Virtual Private Network, or VPN for short. It’s a term that gets thrown around quite a bit whenever the topic of internet safety comes up. But what is a VPN? What do they do? And do you need to get one? This is what this NordVPN Vs IPVanish comparison is all about.
The internet has taken the world by storm. In its short lifetime, it’s gone from nothing to king of the world in only a few decades. Now we’re in an age where everything is digital.
Your computer, your phone, your TV, it’s all becoming connected to the internet. For some people more than others, but given that you’re reading this you must at least use the internet to some extent.
“So what?” You might find yourself asking.
Why does it matter that it’s all connected to the web?
Well, there’s no inherent problem that comes with being constantly connected. The problem lies with people. That’s because there are always going to be people who want to take advantage of the situations they can.
Hackers are more of a problem now than they’ve ever been, and their tactics are only improving with each year.
When you use the internet, you’re really putting yourself out there. None of the information you put on the web is safe, and that’s because it isn’t actually too difficult to gain access to that information.
It doesn’t take a world-class hacker to start snooping in on someone’s sensitive data. That includes things like your IP and location, as well as your user data like website traffic.
The prospect of someone carrying out an attack on your network and getting your personal information is a scary enough scenario as is, but that’s not the only reason you might be interested in a VPN.
Whether or not you become the victim of one of these attacks is up to chance. But there is one thing you can bet on when using the internet.
While a hacker might not have your personal information, you can guarantee that your ISP does.
When you connect to the web, your traffic has to be routed through your ISP. They’re kind of like the middleman between your computer and the web.
Since your data has to go through your ISP, that means they have access to much of it. Your ISP can see exactly what you’re doing through the web, and they’re free to do what they like with this information. In many cases, this means selling it to advertisers.
While having your information collected and sold might not be a huge deal to some, the lack of privacy is definitely a valid cause for concern.
This is especially the case for people in countries with less internet freedom than places like the US. While it might be concerning to have your data collected in the US, it can be a much more serious issue in countries that have stricter policies on the web.
And that’s where VPNs come in.
VPNs: What’s The Point?
Remember how we said that your ISP acts as the middleman between you and the web?
Well, a VPN kind of acts like a middleman between you and your ISP.
When you use a VPN, instead of going straight through your ISP’s network, your traffic is first sent through the VPNs network.
VPNs act as a tunnel for your data to travel through. They do this by encrypting your information before it gets out into the web. This means that no one can really see what you’re doing on the web when you use a VPN, whether it’s a hacker or your ISP, they won’t able to see any of the details.
This is why VPNs are becoming so popular. They allow users to take further control of the information they allow to be released onto the web.
But there are so many options out there when it comes to VPNs, how are you supposed to know which one is really the best?
Well luckily for you, we’ve done some of the research so you don’t have to. Today we’re going to be comparing two of the more popular choices when it comes to VPNs, NordVPN and IPVanish.
The history of NordVPN
Owned by the company Tefincom S.A., NordVPN is one of the most popular VPN services available right now. It was launched back in 2012 and is based out of Panama, one of the most privacy-friendly countries out there.
The history of IPVanish
Another one of the top dogs in the VPN world, IPVanish is a service based out of the United States. Similarly, IPVanish launched in 2012 under Mudhook Media Inc. and has only skyrocketed to popularity since.
Servers & Performance comparison
When choosing a VPN, one of the more important factors to consider is the speeds you’ll be getting with any particular service.
The reason for this is that you can almost certainly expect your internet speeds to slow down when using a VPN. After all, you are taking your whole connection on a detour through the VPN network, so it’s no surprise that the data takes longer to make its journey.
One of the best indicators of good speeds for a VPN is its server infrastructure. The better a VPN’s spread of servers, the more likely you’ll have one nearby, meaning your data doesn’t have to travel as far.
Many VPNs have hundreds or even thousands of different servers across the world to ensure fast speeds for their users.
So how do Nord and IPVanish stack up when it comes to connection speed?
NordVPN server performance
NordVPN boasts one of the largest server networks in the VPN industry. They have over 5,500 servers spread across 60 countries. This means that no matter where you are, you’re more than likely to have a server close enough to get a good connection.
Speaking of connection, let’s talk about performance. If you were to assume that NordVPN is a fast service because of its vast server network, you’d be correct. NordVPN has consistently high speeds across the board.
Overall, NordVPN is a great choice when it comes to performance and server count.
IPVanish server performance.
With such a strong start for Nord, it might be hard for IPVanish to keep from falling behind. But the truth is that IPVanish doesn’t mess around when it comes to infrastructure either.
While not at the same level as Nord’s 5,000+ servers, IPVanish still boasts an impressive amount of servers at over 1,300. These servers are spread across 75 countries, which is actually a wider spread than Nord’s, albeit not as densely packed.
IPVanish also manages to be one of the fastest VPNs on the market right now. When comparing speeds, these two VPNs are very close, with NordVPN only beating IPVanish by a small margin.
Servers & Performance — The Winner: NordVPN
NordVPN comes out as the winner here because of its significantly larger server network.
While IPVanish technically has a wider spread since they cover 75 countries, NordVPN isn’t far behind at 60 and the 4,000 difference in server count more than makes up for that.
Nord’s win is by no means a landslide though, the speed difference between these two networks is oftentimes negligible enough that you probably wouldn’t even notice.
VPN pricing comparison
Another important factor to consider when making a VPN choice. While there’s definitely a great value in protecting yourself online, VPNs are getting more affordable than ever so you don’t need to invest all your savings into safely surfing the web.
Let’s get into the pricing options for each VPN and see which one comes out on top.
NordVPN pricing
If you choose to go with NordVPN past the trial period, you’re going to have 4 options when it comes to pricing.
Each of these options is functionally the same. You’re not getting any extras with one particular package, the only difference is how often you pay your subscription fee. You can either choose to pay monthly, yearly, every 2 years, or you can choose to pay every 3 years.
NordVPN’s monthly plan will cost you $11.95 per month. This isn’t a bad price by any means, but it’s far from Nord’s best value.
Going yearly will net you a total of $6.99 per month, which comes out to $83.99 per year. This saves you almost half of the money you’d spend if you chose to go monthly.
The third option is their 2-year plan. If you choose to pay every two years, Nord will cost you $4.99 per month, which equals $119.75 every two years.
Nord’s best value, however, is its 3-year plan. If you choose to pay every three years, Nord only costs you $3.49 per month. This will come out to $125.64 when you get your bill. This is one of the best bangs-for-your-buck out there when it comes to VPNs.
So how does IPVanish compare when it comes to pricing?
IPVanish pricing
When you choose IPVanish, you’re greeted with 3 options for pricing. Again, none of the packages come with any extra benefits besides the savings, the only difference is the time between payments.
IPVanish’s first option is the 1-month plan. This will end up costing you an even $10 per month. Again, not a bad price when it comes to monthly, but you’re probably better off going with one of the longer terms for better value.
The next option is a quarterly plan, or payments every 3 months. This plan costs $8.99 per month instead, coming out to $26.99 at the end of the period.
Their last option available for IPVanish is an annual fee. This is the best value you can get with IPVanish coming in at $6.49 per month or $77.99 annually.
Pricing — The Winner: Tie
The best VPN for pricing depends on how often you plan on paying your fee. If you want to set up your payments annually or more often, then IPVanish is the winner.
However, if you want to get the best value for your money, you can opt to go for Nord’s 2 or 3-year plans. While they’re a bigger initial cost out of pocket, there’s no beating the value they bring.
VPN Features
Features are also an understandably important factor to consider when picking a VPN. When deciding which VPN to go with, it’s important to decide why you’re using it in the first place.
Are you looking for something that brings lots of extras like Netflix-unblocking and ad-blocking?
Or are you looking for a minimal experience that provides great security features without anything flashy?
Regardless of what you’re looking for though, it’s nice to have a decent list of features to bolster your privacy.
Let’s take a look at each of these services and see which one comes out on top.
NordVPN features
– Internet Kill Switch – NordVPN allows you to enable a kill switch for your connection. This cuts off any internet access in the case that your VPN stops working. This is a great feature for preventing data leaks due to a malfunctioning VPN.
– 6 Simultaneous Connections – NordVPN allows you to use up to 6 devices at once. This includes routers, which means you can technically get more than 6 devices protected on your network all at once.
– Netflix Access – One common problem that many VPNs have is that Netflix tends to block them. Luckily, when using Nord you should still be able to access and stream Netflix without any trouble.
– Onion Over VPN – For those interesting in surfing the dark web, NordVPN allows for easy access to the Onion Network through the app.
– Double Encryption – If one level of encryption weren’t enough, Nord allows you to encrypt your data twice before sending it out to the web. While not always a necessary feature, especially considering the performance drop you can expect to see, it’s nice to have just in case.
– Ad Blocking – NordVPN allows for a smoother experience on the web by including an ad-blocker for advertisement-free web surfing.
IPVanish features
– 10 Simultaneous Connections – IPVanish allows for up to 10 devices to be connected simultaneously under one account. This is great because it allows you to protect almost any internet-connected device you could wish for.
– Kill Switch – IPVanish also comes with an internet kill switch to protect from data leaks should your service ever unexpectedly shut off.
– Zero traffic logs – IPVanish has strict policies against the collection of both connection and activities logs.
Features — The Winner: NordVPN
NordVPN is the clear winner for this category. Whether you’re only concerned with safety or you’re looking for some smaller quality-of-life additions, Nord has it all.
From Netflix access to the option for double encryption, NordVPN comes filled to the brim with handy features for enabling safe access to the web.
Ease of Use
Accessibility is another factor to consider when choosing a VPN, especially for the less tech-savvy. A whole list of great features doesn’t do you much good if the user interface is so complicated that you can’t figure out how to use them.
So how smooth of a user experience are the apps for these VPNs?
NordVPN
From the moment you start the install all the way up till you’re safely connected, NordVPN is a breeze to use. The application on all platforms is fantastic, and there shouldn’t be any problem getting safe access to the web for even the people with no experience with VPN software.
IPVanish
IPVanish’s is quite different from Nord’s but just as simple to use. You can expect a butter smooth user experience when using IPVanish, and figuring out the app shouldn’t take much longer than a few minutes after you’ve completed the(just as easy to use) install wizard.
Ease of Use — The Winner: Tie
Both these services have such easy-to-use apps that this category is going to be a tie. No matter which one you choose, it shouldn’t take longer than a few minutes to have either one figured out.
Security & Privacy
A VPNs level of security is arguably the most important factor of all. This shouldn’t come as a surprise since the whole point of a VPN for most is increased privacy and security over your information.
There are quite a few factors that play into how privacy-friendly a VPN is. Things like secure encryption methods and sound data logging policies are super-important for a VPN service.
Other things that help bolster security is a good jurisdiction for the VPN to operate in as well as the option to pay with anonymous currencies like Bitcoin.
NordVPN security
NordVPN is run out of Panama. This is a great jurisdiction for a VPN because the country has no requirements for mandatory data logging. NordVPN takes full advantage of this with their no-logging policies.
Nord doesn’t save any of their users’ data for future use, so there’s no worry that they’ll use that information down the road.
As for the more technical side of things, NordVPN also boasts some very strong encryption methods. They use the industry-standard AES-256 encryption method, which is just short of impenetrable.
If that weren’t enough, they also offer the aforementioned double-encryption feature to further enhance security.
While you do need to use an email to register with Nord, you’re free to use Bitcoin for payment if you’d like to stay even more anonymous.
IPVanish security
IPVanish stands on similar grounds as Nord when it comes to safety. They use the same AES-256 encryption method and don’t keep records of user data.
The only possible concern is that IPVanish is based out of the US. While not the least privacy-friendly country to operate out of, the US is certainly a bit more aggressive than Panama when it comes to surveillance.
As for payment options, unfortunately, you can’t use Bitcoin or similar currencies to keep anonymous on that front.
Security & Privacy — The Winner: Nord
The winner for the most secure and privacy-friendly VPN is NordVPN.
While IPVanish doesn’t have any history of turning in user data, they do operate out of a slightly less privacy-friendly country than Nord. The option of paying for NordVPN with Bitcoin is also a highly appreciated plus.
Refund Policies
Having a decent refund policy is a great plus when choosing a VPN. It allows you to try out the service and performance without making the commitment of a subscription until you know you like it.
NordVPN refund policy
NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee with every one of their plans. 30 days is more than enough time to try out a VPN and decide whether or not you like it, so Nord gets the thumbs up on this end.
IPVanish refund policy
IPVanish’s refund policy is a bit less enticing, coming in at only 7 days. This 7-day money-back guarantee comes with every one of the available packages.
7 days is probably enough to decide whether or not a VPN is for you, but it’s definitely on the shorter end for VPN trial periods out there.
Refund Policies — The Winner: NordVPN
NordVPN is the clear winner for this section. 30 days should be plenty for figuring out if the service is for you.
Customer Support
A strong customer support section is also understandably important for a VPN.
Things go wrong, there’s nothing we can do about it. When you’re using a VPN, you can expect to run into troubles from time to time, and having access to help when the going gets rough is a huge plus in our books.
NordVPN
NordVPN offers multiple great resources when it comes to problem-solving.
First is their online knowledge hub. If you run into a common problem, you can visit Nord’s website and look at the FAQs and help pages to see if there’s already an easy fix out there.
For problems that require you to be a bit more involved though, Nord offers both an email support section as well as a 24/7 live support chat for quick and helpful advice.
This means that no matter what time your problem arises, it shouldn’t be long before you’re able to get an easy fix to the problem.
IPVanish
IPVanish also boasts a great support section.
Similarly to Nord, they offer an online knowledge hub full of FAQs and helpful articles.
They also have an email support section as well as a 24/7 live chat for when you need a quick answer.
Customer Support — The Winner: Tie
This section comes to a tie. Regardless of which VPN you choose, helpful fixes to any technical problems that may arise are never far.
Bottom Line
The winner for the best VPN out of these two services is NordVPN.
While IPVanish is certainly a strong contender for a great VPN service, NordVPN wins in too many categories for IPVanish to be able to take the win.
Want to try out either of these services for yourself?
Try NordVPN here: https://nordvpn.com/
Or give IPVanish a try for yourself at https://www.ipvanish.com/
