IPVanish vs. ExpressVPN – At a Glance
IPVanish
Users who have a large number of connected devices will appreciate IPVanish, thanks to its unlimited simultaneous connections policy and comprehensive multi-platform support.
Blazingly fast and well-protected connections are the rule with this provider, while BitTorrent users will appreciate their worldwide torrenting access.
Visit IPVanish
ExpressVPN
While ExpressVPN’s premium services come at an admittedly premium price, it offers excellent all-around services, including super-fast connections, reliable access to streaming services and other geo-controlled content, excellent app support, and comprehensive privacy protections and customer support.
The provider is an attractive option for users willing to pay a bit more for premium online protection and enhancement for their online activities.
Visit ExpressVPN
How to Choose a VPN
When you’re shopping for a Virtual Private Network (VPN) provider for your personal and/or business needs, there are several VPN features you should consider before making a decision.
In this article, I’ll be taking a close look at two VPN providers (IPVanish and ExpressVPN). I will compare them head-to-head in each category, providing information about how well each VPN performed and then declaring a winner for that category. I will then tally up the scores and name an overall winner.
By the time you reach the end of this article, you should have plenty of information at hand to allow you to make an informed VPN buying decision.
IPVanish vs. ExpressVPN – Features
Connection Speeds
A fast internet connection is your friend. The faster your connection, the more enjoyable your streaming, gaming, and other online experiences will be. While a VPN will slow down your connection, it shouldn’t slow it so much that there is a noticeable difference in your online experience.
Pixel Privacy conducts VPN connection speed tests on a regular basis. I perform the speed tests as follows:
- All tests are performed on a North America-based Windows server connected to the internet using a gigabit Ethernet connection.
- I use the latest Windows version of the VPN providers’ app, and the apps are configured to use the OpenVPN UDP connection protocol when available.
- I test the provider’s connection speeds by logging in to United Kingdom-, United States-, and Hong Kong-based VPN servers. Connections are made at three different times of the day.
- Once I have connected to a VPN server location, I use the Speedtest.net app to determine the download speeds. I close the Speedtest app and restart it before testing the next VPN location.
I would like to note that if you were to perform your own connection speed tests, you’d see different results than I did. This is because there are multiple factors that can affect your test results, such as your usual unfettered connection speeds, your location, and the VPN server location you connect to.
While both IPVanish and ExpressVPN delivered plenty of bandwidth, one provider outperformed the other.
ExpressVPN’s download speeds were quite impressive, providing an average connection speed of 300.1 Mbps. This means the provider can easily handle 4K streaming, fast-moving online gaming, and file sharing.
However, IPVanish performed slightly better, measuring in at 314.1 Mbps. IPVanish-provided connections can easily handle any popular online activity.
Average Connection Speed Winner: IPVanish
| Provider | Avg. Connection Speed | Link |
| IPVanish | 314.1 Mbps | Visit Site |
| ExpressVPN | 300.1 Mbps | Visit Site |
Pricing
In these inflationary times, pricing is an important consideration for those of us on a tight budget. However, I strongly recommend against deciding on a VPN based only on its price.
Both IPVanish and ExpressVPN offer top-notch services for their asking price. IPVanish takes the crown in this category, thanks to its $3.99 USD per month rate when you sign up for a one-year subscription. Meanwhile, ExpressVPN charges $8.32 USD per month for an annual subscription.
Both providers’ costs are much closer if you opt to subscribe on a month-to-month basis, as IPVanish charges $12.99 monthly and ExpressVPN charges a few pennies less, at $12.95 per month.
Always make sure to visit VPN providers’ websites, as rates can change on a regular basis.
Pricing Winner: IPVanish
| Provider | Monthly Price | Money-Back Guarantee Period | Links |
| IPVanish | $3.99 USD per month for an annual subscription | 30 days | Visit Site |
| ExpressVPN | $8.32 USD per month for an annual subscription | 30 days | Visit Site |
Privacy
If you’re connected to the internet (and it’s an always-connected world), someone is interested in finding out what you’re doing online. Advertisers, hackers, the government, and your Internet Service Provider are all interested in your online activities. That’s why you should always investigate the privacy protections offered by any VPN provider you are considering.
I account for the following when considering any VPN service’s privacy protections:
- Is the provider located in a privacy-respecting country?
- Does the provider save user logs on its servers?
- Does the provider accept cryptocurrency as payment to protect your payment privacy?
ExpressVPN is a Hong Kong-based company registered in the British Virgin Islands. Both countries do not require VPNs to keep records of your online activities. This allows ExpressVPN to run its servers with a strict no-logs policy. Proof of this came in 2019, when Turkish authorities seized one of the provider’s servers but were unable to recover any useful information.
ExpressVPN was one of the first VPN providers to run all of their servers solely from RAM, writing no data to a physical storage device. This means that all of the provider’s servers are wiped clean when they are rebooted, shut down, or if the plug is pulled from the surge protector.
IPVanish is based in the United States, which is a less than private country (the U.S. government likes it when ISPs and VPNs keep logs, they encourage it). There was a 2016 case where the Department of Homeland Security came a callin’ and while IPVanish didn’t offer up any usage logs, they did turn over enough info that the DHS was able to prosecute the user in question.
IPVanish is now under different ownership (Ziff-Davis) and the provider does not keep any logs. ZD has even paid for third-party auditors to check things out and they showed that the VPN fully lives up to its no logs promise.
Privacy Winner: ExpressVPN (due to running its servers solely from RAM)
| Provider | Privacy Ranking | Site |
| ExpressVPN | 5.0 | Visit Site |
| IPVanish | 4.0 | Visit Site
|
Online Security
If you’re online, someone somewhere would love to know what you’re up to. Whether you’re streaming video or sharing files, some Nosy Nellie is interested. This is particularly true when you’re using a public WiFi hotspot, as those are favorite hangouts for hackers, who are looking to steal your personal and financial info. Even if you’re at home on your encrypted home network, your own ISP likes to follow you around on the internet, logging your activities as you go.
This makes it important to use a VPN to encrypt your internet connection, as it keeps your online activities hidden from nosy types.
IPVanish protects its customers’ connection with the OpenVPN, WireGuard, or IKEv2 protocols, kill switch protection, and DNS/IP leak prevention. The provider’s Scramble feature for OpenVPN hides your VPN usage.
Meanwhile, ExpressVPN uses military-grade encryption, a kill switch, IP/DNS leak prevention, and more to protect its users’ connections. Users can select from multiple connection protocols, including OpenVPN, L2TP, PPTP, and the provider’s own proprietary Lightway protocol.
Security Winner: It’s a tie
| Provider | Overall Security Score | Link |
| ExpressVPN | 5.0 | Visit Site |
| IPVanish | 5.0 | Visit Site
|
Simultaneous Connections
It’s probably safe to say that most of us own more than one internet-connected device. This is why a VPN provider’s simultaneous connection policy is an important consideration.
IPVanish allows users to simultaneously connect an unlimited number of devices at once to their servers.
ExpressVPN allows its users to concurrently connect up to eight devices to its servers.
Simultaneous Connections Winner: IPVanish
| Provider | Simultaneous Connections Allowed | Link |
| IPVanish | Unlimited | Visit Site |
| ExpressVPN | 8 | Visit Site
|
Streaming Support
Streaming is a popular pastime. 85% of U.S. households subscribe to at least one video streaming service, and 60% subscribe to at least one paid music streaming service. 7% of Americans subscribe to six or more streaming services.
While this means that most of us have access to plenty of online content, we don’t have access to all of the content we could be watching. This is because streaming services place geographic limitations on most content, meaning you may not have access to your favorite shows and movies when you’re outside of your home country.
A VPN temporarily assigns a fresh IP address, which can be located in another country to your connected device. This makes it appear as if you are connecting from another location, meaning you gain access to content you may normally not have access to from your current location.
IPVanish provides reliable access to several streaming services, including Netflix (US and UK), Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, and several other streaming services.
ExpressVPN performs just as well when it comes to accessing streaming services, as it unblocks all of the streamers that IPVanish does, as well as several other services.
Streaming Support Winner: It’s a tie
| Provider | # of U.S. Streaming Services VPN Unblocks | # of International Services VPN Unblocks | Link |
| ExpressVPN | 10+ | 10+ | Visit Site Read Review |
| IPVanish | 10+ | 10+ | Visit Site |
BitTorrent Support
Sharing files via BitTorrent (P2P) is a popular online activity. Sharing non-copyrighted files is perfectly legal in most countries. However, several ISPs frown on any P2P activity due to pressure from movie studios and music publishers, so they either throttle your connection severely or block the activity completely.
Luckily, a VPN encrypts your internet connection, meaning it keeps your P2P activity hidden. A VPN also provides a fresh IP address, hiding your real one, so other P2P users can’t detect your actual IP address.
ExpressVPN allows P2P activity on all of its servers. Simply pick your favorite VPN server (or run an in-app test to find the fastest servers) and fire up your favorite torrenting app. The provider’s kill switch will drop all internet activity if your VPN connection fails, so your P2P activity won’t be inadvertently exposed.
IPVanish also allows BitTorrenting activity on every server in its network. It also offers a kill switch to keep your P2P activity from being exposed.
BitTorrenting Winner: It’s a tie
| Provider | # of Countries Where VPN Allows BitTorrents | Link |
| ExpressVPN | All of them | Visit Site |
| IPVanish | All of them | Visit Site
|
Global Server Coverage
The size of a VPN provider’s global server network directly affects how much access you’ll have to geo-fenced content around the globe. So, always look for providers with servers located in as many countries as possible. Also, search for providers with more than one server in the countries it does serve. This helps ensure that any single server won’t be overloaded with too many users at once.
ExpressVPN has 3,000+ servers located in 100+ countries around the world.
IPVanish currently has more than 2,400+ servers spread across 55+ countries around the globe.
Global Server Coverage Winner: ExpressVPN
| Provider | Server Count | Countries | Link |
| ExpressVPN | 3,000+ | 100+ | Visit Site Read Review |
| IPVanish | 2,400+ | 55+ | Visit Site Read Review |
Multi-Platform Support
I’m fairly certain that, like me, you own several different connected devices, ranging from smartphones to tablets to computers to streaming boxes. This makes a VPN provider’s app support an important thing to consider.
ExpressVPN offers native app support for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Android TV, Linux, ChromeOS, Apple TV (running iOS 17 and later), and Amazon Fire TV devices. Chrome, Edge, and Firefox browser extensions are also available. The provider also offers support for select routers, offering custom firmware.
IPVanish’s device support is also impressive. It offers native app options for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Android TV, Linux, ChromeOS, Apple TV (running iOS 17 and later), and Amazon Fire TV device platforms. I was unable to find any mention of browser extensions in the provider’s support list. Preconfigured WiFi routers are available from Flashrouters.
Multi-Platform Support Winner: ExpressVPN
| Provider | Platforms Supported | Browser Extensions? | Router
Support? |
Link |
| ExpressVPN | 9 | 3 | Yes | Visit Site Read Review |
| IPVanish | 9 | 0 | Yes | Visit Site Read Review |
Customer Support
While both providers offer reliable VPN services, you may still have a question or two from time to time.
ExpressVPN’s customer support is available 24/7 and is made up of around-the-clock live chat, email support, support tickets, and a searchable support library available in several languages.
IPVanish support offerings include 24/7 chat, email support, a Knowledge Base/FAQ section, and setup guides.
Customer Support Winner: ExpressVPN for multiple languages
| Provider | Customer Support Rating | Link |
| ExpressVPN | 5.0 | Visit Site Read Review |
| IPVanish | 4.5 | Visit Site Read Review |
And The Winner Is…
Both VPN providers offer comprehensive VPN protection and great value. However, there can be only one winner.
ExpressVPN is the overall winner, as it comes out on top in the privacy, global server coverage, multi-platform support, and customer support categories.
IPVanish scored best in the connection speeds, pricing, and simultaneous connections categories.
The providers tied in the online security, streaming, and BitTorrent categories.
For more information or to purchase a subscription, visit ExpressVPN.
