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Citizen vs IVPN

Citizen logo

Citizen

Government

Real-time Safety Alerts

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
I

IVPN

Cybersecurity

Privacy-focused VPN with anonymous account numbers instead of email signup

From
$6/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Citizen has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Citizen no premium or paid features mentioned; IVPN has no free tier, unlike several consumer VPN competitors with limited free plans.
  • They diverge on capability: Citizen covers Real-time Alerts, IVPN covers Anonymous account numbers.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Citizen and IVPN actually diverge.

Attributes where Citizen and IVPN differ
AttributeCitizenIVPN
Starting priceFree$6/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsIos, Androidwindows, mac, linux, ios, android
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity
Founded2016Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Citizen

  • Real-time Alerts
  • 911 Monitoring
  • Live Video
  • Safety Map
  • Personal Safety
  • Emergency Services
  • Social Media
  • Location Services

Only in IVPN

  • Anonymous account numbers
  • Multi-hop connections
  • Independent audits
  • WireGuard and OpenVPN support
  • AntiTracker

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Citizen

  • Citizen Servicesnot IVPN
  • Records Managementnot IVPN
  • Public Safetynot IVPN
  • Civic Engagementnot IVPN

IVPN

  • Signing up for a VPN without providing an email addressnot Citizen
  • Verifying a VPN's no-logs claims via independent auditsnot Citizen
  • Layering multi-hop routing for higher-anonymity browsingnot Citizen
  • Blocking trackers and ads via built-in AntiTrackernot Citizen

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Citizen

  • No premium or paid features mentioned
  • App is completely free with no monetization model disclosed
  • No in-app purchases or premium tier mentioned
  • Subscription or paid features may exist but not disclosed

IVPN

  • Has no free tier, unlike several consumer VPN competitors with limited free plans.
  • Standard plan's two-connection limit is lower than many rivals offering five or more devices.
  • Smaller server network than large mainstream VPN providers, which can limit streaming unblocking.
  • Pricing is higher than budget VPN competitors for comparable simultaneous-connection counts.

Pricing, plan by plan

Citizen

Free
  • BasicFree
    • Real-time Alerts
    • Incident Feed
    • Safety Map

IVPN

$6/month
  • Standard$6/month
    • 2 simultaneous connections
    • $60/year billed annually
    • WireGuard and OpenVPN support
  • Pro$10/month
    • 7 simultaneous connections
    • Multi-hop connections
    • $100/year billed annually

Which should you pick?

Choose Citizen if

  • You need real-time alerts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android.
  • You also want 911 monitoring.
Citizen review

Choose IVPN if

  • You need anonymous account numbers.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
  • You also want multi-hop connections.
IVPN review

Questions people ask

Is Citizen or IVPN better?
Neither clearly leads. Citizen starts at Free and IVPN at $6/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Citizen or IVPN?
Citizen has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Citizen and $6/month for IVPN.
Does Citizen or IVPN run on more platforms?
Citizen runs on Ios, Android. IVPN runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
Can I use Citizen for free?
Yes. Citizen has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. IVPN starts at $6/month.
What is Citizen best used for?
Citizen is most often used for citizen services, records management, public safety, civic engagement. Of those, citizen services and records management are not what IVPN is typically brought in for.
What can Citizen do that IVPN cannot?
Citizen covers Real-time Alerts, 911 Monitoring, Live Video, Safety Map. IVPN covers Anonymous account numbers, Multi-hop connections, Independent audits, WireGuard and OpenVPN support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Citizen: How much does Citizen cost?

Citizen is available as a free app download for iOS and Android. The app includes core safety and alert features at no cost.

Source
Citizen: Are there paid features or premium subscriptions in Citizen?

Citizen's website does not mention paid features, premium subscriptions, or in-app purchases. All advertised features appear to be included in the free app.

Source
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