ExpressVPN vs IPVanish 2024 Review: Which Is Better?

Are you looking for a dependable VPN service?

I offer you the opportunity to learn more about the leaders in today’s market: ExpressVPN and IPVanish. However, no such thing can suit everyone’s wants and needs.

ipvanish logoexpressvpn logo

So, I have carefully researched and compared these VPNs based on the most important criteria. Check which distinctive features and peculiarities ExpressVPN and IPVanish have. This will help you to define which one will meet your requirements.

  ExpressVPN IPVanish
Speed: 147.07 Mbps 95.01 Mbps
Features:

Split tunneling

Kill switch

Live chat support

Obfuscated servers

DNS leak protection

Kill switch

Server number: 3,000 1,500
Security: 256-bit AES 256-bit AES
Data logging: Strict no-log policy No-log policy
Jurisdiction: British Virgin Islands USA
Torrenting: Supports P2P Supports P2P
Streaming services: Works well with all streaming platforms Users reported issues with Netflix
Price: $12.95 / month $10 /month
Refund policy: 30-day money-back guarantee 7-day money-back guarantee

ExpressVPN can be used on devices that work on the iOS platform, Windows, Android, Mac, and Linux.

Whatever device you use, you can connect to ExpressVPN service. Whether it is a desktop computer, a laptop, or even an Xbox console, ExpressVPN will protect your stay on the Internet.

Besides traditional operating systems, ExpressVPN also works on the following:

  • Various routers
  • Kindle Fire devices
  • Chromebook devices
  • Firestick devices
  • FireTV devices

ExpressVPN also offers browser extensions and support for Smart TVs through its MediaStreamer service.

When it comes to ExpressVP vs. IPVanish for routers, IPVanish also offers router support. Moreover, it works on the following devices and platforms:

  • Linux
  • Android
  • Windows
  • macOS
  • FireTV
  • Chrome OS
  • iOS

IPVanish offers the same range of platforms to choose from and is also one of the best VPN providers for Windows users. It makes it possible to connect from any device, starting from your smartphone and ending with a Wi-Fi router. 

Pricing: Is ExpressVPN More Expensive Compared to IPVanish? 

ExpressVPN

As for the price, you can purchase ExpressVPN for 1 month, half a year, or one year. Choosing the longest subscription period is better if you want to save money.

The longest one will allow you to save up to 35%.

1-month  6-months 12-months
$12.95 / mo $9.99 / mo $6.67 /mo 


IPVanish
for the features, there is no difference. Any ExpressVPN package offered by the company provides the same unlimited opportunities.

This one is cheaper, as IPVanish also doesn’t have many differences in the packages.

They differ only in duration. You can subscribe for 1 month, 1 year, or 3 months of IPVanish use.

1-month  1 year 3-months
$5 / mo $3.25 / mo $4.50 /mo 

Get the Best Deal on IPVanish

Features: ExpressVPN vs IPVanish

When it comes to features, both offer more than enough for a VPN solution. While they might be limited in features compared to other VPNs on the market, they are still strong contenders in this category.

ExpressVPN

First, let’s discuss ExpressVPN’s features. What’s excellent about ExpressVPN is that it continuously improves its set of features, ensuring that it follows all the latest industry standards. So, some of the most noteworthy features include:

  • MediaStreamer – this app is excellent because it enables users to use ExpressVPN even on devices that don’t usually support it, such as Smart TVs
  • Split tunneling – split tunneling enables users to divide their VPN traffic, meaning that they can choose which traffic should go through regular traffic and which should be filtered through VPNs
  • Extensions – it offers great extensions for all browsers – Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.
  • Router compatibility – you can also use ExpressVPN on routers thanks to its easy-to-use router app
  • Streaming support – ExpressVPN works with all streaming services – Netflix, Kodi, etc.
  • Works in China – unlike many other VPNs, ExpressVPN works in China without any issues
  • Kill switch – cuts your devices off the Internet when the VPN app crashes or stops working
  • Live chat support

IPVanish

Now, when it comes to IPVanish features, they are a bit more limited compared to ExpressVPN.

Unlike ExpressVPN, IPVanish doesn’t offer split tunneling, live chat support, browser extensions, and MediaStreamer. However, it does include the following:

  • Obfuscation – this feature allows users to connect servers that have VPN blocks, such as China, for example
  • IP and DNS leak protection – ensures that no DNS information is accidentally leaked. That means that the user’s identity will always remain hidden
  • Kill switch – cuts your devices off the Internet when the VPN app crashes or stops working

ExpressVPN vs IPVanish Speed 

To ensure that we’ve given both VPNs a fair chance during the speed test, we’ve decided to split the tests into two main categories – connecting to European and American servers. Our baseline no-VPN speed was 160 Mbps.

First, we decided to test them on German servers. The results are as follows:

ExpressVPN:

  • Ping – 18 ms
  • Download – 147.07 Mbps
  • Upload  – 8.74 Mbps

IPVanish:

  • Ping – 19 ms
  • Download – 95.01 Mbps
  • Upload – 9.30 Mbps

When it comes to American server locations, the results were:

ExpressVPN:

  • Ping – 100 ms
  • Download – 141.51 Mbps
  • Upload – 6.14 Mbps

IPVanish:

  • Ping – 95 ms
  • Download – 85.21 Mbps
  • Upload – 6.82 Mbps

Judging by our results, it is safe to conclude that ExpressVPN offers better internet connection speeds than IPVanish. However, we must admit that IPVanish’s speeds were also impressive, though not as impressive as with ExpressVPN.

Netflix 

ExpressVPN

Regarding Netflix, ExpressVPN is among the most suitable VPN solutions. We tested multiple ExpressVPN servers to see whether they would work with Netflix, and the results were impressive! Every single server worked, providing us with remarkable speeds, even when viewing HD content.

IPVanish

When it comes to IPVanish and Netflix, the company itself has stated that they have issues bypassing Netflix VPN blocks. While a limited number of servers might work, you would have to waste a lot of time to find a suitable one. However, IPVanish has been working tirelessly to offer streaming support for Netflix.

In this battle, ExpressVPN is the winner and goes to the list of the best VPNs for Netflix in 2024.

Streaming: IPVanish or ExpressVPN?

The same goes for other streaming platforms, such as Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime, ExpressVPN takes the trophy. During our testing, we successfully connected to all streaming platforms on all of ExpressVPN’s servers.

When it comes to IPVanish, we have noticed some VPN blocks when trying to access the BBC iPlayer. But IPVanish works great with Hulu and Amazon Prime.

Torrenting 

Regarding torrenting, there are a couple of essential criteria to consider. These include download speeds, jurisdiction, DNS leak protection, and policy restrictions.

We have already concluded that ExpressVPN offers faster download speeds compared to IPVanish.

IPVanish

Regarding jurisdiction, it is essential to note that IPVanish is based in the United States. The United States is known for having very harsh copyright laws worldwide. This makes things much harder for torrent users. IPVanish has to comply with these laws because its headquarters are based here.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, which don’t have nearly as harsh laws as the United States does. They don’t have to comply with any of the US laws, hence offering their customers a much more pleasant torrenting experience. When it comes to DNS leak protection, both VPN solutions offer great protection features. In this category, it’s a tie.

So, while IPVanish can be used for torrenting, its use might be limited due to strict copyright laws implemented by the USA. So, in this category, ExpressVPN is the winner.

Gaming 

Internet connection speed is one of the most critical factors in gaming. As we have already mentioned, ExpressVPN offers far more stable internet connection speeds than IPVanish.

ExpressVPN also has the handy MediaStreamer service, which is excellent for game consoles because it lets you reap all the benefits without any buffering. ExpressVPN works on both PlayStation and Xbox. 

Lastly, ExpressVPN also offers DDoS protection, which works across all devices – computers, routers, smartphones, desktops, smart TVs, etc.

However, even though ExpressVPN offers slightly better gaming features than IPVanish, that isn’t to say that IPVanish is not suitable for gaming. It still offers impressive connection speeds, which are more than enough for carrying out your favorite gameplay. While it doesn’t provide dedicated DDoS protection, its DNS leak protection feature will ensure you’re safe when playing your favorite video games.

Performance Reliability 

ExpressVPN

Compared to many other VPNs, ExpressVPN has a lot of advantageous features, regardless of the package you will choose.

Choosing even the basic plan, you will be able to switch among 1700 servers located in 94 countries quickly, have unlimited bandwidth, and enjoy fast speed. ExpressVPN allows using 3 devices at a time. It is rare for such a program to be used for more than one device. But we want to draw your attention to the fact that this refers only to using the devices simultaneously.

In general, it is possible to connect an unlimited number of devices.

IPVanish

It is not less dependable than the first one. IPVanish offers to choose from over 850 servers in more than 60 countries.

You can switch from one server to another one quickly—no worries about your anonymity when using IPVanish.

According to our careful research, there are no DNS leaks in IPVanish.

It has one advantage over ExpressVPN, making it possible to connect not 3 but 5 devices simultaneously!

Security Protection 

ExpressVPN is a secure option to use thanks to its multifold protection. You can surf the net without worries concerning the fact that you may be tracked.

Nobody will find out what sites you visited and how you spent your time there. The good news is that ExpressVPN accepts cryptocurrencies like BTC. It is one more excellent feature allowing them to remain confidential.

IPVanish is another excellent VPN service for security and protection.

They don’t ask users to share any sensitive personal data. To get started using the IPVanish tool, you should enter your email and password. IPVanish also accepts BTC payments.

To ensure that the information above is factual, we’ve conducted some tests. Our main concern was seeing whether there were any IP address leaks, as well as DNS leaks.

Here are the results:

IPVanish – we didn’t notice any leaks with IPVanish.

ExpressVPN – we didn’t notice any leaks with ExpressVPN either.

We also tested both kill switches, both of which performed seamlessly.

Encryption

Both IPVanish and ExpressVPN use the same industry-standard, military-grade 256-bit AES encryption.

When it comes to server security, ExpressVPN was more impressive because of its  TrustedServers feature . This feature ensures that all servers run in RAM-disk mode, which is the safest option currently available. This makes storing user logs on the company’s servers impossible.

IPVanish, on the other hand, doesn’t run any of its servers in RAM-disk mode. Lastly, another critical factor is third-party security auditing. ExpressVPN has passed Cure53’s third-party security auditing.

IPVanish doesn’t perform any independent security checks.

Protocols

ExpressVPN

You can use such protocols as SSTP, PPTP, and L2TP-IPsec. The default one is OpenVPN, which is the best so far.

IPVanish

It has the same range of protocols as ExpressVPN, but the only difference is that IPVanish doesn’t provide the possibility to use SSTP.

Customer Support 

ExpressVPN has helpful customer support. Here, you are offered to check the FAQ section if you have any questions, send an email, or use the live chat option. The last one is the fastest way to solve the problem.

You can refer to customer support with any problem anytime, as friendly managers are ready to come to the rescue 24 hours a day.

IPVanish has a detailed FAQ where you will find answers to all the questions you may be interested in.

However, if you have an issue you can’t deal with on your own, use the email ticket support offered by the IPVanish service.

Compared to ExpressVPN, you won’t find a live chat option here, but you are guaranteed to get high-quality support using the round-the-clock email ticket option.

IP Type

ExpressVPN offers to choose from 336 IPs. The good news is that ExpressVPN service guarantees that none of the individual users will be able to trace the IP back.

IPVanish doesn’t differ from the previous one, offering shared dynamic addresses—no need to worry about your confidentiality. The selection of IPs at IPVanish is enormous – 40 000! Thanks to this feature, you will be able to enjoy complete anonymity.

ExpressVPN vs. IPVanish: Which Is Better? 

While both offer stellar performance and a wide variety of features, there can only be one winner. In this case, that’s ExpressVPN. 

To sum up our decision, here are the main disadvantages of IPVanish compared to ExpressVPN:

  • Slower download speeds
  • The apps are a bit outdated
  • IPVanish has a history of collecting user logs
  • It doesn’t work well for streaming purposes
  • It doesn’t have live chat support

ExpressVPN, on the other hand, offers:

  • Outstanding speeds
  • Reliable connections
  • 24/7 live chat support
  • Split tunneling
  • It works great for streaming purposes

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Author Alexander Klein Foto

Alexander Klein

38 years, Business Analyst


Alex is responsible for the analysis and optimization of our work processes. He has a lot of practical experience and, most importantly, an ability to think strategically. Besides, Alex is aware of new trends in the field of cybersecurity and clarifies them in his spare time.

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