IPVanish Review Canada 2025: Fast Speeds, But Is It Enough?

IPVanish Overview - Speed-Focused VPN with Limitations

IPVanish is a US-based VPN that prioritizes speed and has been around since 2012. After testing it extensively from Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, the verdict is mixed: it delivers impressive speeds and unlimited device connections, but it struggles with streaming and has a concerning jurisdiction.

The standout feature is speed. IPVanish consistently delivered some of the fastest connection times and download speeds in our testing, often matching or exceeding premium competitors. If you need a VPN primarily for torrenting, gaming, or general browsing, IPVanish performs well.

However, there are significant drawbacks. IPVanish is based in the United States (a Five Eyes country with mandatory data retention laws), has a troubled history (it logged user data and cooperated with authorities in 2016), and doesn't work reliably with Netflix. For streaming-focused users, this is a dealbreaker.

IPVanish operates 2,400+ servers in 90+ countries, including servers in Toronto and Vancouver. The network is smaller than competitors (NordVPN has 7,800+ servers, Surfshark 3,200+), but the servers are fast and reliable. The company claims to own all its servers (no third-party rentals), which theoretically improves security and performance.

Privacy & Security - The Elephant in the Room

Let's address the biggest concern first: IPVanish is headquartered in Orlando, Florida, USA. The United States is a founding member of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which means US companies can be compelled to hand over user data to intelligence agencies, often without public disclosure.

In 2016, IPVanish was involved in a major logging scandal. Despite claiming a no-logs policy, the company provided user connection logs to Homeland Security, which led to a criminal arrest. IPVanish was owned by a different parent company at the time (Highwinds/StackPath), and the current owner (Ziff Davis, since 2019) claims the logging practices have changed. However, the incident permanently damaged IPVanish's reputation in the privacy community.

Today, IPVanish claims a strict no-logs policy: they state they don't store IP addresses, traffic data, or connection timestamps. However, this policy has not been independently audited, which is concerning given the 2016 scandal. Competitors like NordVPN, Surfshark, and ProtonVPN publish regular third-party audits - IPVanish does not.

On the technical side, IPVanish offers AES-256 encryption, reliable kill switch (we tested it and it worked), and support for WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 protocols. Our leak tests (DNS, WebRTC, IPv6) showed zero leaks. The security implementation is solid - the concern is the jurisdiction and lack of transparency.

Speed Tests - IPVanish's Strongest Asset

This is where IPVanish shines. Speed testing from multiple Canadian locations consistently showed IPVanish among the fastest VPNs available, often matching or beating premium competitors.

Testing from Toronto to IPVanish's Toronto server yielded 445 Mbps download and 218 Mbps upload on our 500 Mbps connection. That's only an 11% speed reduction - excellent performance and noticeably faster than Surfshark (16% loss) and ProtonVPN (24% loss). Only NordVPN performed better (3% loss).

Connecting to US servers (New York, Miami, Dallas) maintained 400-425 Mbps speeds with low ping times (15-28ms). European servers (London, Amsterdam) delivered 310-350 Mbps. Even distant servers in Asia and Australia maintained 180-220 Mbps - solid performance across the board.

IPVanish defaults to WireGuard protocol, which is fast and secure. In our comparative tests, WireGuard was 50-70% faster than OpenVPN on the same servers. Connection times averaged 2-3 seconds - among the fastest we've tested. For speed-focused activities like gaming, large downloads, or 4K streaming (on platforms that work), IPVanish delivers.

Streaming Performance - IPVanish's Biggest Weakness

This is where IPVanish falls apart. If streaming is your primary reason for wanting a VPN, choose a different service. IPVanish is consistently blocked by major streaming platforms, particularly Netflix.

Netflix blocked IPVanish on every US server we tested from Canada. We tried 12 different US servers over multiple days, and Netflix detected and blocked the VPN every time with the infamous proxy error. Canadian Netflix worked fine (you're in Canada, no geo-blocking), but accessing international Netflix libraries is essentially impossible with IPVanish.

Disney+, Prime Video, and Paramount+ had mixed results. Disney+ occasionally worked but required multiple server attempts. Prime Video blocked IPVanish about 60% of the time. Canadian sports streaming (TSN, Sportsnet) worked on Canadian servers but was unreliable on US servers.

UK streaming (BBC iPlayer, ITV) was almost entirely blocked. We successfully streamed BBC iPlayer once out of 8 attempts - a 12% success rate that's unacceptable for a paid VPN. If UK streaming matters to you, NordVPN or ExpressVPN are significantly more reliable.

Torrenting and Gaming - Where IPVanish Excels

If you're not focused on streaming, IPVanish has real strengths. Torrenting and gaming performance is excellent, often better than competitors.

P2P and torrenting are allowed on all IPVanish servers with no restrictions. Download speeds during our torrent tests averaged 42-48 MB/s on Canadian and US servers - among the fastest we've measured. The kill switch worked reliably during connection drops, preventing IP leaks. SOCKS5 proxy support (included with subscription) provides an additional layer for advanced users.

Gaming performance was impressive with low ping times. Toronto to New York averaged 18ms ping, Toronto to Dallas 32ms, Toronto to London 88ms. We tested Valorant, Warzone, and Rocket League with zero lag or disconnections. IPVanish is genuinely good for competitive gaming.

The unlimited device connections mean you can protect your gaming PC, console (via router), phone, and streaming devices simultaneously without hitting a device cap. This is valuable for households with multiple gamers or heavy internet users.

Apps - Functional But Showing Their Age

IPVanish's apps work reliably but feel dated compared to modern alternatives like Surfshark or NordVPN. The interface is functional rather than elegant, and the user experience could be more intuitive.

The desktop apps (Windows, macOS) feature a list-based server selection with country flags and city names. Quick Connect works but doesn't intelligently route you to streaming servers (which doesn't matter since streaming doesn't work anyway). Advanced settings include protocol selection, kill switch, split tunneling, and connection diagnostics.

Mobile apps (iOS, Android) mirror the desktop experience with the same list interface. The Android app includes all features including SOCKS5 proxy configuration. Battery impact was moderate during our week-long testing - comparable to most VPNs.

One positive: the apps are stable and rarely crash. Connection reliability was excellent during our month-long testing period. However, the interface design feels like it's from 2018 rather than 2025 - it gets the job done but lacks the polish of modern competitors.

Pricing - Decent Value If You Don't Need Streaming

IPVanish pricing is competitive if you commit to longer terms. The value proposition depends entirely on whether you need streaming - if you do, IPVanish isn't worth any price.

The annual plan costs $2.79/month (billed $33.48/year), which is cheaper than NordVPN ($3.19/month) and comparable to Surfshark ($2.19/month). For torrenting, gaming, and general privacy, this represents decent value. However, the lack of reliable streaming significantly reduces the overall value compared to competitors.

The monthly plan at $11.99/month is terrible value - avoid it. The quarterly plan at $3.99/month is better but still not ideal. The sweet spot is the annual plan at $2.79/month.

All plans include unlimited simultaneous device connections, access to all 2,400+ servers, 24/7 support, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. We tested the refund process and received our money back within 7 business days with minimal questions.

IPVanish for Canadians - Mixed Bag

IPVanish maintains servers in Toronto and Vancouver, though the Canadian server count is limited (10-15 servers vs NordVPN's 100+). During testing, these servers delivered excellent speeds and low latency.

For Canadians concerned about privacy and Bill C-11, IPVanish's US jurisdiction is a significant concern. The United States has mandatory data retention laws and intelligence-sharing agreements with Canada. IPVanish's 2016 logging scandal makes it difficult to trust their current no-logs claims without independent audits.

Canadian banking and financial services worked without issues through IPVanish. We tested major banks (RBC, TD, Scotiabank) and encountered no blocks or security problems. Two-factor authentication worked normally.

Accessing US content from Canada is hit-or-miss. While the VPN connection works, most streaming services block IPVanish. You can access US websites, gaming servers, and general content, but Netflix US, Hulu, and HBO Max are largely inaccessible.

Customer Support - Adequate But Not Impressive

IPVanish offers 24/7 live chat support, which sounds good but performance is inconsistent. During our testing, we contacted support 5 times at different hours with varying results.

Wait times ranged from 3 minutes (best case) to 22 minutes (worst case) - highly variable. Support agents were generally helpful for basic questions (refunds, setup, billing) but struggled with technical issues like protocol optimization or SOCKS5 configuration.

The knowledge base is comprehensive with setup guides, troubleshooting articles, and FAQs. Most common issues can be resolved without contacting support. However, articles sometimes reference outdated app versions or screenshots, which can be confusing.

Email support is available with responses typically within 12-24 hours. For urgent issues, live chat is faster when available, though the variable wait times can be frustrating.

Final Verdict - Fast But Flawed

IPVanish is a niche VPN that excels at speed-focused activities (torrenting, gaming, browsing) but fails at streaming and raises privacy concerns due to US jurisdiction and past logging history.

Who should use IPVanish: Torrenters needing fast P2P speeds, gamers wanting low latency, users who don't care about Netflix or streaming, households needing unlimited device connections, and anyone prioritizing raw speed over privacy audits or streaming capability.

Who should avoid IPVanish: Anyone who wants to stream Netflix or international content (this is most people), privacy-conscious users concerned about Five Eyes jurisdiction, anyone needing independently audited security, and users wanting the most modern app experience.

Compared to alternatives: IPVanish is faster than Surfshark and ProtonVPN but can't stream. It's cheaper than NordVPN but lacks the security audits, streaming reliability, and server network. For $2.79/month, it's decent value for torrenting and gaming - but for most Canadians wanting an all-around VPN, NordVPN or Surfshark are better choices.

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