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VPN Unlimited vs IPVanish

IPVanish is a long-established VPN service that’s managed to gain a massive following over the years. Be that as it may, VPN Unlimited, which isn’t as popular, is considered by experts to be superior in almost every aspect.

 

Comparison

Here’s a table detailing each of the two’s specifications:

  VPN Unlimited IPVanish
Logging Policy No Logging No Logging
Jurisdiction United States (Five-Eyes Member) United States (Five-Eyes Member)
Encryption AES-256 SHA-256 Hash Authentication 4096-bit RSA Key Exchange AES-256
Protocols OpenVPN UDP (Only on Windows, Linux, and Android) OpenVPN TCP (Only on Windows, Linux, and Android) PPTP IPSec/L2TP (Only on iOS and macOS) IPSec/IKEv2 (Only on Windows) WireGuard (Only on iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux, and Android) KeepSolid Wise (Only on iOS, Windows, Android, and Linux) OpenVPN UDP OpenVPN TCP IPSec/IKEv2 IPSec/L2TP SSTP PPTP
Ad and malware blockers Yes No
Kill switch Yes (Windows, Android, iOS, macOS) Yes
Leak Tests No Leaks Found No Leaks Found
Speed Tests Fast Fast
Torrenting & P2P Yes (Optimized P2P Servers) Yes (On all servers)
Streaming Netflix Amazon Prime BBC iPlayer Firestick Roku (Via Router) Kodi Apple TV (Via Router) Android TV Netflix Hulu Firestick Roku (Via Router) Kodi Apple TV (Via Router) Android TV
Gaming Windows Android iOS Xbox One (Via Router) PS4 (Via Router) Nintendo Switch (Via Router) Windows Android iOS Xbox One (Via Router) PS4 (Via Router) Nintendo Switch (Via Router)
Compatibility Windows Linux macOS Android iOS Firefox Opera Microsoft Edge Chrome Selected Routers Windows macOS Android iOS Linux Chromebook Tor Selected routers
Simultaneous Connections 5 Unlimited
Servers 500+ 1400+
China Yes No
Split Tunneling Yes (Only on Android) Yes (On Android Only)
Additional Features Two-Factor Authentication Personal Static IP Address Personal VPN Server Scramble Feature
Prices $9.99/Month $4.99/Month (1 Year) $199.99/Lifetime $3.49 (for the 1st Month then $9.99/Month) $31.49 (for the 1st Year then $89.99/Year)
Our Rating 4.4 3.9
Website www.vpnunlimited.com www.ipvanish.com

The differences between VPN Unlimited and IPVanish are like night and day. Despite that, we have to take an in-depth look at everything they have to offer to properly determine what’s the better option for you.

 

Privacy & Security

Both services are based in the United States. As such, they’re obligated to follow restrictive laws that make operating a VPN difficult or else face being shut down. If anything, they aren’t truly free, which makes them disadvantaged versus other competitors in the industry.

Encryption Comparison

Like other high-ranking clients, the two utilize military-grade AES-256 encryption.

What’s unique about VPN Unlimited is that it also uses an RSA-4096 handshake and SHA-256 hash authentication. Meanwhile, IPVanish hasn’t disclosed what it employs.

VPN Protocols

IPVanish makes use of PPTP, SSTP, OpenVPN, IPSec/L2TP, and IPSec/IKEv2.

Its rival limitedly supports all the protocols mentioned above except SSTP. Also, it maintains support for WireGuard and Keepsolid Wise, which is proprietary.

Leak Protection

I ran some tests using IPLeak.net to determine if the two leaked. Here’s the outcome after I paired to IPVanish’s server in Tokyo:

IP Leak Test – IPVanish Tokyo

And now, this is how VPN Unlimited and its Singapore server performed:

IP Leak Test – VPN Unlimited Singapore

None of the services failed my tests. Both masked my IP address without any troubles. As a result, I can safely recommend them to anyone who values anonymity above everything else.

Server Security

IPVanish and VPN Unlimited don’t have RAM-based networks. Fortunately, the two do maintain zero-logging policies that prevent them from gathering private user data.

What’s sad is that the former service once submitted private user data to the authorities to help in a then-ongoing criminal investigation. Thus, it’s deemed by many to not be trustworthy.

In Conclusion

The winner of this category is VPN Unlimited. Although it lacks security features like a kill switch on all platforms and split tunneling, it supports every major protocol. Moreover, the service has never disclosed user info, unlike its competitor.

 

Speed Test

I had to know exactly how the two would alter my internet connection. To do this, I ran a couple of speed tests. Here’s the result following my connection to IPVanish’s server in Tokyo:

Speed Test – IPVanish Tokyo

And this is how things changed after I transferred to VPN Unlimited’s Singapore server:

Speed Test – VPN Unlimited Singapore

The results are quite fascinating, to say the least. IPVanish altered my base connection speeds significantly, while VPN Unlimited hardly changed them. Due to that, the latter service is the clear winner of this VPN Unlimited vs IPVanish round.

 

Torrenting & P2P

IPVanish’s entire network is fully P2P enabled. In contrast, VPN Unlimited only has a handful of optimized servers. Therefore, on paper, it seems like IPVanish is better for torrenting.

To know if the two leaked when torrenting, I again tested each service. Below is a screenshot showing how IPVanish and its server in Tokyo fared:

Torrenting Leak Test – IPVanish Tokyo

Next up, here’s the result of my test after I moved to VPN Unlimited and its server in SG:

Torrenting Leak Test – VPN Unlimited Singapore

Thankfully, neither of the two failed my tests. Still, my winner for this category is IPVanish simply because it boasts a fully enabled P2P network.

 

Streaming

Many say that IPVanish isn’t the best VPN service for streaming. On the other hand, countless testimonies applaud VPN Unlimited for being able to work around nearly any streaming site geoblock. It easily grants access to everything from Netflix to Amazon Prime Video.

Below is the outcome after I tried to view Spotlight using IPVanish’s US server:

Netflix US – IPVanish

Here’s the result after I vied to watch the same title using VPN Unlimited’s special streaming server in California:

Netflix US – VPN Unlimited

To my surprise, the two did equally as well as each other. Despite that, my win for this category goes to VPN Unlimited. Why? It’s faster and can reliably unblock more streaming websites.

 

Gaming

Many VPN providers claim to be the best for gaming. However, only a few manage to meet the needs of competitive players. To see if VPN Unlimited and IPVanish make the cut, I fought several Call of Duty Mobile matches using both.

Unfortunately, only VPN Unlimited was able to hold up to my expectations. With it, I didn’t experience any lagging or FPS drops.

 

Compatibility

Check out the table below to know what each service is compatible with:

VPN Unlimited IPVanish

Windows

Linux

macOS

Android

iOS

Firefox

Opera

Microsoft

Edge

Chrome

Selected Routers

Windows

macOS

Android

iOS

Linux

Chromebook

Tor

Selected routers

This category’s winner is VPN Unlimited by a long shot. It’s got more extensions, meaning that it’ll meet the needs of a larger demographic of users. Still, there’s much room for improvement since the service doesn’t have a Chromebook OS app or work alongside Tor.

 

Simultaneous Connections

VPN Unlimited lets you connect up to 5 devices simultaneously under one account. Sadly, it’s beaten hard by IPVanish, which allows for unlimited concurrent gadget pairings. In the VPN industry, only Surfshark has managed to match this offering.

So the clear winner in this IPVanish vs VPN Unlimited round is IPVanish.

 

Servers

With a little more than 1400 servers, the network of IPVanish is impressively large. It is significantly larger than VPN Unlimited’s, which operates just over 500 servers.

 

China

Chinese users have nothing but praise for VPN Unlimited. Using it, they’ve been able to work around the Great Firewall with relative ease and consistency.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for IPVanish. Subscribers are almost unanimous in saying that it can't bypass China’s draconian internet censorship measures.

 

Interface & Usability

IPVanish’s apps have complicated interfaces that make them unsuitable for children, the elderly, and people who aren’t tech-savvy. Upon opening them, you’ll immediately get flooded with unnecessary information that can sometimes cause a headache.

interface-ipvanish

IPVanish Interface

In comparison, the apps of VPN Unlimited are simpler to use. Even so, they’re also not worthy of recommendation because they lack refinement. In what sense? Their interfaces are quite clunky and can sometimes be unresponsive.

VPN Unlimited Interface

Although VPN Unlimited’s apps need improvement, they are still better than IPVanish’s. For that reason, the win for this category goes to VPN Unlimited.

 

Additional Features

IPVanish has a security feature called Scramble. To put it simply, it lets you route your internet traffic through multiple VPN servers to increase privacy.

Meanwhile, VPN Unlimited has several unique security features. For starters, it lets you utilize 2FA authentication whenever you log in. Moreover, the service also lets you establish a VPN server and a static IP address.

 

Customer Support

Refer to the table below to see what both services offer in regards to customer support:

  VPN Unlimited IPVanish
Live Chat Yes Yes
Email Support Yes Yes
Phone Support No Yes
Ticket Support Yes Yes
Video Tutorials No No
Online Knowledge Base Yes Yes
Average Response Time 1 Hour 20 Minutes

IPVanish has a great advantage in this category. That’s because it’s one of the few VPNs that still has phone support. Additionally, it also boasts a faster average response time. Thus, the winner in this IPVanish vs VPN Unlimited match is IPVanish.

 

Prices

Here’s a table showing the different pricing schemes of each service:

  VPN Unlimited IPVanish
Subscription Lengths 1 Month ($9.99/Month) 1 Month ($3.49 for the 1st Month then $9.99/Month)
  1 Year ($4.99/Month) 1 Year ($31.49 for the 1st Year then $89.99/Year)
  Lifetime ($199.99)  
Highest Price Per Month $9.99 $9.99
Lowest Price Per Month $4.99 $2.62
One Year Price $59.99 $31.49 and $89.99
Money-Back Guarantee 30 Days 7 Days
Special Offer Lifetime for $199.99 $3.49 for the 1st Month of a monthly subscription; $31.49 for the 1st Year of an annual subscription

VPN Unlimited is clearly the better service when it comes to pricing. It offers a lifetime plan and has more affordable 1-month and annual subscriptions. Because of that, it’s the winner of this final round of our VPN Unlimited vs IPVanish match.

 

Verdict

Is VPN Unlimited better than IPVanish?

Yes. VPN is superior to IPVanish in almost every feasible regard. It has better security, speed capabilities, applications, and exclusive features. In addition, the service works in China flawlessly. Lastly, it’s capable of providing access to most streaming websites.

Despite what’s stated, don’t rule out IPVanish completely. After all, it allows for unlimited same-time connections and has a larger server network.

 

By: Kris Soliongco
Kris has two passions in life: writing and tech. He’s been building computers since he was eight years old and is knowledgeable about online security. The first time he was exposed to VPNs was in 2016. Since then, he’s used a plethora of services and has gained much experience. Follow him on Facebook.