Ivacy Error Theres a Problem With Connection
A VPN passes all your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel, blinding your Isp to your activities and making it harder for anyone to track you online. Ivacy offers VPN protection at an affordable price and boasts servers in far-flung corners of the globe. It's a strong offer on paper, but we experienced some hiccups in testing and desire the company to release a tertiary-party inspect to build trust with potential clients. You don't accept to look for that, nonetheless, since at that place are many other competing VPNs that we recommend over Ivacy.
How Much Does Ivacy VPN Toll?
An account with Ivacy VPN costs $9.95 per calendar month, which is but a smidge lower than the $x.11 average we've seen beyond the services we've tested. Many splendid products manage to undercut Ivacy VPN, however. Editors' Choice winner Mullvad VPN, for instance, costs just v euros ($5.65 USD at time of writing) per calendar month and is one of our favorite affordable VPNs.
As with other VPN services, Ivacy VPN offers long-term subscriptions at a meaning discount. A one-year plan with Ivacy costs $29.99, and a two-year plan costs $42.00. That'southward much less than the $68.69 per year average nosotros've seen. In fact, it ties with Kaspersky Secure Connection VPN for having the lowest almanac subscription fee. However, nosotros recommend you lot buy a shorter subscription of whatever VPN then you tin test it in your day-to-day use and sign up long-term only after yous're sure information technology's a good fit.
Ivacy VPN accepts all major credit cards, PayPal, and numerous other lesser-known payment systems. You lot can as well buy a subscription with cryptocurrency via Bitpay or Coingate. This last option is important if you want to pay for your VPN anonymously. Editors' Option winners IVPN and Mullvad VPN get 1 step further and will accept cash payments sent to their corresponding headquarters.
If toll is a major hurdle, fear not, equally in that location are many excellent free VPNs on the market. Our favorite is Editors' Choice winner ProtonVPN, the only VPN nosotros've reviewed that does not limit the amount of data free subscribers tin can use. Ivacy does not technically offer a free subscription tier every bit role of its pricing, but you can download and use its client apps with "limited functionality" for gratuitous and without providing whatsoever account information. A visitor representative tells us this admission remains free for life, only it is limited to merely the server the Ivacy app determines is fastest, and all other app features are locked.
What Exercise You Get for Your Coin?
An Ivacy account lets you connect upwards to 10 devices simultaneously. That's twice the manufacture average, and certainly enough for the boilerplate user or even a family. We've noticed, all the same, that some VPN companies are abandoning this limitation birthday. Avira Phantom VPN, Ghostery Midnight, IPVanish VPN, Editors' Choice winner Surfshark VPN, and Windscribe VPN identify no limit on the number of simultaneous connections.
(Editors' Note: IPVanish VPN is endemic by PCMag'due south publisher, Ziff Davis.)
Notably, Ivacy includes a split tunneling feature, which lets you decide which apps should ship their traffic through Ivacy's encrypted tunnel and which should not. That'due south particularly handy for gaming with a VPN, since y'all can avoid the detrimental speed and latency effects of a VPN on your game while remaining otherwise protected.
Unfortunately, that's the end of Ivacy VPN's advanced features. Information technology does not provide access to the Tor anonymization network via VPN, nor does it provide multi-hop connections for boosted security. Editors' Choice winners NordVPN and ProtonVPN are, notably, the only VPNs nosotros've reviewed that provide split tunneling, multi-hop connections, and access to Tor.
You can spice things upwards with port forwarding for an additional $ane per calendar month. That's a feature we rarely see, simply it's probably useful merely for experienced users. Ivacy also has defended IP addresses for $1.99 per month in Australia, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, the UK, and the US. If you opt for a dedicated IP, Ivacy VPN includes port forwarding for gratis, which is impressive. By contrast, NordVPN charges $seventy a year for defended IP addresses. What Ivacy VPN offers is a real bargain but, again, most users won't need this feature either.
While a VPN volition help protect your privacy online, it cannot protect against every threat. We highly recommend that readers utilise standalone antivirus software, enable multi-factor authentication wherever it's available, and create unique and circuitous passwords for each and every account with a password manager.
What VPN Protocols Does Ivacy VPN Offering?
VPNs aren't new technology so there'southward an unabridged rainbow of options for creating a VPN connexion. Nosotros prefer OpenVPN and WireGuard, both of which are open-source, so they can exist picked over for whatever potential vulnerabilities.
The Windows app supports OpenVPN (shown in the interface equally TCP and UDP), likewise as the older L2TP, and the likewise excellent IKEv2. The lack of WireGuard is excusable as it is still very new engineering science—at to the lowest degree for now.
Ivacy VPN's Servers and Server Locations
When comparing VPN companies, it'south useful to come across where each offers VPN servers. More locations means more choices for spoofing your location and increases the likelihood you'll find a nearby server no matter where yous travel.
Ivacy'due south website boasts servers in more than 100 countries, but I counted but 62 on the server listing webpage and sixty in the app itself. That'southward still a bit higher than the average for VPNs. The majority of Ivacy VPN'south options are in the US and United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland, merely Ivacy VPN should be commended for its surprisingly various collection of server locations. Information technology has servers in South American countries and African nations, two regions frequently ignored past other VPN companies. It too provides VPN servers in regions known for having repressive internet policies, such as Russian federation, Turkey, Vietnam, and Hong Kong.
Ivacy offers 3,500 servers, well above the 1,500-server boilerplate we've seen across the manufacture. Even so, total server count is often a function of the service'south popularity, not an indicator of quality. Notably, CyberGhost VPN, NordVPN, and PureVPN all boast at to the lowest degree 5,000 servers.
Some companies brand use of virtual locations. These are VPN servers configured to appear somewhere other than where they're physically located. We're fine with the use of virtual locations, provided they are clearly marked past the company. In the Ivacy app, several locations are marked equally virtual, which we capeesh. A company representative says that it uses virtual locations for "high censorship regions."
Forth with virtual locations there are as well virtual servers. These are software divers servers, where a single hardware automobile plays host to several virtual servers. The company did not comment on its apply of virtual servers merely noted that most of its servers are owned directly by Ivacy VPN.
Ivacy VPN outlined some of the steps it takes to ensure its servers are secure. NordVPN and ExpressVPN are two companies that accept taken the additional precaution of using tamper-resistant RAM-just servers (also chosen "diskless"). Ivacy VPN does non employ this technique. Notably, Ivacy's privacy policy deliberately sidesteps questions about encryption applied science. The company should address this event direct and transparently.
Your Privacy With Ivacy
VPNs potentially take access to all the information that passes through them, and then it's important they protect your privacy and don't monetize your data. When reviewing VPNs, we read through the company's privacy policies and transport out a questionnaire to get a sense of what privacy protections each company has in place.
Ivacy's privacy policy is clear and to the betoken. It follows a trend in hands-to-read policies and deserves credit for the effort.
In its policy, Ivacy says that it does not "log or monitor, online browsing activities, connection logs, VPN IPs assigned, original IP addresses, browsing history, approachable traffic, connexion times, data yous take accessed and/or DNS queries generated by your cease. Nosotros have no data that could associate specific activities to specific users." That'southward exactly what yous desire to hear from a VPN company.
User Information
Information technology goes on to say "Ivacy does not, under whatever circumstances, share, sell or hire users' personal information provided during the registration process." This is likewise first-class since a VPN visitor should ideally be making its money without monetizing its users. The visitor also does not inject ads into client'due south web traffic.
The policy goes on to itemize the only information that Ivacy does collect and why it needs this information. For the nearly part, the visitor only retains the email address, proper noun, and payment method to carry out billing and other site functions. We capeesh that the company indicates all the third parties it employs for analytics and client engagement. Notably, the policy says that information regarding "inactive customers" is removed every 12 months.
Ivacy's privacy policy acknowledges that the company knows the state of origin for VPN connections. Like many VPNs, Ivacy also receives user diagnostics that include amass bandwidth usage and a more than ambiguous "awarding usage." A visitor representative explained to use that this does not include personally identifiable information, but does include the device, Os, and crash information. The visitor should endeavor to explain this category and consider making diagnostics or crash logs optional or merely stored locally equally other VPNs accept done.
Interestingly, Ivacy's privacy policy acknowledges the use of cookies and provides links for data on how to disable cookies.
Ownership and Jurisdiction
Ivacy VPN is owned by PMG Pte. Ltd and is located in Singapore, operating nether that legal jurisdiction. We do non believe that the quality of any company tin exist adamant solely on its location, but it is nevertheless an important consideration. We encourage everyone to make their own decisions in this regard and use the service they feel comfy with.
As with the best VPN services, Ivacy's policy says that information technology strives to retain equally little usable information equally possible to protect customers even when presented with a legal subpoena. "By design, Ivacy VPN has no sensitive information to share, even when legally jump to do so," reads the policy.
Audits and Transparency Reports
We prefer VPN companies that consequence transparency reports disclosing their interaction with law enforcement, and ones that offer 3rd-party audits to verify their security and privacy policies. Ivacy currently does not have a transparency report on its website. It also has non undergone a 3rd-political party audit that evaluates its infrastructure and privacy policy, much like what Editors' Choice winner TunnelBear VPN and others accept done. Ivacy VPN has been evaluated and certified by the trade group ioXt, merely this testing appears to focus on its Android app merely. Information technology's a good start, but we'd like to see Ivacy VPN exercise more in the name of transparency.
Easily On With Ivacy VPN for Windows
Ivacy VPN has apps for Android, iOS/iPadOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows. It also offers plug-ins for the Firefox and Chrome browsers. There's even support for Raspberry Pi devices and an app specifically for Kodi. Nosotros had no trouble installing Ivacy VPN on an Intel NUC Kit NUC8i7BEH (Bean Canyon) desktop running the latest version of Windows ten.
We were lukewarm on Ivacy's pattern equally far dorsum as 2018 and, unfortunately, little has changed since then. The app is a single deep-blue window with a rail of icons running down the left side. The main screen is built around a large connect push, with a location switcher but above. Nosotros appreciate the simplicity of this pattern and that information technology directs customers on how to become online rapidly. Withal, we recollect Editors' Choice winner TunnelBear VPN is leading the way with uncomplicated, friendly design.
By default, Ivacy VPN uses its Automatic setting, which chooses a server for you, commonly the closest one geographically. We were surprised, notwithstanding, that Ivacy VPN was unable to successfully connect. In one case we manually selected a New York based server, it worked fine. In our testing, we constitute that after quitting and restarting the app, attempting to connect to the default Automatic location failed four out of five times. More than distressing is that Ivacy VPN had similar connection bug when we last tested information technology iii years ago. It is uncommonly rare to see problems like this among VPN services, and specially to see them repeatedly over several years.
Too odd was that, during one test, Google switched to a Russian language version of its site while we were continued to Ivacy VPN's New York server. We tin't pivot this i directly on Ivacy, but information technology's very unusual.
Previously, Ivacy used pop-upward ads in its app to encourage customers to use Startpage.com. We're happy to see that the company has washed away with this practice.
Ivacy VPN seems to empathize that most people are going to use a VPN to access region-locked content and has an unabridged Streaming section for them. Here you tin select "Aqueduct" to unlock specific services. In that location's a button for HBO Max, Hulu, The BBC, and others. Some are location-specific, like Netflix US. Fifty-fifty without selecting one of these options, we were easily able to stream Netflix content while continued to a US-based Ivacy VPN server. Your mileage, nonetheless, may vary.
In addition to the Streaming section, Ivacy VPN has settings for Secure Download and Unblocking. The Unblocking department is straightforward, these are servers to use if yous're attempting to circumvent local censorship or restriction—notation that this may carry its own risks, however.
The company explained to united states that the Secure Download option routes downloaded files through Ivacy's real-time threat detection service that should grab malware mid-flight. An Ivacy representative explained that this malware protection merely extends to unencrypted HTTP traffic, greatly limiting its utility. When we look at anti-malware tools, use oftentimes apply a harmless file that companies take agreed to flag as malware to exam that the protection is working.
In our testing, Ivacy VPN immune the download to proceed from both HTTP and HTTPS sources. This doesn't necessarily mean that Ivacy'south antivirus protection doesn't work, only we were disappointed we couldn't verify that the feature is functional. Perhaps the company should motility off this characteristic entirely. In general, we adopt defended malware solutions, and are skeptical of whatsoever VPN's antivirus capabilities.
From the Settings tab, you can admission Ivacy VPN'due south other features, such every bit dissever tunneling. We confirmed that this did, indeed, permit united states to transport some app traffic outside the VPN connection. The interface is straightforward but requires you to select all the apps you want to send data through the VPN rather than selecting the apps yous wish to exclude. We call up this is backwards and a fleck tedious.
The Settings tab also is where you can enable Ivacy VPN'southward Impale Switch, which blocks web traffic from your machine if the VPN becomes disconnected. We couldn't recreate the weather necessary to test this feature. In that location's also an option for IP/DNS leak protection that's off by default. We switched information technology on and were surprised to find later that it had switched itself off once again.
Fortunately, Ivacy VPN does not seem to leak your information. In our testing, we verified that information technology successfully inverse our public IP address. Using the DNS Leak Test tool, we likewise confirmed that it did not leak our DNS information. Continue in listen, nevertheless, that we merely tested one VPN server.
Hands On With Ivacy VPN for macOS
Nosotros downloaded Ivacy'southward macOS VPN app from the vendor's website and installed it on a MacBook Pro running Big Sur 11.6.ane. The app has a dark blue background with orangish highlights. A large white connection push button is in the eye of the dashboard screen, and above that, a server switcher.
The app is calorie-free on features. Information technology doesn't have a Kill Switch or separate tunneling. On macOS, the Ivacy VPN app can merely launch on startup, car-connect at launch, reconnect automatically if the connection drops, or disconnect from the VPN when the user exits the app. It's bones stuff: No website blocking or multi-hop functions are on offering hither.
Perhaps y'all don't demand a lot of features with your VPN. Y'all just need privacy. That's why we test to brand sure they are doing the job of hiding your IP address and DNS requests. Nosotros went to DNSLeakTest.com and ran an extended test while connected to a server in Vienna, Austria. Our bodily IP accost remained hidden during the test and our DNS information secure.
We tested our Ivacy VPN connection'south streaming prowess past navigating to Twitch.tv and watching a alive-streamer play One thousand Theft Auto 5. The stream took about two seconds to load and played without incident. While still continued to the server in Vienna, we then went to YouTube to picket video highlights from BTS' recent concerts in Los Angeles. Each video loaded instantly and played without whatsoever stuttering or buffering.
Hands On With Ivacy VPN for Android
We installed Ivacy'southward Android VPN app on a Samsung A71 5G running Android 11. Offset, the app requested permission to make VPN connections. Nosotros and then tapped the hamburger menu in the top left corner of the dashboard to get to the login screen.
Afterward logging in, we noted that the advent of the Android app is very like to the iOS version of Ivacy. It'due south a blueish app with the world map embossed on the dashboard background and white and gold highlights.
The Ivacy Android app features a Kill Switch and divide tunneling. There'southward also a feature called Multiport that selects the all-time port for connectivity.
We test VPNs for IP address and DNS request leaks. Nosotros connected to a server in Quebec, Canada; visited DNSLeakTest.com; and ran an extended test on the connection. Our bodily IP address remained hidden throughout the examination, as did our DNS data.
While still continued to the server in Quebec, we watched a couple of YouTube videos. Each i loaded instantly and played without buffering. We then navigated to Twitch.tv to scout a live streamer play Minecraft. The stream took about three seconds to load and played without whatever stopping or stuttering.
Hands On With Ivacy VPN for iPhone
We installed Ivacy'southward iOS VPN app on an iPhone XS running iOS xiv.viii. Earlier we could offset using the app, the VPN requested permission to establish a VPN connection. Afterwards nosotros granted permission, the app crashed, which isn't ideal. We reopened the app, logged into our business relationship, and noted the app's soft blue background with white and gilded highlights on the dashboard screen.
VPN connections divide between those focused on Purposes (Streaming, Secure Downloading, Unblocking Websites), Smart Connect (a connectedness to the fastest VPN server available to you), or Locations (divided up by countries and cities). Features include an on-demand VPN, which allows you to e'er connect to a VPN when accessing a specific URL. There's likewise an ever-on VPN option and an choice to input your VPN server address manually.
We tested Ivacy'southward ability to hide our real IP accost and protect our DNS requests by visiting DNSLeakTest.com and performing an extended DNS leak test while connected to a VPN server in Frg. The server in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, did not leak our actual IP address and our DNS information was secure.
While connected to the server in Germany, we went to YouTube and watched a few videos. Each video took around ten seconds to load, but there was no buffering or stuttering one time it did. We then went to Twitch and watched a group of alive streamers play Dungeons and Dragons. The stream took most vii seconds to load, just it played at the highest quality without buffering once it loaded.
Speed and Performance
Using a VPN virtually certainly means slower upload and download speeds, as well as higher latency. When we review VPNs, we run a series of tests with the Ookla Speedtest tool with and without the VPN, and so notice a percent change between the two. You can read more nearly how we test VPNs in our story, How We Exam VPNs.
(Editors' Note: Ookla is endemic past PCMag's publisher, Ziff Davis.)
We were non especially impressed with Ivacy VPN'south Speedtest performance. Our testing found that Ivacy VPN reduced download and upload Speedtest results past 71.7% and 69% respectively, which is a significantly larger impact than the median we've seen beyond more than twenty products. Ivacy'southward streak of mediocrity continued into the latency tests, equally it increased latency by a whopping 475%.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has limited our access to the PCMag Labs, and then nosotros have moved to a rolling testing model with testing throughout the twelvemonth. The latest results are in the tabular array below.
While VPN performance is e'er a business, we do not believe that it is the all-time criteria for selecting a service. Your feel will probable change depending on where, when, and how you use a VPN. Instead, we recommend focusing on value and privacy protections when shopping for a VPN.
An Uninspiring Experience
Ivacy VPN deserves credit for offering an excellent selection of server locations, covering regions often ignored by other companies. Nosotros also appreciate that its product tin be used for free without providing any billing data to Ivacy VPN, although this mode is limited. Even so, its Speedtest results are lackluster, and its Windows app has a few worrisome foibles. The company has worked to better the app since we last tested it, and we're happy to see some progress.
Despite those improvements, there all the same seems to be a real disconnect betwixt the product Ivacy VPN wants to be and what is delivered to customers. It boasts smart features and good applied science, but information technology struggles to bring them all together and make them work. Looking dorsum on our final review, in 2018, we ran into many of the same problems, which means Ivacy VPN has had at least three years to address them. Nosotros previously lowered Ivacy'south score by half a star and recommend readers look elsewhere for a VPN and stand by that recommendation until nosotros can more thoroughly reassess the production.
For now, we continue to recommend our all our Editors' Choice winners. In particular, ProtonVPN and Mullvad VPN offer more than privacy features than Ivacy VPN. Anyone seeking a friendlier VPN, or perhaps shopping for a VPN for the starting time time, would be well served past TunnelBear VPN.
Source: https://au.pcmag.com/vpn/57534/ivacy-vpn
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