Ivacy vs. Surfshark

Budget VPNs might seem risky.

Your immediate thought might be, “What am I missing out on? Is it less safe, or are there loads of hidden restrictions?”

You should be asking these questions when researching budget VPN options, and I even give a fair warning about them in my complete guide to VPNs. Unless they’re from Ivacy or Surfshark, that is. In my tests, both VPNs finished with high scores and even ended up on my list of the best VPNs. But Surfshark was the clear winner.

Let’s find out why!

Ivacy and Surfshark Head to Head

What You Need to Know About Ivacy

Since 2007, Ivacy has been a premium VPN at a budget price. It was one of the first VPNs to introduce split tunneling. If you’re unfamiliar with this feature, it lets you route some traffic through the VPN and others via your local network.

It’s beneficial if you want specific applications to remain local, such as work tools, and other apps like Netflix to peruse the catalog of another country. Innovations such as these have seen Ivacy win awards from ProPrivacy; plus, they helped the company become partners with video-game company IMBA and eSports club GamersOrigin. It also made me enjoy my time testing out Ivacy VPN.

What You Need to Know About Surfshark

In 2022, Surfshark merged with Nord Security as part of its strategy to remain an independent cybersecurity organization. Its head office is located in the Netherlands, which doesn’t require VPNs to retain data; this is true despite the Netherlands being a member of the Nine Eyes Alliance. Singapore, where Ivacy is headquartered, is not a member of the Five, Nine, or 14 Eyes countries.

There is a minor flaw in Surfshark’s privacy policy. It can lock user IDs or IP addresses, but it doesn’t store these details. Plus, it can take up to 15 minutes for them to be erased upon disconnection. But that didn’t stop me from testing Surfshark and all of its capabilities. I didn’t find it to be too big of a deal either, thanks to its audited no-log policy that actually brought it into my list of the best no-log VPNs.

Ivacy vs. Surfshark: Features

Verdict on Features: While Ivacy boasts a whopping 5,700+ servers across 100 countries, they might be double-counting. On the Mac app, I counted 53 countries; on the Windows app, it was 60. As for Surfshark, the Mac and Windows apps displayed 100 countries. But for both VPNs, all the major countries are accounted for; plus, the additional features like kill switches, split tunneling, and dedicated IP address make it tough to pick a definitive winner.

Ivacy vs. Surfshark: Speed

One of the first factors I look for in a VPN is speed. It’s why I always spend so much time conducting thorough speed tests of every VPN provider. While I want my privacy, I also don’t want to wait around for files to download or videos to load. Here’s a baseline from my 2021 Macbook Pro on a Wi-Fi connection:

Baseline

This is the speed I pay for in Brooklyn. In fact, it’s a little faster. It must be a good day.

Ivacy

I chose a U.K. server for the test, which I usually use when I want to watch movies and TV shows from streaming service catalogs. But based on these results, I might be watching them in standard definition.

Surfshark

I also chose a U.K. server with Surfshark’s app. It automatically connected me to the fastest server. The speeds were very similar, but the ping was significantly different. While it didn’t impact my activities, it could be an issue for gamers competing in matches.

>> Read More: How to Get a U.K. IP Address in 2024

Verdict on Speed: Surfshark was easy to connect to, and I liked that it displayed the server’s location. Ivacy has an automatic connection option but doesn’t tell you what country you’ll connect to. Surfshark still easily wins due to the minimal difference in download speeds.

Ivacy vs. Surfshark: Privacy

In our experience as digital security experts, it’s always a good idea to see what information is hidden when using a VPN. You can use a wide range of tools to test check your VPN and see if it’s working, but I prefer DoILeak. It collects information when the VPN is off and on to compare the results.

Ivacy

There were no issues with the results from Ivacy. None of my information leaked while I was connected to the VPN.

Surfshark

As for Surfshark, there were issues with my DNS address. I was not performing any other activities before activating the VPN. But all other information remained protected. I also tested Surfshark on DNSleaktest.com, and it displayed my location in the country I chose on the VPN.

Verdict on Privacy: Ivacy showed no issues, but Surfshark raised the pulse slightly. While it appeared to pass leak tests from other providers, Ivacy is still the more secure option.

Ivacy vs. Surfshark: Streaming, Torrenting, and Gaming

Ivacy and Surfshark let you stream catalogs from other countries, upload and download torrents, as well as connect to global gaming servers. But how well do they perform against each other? Here’s a quick overview of the winner in each category:

Streaming

Both VPNs let me browse international catalogs for Netflix, YouTube, Disney Plus, and Prime Video; this earned each of them a spot on my list of the best VPNs for streaming. But Surfshark performed slightly better. Ivacy would let me scroll through titles, but U.K. Netflix knew I was using a VPN. That’s why only Surfshark made my list of the best VPNs for Netflix.

Another benefit of Surfshark is that it has an Apple TV app, which works perfectly on all the above streaming platforms.

Torrenting

You can use Ivacy and Surfshark to upload and download torrents. Ivacy allows for a P2P connection on all available servers, whereas Surfshark switches to one when it detects you’re performing this activity.

I instantly noticed the difference in my download speed between Surfshark and Ivacy when using a P2P server; this is what kept Ivacy off my list of the best VPNs for torrenting. These specialized connections made getting large files quicker, even when compared to using my own internet service. I also liked that Surfshark displays which ones are P2P, so you can instantly connect to them and start torrenting immediately. This is why I put Surfshark at the top of my list of the best free VPNs for torrenting.

Gaming

There are several good reasons to use a VPN for gaming. You could gain access to a new title early or protect yourself from potential attacks. Surfshark and Ivacy keep gamers safe. But Surfshark once again takes the edge based on its superior speed, earning it the runner-up spot in my list of the best VPNs for gaming. The only advantage that Ivacy has is that it provides setup guides for PlayStation and Xbox.

However, jumping into a multiplayer game of NBA 2K24 on my PS5 wasn’t pretty when I was connected to Ivacy. It took about five minutes to match up with someone (usually, it’s less than a minute). Once we were on the court, players moved like they were in a senior citizens pick-up game. They stuttered around the court before the game decided to give up and take me back to the main menu.

I made another attempt using Surfshark. Connecting with someone didn’t take as long, but switching between menus was still slow. When we hit the court, my players moved faster, but there was some lag every now and then. However, at least I made it to the final whistle.

Verdict on Streaming, Torrenting, and Gaming: Download speed is vital for streaming, torrenting, and gaming, so we have to give Surfshark the win in this category.

Ivacy vs. Surfshark: Compatible Devices

By setting up your router, you can protect all your devices connected to your Wi-Fi with Surfshark and Ivacy. It means you can take advantage of their split-tunneling features. But if you don’t want to mess around with your settings, both VPNs are available on several other devices.

Installing Ivacy and Surfshark on my Mac, PC, and Android phone was painless. I downloaded the apps, hit Next a few times to progress through screens, and then I was at the main menu. But, due to Ivacy’s speed issues, I couldn’t put it on my list of the best VPNs for Android, even though Surfshark made an appearance.

The guides for my router and PlayStation were also user-friendly. Both websites displayed the latest screenshots, so I never felt lost or as if I needed to find the closest resemblance to a reference in the guide. Still, here’s an overview of which platforms each provider offers official support for:

Verdict on Compatible Devices: Technically, you can activate Surfshark on all the same devices as Ivacy if you know how to set up a VPN on a router. However, using Ivacy’s VPN for specific devices such as gaming consoles, TVs, and phones is much easier.

Ivacy vs. Surfshark: What Customers Say

Millions of people have downloaded the Ivacy and Surshark apps across the Apple and Google Play stores. Thousands have left reviews. Here are some of their thoughts.

>> Learn More: What Does a VPN App Do and How Does It Work?

Ivacy

Over 900 people have rated Ivacy 3.9 out of 5 on Apple’s App Store. Meanwhile, on Google Play, it has more than 7,000 reviews and a 3.7 out of 5 rating.

Surfshark

The reviews for Surfshark are much more positive. On Apple’s App Store, it has over 15,000 ratings and a score of 4.9 out of 5. Over on Google Play, it’s closing in on 100,000 reviews and a score of 4.4 out of 5.

Verdict on Customer Reviews: Despite some complaints, Surfshark has many more positive reviews on Apple’s App Store and Google Play. Many customers seem to have issues with Ivacy and their customer support, which heavily impacts their score.

Ivacy vs. Surfshark: Support Options

Ivacy and Surfshark have a live chat you can access 24/7 on their website. You can also send an email or head to the support centers to review guides for all compatible devices. Ivacy even includes video tutorials if you’re more of a visual learner.

Verdict on Support Options: It’s a draw. Although customer reviews about Ivacy contain complaints, I was able to connect with them via live chat and get answers to my questions.

Ivacy vs. Surfshark: Plans and Pricing

The payment options between Ivacy and Surfshark differ significantly. You’ll spend less for a two- or five-year plan with Ivacy compared to one-year pact with Surfshark’s premium tiers. But you will miss out on a lot of features, including additional online security tools.

Ivacy

Opting for a longer plan can save you money month on month. There is also a 31-day money-back guarantee, which acts like a trial period. But you can access all the features and benefits Ivacy offers on all three plans.

Surfshark

Surfshark’s Starter plan is great if you want to test it out. But Surfshark One and Surfshark One+ are where you’ll start seeing value for money. They include access to other digital security apps; this includes antivirus protection, data removal from company databases, and credit card and email breach alerts for a complete personal digital security solution.

Payment Options

Ivacy lets you pay via credit card, PayPal, BitPay, Coingate, PerfectMoney, and other services like Ideal and Mobiamo. Surfshark keeps it simple with credit cards, PayPal, Sofot, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, and cryptocurrency. I really like how both providers offer a lot of payment options aside from standard credit card payments. Since I started paying with other payment options that help reduce my risk of fraud, I canceled my favorite identity theft protection service with fraud detection.

Verdict on Plans and Pricing: Surfshark offers an all-in-one digital security package that is excellent value for money. It even includes one of my favorite antivirus software. However, if you’re only after a VPN, you could end up paying for services you don’t need.

Is Ivacy or Surfshark the Better VPN?

Despite its issues with download speeds, Ivacy has many benefits. It won’t leak your information, it’s accessible on more devices, and it has multiple payment methods. If you need a VPN for activities that don’t require fast downloads, it is a suitable option at a budget price.

But our recommendation is Surfshark. It’s fast and allows unlimited connections and downloads. You still need to be cautious when using it due to some security flaws. But, overall, it’s a superior option packed with additional protection tools to keep you safe online.