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Conflict of interest: the same owner also runs PCMag, Mashable, which publish VPN rankings. Treat those rankings accordingly.
Ultimate ownerZiff DavisUnited States · Five Eyes
Operates IPVanishIPVanish, Inc.
StrongVPNEncrypt.mePCMagMashable
Brands in red publish VPN rankings. They share an owner with IPVanish.
Acquired by J2 Global, now Ziff Davis, in 2019. Ziff Davis also owns PCMag and Mashable, which review VPNs. In 2016, under previous owner Highwinds, IPVanish handed connection logs to US authorities despite a no-logs policy.
Public-source facts, not yet checked against primary documents. How we verify.
Lab test pending: score uses public, checkable data only. How we verify.
Verdict
IPVanish owns and runs its own server network, allows unlimited devices, and has a good Fire TV app. It also handed connection logs to US Homeland Security in 2016 while advertising a zero-logs policy, under a previous owner; is now owned by Ziff Davis, which also owns PCMag and Mashable, both of which rank VPNs; sits under US jurisdiction; has no obfuscation; and renews its two-year plan at more than three times the intro. A 2022 audit says it no longer logs. The 2016 record and the review-site conflict keep it on the not-recommended list.
Best for
Not recommended. Existing subscribers on Fire TV get a workable streaming app; anyone choosing fresh should look at the recommended list.
Not for
Privacy-motivated users, torrenters, travellers to censored countries, or anyone who takes a documented logging incident seriously.
1,281 most recent reviews across 5 storefronts, 2014-07-21 to 2026-09-03. Listing rating 4.55★ from 104,280 ratings. Version 4.32.0, released 2026-07-13.
58
Billing complaints 18.4%Sentiment improving last 90 daysCritical complaints 41.7%
Billing & auto-renew
16.1%
iOS integration
12.3%
Crashes & bugs
9.8%
Customer support
9%
Connection drops
8%
Slow speeds
6.8%
Refund problems
5.9%
Streaming blocked
4.8%
★☆☆☆☆ “On iPad have to delete app and reinstall at least twice weekly.” App Store reviewer, 2026-09-03
★☆☆☆☆ “Company is an absolute joke with customer service.” App Store reviewer, 2026-09-02
★☆☆☆☆ “Doesn’t work connection error, sent email to support.” App Store reviewer, 2026-08-30
★★★★★ “IPVanish
Is a great tool and great for my budget.” App Store reviewer, 2026-07-12
★★★★★ “Works great with all my devices!” App Store reviewer, 2026-05-11
Themes tagged by keyword rules; percentages are share of sampled reviews mentioning the theme. Full breakdown · Method.
Streaming and censorship status
Streaming
NetflixWorks
BBC iPlayerUnreliable
Disney+Unreliable
HuluWorks
Prime VideoUnreliable
Restricted countries
ChinaBlocked
United Arab EmiratesUnreliable
RussiaBlocked
IranBlocked
TürkiyeWorks
Basis: user reports and provider statements; our own checks pending.
The 2016 incident
In 2016, in a federal case in Indiana, Homeland Security Investigations obtained from IPVanish connection logs identifying a user — the timestamps of connections and the user’s real IP address — while IPVanish’s website advertised a zero-logs policy. The filing became public in 2018. IPVanish was then owned by Highwinds Network Group; Highwinds was bought by StackPath in 2017, and IPVanish by J2 Global, now Ziff Davis, in 2019. The current owner has said the earlier policy was not honoured under previous management and that the service now keeps no logs, and a 2022 audit by Leviathan Security supports that.
This site’s view is that a provider which logged while claiming not to has a claim to rebuild, and that one audit is a start rather than a resolution. The incident is the primary reason IPVanish is on the not recommended list.
Ownership
Ziff Davis owns IPVanish, StrongVPN and Encrypt.me, and also PCMag and Mashable. PCMag reviews VPNs and discloses the relationship in a note on IPVanish’s review; Mashable’s disclosure is less prominent. This is the same structure as Kape’s ownership of ExpressVPN and vpnMentor, at smaller scale.
Jurisdiction and audits
US-based, inside the Five Eyes. Leviathan Security audited the no-logs policy in 2022. Apps closed source.
Protocols, network and features
WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2, with an OpenVPN scramble option that is not effective obfuscation. Around 2,400 servers in 55 countries, owned and operated by IPVanish rather than rented, which is a genuine plus. Unlimited devices. Kill switch, split tunnelling on Android and Fire TV, a threat blocker, and a well-regarded Fire TV app. No port forwarding, no dedicated IPs.
What it costs, honestly
Plan
Intro
Renewal
True cost / month over 3 years
Monthly
$12.99
$12.99
$12.99
1 year
$47.89
$89.99
$6.33
2 years
$51.99
$179.98 (2 × yearly)
$4.83
The two-year plan renews at more than three times the intro monthly rate. A 30-day money-back guarantee applies.
Streaming and censorship
User reports have Netflix and Hulu working; iPlayer, Disney+ and Prime inconsistent. No censorship capability.
The iPhone app
This month’s App Store analysis of 1,300 recent reviews places the app in the lower half, with a high critical-complaint rate and a billing flag. Billing and auto-renew is the top theme, followed by connection drops. Full breakdown.
What would change this review
Time without incident, further audits, and a clearer disclosure of the Ziff Davis relationship on the sites that rank it.
Assembled from public sources; confirm operating entity, jurisdiction and audit history against primary documents.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns IPVanish?
Ziff Davis, the US media company, through its 2019 acquisition of IPVanish's then-parent (as J2 Global). Ziff Davis also owns StrongVPN and Encrypt.me, and the publications PCMag and Mashable, which publish VPN rankings. PCMag discloses the relationship in a note; Mashable less prominently.
What happened in 2016?
In a 2016 US federal case, IPVanish — then owned by Highwinds Network Group — provided Homeland Security Investigations with connection logs identifying a user, including timestamps and the user's real IP, while its website advertised a zero-logs policy. The court filing became public in 2018. Highwinds was acquired by StackPath in 2017 and IPVanish by J2 Global in 2019; the current owner says the policy is now genuinely no-logs and a 2022 Leviathan Security audit supports that.
Is IPVanish safe now?
The 2022 Leviathan audit found no logging, and there have been no incidents since the ownership changes. The apps are closed source. US jurisdiction applies. This site's position is that a provider which once logged while claiming not to needs more than one audit to rebuild the claim, and that the owner's review-site holdings are a separate problem.
How much does IPVanish cost?
About $52 for the first two years ($2.17 a month advertised), renewing at about $180 for another two years — roughly $4.83 a month across the months that buys. The yearly plan is about $48 renewing at $90. Monthly is $12.99. A 30-day money-back guarantee applies.
Does IPVanish work in China?
No. It has no obfuscated protocol beyond an OpenVPN scramble option that is detected. Blocked in Russia and Iran.
Does IPVanish keep logs?
It says it does not, and Leviathan Security audited that in 2022. In 2016 it did, under a previous owner, while claiming not to.
