If you are looking for a vpn that provides a great user experience then it starts by choosing one that delivers great connection speeds.
IPVanish and PureVPN are two common names in the vpn industry.
In this IPVanish vs PureVPN comparison we are going to compare these two vpns along the lines of their connection speeds, streaming and torrenting support among other features.
I hope that by the end of this IPVanish vs PureVPN review you’ll be able to choose between either IPVanish or PureVPN.
Let’s get to it.
Here is a quick summary.
| IPVanish | PureVPN | |
| Website | ipvanish.com | purevpn.com |
| Servers | 1,400 | 2,000 |
| Jurisdiction | United States | Hong Kong |
| Streaming | Netflix US, Hulu, Amazon | Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, iPlayer |
| Speed | 4.2/5 | 3.8/5 |
| Torrenting | P2P servers | P2P servers |
| Kill Switch | YES | YES |
| Works in China? | NO | YES |
| Devices | 10 | 10 |
| Pricing | $ 6.49/month | $ 3.33/month |
About
IPVanish is a VPN service provider based in the United States that provides you anonymous internet access thereby making you invisible to your government and internet service provider.
Here is a detailed IPVanish review.
PureVPN is also a VPN company that provides you with secure internet access as well as the ability to access geo-restricted content on platforms like Netflix.
Here is a detailed review of PureVPN.
Server Collection
Which vpn between IPVanish and PureVPN has a larger collection of servers?
If a vpn has more servers, you’ll have more options when choosing a server to connect to.
It means that if you are not pleased by the speeds you get from one server, you can easily switch servers and connect to a different servers that will give you better connection speeds.
IPVanish currently has a total of 1,300 servers that are located in 75 different countries.
PureVPN, on the other hand, has a total of 2,000 servers that are spread over 140 different counties in different continents.
From the server count it is clear that PureVPN has a larger collection of servers and covers a wider geographical location than IPVanish.
If you are looking for a vpn that covers a large geographical region then I recommend PureVPN.
Streaming
Can both IPVanish and PureVPN allow you streaming content from popular video streaming platforms like Netflix?
Let’s find out by comparing IPVanish vs PureVPN streaming capabilities.
IPVanish is able to unblock content on Netflix for the US and a few other countries.
So you’ll be able to watch your favorite tv series destined for the US without experiencing any proxy server errors using IPVanish.
Unfortunately, I was not able to stream content on other platforms like Hulu, Amazon Prime or BBC iPlayer.
PureVPN, on the other hand, was able to stream Netflix content for various other countries like the US, UK and Canada.
Even though I was able to unblock Netflix, sometimes I got my IP address blocked and had to switch servers in order to enjoy continue streaming on Netflix.
In addition to Netflix, I was also able to stream content on other platforms like Hulu, BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime.
As you can see, PureVPN has better streaming support as it is able to unblock more streaming sites than IPVanish.
If you are looking for a vpn that is great for streaming then I recommend PureVPN instead of IPVanish.
Speed
Hows does PureVPN vs IPVanish compare in terms of their connection speeds?
Even though all vpns will cause a slight drop in connection speeds, it should not be noticeable.
That is to say that this drop should not go to the extent that it affects your normal browsing speeds if the vpn has great speeds.
In order to test the connection speeds of both IPVanish and PureVPN I used speedtest.net by Ookla.
I connected to three different servers based in the US, UK and Hong Kong and then used speedtest.net to test for the download, upload and ping before and after connecting to these servers.
IPVanish delivered an average connection speed of 84% of my original download speeds.
PureVPN, on the other hand, delivered slower connection speeds that were 76% on average of my original connection speeds.
It is therefore clear that IPVanish is a faster vpn than PureVPN.
If you are looking for a fast vpn service then I recommend IPVanish instead of PureVPN.
Torrenting
Law enforcement is dealing a heavy hand on copyright infringement cases.
You don’t want to be cause downloading any copyrighted material online, including from popular torrenting platforms like thepiratebay.org.
If you want to stay safe when torrenting you should ensure that you always use an anonymous vpn before you start torrenting.
So how does IPVanish vs PureVPN torrenting support compare?
IPVanish and PureVPN both support torrenting activities on their servers.
However, not all their servers support torrenting so you first need to connect to P2P optimized servers before you can start torrenting.
Luckily, these torrenting servers are labelled and you’ll easily located in the app menu.
That being said, as you’ll discover below, PureVPN collects a lot more logs about you than IPVanish.
So IPVanish will offer you more privacy and anonymity compared to PureVPN when it comes to downloading torrenting files.
If you are looking for the best vpn for torrenting then I recommend IPVanish because it delivers better download speeds and privacy as compared to PureVPN.
Privacy Policy
Which vpn between IPVanish and PureVPN offers you true privacy online?
Before writing this IPVanish vs PureVPN comparison, I read through their privacy policies to establish their stands in terms of keep zero logs of their users.
IPVanish, at this time,does not keep logs of your internet activities while connection to their servers.
Even though this might sound good, I think IPVanish should be more specific about what exactly they keep and what they don’t keep… instead of just being vague.
PureVPN, on the other hand, does not keep logs about your IP address or the DNS queries that you make.
However, they keep logs of your vpn server location, your total bandwidth usage as well as your ISP.
Even though this information might not be used to identify who you are, PureVPN seems a little more log happy than is necessary.
If you are looking for a vpn that collects as little information about you as possible then I recommend IPVanish.
Encryption and Data Protection
If you want your data to be secure when being transmitted you need to encrypt it using a strong encryption technology that is impossible to crack.
This way, even if your data packets are hijacked by a malicious hacker using packet sniffing tools like Wireshark, they won’t be able to decrypt and see the actual information.
It is for this reason that most vpns employ the use of encryption technologies to up the security of your data online.
IPVanish and PureVPN both use an NSA recommended AES 256-bit encryption technology to encrypt your data.
This encryption technology is military grade and is impossible to crack.
In addition to encryption technologies, vpns also use connection protocols to ensure secure communication between the vpn servers and the apps.
IPVanish uses various protocols including OpenVPN, L2TP, SSTP and PPTP.
You have the option of selecting or choosing your own prefered connection protocol that you want to use in the application settings.
PureVPN, on the other hand, also supports a multitude of connection protocols that include OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP/IPSec, SSTP and PPTP.
Its apps also give you the ability to choose your own vpn protocol that you’d like to use.
Even though both these vpns offer a great number of connection protocols to choose from data protocols like PPTP should never be used because it is prone to hacking, unless you know what you are doing.
If you are looking for a vpn that provides with a variety of connection protocols to choose from then either IPVanish or PureVPN is a great option.
Ad Blocker
If you want to be able to browse most websites without ads, then you definitely need an ad blocker.
Most browsers also enable you to turn of ads and cookies to avoid tracking by I find the ad blockers that vpns provide to be more effective.
This is especially true if you are visiting a websites that is too aggressive with ads that leads to a poor browsing experience.
IPVanish, even though a popular vpn, does not have an ad blocker in any of its applications at the time I was writing this IPVanish vs PureVPN review.
It is also completely lacking in a malware blocker that can protect your devices from being infected by malware online.
PureVPN, on the flip side, has an inbuilt ad blocker in all of its applications.
Once turned on, this ad blocker will enable you to disable ads on most websites and enjoy an ad free browsing experience.
In addition to ad blocking, PureVPN also has a malware blocker that will protect your devices from known malware infected websites in case you accidentally visit them.
If you are looking for a vpn with both an ad blocker and malware blocker then I recommend PureVPN.
Dedicated IPs
Anytime you connect to the internet using a vpn you’ll be assigned a different IP that is share among other uses.
This is particularly great for your anonymity online because the more people share a particular IP the hard it is to tie certain activities on this IP to a particular individual.
However, this causes a problem when you visit certain sensitive websites like your online banking platforms.
Apart from having to fill more captchas, you’ll also be required additional identify proof if you connect using a strange IP address.
A dedicated IP enables you to connect to the internet always using the same IP.
You can therefore whitelist this IP in these problems apps so that they can allow you to have remote access to these sites and apps without all that frustration.
IPVanish, unfortunately, does not provide an IP address for this purpose.
So you don’t get an IP that is unique to you and that is not shared by anyone else for your personal used with IPVanish.
PureVPN, on the flip side, provides you with a vpn dedicated IP that is unique to you and is not shared by anyone else.
You can then whitelist this PureVPN dedicated IP is your apps for safe and secure remote access.
However, you’ll need to pay a little for more for this dedicated as it is a premium addon to your normal subscription.
If you are looking for a vpn that will provide you with a dedicated IP address then I recommend PureVPN.
Kill Switch
In order to enjoy the most security that a vpn provides, you should ensure that all your internet access is encrypted and channelled through your vpn tunnel.
However, anytime your vpn app disconnects from the servers, your actual IP is revealed.
It could be when you are switching servers in your vpn app or when your internet connection drops and reconnects a few seconds later.
It is during these few seconds that you IP address is revealed and your identity online is compromised.
A kill switch ensures that every time your vpn app disconnects from the server, internet access is blocked on your entire device.
So you won’t be able to access the internet until your vpn app reconnects.
This ensures that you online access the internet through your vpn and your real IP and location never get revealed.
So how does PureVPN vs IPVanish kill switch capabilities compare?
IPVanish and PureVPN both an inbuilt automatic vpn internet kill switch in all their apps.
It therefore means that once you turn on this kill switch all your traffic is force through your vpn and your real IP is never exposed.
If you are looking for a vpn that has a great kill switch then I recommend either PureVPN or IPVanish.
Split Tunnelling
Once you turn on your vpn connection, all your internet traffic is routed through your vpn tunnel.
This may cause some applications to slow down if your vpn connection causes some great drops in connection speeds.
For example your application that runs backups might slow down.
In this case therefore, you might want to exempt certain applications like this from having their traffic channelled through your vpn.
A split tunnel enables you to whitelist certain applications and exempt them from having their traffic encrypted and routed through your anonymous vpn tunnel.
IPVanish, unfortunately, does not have an inbuilt split tunnel it any of its apps.
So you won’t have the chance to exempt certain applications from being exempted from the vpn tunnel.
PureVPN, on the flip side, has a vpn split tunnel in its applications that enable you to whitelist certain applications from the vpn.
Remember that application whitelisted in the split tunnel will not get the protection and anonymity that a vpn provides.
This because their traffic is routed, as usual, through your ISP who can then see the websites that you visit using these particular applications.
If you are looking for vpn that supports split tunneling then I recommend PureVPN.
Works in China?
Will you be able to use either IPVanish or PureVPN in China?
In China, internet access is heavily controlled by the government.
And certain websites that the government is not very happy about are completely blocked in China.
This includes some of the most popular social media sites like Facebook.
If you want to be able to access these websites when in China then you need to use a vpn that can bypass China’s great firewall.
However, since China’s firewall has a deep packet inspection technology that is able to detect and block vpn traffic, a vpn needs to be able to make its traffic look like normal https traffic in order to bypass this DPI technology.
So how does IPVanish vs PureVPN compare in terms of their abilities to bypass the great firewall of China?
IPVanish, unfortunately, is completely blocked in China.
So you will not be able to use IPVanish to access any website or online content in China.
PureVPN, on the flip side, works in China.
Apart from being able to make its vpn traffic look like normal https traffic and bypass China’s firewall, PureVPN also has actual servers based in China.
They have servers based in two cities, Beijing and Shanghai, if you want to connect to actual servers in China.
So if you are looking for the best vpn that works in China then I recommend PureVPN.
Pricing
As we near the end of this IPVanish vs PureVPN comparison, let’s now compare the different pricing plans to establish the cheaper vpn between the two.
Most vpns would give you a great discount if your choose to purchase a longer subscription plan.
IPVanish has a one year subscription plan that costs $ 6.49/month while PureVPN has a 2 year subscription plan that costs $ 3.33/month.
It therefore means that PureVPN is a cheaper vpn as compared to IPVanish.
If you are looking for a cheaper vpn that also has longer subscription plans then I recommend PureVPN.
Payment Options
Let’s finish this PureVPN vs IPVanish comparison in 2021 by looking at the various payment options that each one provides.
I am particularly interest in anonymous payment methods that do not require me to give out my billing address.
If you really want to stay anonymous, you should ensure that give as little information about you as possible… and this starts by choosing anonymous payments methods like gift cards or cryptocurrencies.
IPVanish, currently, only supports payments through all the major credit cards and platforms like PayPal.
It does not support any crypto payments.
PureVPN, on the flip side, supports all major credit cards, PayPal and crypto payments through Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin.
If you are looking for a vpn for cryptocurrency payments then I recommend PureVPN.
In Conclusion
I hope this IPVanish vs PureVPN comparison has helped you learn about the pros and cons of these two vpns.
Are you now ready to make your choice between these two vpns?
If you are looking for a cheap vpn that covers a large geographical region, has great streaming capabilities and works in China then I recommend PureVPN.
However, if you are willing to pay a little more for a vpn with great connection speeds, does not keep logs and supports more devices then I recommend IPVanish.
Have you used either IPVanish or PureVPN before?
Please share your experience in the comments below.
