with remote access to your files.

Both services come with convenient options like email file sharing, making them ideal for users needing secure and accessible storage solutions.

The list of NordVPN-only features starts with SmartDNS. When turned on, it unblocks Netflix and other content platforms without traffic encryption. Most importantly, SmartDNS works as a so-called SmartPlay feature, which will let you unblock content on most smart TVs, game consoles, and other media devices.

Next, NordVPN offers a range of security-oriented features. Threat Protection blocks intrusive ads, trackers, and malware, providing an extra layer of protection while you browse the internet. For even more comprehensive protection, Threat Protection Pro goes a step further by scanning downloaded files for malware, blocking malicious websites, and preventing any dangerous content from reaching your device. Threat Protection Pro works even without being connected to the VPN, ensuring your device is protected at all times, whether you're connected to NordVPN or not.

Additionally, both providers offer a Double VPN (also known as multi-hop or double-hop) feature that gives you extra protection by routing your connection through two VPN servers instead of one, enhancing your privacy and security. However, NordVPN’s Double VPN is more focused on high-security use cases.

Also, you can use Tor network with both IPVanish and NordVPN Onion Over VPN feature for an extra layer of anonymity and unmatched protection, keeping in mind that it is not going to be easy on your upload and download speeds.

IPVanish vs NordVPN: which offers better security?

IPVanish offers good security and privacy, but the NordVPN offering is better. Both use advanced encryption and modern tunneling protocols for a strong foundation, but NordVPN offers both application-level kill switches on macOS and a system-level implementation on Windows and Android, giving users more flexibility. However, it's worth noting that NordVPN tends to be slower on macOS compared to other platforms.

IPVanish is registered in the United States. This country is the founding member of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance and creates a whole host of privacy issues for digital businesses. In the meantime, NordVPN is situated in Panama, which has no data retention laws and no connection with the aforementioned surveillance alliance. Meanwhile, the US government can make any company collect data as per the Electronic Communications Privacy Act.

NordVPN has a strict no-logs policy, which is audited frequently, with the most recent audit complete in February 2025. As for IPVanish, the provider has a no-logs policy, but it hasn't been audited since 2022. Besides, unlike NordVPN, the provider doesn't offer the opportunity to pay using anonymous payment methods (such as crypto).

As you can see, NordVPN already looks better. But with features like Threat Protection Pro and Onion Over VPN, the winner becomes obvious.

Netflix and other streaming platforms

Both IPVanish and NordVPN unblock Netflix US and YouTube TV. NordVPN, however, offers additional capabilities with its SmartPlay feature, designed to bypass streaming media blocks seamlessly, enhancing access to a variety of content, including Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and more. NordVPN also provides specialized servers like obfuscated and Onion over VPN, tailored for specific needs such as streaming or torrenting.

In contrast, IPVanish does not have specialized streaming servers, utilizing the same servers for all activities. It can be limiting, as IPVanish struggles to bypass restrictions on major streaming sites like Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, frustrating users looking to access a broader range of content.

All in all, NordVPN's SmartDNS is a major advantage. Since using it as a Smart DNS feature means your traffic isn't encrypted or rerouted through a VPN server, the speeds will be significantly better. Additionally, you'll be able to stream on smart TVs, game consoles, and other devices without the VPN app.

Torrenting and P2P

IPVanish and NordVPN are great options for torrenting. Both have a free SOCKS5 proxy, which means you can download without slowing down your connection with encryption.

The main difference is that IPVanish allows P2P on all servers, and NordVPN has a specialized list. However, the provider has almost three times more servers in total, so overpopulation shouldn't be an issue.

Finally, NordVPN has servers in 118 countries compared to IPVanish's 100, so there's a slightly bigger chance that you find one nearby with the latter VPN.

Plans and pricing

IPVanish's and NordVPN's pricing plans differ substantially in length and discounts offered. Let's break it down and see which one wins this round.

Plan	IPVanish	NordVPN
1-month	From $12.99	From $12.99
1-year	From $3.33/month	From $4.99/month
2-year	From $2.19/month	From $3.09/month
	Check IPVanish pricing	Check NordVPN pricing

IPVanish and NordVPN prices are the same in the monthly category. However, when looking at longer-term plans, IPVanish offers better value. Its one-year plan starts at $3.33/month, compared to NordVPN's $4.99/month. The price gap remains in the two-year plans, where IPVanish costs $2.19/month, while NordVPN’s deal is $3.09/month.

Both services include a 30-day money-back guarantee, and each offers a 7-day free trial.

In my NordVPN vs IPVanish price comparison, I declare IPVanish the winner, as its first-term discounts make it the more affordable option.

If either VPN still seems too pricey, you might find an extra discount. Check out IPVanish coupons and NordVPN coupons – there could be a special deal waiting for you.

Servers

NordVPN offers a significantly broader range of server locations, covering 118 countries, while IPVanish follows along with 109 countries. Moreover, NordVPN has a much larger server network, boasting over 7400 servers compared to IPVanish's 2400+.

	NordVPN	IPVanish
Servers	7400	2400
Countries (total)	118	109
Americas	7	9
Europe	36	32
Asia Pacific and Middle East	14	11
Africa	3	3

Looking at regional distribution, both VPNs provide strong global coverage. IPVanish focuses more on the Americas, offering servers in 9 countries compared to NordVPN’s 7. Meanwhile, NordVPN provides more options in Europe (36 countries vs 32) and the Asia-Pacific region and Middle East (14 vs 11).

In the end, I give this one to NordVPN due to the sheer quantity and quality of its servers. While all IPVanish servers are physical and owned by the company, NordVPN avoids virtual servers and operates a RAM-only infrastructure, enhancing security and privacy.

Apps, interface, and ease of use

	NordVPN	IPVanish
Supported OS	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Other software and devices	Android TV, Fire devices	Android TV, Fire devices, Apple TV
Browser extensions	Chrome, Firefox	Chrome, Firefox, and Edge
Simultaneous connections	10	Unlimited

NordVPN excels in compatibility compared to IPVanish, offering dedicated apps for Linux. It makes NordVPN more versatile, especially if you share it with family or friends.

You can also manually configure both VPNs on routers, firewalls, and NAS devices. I found NordVPN's setup particularly user-friendly. NordVPN's Smart DNS feature is a standout, allowing easy access to geo-restricted content on smart TVs and gaming consoles, which is ideal for seamless streaming without lags.

Desktop apps

NordVPN and IPVanish feature intuitive Windows and Mac apps with a clean layout. Both have a main window that can be maximized to display a server map and list, making it easy to switch servers. I appreciated the left sidebar in both apps, where the settings are neatly organized and ensure consistency across platforms. This design allows easy access to advanced settings on Mac, enhancing usability without complicated navigation.

NordVPN offers two macOS apps, enhancing users' flexibility. The App Store version supports multiple protocols, including NordLynx, while the direct download version offers OpenVPN with additional features. I found the App Store version more user-friendly, especially for those prioritizing speed and simplicity. However, those needing more advanced settings might prefer the direct download version.

IPVanish caters to advanced users with features like keyboard shortcuts: Alt+C to connect and Alt+L to view servers. Its Diagnostics tab under Settings proved useful for troubleshooting, providing insights that helped me resolve connectivity issues without contacting support immediately.

For Linux users, NordVPN provides both .deb and .rpm packages. While it lacks a GUI, which can be challenging for those unfamiliar with terminal commands, the installation process is straightforward, with clear documentation.

While IPVanish lacks a native Linux app, it offers manual setup instructions for various distros like Ubuntu and Fedora, which I found relatively easy to follow. However, the lack of a dedicated app might be a drawback for some users.

Mobile apps

IPVanish mobile apps are pretty bland, while NordVPN retains the look of its well-designed desktop counterparts.

As it often is, the iOS clients have fewer features, but NordVPN does a pretty good job of keeping its apps at a similar level.

On iOS, I really liked NordVPN’s always-on kill switch – a crucial security feature that IPVanish doesn't have. NordVPN also offers a favorites tab and options for dark web monitoring, which adds to its ease of use.

On Android, IPVanish gave me more control with features like split tunneling and Stealth VPN. Alerts for insecure networks and the ability to choose ports made me feel safer using the app. IPVanish supports OpenVPN and IKEv2 (still in beta), which is great for flexibility.

NordVPN's Android app doesn't have IKEv2 but includes NordLynx for fast, secure connections. It features split tunneling, a customizable kill switch, and Threat Protection, giving me more control over my security settings. It also offers Stealth VPN, Onion Over VPN, tapjacking protection, and Custom DNS, providing more security options than IPVanish. These extra NordVPN features made me feel safer and more in control than the simpler IPVanish app.

Customer support

Both providers offer 24/7 live chat support. The agents are polite and resourceful, while the waiting times were minimal. For most users, that's probably more than enough.

Another way to contact IPVanish and NordVPN is by email. This time I found NordVPN to be faster, usually taking less than a day to answer. In contrast, my question for IPVanish took three days to answer.

	IPVanish	NordVPN
24/7 live chat	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Phone line	✅ Yes	❌ No
Email	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Guides	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
FAQs	✅ Yes	✅ Yes

Finally, each service has a well-maintained knowledge base to delve into. Here you'll find FAQs, setup guides, and troubleshooting sections. I liked that IPVanish shows system status at the top of the Support Center's page. So if you have trouble connecting, you may check it out to see if the problem is really on your side.

Video review

IPVanish vs NordVPN: which one is better?

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

When comparing NordVPN vs IPVanish, the better choice depends on your needs. IPVanish stands out with unlimited device connections and more flexible protocol support, making it a solid option for those who prioritize versatility. It also held its ground in P2P, server locations, and customer support, which is an impressive feat. With WireGuard, it's also one of the fastest VPNs available.

However, NordVPN takes the lead in security, privacy, server coverage, and advanced features. It delivers a more robust streaming experience, stronger encryption, and a RAM-only server infrastructure for better data protection.

While both are reliable VPNs, NordVPN remains the superior choice for those seeking top-tier security and performance.

FAQ