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IPVanish vs Proton VPN: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)

Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for IPVanish and Proton VPN side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.

On the data: On the data below, Proton VPN leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.

Data comparison compiled by Toolradar, not hand-reviewed Methodology
Data comparison 755 user reviews compared Pricing checked Oct 22, 2026

Short on time? Here's the quick answer

Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:

IPVanish

Digital Security, Privacy, & Freedom with VPN, Secure Browser, and Cloud Storage.

Best for you if:

  • • You want comprehensive security suite with VPN, secure browser, and cloud storage

Proton VPN

Swiss privacy protection with unlimited bandwidth

Best for you if:

  • • You want a free tier before you commit
At a glance: IPVanish vs Proton VPN
At a Glance
IPVanish IPVanish
Proton VPN Proton VPN
Starts at
From $2.19/mo, billed monthly Essential (2-Year Plan) plan
Free plan, paid from $6.99/mo, billed yearly VPN Plus plan
Category
VPN Security
VPN Security
Rating
4.1/5 Trustpilot 4.0 · SourceForge 3.9 · Capterra 4.5 750 reviews 4.3/5 G2 4.3 5 reviews
Free plan
No Yes
Watch out for
n/a Monthly pricing ($9.99/month) is 3.3x more expensive than the 2-year rate. Casual users testing the service for a few months pay a significant premium.

Choose IPVanish or Proton VPN?

IPVanish

Choose IPVanish if

  • You want comprehensive security suite with VPN, secure browser, and cloud storage
  • You want strong privacy features like RAM-only servers and Double Hop VPN
Proton VPN

Choose Proton VPN if

  • You want a free tier before you commit
  • You want secure VPN
  • You want swiss-based

In-Depth Analysis

IPVanish IPVanish

Digital Security, Privacy, & Freedom with VPN, Secure Browser, and Cloud Storage.

Good value

IPVanish offers a fair pricing structure, especially with its long-term plans.

Strengths

  • Pro: Comprehensive security suite with VPN, secure browser, and cloud storage.
  • Pro: Strong privacy features like RAM-only servers and Double Hop VPN.
  • Pro: Dedicated apps for various devices, including Apple TV and Fire TV.
  • Pro: Threat Protection blocks ads, trackers, and malicious websites.
  • Pro: Includes eSIM data for secure mobile connectivity.

Weaknesses

  • Con: Cloud storage and secure browser are only available in higher-tier plans.
  • Con: Pricing can be higher for monthly plans compared to longer commitments.
  • Con: Some advanced features like TV Kill Switch are app-specific.

Key features

Global VPN Threat Protection with malware & tracker blocking Secure Browser with cloud-based, threat-proof browsing and anti-fingerprinting 1 TB of encrypted Cloud Storage (Livedrive) RAM-only servers for enhanced privacy and security Double Hop VPN for double encryption VPN Kill Switch and TV Kill Switch App

Proton VPN Proton VPN

Swiss privacy protection with unlimited bandwidth

Good value

Proton VPN is the strongest privacy-first VPN on the market, and the 2-year plan at $2.99/month makes it one of the cheapest premium options too.

Watch out

Monthly pricing ($9.99/month) is 3.3x more expensive than the 2-year rate. Casual users testing the service for a few months pay a significant premium.

Strengths

  • Pro: Secure VPN
  • Pro: Swiss-based
  • Pro: Good privacy
  • Pro: Free tier
  • Pro: Active development

Weaknesses

  • Con: Slower than some
  • Con: Limited free servers
  • Con: Expensive premium
  • Con: Server availability
  • Con: Better alternatives exist

Key features

Encrypted VPN No-logs policy Secure core servers Kill switch Split tunneling Free tier available

Plans and prices: IPVanish vs Proton VPN

Plans and prices of IPVanish and Proton VPN, as read on each vendor's pricing page. Each plan keeps its own billing unit.
Tool Plans and prices Source
IPVanish
  • Essential (2-Year Plan): $2.19/mo, billed monthly
  • Advanced (2-Year Plan): $3.29/mo, billed monthly
  • Essential (Yearly Plan): $3.33/mo, billed yearly
  • Advanced (Yearly Plan): $4.49/mo, billed monthly
  • Essential (Monthly Plan): $12.99/mo, billed monthly
  • Advanced (Monthly Plan): $14.99/mo, billed monthly
ipvanish.com/pricing read Oct 22, 2026
Proton VPN
  • Proton Free: Free
  • VPN Plus: $6.99/mo, billed yearly
  • Proton Unlimited: $9.99/mo, billed yearly
protonvpn.com/pricing read Oct 15, 2026

Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on IPVanish pricing and Proton VPN pricing.

Key Takeaways

IPVanish

  • Choose if you want digital Security, Privacy, & Freedom with VPN, Secure Browser, and Cloud Storage

Proton VPN

  • Has a free plan

What the data shows

On the data below, Proton VPN leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.

  • User ratings rest on too few reviews to rank (4.1/5 from 750 reviews for IPVanish, 4.3/5 from 5 reviews for Proton VPN; we compare ratings only above 20 reviews on both sides).
  • Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: IPVanish $2.19/mo, billed monthly; Proton VPN $6.99/mo, billed yearly.
  • Only Proton VPN has a free plan.

Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate

Frequently Asked Questions

How do IPVanish and Proton VPN compare in 2026?

On the data below, Proton VPN leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. User ratings rest on too few reviews to rank (4.1/5 from 750 reviews for IPVanish, 4.3/5 from 5 reviews for Proton VPN; we compare ratings only above 20 reviews on both sides). Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: IPVanish $2.19/mo, billed monthly; Proton VPN $6.99/mo, billed yearly. Only Proton VPN has a free plan.

What are IPVanish and Proton VPN used for?

IPVanish: Digital Security, Privacy, & Freedom with VPN, Secure Browser, and Cloud Storage. Proton VPN: Swiss privacy protection with unlimited bandwidth.

What does IPVanish cost vs Proton VPN?

IPVanish's cheapest paid plan is Essential (2-Year Plan) at $2.19/mo, billed monthly. Proton VPN's cheapest paid plan is VPN Plus at $6.99/mo, billed yearly; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 22, 2026.

What's the main difference between IPVanish and Proton VPN?

IPVanish's main strength: comprehensive security suite with VPN, secure browser, and cloud storage. Proton VPN's main strength: secure VPN.

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