Overview
Let’s get something straight right off the bat. There are entities that want to know what you are doing online. But does this mean you always need to have the most secure VPN connection possible? It certainly would, if it didn’t mean some tradeoffs. Not surprisingly, the highest levels of encryption may foil efforts of the NSA to decrypt, but run slower than you’d like. If you are of the mindset that the NSA probably doesn’t care about you watching the Super Bowl from an unauthorized vantage point, but you would still like to be secure from lesser entitites, you may opt for the faster connection. And that leads to the #1 feature of IPVanish VPN: multiple protocols supported so you can choose your level of encryption security and speed. IPVanish joins other top VPN services like SlickVPN in offering this choice. IPVanish supports OpenVPN (most secure, slow); L2TP (slower still, less secure– but works with mobile devices); and PPTP (fastest, least secure).
Privacy
IPVanish has servers in 135 countries across North America, Europe, and Asia, and has been servicing customers for more than 15 years. Set up is fairly simple after downloading the software. Yes, you can change servers like with most services. Yes, you can change your IP address. You’re good to go on Windows XP, Vista, and 7. Also Mac OS X. IPhone, iPad, Android, and other mobile devices that can support any of the 3 protocols will also work with IPVanish.
Features
24/7 technical support offered 365 days a year via online form submission. Also Live chat during business hours weekdays, but users are encouraged to mine the FAQ section for answers to the most common questions. User reviews, however, indicate that customer service solutions have not always been spot on with providing guidance that works should one encounter an error.
Pricing
Multiple month discounts can get pricing as low as $6.49 for an annual agreement. 7 day money back guarantee, with most credit cards as well as PayPal and Bitcoin accepted.