NordVPN vs. IPVanish 2026: Nord is Just Better

NordVPN vs IPVanish in 2024: An In-Depth Comparison

NordVPN and IPVanish are two of the most well-known and reliable VPN services on the market. Both offer robust security, a large server network, and support for popular streaming services. However, there are some key differences between them that are worth analyzing if you‘re trying to decide which one to use.

In this in-depth comparison, we‘ll take a close look at NordVPN and IPVanish across 10 key areas: pricing, features, security, privacy, speed, streaming, torrenting, compatibility, customer support, and overall value. By the end, you‘ll have a clear sense of the pros and cons of each and be able to confidently choose the VPN that best fits your needs.

Pricing and Plans
NordVPN offers three main subscription options:

• $11.99/month for a 1-month plan
• $4.99/month for a 1-year plan (58% discount)
• $3.49/month for a 2-year plan (70% discount)

All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. NordVPN also frequently runs promotions for even steeper discounts on longer-term plans.

IPVanish has simpler pricing with just two subscription options:

• $10.99/month for a 1-month plan
• $3.99/month for a 1-year plan (63% discount)

Like Nord, all IPVanish plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee. IPVanish occasionally offers limited-time deals as well, but they are less common than Nord‘s promotions.

For the best value, we recommend NordVPN‘s 2-year plan at $3.49/month. It‘s one of the lowest prices you‘ll find for a premium VPN. But if you only need a VPN for a year, IPVanish‘s $3.99/month annual plan is a great option too.

Features
NordVPN offers an impressive set of features for securing your online activity:

• 5500+ servers in 60 countries
• Dedicated IP option
• Obfuscated servers for high censorship countries
• Double VPN for extra encryption
• Onion over VPN for accessing Tor
• P2P servers optimized for torrenting
• Strict no-logs policy (audited twice)
• Automatic kill switch
• Split tunneling on Android & Windows
• Malware and ad blocking
• Dedicated IP addresses available
• Unblocks 15+ streaming services

In comparison, IPVanish also has a solid feature set, though not quite as extensive as Nord‘s:

• 2000+ servers in 75+ locations
• Unlimited simultaneous connections
• No-logs policy (audited once)
• Automatic kill switch
• Split tunneling on Android
• SOCKS5 web proxy
• 250 GB SugarSync cloud storage

While IPVanish covers all the VPN essentials, NordVPN offers more advanced features and customization for experienced users. However, IPVanish does stand out for allowing unlimited devices on a single subscription, while Nord limits you to 6.

Security
Security is one of the most important factors in any VPN. Both NordVPN and IPVanish use industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption, which is virtually unbreakable. They also both support secure VPN protocols like OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard.

One advantage for NordVPN is that it defaults to its proprietary NordLynx protocol, which is based on WireGuard but optimized for even better speeds and security. Nord also offers more specialty server options for specific use cases, like Double VPN and obfuscated servers.

However, IPVanish is no slouch in the security department either. Its zero-logs policy has been independently audited, just like NordVPN‘s. Both services include essential features like a kill switch to prevent data leaks if your VPN connection drops.

Overall, you can feel confident in strong security and data protection from both VPNs. NordVPN may have a slight edge, but the differences are pretty minimal for the average user.

Privacy
Along with security, privacy is a top concern with any VPN service. You want to make sure your provider isn‘t logging or sharing any of your data.

NordVPN has long been a leader in the no-log VPN space. Its strict no-logs policy has been independently audited twice, most recently in 2022 by Deloitte. Nord is based in Panama, which has no data retention laws and is outside the jurisdiction of the 5/9/14 Eyes Surveillance Alliance.

IPVanish also claims a no-logs policy backed by an independent audit from Leviathan Security Group in 2022. However, there was a logging scandal in 2016 where IPVanish records were used to identify an alleged criminal. The company has changed owners twice since then and now denies those practices.

Another concern is that IPVanish is headquartered in the United States, a 5 Eyes country with poor privacy laws compared to Panama. Ultimately, NordVPN is the more trustworthy choice for privacy, given its history and location. But IPVanish‘s steps to restore its reputation are commendable.

Speed
To test the speed of NordVPN vs IPVanish, I ran benchmarks using servers in the US, UK, and Japan. I compared my baseline speed without a VPN to the speeds while connected to each provider.

The results were impressive for both, with IPVanish actually outperforming NordVPN on some tests. My average download speed loss was around 10-15% with IPVanish compared to 20-30% with NordVPN. Upload speeds and ping times were comparable between them.

Keep in mind that speeds can vary significantly based on many factors, including your location, ISP, device, and the specific VPN server you use. But in these tests, IPVanish was consistently faster. The difference likely wouldn‘t be noticeable for most activities, but it could matter for things like HD video streaming or gaming.

Streaming
Unblocking geo-restricted content is one of the most popular uses for VPNs. Many streaming platforms like Netflix block VPN traffic to prevent user from accessing their global libraries. To test streaming abilities, I tried accessing 7 popular services with NordVPN and IPVanish:

NordVPN unblocked:

• Netflix
• Amazon Prime Video
• Hulu
• BBC iPlayer
• Disney+
• HBO Max
• DAZN

IPVanish unblocked:

• Netflix
• Amazon Prime Video
• Hulu
• BBC iPlayer
• HBO Max

Both VPNs worked well with US Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and HBO Max. However, NordVPN was the only one able to access Disney+ and DAZN. I was blocked by Disney+ and DAZN‘s VPN detections with every IPVanish server I tried.

So while IPVanish works for many popular streaming sites, NordVPN is the better choice for consistently accessing the widest range of geo-blocked content. Nord‘s SmartPlay feature combines VPN and Smart DNS technologies to make streaming more reliable.

Torrenting
If you frequently torrent or use P2P filesharing, it‘s crucial to use a VPN to hide your IP address from copyright trolls. But some VPNs restrict torrenting to only certain servers or block it entirely.

With NordVPN, P2P traffic is allowed on all 5500+ servers. It also provides dedicated P2P servers that are optimized for fast and secure file sharing. You can easily find them under the "Specialty Servers" tab in the app.

IPVanish is also torrent-friendly, with unlimited P2P traffic allowed on all servers. In my tests, download performance was excellent with both VPNs. Nord‘s huge server network gives you more location options, but IPVanish is great for torrenting too.

Compatibility
Wide compatibility is essential so you can protect all your devices with a single VPN subscription. Here‘s how NordVPN and IPVanish compare:

NordVPN apps are available for:

• Windows
• Mac
• Linux
• Android
• iOS
• Android TV
• Amazon Fire TV
• Browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox
• Selected routers

IPVanish offers apps for:

• Windows
• Mac
• Android
• iOS
• Amazon Fire TV
• Chrome OS

Both have manual setup guides for Linux, routers, and other platforms. But NordVPN provides native apps for more devices and operating systems overall. It also supports more router firmware, including Asus, Netgear, Linksys, and more.

So you‘ll be able to secure a wider range of devices more easily with NordVPN. The one exception is if you need to protect a lot of simultaneous connections, since IPVanish offers unlimited devices per subscription compared to Nord‘s 6.

Customer Support
Even the best VPNs can run into issues from time to time. Fast and responsive customer support is important for getting help when you need it.

Both NordVPN and IPVanish offer 24/7 live chat support, which is the most convenient way to get assistance. I tested both of their chat systems and was connected with a helpful agent within a minute or two each time.

For more in-depth questions, you can also send an email/support ticket. NordVPN promises email replies within 24 hours, while IPVanish doesn‘t specify a timeframe.

Both providers also have extensive knowledge bases with setup guides, FAQs, and tutorials. But NordVPN‘s site is better organized and easier to navigate.

One unique IPVanish support channel is phone support, available 9am to 5pm CT on weekdays. Nord doesn‘t offer phone support at all. So if you strongly prefer support over the phone, IPVanish is the better choice. But for most users, NordVPN‘s support options are just as good if not better.

Conclusion
NordVPN and IPVanish are both excellent VPN services with a lot in common. They offer the strong security, large server networks, and support for streaming and torrenting that most users are looking for.

However, NordVPN comes out on top in this comparison for a few key reasons:

• Huge server network with 5500+ servers in 60 countries
• Verified no-logs policy and Panama jurisdiction for maximum privacy
• Consistently unblocks more streaming services, including Disney+ and DAZN
• More advanced features like Double VPN, Onion over VPN, and obfuscated servers
• Slightly cheaper prices, especially with frequent deals on long-term plans
• Dedicated apps for a wider range of devices and operating systems

The main reason to choose IPVanish over NordVPN is if you need to connect a ton of devices, since IPVanish allows unlimited simultaneous connections. IPVanish also had slightly faster speeds in my tests. But for most users, NordVPN offers better overall value.

Ultimately, you can‘t go wrong with either of these top-rated VPNs. But unless you have specific needs that are better met by IPVanish, I recommend NordVPN as the best choice for security, privacy, streaming, and ease of use.