You may not have heard yet about Ivacy, but this Singapore-based provider has been around since 2007 and it offers all the features that you would expect from a great VPN. They have extensive experience in the industry and claim to be the first provider to have implemented split tunneling. To keep up with technology and customer’s demands, the service has been recently revamped and strong security features have been introduced. Ivacy offers a solid network of servers that can help you to make your connection more secure and flexible, for an incredibly low price. You can find out more about Ivacy in this review.
Pricing
Price is an important factor when choosing a VPN. At first sight, Ivacy may seem expensive since one month of service costs $10.95. However, if you opt for an annual subscription, Ivacy becomes one of the most affordable options available. Currently, when you pay for one year in advance, you get one year free and the price is just $36, which means that the cost per month is just $1.50. That is amazingly low price for keeping your connection secure for 2 years. There is also a 3-month plan that costs $23.85 ($7.95 per month), but without a doubt, the best option is the yearly plan.
Although they don’t offer a free trial, customers are covered with a 7-day money back guarantee that gives you enough time to try out the service and to decide if it is the right option for your needs. However, the guarantee only applies if you meet certain conditions. For instance, you won’t be entitled to a refund if you have consumed more than 7GB of bandwidth or if you have exceeded 30 sessions. This may seem like a downside but it is understandable that Ivacy puts some restrictions in the refund policy to prevent abuse. Just make sure that the first thing you do when you connect is to test the servers and applications that you need to use to make sure that the service works well for you.
The payment methods supported include credit cards, PayPal, PerfectMoney, WebMoney and Bitcoin (via BitPay and CoinPayments), as well as options like Alipay, Yandex, Netcard, Giropay and Cashu through Paymentwall. It should be noted that their policy also establishes that Bitcoin and Paymentwall payments are not covered by the money back guarantee.
Features
There are software clients for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android, but iVacy offers support for many other platforms. You will find useful guides to set up the service on Linux, BlackBerry, Kodi, DD-WRT, Roku, Boxee, gaming consoles and more. The client is very easy to use and it gives you the possibility of finding the protocol and server that suits your needs, without any hassle. You can choose the connection settings, based on what you want to do online, be it streaming, downloading or general browsing. If privacy is your main concern, you can opt for the highest level of encryption. Currently, they have over 200 servers in more than 100 locations. This ensures that you can enjoy greater flexibility to unblock services and access global content.
As previously mentioned, Ivacy claims to be the first VPN provider to use Split Tunneling. This practical feature, allows you to select which data goes through the VPN, while you can keep your standard connection for the rest of your traffic. This could be practical if you need to keep your regular IP address to access a specific service, while you use the VPN to secure other applications. This, along with the smart features that allow you to configure the VPN based on your purpose, make Ivacy a highly efficient and user-friendly solution. You can even select specific services to ensure that the VPN works exactly in the way you need. Whether you want top security, or optimal speed for streaming and downloading media, you can get it with Ivacy.
They allow P2P file-sharing in most locations in their network and even offer optimized servers for this purpose. You will be able to enjoy good speeds and protection for your P2P traffic. It is possible to switch between servers as often as needed and there is also unlimited data transfer supported. To enhance the security of your connection, Ivacy offers protection against IPv6 leaks and DNS leaks. The service also features an Internet Kill Switch that automatically shuts down all your online applications if your VPN connection drops. Overall, Ivacy covers all the functionality required to keep your online traffic secure and private. Additionally, they allow up to 5 simultaneous connections so you can enjoy the benefits of a VPN at home and on the go.
Security
Ivacy supports L2TP, IKEv2, SSTP, PPTP and OpenVPN. The variety of protocols available will allow you to find the right option for different situations. PPTP is the least secure protocol, but you can rely in the rest of them to protect your data. Remember that if you need the best level of security, you should opt for OpenVPN. To secure this protocol, Ivacy uses AES-256-CBC cipher combined with a standard RSA-2048 key, which is strong enough to keep your privacy safe.
Singaporean laws don’t require Ivacy to retain information of their customers’ activities and personal data is protected by strong regulations. This enables Ivacy to offer a service that is ideal for those concerned about their privacy. They don’t keep logs of your online activities. Since there are no traffic or session data logs kept, they can establish a connection between specific activity and a particular user. Ivacy promises to help users to remain anonymous.
Speed
In general, Ivacy’s service works well and we didn’t experience disconnections. However, the speed results may vary according to the server you connect to and the applications you use. Some locations are much faster than others, but this will also depend on where you are connecting from. Overall, there is no significant drop in speed, although some users have reported lag and slow loading times for some websites. Still, the torrent download speed was good enough and there were no signs of IP or DNS leakage when we performed tests in this area.
Customer Support
The website offers useful setup guides and you can find solutions for most queries in the FAQ section. You can easily search for topics to find more information and if needed, you can reach out to their support team via email, live chat and even phone. Unlike other companies, Ivacy offers a good variety of support options and they are transparent about their location. In most cases, the support team reply to queries in a fast and polite manner. However, the live chat is not available at all times and if you need help with a difficult setup issue or with a refund, it is better that you contact them via ticket.
Conclusion
Ivacy aims to offer a comprehensive solution for anyone who needs to protect their data and bypass restrictions to access online content. They offer a great selection of features and extensive global coverage. Although the speed may vary, Ivacy is continuously working to expand and update its network, so users across the world can expect more server options to improve their online experience. The high level of encryption and the inclusion of features like Kill Switch and IPv6 leaks protection, show the provider’s commitment to security. We also like the fact that they don’t keep logs that can compromise your privacy. They have a 7-day money back guarantee and the annual plan offers great value for money, making Ivacy worth a try.