Ivacy VPN Review

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VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) can help Internet users to protect their privacy and security when browsing the Internet. You might find it hard to choose a VPN since many of them compete in a crowded market. Ivacy is one such VPN. PMG Pte. Ltd., a Singapore-based company owns and operates it. 

VPNs claim to offer privacy, security, access to geo-restricted content, secure access to P2P/torrenting services, speed, and compatibility. They also promise great customer support, and they claim to offer all of these at a competitive price. Their performance might not always match their claims though.

We have used all of the above yardsticks when we reviewed Ivacy. Can this VPN meet your requirements? Should you buy an Ivacy VPN subscription? Read on, as we answer all of these questions.

Is your information safe with Ivacy VPN?

Typically, most VPN users buy a VPN subscription since they want privacy when browsing the Internet. You probably want privacy too. If a VPN masks your IP address, encrypts your traffic, and refrains from logging your online activities, then it can provide privacy.

Ivacy masks your IP address successfully, moreover, it encrypts your Internet traffic effectively. It also follows a strict “no logs” policy. This VPN explains its “no logs” policy in its privacy policy. Ivacy categorically states that it doesn’t log or monitor your online browsing activities, connection logs, original IP addresses, masked IP addresses, browsing history, etc. This VPN states that it doesn’t collect any information that could tie its users to their activities on the Internet.

Ivacy states that it needs certain information if a VPN user buys a subscription with the dedicated IP address feature. The company states that it doesn’t collect any sensitive information in this process, and it collects this information for troubleshooting only.

Ivacy collects your name, email address, and payment information when you buy a subscription. It uses the name and payment information to set up a user account. The company uses the email address for the password reset. It also uses the email address to respond to support tickets. While Ivacy sends surveys and promotions to this email address, users can opt-out of such emails. 

Ivacy categorically states that it doesn’t sell, rent, or transfer personal information about its users to 3rd parties. The company also states that it secures your personal information and processes it per relevant laws. 

When you visit its website, Ivacy collects site analytics information. This is aggregated and anonymized information, moreover, it has no relation to the use of its VPN. We find no privacy concerns with this. 

Ivacy allows you to pay using various cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin. This offers a relatively anonymous payment method. 

Ivacy is subject to the jurisdiction of Singapore. There have been reports that Singapore enforces a degree of Internet censorship. Reports have also shown that Singapore has an information-sharing arrangement with the “5 Eyes” coalition. This coalition includes the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. These countries conduct mass surveillance. An information-sharing arrangement with this coalition puts further question marks on the privacy track record of Singapore. However, Ivacy doesn’t keep any logs, therefore, your privacy is secure with it. 

We find that Ivacy has implemented a very effective “no logs” policy. This VPN can protect your privacy.

How secure is Ivacy?

Security carries a lot of importance when VPN users think of buying a VPN subscription. You probably do that too. VPNs that support secure protocols, provide robust encryption and offer advanced security features can provide security. 

Ivacy supports OpenVPN. This VPN protocol has the reputation of being the most secure protocol. At the time of this review, OpenVPN doesn’t have any known vulnerabilities. We strongly encourage you to use this protocol.

Ivacy supports L2TP, IKEv2, and SSTP protocols, which are secure too. We noticed that Ivacy supports the PPTP protocol, however, we don’t recommend you use it. This VPN protocol has security vulnerabilities. At any rate, Ivacy doesn’t require you to use PPTP. 

Ivacy offers AES-256 encryption. This is the strongest encryption that you can find in the market. This VPN prevents all IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. 

We noticed that Ivacy offers a kill switch. A kill switch blocks the Internet connection of a VPN user as soon as the VPN connection terminates unexpectedly. This prevents hackers from accessing the sensitive information of Internet users when the VPN connection drops suddenly. We like the fact that Ivacy offers this useful feature. 

Ivacy provides protection from “Distributed Denial of Services” (DDoS) attacks. This VPN scans and removes malware or viruses in the data that its users download. Ivacy offers dedicated IP addresses for added costs. 

We find that Ivacy has implemented a robust set of security solutions. This VPN can secure your Internet traffic. 

Note: We chatted with the Ivacy customer support representative and found that Ivacy doesn’t offer the “Perfect Forward Secrecy” (PFS) feature. PFS changes the encryption key regularly. Even if a hacker gets hold of the encryption key of a VPN user, PFS will limit the damage. The hacker can’t use the stolen encryption key for long since PFS will soon change it. It’s an advanced security feature, and the OpenVPN protocol enables a VPN provider to implement it. Since Ivacy supports OpenVPN, we would like it to offer this feature. 

What platforms are supported by Ivacy?

When you buy a VPN, you would want one that supports all kinds of devices that you have. Ivacy supports all key platforms. Among desktops, it supports Windows, Mac, and Linux. This VPN offers custom apps for Windows and Mac, whereas it provides manual configuration guides for Linux. 

Among mobile platforms, Ivacy supports Android and iOS. It offers custom VPN apps for both. Custom VPN apps help users that aren’t tech-savvy, therefore, we like the fact that Ivacy offers such apps for most of the key platforms. Ivacy offers browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.

Several platforms don’t support custom VPN apps. Ivacy provides very helpful manual configuration guides for such platforms. This way, Ivacy covers a wide range of platforms like Xbox, PS3, PS4, Roku, Kodi, and Smart TV platforms. Note that you can use its Android app if you have an Android TV. 

Are you a tech-savvy user and want to set up a VPN manually? You can find the required information in the guides that Ivacy provides. 

Furthermore, Ivacy offers manual configuration guides for routers, Raspberry Pi, Chromebook, Kindle Fire, Chromecast, and Blackberry. This VPN allows 5 simultaneous connections, which compares well with other VPNs in the market. 

Of course, you can bypass any limit on simultaneous connections if you manually configure a VPN connection on your router. Ivacy supports a wide range of routers. These include DD-WRT, Asus, OpenWRT, Mikrotik, TotoLink, Zyxel, Padavan, pfSense, Huawei, Tomato, and more. 

Finally, you can configure an Ivacy VPN connection on your Synology “Network Attached Storage” (NAS) device. As far as compatibility is concerned, Ivacy fares very well. 

Can you unblock streaming services with Ivacy VPN?

Several popular streaming services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu impose geo-restrictions on their content. Quite a few Internet users try to circumvent such geo-restrictions using a VPN. However, these streaming services know that. They identify and block VPNs aggressively, therefore, many VPNs can unblock these popular streaming services.

Ivacy can unblock Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer. That’s not a small achievement, moreover, Ivacy offers good speed. This makes your streaming experience enjoyable. If you prioritize unblocking geo-restricted streaming services, then Ivacy is a very good choice. 

Is torrenting allowed with Ivacy?

Planning to access P2P/torrenting services? We recommend you check the laws first. Quite a few countries have banned P2P/torrenting services. Even if you reside in a country that allows them, you can get into copyrights issues. 

Assuming that you are planning to access P2P/torrenting services legally, you still need to contend with several challenges. Your ISP will likely throttle your Internet connection as soon as it detects that you are accessing P2P/torrenting services. 

Remember that hackers monitor the users of P2P/torrenting services closely. You expose yourself to privacy and security risks when you access such services without adequate security. You should use a VPN when accessing P2P/torrenting services. 

This is where it gets tricky! You should only use a VPN that doesn’t keep logs, encrypts your Internet traffic adequately, and provides a kill switch. Not all VPNs meet all of these requirements. We are happy to see that Ivacy checks all the boxes!

This VPN has dedicated servers for P2P/torrenting. It doesn’t impose any bandwidth restrictions for such activities, moreover, its speed helps. Ivacy is a very good VPN for securely accessing P2P/torrenting services.

Split tunneling

Ivacy offers “split tunneling”, which is an advanced feature. This feature enables you to select devices or apps for which the Internet traffic should go through the encrypted VPN tunnel. You can access the Internet directly from other devices or apps. This gives you flexibility.

How much does Ivacy VPN cost?

Ivacy offers 3 pricing plans, and each of its plans includes all features. The pricing plans are as follows:

·  Monthly: It costs $9.95 per month;

·  Yearly: You pay $42 per annum, therefore, your monthly average cost is $3.50;

·  2-years: You pay $54 once every 2 years, which means that your monthly average cost is $2.25.

You can get dedicated IP addresses and port forwarding for additional costs.

Ivacy allows you to pay using all popular credit cards like Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, etc. You can also pay using PayPal, PerfectMoney, Paymentwall, and AliPay. Ivacy accepts payment using Bitcoin, and you need to use BitPay for this. It also accepts other popular cryptocurrencies like Ethereum, Lisk, etc. 

Ivacy provides a free trial for 1 day. Apart from that, it offers a 7-days trial for $0.99. This VPN offers a 7-days money-back guarantee for the 1-month plan. For the other plans, Ivacy offers a 30-days money-back guarantee. 

We recommend you read the Ivacy refund policy since it has a few restrictions. For example, you can’t get a refund if you have used a payment method like Bitcoin that doesn’t support refund processing. 

Ivacy offers business VPN plans too. You need to contact Ivacy to get a quote for its business VPN offering.

For the products and services that Ivacy offers, we find that this VPN is very competitively priced. Its longer duration plans offer steep discounts.

The pros and cons of Ivacy VPN

Let’s evaluate the pros and cons of Ivacy. This VPN offers the following advantages:

·  Strong privacy solutions with an effective “no logs” policy;
·  Robust security features like secure protocols, AES-256 encryption, kill switch, protection from data leaks, protection from DDoS attacks, etc.;
·  Good speed, thanks to over 2,000 servers in 100+ locations covering all key geographies;
·  Access to geo-restricted streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer;
·  Secure access to P2P/torrenting;
·  Compatibility with a wide range of platforms;
·  User-friendly custom apps for most of the key platforms;
·  Excellent manual VPN configuration guides;
·  5 simultaneous connections;
·  Split tunneling;
·  Searchable knowledge base;
·  FAQs and video tutorials;
·  Excellent customer support including 24x7 live chat support;
·  Competitive pricing plans;
·  A 24-hours free trial period;
·  A 7-days trial period for only $0.99;
·  A 7-days money-back guarantee for the monthly plan and a 30-days money-back guarantee for all other plans.

The only minor disadvantage of Ivacy is that it doesn’t offer a custom app for Linux. However, the company provides very user-friendly manual configuration guides for configuring a VPN connection on your Linux device. The advantages of Ivacy easily outweigh its disadvantages.

A few quick facts about Ivacy VPN

We now summarize a few quick facts about Ivacy, which are as follows:

·  PMG Pte. Ltd., a Singapore-based company, owns and operates Ivacy;
·  Ivacy is a privacy-friendly VPN with a strict “no logs” policy;
·  This VPN offers excellent security features including the OpenVPN protocol, AES-256 encryption, kill switch, etc.;
·  Ivacy can unblock popular geo-restricted streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer;
·  You can securely access P2P/torrenting services using Ivacy;
·  Thanks to 2,000+ servers in over 100 locations, Ivacy offers good speed;
·  Ivacy supports a wide range of platforms, moreover, it offers easy-to-use custom apps for most of the key platforms;
·  You can connect 5 devices simultaneously using one VPN account;
·  Thanks to excellent documentation, a searchable knowledge base, FAQs, video tutorials, and 24x7 live chat, Ivacy offers excellent customer support;
· Ivacy offers competitive pricing plans, a 24-hours free trial, and a 7-days trial for just $0.99;
·  This VPN offers a 7-days money-back guarantee for its monthly plan, moreover, it provides a 30-days money-back guarantee for its longer-duration plans.

Leak tests

Ivacy consistently prevents all IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. This VPN has implemented a robust set of security solutions, and it doesn’t leak your sensitive information.   

Are the applications of Ivacy VPN easy to use?

You would likely prioritize ease-of-use when you shop around for a VPN, and Ivacy understands that! You can sense that as soon as you visit its website. The Ivacy VPN website is easy to navigate and you can find all key menu options easily. Whether you are looking for pricing, VPN apps, trial, or buying, you can easily find it on the website.

You can buy a VPN subscription easily, and the process involves only a few intuitive steps. The Ivacy website prominently displays the VPN apps. You can find the manual configuration guides easily. Ivacy offers 24x7 live chat support, and the company displays the chat option prominently on its website. 

This VPN offers easy-to-use custom apps for most of the key platforms it supports. Ivacy is a very user-friendly VPN.

Using Ivacy VPN on Windows

Ivacy’s windows application is easy to find on their website, and it is simple to install and automatically gets all the dependencies needed for the program to work.

Once the application is running the users can check out all the features of Ivacy and only when trying to connect to a server do you have to enter login information. That means if you want to check out the features of Ivacy you can do so without registering an account.

The application initially looks very good it has a nice minimalistic design in the colors of Ivacy, but the size of the application window can’t be changed, and right-clicking on the tray icon only gives two options, open and quit.

Ivacy has 5 connection methods:The first one is called Smart Connect, this is a simple VPN service all you have to do is select the location you want to connect to and click connect.

·  The next mode named Secure Download is basically the same as Smart Connect with an extra feature that scans downloads on the server side for potential viruses and malware.

·  The other two options Ivacy provides for use are Streaming and Unblocking, while these two are under different tabs we didn’t notice too much difference between the two. Under the streaming tab you can select a streaming platform you want to be unblocked and after connecting, Ivacy will ask if you want to go to the service’s website. If you hit “yes”, your browser will open the online streaming platform’s front page. Using the Unblocking method does the same, It connects you to a country of your choice and unblocks geo-restricted content.

·  The last way to use Ivacy is its Dedicated IP service. This service costs a premium of $1.99/month and if you want port forwarding that’s an additional $0.99/month, and will grant you a static IP address that you can use to run services through. The main benefit of using a dedicated IP over a Shared IP is that you don’t need to worry about what the other users are doing. Shared IPs are very often blacklisted by websites and can cause unnecessary annoyance to VPN users.

The application doesn’t have that many options compared to other VPN providers. It has the general settings you would expect, like Launching and connecting on startup or the option to change notification settings. It also has a built-in Internet Kill Switch which is supposed to protect the user from leaking their real IP address if the VPN connection disconnects. Our tests show that this feature performed poorly and didn’t work most of the time. This is a major issue and that has to be fixed as soon as possible.

There are 3VPN protocols that Ivacy offers, OpenVPN UDP and TCP, L2TP, and IKEV. It also has an option to turn on Multiport which helps to get a connection when the default VPN ports are blocked.

Overall Ivacy’s application is easy to use, but it needs a lot of improvement if it wants to compete with the big providers. We would like to see a built-in adblocker and a working kill switch.

About the smartphone applications of Ivacy VPN

Usually, the mobile versions of a VPN app are way simpler than the desktop ones, Ivacy isn’t an exception. The design of the application follows the scheme of the desktop apps, it has the same locations and the option for split tunneling, there are also all the connection options for unblocking streaming services, and the option to enable Secure download.

There are several features that Ivacy is missing on mobile platforms. The first major feature that’s missing is the dedicated IP. We would assume that after spending the extra money on this feature at least we would be able to use it on all platforms, but that’s not the case.

The other drawback of using Ivacy’s mobile application is that there are no options to change the VPN protocol, there are only two buttons, one for UDP and the other one for TCP. This tells us that it’s using OpenVPN. There is also no option for “small packets” which would be a nice feature to have for slower mobile connections.

The app has an easy to find and easy to use helpdesk, there is no need for an external browser.

Considering the fact that Ivacy isn’t one of the big VPN providers, these applications are usable but if there is an option to use a provider with better mobile support, we recommend using that instead.

How to use Ivacy VPN Linux?

Ivacy has no application for Linux, but their service can be used with the built-in Linux VPN client, the setup isn’t hard and Ivacy provides a helpful step by step guide on how to get it working.

We tested the VPN on a PC running the latest version of Ubuntu. First, we went into the network settings and added a new VPN connection, then we selected OpenVPN and gave the connection a name. Selected a gateway from Ivacy’s list of servers, furthermore entered our username and password. The next step was checking our advanced settings, here we made sure that the EAP authentication method was turned off, and that the Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE) was turned on. Once these were done the VPN was ready for use.

Using Ivacy on Linux is possible but it’s not a convenient way of using their service. Changing servers is hard, and there are no options whatsoever. It would be nice to see some sort of client application for Linux in the future.

Using Ivacy on routers and other devices

Ivacy supports a wide range of popular routers. It also supports gaming consoles, streaming media devices, smart TVs, Chromebook, etc. Many of these devices don’t support custom VPN apps, however, Ivacy offers very detailed guides for manual configuration.

Note: You need advanced skills to configure a VPN connection on a router. We recommend you follow the guides that Ivacy provides for this.

Router

Ivacy supports VPN compatible routers. Our testing was done on AsusWRT router. The setup was easy and we didn’t run into any problems.

Setting up Ivacy on our router was pretty simple. First, you have to add a new VPN client connection, switch it to OpenVPN, give it a name of your liking, and enter your Ivacy e-mail and password. Then download a .rar library containing configuration files for all the available VPN servers, this can be downloaded from Ivacy’s official website.

Once you select the desired server, all you have to do is import the file and upload it to the router. Ivacy requires that you edit the .ovpn file manually, so tick the box that says “Import the CA file or edit the .ovpn file manually”, then click Edit. In the same library you downloaded earlier there are two additional files one of them called CA.crt and the other WDC.key. Copy and paste the contents of CA.crt into the Certificate Authority field, and if you want to copy the contents of WDC.key into the Static Key field.

When this is all done the VPN connection should be ready for use.

The other way of using Ivacy is by changing your WAN connection to one provided by Ivacy.

To do this you first have to navigate to the WAN settings of the router, here change the WAN connection type to PPTP and make sure that all the options are set to yes under the Basic config tab. You also have to enable the option to automatically get a WAN IP address, the DNS settings should be set manually, we recommend using Google’s DNS servers on the address 8.8.8.8 and the backup server with the address 8.8.4.4.

Under the Account Settings, enter your Ivacy e-mail and password, then make sure that the PPTP Options are set to Auto. Last but not least enter a VPN server of your choice from the “Hostname list” found on Ivacy’s website.

Once you click Apply the VPN connection goes live, and all of your devices on the network will start using the remote server.

Setting up a router to use a VPN isn’t the easiest task, but the tutorials and step by step guides created by Ivacy are really easy to follow. It’s also nice to see them supporting several protocols. While using their service we didn’t notice any connection or speed problems, but this might change according to your region and server choice.

Ivacy used on a router is a good way to use their service, but it would be nice if they added servers with ad blocking capabilities.

Overall we can recommend using Ivacy on a router because they support all the major firmwares (DD-WRT, AsusWRT, Tomato, OpenWRT. Mikrotik, Linksys, D-Link, TP-Link, Huawei, TotoLink, Zyxel, Padavan, Arris, pfsense, Synology, GL iNet, TRENDnet, and Belkin are listed on their website, but we’re sure any router that supports PPTP or OpenVPN can use their service).

About the customer service of Ivacy

Most VPN users consider customer support as an important factor, and you probably think so too. With respect to the Ivacy VPN, its stable connections and user-friendly custom apps greatly reduce the need for customer support. However, this VPN takes customer support very seriously.

The support page on the Ivacy VPN website is one of the most helpful that we have seen. Ivacy provides a searchable knowledge base. It neatly categorizes all its guides based on the platforms it supports. You can find the manual configuration guide for any platform easily, moreover, the guides are very user-friendly.

Ivacy also provides FAQs and video tutorials on its support page. You can reach its customer support team via email or by opening a support ticket. Ivacy responds promptly. 

We were most impressed with its 24x7 live chat support. The customer support representative that we chatted with was very prompt. We received detailed and specific responses to all our questions, which shows that the Ivacy customer support team is knowledgeable and professional.  

Ivacy provides excellent customer support and documentation. 

What's the jurisdiction of Ivacy?

PMG Pte. Ltd., a Singapore-based company, owns and operates Ivacy. This VPN is subject to the jurisdiction of Singapore. Various reports have indicated that Singapore enforces policies that aren’t conducive to privacy. 

Other reports indicate that Singapore has information-sharing agreements with the “5 Eyes” coalition of countries. Countries in this coalition conduct mass surveillance, therefore, we don’t consider Singapore as a privacy-friendly country. Ivacy follows a strict “no logs” policy though, which mitigates privacy risks. 

Does this service keep any logs?

Ivacy follows an effective “no logs” policy. This VPN doesn’t log any online activities of its users. It doesn’t track original IP addresses, masked IP addresses, browsing history, content accessed, connection history, or any other information. This is as complete a “no logs” policy that any VPN can offer.

This VPN doesn’t record any data that can associate any online activity with any of its VPN users. Ivacy is subject to the jurisdiction of Singapore, which isn’t exactly a privacy-friendly country. However, its “no logs” policy mitigates some privacy risks. 

How secure is your data while using Ivacy?

Ivacy supports OpenVPN, which is the most secure VPN protocol. This VPN supports L2TP, IKEv2, and SSTP, which are secure protocols too. While Ivacy supports PPTP, it has security vulnerabilities and you don’t need to use it.

Ivacy provides AES-256 encryption, which is military-grade. This VPN prevents IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. Ivacy prevents DDoS attacks, moreover, it removes malware and viruses from the files you download. 

Even if the VPN connection drops unexpectedly, you don’t need to worry. Ivacy offers the kill switch feature, which blocks your Internet connection if the VPN connection terminates suddenly. You can include a dedicated IP address in your subscription for added costs. 

Ivacy offers robust security features.

Server locations for IvacyVPN

NORTH AMERICA
Canada, United States, US - Chicago, IL, US - Miami, FL, US - Phoenix, AZ, US - New Jersey, NJ, US - San Francisco, CA, US - New York, NY, US - Seattle, WA, US - Los Angeles, CA

CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
Panama

SOUTH AMERICA
Costa Rica, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela

EUROPE
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Romania, Russia, Russia - Moscow, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, UK - London, UK - Maidenhead

ASIA
Brunei, China, China - Shanghai, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Singapore

AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST
Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Seychelles

OCEANIA
Australia - Brisbane, Australia - Melbourne, Australia - Perth, Australia - Sydney, New Zealand

You want a VPN that’s fast enough it protects your privacy and security. If a VPN invests in high-quality infrastructure and has enough servers in all key geographies, then it can offer good speed. 

Ivacy has its VPN servers in over 100 locations, and the company has over 2,000+ servers. This VPN maintains transparency about its server locations and provides a detailed list. 

Ivacy has its server infrastructure in all key geographies. It has a significant presence in North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. It also has a reasonable presence in Latin America and Africa. This VPN provider has invested in quality infrastructure. 

Our short conclusion of Ivacy

Ivacy delivers everything that it promises. This VPN is very privacy-friendly, thanks to its strict “no logs” policy. Ivacy supports secure VPN protocols like OpenVPN and provides the strongest encryption that you can get. It offers a kill switch. This VPN can unblock Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu. You can use Ivacy to access P2P/torrenting services securely.

Thanks to over 2,000 servers in 100 locations covering all key geographies, Ivacy offers good speed. This VPN supports a wide range of platforms, moreover, it offers user-friendly custom apps for all key platforms. While it doesn’t offer a custom app for Linux, it provides easy-to-use manual configuration guides.  

Ivacy provides high-quality documentation, a searchable knowledge base, FAQs, and video tutorials. It offers 24x7 live chat support, moreover, it provides customer support via email and ticket too. This VPN is very competitively priced, and its longer-duration plans include steep discounts. It offers a 24-hours free trial, moreover, you can get a 7-days trial period for only $0.99. Ivacy offers a money-back guarantee. We find that Ivacy is an excellent buy.