At a Glance – IPVanish and Avast Secureline
IPVanish
IPVanish offers blazingly fast connections from a large global server network. The provider offers comprehensive security and privacy protection, top-notch device support, and allows BitTorrenting on its entire network. Unfortunately, its streaming support could stand some improvement.
Avast Secureline
Avast Secureline provides comprehensive online security and privacy features to protect you on your connected devices. The provider’s connection speeds and global server network could definitely stand to be improved.
Choosing a VPN
Before making a VPN buying decision, you should carefully research how well a VPN provider performs in important VPN categories.
We’ll be taking a look at how well two VPN providers, IPVanish and Avast Secureline, perform in important VPN service categories. At the end of the article, I’ll add up the final scores and then name a champion.
By the end of this article, you’ll have plenty of information at hand, allowing you to make an informed VPN buying decision.
IPVanish and Avast Secureline Features
In the sections that follow, I’ll cover all of the VPN features you should carefully consider before making a purchasing decision.
Connection Speeds
It’s a rule that is as old as the internet itself; the faster your internet connection the more enjoyable your online experience. Whether you’re waiting for a GIF to load at 56k or waiting for your favorite 4K stream to load on a 1Gbps connection, a fast connection is your friend.
I perform my VPN connection speed tests on a regular basis.
Here’s how my connection speed tests are performed:
- I perform all speed tests on a North America-based Windows server boasting a gigabit Ethernet connection.
- I make connections to three different VPN server locations – London, New York City, and Hong Kong – at three different times of the day.
- I use the Windows version of the VPN providers’ apps, configured to connect using the Wireguard protocol when available.
- I run the Speedtest app after connecting to each VPN server location. The Speedtest app is shutdown and restarted between each test.
While both providers delivered connection speeds that can handle your favorite online activities, one provider offered speeds that were almost 8x as fast as its competitor.
IPVanish’s average download speeds averaged a blazing 251.6 Mbps.
Meanwhile, Avast Secureline was only able to muster an average download speed of 32.6 Mbps. While Avast should be up to handling your favorite online pastimes, you may be less than satisfied when streaming 4K video or sharing large files.
You will likely find that your average connection speeds will differ from mine. Your speed test results will depend on your usual ISP-provided connection speeds, your current location, and the location of the VPN server you connect to.
Average Connection Speed Winner: IPVanish
| Provider | Avg. Connection Speed | Link |
| Avast Secureline VPN | 32.6 Mbps | Visit Site
Read Review |
| IPVanish | 251.6 Mbps | Visit Site |
Pricing
As you’ve likely noticed, everything is more expensive these days. This means that many of us are looking to save a few bucks whenever we can. However, you should never look to ultra-low-priced bargain basement VPNs or free VPNs to protect your online activities, as they likely will not provide the protection and other features that you may require.
Avast Secureline is reasonably priced without hitting the “bargain basement” level. Its monthly price works out to cost somewhere around the price of nearly one gallon of gas in California – when you subscribe for two years.
IPVanish’s two-year subscription comes out to a monthly average of about a buck cheaper than Avast’s tariff. A 30-day money-back guarantee is available. (You can score a seven-day totally-free trial when you subscribe using the iOS or Android apps.)
You won’t see exact VPN pricing in these articles, because VPNs change their pricing and offer deals on a regular basis. Visit a VPN provider’s website to determine its current pricing structure.
Pricing Winner: IPVanish
| Provider | Money-Back Guarantee Period | Link |
| IPVanish | 30 Days, 7 Day free trial on iOS and Android signups | Visit Site |
| Avast Secureline VPN | 30 Days | Visit Site
Read Review |
Privacy
When you’re online without VPN protection, you’re leaving all kinds of usage evidence behind, allowing outsiders to review what you’ve been up to online. A VPN’s privacy features prevent this from happening.
Carefully consider the following when weighing up a VPN’s privacy protections:
- Is the provider’s base of operations located in a privacy-respecting country?
- Does the provider save any type of user logs on its servers?
- Does the provider accept cryptocurrency as payment?
IPVanish is located in the United States. While U.S.-based VPNs are allowed to save user logs, IPVanish follows a strict “no logs” policy. Unfortunately, the provider doesn’t accept cryptocurrency as a subscription payment.
Czech Republic-based Avast Secureline VPN also keeps no logs of their users’ online travels, but they do log their users’ actual IP address, which temporary IP address they were assigned for their VPN session, the beginning and end times of said session, and how much data was used during the session. The provider also does not accept cryptocurrency.
Privacy Winner: IPVanish
| Provider | Privacy Ranking | Site |
| Avast Secureline VPN | 4.0 | Visit Site
Read Review |
| IPVanish | 4.5 | Visit Site |
Security
A VPN protects you while you’re online, encasing your connection in a tunnel of encryption. This hides your online travels from outsiders while you’re online. A VPN also temporarily assigns a fresh IP address to your connected device.
IPVanish uses banking-grade encryption, kill switch protection, IPv6 leak, and DNS leak protection to protect its customers’ connections. The WireGuard, OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP/IPSec connection protocols are all available. The provider’s proprietary “scramble” option makes your VPN traffic appear to be normal internet traffic.
Avast Secureline also uses banking-level encryption to protect its users’ connections. OpenSSL libraries on IPSec and OpenVPN with UDP are the available connection protocols. Kill switch protection, DNS leak and IPv6 leak protection add to this.
Security Winner: It’s a tie
| Provider | Overall Security Score | Link |
| Avast Secureline VPN | 5.0 | Visit Site
Read Review |
| IPVanish | 5.0 | Visit Site |
Simultaneous Connections
I have more than one connected device and I often use more than one of those devices simultaneously. I’m betting you’re in a similar usage situation. This is why a VPN provider’s simultaneous connections allowance is an important consideration.
Avast Secureline puts a 10-device limit on simultaneous connections to its servers.
IPVanish places no limits on simultaneous server connections.
Simultaneous Connections Winner: IPVanish
| Provider | Simultaneous Connections Allowed | Link |
| Avast Secureline VPN | 10 | Visit Site
Read Review |
| IPVanish | Unlimited | Visit Site |
Streaming Support
Whether you like sports, new or classic cinema, comedy, or thrillers, there are streaming services for every taste these days. Unfortunately, without a VPN, you may not be getting all that you could be from your streaming subscriptions. This is because, due to their licensing agreements with TV and film producers, streaming services put geographic restrictions on their streaming content.
Luckily, a VPN can temporarily assign a fresh IP address to your connected device, making it appear that you and your device are connecting from another country. This provides access to streaming content around the globe that you might normally be geo-fenced from watching.
IPVanish’s content-unlocking powers were limited. While I was able to connect to watch Netflix and HBO Max content while connected to a US VPN server, I could not access BBC iPlayer or Netflix UK content when connected to a UK server.
Avast Secureline unblocks Netflix in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The provider did not offer access to other streaming services I tried.
As you can see, if your main reason to get a VPN is to access geo-controlled streaming content, you’ll want to look elsewhere if you want to get the best bang for your streaming buck.
Streaming Support Winner: IPVanish (Although there are no real winners here)
| Provider | # of U.S. Streaming Services VPN Unblocks | # of International Services VPN Unblocks | Link |
| IPVanish | 2 | 0 | Visit Site |
| Avast Secureline VPN | 1 | 2 | Visit Site
Read Review |
BitTorrent Support
BitTorrent is an excellent way to share files with other internet users. Even though P2P file sharing is perfectly legal in most countries (except for copyrighted files, like movies and music), many ISPs will throttle or block their users’ internet connections when they detect P2P activity. ISPs do this because movie and music industries require ISPs to block file sharing.
A VPN helps you bust through your ISP’s virtual roadblocks by encrypting your internet connection, which keeps your online activities undercover. A VPN also temporarily assigns a new IP address to your device. Both features prevent anyone from tracking your online antics back to you.
Avast Secureline allows BitTorrenting on eight “P2P” servers in six countries.
IPVanish allows file sharing on all of its servers.
BitTorrenting Winner: IPVanish, as it will likely have a server closer to you, resulting in possibly better performance
| Provider | # of Countries Where VPN Allows BitTorrents | Link |
| Avast Secureline VPN | 6 countries | Visit Site
Read Review |
| IPVanish | All of them | Visit Site |
Global Server Coverage
If you’re looking for a way to access content around the globe, you should pay close attention to a VPN provider’s global server coverage. If you’re just looking for a way to keep your online activities incognito, a smaller server network may fit your needs.
Pay attention to how many servers a provider has located in each country. This helps prevent a single server from being overloaded by too many users at once.
Avast Secureline VPN has 700+ servers in close to 35 countries.
IPVanish has more than 2,000 servers located in 75+ countries around the globe.
Global Server Coverage Winner: IPVanish
| Provider | Server Count | Countries | Link |
| Avast Secureline VPN | 700+ | 34+ | Visit Site
Read Review |
| IPVanish | 2,000+ | 75+ | Visit Site |
Multi-Platform Support
If you own more than one device, you’re likely dealing with multiple operating systems.
IPVanish offers native app support for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire TV devices. Instructions are available for setting up a VPN on Linux, Chrome OS machines, and select routers. (Pre-configured routers through Flashrouters.com.)
Avast Secureline’s native app lineup includes options for the macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, and Android TV device platforms. Browser extensions are available for the Chrome and Firefox platforms. Linux and router support are not available here.
Multi-Platform Support Winner: IPVanish
| Provider | Platforms Supported | Browser Extensions? | Router Support? |
Link |
| Avast Secureline VPN | 5 | Yes (Chrome, Firefox) | Nope | Visit Site
Read Review |
| IPVanish | 7 | No | Yes – Manual setup, routers available through Flashrouters | Visit Site |
Customer Support
Both of these VPN providers offer reliable and intuitive protection. However, you may still occasionally have a question, even if it’s just a billing question.
Avast Secureline support offerings include email support, a support library, and a user forum – but only for its paying customers. The provider also offers a “Total Care” phone support number.
IPVanish’s customer support department options include an online trouble ticket form and a support library. The provider’s website includes a system status page, as well as a support chat “bot” that will attempt to answer your questions, forwarding you to human support if it can’t help you.
Customer Support Winner: It’s a tie
| Provider | Customer Support Rating | Link |
| Avast Secureline | 5.0 | Visit Site
Read Review |
| IPVanish | 5.0 | Visit Site |
And The Winner Is…
Both Avast Secureline and IPVanish provide comprehensive VPN services. However, one of the VPNs outperformed the other by a large margin.
IPVanish is the overall winner in this tight competition, thanks to being tops in the Connection Speeds, Pricing, Privacy, Streaming Support, BitTorrent Support, Multi-Platform Support, Simultaneous Connections, and Global Server Coverage departments.
Avast Secureline did not take the top spot in any of the service categories. However, it did manage a tie in the Security and Customer Support arenas.
For more information or to purchase a subscription, visit IPVanish.
