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Developer Tools · head to head

Helix vs IVPN

Helix logo

Helix

Developer Tools

Post-modern modal text editor for the terminal, written in Rust

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 Helix has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Helix no official GUI application yet, so it requires comfort with terminal workflows.; IVPN has no free tier, unlike several consumer VPN competitors with limited free plans.
  • They diverge on capability: Helix covers Multiple Selections, IVPN covers Anonymous account numbers.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Helix and IVPN actually diverge.

Attributes where Helix and IVPN differ
AttributeHelixIVPN
Starting priceFree$6/month
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo
Platformslinux, mac, windowswindows, mac, linux, ios, android
CategoryDeveloper ToolsCybersecurity

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 Helix

  • Multiple Selections
  • Tree-sitter Syntax Trees
  • Built-in LSP Support
  • Fuzzy File Finder
  • Project-wide Search

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.

Helix

  • Editing code over SSH or in tmux sessionsnot IVPN
  • Working with syntax-aware selection and navigationnot IVPN
  • Getting IDE-like completion and diagnostics without plugin setupnot IVPN
  • Lightweight, low-resource code editing on laptopsnot IVPN

IVPN

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

Where each one falls short

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

Helix

  • No official GUI application yet, so it requires comfort with terminal workflows.
  • Plugin ecosystem is far smaller than Vim's or Neovim's, limiting customization.
  • Keybindings differ from both Vim and Kakoune, adding a learning curve for users of either.
  • Configuration is more limited than Neovim's Lua-based extensibility.

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

Helix

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full editor, no paid tiers

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 Helix if

  • You need multiple selections.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on linux, mac, windows.
  • You also want tree-sitter syntax trees.
Helix 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 Helix or IVPN better?
Neither clearly leads. Helix 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, Helix or IVPN?
Helix has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Helix and $6/month for IVPN.
Does Helix or IVPN run on more platforms?
Helix runs on linux, mac, windows. IVPN runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
Can I use Helix for free?
Yes. Helix has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. IVPN starts at $6/month.
What is Helix best used for?
Helix is most often used for editing code over ssh or in tmux sessions, working with syntax-aware selection and navigation, getting ide-like completion and diagnostics without plugin setup, lightweight, low-resource code editing on laptops. Of those, editing code over ssh or in tmux sessions and working with syntax-aware selection and navigation are not what IVPN is typically brought in for.
What can Helix do that IVPN cannot?
Helix covers Multiple Selections, Tree-sitter Syntax Trees, Built-in LSP Support, Fuzzy File Finder. IVPN covers Anonymous account numbers, Multi-hop connections, Independent audits, WireGuard and OpenVPN support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Helix: Is Helix free to use?

Yes, Helix is free and open source, licensed under the Mozilla Public License 2.0 (MPL-2.0), with no paid tiers or subscriptions.

Source
Helix: How do I install Helix?

Install via your operating system's package manager, or download pre-built binaries from GitHub Releases; the nightly version requires building from source.

Source
Helix: Does Helix support plugins?

Not yet. Helix currently has no plugin system, though the project intends to add one eventually; it instead ships with built-in LSP and tree-sitter support out of the box.

Source
Helix: How do I configure Helix?

Helix ships with sane modern defaults requiring much less config-file fiddling than Vim, though settings can still be customized in a config.toml file.

Source
Helix: Where can I get help or support?

Support is community-driven via GitHub for code and issues, the Matrix chat for discussion, and OpenCollective for funding ongoing development.

Source
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