In-Depth Comparison Between NordVPN vs IPVanish
NordVPN and IPVanish are both highly competent VPN providers. As they are both VPNs that are well known and also market leaders, it makes it difficult to choose between the two. If you’re having trouble weighing up which to pick from NordVPN and IPVanish, this article will come in very handy. Here we examine the specific differences between the two brands to see who comes out on top.
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | Loser | Winner |
| Features | Loser | Winner |
| Security & Privacy | Loser | Winner |
| Customer Support | Loser | Winner |
| Pricing | Winner | Loser |
Our overall winner is NordVPN. Read on to see the breakdown of how each brands measures up.
Performance
Without a strong performance and speed, VPNs are simply not possible to use as it completely inhibits a person’s access to the internet – for whatever reason they are online. One of the main reasons that NordVPN and IPVanish have both become so popular is due to their consistently high speeds and reliable connections. Plus, they both offer compatibility with the following operating systems with no niggles in performance with any of them: iOS, Linux, Mac, Windows, Android, and even smart TVs.
In terms of the number of servers they both have, NordVPN is a clear winner, though IPVanish still has a highly commendable sized network. NordVPN has 5244 servers across 62 countries with the result that users are spoiled for choice with what location to choose. IPVanish still has a very impressive 1100+ servers and 60+ country locations.
In terms of connection speed, while both NordVPN and IPVanish do slow down a naked connection, it is only by a very small amount. When tested, NordVPN suffered an average of a 5% speed loss and IPVanish incurred an impressive 3% loss overall, but IPVanish tests are not as consistent as Nord’s.
As befitting with top-ranked VPN providers, both offer unlimited bandwidth allowing for maximum browsing and streaming speed. On top of that NordVPN can use up to six simultaneous connections on different devices with IPVanish allowing for up to five connections at once. Being able to connect so many devices at once, makes both of these VPNs perfect for those with many devices, large families, or even those who want to share accounts with others.
It should also be noted that, as with all VPNs, you may experience the odd lag particularly when streaming shows online, this lag time can be reduced by choosing servers that are closer to the country you are located. Given that both have so many country locations, this should prove exceptionally easy.
Overall Winner: Tie
Features
The features a VPN offers is really shows when a provider can set itself apart from the competition. In terms of comparing NordVPN with IPVanish, it is NordVPN that is the clear winner when it comes to what features it comes with on any of its pricing plans.
Available Streaming Services
Both VPNs allow access to a number of popular streaming services. NordVPN makes Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime and Hulu all available – to name a few. IPVanish will provide excellent streaming quality on BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime and Hulu, but will not unblock Netflix based on the last check we’ve made. It is because IPVanish has yet to unblock Netflix’s geo-restrictions that NordVPN wins out here.
Mobile Apps
Both NordVPN and IPVanish have attractive and easy to use apps for both Android and iOS, but IPVanish has run into some issues with its Mac OS application. While its customer support is on hand to sort any issues, it is because of this that we prefer NordVPN’s mobile app offering.
Protocols
IPVanish offers 256-bit AES encryption, OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP/IPSec protocols. NordVPN also offers 256-bit AES encryption, OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP/IPSec, but on top of that also has SSTP and IKEv2/Ipsec. NordVPN’s protocol approach is the clear winner here, therefore.
Server Switching
Both VPNs offer unlimited server switching so if one server is performing poorly you can switch so that you don’t experience any downtime in connection with either provider.
Winner: Tie
Extra Tools
IPVanish includes a free Nat Firewall and the ability to block LAN traffic which makes it possible to control when your computer is connected to the internet. However, it is NordVPN goes above and beyond with its added features. It’s notorious for updating software on a regular basis and their tools show it. It offers double VPN encryption to increase anonymity and has a tool called CyberSec that protects against malware, ads, and bots. When it comes to extra tools and added privacy, NordVPN is easily the winner.
Security and Privacy
Arguably, in the area of security and privacy, both NordVPN and IPVanish excel. They are quite simply market leading in terms of the security levels they provide.
Both NordVPN and IPVanish offer military grade 256-bit AES encryption plus both VPNs also offer kill switches and DNS Leak Prevention with a very strict no-logs policy. A strict no logs policy is something that we like to see as standard in terms of privacy, yet is not often the case with so many VPN providers out there. If a VPN provider does not maintain any logs, it means that should their own systems been hacked, there is no chance that customer data can be breached. It also means they have no information to sell to third parties for marketing purposes or to Governments who trying to spy on their citizens.
When pegged against each other, it is therefore difficult at first to choose a clear winner between IPVanish and NordVPN. However, NordVPN has a slight security advantage due to its numerous added tools, some of which are mentioned above. Plus, what really sets it apart is that it is located in Panama. This means that NordVPN only has to respect the laws of Panama which are slightly more flexible in the approach to customer data.
IPVanish, on the other hand, has its headquarters in the USA where the government is notorious for increasingly more invasive approaches to keeping an eye on its citizens’ online activity.
Both VPNs also offer anonymous torrenting with high speeds, making them ideal providers for those who are avid media downloaders from torrents. Both also support VPN over TOR, as they are log-less.
Overall, we’d have to say that NordVPN has the upper hand when it comes to security.
Customer Service
Customer service is one of those areas that companies either excel in or simply don’t pay any attention to. VPN providers that remain market leading will be ones that have excellent customer service as should any problems arise, a VPN is the type of product that needs those issues resolved quickly.
Both these companies offer a good service, with NordVPN being ever so slightly better in its approach. For starters, NordVPN offers email support and 24/7 Live Chat Support so that customers can ask about queries whenever they are online. While sometimes NordVPN’s LiveChat can take a few minutes to reply, in the main, answers were given instantaneously which is a massive bonus. Plus, the content of any help given was also pertinent and useful.
On the other hand, IPVanish surprisingly only offers email support. While this was friendly and supplied quality answers, but we’d like to see more forms of customer support.
For both VPNs, they could offer a phone number as sometimes being able to phone a real human being is the only way to resolve an issue.
Pricing
- NordVPN: As low as $2.99
- IPVanish: As low as $4.12
In general, when initially shown a one month cost, potential VPN customers may feel that these two VPN providers are a little pricey, but that is the small price you pay for a top quality VPN. Plus as soon as you sign up for a longer term subscription, the price lowers considerably and gives customers complete online privacy and freedom, as well as access to all favorite geo-blocked content.
NordVPN works out a little more expensive if you pay for just one month, but the very low price of its two year plan is hard to beat at just $3.99 a month. That’s barely more than a cup of coffee to go.
Additionally, we are always pleased to see a long money back guarantee period as not only is it far more practical, it also means that a company backs itself and has confidence in its product. NordVPN offers a much longer time frame (30 days) for its money-back guarantee than IPVanish’s short 7 day money back period.
All that being said, IPVanish is cheaper than NordVPN, so for the ultimate price conscious VPN customer, IPVanish wins this category.
The Winner: NordVPN
Given that both NordVPN and IPVanish make it on to our best of the best VPN provider lists for a variety of reasons and uses, choosing between the two is very close. As the above investigation shows, both are highly reputable and competent in all areas.
These ambitious providers both offer the highest privacy and security possible, with both having intriguing features and protocols. However, when closely comparing them both, it is NordVPN that wins overall as the better VPN provider.
NordVPN beats IPVanish as not only are there far more servers globally, but the location of the company itself increases its security twofold. As well as that, it’s considerably cheaper if customers choose its highly competitive two year plan that equates to just a few dollars a month. It is a small price to pay for the service it provides along with its features and performance.
Clear win for NordVPN all round, I’ll probably end up giving it a try.
Personally, I still prefer IPVanish despite the fact they keep logs. It’s a faster service and I have had a much better experience overall. Yes, it cost more, but if you can’t afford $6 for VPN service, then you probably should reevaluate your life choices or get another job. Granted, if you’re trying to do shady stuff or want to totally lock down your privacy, IPVanish does fall short. But for unblocking sites, etc, you can’t really go wrong with it.
Great post. NordVPN is clear winner here with more servers, protocols and no logs. Speed discrepancy is irrelevant at such a small fraction. Nice writing.
As a Mac user who is concerned with privacy and needs access to Netflix, this article helped me realize that NordVPN is a good choice for me, even when compared to other VPN services not covered in this article. Thanks!
Was customer support able to handling the cancellation? If I need they will respond?
Hello! We have found that while they could offer a few more channels for customer support, both companies are quick to respond to your questions and needs. If you need to cancel your account for any reason, it’s always recommended to start by contacting either of the company’s support services, as they can easily guide you through the cancellation process. Hopefully, this helps!