Ivacy VPN Review 2024: Does Ivacy Protect Your Privacy?

Ivacy VPN is a great choice for those who value privacy and security as it offers top-notch AES 256-bit encryption, DNS leak protection, a no-logs policy, and affordable pricing plans. It also bypassed geo-restrictions when our analysts tested its capabilities to stream Netflix after connecting to various servers around the world.

Unfortunately, we did run into some issues with the app when it froze our computer multiple times and disconnected us randomly. Because of this, we wouldn't call Ivacy the best VPN available.

In our Ivacy review, we’ll cover its security features, speed test results, how well it fared while streaming Netflix content, its compatibility with multiple devices, and its cost.

Ivacy VPN review at a glance

Price	$1.17–$9.95/mo
Free version	Yes (Browser extension)
Max # of connected devices	10
# of servers	5,700+ servers in 100+ countries
VPN protocol	OpenVPN (TCP, UDP), L2TP, IKEV, WireGuard
Encryption	AES 256-bit
No-logs policy	No logs
Headquarters	Singapore
Netflix access	Yes
Learn more	Get Ivacy VPN

Our experience

Our experience with Ivacy started out frustrating, with multiple restarts required because the app kept freezing our Windows laptop.

We were eventually able to connect to servers once we switched to the TCP protocol instead of WireGuard, but we still had problems with random disconnects. We saw the below connection screen too many times for our liking.

At one point, we switched to the browser extension instead of the app, and were impressed by decent speeds and more reliable connections. Unfortunately, it also meant we had DNS and WebRTC leaks.

So our experience showed us we could either have leak protection but unreliable connection, or reliability but our IP address would be shared with websites...Not the best toss up for a VPN. We should be able to choose both.

Unfortunately, our issues didn't end there. We had bought the seven-day trial for $0.99 for testing purposes, which we thought was convenient. Afterwards we noticed that we had an "unpaid invoice" on our account for the yearly plan, so we immediately went to the customer service live chat to make sure that was cancelled. They confirmed it was done:

We then went on with our lives, assuming it was all dealt with. All seemed fine except when seven days later a pesky little notification came up informing us that we were charged $47.99. 

We immediately went to the live chat to get a refund, but of course the chat is now too busy to accommodate us.

Now here we wait until we get the email we were promised. We'll update when possible.

When it comes to the overall usability of the app, it was fine. The UI is a bit clunky and laggy, but everything is easy to find and explained well.

It was nice to see lots of options for specialized servers, including for:

• Streaming
• Downloads
• Unlocking content

You can also buy a Dedicated IP add on, which brings up the experience an extra level.

Overall, Ivacy was okay when it worked. But it didn't work enough of the time for us to feel comfortable recommending it. That said, last time we tested this (August 2023), we had an overall smooth experience. So it might be a recent update that they can iron out.

Who is Ivacy VPN best for?

• Recommended for anyone who wants to buy a 5-year VPN subscription for cheap

For those in pursuit of a cost-effective virtual private network (VPN) solution for Netflix viewing, Ivacy VPN is an option. Its competitive pricing structure places it among the most wallet-friendly choices available, with pricing plans as low as $1.17/mo (billed every five years).

Compatibility with the majority of popular devices and platforms assures ease of utilization across various gadgets. Its robust security measures are evident in its successful DNS and WebRTC leak tests.

That said, we did encounter some issues with the app during our testing, so we suggest opting for the $0.99 seven-day trial before committing to the longer periods.

If it's too late for that, it does come with a 31-day money-back guarantee and 24/7 customer service, so there's a good chance you can get your money back if the app doesn't work well for you.

Ivacy VPN prices and subscriptions

Subscriptions for Ivacy VPN start at only $1.17/mo (billed every five years), making it one of the most affordable VPNs on the market. Its 2-Year Plan and 5-Year Plan are even cheaper, offering huge savings when compared to other services. 

Overall, Ivacy provides great value for its price, making it a great choice for people who want to save money on a VPN service.

Plan	1-Month Plan	2-Year Plan	5-Year Plan
Price per month	$9.95/mo	$1.99/mo (billed every two years)	$1.17/mo (billed every five years)

Free plan

Ivacy does also offer a free plan if you download their browser extensions. Just keep in mind that you'll face heavy restrictions, including only being able to connect to servers in the U.S.

Ivacy VPN features

Ivacy VPN is a robust VPN that offers a variety of features designed to improve your online experience.

Server count and countries

• 5,700+ servers in 100+ countries

Ivacy VPN has about 5,700+ servers in 100+ countries, making it one of the most versatile and expansive server networks on the market.

Ivacy VPN provides a large server network and various server locations around the world for users to choose from, allowing them access to geo-restricted content in countries like Japan, Australia, Germany, and the U.K.

No-logs policy and headquarters

• Ivacy logs policy: No logs
• Ivacy headquarters: Singapore
  

Ivacy VPN has a no-logs policy and does not collect or monitor logs that are associated with your online activities, such as the following.

• Connection times
• Accessed data
• Original IP addresses
• Browsing history
• Outgoing traffic
• DNS queries
  

This means that Ivacy VPN values preserving your privacy while you use their service. However, Ivacy does collect some information that's necessary to operate their service and support users.

Also, Ivacy VPN is based in Singapore, which isn’t a member of the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, or 14 Eyes alliances. As a result, intelligence data isn’t shared with other countries participating in those alliances. While it is beneficial for those who value privacy, the Singaporean government has extensive powers that could potentially involve accessing data.

However, we'd like to see an independent audit of Ivacy's no-logs policy. They claim to be "regularly audited" on their about page, but they haven't posted proof or the results of these audits, so we're skeptical. Audits by third parties like Deloitte and Cure53 confirm whether or not a VPN follows its no-logs policy.

Security features

Ivacy VPN comes with the standard features of any top-tier VPN provider. It includes a kill switch and split tunneling to help ensure your connection remains secure. It also offers support for security protocols like IPSec and IKEV. Additionally, Ivacy offers advanced security features like a secure DNS, DDoS protection, and more, for enhanced privacy.

Take a look at the security features Ivacy offers.

• 256-bit encryption: Military-grade encryption ensures that your internet connection is protected from prying eyes who may snoop on your data.
• Split tunneling: This lets you access content over the VPN through your local LAN and lets you decide which content is accessed without the VPN.

• Kill switch: This feature ensures your data remains encrypted while engaging in online activities and will halt the internet once it detects a dropped connection.

• VPN protocols: Ivacy offers IPSec and IKEV protocols, adding an additional layer of encryption to your network connection. You can choose which protocols you're using in Settings > Connection.

• Dedicated IP: For an extra fee, the VPN provides an IP address that only you use, which can help you avoid CAPTCHA login verifications and get around websites that block VPNs.
• Port forwarding: This helps any remote devices access your main device that's protected by a VPN.
• P2P Support: Ivacy has torrenting-optimized servers in 20 countries, including the U.K., U.S.A., and Canada.

Ivacy VPN test results

To make sure Ivacy performs the way it should, we put it through several standardized tests to evaluate its speed, security, and more.

Speed tests

• Speed test results: 58% decrease in download speeds on average (app). Only 15% decrease on average (browser extension).

We used a Lenovo laptop device running Windows 11 to evaluate Ivacy VPN’s download, upload, and latency speeds on various server locations.

First, we assessed our base internet speeds at our test device’s location in New Brunswick, Canada. The baseline internet speeds were as follows.

• Download speed: 246.63 Mbps
• Upload speed: 54.24 Mbps
• Latency (ping): 16 ms

Next, we evaluated the speeds of server locations selected in the United States, Canada, Europe/U.K., and Australia.

Ivacy VPN passed our speed test, but not without a hit to our bandwidth (which is to be expected). 

App test	No VPN	Canada to Canada	Canada to U.S.	Canada to EU	Canada to AU
Download speed	246.63 Mbps	193.04 Mbps	94.84 Mbps	19.62 Mbps	108.51 Mbps
Upload speed	54.24 Mbps	54.71 Mbps	50.13 Mbps	39.09 Mbps	29.35 Mbps
Latency (ping)	16 ms	30 ms	64 ms	109 ms	233 ms
Download speed % difference	N/A	-22%	-62%	-92%	-56%
Upload speed % difference	N/A	-1%	-8%	-28%	-46%
Latency % difference	N/A	88%	300%	581%	1,356%

Overall, we saw an average of 58% decrease in download speeds. Those results aren't ideal, but also not the worst we've seen.

What's interesting is we also tested our connection with the Chrome browser extension and found remarkably better results:

Extension test	No VPN	Canada to Canada	Canada to U.S.	Canada to EU	Canada to AU
Download speed	246.63 Mbps	204.75 Mbps	238.92 Mbps	188.51 Mbps	204.75 Mbps
Upload speed	54.24 Mbps	54.11 Mbps	54.4 Mbps	54.42 Mbps	54.11 Mbps
Latency (ping)	16 ms	97 ms	45 ms	106 ms	97 ms
Download speed % difference	N/A	-17%	-3%	-24%	-17%
Upload speed % difference	N/A	-0.2%	0.3%	0.3%	-0.2%
Latency % difference	N/A	506%	181%	562%	506%

This works out to only a 15% loss of download speed on average, which is one of the best results we've seen. The downside here is that our leak tests below all failed when connected through the browser extension.

So if you only care about speed and not privacy, the browser extension is probably your better bet. But someone who wants the full value out of their VPN would be best sticking to the app version.

Netflix tests

• Netflix test results: Passed.

We were pleased with our Ivacy Netflix test results, which revealed its strong performance when we accessed Netflix from Ivacy VPN server locations in the USA, Canada, U.K., and Australia. You can comfortably watch Netflix with Ivacy VPN from anywhere in the world.

The ability to access Australian Netflix is remarkable, since most of our other VPN tests has shown that Australian Netflix usually detects VPN usage and blocks you from streaming. This was not the case with Ivacy.

We streamed content from various Netflix libraries in the States, Canada, Great Britain, and Australia. There were no issues with loading shows, nor were there any significant lag or buffering issues. As a result, the Ivacy VPN works exceptionally well for watching shows on Netflix.

There’s no reason to limit yourself to Netflix though. Ivacy VPN should work with most major streaming services like Hulu, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime Video.

Ivacy VPN Netflix test results

	US to US	US to UK	US to Canada	US to AU
Did it work with Netflix?

DNS and WebRTC leak tests

• DNS leak test results: Passed (app). Failed (browser extension).
• WebRTC leak test results: Passed (app). Failed (browser extension).

DNS stands for Domain Name System. It is a system that translates domain names into IP addresses. A DNS leak test is used to check if the user’s DNS requests are routed through their VPN or not. Ivacy passed the DNS leak test.

WebRTC stands for Web Real-Time Communication, and it is a technology used by browsers to enable real-time communication between users such as video conferencing. A WebRTC leak test checks whether your browser has any leaks that can reveal your true IP address, even when connected to a VPN.

Thankfully, Ivacy also passed the WebRTC leak test.

As mentioned before, however, it's important to note that the above tests were done on the app version of Ivacy. When connected to the browser extension, both tests actually failed.

Kill switch test

• Kill switch test results: Passed.

To test if the kill switch is working as it should, we open up IPleak.net, which grabs our DNS address every few seconds. With that running, we switch servers. If our real IP address shows up between the old and the new server, it indicates that the kill switch didn't properly cut our network connection after an unexpected interruption. In other words, it failed.

Luckily, Ivacy passed the kill switch test with flying colors. When we switched from a U.K. server to an American one, our real Canadian IP address didn't show up in between.

Ivacy VPN compatibility

The Ivacy VPN offers compatibility with a variety of platforms, such as PCs, mobile phones, gaming consoles, and even browsers, like the Ivacy Chrome extension it offers. Ivacy VPN app downloads are also available on Huawei mobile devices as well as Android and iOS.

Take a look at the list of compatible devices and platforms.

• Operating systems: Windows, MacOS, Linux
• Mobile devices: Android, iOS, Huawei
• Browser extensions: Chrome, Firefox, Edge
• Gaming consoles: Xbox, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

Ivacy VPN customer support

Ivacy VPN offers 24/7 live chat support directly from its website. Their customer support agents are very helpful and reply almost instantaneously to assist you with any questions you have after you’ve filled out your name and email address.

You can also contact their support team by email, or you may walk in at the address listed on the Ivacy VPN website. Online guides, articles, and video tutorials are also available.

Ivacy VPN alternatives

If you’re not quite sold on Ivacy, know that it’s not the sole contender. Multiple other options exist that provide similar functionality and benefits, such as NordVPN, Surfshark, and Private Internet Access (PIA).

Let's take a quick tour of some of the best VPN services that might meet your needs if Ivacy isn't a fit:

FAQs

Bottom line: Is Ivacy VPN good?

Ivacy VPN makes a strong impression on individuals seeking a dependable, reasonably priced VPN service. It boasts security features like military-grade encryption, reliable security protocols like IPSec and IKEV to ensure the privacy and security of your internet traffic, a dedicated IP, secure DNS, and an unyielding no-logs policy, assuring your data's sanctuary from third-party intrusion.

Finally, Ivacy VPN shines as a suitable pick for those desiring to access content on Netflix across diverse geographical regions while maintaining a secure encrypted connection. It is ideal for those on the hunt for a budget-friendly service given its affordable pricing plans start at $1.17/mo (billed every five years).

That said, we did have some issues with the app freezing our computer, frequent disconnections, and some lower-than-desired speed results. If you're looking for a more reliable VPN, check out our list of the best VPNs available.