Ivacy VPN Review – Tested, Reviewed, and Compared for 2024

If you’ve never used a VPN before or if you have limited experience with such tools, Ivacy VPN is a great service to start with. Its developers are aware of how challenging it may be for new users to set up a VPN. Thus, they focused on simplicity and user-friendliness when designing Ivacy.

You don’t need to know anything about tunneling protocols or even a kill switch. This VPN has all the configurations ready. To get started, simply select one of the four specific modes:

• Smart Connect mode allows you to quickly secure your traffic by automatically connecting to the fastest VPN server.
• Secure Downloading enables server-level virus and malware protection and automatically connects you to a VPN server.
• Streaming mode picks the best servers for specific platforms. You can choose from 110 platforms, including the most popular Netflix libraries and ChatGPT.
• Unblocking mode allows you to pick an IP address from a list of country-specific servers.

More advanced users can switch between different tunneling protocols in the settings tabs. Since all protocols have different use cases, you can pick one that best suits your needs.

The premium membership grants you quick connections with unlimited bandwidth. This means that you don’t have to worry about how much content you consume, whether you’re streaming your favorite shows or simply browsing the web.

When it comes to speed, Ivacy VPN may not be as fast as heavyweights like NordVPN or Surfshark, but it confidently delivers above-average speeds. So you will still be able to enjoy Netflix binge sessions with minimal latency.

Of course, the speed greatly depends on your chosen server location. The closer you are to the server, the faster your connection will be. Fortunately, Ivacy VPN boasts an extensive infrastructure of over 5,700 servers. All of them are located strategically all over the globe. You can get secure IPs from over 61 countries and even connect to city-specific servers.

In the early days of VPNs, split tunneling did not exist. However, it’s a feature that no reputable provider can afford to overlook today. Not only does Ivacy VPN offer split tunneling, but it’s also the first VPN to implement it.

Split tunneling is a convenient way to control your VPN traffic. With this feature, you can selectively whitelist specific apps to be routed through a VPN server while allowing others to utilize the local internet connection.

The feature has many use cases. It’s a great method to lower bandwidth usage. It also helps to conceal VPN usage when necessary. For example, you can print documents on your local network printer while simultaneously streaming content from a geo-blocked Netflix library. You can also use it when you need to access social media sites when connected to a restrictive workplace network.

While useful, Ivacy’s split tunneling is not perfect. It works only on Windows and Android devices. It is also incompatible with the WireGuard tunneling protocol, which is the fastest and most secure tunneling protocol.

On top of that, the feature works by allowing you to select apps that will use the VPN traffic one by one. This minor usability issue may be time-consuming, especially if you have a lot of apps.

Port forwarding is a feature not commonly found among VPN providers. For an additional cost of $1 monthly, Ivacy VPN is one of the few providers that implements this feature. Other providers with port forwarding include Proton VPN and PureVPN.

Through port forwarding, computers connected to private networks can connect to other public or private computers via the Internet.

This feature is particularly useful for gamers who need to host game servers. It can also be used for faster file sharing or a remote desktop app.

Even though Ivacy VPN offers a large pool of servers, all of them are shared. This means that you may encounter some abused IPs that were blocked by the particular platforms you use. To avoid this from happening, the provider offers a dedicated IP feature, which is a unique IP address that is assigned to your account and only you can use.

These IPs do not share bandwidth with other users, thus providing better performance. They are also less likely to be blocked or throttled by websites and services. With a dedicated IP address, you can easily whitelist your IP address for the websites and services that you need to access.

Since dedicated IPs are scarce and expensive, only a handful of providers offer this feature. This includes NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost.

For an extra $1.99 a month, Ivacy offers dedicated IPs located in these countries:

• United States
• Singapore
• Hong Kong
• Denmark
• Canada
• United Kingdom
• Australia

The best part about Ivacy is that this provider ensures everyone a secure connection to the internet. Even for those who can’t afford a subscription. The free version can be accessed when you download Ivacy from its website.

However, the Ivacy free version falls short of its premium counterpart in certain aspects. It offers a limited selection of server locations, allowing you to connect to servers in the Netherlands exclusively. Furthermore, it restricts the ability to choose streaming-optimized mode as well as advanced settings customization.

While using a free version is better than not using a VPN at all, especially when connecting to unsecured public Wi-Fi, I can’t recommend it over a paid subscription. During my tests, the connection was slow and unreliable. I had to wait over five minutes for connection — an issue I did not have to face with a premium account.

If you’re looking for a better free VPN, I suggest ProtonVPN or Pure VPN. These providers come with fewer restrictions, more free servers, and better performance.

Tunneling protocols are an important VPN component. They are responsible for encrypting the data that is transmitted over the VPN, making it difficult for third parties to intercept the data. Each of these protocols has its own advantages and use cases.

Ivacy VPN offers these protocols:

• WireGuard. It is one of the fastest and most secure tunneling protocols that has now become an industry standard. My tests show that it serves to Ivacy’s advantage — it was the fastest of all the protocols I tested. Ivacy has only recently implemented it for Windows, Android, and iOS devices. Unfortunately, it’s not yet available to Mac and Linux users.
• OpenVPN (TCP and UDP). While slower than WireGuard, OpenVPN is known and appreciated for its security. It’s available for Windows, Android, iOS, and Linux devices, except for Mac.

In the past, Ivacy VPN supported protocols such as SSTP, L2TP, and PPTP. However, a couple of years ago, Ivacy made them available only in the following locations:

• Australia — Sydney
• Germany
• Netherlands
• UK — London
• U.S. — Illinois, Washington DC, New York, California, Texas, and Florida.

When it comes to data logs, you can rest assured that your data is safe with Ivacy VPN. The provider has a transparent no-logging policy. If you want to read it before signing up, you’ll find it easy to understand and free from legal jargon.

The provider states that it does not collect or monitor sensitive data. This includes online browsing activities, connection logs, VPN IPs assigned, original IP addresses, browsing history, outgoing traffic, connection times, data you have accessed, and DNS queries generated. In other words, the provider does not collect information that could associate specific activities with specific users.

Nevertheless, to provide a smooth and operational service, the service collects some data, such as the user’s name, email, address, and payment method. This information is necessary to launch your account and stay in contact with the provider. Ivacy claims to delete all of this data if the user has been inactive for over 12 months.

Although Ivacy VPN is based in Singapore, a country that has some data monitoring laws, the provider says you don’t need to worry about authorities sifting through your personal data. According to Ivacy, it does not have any information to give.

But how trustworthy is this provider’s no-logs policy? Unfortunately, Ivacy VPN claims are not yet proven by an independent audit or a court case. The fact that the provider is situated in a country known to collaborate with the 5-Eyes Alliance, a coalition of governments sharing citizen data, is somewhat concerning.

However, as of now, there is no concrete evidence to cast doubt on Ivacy’s commitment to data privacy. There have been no significant data security incidents or any indications of major flaws in the company’s privacy protection guarantee.

One thing is common to happen, no matter which provider you choose: your VPN may accidentally disconnect. If you’re simply browsing the web, that’s not a big deal. However, if you’re using it to unblock a geo-restricted platform, your real data may become visible and result in an account suspension. To prevent this from happening, most VPN providers offer a kill switch, and Ivacy is not an exception.

Kill switch is one of the most important security features a VPN should have. It works to prevent data leaks by automatically disconnecting a user’s internet connection if the VPN connection drops. This helps to prevent the user’s actual IP address from being exposed if the VPN is not working properly.

Ivacy only offers this feature for Windows and Android. However, many providers don’t offer a kill switch on iOS and MacOS platforms due to their specific system requirements. A much bigger concern is that the kill switch does not seem to be working with WireGuard, Ivacy VPN’s fastest and most secure tunneling protocol.

Other than a kill switch, Ivacy is equipped with IPv6 leak protection. It prevents your device from leaking your IPv6 address when you are connected to a VPN.

During my tests, Ivacy leak protection was working effectively, as no leaks were detected. Just to be safe, I recommend always testing for them by using an IPv6 leak test website.

The Ivacy VPN prevents your DNS queries from being leaked outside of the VPN tunnel. DNS queries are requests that your device makes to a DNS server in order to translate domain names into IP addresses.

When you access a website, your device makes a DNS query to find the IP address of the website’s server. With DNS protection, your DNS queries are not sent to your ISP’s DNS servers, preventing them from seeing which websites you’re visiting.

DNS protection can also help to prevent DNS hijacking attacks, which happen when a hacker redirects your DNS queries to a malicious website.

Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks happen when a hacker attempts to disrupt your normal traffic by overwhelming it with a flood of Internet traffic. These disrupting attacks can be mitigated with Ivacy VPN DDoS Protection.

It works by hiding your IP address from potential attackers. When you connect to a VPN, your traffic is routed through a VPN server. This means that your actual IP address is hidden from websites and other entities that you connect to.

The Mac app, as I also often see from some other providers, is lacking when compared to its Windows counterpart.

While the Mac app does offer support for IKEv2 and IPSEC tunneling protocols, it lacks WireGuard, which is known as the leading protocol. Moreover, Mac users may find the feature set limited, as the application does not provide essentials like a kill switch and split tunneling.

In terms of dashboard design, the Mac version closely resembles its Windows counterpart. Overall, the most prominent distinction between the two lies in their feature offerings.

The Android application is quite similar to Windows. It features the most relevant protocols, such as OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2, with some solid features at hand, such as split tunneling.

For more recommendations, see our guides to the best mobile VPNs and the best VPNs for Android.

Certain functions included in the Mac app are absent in iOS. It’s interesting that users have more options for protocols. IPsec, OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2 are examples of this. For alternatives, read our guide to the best VPNs for iPhones.

The Linux app does not come with a GUI, so you will need to navigate it through a command-line interface.

The app allows the selection of only two protocols: OpenVPN and PPTP. Unsurprisingly, some of the relevant features are missing, too, such as a kill switch.

Ivacy is available to use directly in the browser. Whether you’re a fan of Chrome, Firefox, or Edge, you can get extensions for these browsers in their dedicated web stores.

Ivacy VPN is also compatible with such platforms as Kodi, Amazon Fire Stick, and Android TV. If you’re a gamer, Ivacy VPN will work with your Xbox, PS3, and PS4 consoles.

Ivacy VPN is a good choice for gamers. With above-average speeds and a wide server network, it allows a latency-free gaming experience. The VPN is especially useful if you need to prevent your ISP from throttling your internet speed.

The provider is compatible with many gaming platforms. During my tests, I had no issue using it with Steam.

If your main goal is to stay safe while browsing, Ivacy is likely to meet your needs. This VPN has great security features and ensures privacy protection. So, you can use it worry-free, even on public networks.

The VPN is packed with the most advanced AES encryption as well as a variety of secure protocols, such as WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. This ensures that your traffic can’t be intercepted by malicious actors.

Furthermore, Ivacy has a no-logging policy. Even though it’s not audited yet, the policy states that the provider does not collect or monitor sensitive data, such as browsing history or outgoing traffic.

Is it better or worse for privacy protection than other VPNs? The truth is that Ivacy VPN has some solid security features. However, leading VPN providers like NordVPN or ExpressVPN come with an audited infrastructure.

This means that their no-logs policy is trustworthy. However, the same can’t be said about Ivacy VPN. Thus, I can’t be certain about its privacy practices.

For additional use cases, see our guides to the best VPNs for business and the best VPNs for gambling.