IPVanish vs PureVPN
IPVanish and PureVPN are two of the most popular names in the world of personal online privacy and security, but which of them is more suitable for your needs? That’s exactly what we’re going to find out in our IPVanish vs. PureVPN head-to-head comparison!
Trevor Akinde, Author
Riley Marsden, Chief Editor
Contents
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is an excellent tool to help you keep your data safe on the web. However, not all VPN services offer the same level of security and reliability.
Short Answer
Specs Comparison
Feature | IPVanish | PureVPN |
Servers | 1300+ | 2000+ |
Encryption | AES-256 with 4096-bit RSA key | AES-256 with 2048-bit RSA key |
Devices | Unlimited | 10 |
Average Server Speed | 54Mbps | 37Mbps |
Netflix Support | Yes | Yes |
Torrenting Support | Yes | Yes |
Customer Service | 24/7 live chat, email, and phone | 24/7 email |
Free Trial | No | No |
Price | Starts at $10/month | Starts at $10.95/month |
Money-Back Guarantee | 7 days | 31 days |
IPVanish vs. PureVPN - Full Comparison
Security
Security takes the spotlight as the number one reason people even consider subscribing to a VPN service in the first place. With that said, both VPN services use standard AES-256 encryption, the same technology that large corporations and governments use for data protection.
However, IPVanish uses 4096-bit RSA keys, while PureVPN makes use of 2048-bit keys. Without getting into too many details, the difference isn’t that substantial, but 4096-bit keys provide a higher level of security.
Speed
When it comes to speed, IPVanish scored a global average server speed of 57Mbps, while PureVPN scored a much lower 34.4Mbps. This is probably one of the biggest limitations of PureVPN, as things can get even worse if you have slow internet speed.
DNS Leak Protection
DNS leaking is a big no for VPN services as your data could be vulnerable, and you won’t even know it. Thankfully, IPVanish boasts a robust DNS leak protection system that redirects all DNS requests.
And while PureVPN has a similar protection system, it fails to provide adequate protection. Several DNS leak test tools have shown that PureVPN isn’t immune to DNS leaks.
Servers
IPVanish operates around 1300 servers in over 55 countries. On the other hand, PureVPN uses more than 2000 servers distributed in over 180 locations across 140 countries.
Due to the wide availability of servers, you’re more likely to find a stable nearby server with PureVPN than with IPVanish. As you can tell, PureVPN is the clear winner here.
Platforms & Devices
Both IPVanish and PureVPN are available on almost all popular platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. They’re also compatible with routers and ChromeOS.
One of the areas where IPVanish clearly has the upper edge over PureVPN is the number of simultaneous connections per account. IPVanish lets you connect an unlimited number of devices simultaneously, while PureVPN limits the number to 10 devices. Nevertheless, not everyone will need to connect more than 10 devices simultaneously.
Streaming & Gaming
Many VPN services can unlock international geo-blocked streaming services, while others fail to bypass their automated blacklisting process. We’re pretty positive that IPVanish and PureVPN are capable of unblocking a wide range of popular streaming services, like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and BBC iPlayer.
And while both services can be used for identity protection when gaming, IPVanish takes the lead here due to its faster server speeds that ensure a lag-free gaming experience.
Protocols
By default, both IPVanish and PureVPN use the open-source OpenVPN protocol on any device that’s not Apple-branded. On iOS and macOS, the services use IKEv2 and IPSec.
Torrenting
Both IPVanish and PureVPN have P2P servers, which means that you can use them for torrenting. You can use any BitTorrent client you want and connect to a P2P-supported server to download torrents safely.
Subscription Plans
IPVanish offers 3 subscription plans. The first one is a monthly plan that costs $10/month. Alternatively, you can go for the 3-month plan with a price tag of $26.99. And if you’re ready to commit to a long term plan, you can subscribe to the annual plan that costs $77.99, billed annually.
On the other hand, PureVPN subscription plans are slightly different. The monthly plan starts at $10.95, while the semi-annual plan costs $49.98. There’s also an annual plan that’s currently priced at $77.88.
As you can tell, both services cost roughly the same. It’s also worth noting that both IPVanish and PureVPN offer a money-back guarantee. However, IPVanish’s refund policy allows you to request a refund within 7 days only from the date of your subscription, while PureVPN has a more generous 31-day window.
Customer Support
Both IPVanish and PureVPN have 24/7 customer support through email. But IPVanish also offers phone and live chat support round the clock. Getting support with live chat or a phone call is much faster than email, which is why IPVanish is the clear winner here.
IPVanish and PureVPN Pros & Cons
IPVanish
Pros
- Excellent customer support
- Better encryption
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Fast speeds
- P2P support
Cons
- Limited number of servers
PureVPN
Pros
- 2000+ servers in 140 countries
- Supports torrenting
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Somewhat slow
- Poor DNS leak protection
Verdict
To recap our IPVanish vs. PureVPN comparison, IPVanish blows PureVPN out of the water in most compartments.
However, keep in mind that while IPVanish undoubtedly offers a more sophisticated feature set than PureVPN, PureVPN is still an excellent choice for those who live in cities that aren’t adequately covered by IPVanish, especially that PureVPN has more servers and better geographical distribution.
