NordVPN vs IPVanish: a bigger network and more audits, or unlimited devices for less
By Jean Luc Poitier, SEO and growth marketing strategist · NordVPN Reviews · Updated November 3, 2026
NordVPN is the better-tested service: six no-logs reviews to IPVanish's two, servers in 150 countries, RAM-only servers everywhere (IPVanish expects to finish its move by 2027), and a PCMag Editors' Choice. PCMag, which shares a parent company with IPVanish, scores it 3.5. NordVPN also rates higher on both app stores, from many more ratings.
Pick IPVanish if you want to cover a lot of devices for less. Every plan allows unlimited connections, the entry plan is cheaper up front and at renewal, and its top tier adds 1 TB of cloud backup.
NordVPN vs IPVanish at a glance
| Compared on | NordVPN | IPVanish |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest price | Basic: $3.49/mo, $94.23 for 27 months | Essential: $2.19/mo, $52.56 for 2 years |
| Month to month | $14.99 / $19.99 / $29.99 by plan | $14.99 / $15.99 / $17.99 by plan |
| Entry plan renewal | $139.08/yr | $99.99/yr |
| Free option | No free plan; 7-day trial on Prime in some countries | No free plan; 7-day trial on the yearly plan in its mobile apps |
| Refund | 30 days | 30 days for first-time customers on yearly or 2-year plans; none on monthly |
| Devices | 10 | Unlimited |
| Servers | 7,200+ in 150 countries | 3,650+ in 150+ locations |
| RAM-only servers | Yes | Moving to RAM-only, due by 2027 |
| No-logs audits | Six (PwC 2018, 2020; Deloitte 2022 to 2025) | Two (Leviathan 2022, Schellman 2025) |
| Extras | Malware and scam blocking, Meshnet, double VPN, dedicated IP add-on | Ad and tracker blocker, split tunneling, double hop, SOCKS5; antivirus and 1 TB backup on higher tiers |
| Company | Nord Security (Lithuania); sold from Panama | Ziff Davis (US) |
| PCMag | Editors' Choice, 4.5 (Apr 2026) | 3.5, no Editors' Choice (Jan 2026; PCMag is also owned by Ziff Davis) |
| App Store (US) | 4.7 from 712,373 ratings | 4.6 from 104,356 ratings |
| Google Play (US) | 4.6 from 1,375,260 ratings | 4.4 from 71,445 ratings |
| Trustpilot, invited | 4.74 (127 recent reviews, to Nov 3, 2026) | 4.4 (10 recent reviews, to Nov 1, 2026) |
| Trustpilot, unprompted | 2.7 (23 recent reviews, to Nov 3, 2026) | 3.0 (90 recent reviews, to Nov 1, 2026) |
Figures checked against each company's published pages and review-platform listings as of 2026-11-03. “Not published” means the company does not publish that figure.
Price: IPVanish is cheaper on the entry plan
IPVanish Essential costs $52.56 for the first 2 years and renews at $99.99 a year. NordVPN Basic costs $94.23 for 27 months and renews at $139.08. Month to month, both are $14.99. Each has higher tiers: IPVanish Complete adds antivirus and Advanced adds a secure browser and 1 TB of cloud backup; NordVPN Complete and Prime add a password manager, cloud storage, and identity tools. IPVanish gives no refund on monthly plans or renewals, so the yearly or 2-year plan is the one to test.
Network and devices
NordVPN runs 7,200+ servers in 150 countries; IPVanish lists 3,650+ servers in 150+ locations and doesn't publish a country count. NordVPN's servers all run from RAM, and IPVanish says its move to RAM-only servers will be finished by 2027. On devices, IPVanish wins outright: unlimited connections on every plan, against NordVPN's 10.
No-logs audits and ownership
NordVPN's no-logs policy has been reviewed six times, by PwC in 2018 and 2020 and by Deloitte every year from 2022 to 2025. IPVanish names two audits, by Leviathan Security Group in 2022 and Schellman in 2025. IPVanish is US-based and owned by Ziff Davis, which also owns PCMag; PCMag discloses that in its review. NordVPN is part of Nord Security.
What NordVPN and IPVanish reviewers say
Most of IPVanish's recent Trustpilot reviews are unprompted: 90 of its 100 most recent, averaging 3.0, against 2.7 for NordVPN's 23 most recent unprompted reviews. Its 10 invited reviews averaged 4.4, too few to set against NordVPN's 4.74 from 127. IPVanish's critics write mostly about auto-renewal and refunds; its fans praise easy setup and support. On the app stores NordVPN rates higher, from far more ratings.
“it is incredibly easy to set up, runs smoothly, and works reliably for my streaming and daily device protection needs, especially for my FireStick privacy.”Marcus B, Trustpilot, September 2026 (IPVanish)
“They auto renew without emailing you at a much higher price”Karen Bick, Trustpilot, September 2026 (IPVanish)
“I use it on my smart tv and my phone and I have not had any issues.”Delice, Trustpilot, October 2026 (NordVPN)
See every NordVPN review we track, or our ranking of the best VPN services.
Where IPVanish wins
- Unlimited devices on every plan, against NordVPN's 10
- A cheaper entry plan: $52.56 for 2 years, renewing at $99.99 a year against $139.08
- Split tunneling, double hop, a SOCKS5 proxy, and an ad blocker on the cheapest plan
- 1 TB of cloud backup on its Advanced plan
- A higher unprompted Trustpilot average in our sample (3.0 from 90 vs 2.7 from 23)
NordVPN vs IPVanish FAQ
Is NordVPN or IPVanish cheaper?+
IPVanish. Its Essential plan is $52.56 for the first 2 years ($2.19/mo) and renews at $99.99 a year. NordVPN Basic is $94.23 for 27 months ($3.49/mo) and renews at $139.08 a year. Month to month, both entry plans are $14.99.
Who owns IPVanish?+
Ziff Davis, a US company that also owns PCMag. PCMag notes this in its IPVanish review. NordVPN belongs to Nord Security, the same group as Surfshark.
Can I get a refund from IPVanish?+
Within 30 days, if you are a first-time customer on a yearly or 2-year plan bought on its website. Monthly plans, renewals, and app-store purchases are excluded. NordVPN also gives 30 days, counted from the purchase date.
How many devices do NordVPN and IPVanish allow?+
IPVanish allows unlimited devices on every plan. NordVPN allows 10.