Why should you get a VPN?
In today’s post, we’re discussing a VPN application called Ivacy VPN. We’re going to take a look at what it can do, how it works, and how you can use it to stay anonymous and secure online. VPN or Virtual Private Networks essentially hide your IP address from the rest of the internet, so that when you visit a website, instead of knowing exactly where you visit (with unsettling precision nowadays), the website will see a random IP address from a country you choose (or random if you selected Auto-Connect).
VPN Applications can also be useful if certain content isn’t accessible in your country but you still wanna pay to get access/watch that. Netflix is a good example. In some countries even if you wanna pay for a subscription you just can’t because the service isn’t available there. Using a VPN you can emulate an IP address from a country where the service exists, so you can purchase and enjoy a subscription.
Are VPNs legal?
Important: Please do check the legality of VPNs in your country before use. In most of the world, they’re fine, but your country can have different rules.
Countries like China ban VPNs, while countries like the United States and most of Europe do not. You should check with your local authorities.
Will my latency be impacted?
In our tests, Ivacy’s VPN performed fine speed-wise. One of the biggest issues with good VPNs is that even on the premium plan they tend to have sub-par speeds. In the case of Ivacy I could notice a bit of a speed drop (which was to be expected), but nothing I couldn’t work with.
Generally, the speed is a bit slower if you use a VPN because, in order to protect your IP address, all the traffic gets routed to the server in the country you specified. If you chose a country that is very far away from you, the Ping will be higher so you will have higher latency.
Can I watch Netflix or other streaming services with a VPN?
Most streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and so on, will detect that you run a VPN and may not let you watch, however, Ivacy VPN
has a special mode, a different kind of VPN that is not so easily detectable which does allow you to watch streaming services even if your country does not support them.
It’s the same thing about downloading torrents. It doesn’t really matter that your torrent isn’t anything illegal. Some countries have weird locks on torrent websites or torrent clients. While we do not condone piracy here at iDevice Central, there are legitimate reasons to use torrents, not only for piracy.
As such, Ivacy VPN has a Secure Download feature that allows you to securely download torrent files while also scanning them against known malware*. This way you can add an extra layer of security between you and the torrent provider.
* This should not replace your main antivirus / antimalware software. Keep that updated!
Bypassing geo-restrictions is maybe one of the biggest use for a VPN these days. It essentially makes the services/websites you access believe you live in a completely different country, thus unlocking that country’s services and websites.
Our test results
In our test results, Ivacy VPN Premium did well. It connected fast, had multiple countries and cities to choose from, from all across the world, the account management/creation was fast.
Pros of Ivacy VPN:
- Fast speed even when using streaming services.
- Secure download for torrents including scanning for malware.
- Unlocks geo-restricted content.
- Multiple countries and cities to choose from.
- Available for most major operating systems, including iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux, and even Raspberry PI.
- Affordable price, especially their 5-year plan.
- Has a No-Logs Policy.
Cons of Ivacy VPN:
- Setting it up directly on your router box may prove challenging if you do not have technical skills.
- May not be available in every single language in the world.
- iOS application will not work below iOS 12.
Conclusion:
While Ivacy VPN can definitely be improved, it does work fine, it has an affordable price, and does what it says on the tin, which is great. The app is available for most if not all major operating systems, making setting it up quite painless.
Overall score:
9.1/10
Full disclosure:
This article was sponsored by Ivacy VPN, however, the test results and analysis were not impacted by that and what you’ve read is an honest review written after testing the product ourselves.
