Surfshark vs IPVanish in 2025

It’s always much easier to pick the perfect VPN provider for you when you can compare their pros and cons. Plus, narrowing down the choices based on facts is a very good idea in its own right. In this article, I’ll pit two well-known names in the VPN world against each other – Surfshark vs IPVanish – to see which one is the winner.

I’ll compare the services based on their security, speed, ease of use, availability of advanced features, and even how well their apps are designed. So, continue reading this article for in-depth insights into Surfshark and IPVanish. Hopefully, this will help you choose the provider that meets your standards.

Surfshark vs. IPVanish: specifications

While both Surfshark and IPVanish are well-known industry names, Surfshark is better in many areas. It offers a twice-bigger server fleet, has more advanced features, and is better at bypassing geo-restrictions than IPVanish. Take a look at how the base specifications of the duo look compared:

Surfshark vs IPVanish VPN speed test

During my speed test, Surfshark outperformed IPVanish by a small margin at download speeds but was significantly better at uploads and the overall performance of distant servers. The average download speed of Surfshark reached an excellent 467.9 Mbps, and upload speeds kept at a steady 326.5 Mbps. In comparison, IPVanish’s download speeds, on average, reached 414.4 Mbps, which is very near to Surfshark, while the upload speeds were at 299.8. However, when I checked the IPVanish Singapore server, I only got 5 MBPS download and 1 Mbps upload speed. And yes, that is not a typo. So, while the speeds are somewhat similar, Surfshark is still slightly faster and more consistent throughout the servers.

To measure the speeds of these two providers, I used the speedtest.net page by Ookla and performed my tests there. First, I got my own connection speed without the VPNs and used it as a baseline. Then, I performed the test for each of the providers while connected to different servers.

I used the fastest available protocols with both providers to paint a fair picture in my test. Since Surfshark and IPVanish have the WireGuard tunneling protocol, I made sure to toggle this selection on before doing my tests. So, here are the results of my Surfshark vs IPVanish speed test:

Both Surfshark and IPVanish fare very similarly in speeds attributed to the most popular server locations, such as the US, UK, and Canada. Anything over 400 Mbps is great for streaming, gaming, torrenting, or simply browsing. However, Surfshark has an edge over IPVanish when it comes to faraway servers. I took Singapore as an example, and as you can see, Surfshark still managed to provide speeds way over 400 Mbps, while IPVanish’s speeds were practically nonexistent. So, if you’d like to connect to servers to unlock exotic content or would like to use distant locations for gaming, I’d choose Surfshark over IPvanish any day.

Server fleet

Both Surfshark and IPVanish operate sizeable server fleets; however, Surfshark still outperforms its rival with a good 1000 thousand more servers and tens more countries. IPVanish has 2200+ servers in 51+ countries while Surfshark towers over it with 3200+ countries in 100+ countries.

While Surfshark’s fleet isn’t twice as big as IPVanish’s, those 1000+ additional servers and some tens of countries might sometimes make all the difference. If many users are connected to one server, it gets congested, and your speeds can drop significantly. Plus, overused servers might become ineffective at bypassing geo-restrictions or can be blacklisted by sites that might impose VPN blocks on these particular server IPs. In a nutshell, the bigger the fleet is available, the better your chances at finding a speedy server in any place you need it, all the time.

The biggest chunk of Surfshark’s fleet is located in the Americas and Europe, with 600 in the US alone. In addition to the most popular locations, like the UK, Germany, France, and the like, Surfshark also operates plenty of servers in less obvious places, such as Ghana and Nigeria in Africa, and Bhutan, Brunei, Mongolia, and Macau SAR China. This is great news for those who want to access specific content in all corners of the world or for travelers who like to keep their network activities safe no matter where they are while also bypassing government-related internet restrictions.

IPVanish’s largest part of the fleet is also located in North America, with around 1500 servers located there. The second place goes to Europe, with around 700 servers, and the rest is divided between Asia, Ocean, South America, and Africa, the latter of which only has 6 available servers in Morocco, Algeria, and South Africa. Speaking of niche locations, IPVanish also has some of them, like Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Myanmar; however, as my speed tests showed, those faraway servers aren’t really in good working order when you’re half a world away from them.

In a nutshell, having a bigger server fleet to choose from ensures better speeds and a greater chance of unblocking geo-restricted content while also avoiding any VPN blocks. So, in this case, Surfshark wins with more available servers, more countries covered, and more consistent performance throughout.

Specialized servers

Specialized servers are VPN servers optimized for a specific task. Some could be created for P2P activities, some for extra safety, or for other precise purposes. Both IPVanish and Surfshark have obfuscated servers, but Surfshark has a few more specialty server types.

• P2P. Not all servers can be used for P2P activities, such as torrenting, and some VPN providers restrict such activities quite significantly. Both IPVanish and Surfshark allow P2P traffic on all of their servers, so torrenting won’t be an issue here.
• Obfuscated servers. Obfuscation takes your network traffic through a complicated maze of encryption, and, in the end, your traffic looks just like normal internet traffic. This is very useful when you want to hide the fact you’re using a VPN from your ISP or when a VPN encounters heavy blocks restricting access to certain websites. Surfhsark’s obfuscated servers are only available with the OpenVPN protocol, and IPVanish uses the Shadowsocks protocol for the same purpose.
• Double VPN. This feature routes your network traffic through multiple (though usually only two) VPN servers. This adds an additional layer of security, which can be very important if you’re in a country with severe internet restrictions. With Surfshark, this feature is called MultiHop, and IPVanish does not offer it at all.

So, as you can see, Surfshark offers a slight edge when it comes to specialty servers, with more types of them on offer. Another advantage to Surfshark’s servers is that they are RAM-only. This means none of your data can ever be taken from the servers since none of it is physically stored anywhere. This gives greater safety for all Sufshark users and their data. Meanwhile, IPVanish does not have RAM-only servers, which might be a problem if a data leak should happen.

Surfshark vs. IPVanish streaming test

During my streaming tests, both providers performed very similarly, unblocking all of the most popular streaming services. I tried them with various Netflix libraries including US, Canada, Japan, and Brazil, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, and others. The only thing that gave Surfshark a slight edge was more stable connections and consistent speeds throughout servers. Here’s how the unblocking capabilities of both of the providers look compared side-by-side:

Surfshark vs IPVanish: which is more secure?

The main objective of a VPN is to keep your network activities private and your data safe. For a VPN to perform well at both objectives, it has to have solid coverage of the main security basics, like a kill switch, robust encryption, IP & DNS leak protection, and a strict no-logs policy. Let’s see how my competitors fare in these requirements:

At a glance, both providers look to be comparably secure, with the same encryption protocol, strong Hash, and third-party audited no-logs policy. Even if you were to dig deeper into the security aspect, the main VPN tunneling protocol choice is the same for both of these providers: WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. IPVanish also offers the IPSec tunneling protocol, but it’s so unsafe to use that I won’t even pay too much attention to it. Thus, they’re truly very similar in these core security features.

However, there’s one caveat – jurisdiction. I’ll tell you more about it in the next section, but for now, all you need to know is that Surfshark is a bit more trustworthy and, thus, more secure.

Which VPN offers better privacy protection?

Both Surfshark and IPVanish are based in countries that are members of the Eye Alliances, a global intelligence-sharing alliance. However, the Netherlands, where Surfshark is based, must comply with European data safety laws, while the US policy, where IPVanish is located, is much more lax and less user-friendly regarding data collection and sharing.

In fact, back in 2016, IPVanish handed over user information to the US Government despite claiming to have a strict no-logs policy. Of course, that was almost 10 years ago, and as of right now, IPVanish has been audited by third parties several times. However, if you’re picky about stuff like that, this might mean IPVanish is less trustworthy.

Another thing that contributes greatly to privacy protection is IP, DNS, and WebRTC leak protection. Without this protection, VPNs could leak your real IP address and location, which, in some cases, might put you in danger. So, to check how good these providers are at keeping your connections leak-free, I performed several tests on the ipleak.net and dnsleaktest.com pages.

During my tests, both Surfshark and IPVanish kept it airtight, and I experienced no leaks. Thus, I can safely say that no matter which of these two providers you choose, you’ll have robust IPv6, WebRTC, and DNS protection.

There’s one more thing I should mention about privacy protection – as an additional feature, Surfshark offers crypto as one of the subscription payment methods available to potential users. IPVanish does not offer that, so if you’re all about total privacy and anonymity, I’d choose Surfshark.

Surfshark vs IPVanish: which is better for torrenting?

A good VPN for torrenting should have P2P-streamlined servers, split tunneling, an excellent initial speed retention rate, and, ideally, a port forwarding feature for better connection and download speeds. Before digging into the details, let’s see how the providers compare here in a table:

First off, both Surfshark and IPVanish allow P2P activities on all of their servers. This is excellent news, as you’ll never find yourself in a situation where the only P2P-compatible servers are always congested or out of order. Surprisingly, IPVanish offers a free SOCKS5 proxy, which is otherwise paid for and must be purchased separately. To those unacquainted, using a SOCKS proxy is a generally safer way to torrent than with just regular browsers and a bit faster than using a VPN. So here, IPVanish wins. As for split tunneling and port forwarding, it’s a draw. However, the last determining feature is the initial speed retention rate – Surfshark’s average initial speed retention rate is at 94%, while IPVanish stays around 82% rate.

So, while the initial speed retention rate is better with Surfshark, IPVanish offers a free SOCKS5 proxy. Keeping all these aspects in mind, I can firmly say that when it comes to torrenting, both providers go shoulder to shoulder. On the end note, I’d like to remind you that greater connection speeds do not always mean you’ll download your files faster. This also greatly depends on the number of seeders and peers for the individual torrent file as well.

Surfshark vs IPVanish: device compatibility and ease of use

Both Surfshark and IPVanish support all major OSs, including Linux. However, Surfshark offers a wider selection of browser extensions and more dedicated apps. A good thing is the possibility of manually installing both VPN services onto devices such as routers. This way, all other tech connected to the internet via that router will be protected by a VPN.

Another thing I personally like a lot is the unlimited simultaneous connections. In this case, Surfshark and IPVanish offer them. With unlimited connections, you can make them family-shared VPNs or protect as many personal devices as you like.

The only place where Surfshark stands out as a winner is in browser extensions and dedicated apps. While IPVanish also covers all of the most important browsers and devices, Surfshark’s list is simply longer. Thus, if you’re looking for a VPN service compatible with all sorts of different tech, choose Surfshark.

Desktop applications

Both Surfshark and IPVanish offer Windows, macOS, and Linux apps. This is already good news for Linux fans, but let’s examine how the apps actually look and work.

Surfshark’s desktop app is probably the easiest and most intuitive app around. It could be your first time ever turning on a computer, and you’d still manage to find all you need in an instant. The app is quite minimalistic, with the main window showing a list of server locations and offering a Quick Connect feature immediately. The Quick Connect pairs you with the best server for you based on location and availability. However, Surfshark’s desktop app does not have a map with server locations. And while this isn’t a minus, I’m so used to seeing a map on VPN apps that I kind of missed it here.

I did not have to browse for a long time to find and figure out the advanced settings, such as MultiHop, Dedicated IP, and CleanWeb. They’re all located in the same main window, and toggling these features does not require any additional steps. Indeed, this is a very user-friendly app, and I simply wished that other providers would make theirs just like that.

Lastly, I found it very agreeable that both Windows and macOS apps look the exact same and offer the exact same features. This is still kind of a rarity in the VPN industry, with macOS apps usually getting fewer features and functionalities.

Now, let’s take a look at the IPVanish desktop app. Here, I did find the server location map right away, and the app itself, while not as sleek as Surfshark’s, is still very easy to navigate. To find the settings, I navigated to a respective field by pressing on the cog icon. That said, IPVanish does not offer plenty of advanced features, but I managed to change the VPN protocol and switch to the double hop feature. One thing to know with the double hop here is that you don’t get to manually choose the middle server, as it is appointed to you automatically. If you’d like to do it yourself, you should change the preset settings.

As for macOS and Windows app differences, the features are almost the same, except for a slight difference in split tunneling. For MacOS and iOS, it only allows domains to be added. On Windows and Android, split tunneling allows the user to add apps.

All in all, both apps are well-designed and user-friendly, but Surfshark’s is just that bit more intuitive. Additionally, Surfshark’s app offers greater freedom of settings choices while keeping the selection process very easy to master.

Mobile applications

Here’s what I truly enjoy about VPN services – matching desktop and mobile apps. So, I was very pleased to find that both Surfshark and IPVanish mobile apps look identical to their desktop counterparts, which saves a lot of confusion and time when getting used to different navigation systems.

As you can see in the screenshot above, both apps look nice and clear, and I really had no issue finding the things I was curious about on them. However, as is usually the case, both apps have fewer features on their iOS versions, and both are missing split tunneling for iOS devices.

That said, the two apps compare pretty equally, but Surfshark’s simplicity and overall intuitive feel win this time.

Surfshark vs. IPVanish: Pricing

Surfshark and IPVanish offer 1-month, 1-year, and 2-year subscription plans. As it usually is, the longer the subscription, the better price you get. So, here’s the breakdown: although IPVanish offers significantly cheaper 1-month subscription plans, coming in at $12.99 for the Essential and $14.99 for the Advanced, Surfshark wins with the longer subscriptions. Case in point, Surfshark’s 2-year subscription will set you back at a mere $2.19, while IPVanish is a bit pricier at $2.19 for a subscription of the same length. Here’s how it works:

Overall, Surfshark is the cheaper option when compared to IPVanish, except for the short-term plans where IPVanish wins. In addition to subscriptions by length, both providers offer different tiers of services, which vary in price slightly. Let’s start with Surfshark’s options and see what you get with each subscription tier:

• Surfshark Starter: this subscription tier starts at $2.19/month and provides an unlimited connection VPN, ad blocker, cookie pop-up blocker, personal detail, and masked email generator. All these features make it a good choice for protecting your online privacy.
• Surfshark One: starting at $2.69/month, the Surfshark One includes the same features as Surfshark Starter, plus includes antivirus protection and more in-depth identity protection features.
• Surfshark One+: this is the most well-rounded Surfshark subscription, including all of the features mentioned above, plus data removal from company and people search sites. If you’re looking for complete security and anonymity, this is the ultimate choice, priced at $4.29/month if you choose the 2-year plan.

As you can see, the different Surfshark plans cover slightly different levels of online security, privacy protection, and identity theft measures. If you’re just looking for an excellent VPN service, Surfshark Starter will suffice, but if you’re worried about keeping your identity safe while online and your devices secure with antivirus, I’d choose either the Surfshark One or Surfshark One+.

Now, let’s take a look at the different subscription options offered by IPVanish:

• IPVanish Essential: this plan starts at $2.19/month and will give you access to an unlimited connection VPN, threat protection, and advanced security features, such as split tunneling. If you’re simply looking for a VPN service, this plan will provide it.
• IPVanish Advanced: starting at $3.29/month the Advanced tier includes the same features as the Essential as well as a secure browser, cloud backup, file sync & share, plus phone support.

In a nutshell, with IPVanish you’ll be getting a quite well-rounded online security experience, especially with the Advanced plan which offers a secure browser and cloud backup. However, if you’re simply looking for a VPN, then the Essential is more than enough.

Time for verdict – here, Surfshark clearly wins. Not only is it a cheaper option, but it also has subscription tiers with a lot more features than IPVanish. For one, with Surfshark, you can also get well-trusted antivirus software, which, as we all know, is a must-have for a well-rounded cybersecurity approach.

Features comparison

Both Surfshark and IPVanish have solid feature packages, including advanced ones like split tunneling, threat protection, and specialized servers. However, Surfshark offers a few more advanced essentials than IPVanish, like the multi hop feature and the rotating IP.

Additionally, there’s one huge bonus with Surfshark if you’re looking for a well-rounded cybersecurity package – antivirus. You can get it with the Surfshark One and Surfshark One+ subscription tiers, and it is simply the trump card that makes Surfshark a more robust choice. But, here’s how the Surfshark and IPvanish features, beyond the basic AES-256 encryption, kill switch, and no-logs policy, look like compared:

While the biggest chunk of the list looks very similar with Surfshark and IPVanish, Surfshark offers a more well-rounded and comprehensive cybersecurity solution with the inclusion of antivirus software. That said, it’s time for me to take these features to the field test and see how they perform in real life and if they are as secure as the providers promise.

Split tunneling

Both Surfshark and IPVanish offer Split tunneling, which is a very useful tool for better controlling VPN traffic by using it with select apps only. This feature allows you to route some of your connections via a VPN while other apps use your usual connection. This is very handy if you have a slow internet connection and want to speed things up while also stopping you from getting blocked from such activities as logging into your bank account, which, while using a VPN, might sometimes block you out because of unusual location.

One thing to remember is that Surfshark calls its Split tunneling feature Bypasser, so don’t get confused while looking for it on its apps. Both providers offer this feature on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS apps, which is great news since many other providers still only offer it on Windows/Android apps. All in all, in this regard, Surfshark and IPVanish stand on pretty even ground.

Ad & tracker blocker

The two providers offer similar, if not the same quality, ad & tracker blocker features. In Surfshark’s case, it’s called CleanWeb, and in IPVanish’s, it's Threat Protection. Despite the different names, the feature acts the same by blocking any potentially harmful ads, trackers, and malicious websites from reaching you and compromising your security. From my experience, both versions proved to be reliable, blocking threats in a timely manner. Thus, it’s a draw between Surfshark and IPVanish here, too.

GPS spoofing

Both Surfshark and IPVanish have a GPS spoofing feature, which is still a pretty rare thing to be found with VPNs. This is a particularly useful thing to be used on mobile devices, since not all VPNs are capable of masking the built-in GPS tracking in them and are sometimes inefficient in hiding your true location. However, since it is nearly impossible to GPS spoof an iOS device, this feature is only available for Android users of both of the VPN services.

Multi-hop feature

The multi-hop feature, also known as double hop, allows anyone to route their traffic through a couple of different servers that are linked together for increased security and untraceability. While this feature does slow down your connection some, it is an excellent solution to be used in risky situations or countries where VPN use is prohibited or the internet traffic is highly monitored. Here, Surfshark wins, as IPVanish does not offer this feature on its toolset.

Antivirus

If you’re looking for a comprehensive cybersecurity solution, then including an antivirus together with a VPN is a must. There are couple of VPN providers offering a VPN + antivirus package, and Surfshark is one of them as an AV is included in both the Surfshark One and One+ subscription packages. IPVanish does not offer any sort of additional antivirus software, thus Surfshark here is a clear winner.

Do Surfshark and IPVanish work in China?

Surfshark works in China, but IPVanish does not. Surfshark has a strong reputation for bypassing the Great Firewall of China because of such features as the NoBorders mode and the Camouflage Mode to avoid any possible VPN use detection. IPVanish might still sometimes work in China, it can not be called a reliable choice, lacking more advanced obfuscation features. So, here, Surfshark is my top choice for use in China.

Customer support

Both providers offer comprehensive custom support with many different ways to reach the professionals in case an issue arises. This includes a well-rounded knowledge base, 24/7 live chat, and email tickets. Plus, IPVanish has a phone line readily available for customers in the US, Mexico, UK, Spain, Australia, and Brazil. However, I do like the live chat option the best for a quick solution, and in both the provider’s cases, I got a response and a solution in a matter of minutes.

One place where IPVanish wins over Surfshark is in customer support, purely because it still operates a phone line connection to exclusive countries. On the other hand, Surfshark is encouraging its customers to contact customer support via live chat as it is still the fastest and easiest way to solve any VPN issues. Yet, overall, both providers offer a similar level of customer service that covers all the main bases.

So, while IPVanish does have one more customer support option, I think the quality and the problem-solving aspect is pretty much the same with both of the providers.

Final verdict: which VPN is better in 2025 – Surfshark or IPVanish?

The final verdict is that Surfshark is a better VPN than IPVanish in 2025. Surfshark offers more advanced features, provides better security and privacy solutions, reliably works in China, and even has antivirus software included in subscription options.

That said, IPVanish is not a bad choice in any way as it definitely a trustworthy and reliable service trusted by thousands of users worldwide. Also, it proved to be a tough contender in this race, offering a lot of very similar, if not the same features as Surfshark. Ultimately, it all boils down to your preferences and personal opinion.

FAQ

What’s better, Surfshark or IPVanish?

Surfshark is a better VPN than IPVanish. Surfshark offers more advanced features such as Camouflage Mode and NoBorders feature, while it is also more safe and secure than IPVanish. Lastly, with Surfshark One and One+ subscriptions, you can also get antivirus software for a complete cybersecurity protection package.

What are the downsides of Surfshark?

With Surfshark, some features cost extra. For example, the antivirus software is not included in the Starter pack, and you have to pay for it extra or get either the One or One+ subscriptions. Other than that, even the Starter packs give you a full VPN security set, unlimited data, and as many simultaneous connections as you want.

What is the IPVanish controversy?

The IPVanish controversy follows the story from 2016 when IPVanish was discovered to hand over a customer’s personal information to the Department of Homeland Security. On the one hand, this was a breach on IPVanish’s part over their proclaimed no-logs policy. On the other - the customer was suspected of sharing child pornography over the IRC network. In any case, this story happened almost a decade ago.

Is Surfshark really secure?

Yes, Surfshark is a secure VPN. The provider has a third-party audited no-logs policy and is based in the Netherlands which belongs to the jurisdiction of the European Union. Additionally, your data is secured with AES-256 encryption trusted by the military and your real IP is further protected from leaks by a very reliable hill switch.

Is Surfshark really unlimited?

Yes, Surfshark is really unlimited. The provider offers unlimited simultaneous connections, unlimited data, and unlimited server choice even with its base-tier subscription package, called Surfshark Starter.

Can you be tracked using IPVanish?

No, you cannot be tracked while using IPVanish. The service offers Obfuscated servers, which make VPN traffic look like normal network traffic thus masking the fact you’re using a VPN. Additionally, your real IP address is safeguarded by a kill switch and DNS & IP leak protection. However, IPVanish might not always be capable of bypassing he Great Firewall of China due to strong VPN use detection measures.