Softwr

Software · head to head

IVPN vs ProtonVPN

IVPN logo

IVPN

Software

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

From
$6/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ProtonVPN logo

ProtonVPN

Software

High-speed Swiss VPN that safeguards your privacy

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ProtonVPN has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: IVPN has no free tier, unlike several consumer VPN competitors with limited free plans.; ProtonVPN free plan limited to one device at a time
  • They diverge on capability: IVPN covers Anonymous account numbers, ProtonVPN covers No-logs policy.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IVPN and ProtonVPN actually diverge.

Attributes where IVPN and ProtonVPN differ
AttributeIVPNProtonVPN
Starting price$6/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
Platformswindows, mac, linux, ios, androidWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2014

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

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 IVPN

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

Only in ProtonVPN

  • No-logs policy
  • Secure Core
  • Kill Switch
  • DNS leak protection
  • Tor over VPN
  • Split tunneling
  • NetShield ad-blocker
  • VPN Accelerator

What people use each for

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

IVPN

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

ProtonVPN

  • Privacy-focused browsing without subscription costnot IVPN
  • Multi-device protection with Plus plan supporting 10 devicesnot IVPN
  • Integrated access to Proton email and cloud services via Unlimited plannot IVPN

Where each one falls short

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

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.

ProtonVPN

  • Free plan limited to one device at a time
  • Free plan restricted to 10 countries with random selection
  • Pricing amounts not clearly published; shown as variable

Pricing, plan by plan

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

ProtonVPN

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the ProtonVPN review.

Which should you pick?

Choose IVPN if

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

Choose ProtonVPN if

  • You need no-logs policy.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
  • You also want secure core.
ProtonVPN review

Questions people ask

Is IVPN or ProtonVPN better?
Neither clearly leads. IVPN starts at $6/month and ProtonVPN at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IVPN or ProtonVPN?
ProtonVPN has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $6/month for IVPN and Free for ProtonVPN.
Does IVPN or ProtonVPN run on more platforms?
IVPN runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android. ProtonVPN runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
Can I use ProtonVPN for free?
Yes. ProtonVPN has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. IVPN starts at $6/month.
What is IVPN best used for?
IVPN is most often used for signing up for a vpn without providing an email address, verifying a vpn's no-logs claims via independent audits, layering multi-hop routing for higher-anonymity browsing, blocking trackers and ads via built-in antitracker. Of those, signing up for a vpn without providing an email address and verifying a vpn's no-logs claims via independent audits are not what ProtonVPN is typically brought in for.
What can IVPN do that ProtonVPN cannot?
IVPN covers Anonymous account numbers, Multi-hop connections, Independent audits, WireGuard and OpenVPN support. ProtonVPN covers No-logs policy, Secure Core, Kill Switch, DNS leak protection.
Share

Related pages

More on IVPN

More on ProtonVPN

Keep looking

Other head to heads