Affiliate disclosure: VPN Vetted is reader-supported. Some links below are affiliate links (marked “sponsored”): if you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We rank and recommend by published price, refund terms and audits, never by commission. IPVanish says it is owned by Ziff Davis. NordVPN and Surfshark, the two alternatives we mention, both belong to Nord Security (they merged under one holding company in 2022 and say they operate independently). We hold all of them to the same criteria.
IPVanish, NordVPN and Surfshark prices and offer terms checked October 25, 2026, between 09:19 and 09:22 BRT, on the official US pages, in USD, before sales tax.
Verdict in 30 seconds
Buy IPVanish if you want unlimited devices and the lowest possible first bill. On the official US pricing page, Essential is $52.56 for the first two years ($2.19 a month), and IPVanish says it does not meter simultaneous connections. You also get a 30-day money-back guarantee on yearly and 2-year plans.
Skip IPVanish if a low renewal price matters. Yearly and 2-year plans renew at $99.99 a year (Essential), $109.99 (Complete) or $129.99 (Advanced). Skip it too if you need a fully RAM-only server fleet today (IPVanish describes that as “in-progress”), a base outside the United States, antivirus on your phone, or a kill switch you never have to switch on.
Our opinion: a fair entry deal, a poor long-run deal. Over the intro term plus one renewal year, Essential averages about $4.24 a month. Compare it with Surfshark and NordVPN below.
IPVanish plans in 2026
IPVanish sells three tiers on one VPN network. Its pages list 3,400+ servers and 150 locations.
| Essential | Complete | Advanced | |
|---|---|---|---|
| VPN, Threat Protection, 24/7 chat | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Phone support | No | Yes | Yes |
| Next-Gen Antivirus (Windows, macOS) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Secure Browser, 1 TB cloud storage and backup | No | No | Yes |
| eSIM data (as listed) | 3 GB | 3 GB | 5 GB |
| Devices | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Our opinion: Essential is the plan for most buyers. Complete adds the antivirus, per IPVanish’s pricing page, and Advanced makes sense if you will use the storage and the secure browser.
IPVanish pricing: intro vs renewal
| Plan | Term | Per month (as shown) | You pay for the first term | Renews at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | 2 years | $2.19 | $52.56 | $99.99/year |
| Complete | 2 years | $2.79 | $66.96 | $109.99/year |
| Advanced | 2 years | $3.29 | $78.96 | $129.99/year |
| Essential | 1 year | $3.89 | $46.68 | $99.99/year |
| Complete | 1 year | $4.79 | $57.48 | $109.99/year |
| Advanced | 1 year | $5.39 | $64.68 | $129.99/year |
| Essential | Monthly | $14.99 | $14.99 | Same price, monthly |
| Complete | Monthly | $15.99 | $15.99 | Same price, monthly |
| Advanced | Monthly | $17.99 | $17.99 | Same price, monthly |
The page also shows a struck-through “retail value” ($359.76 for Essential’s two years). We ignore it.
Intro plus one year of renewal (our arithmetic, before tax):
- Essential, 2-year: $52.56 + $99.99 = $152.55 for 36 months (about $4.24 a month).
- Complete, 2-year: $66.96 + $109.99 = $176.95 (about $4.92 a month).
- Advanced, 2-year: $78.96 + $129.99 = $208.95 (about $5.80 a month).
Unlimited devices
IPVanish’s pricing page lists “Unlimited Devices” on every plan and describes the connections as unmetered. Surfshark lists unlimited devices too, so it is not unique.
30-day money-back
The refund page offers 100% back within 30 days on yearly and 2-year plans. It also says that cancelling a monthly plan in the control panel does not start a refund and needs a request to support. If you want the guarantee, buy a yearly or 2-year plan.
Renewal cycle
IPVanish’s pricing FAQ says all plans are subscriptions that auto-renew. A 2-year plan renews on a yearly cycle after the first 24 months, a yearly plan every 12 months, and a monthly plan every 30 days. Set a reminder before the first term ends.
Privacy and audits
We attribute every privacy claim below to the company or auditor that made it.
IPVanish names two third-party audits of its no-logs policy. Its Trust Center lists a Schellman Compliance audit (April 2025) and a Leviathan Security audit (April 2022).
- Schellman, 2025. IPVanish says Schellman validated its no-log statements and announced the assessment on April 10, 2025. The report text, which we saw only in a copy hosted by a third party and not in IPVanish’s press release or account portal, says the work covered interviews, review of policies and procedures, and inspection of VPN configurations, server components and activity logs. That copy dates the assessment February 21, 2025. IPVanish says the report is available to customers in the account portal under “Security Reports” and that media can request it by email.
- Leviathan, 2022. IPVanish announced this audit on April 5, 2022. Per the announcement, Leviathan ran employee interviews, inspected system configuration and technical documentation, assessed server deployment procedures and ran various tests, to check that customer traffic is not logged.
Caveats: IPVanish’s own page says an audit is a snapshot in time, and the latest one is from early 2025. IPVanish’s no-log page describes its audits as “annual”, but the latest named one is from April 2025. NordVPN has published a newer one (report dated December 12, 2025). We have not read either full report ourselves.
IPVanish also states what it does keep: billing information and “essential usage information” (username and starting IP address, session start time, duration and traffic volume) used to prevent abuse. We did not verify how long it is kept. Its quarterly transparency report for July to September 2026 lists 7 government, law-enforcement and civil requests and 0 cases where data was provided (the same table also counts DMCA notices and abuse flags separately).
Ownership and jurisdiction
IPVanish’s pages say it is a U.S.-based VPN owned by Ziff Davis; the site footer reads “IPVanish, a Ziff Davis company.” IPVanish says the United States has no mandatory data-retention requirement for VPN providers. That is the company’s claim, and this is not legal advice. A US base is a fact, not a verdict, but some readers want a base elsewhere.
Also, some reviews quoted on IPVanish’s homepage come from outlets owned by Ziff Davis, and the page says so.
RAM-only servers
IPVanish’s no-log page lists RAM-only status as “In-Progress Transition (App Filter Available)” and says it is on track to be 100% RAM-only by 2027. Its homepage announces upgraded RAM-only servers in Boston, Bucharest, Madrid and Warsaw. IPVanish’s pricing page, by contrast, says “Our network uses RAM-only technology”, so its own pages read differently. Read together: part of the fleet is RAM-only today, and the rest is moving. If you need a fully RAM-only network now, look elsewhere.
Key features
- Tools: WireGuard, OpenVPN, split tunneling, double hop, obfuscation and a SOCKS5 proxy, as listed on the pricing page.
- Kill switch, with limits. IPVanish’s support page lists it for the macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps. It says to turn the kill switch on while you are disconnected, so treat it as a setting you enable yourself; we did not confirm whether it is on by default. On Android it needs Android 8 or newer and uses Android’s Always-on VPN setting, and split-tunneled apps are blocked while it is on. Fire TV and Android TV use a separate kill-switch app (not for Fire TV and Fire Stick Gen 2 and older). Linux and Chrome OS are not listed on that support page.
- Antivirus, with limits. IPVanish launched Next-Gen Antivirus on October 7, 2026, for Windows and macOS, included in Complete and Advanced. IPVanish says it runs on the VIPRE engine, whose AV-Comparatives Advanced+ rating (March 2026) applies to the engine, not to IPVanish’s product. The support page (updated September 2, 2026) still calls it a beta and says installation may fail if other antivirus software blocks websites. Network protection is Windows-only, and we found no phone antivirus listed. IPVanish’s support page (updated September 2, 2026) ties the beta builds to Advanced plans, while its pricing page and press release say Complete and Advanced, so confirm at checkout.
- Threat Protection blocks known malicious domains, ads and trackers, but only while the VPN is connected, per IPVanish’s antivirus page.
Pros and cons
Pros
– Unlimited devices on every plan, per IPVanish.
– Low first bill: Essential is $52.56 for two years.
– 30-day money-back on yearly and 2-year plans.
– Two named, dated no-logs audits (2022, 2025) and quarterly transparency reports.
Cons
– Renewal is $99.99 to $129.99 a year.
– No refund route on monthly plans.
– RAM-only is a transition, not finished.
– US jurisdiction; latest audit from early 2025.
– Kill switch not listed on every platform; antivirus is desktop only.
Who should (and shouldn’t) buy IPVanish
Buy it if: you have many devices, you will use it for at least the first term, and you are comfortable cancelling or paying about $100 a year after that.
Skip it if:
– you want a low renewal price (see Surfshark below);
– you need a 100% RAM-only fleet right now;
– you want a base outside the United States;
– you want antivirus on your phone;
– you want a kill switch that never needs a manual step, or need one listed for Linux or Chrome OS.
IPVanish alternatives (NordVPN, Surfshark)
We order alternatives by published facts, not commission.
| IPVanish Essential | Surfshark Starter | NordVPN Basic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intro | $52.56 / 24 months | $67.23 / 27 months | $94.23 / 27 months |
| Renews at | $99.99/year | $79.00/year | $139.08/year |
| Intro + 1 renewal year (our arithmetic) | $152.55 / 36 months (~$4.24/mo) | $146.23 / 39 months (~$3.75/mo) | $233.31 / 39 months (~$5.98/mo) |
| Devices | Unlimited | Unlimited | 10 |
| Latest audit named by the company | Schellman, April 2025 | Deloitte, June 2025 | Deloitte Lithuania, report December 12, 2025 |
| Base / owner | US / Ziff Davis | Netherlands / Nord Security | Panama; parent Nord Security |
The terms differ (36 vs 39 months), so compare the monthly averages, not the totals.
Surfshark’s and NordVPN’s pricing pages show Black Friday banners today, and IPVanish says it offers promotional rates from time to time, so all intro prices here can change.
Surfshark has the lower renewal ($79 a year on Starter) and also lists unlimited devices. Its Deloitte no-logs assurance (ISAE 3000) was published June 16, 2025. Our opinion: if devices and renewal both matter, Surfshark Starter beats IPVanish Essential on today’s numbers.
NordVPN has the newest audit, with Deloitte Lithuania’s sixth engagement (report issued December 12, 2025), but its Basic renewal is the highest here ($139.08 a year) and it allows 10 devices. Our opinion: choose it for audit recency, not price.
For head-to-head reads, see NordVPN vs Surfshark, is NordVPN worth it?, best cheap VPN and best VPN for multiple devices. Our Surfshark and PIA reviews are coming.
How we evaluated
We read the official pages for IPVanish, NordVPN and Surfshark (pricing, refund terms, support articles, privacy and no-log policies, audit announcements) and recorded the date and time in BRT, using the US/USD view. We did not run our own speed, leak or hands-on tests, so nothing here is a test result. Audit scope is as the companies describe it. Opinions are marked as opinions. This is general information, not legal advice.
FAQ
Is IPVanish worth it in 2026?
It is worth it as a low-cost first term with unlimited devices: Essential is $52.56 for two years on the official US page. It is less compelling at renewal ($99.99 a year). Our opinion: buy it only if you will cancel or accept that renewal.
How much does IPVanish cost after renewal?
Yearly and 2-year plans renew at $99.99 a year (Essential), $109.99 (Complete) or $129.99 (Advanced), before tax. Monthly plans renew monthly at the listed price ($14.99, $15.99 or $17.99).
Is IPVanish safe? What audits has it passed?
IPVanish names two independent no-logs audits: Leviathan Security (announced April 2022) and Schellman Compliance (announced April 10, 2025; a third-party copy of the report dates the assessment February 21, 2025). Audits are a snapshot in time, and we have not read the full reports. No VPN can promise complete protection.
How many devices does IPVanish allow?
Unlimited, according to IPVanish’s pricing page, which lists “Unlimited Devices” on every plan.
Does IPVanish have a money-back guarantee?
Yes, 30 days, on yearly and 2-year plans. Cancelling a monthly plan does not start a refund automatically.
IPVanish vs NordVPN vs Surfshark: quick take?
On published US prices: Surfshark Starter renews at $79 a year, IPVanish Essential at $99.99, NordVPN Basic at $139.08. Surfshark and IPVanish list unlimited devices; NordVPN allows 10. NordVPN has the newest named audit (report December 12, 2025). Surfshark and NordVPN both belong to Nord Security.
Who owns IPVanish and where is it based?
IPVanish says it is a U.S.-based VPN owned by Ziff Davis.
Verdict
IPVanish wins on unlimited devices and a low first bill. It loses on renewal ($99.99 to $129.99 a year), a finished RAM-only fleet and a US base (a drawback only if you prefer a provider based elsewhere). Surfshark is the better value on today’s published numbers if you also want unlimited devices. NordVPN is the pick when the most recent audit matters more than price. If you buy IPVanish, set a calendar reminder for the renewal date.
Check IPVanish price · Check Surfshark price · Check NordVPN price
Sources (official pages, checked on October 25, 2026)
- IPVanish, pricing (US/USD): https://www.ipvanish.com/pricing/ (~09:19 BRT)
- IPVanish, no-log policy page (audit, RAM-only status, ownership): https://www.ipvanish.com/no-log-vpn-policy/ (~09:19 BRT)
- IPVanish, Trust Center (audits, transparency reports): https://www.ipvanish.com/trust/ (~09:20 BRT)
- IPVanish, money-back guarantee: https://www.ipvanish.com/money-back-guarantee/ (~09:22 BRT)
- IPVanish, homepage (servers, locations, ownership footer): https://www.ipvanish.com/ (~09:19 BRT)
- IPVanish support, Kill Switch: https://support.ipvanish.com/hc/en-us/articles/6494085521307-Kill-Switch
- IPVanish support, Kill Switch app for Fire TV and Android TV: https://support.ipvanish.com/hc/en-us/articles/18537187141659-IPVanish-Kill-Switch-app-for-Amazon-FireTV-and-Android-TV-devices
- IPVanish support, Antivirus: https://support.ipvanish.com/hc/en-us/articles/55089546732955-IPVanish-AntiVirus
- IPVanish, antivirus product page: https://www.ipvanish.com/antivirus/
- IPVanish press release, Next-Gen Antivirus (October 7, 2026): https://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/ipvanish-launches-next-generation-antivirus-bringing-vpn-privacy-and-device-security
- IPVanish press release, Schellman audit (April 10, 2025): https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250410657320/en/IPVanish-Affirms-No-Log-Commitment-with-Latest-Independent-Audit
- IPVanish press release, Leviathan audit (April 5, 2022): https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220405005182/en/IPVanish-Certifies-No-logs-VPN-Protection-with-Third-party-Audit
- NordVPN, pricing (US/USD): https://nordvpn.com/pricing/ (~09:21 BRT)
- NordVPN, sixth no-logs assurance engagement (February 3, 2026): https://nordvpn.com/blog/nordvpn-no-logs-assurance-engagement-2025/
- NordVPN Support, where is NordVPN based: https://support.nordvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/19441152966161-Where-is-NordVPN-based
- Surfshark, pricing (US/USD): https://surfshark.com/pricing (~09:19 BRT)
- Surfshark, renewal prices: https://surfshark.com/terms-of-service/pricing (~09:22 BRT)
- Surfshark, Deloitte no-logs assurance (June 16, 2025): https://surfshark.com/blog/surfshark-audit
- Surfshark, merger with Nord Security (February 1, 2022): https://surfshark.com/blog/surfshark-merges-with-nord-security
- Surfshark, privacy policy (Netherlands; updated October 12, 2026): https://surfshark.com/privacy-policy