Ivacy VPN Review 2023: Can You Trust This VPN

However, we noticed something unusual that Ivacy did not mention on its website or anywhere else — it was using servers belonging to GZ Systems Ltd. This company owns PureVPN, another popular VPN.

Ivacy Review 2023

Ivacy VPN Review (2023): Cheap VPN With Privacy Issues

Ivacy is a Singapore-based VPN service with a reputation for pioneering split tunneling. This VPN provider has been around since 2007, and Ivacy continues to improve its service. In this Ivacy VPN review, we put the VPN through the wringer, testing its speeds, security, privacy, usability, and server network.

Read on to learn more about Ivacy VPN and whether it’s worth your money.

Ivacy VPN Short Review

Pros

• One subscription allows you use the service on 10 devices simultaneously
• Easy to install and use
• Large server network
• Responsive customer support
• Relatively affordable pricing (for long-term plans)
• Works with U.S. Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming services
• Good for torrenting
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• Offers dedicated IP addresses
• No logging policy

Cons

• Relatively slow speeds
• Privacy concerns surrounding Ivacy’s use of PureVPN servers
• Mac app lacks a kill switch, unlike the Windows app
• OpenVPN and WireGuard are not available on Mac
• Connection delays

Ivacy VPN has been around for over 15 years. Therefore, it’s not surprising that it has many useful features and rubs shoulders with the best VPNs. Ivacy VPN has top-notch security features, including AES-256 encryption, various protocols, and a strict no-logs policy.

Ivacy’s apps are simple and well-organized. If you encounter any challenges while using the app, Ivacy VPN’s customer support agents are on standby through live chat to help you. Ivacy VPN has an extensive network of servers in over 70 countries. During our tests, we successfully unblocked Netflix and other streaming services.

However, the results of our Ivacy speed tests suggest that this VPN can be slow and may not be ideal for streaming and gaming. For streaming, downloading, and gaming, you’re better off using Surfshark, a lightning-fast VPN with an affordable price tag.

Specifications Surfshark

�� Price	From $2.30 a month
�� Operating systems	Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux
�� Connections	Unlimited
�� Payment methods	PayPal, Other, Credit card, Cryptocurrency
�� Protocols	OpenVPN, IKEv2, Wireguard
�� Torrent options	Torrenting allowed
�� Money-back guarantee	30 Days
�� Logs	No Logs
�� Works with

All things considered, we rate Ivacy VPN 7 out of 10. Read on to discover the strengths and weaknesses of Ivacy and its best use cases.

Speed – How Fast is Ivacy?

Speed is one of the key features users look for in a good VPN. No one enjoys using a slow VPN that negatively impacts your streaming, downloading, and overall browsing experience. Although virtually every VPN will slow your connection to some extent (at least on paper), it’s important to choose one with decent speeds.

Our speed tests indicate that Ivacy VPN might slow down your internet connection. Overall, we give Ivacy 6 out of 10 for speed.

Here’s a summary of our conclusions on Ivacy’s speeds:

• Ivacy might reduce your speeds significantly.
• You can browse and stream without interruptions most of the time.

Ivacy speed test results

We conducted our speed tests on Ivacy VPN from our office in the Netherlands. As with all our VPN reviews, we first checked our speeds without a VPN. This gave us a benchmark value to gauge speed drop-offs.

Next, we connected to Ivacy VPN servers in various countries, including the UK, the US, Canada, Japan, and Germany, and we assessed how Ivacy performed across the board. We’ve summarized the speed test results in the table below.

Note: Your actual speeds may differ from the values below, depending on factors like your baseline internet speed and location. However, these figures should give you a fair indication of Ivacy’s performance.

Server	Download (Mbps)	Upload (Mbps)	Ping (MS)
No VPN	93.12	95.92	3
Netherlands (Amsterdam)	88.2	89.41	9
Germany (Frankfurt)	58.15	51.13	18
United Kingdom	13.42	11.21	20
United States East (New York)	27.86	10.43	106
United States West (Los Angeles)	11.01	12.85	198
Canada (Montreal)	44.44	36.41	105
Brazil (Sao Paulo)	49.31	27.26	209
South Africa (Johannesburg)	32.08	51.92	172
Japan (Tokyo)	48.77	47.8	248
Australia (Sydney)	48.47	19.2	349
Dedicated IP US (Los Angeles)	76.73	75.5	140

Overall, Ivacy’s speeds are far from impressive. Since our testing was done in the Netherlands, it’s no surprise that Ivacy didn’t lose much speed there. The VPN suffers big speed drops in other locations.

Ivacy wiped out nearly half our original speeds when we connected to its German server. Even worse, our speeds in the UK and the US took big hits, losing at least 70 percent of our original upload and download speeds.

Curiously, when we connected to dedicated servers in Los Angeles, we maintained at least 70 percent of our starting speed. If you want better speeds, you should opt for a dedicated IP address, which we’ll get into later in this review.

In all the other countries (Brazil, South Africa, Japan, and Australia), Ivacy VPN reduced our upload and download speeds by at least 50 percent. This is disappointing as Ivacy doesn’t even try to match up to the fastest VPNs on the market. Looking at the speed table in our NordVPN review, you’ll notice that we maintained 70 to 80 percent of our original speeds.

Speed during daily use

We examined Ivacy’s speed during the day as we browsed websites, streamed videos (on Netflix), downloaded files, and played games online. Surprisingly, the VPN performed creditably.

We didn’t notice any difference between browsing with or without the VPN. Websites loaded quickly, and we managed to log in to websites and platforms without issues. We could also check our email and download attachments without any noticeable delay.

Streaming videos, however, proved to be tricky. We noticed minor delays when opening videos on YouTube and Netflix. However, once the videos opened, we could stream without noticeable lags.

Downloading files with Ivacy VPN was reasonably fast. However, we noticed a minor difference in speed when downloading torrents and other files without a VPN. But this wasn’t a serious issue in the least.

While gaming, we also noticed a slight difference in speed between using Ivacy and playing without a VPN connection — at least when using a server in the Netherlands (where our office is located). When we connected to a server in the United States, we noticed a significant decrease in speed. So, it’s best to connect to servers close to you when gaming with Ivacy VPN.

Security – How Safe is Ivacy?

A good VPN must have security features to anonymize your traffic and protect you online. It must also prioritize your privacy, ensuring your data isn’t compromised. Ivacy VPN meets those requirements, although we have some issues with its privacy policy.

Overall, we give Ivacy VPN 6.5 out of 10 for security.

Here’s a sneak peek of our findings:

• Ivacy VPN offers AES-256-bit encryption.
• It has industry-standard safety features, such as a kill switch, split tunneling, dedicated IPs, and port forwarding.
• It offers multiple encryption protocols.
• Ivacy does not keep any logs.
• Ivacy’s servers may pose a privacy risk.

Ivacy VPN protocols

Ivacy VPN offers robust security. It uses AES-256-bit encryption. Generally, this is considered highly secure and “bank-grade” or “military-grade.”

Ivacy offers the following encryption protocols on its Windows app:

• OpenVPN (UDP and TCP)
• IKEv2
• L2TP/IPSec
• WireGuard

However, on Mac, Ivacy offers only IPSec and IKEv2 protocols. You have to manually configure Ivacy VPN to use other protocols.

Of course, each of these VPN protocols comes with a unique set of advantages and disadvantages. Generally, OpenVPN is considered the safest protocol. IKEv2 is better suited for mobile users since it lets you switch between mobile and WiFi networks without data leaks. WireGuard is a good choice for data-intensive activities like streaming and gaming; it offers ultra-fast download speeds.

We don’t recommend using the LT2P protocol. It offers decent speeds, but its security features and unblocking ability leave much to be desired.

Kill switch

Ivacy offers a kill switch. This shuts down your internet if your connection to the VPN server drops. A kill switch prevents your privacy and security from being compromised. Your internet connection is usually restored as soon as your VPN connection is up and running again.

Note: There’s no kill switch on the Mac version of Ivacy VPN.

Logging policy and privacy

In its privacy policy, Ivacy VPN says it does not keep logs. Ivacy says “by design,” it has no sensitive user data to share, even if the company is legally obligated to do so. This is, of course, great news for people who value anonymity and privacy.

However, we noticed something unusual that Ivacy did not mention on its website or anywhere else — it was using servers belonging to GZ Systems Ltd. This company owns PureVPN, another popular VPN.

This could mean that PureVPN or even GZ Systems Ltd. had or has access to Ivacy users’ data. When we conducted a DNS leak test while connected to an Ivacy VPN server in the U.S., PureVPN came up as the internet service provider (ISP).

And even more disturbingly, when we contacted an Ivacy representative, she assumed we were PureVPN users and addressed us as such.

We contacted Ivacy’s customer support to verify if the VPN still uses servers belonging to GZ Systems Ltd. An Ivacy representative told us: “Ivacy does not use servers belonging to GZ systems.” This slight vagueness in the provider’s privacy policy regarding users’ data reminded us a bit of Browsec VPN‘s privacy policy.

In any case, the particular server we tested was owned by PureVPN/GZ Systems at least at that time. While Ivacy remains safe to use, this undermines its claim of “rock-solid security.”

What information does Ivacy need?

You want to give as little information as possible when creating a VPN account. Having to provide a lot of personal information to create an account for a privacy solution defeats the purpose. That’s why we examine how much information all the VPNs we review need to create an account.

To create an Ivacy account, you need to provide a few personal details.

First, to get a subscription, you must give Ivacy a name and an email address. You may need to give up certain payment information depending on your chosen payment method. We recommend using Bitcoin to pay if you want to subscribe to this VPN anonymously.

To complete your account creation, you must provide an account name and a password. If you want to remain anonymous, it’s best to choose an account name that cannot be traced back to you.

Usability – How User-Friendly is Ivacy?

Overall, Ivacy VPN checks the boxes for usability. Its website is easy to navigate, and creating an account is simple. The app is also straightforward to use. However, there are some connection delays. As a result, Ivacy earns an 8 out of 10 for usability.

Here’s a summary of our observations about Ivacy:

• Ivacy’s desktop and mobile apps are intuitive and easy to use.
• Ivacy’s website is well-designed.
• Creating an Ivacy account is fast and easy.
• Getting an Ivacy subscription is convenient since it accepts many different payment methods.
• You can try out a limited free version of Ivacy VPN.
• Sometimes, Ivacy takes a while to connect to a server.
• Ivacy’s customer support team is easily reachable and very helpful.

Ivacy’s website and installation process

Ivacy’s website is simple, well-designed, and contains all the information you need to know. At the top of the homepage, there’s an offer to purchase Ivacy. When you scroll down, you’ll find general information about why you should use a VPN and more details about Ivacy, such as its features and pricing options. Everything is well-laid-out and easy to navigate.

Ivacy’s website used to have consistent pop-ups offering users a discount on buying a five-year subscription. However, these pop-ups are a thing of the past, so the website is easier to navigate.

Getting Ivacy up and running is easy, regardless of the device. Ivacy offers apps for all major devices and operating systems. It has a Windows, Mac, iOS, Linux, and Android app. It can also be installed on routers and smart TVs and has browser extensions for Google Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.

Here’s the general installation process:

1. Go to the Ivacy VPN website.
2. Go to the Pricing page, select a plan, and click Buy Now.
3. Fill in your personal information, like your name and email address.
4. Opt for add-ons, such as port forwarding or dedicated IP, if you want.
5. Complete the payment with your preferred payment method.
6. Download and install the application for your device(s).
7. Log in to the Ivacy VPN app with your credentials, which will have been emailed to you).

Ivacy VPN appearance and ease of use

Ivacy’s interface is intuitive, regardless of the device you’re using. There is a separate sub-menu for every function, such as streaming, downloading, and unblocking online content.

You can connect to a VPN server by clicking the big white button. As you can see in the screenshot, it’s easy to switch between different options and server locations, even on mobile.

However, in our tests, we experienced connection delays, which can be inconvenient. It’s worth noting that during our last round of testing, we experienced issues connecting to a server.

Prices and payment methods

Ivacy is an affordable VPN. The longer the subscription, the cheaper the rate you can get. Plus, you can share one subscription with up to ten devices.

Here’s an overview of Ivacy VPN cost:

• Monthlysubscription: $9.95 a month
• One-year-subscription: $3.99 a month
• Five-year-subscription: $1.00 a month

Ivacy used to offer a two-year plan, but it’s no longer available. Currently, Ivacy is promoting its five-year plan, which comes with 2TB encrypted cloud storage and a premium password manager.

Note: This is a limited offer. Ivacy’s five-year plan is one of the longest of all the VPNs we’ve tested.

Additionally, Ivacy offers two add-ons, namely:

• Port forwarding for $1.00 a month
• Dedicated IP for $1.99. You can choose from seven countries: Singapore, Hong Kong, the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Each dedicated IP comes with port forwarding.

Ivacy offers a free VPN, but it is highly limited and of little use. You cannot use the free version for streaming or unblocking content.

If you want a free Ivacy experience, all subscriptions for one year or longer come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. This means you can use Ivacy for 30 days before committing to a long-term subscription.

Note: If you opt for a 30-day subscription, you only get a 7-day money-back guarantee.

To buy an Ivacy subscription, you can choose from the following payment methods:

• Credit/Debit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover Network, JCB, Diners Club)
• PayPal
• BitPay
• AliPay
• PerfectMoney
• Paymentwall (Ideal, Neosurf, ClickandBuy, Dotpay, OneCard, Mobiamo)
• Cryptocurrency (several options, including BitCoin)

Customer service

Ivacy’s customer support answers questions quickly. There are different ways to contact Ivacy’s customer support. You can send them an email, start a live chat on their website, or visit them in person at their office in Singapore.

Also, they have an extensive Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page and a handy video tutorial section on their website.

We tested the responsiveness and the quality of Ivacy VPN’s customer support by contacting them several times using the live chat option on their website. We raised questions about their servers and protocols. They replied quickly and the responses were cordial.

To start a chat and ask a question on Ivacy’s website, you don’t need to provide any information. You don’t even need to be an Ivacy customer. So, this is a great way to get more information about Ivacy before buying a subscription.

Ivacy Server Network

Ivacy has an extensive server network across different continents. It’s also great for streaming and torrenting. For those reasons and more, Ivacy earns 8 out of 10 for its server network:

• Ivacy has a reasonably extensive server network, with about 5,700+ servers spread out in over 100 locations across 70+ countries.
• It unblocks Netflix and major streaming services, including Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer.
• It’s a good choice for torrenting.
• Ivacy offers dedicated IP addresses for an additional $1.99 a month.

Number of servers and locations

Ivacy has over 5,700 servers in over 100 locations. We’ve listed Ivacy’s server locations below:

• Americas: Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, United States, and the Philipines
• Europe: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Moldova, Netherlands, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
• Asia Pacific: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, China, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and the United Arab Emirates.
• TheMiddle East and Africa: Oman, Egypt, South Africa, and Nigeria.

Ivacy and streaming (Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, BBC iPlayer)

Ivacy is an excellent choice for streaming. In our tests, we could unblock all major streaming services, including Netflix. We got into Netflix on the first try with different Ivacy VPN servers. This is a plus, considering Netflix has robust firewalls that block VPNs. Below is a quick look at some of the major streaming services Ivacy unblocks.

Platform	Can Ivacy unblock it?
Netflix	✔
Disney Plus	✔
Hulu	✔
BBC iPlayer	✔

Tip: If Ivacy’s not working with Netflix, we recommend you change servers. Pick from the dedicated streaming servers since they are optimized for skipping past geoblocks.

Ivacy VPN and torrents

Ivacy’s optimized P2P servers offer a secure download and upload option for torrenting. If you navigate to the dedicated download option in the Ivacy app, you can choose between various servers that support P2P downloading.

Dedicated IP

Ivacy offers dedicated IP addresses. There are several reasons why you should use a dedicated IP address. For instance, dedicated IPs are less likely to be blocked by Netflix and other streaming services.

Often, a single VPN server is used simultaneously by a group of users. This means streaming services like Netflix will notice they are getting a lot of traffic from the same IP address. A dedicated IP address is unique, which means you won’t run into this problem and are much less likely to be blocked by websites and apps.

Ivacy’s dedicated IP costs $1.99 extra per month. It is quite affordable compared to many other VPN providers. Ivacy has seven different servers that support dedicated IP addresses.

Ivacy VPN’s Options

Two Ivacy VPN features worth mentioning are port forwarding and split tunneling. We delve into them below.

Port forwarding

Ivacy offers port forwarding for an extra $1.00 a month. This allows the P2P network to connect directly to your device, increasing download speeds. This feature is recommended for heavy torrent users. If you opt for Ivacy’s dedicated IP add-on, you get port forwarding as a free benefit.

Split tunneling

Ivacy offers a split-tunneling option. It was the first VPN to do so in 2010. With this option, you can choose what traffic you want to be routed over a VPN connection and which should be transferred outside the VPN tunnel (without encryption and protection).

Conclusion: Our Experience with Ivacy VPN

Ivacy comes with excellent features and options for enhanced privacy and security. It’s great for streaming and torrenting, but its poor speeds may be an issue. We also experienced connection delays, and there are potential privacy concerns associated with Ivacy’s use of PureVPN servers.

Here are some articles with some useful insights to help you work through Ivacy’s issues.

• 9 Effective Ways to Speed Up Your Internet When Using a VPN
• My VPN Doesn’t Work: How to Fix the Most Common VPN Issues

Alternatively, choose from the VPN services in the articles below:

• The Best No Log VPNs for 2023: Stay Anonymous Online
• The Top 6 Cheap VPNs of 2023 (25+ Tested!): Save Money!
• What is the Best VPN for Mac? Our Top 5 Best macOS VPNs

Ivacy VPN Review: Frequently Asked Questions

Got a question about Ivacy VPN? Check out the frequently asked questions section below. Click a question to read the answer.

Is Ivacy VPN any good?

Ivacy is a relatively affordable VPN, suitable for streaming, downloading, and browsing anonymously. It has apps for various devices but sometimes it takes a while to connect to a server. Also, it can slow down your internet connection. Read our full Ivacy VPN review for all the details.

Is Ivacy VPN free?

Ivacy has a free version, but it is very limited. You cannot stream or download content using the free Ivacy app. However, a full subscription is cheap — starting at $1 a month for the five-year plan. Alternatively, you can opt for a free VPN.

Does Ivacy work with Netflix?

Ivacy is a good VPN for American Netflix and other geographically restricted streaming services such as Hulu or HBO Max. The Ivacy app has optimized servers that can unblock Netflix and other streaming platforms.

Ivacy VPN Review 2023: Can You Trust This VPN?

Ivacy isn’t a VPN you think about when discussing cyber security. However, this company has been on the market since 2007, and it’s been steadily improving over the past few years.

While not very popular, it has its share of users that, to this day, enjoy Ivacy VPN’s ease of use and security features. Ivacy VPN is based in Singapore, which is not a very favorable location and it’s owned by PMG Private Limited.

This brings the VPN in correlation with PureVPN as they share the same father company. However, at first, Ivacy seems to be a bit more trustworthy and less scammy than its Hong Kong-based brother.

But can you really trust this service? Is it as good as it claims to be? Well, you’re going to find that out in my full, in-depth Ivacy VPN review for 2023. As always, I’ll be brutally honest and relentless while putting the VPN to numerous tests.

This way, you’ll know everything there is about Ivacy, its security, performance, streaming capabilities, and so much more. Without further ado, let’s jump straight into this Ivacy VPN test and see how good or bad it is.

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Ivacy VPN User Experience & Device Support

Upon subscribing to Ivacy VPN, the first thing you’ll need to do is download its application. Thus, the very first contact with a Virtual Private Network is either through your desktop or mobile app.

Fortunately, Ivacy VPN has a lot to show here, so let’s start this review by talking about this subject matter.

Desktop and Mobile Apps

When it comes to basic desktop and mobile apps, you can expect the service to be on the top level. It supports all platforms you can think of, including:

• Windows (Chrome/Firefox/Edge)
• Mac
• Linux
• Android
• iOS

Of course, I’m talking about native clients that you can install once you subscribe. However, bear in mind that Ivacy VPN offers a free plan as well, although it’s very limited in terms of the servers and performance you get.

Besides, it doesn’t offer simultaneous connections, whereas, you get 10 of them in the premium plan. Moving on with my Ivacy VPN review, I will mention that I really like its desktop and mobile applications.

Albeit, I love the Windows app the most given its feature-richness that isn’t achieved on any other platform due to technical limitations. Despite that, the mobile app is very similar, which makes it easy to switch between the platforms without having to learn the app again.

The desktop app itself has all the menus on the left, with the center part occupied by the stuff you’ve chosen. If you click on Smart Connect, you can see the connection button and the server list that you can open by clicking on it.

I like that Ivacy VPN also offers dedicated servers easily accessible from the left. You can click on Secure Download to enjoy P2P safely or select streaming, in which case, Ivacy VPN will display all of the platforms it can unblock.

From there, you just choose the one you want and you’re connected to a VPN server made for unblocking it. The Settings menu is simple as well, offering separate menus for each relevant feature. This way, it’s easier to tweak the settings you want.

My only complaint is that the app window is a bit tiny on desktop platforms. Yet, you can’t increase it as is the case with CyberGhost. Nevertheless, this is my only complaint in this regard, as Ivacy VPN is a very intuitive and good-looking service.

TV Apps

Can the same be said about TV apps in this Ivacy VPN review? Well, I think so. Despite being a relatively affordable service, Ivacy didn’t skimp on its app support. Therefore, you get apps for all types of TVs, including a VPN service for Android TV and even Fire TV.

I checked Amazon and Ivacy VPN’s native client was really there! On Android TV, you’ll have to download it from Google Play, after which, you’ll see that it looks pretty much the same as on your mobile phone.

Which is a good thing, of course.

If you use Kodi, Apple TV, or Chromecast, there is some good news. Ivacy VPN supports these platforms but in different ways. For Chromecast, you can find its app on Google Play, while Kodi and Apple TV utilize a VPN through the router.

More about router support in just a sec.

Gaming Apps

If you check Ivacy VPN’s applications, you’ll see that it didn’t list PlayStation or Xbox consoles. This is a bit of a shame because I expect proper gaming support from a premium VPN. Now, you’ll say that you can use it for gaming on a PC or your phone.

And that is true. But with the increased prices of PC components and phones, some people still prefer to play games on a console… which Ivacy VPN doesn’t support properly. However, there are some guides on how to set up a VPN on PlayStation 4 and 5 on the site.

But that doesn’t mean much given that these consoles are outdated. Still, you can connect Ivacy to a router and go that route or simply share your VPN connection from your Windows PC instead.

Smart DNS technology isn’t here either, so you’ll have to use the methods I mentioned or set up a virtual router. Surprisingly, Ivacy VPN has a simple tutorial on the latter method, which is pretty comprehensive.

Router Support

Another surprising thing in this Ivacy VPN review for 2023 is router support. Unlike more expensive providers, Ivacy VPN supports a plethora of router models that should make it easy to set up.

Some of the supported models include DD-WRT, Asus, Huawei, Padavan, Synology, Tomato, D-Link, Mikrotik, OpenWRT, and at least 10 more. Furthermore, you get setup tutorials for ALL of these models which I find quite convenient.

Not to mention screenshots for each step that perfectly illustrate how to properly set up a VPN on your router. Of course, if you don’t have a supported router, you’ll have to install third-party firmware, which takes a bit of knowledge.

However, with router support so broad, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll have an incompatible router. Also, unlike many other providers, Ivacy VPN offers several protocols here, including PPTP, OpenVPN TCP, and OpenVPN UDP.

Overall, I would say that the router support of Ivacy VPN is great. Better than I expected, honestly.

Is Ivacy VPN Safe & Secure? All Security Features Examined!

With recent improvements that Ivacy VPN made, it also introduced some useful security features. In this Ivacy test, I will talk about them in-depth and see if this VPN’s security is on the level of other premium services.

Here are the security features that Ivacy VPN offers:

Internet Kill Switch

If you ask me, there’s no feature more important than a kill switch in a VPN. I mean, you can have all the encryption you want but a kill switch is a must if you want to prevent potential IP leaks that can occur in problematic connections.

As its name implies, it’s here to shut down your internet connection if you lose a connection to a server. However, in my Ivacy VPN review, I didn’t have the chance to test it too much given that I always had stable connections.

But in a few instances when I encountered some issues, it immediately sprung into action, disabling my internet connection at the same moment. It’s worth noting that it doesn’t work like NordVPN’s kill switch.

This means that, when not using a VPN, it won’t disable your internet. Instead, it will only act if you’re previously connected to a server AND you, for some reason, lose the connection.

Split Tunneling

Split tunneling is another feature I find useful in every Virtual Private Network. While not mandatory, split tunneling makes it easy to exclude certain applications or websites from using a VPN tunnel. In this case, Ivacy offers only a so-called “app split tunneling.”

This means that you can’t block IPs (websites) but only the applications. I don’t find this very convenient, as ExpressVPN or even NordVPN allows me to block IPs and websites from using a VPN, which is useful for bank accounts or local shopping sites.

Still, you can at least block games from using a VPN if you don’t want potential performance decreases. And with Ivacy, you might want to do that because it’s not the fastest VPN. But let’s not get ahead of myself.

256-bit AES Encryption

Of course, a premium VPN like this will offer 256-bit AES encryption. This is the highest level of encryption also used by the military and governments worldwide, which allows them to protect highly-sensitive and confidential information.

Regardless of the protocol you use, Ivacy will keep 256-bit encryption at all times, preventing snoopers and hackers from tracking your online activities. Also, there’s no option to change the level of encryption but I never use it anyway.

Why would you downgrade to a weaker level of encryption, right?

Multiport

Ivacy VPN offers something called Multiport. This is actually a pretty simple functionality that, upon enabling it, automatically chooses the port for the best experience. You just need to choose from UDP or TCP and you’re done.

However, you can also manually choose the preferred port. All you need to do is type in the number of the port and Ivacy VPN will use it for your connections. Novice users won’t have to fiddle around with it.

It’s really a minor feature that most people won’t be interested in.

IP/DNS Leak Protection

In the General tab of the Settings menu, you’ll find the option to enable IP/DNS leak protection. By default, it’s enabled, which I also recommend doing. This feature protects you from leaking your IP and DNS addresses to the public eye, in conjunction with a kill switch.

I like that it also protects IPv6 addresses, which is great for those using the newer Internet Protocol version. However, in a minute or so, I’ll test Ivacy VPN for DNS and IP leaks and we’ll see how well this feature performs.

WireGuard Support

Lastly, we need to talk about the available protocols because the VPN offers quite a few of them. You can choose from OpenVPN (TCP & UDP), L2TP, IKEv2, and WireGuard. I like the last one the most given its performance-oriented nature.

This allows Ivacy VPN to connect faster and provide somewhat better performance. OpenVPN is a tested solution but WireGuard is a more modern solution that spawned NordLynx, NordVPN’s improved version of it.

Just beware that, while using WireGuard, you won’t have split tunneling available for some reason. But in that case, just switch to OpenVPN and you’ll be good to go.

Ivacy VPN IP and DNS Leak Test: No IP/DNS Leaks Found

Time for some practical work. Let’s proceed with my Ivacy VPN review for 2023 by performing a few IP leak tests. I used a server in the US for this test and I visited the website called ipleak.net.

As you can see above, Ivacy VPN showed no IP or DNS leaks, which is what I expected.

So it looks like its security features do a good job after all. While not as feature-rich as ExpressVPN or CyberGhost, Ivacy VPN surely goes out of its way to secure your connection and keep it away from prying eyes.

Does It Have a No-Logging Policy?

With a high level of security, it’s logical to expect a no-logs business model. Ivacy VPN, strangely, walks the line between being a trustworthy and an untrustworthy VPN, with its vague and sometimes deceptive business practices.

For the start, Ivacy VPN is based in Singapore. Seemingly outside of the 5/9/14 Eyes region. However, we already know that Singapore is in a close relationship with these countries, supplying user information gathered by its ISPs.

A red flag indeed, but not necessarily a bright red one.

Thankfully, it has a very short privacy policy, which allows us to examine it quickly.

Which Information Isn’t Stored?

Right from the get-go, Ivacy clarifies that it’s a no-logs service, to make sure it captures your attention. It claims not to store or monitor your browsing activities, IP address, connection logs, browsing history, outgoing/inbound traffic, connection times, and so on.

Moreover, the VPN won’t store any DNS queries or download history, which should result in a completely anonymous experience. However, having in mind its connection with PureVPN and its parent company, it’s most likely not going to be that way.

Which Information Is Stored?

Before I address that issue, let me talk about which information Ivacy VPN stores. You know that a 100% no-log VPN doesn’t exist and to make things functional, this one stores your name, email address, and payment method.

This information is needed for obvious reasons, such as keeping your subscription active and subscription renewal – if needed. Of course, we can sprinkle in anonymous reports and statistics that are by no means going to infringe on your privacy.

Ivacy VPN is so bold in its claims that it says that, even if the government seizes its servers, it won’t be able to find any relevant information.

The Problem With Its Parent Company

The main issue here is a bunch of people behind it. In my Ivacy VPN review, I found out a lot of stuff regarding this provider. You see, its parent company is PMG Private Limited, on paper, but the VPN itself is operated by Gaditek.

Gaditek is a company based in Pakistan that owns two VPN brands – PureVPN and Ivacy. This company is pretty secretive and even refuses to reveal the identity of the people behind it, which, I think, isn’t going to aid its transparency.

Furthermore, we found out that the owner and founder of Gaditek is the Gadit family, and the CEO is Uzair Gadit. Coincidentally, this man is also the CEO of PureVPN, which Ivacy admitted in a 2019 post on its site.

The CEO of Ivacy VPN, however, remains unknown, despite the speculations that it’s Muhammad Saad Khan. Although this man actually never associates himself with this company.

You can see that the entire scheme behind Ivacy VPN is pretty vague and obscure. Gaditek, on the other hand, is known for some despicable business practices that I’ve also seen in PureVPN.

Namely, the company owns a few review sites where it positions its products at the very top. We also noticed the company’s tendency to make fake social media accounts and promote or review positively its VPNs by using them.

Not to mention that in 2016, it tried “bribing” a certain user on Reddit by offering him a lifetime subscription if he gave Ivacy VPN a better rating and reviews on his site. So, while Ivacy VPN doesn’t seem to store any logs, the looming question of its owner remains.

I don’t think that the service is particularly trustworthy as a result. Plus, it has no third-party audits like Surfshark VPN or NordVPN, making it even harder to believe what Ivacy says. Needless to say, I’m surely not going to recommend a VPN with such a troubling history.

Although, I’ll recommend the aforementioned ExpressVPN or NordVPN instead.

Ivacy VPN for Streaming: Netflix & Other Platforms TESTED

Planning to get a VPN for streaming? In this case, you might want to know how well Ivacy VPN does for this purpose. With its dedicated streaming servers, it sounds easy to unblock all your favorite streaming platforms abroad.

But, as said, let’s spice up this Ivacy VPN review with streaming tests on Netflix and other relevant platforms to see if it’s any good.

Does Ivacy VPN Work on Netflix?

The burning question for those purchasing Ivacy is whether or not it works with Netflix. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work particularly well, as I couldn’t access the website at all. That applies to Netflix US.

And bear in mind that I tested both streaming and non-streaming servers with the same outcome. Either way, I always received an error message in Chrome, saying that Netflix unexpectedly closed the connection.

Mind you, I didn’t have any internet issues at the time and I tested it for several days straight.

Unsurprisingly, I didn’t manage to unblock Netflix Japan and watch Naruto Shippuden. Either way, the speeds were SO slow, so I had to wait for an eternity, just to see that the show I searched for isn’t available.

As you can guess, unblocking Netflix Canada was a futile attempt. Once again, I experienced very long loading times either way, but at least I managed to access Netflix.

The inability to unblock Netflix is pretty clear, and aside from that, I wouldn’t recommend this provider for streaming due to obvious performance issues. I’ll talk about them very soon in my Ivacy VPN review and test.

Other Streaming Platforms

When it comes to other platforms, Ivacy VPN will be a major disappointment. Starting with the US server for streaming, I tried unblocking Hulu and Disney+ with no success.

Next, I used the British server to unblock BBC iPlayer. That attempt proved to be useless because it didn’t work AND Ivacy VPN, once again, stepped on the stage with a lackluster performance.

I somehow managed to access Hotstar with an Indian server, though. But with its subpar speeds and long loading times, watching Bollywood movies and shows wasn’t enjoyable.

Speed Tests: Here’s How Fast Ivacy VPN Really Is

The fact that I didn’t enjoy using Ivacy VPN has to do with how fast or slow it is. Obviously, it’s very slow, but to show you how much, I did some tests for a few days.

I tested this VPN for 3 days, 3 times a day, with 4 server locations – the UK, the US, Japan, and Australia. Bear in mind that I’m from Eastern Europe and here, my not-so-great internet speeds look like this:

Now, when using Ivacy VPN, I’ve compiled the best results that look like this:

You now see the reason behind the VPN’s poor performance. Its speeds are undoubtedly slow even when using a server in the UK where I don’t have speed reduction with other VPNs. Here, it’s indeed noticeable, which especially applies to servers far away from me.

The Japanese VPN server showed particularly slow speeds, which is why I could barely watch Netflix Japan. In fact, you’ll barely be able to do any streaming with Ivacy, so it’s better to go for a fast VPN like ExpressVPN.

Is Ivacy VPN Good for Gaming?

Gaming is yet another unenjoyable activity with this provider. Having speeds so slow, playing fast-paced online games will be a chore, rather than an enjoyment. When using the server closest to me, I got somewhat decent results.

However, even in this case, the lag increase was noticeable in games like Warzone and Apex Legends. Slower games tend to be more playable, though, but let’s be real – not many games have the patience for slow-paced action.

If you’re into cloud gaming, Ivacy VPN will be your worst nightmare. Already laggy, cloud gaming becomes even “laggier” (if that’s the word) when firing up Ivacy. Thus, I strongly advise you not to use this VPN for any gaming endeavors.

But if you’re a masochist and you love suffering from slow connections… well, be my guest!

Can I Use Ivacy VPN for P2P and Torrenting?

Torrenting/P2P servers are present in Ivacy VPN’s application and are easily accessible by clicking on “Secure Download.”

Here, you’ll see that there are P2P servers in 9 locations, which isn’t very impressive. However, Ivacy recommends these servers for downloading torrents, so many people will use them. The point of having P2P servers is to optimize them for security and performance.

This VPN did 50% of that, having a serious lack of speed and haste. When downloading torrents, I couldn’t utilize even 70% of my native speeds, resulting in me waiting for a lot longer than I anticipated.

Once I switched to a server closer to me, things were a bit better but not much. To get the most out of Ivacy VPN, you’ll need to connect, if possible, to a server in your country. This way, you won’t experience a big speed reduction.

But the key takeaway is that you can indeed use it for torrenting. Although getting the best performance is impossible here, a better choice in this price range is CyberGhost (check out my CyberGhost review) which is a great Ivacy VPN replacement.

Is It Working in China & Other Censored Countries?

China and its Great Firewall did a lot of damage to Chinese people’s internet freedom. With thousands of websites blocked and dozens of VPNs not working, reclaiming online freedom in China is becoming increasingly difficult.

VPNs like NordVPN and ExpressVPN are proven to work in this country. But these heavy hitters are nothing like Ivacy which is a much smaller provider. Thus, we purchased a subscription and gave it out to our writers in this country.

As much as they tried, none of them could successfully use Ivacy VPN in China. The VPN was simply detected by the firewall and blocked completely afterward. This applies to all of its protocols, including WireGuard and OpenVPN.

The good thing is that Ivacy works in Turkey, Russia, the UAE, and a few other similar countries. In China, you’ll have to go for the more expensive options I mentioned.

Servers and Server Locations: Here’s How Big Ivacy VPN Is

One thing that caught me off guard in this Ivacy VPN review for 2023 is the server fleet. Not long ago, this provider had around 2,000 servers in 100+ locations – not bad.

Today, this number went to 5,700 servers in the same 100+ locations, which is a LOT better. 100+ locations don’t mean 100+ countries, so I counted around 70 countries on the list. Once again, this is a great number considering that NordVPN has 60 of them.

Is the server distribution good, though? I would venture to say it is. Apart from the US and many European countries, Ivacy covers all other continents. There are many servers in Australia, Egypt, Monaco, Japan, India, and many other locations.

Moreover, even some less popular countries are on the list. I, for example, found servers in Oman and Brunei, which not many VPNs have. Additionally, you’ll find servers in censored countries like Russia and Vietnam with the latter being virtual.

So far, its server list is nothing short of impressive. It’s larger than NordVPN or ExpressVPN even.

Customer Support: How to Contact Ivacy VPN for Help?

To get help from Ivacy or simply ask a question, you can rely on its 24/7 live chat support. In the fashion of PureVPN, live chat support is very good and here, you can get pretty much instant responses to your VPN-related issues.

I found the support team helpful enough which applies to its self-help methods. A comprehensive blog resides on the site and it’s filled with interesting articles and information. Then, you have the Support Center.

The Support Center sports multiple quick start guides, FAQs, video tutorials, and whatnot. All of this makes using Ivacy VPN much easier, especially with solutions to potential problems within your hand’s reach.

Ivacy VPN Pricing: Is It Affordable?

Earlier in the Ivacy VPN review, I mentioned that this is a cheap provider. However, its cheap price applies only to a long-term, 5-year plan which represents the highlight of this provider. Let’s take a look at the pricing at the time of this review:

As you can see, its 5-year plan costs a measly $1.00 a month which is $60 paid upfront. Quite a long plan, you’ll agree but there’s also a 1-year plan at just $3.99 a month, along with a monthly plan at $9.95.

Overall, Ivacy VPN offers quite competitive prices that are a tad lower than its competitors. Its 30-day money-back guarantee is also a great addition but beware that the monthly plan comes with a 7-day refund period instead.

Available Payment Methods

If there’s one thing I appreciate in this Ivacy VPN review, it’s the choice of payment methods. You get everything, from VISA, PayPal, and Bitpay to Coingate, PerfectMoney, AliPay, DotPay, and many other services.

Regardless of your choice, there aren’t any value-added taxes but there are some differences in terms of getting a refund. Namely, if you use crypto-related payment methods, you won’t be able to get a refund, so make sure you test it out with other methods first.

How to Get a Refund from Ivacy VPN?

Speaking of refunds, getting your money back from Ivacy is a piece of cake. You can do so by contacting the support team using live chat and saying that you want a refund. Doing so, they might ask you why, but you just say that you don’t need a VPN anymore and you’re good.

Depending on the payment method, processing a refund can be fast or slow. The fastest processing is on PayPal, where you get your money back in a few hours. Using credit cards, you can get a refund in a few business days, making it more for patient users.

What We Don’t Like About Ivacy VPN?

From a technical standpoint, I think that this service is a mixed bag. While it offers a few great features, it counteracts them with as many, if not more bad ones. Thus, I don’t like its exceptionally slow performance and poor streaming capabilities.

Another thing I don’t like is the whole mess behind Ivacy VPN’s parent company. No doubt, Gaditek isn’t a trustworthy business entity and with the VPN’s Singaporean jurisdiction, it’s hard to put 100% trust in this provider.

Not to mention that the service isn’t particularly feature-rich and its streaming servers are barely functional. All of this makes it an undercooked dish that needs a bit more time in the oven… or a change of chef, which means changing its untrustworthy parent company.

How Do Other People Rate Ivacy VPN?

Gaditek’s frauds and deceptions are already exposed in this Ivacy VPN review for 2023. Thus, if you check Trustpilot, you’ll see its 4.7-star rating that doesn’t reflect the actual quality. Pretty quickly, I realized that many of the reviews are paid by Gaditek or whomever.

It’s strange that the majority of 5-star reviewers have only one or two reviews, each having to do with Ivacy VPN. Conversely, 1-star users have dozens of them, which implies that we’re most likely talking about real perspectives.

Android users on Google Play rate Ivacy VPN with 4.3 stars with a few bad reviews from the start of 2023.

On the Apple Store, it has 4.1 stars in total, which is the worst ranking out of all 3 platforms. Interestingly, some users claim that it’s a scam and a waste of money, while some complain about connection drops and slow speeds.

Conclusion: Half-Baked & Untrustworthy

At the end of the day, after my long Ivacy VPN review, it’s time to put it to rest. I feel like Ivacy is severely undercooked, even with more than 15 years of existence in the marketplace. While it’s secure and offers lots of servers, its other issues are way more concerning.

Its parent company is untrustworthy and is known for deceptive business practices. Furthermore, its performance is subpar, with below-average streaming capabilities and an inability to work in China.

However, the main issue I recommend avoiding this VPN is the concerning past of its parent company. Gaditek surely knows how to ruin a VPN (PureVPN as well) and taint its reputation with some of the things it did in the past.

Unfortunately, that stain of shame looms over Ivacy as well, making this otherwise cheap VPN not worth your money.

See my test of ExpressVPN and try it out or go for CyberGhost instead – I’m sure you’ll like these VPNs a lot more! They are among the best alternatives to Ivacy VPN in 2023.