Ivacy VPN Review

Our rating
Security Read more toggle icon
85%
Features Read more toggle icon
75%
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Ivacy VPN is a great VPN that comes at an extremely affordable price, however, it is not without its limitations. While Ivacy's monthly subscription price is one of the lowest on the VPN market and comes with some impressive features, its average connection speeds are low and its clients do not offer the same seamless experience as some of its competitors. The provider also lacks an independent security audit, which may present an issue for some security-concerned users.

The provider offers access to just over 3500 servers across 100 in more than 50 locations. It is compatible with a wide range of devices including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. There are browser extension options for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox too. It is torrent-friendly and there is malware blocking, a no-logs policy, split tunneling, and a kill-switch.

While it may not be the absolute best VPN on the market, it is worth a try for its seriously low price alone. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee, enabling you to test the service risk-free.

    Pros

  • pro icon AES-256 bit encryption
  • pro icon Zero-logs policy
  • pro icon Accepts Bitcoin as a payment option

    Cons

  • con icon 5 Eyes member
  • con icon Limited Netflix unblocking
  • con icon 1/4 of servers are virtual
Price Starting At: 3.50 $ / monthly 42 $ / annually
For New Users: 30 -day money-back guarantee
Number of servers: 3500+
General information
Type of IP offered: Dynamic
Simultaneous connections / Users: 5
OS support: Amazon Fire TV, Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, ChromeOS, FireOS, iOS, Linux, macOS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One
VPN Promotion: Get VPN from Ivacy VPN for 3.50$ per month
Capabilities
Unlimited Bandwidthcross iconKill Switchcross iconSplit Tunnelingcross iconZero Data Loggingcross iconFree Version / Trialcross iconMobile Appcross iconFirestick Compatiblecross icon
Payment options
  • American Express
  • Bitcoin
  • ClickandBuy
  • Diners Club International
  • Discover
  • Dotpay
  • Dotpay SMS
  • iDeal
  • JCB
  • Mastercard
  • Mastercard Debit
  • Neosurf
  • Paypal
  • Visa
  • Visa Debit
  • Visa Electron
Geolocations available
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Brazil
  • Brunei
  • Bulgaria
  • Canada
  • Chile
  • China
  • Colombia
  • Costa Rica
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Egypt
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Ghana
  • Hong Kong
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Jordan
  • Kenya
  • Kuwait
  • Latvia
  • Luxembourg
  • Malaysia
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Nigeria
  • Norway
  • Pakistan
  • Panama
  • Peru
  • Poland
  • Russia
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Seychelles
  • Singapore
  • South Africa
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Taiwan
  • Turkey
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • US-California
  • US-Florida
  • US-Georgia
  • US-Illinois
  • US-New Jersey
  • US-New York
  • US-Virginia
  • US-Washington
  • Venezuela

Ivacy VPN Security

85%

Even though Ivacy is one of the cheapest VPNs on the market, it comes with a range of secure privacy features. There is a transparent privacy policy to reassure users, however, we would like to see its claims evidenced by an external security audit. The privacy policy is detailed and clearly outlines the information that the provider logs and the information that it doesn't.

Ivacy VPN does not store or monitor internet browsing activity, VPN connection logs, assigned IP addresses, original IP addresses, online browsing history, data accessed, DNS queries, connection timestamps, or outgoing data traffic. Thus, the company does not store any information that could potentially be used to link the user to their use of the VPN or specific online activities.

However, there is a limited amount of data logging including user name, the email address you entered when you signed up to the service, payment details, VPN client crash reports, diagnostics, and Google Analytics on its website. The logging is still minimal and much less than many of Ivacy's competitors. There is also the option to request the deletion of your private information in the Members Section of its website.

The VPN operates on military-standard AES-256 bit encryption to ensure that your browsing data is almost impossible to access or decipher. It also boasts an array of secure protocols including IPSec, IKEv2, OpenVPN, L2TP, TCP, or UD. It is worth noting that OpenVPN is only available on a limited number of Ivacy's servers and it is not the VPN's standard protocol. If you wish to utilize OpenVPN, you will need to activate it manually in your VPN settings.

There is a reliable integrated kill-switch too that ensures that no unencrypted data is lost even if your VPN connection fails. However, the kill-switch is disappointingly not available on Ivacy's iOS and macOS clients.

Ivacy also offers IPv2, DNS, and WebRTC leak protection to ensure your real IP location and address and location never become compromised. Also, there is the option to purchase a dedicated IP add-on.

Despite that the security and privacy features offered by Ivacy are impressive, the company is yet to complete a public security audit. This means that there is no concrete evidence to back up the provider's claims. Such security audits are becoming common among premium VPN providers so we hope that Ivacy VPN will follow suit in the near future.

Ivacy also boasts integrated malware software to protect your connection from malicious advertisers and malware. It also offers a Secure Download feature which serves to scan every file you download and alert you to anything potentially harmful. This feature is especially useful for torrenters. If you are a gaming fan, Ivacy also offers protection against DDoS attacks.

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Ivacy VPN Features

75%

When it comes to affordability, Ivacy VPN is one of the best VPN services available. However, the low price tag does not mean that the VPN lacks features.

Despite that Ivacy's one-month plan is not cheap at $9.95 a month, if you are happy to commit to a long term-plan, its 5-year option cuts the price to an impressive $1 per month. This low monthly cost is unrivaled.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee with the long-term plans too, enabling you to test the product risk-free and request a full refund if you are not satisfied. The monthly plan comes with a 7-day free trial, it is important to note that this will automatically renew as the yearly plan if you forget to cancel. Users can also choose from a range of payment options including credit cards, PayPal, and cryptocurrencies.

Signing up for the service is easy, simply select a subscription plan and payment option, enter your payment details and wait for the Welcome email. Once you have received the email, click the link to set up your account and password, and then follow the link to your required apps. Download and install the client on your device.

The VPN offers access to over 3500 VPN servers across more than 100 countries. There are clients for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, routers, Firefox, Chrome, Edge Fire Stick, and Android TV devices. Ivacy provides unlimited bandwidth and support for 5 devices simultaneously.

The client interface opens to reveal a large smart Connect button for ease of use, that will automatically connect you to the best available server in terms of proximity and speed, or you can select your location from a complete server list. The list displays as countries or cities, however, there is no information regarding ping times or server loads, nor is there the option to search, filter, or search server options. There is a favorites system though that allows you to view your most commonly-used servers.

While it is not the fastest or most reliable in terms of server connections, it is sufficient for the average user. US server tests revealed speeds of between 70-80Mbps. It is a decent choice for streaming and is successful at accessing geo-restricted content on Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video.

There is complete P2P support as well as port-forwarding technology, making it a great option for torrenting fans too. Its desktop clients feature a handy filtering tool to help you select the best server for specific tasks such as streaming or torrenting.

However, the provider's macOS client lacks many of the features available in the desktop version including the server filtering tool, kill-switch, split tunneling, and choice of protocols. The iOS version is similarly disappointing and is much less powerful than its Android equivalent.

Users will have access to excellent live-chat support in case they run into issues while using the VPN provider. There is a range of comprehensive user support guides available on the website too.

Summary

4
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How Much Does Ivacy VPN Cost?

As part of this Ivacy VPN review, we took a look at the pricing options on offer. Ivacy VPN’s highest-priced plan is its monthly option which comes in at $9.95 a month, which is still relatively cheap when compared to most other VPN providers on the market. And, if you are happy to commit to a long-term subscription, Ivacy’s 5-year plan is priced at just $1 a month, which is billed as a single payment of $60, making it one of the most affordable VPN services available.

The provider’s one-year plan is billed as a one-off payment of $42 or around $3.50 a month. A static IP address can be purchased for an extra $1.99 a month, and port-forwarding comes at an additional $1 a month.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee on all of Ivacy’s subscription plans, 7-days if you opt for the monthly subscription option, and 30 days for the yearly and 5-year plans. There are some terms and conditions attached to the guarantee so it is checking the policy details before you sign up. Users will only receive a refund if they have not exceeded a limit of 30 VPN sessions, and a bandwidth limit of 500MB. There is also no refund for payments completed with cryptocurrencies.

When it comes to payment methods, users have a range of options to choose from including credit card, PayPal, and cryptocurrencies.

Is Ivacy VPN Private?

Ivacy offers an excellent, transparent no-logs privacy policy that clearly details all of the data that it does and doesn’t store. The provider does not monitor or log internet browsing activity, VPN connection logs, assigned IP addresses, original IP addresses, user browsing history, VPN connection timestamps, outgoing data traffic, accessed data, or DNS queries. Therefore, Ivacy VPN does not have access to any identifiable information that could be potentially used to link you to your online activities.

However, there is a limited amount of data logging and Ivacy does store user names, email addresses, payment details, VPN crash reports, diagnostics, and Google Analytics on its site. While this is not ideal, it is a lot less than many of its competitors store. There is also the option to request the deletion of your personal data in the Members section of Ivacy’s website.

The VPN company also operates on military-standard AES-256 bit encryption to ensure that even if your private data does become intercepted by hackers or cybercriminals, it is almost impossible to read or decipher.

There is a reliable kill-switch too, that protects your data even if the VPN connection drops. In the event that your VPN or internet connection fails, the kill-switch will act to cut the transfer of data so that no unencrypted data or your real IP address and location will ever become exposed. There is also complete IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leak protection.

However, despite that Ivacy offers a range of sophisticated privacy features, it is yet to complete an independent security audit of its no-logs policy or software. Thus, there is no real evidence to back up the provider’s privacy claims. Such independent audits are becoming common among premium VPN providers and we hope to see Ivacy complete one soon. TunnelBear, for example, has already completed 3 annual security audits of its website, software, and apps and we would like to see Ivacy follow suit.

Is Ivacy VPN Good for Streaming?

Accessing geo-restricted content on streaming sites such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer is one of the main reasons many users choose to install a VPN. A VPN connection reroutes your data through an encrypted tunnel to a remote VPN server. When connected to a VPN server you can make it appear as if your activity is originating in the same location as the VPN server rather than your actual geographical location. This means that you can trick streaming services into believing you are located in the same country as the site you are trying to access.

But how well does Ivacy perform when it comes to accessing streaming content? Upon testing, Ivacy was successful at accessing Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video, making it a great choice for streaming fans.

How Do I Get Ivacy VPN?

To sign up for Ivacy, simply choose your desired subscription plan, select your payment method, and enter your payment details. Ivacy will then send you a welcome email containing a link to set up your account and password. Enter your chosen password and follow the link to Ivacy’s range of apps and clients. Download your chosen client and sign up.

If you sign up for Ivacy’s long-term plans, you will receive a 30-day money-back guarantee, giving you the peace of mind to test the service before you commit to a paid subscription. If you are not completely satisfied, you can request a full refund, no questions asked.

There is also a 24/7 live-chat customer support option in case you run into any problems while using the VPN client.

Is Ivacy Easy to Use?

Ivacy’s VPN clients are easy to set up and simple to use, even for a beginner VPN user. The interface opens to reveal a large Connect/Disconnect button that will automatically set up a connection to the closest available server. You can also opt to choose a server from the location list.

The list can either be displayed as countries or cities, however, there is no additional information such as ping times, or server load figures to help you choose the best one. There is also no search box, filter, or sort options. However, there is a Favorites system to allow you to easily access your most commonly used server locations.

Is Ivacy VPN Good for Torrenting?

Ivacy is a great option for torrenting fans too thanks to its complete P2P support across all of its servers. The VPN may also be successful at preventing bandwidth throttling, to enhance your internet connection speeds.

Many ISPs (Internet Service Providers) intentionally slow users’ connection speeds if they cannot keep up with the constant demands and streamers, torrenters, and gamers. They will often target users based on their activity, but if you use a VPN connection, your ISP will be unable to see what you are up to online and will thus be less likely to limit your bandwidth and connection speeds.

There is a port-forwarding feature that is available to purchase as an add-on that can be used to increase the download speeds of, especially large files.

Is Ivacy VPN Compatible with Windows?

Ivacy’s Windows app features an integrated internet kill-switch, split tunneling option, access to multiport settings to overcome VPN blocks, as well as the option to change your protocol between OpenVPN UDP, OpenVPN TCP, L2TP, or IKEv2.

OpenVPN is an open-source VPN protocol which means that developers can access and scrutinize its code. It operates on military-grade AES-256 encryption in combination with 2048-bit RSA authentication and a 160-bit SHA1 hash algorithm. We would recommend utilizing OpenVPN where possible as it is extremely secure and almost unbreakable.

OpenVPN TCP is slightly slower than OpenVPN UDP because of its higher encryption. L2TP (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol) offers lower safety standards and slower speeds. Whereas IKEv2 (Internet Key Exchange Version 2) is relatively fast and secure, however, it is not compatible with all platforms and it may not be able to bypass firewalls.

The Windows client also features a toolbar to assist you in choosing the best server for specific tasks. The Streaming Tab enables you to access specific streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and more. Other tabs, such as the Unblocking tab, will enable access to specific websites, while the Secure Download tab will scan for malware and viruses when you are downloading files.

Is Ivacy Compatible with macOS?

When it comes to macOS, Ivacy’s client is pretty simple, especially when compared to its Windows alternative. There is no kill switch, split tunneling feature, multiport settings, or the option to select your connection type. The mac client does, however, offer the toolbar to help you select the best server for streaming Netflix, unblocking, or downloading.

Is Ivacy Compatible with Mobiles?

If you want to use Ivacy on your mobile devices, it is useful to note that its iOS version is much simpler than the Android option. The Android version offers almost as many features as the Windows client, whereas the iPhone VPN client is as limited as the macOS version. However, the iOS client does allow you to chose between IKEV and IPSec protocols.

Does Ivacy Offer Good Customer Service?

If you run into issues when using Ivacy’s VPN service there is excellent customer support available with a 24/7 live chat option on the website, as well as email support. You can expect to receive a helpful response to your queries within a few minutes. Ivacy’s site also features a helpful customer support center with quick start guides for each compatible platform, video tutorials, as well as an FAQ section.

Is Ivacy Good for Gaming?

It is necessary to protect all of your private information and files while enjoying a fast, reliable connection when online gaming. IvacyVPN enables you to do both with its secure gaming VPN solution.

Ivacy VPN’s product protects gamers from DDoS attacks which occur when rival gamers attempt to slow your connection speeds to win the game. DDoS attacks intend to overwhelm your server or gaming software so that you are kicked out of your game and lose all of your progress. It sends unwarranted data traffic to your server so that it fails. Ivacy is one of the best VPNs for gaming thanks to its secure protection against such attacks.

Also, many games are released in certain countries before they are available in the rest of the world. However, with Ivacy you will gain access to servers in 100 locations worldwide, meaning that you no longer have to wait to play new games. Simply connect to a VPN server in the country that the game has already been released and enjoy access to it before it is even available in your own country. This method will also enable access to limited costumes, characters, skins, updates, and add-ons. Installing Ivacy will enable you to get the most out of your gaming experience.

If you have noticed slower connection speeds while gaming, you may be a target of ISP bandwidth throttling. This occurs when Internet Service Provider’s intentionally slow user speeds because they cannot keep up with demands on their servers. ISPs typically target users that consume a high amount of data through gaming or streaming. By connecting to Ivacy, your ISP will be unable to view your activity online, and will thus be less likely to throttle your connection speeds or bandwidth.

Also, Ivacy offers static IPs that are the best available. This means that you can enjoy full bandwidth without having to worry about ISP throttling. A dedicated IP address is whitelisted so that you are the only user that can access it, from your own device. Access static IPs with Ivacy in countries including Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Singapore.

A VPN gives you a completely secure internet gaming experience by hiding your real IP address and rerouting your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel of secure servers. Installing Ivacy will ensure an enhanced gaming experience with fast connection speeds and protection against DDoS attacks thanks to 256 bit AES encryption, access to over 1000 secure servers, a strict no-logs policy, and dedicated IPs.

Author Cliff Durward

Hi, I'm Cliff. I'm based in Cleveland, Ohio, with my wife and two kids. I have a keen interest in cybersecurity and have been writing about it for around a decade now. Due to my background in computer science, I am familiar ...
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