We’re currently in the age of the internet. The world wide web has become super entwined in our everyday lives, from the time we wake up to a phone’s alarm clock, to when many of us get into our internet-connected cars to drive to work, a place most of us probably use the internet too. It doesn’t matter where you are, you’re almost constantly connected to the web.
This is why this IPVanish vs ExpressVPN comparison is so important. The internet brings us all sorts of convenience, but it’s not all silver lining. Most of us are aware that using the internet brings an inherent amount of risk with it.
We’ve all heard horror stories about a hacker stealing someone’s identity and ruining their lives. But most of us are quick to brush that possibility off. “That’s a freak incident. Something like that would never happen to me.” Unfortunately though, that’s not that case. Not only is everyone at some amount of risk when using the internet, but it’s not getting any safer either.
Hackers aren’t as rare a thing as you might think, and they’re getting better at their craft every day. Not only that, but more and more people are learning how to do it. That means anyone who has any sort of sensitive data on the web is at risk. Here are some startling hacking statistics. Over 70% of Americans have been a victim to some form of cybercrime. Identity theft is on the rise and from 2010 to 2015 alone, over 25 million Americans have been affected by identity theft. In the US, the 2020 cybersecurity budget is close to $15 billion. This is a major issue that should never be overlooked. That’s why VPN services are becoming all the rage these days. More and more people are realizing the risks of using the web and want to keep themselves protected as best they can.
But what is a VPN anyway? Do they really work? And should you get one?
What Is A VPN?
With stories about freak internet hacker-incidents becoming more and more common by the day, loads of people are starting to invest in VPN services to protect themselves.
But how do they work?
Before we get to that, let’s talk about how you’re able to access the web in the first place.
When you try to access a website, your computer(or whichever internet-connected device you’re using) sends out that data to the web. But before your traffic can get to its destination it has to go through your ISP, or Internet Service Provider.
To put it simply, think of the ISP as a pit stop along the way for your data. It’s the first point your information stops on its way to the destination. And when the data comes back, it goes through your ISP too.
For some people, there’s a problem with this; since all of your traffic travels through your ISP, they are able to view all of it.
Your ISP can see basically everything you do on the web, and they likely collect this data, which they’ll often sell to the highest bidder.
For some people, this isn’t a big deal, but for others it’s huge.
If your ISP snooping in on your user data doesn’t bother you, it might be nice to know that they aren’t the only ones able to see what you’re doing on the web.
As we said before, hackers are getting better and better by the day. And getting information like your IP, location, and various pieces of user data isn’t actually very hard with the right set of skills and knowledge.
When you use the web regularly, you don’t have much control over your privacy or internet safety.
That’s where one of the biggest advantages of using a VPN comes in.
When you use a VPN service, you reroute your traffic through the VPN’s network.
Remember when we said that the first pit stop was your ISP? Well with a VPN that changes. Instead of going through your ISP, your traffic goes through the VPN network first.
This is important because a VPN network effectively acts as a tunnel for your data to travel through. They do this by using secure encryption methods to protect your data while it’s en route. Now, instead of seeing exactly what you’re doing on the web and where you are, anyone snooping in is now blocked from that information.
This encryption tunnel makes it much harder for anyone to stage an attack on your network and steal your information.
All right. So now you know what a VPN is, but there’s still a problem.
There are so many options for VPN services out there. How are you supposed to know which one to choose?
Considering that your privacy and security are the things at risk, this is a pretty important decision, so you want to make sure you’re informed before you make it.
And you’re in luck, friend. Because today we’re going to be comparing two popular VPN services to help you make your final decision.
Those two services are going to be IPVanish and ExpressVPN.
About IPVanish
IPVanish is a service run by Mudhook Media Inc., a company based out of the United States. The service was initially released in 2012 and has since become one of the most popular VPN services on the market.
About ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN was launched in 2009 and is currently operated by Express VPN International Limited. The company is based out of the British Virgin Islands.
ExpressVPN vs IPVanish speed test
When choosing a good VPN provider, speed matters! When using a VPN service such as these two, there is going to be a reduction in internet speeds. That’s unavoidable, as you’re sending your whole connection on a detour of sorts. But that doesn’t mean you should settle for slow speeds when using one.
The best VPNs on the market have lots of server infrastructure in place to counteract this so they can still provide users with high-speed service. So how do these two VPNs stack up when it comes to server count and speeds?
IPVanish speed
In terms of server count, IPVanish has a very respectable network. With over 1000 servers spread across 51 countries, it shouldn’t be too hard a task to find a server close enough to get a good connection going. When talking about speeds, IPVanish performs very well. From most places in the world, you shouldn’t have too noticeable of an impact on your internet speeds. IPVanish gets a thumbs up from us.
ExpressVPN speed
While IPVanish has a good amount of servers with a decent spread across the world, ExpressVPN blows them out of the water when talking about server count.
ExpressVPN has almost double the number of servers IPVanish does, with ExpressVPN coming in at about 2000 servers worldwide. These servers are spread across 94 different countries, which is almost twice the amount of countries IPVanish covers. This is some of the best server coverage you can get with a VPN right now.
In terms of speed, however, ExpressVPN comes out closer to IPVanish than you might expect. This isn’t really a problem however, it just means that both services provide high-speed service.
VPN Servers & Performance between ExpressVPN and IPVanish — The Winner:
The winner of this category is going to be ExpressVPN. While the services perform roughly the same when it comes to speed, you’re more likely to find a nearby server with ExpressVPN as their network just has better coverage.
VPN pricing comparison between IPVanish and ExpressVPN
While the peace of mind that privacy brings is definitely worth an investment, it’s nice not to break the bank over it. So let’s look at the pricing options for both of these services.
IPVanish pricing
When choosing IPVanish you’ll have three options. There aren’t really any differences in features between the various packages, the only thing that changes is how often you pay the subscription fee.
Their first option is a monthly subscription. If you opt to pay by the month, it costs $10 per cycle. Not a bad price when compared to other monthly VPN subscriptions.
IPVanish’s next price option is a 3-month subscription. With their 3-month plan, you’ll be charged $8.99 per month, which comes out to $26.99 at the end of each cycle.
The last option is a yearly plan. When you go with the annual plan from IPVanish, you’ll only be charged $6.49 per month, or $77.99 each cycle.
While not the best prices when compared to other VPNs, IPVanish is far from expensive when you consider the value it brings.
ExpressVPN pricing
For ExpressVPN you’ll also have three options. A 1-month plan, a 6-month plan, and then a 15-month plan.
First is the monthly option. If you choose to pay on a monthly basis, ExpressVPN will cost you $12.95 per month.
The 6-month plan lowers that price down to $9.99 per month. Which ends up being $59.95 every 6 months.
Their last option is a 15-month plan. The reason for the strange number is because it’s actually an annual plan, but you get 3 months for free in your first year.
Your first 15 months with ExpressVPN will cost you $99.95. This changes to $6.67 per month after the initial 15 month period, which comes out to $99.95 per 12 months instead.
Pricing — The Winner:
The winner for this section is IPVanish. Even with ExpressVPN’s 15-month plan, they just don’t beat IPVanish when it comes to pricing.
VPN Features comparison between IPVanish vs ExpressVPN
As far as features go, both of these VPNs are some of the less “flashy” options out there. They really just have one goal in mind, and that’s security.
So while it might be nice to get some of the extra goodies that come with other VPNs, it’s nice to know that both of these services are dedicated to providing safety and functionality over novelty features.
IPVanish features
– 10 Simultaneous Connections – With IPVanish you can have up to 10 of your devices connected to the service all at once. This includes routers(albeit it has to be manually installed on them), so you can effectively increase the number of device slots you have.
– Kill Switch – IPVanish has the option to enable a kill switch feature. This makes sure that if your VPN stops running, your internet will be cut off. This helps to prevent any data leaks in case of a sudden stop in your VPN service.
– Unlimited bandwidth – With IPvanish, transferred data will never be limited.
– SOCKS5 web proxy – Great feature for masking your personal IP while you create P2P and VoIP connections.
– IKEv2, OpenVPN, and L2TP/IPsec VPN protocols – Multiple types of connections supported.
– 256-bit AES encryption
ExpressVPN features
– 5 Simultaneous Device Connections – While not as many connections as you get with IPVanish, ExpressVPN still allows up to 5 devices to be connected at once. Again, you can manually install it on your router so that all devices using it go through your VPN, letting you technically get more than 5 devices on the network.
– Stream Friendly – ExpressVPN is one of the more streaming-friendly services out there. You should be able to access quite a few of your favorite video-streaming services through the VPN.
– Server locations – ExpressVPN has over 160 server locations to choose from in countries such as the USA, China, Argentina, Japan, India, Brazil, Mexico, Germany, Greece, France, Spain, Australia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and more. You will be able to switch as often as you like, without having to worry about limits.
– Anonymous browsing – What is awesome about ExpressVPN anonymous browsing is that you will be able to pay for their service using Bitcoin and use Tor to browse their hidden .onion site.
– ExpressVPN TrustedServer – You can rest assured that your data is wiped with every reboot. You can easily be able to minimize the risk of vulnerabilities or misconfiguration.
– VPN spit tunneling – With this feature you will be able to route some device traffic through your VPN company while the rest of your device traffic accesses the internet directly. This is an awesome feature for streaming your favorite foreign movies while using local IP addresses from different web services.
– No activity – You will never have to worry about your traffic data or DNS queries being logged while using ExpressVPN.
– Unlimited streaming – Access Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, Facebook, BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Wikipedia, Google, Amazon Firestick, HBO Go, ITV, CBC, NBC, and more.
– 256-bit AES encryption
Features — The Winner:
The contest for VPN with the best features is a toss-up. While IPVanish allows more devices to be connected and comes with a built-in kill switch, ExpressVPN does have more support for streaming.
We’re going to say that IPVanish is the winner here though, since your main concern is probably security when choosing a VPN. Though if you’re particularly concerned about streaming then ExpressVPN might be the better choice in your case.
VPN service ease of use
Another important factor to consider when choosing a VPN is ease of use. While probably not the main selling factor of a VPN, having an easy to use, intuitive user interface is a huge plus.
With that being said, which of these services provides a smoother user experience?
IPVanish ease of use
IPVanish’s app is definitely serviceable. It’s not the easiest or nicest looking UI out there, but it gets the job done.
There shouldn’t be many problems with figuring out how to use the program, and after the initial installation, getting protected access to the web should be a relatively quick and painless process.
ExpressVPN ease of use
ExpressVPN’s story is a bit different. The app that ExpressVPN offers is one of the most intuitive user experiences out there. From the moment you turn it on, everything has clearly been tailored to make it as easy as possible to get protected access to the web quickly and easily.
Ease of Use — The Winner:
IPVanish’s application is by no means bad. It gets the job done and it’s relatively easy to use.
But..
ExpressVPN just offers a better experience, IPVanish’s app isn’t bad, but ExpressVPN’s app is great. That’s why ExpressVPN is the winner for ease of use.
Device Compatibility
With VPNs, the more devices you’re able to use, the better. If privacy and security is what you’re after, then you’re going to want to install the VPN on as many of your internet-connected devices as possible.
So what do these two have to offer in terms of device compatibility?
IPVanish device compatibility
IPVanish supports easy installation of apps for Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, and Amazon TV.
Unfortunately, there’s not great support for Linux, so if you want to install IPVanish on your Linux system or router you’re going to have to go through the manual install route.
ExpressVPN device compatibility
ExpressVPN on the other hand, comes with support for all the major operating systems. This includes Windows, Mac, Android, iOS and Linux.
There’s also good support for the Amazon TV, as well as some routers, though with many routers you’ll still have to go with the manual install approach.
Compatibility — The Winner:
With support for all major operating systems, including Linux, ExpressVPN comes out as the winner here. There’s just more device support for ExpressVPN than IPVanish brings to the table.
Security & Privacy VPN comparison for IPVanish vs ExpressVPN
The level of security and privacy that a VPN brings is extremely important. After all, increased security is one of the main selling points of a VPN in the first place. So let’s see how IPVanish and ExpressVPN compare.
IPVanish security
When looking at IPVanish’s track record, you might be a bit hesitant to say that they’re the most privacy-friendly VPN service out there.
To start, IPVanish is based in the US. While the US doesn’t have any mandatory data-retention laws, it’s a member of the Five Eyes Alliance, which means it’s far from the most privacy-friendly country out there.
This is compounded by the fact that IPVanish has handed over customer data to Homeland Security in the past. This runs contrary to their No Data Logging policy. Though this was when the service was owned by a different company, so we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt on that one.
The technical security measures are sound as well, with the industry-standard AES-256 encryption you shouldn’t have to worry about anyone breaking directly through the encryption tunnel.
Overall, IPVanish seems to be a fairly safe VPN service, though there are a few noteworthy causes for concern.
ExpressVPN security
ExpressVPN, on the other hand, is based within the British Virgin Islands. The Virgin Islands have no mandatory data-retention laws. It’s a pretty good country when it comes to privacy.
ExpressVPN also boasts a no-logging policy and the same AES-256 encryption as IPVanish.
Security & Privacy — The Winner:
The winner for this section is ExpressVPN by a sliver. While both companies have similar policies and levels of encryption, IPVanish’s jurisdiction isn’t as privacy-friendly as ExpressVPN’s.
A history of handing over customer data to Homeland Security doesn’t help IPVanish’s case either, even if it was under different leadership.
Refund Policy comparison
A refund policy is similar to a free trial. A good refund policy is always great news for VPNs. It’s nice to get a feel for the program before you have to fully commit to it. So how do these VPNs stack up when comparing refund policies?
IPVanish refund policy
Each of IPVanish’s pricing options include a 7-day money-back guarantee. While it’s better than nothing, 7 days isn’t what we’d consider a great refund policy.
ExpressVPN refund policy
Every one of ExpressVPN’s pricing plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. This is more than enough time to give you a good feel for the program.
Refund Policies — The Winner:
The clear winner for best refund policy is ExpressVPN. IPVanish’s 7-day guarantee is probably enough to give you a feel for the service, but in ExpressVPN’s case you have the whole month to decide whether you like it or not.
Customer Support
Customer support is super important when it comes to VPNs. It’s almost inevitable that something’s going to go wrong for you at some point. So having a good customer support section to help you when a problem arises is always a great reassurance.
IPVanish customer support
IPVanish has multiple options when it comes to customer support. First is their website’s knowledge base. This is an assortment of FAQs and guides to help you with any commonly faced problems.
Second, they have an email support section. IPVanish’s support section usually replies quickly, often within 24 hours if not less.
They also have a live chat for more urgent issues. Their live chat has proven to be helpful and quick in getting issues solved whenever they come up. To top it all off, the live chat is open 24/7, so you can get a fix to your problem at any time of day.
ExpressVPN customer support
ExpressVPN stands on similar grounds to IPVanish when it comes to support. They offer a sizeable knowledge base on their website, full of guides and FAQs.
They have email support for any questions you might have, and if you need a quick and easy fix they have a 24/7 live chat as well.
Customer Support — The Winner:
This section comes down to another tie. Both services have great customer support, even offering 24/7 live chats so you can get help at anytime.
Bottom Line
So now that we’ve gone over most aspects of each VPN, it’s time to decide which is the winner.
The winner for best VPN service is…
ExpressVPN
IPVanish isn’t a bad VPN choice by any means. It’s one of the most popular out there right now, and for good reason. It even beat ExpressVPN in prices and has a slightly better collection of features.
But ExpressVPN is just too good to turn down. They have better support for various devices, wider coverage from their servers, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and the app is an absolute breeze to use on basically every platform. Not to mention that IPVanish’s somewhat shady past when it comes to their data-logging policies. I encourage you to start a VPN today.
Want to give either of these VPNs a try for yourself?
Try ExpressVPN here: https://www.expressvpn.com/
Or give IPVanish a try at: https://www.ipvanish.com/
