PureVPN vs IPVanish [2022]: Speed, Netflix, Firestick, China, Etc

What one VPN service is better than the other? We take a look at some key metrics to see who comes out on top.

IPVanish is a well-known VPN that has long been the service of choice for many VPN customers. Regardless, internet security experts universally believe that PureVPN (a younger and less popular service) is superior in nearly every way.

PureVPN

IPVanish

Comparison

To begin, here’s a table listing all of the differences and features of the two VPNs:

	PureVPN	IPVanish
Policy on Logging	Logging is not permitted.	Logging is not permitted.
Jurisdiction	Hong Kong	United States of America (Five-Eyes Member)
Encryption	AES-256	AES-256
Protocols	UDP OpenVPN TCP IPSec/IKEv2 IPSec/L2TP PPTP SSTP OpenVPN	UDP OpenVPN TCP IPSec/IKEv2 IPSec/L2TP SSTP PPTP OpenVPN
Adblockers and anti-malware software	Yes	No
On/Off switch	Yes	Yes
Tests for Leaks	There were no leaks discovered.	There were no leaks discovered.
Tests of Speed	Fast	Slow
Torrenting & P2P	Yes, indeed (Optimized P2P Servers)	Yes, indeed (On all servers)
Streaming	Netflix Amazon Prime is a subscription service that allows you to iPlayer (BBC) Firestick Roku is a streaming media player (Via Router) Kodi Apple TV is a device that allows you to watch (Via Router) Android Television (Android TV)	Netflix Roku Hulu Firestick (Via Router) Kodi Apple TV is a device that allows you to watch (Via Router) Android Television (Android TV)
Gaming	iOS and Android on Windows Xbox One is a video game console that was released (Via Router) PS4 is a game console that was released in (Via Router) Nintendo Switch is a game console that was released in (Via Router)	iOS and Android on Windows Xbox One is a video game console that was released (Via Router) PS4 is a game console that was released in (Via Router) Nintendo Switch is a game console that was released in (Via Router)
Compatibility	Chrome for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS Firefox Routers Selected by Tor	Chrome for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS Firefox Routers Selected by Tor
Simultaneous Connections are when two or more things happen at the same time. are when two or more things happen at the same time.	10	Unlimited
Servers	6500+	1400+
China	Yes	No
Tunneling in Two Parts	Yes	Yes, indeed (On Android Only)
Features Not Included	Dedicated IP for Wi-Fi security (Add-On Feature) Forwarding of Ships (Add-On Feature) Protection Against DDoS (Add-On Feature)	Scramble Option
Prices	$5.82/month $10.95/Month (1-Year) $3.33 per month (2-Years)   Special Promotion: Special Promotion: A 7-day trial costs $0.99 for a 7-day trial plus 47% off for a 1-year subscription.99, with a 1-year membership costing $47% less..99 for a seven-day trial and 47% off for a one-year membership	Monthly fee of $9.99 ($3.49 for the first month) $31.49 for the first year, then $89.99 every year after that)
Our Opinion	4.6	3.9
Website	www.purevpn.com	www.ipvanish.com

At first look, the two services seem to be extremely similar. Their distinctions, though, become more apparent upon closer scrutiny. As a buyer, we must properly examine each to determine which is genuinely worth subscribing to.

Privacy & Security

PrivateVPN is situated in Hong Kong, where it is exempt from copyright and privacy regulations. IPVanish, on the other hand, is based in the United States, a key member of the Five Eyes Alliance. As a result, it cannot function freely for fear of being shut down by the government.

Comparison of Encryption

The two services use military-grade AES 256-bit encryption, which is industry standard. Aside from that, they both use an unknown hash authentication and key exchange, according to reports.

Protocols for Virtual Private Networks

IPVanish and PureVPN maintain support for OpenVPN (UDP & TCP), IPSec (LT2P & IKEv2), along with SSTP and PPTP. Sadly, neither service lets you toggle WireGuard, which is the newest and most secure VPN protocol that’s currently available.

Protection Against Leaks

Using IPLeak.net, I verified each service for leaks. The following is a snapshot of the results of my test while using IPVanish and its Tokyo server:

IPVanish Tokyo IP Leak Test

And now, here’s what occurred when I switched to PureVPN’s server:

PureVPN Tokyo IP Leak Test

Thankfully, both were effective in masking my true IP address. As a result, I’d have to conclude that both are reasonable solutions for someone who wants to stay anonymous.

Server Safety

PureVPN and IPVanish don’t use RAM-based servers, which means they can’t monitor, gather, or store your personal information. On the plus side, both VPN companies adhere to strong no-logging regulations that prevent them from sharing customers’ personal information.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to security, the two have similar standards. Nonetheless, PureVPN is the winner of this round in the duel between PureVPN and IPVanish because it is headquartered in a VPN-friendly area.

Test your speed

Below is a screenshot of a Test your speed I ran while connected to IPVanish’s Tokyo server:

Test your speed – IPVanish Tokyo

And once I switched to PureVPN’s server in the same area, it looked like this:

Test your speed – PureVPN Tokyo

The difference between the two VPN services is astounding. While IPVanish rendered my internet almost inaccessible, PureVPN had no effect on my primary connection. As a result, the victor of this round of our PureVPN vs IPVanish duel must be the latter.

Torrenting & P2P

IPVanish’s whole network is P2P enabled, which is rather fascinating. Its main competition, on the other hand, only has a few optimized servers. With that in mind, I needed to know whether each service could keep me secure during torrenting sessions in order to determine if they’re suitable for anybody who downloads torrents on a regular basis.

The following is the outcome of my torrenting leak test while connected to IPVanish’s Tokyo server:

IPVanish Tokyo Torrenting Leak Test

After switching to PureVPN’s same-location server, I got the following results:

PureVPN Tokyo Torrenting Leak Test

As you can see, both services were able to keep me safe when torrenting. Regardless, PureVPN is my winner in this round of our IPVanish versus PureVPN duel. I selected it since it has more P2P server locations than its competition and is much quicker.

Streaming

According to reports, IPVanish isn’t the ideal VPN for consumers who view a lot of entertainment video. This is because it can get through certain streaming services’ geoblocks.

When it comes to streaming, many people feel PureVPN is a great option. It constantly bypasses any streaming service’s geo-blocking limitations. You may use it to access overseas libraries of anything from Amazon Prime Video to BBC iPlayer that aren’t accessible in the United States.

Netflix

I tested IPVanish and PureVPN against Netflix to see whether they could match my streaming requirements. To put each service to the test, I tried to watch Spotlight, which is only accessible in the United States. Here’s how IPVanish did in our tests:

IPVanish – Netflix US

Here’s how PureVPN fared in our tests:

PureVPN – Netflix US

Both VPN services surprised me by allowing me to access Netflix USA’s collection and view the movie of my choosing. Despite this, PureVPN takes the victory in this aspect in our IPVanish vs PureVPN comparison because it is quicker, has more servers, and can bypass more geoblocks.

Gaming

PureVPN was the only VPN that provided me with a great gaming experience. When I was connected to it, I had no issues with latency, frame drops, or loading times when playing Call of Duty Mobile on my smartphone.

IPVanish slowed down my connection to the point that I couldn’t play. In fact, getting into a match was almost difficult.

Compatibility

The table below shows which VPN providers are compatible with which devices:

PureVPN	IPVanish
Chrome for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS Firefox Routers Selected by Tor	Chromebook Chromebook Chromebook Chromebook Chromebook Chromebook Chromebook Chromebook Chromebook Chromebook Chromebook Chrome Routers Selected by Tor

You’ll be able to utilize browser extensions with PureVPN. As a result, it is the victor of this pivotal round in our IPVanish versus PureVPN battle.

Simultaneous Connections are when two or more things happen at the same time. are when two or more things happen at the same time.

A single PureVPN account may support a maximum of 10 devices at the same time. 

This figure is greater than the industry average. However, you should be aware that there are a few competing services that provide superior value. IPVanish is a good example of this, since it enables you to link an infinite number of devices with one subscription.

Servers

IPVanish has over 1400 servers all around the world. PureVPN, on the other hand, has a network of over 6500 servers in every major city across the globe.

China

Because few VPNs can get past China’s Great Firewall, accessing the Chinese market is challenging. In reality, only PureVPN is capable of doing the task effectively and consistently. As a result, it takes first place in this category.

Interface & Usability

The applications from IPVanish are likely to cause you a headache at initially. The reason for this is because they have very difficult-to-navigate interfaces. On the plus side, once mastered, all of the service’s native apps reach their full potential and become fantastic.

Interface of IPVanish

PureVPN’s applications are beautiful, however they aren’t very refined. They’re not only clumsy, but they’re also tough to maneuver. Needless to say, they’re still much superior than what IPVansih has to offer. As a result, PureVPN is the clear winner in this crucial area.

Interface of PureVPN

Features Not Included

IPVanish has a security tool called Scramble that it offers. It lets you to tunnel your online traffic over two servers, making it more difficult for anybody to determine that you’re using a VPN service when you use it.

Secure Wi-Fi is a feature offered by PureVPN. It’s essentially a security feature that protects you when you connect to an unsecured hotspot. In addition, for a little cost, the service allows you to add further security through DDoS protection and port forwarding, as well as create a customized IP address.

PureVPN is the victor of this round because it offers more unique features.

Customer Service

Below is a table showing all that both services offer in regards to Customer Service:

	PureVPN	IPVanish
Live Chat	Yes	Yes
Email Customer Service	Yes	Yes
Support over the phone	No	Yes
Ticket Assistance	Yes	Yes
Video Instructions	No	No
Knowledge Base on the Internet	Yes	Yes
Average Time to Respond	1 Hour	Time limit: 20 minutes

It’s clear that IPVanish has superior Customer Service. Besides having Support over the phone, it also has a faster Average Time to Respond. That means you’ll get to resolve any issues you might encounter in no time. If anything, this is great for those who aren’t tech-savvy.

Prices

To find out how much each VPN costs, look at the table below:

	PureVPN	IPVanish
Lengths of Subscriptions	$10.95/Month	The first month is $3.49, after that it’s $9.99 each month.
	1 year at $5.82 per month	The first year is $31.49, after which it costs $89.99 every year.
	$3.33/month for 2 years
The Most Expensive Month	$10.95	$9.99
Lowest Monthly Rate	$3.33	$2.62
Price for a year	$69.95	The first year is $31.49, after which it costs $89.99 every year.
Guaranteed Money-Back	31 Days	7 Days
Special Promotion	A 7-day trial costs $0.99 for a 7-day trial plus 47% off for a 1-year subscription.99, with a 1-year membership costing $47% less.	n/a

Prices for IPVanish, PureVPN, and a few more VPN services are below average. As a result, they’re realistic solutions for everyone on a limited budget. 

With that said, I believe the best choice when it comes to value is PureVPN. Why? Its yearly prices are better in the long run and it boasts a 31-day Guaranteed Money-Back policy.

Verdict

Is PureVPN a better alternative than IPVanish?

Yes. PureVPN outperforms IPVanish in a variety of ways. For starters, it boasts improved security, native applications, and performance. The business also has a bigger server network and is able to get over China’s Great Firewall. Last but not least, it is less expensive than IPVanish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is faster ExpressVPN or IPVanish?

A: IPVanish has a much faster speed, as ExpressVPN is more popular and therefore slower.

Which is better NordVPN or PureVPN?

A: NordVPN has better privacy and security settings, while PureVPN is cheaper.

Does PureVPN have SOCKS5?

A: SOCKS5 is not supported on any of PureVPNs servers.