ibVPN Review

Romanian based provider ibVPN, or Invisible Browsing VPN has built a strong reputation as a solution that is both secure and flexible. The first thing that you may notice about them is their affordable plans, but the service also aims to provide a high level of protection for all your online traffic. Apart from allowing users to browse internet securely, ibVPN offers features that will facilitate access to streaming services and websites that is not available in your country due to censorship or geographical restrictions. There are different plans available, each of them designed to suit particular needs. ibVPN is rich in features and while in the past, there were disconnection and speed issues that made the service practically unusable, the provider is stepping up its game and provides a comprehensive solution that supports high privacy, as well as seamless streaming.

Privacy/Security

Security is crucial aspect for any VPN and ibVPN offers different options to protect your data in different platforms accordingly. OpenVPN, L2TP, PPTP, SoftEther and SSTP are the protocols supported, but the latter is only available for Windows and Linux users. The inclusion of SoftEther should be highlighted as this protocol is an option that not many providers offer at the moment and it is known for its security and versatility. OpenVPN is the recommended choice for users who are looking for high security, it uses Blowfish algorithm with 256-bit encryption keys.

ibVPN’s privacy policy establishes that there are no logs kept of your online traffic or the way in which you use the service. It is not possible for them to trace activity back to an individual user so even if a legal request is received, ibVPN will not be able to provide any details that could put your privacy at risk. In order to create an account, you need to give your email address, but you don’t have to provide your name and if you wish, you can use an anonymous email service to keep your privacy intact. It should also be noted that in Romania, where ibVPN is based, there are no mandatory data retention laws. Furthermore, the provider supports Bitcoin payments, meaning that you can keep your identity secure in all fronts.

Features

ibVPN has custom software for all main platforms such as Windows, Mac OS, Android and iOS. The VPN can be set up on a wide range of additional platforms including Linux, Xbox, PlayStation, as well as DD-WRT and Sabai routers. There are practical tutorials on the website that will allow you to configure the service manually in the different platforms supported. The software client offers Internet Kill Switch, which stops applications automatically, in case the VPN connection fails. It is a convenient solution to avoid that BitTorrent continues running when your connection is not being secured by the VPN, but you can select other programs that should be closed as well.

There is also an Auto Reconnect feature that as the name suggests, will reestablish your connection if the VPN drops, so that you can resume your downloads and secure browsing as soon as possible. The software is fairly clear and easy to use and ibVPN doesn’t impose any limits when it comes to bandwidth or speed. You can switch between servers as often as needed. In terms of speed, ibVPN offers impressive results, particularly with OpenVPN. While L2TP doesn’t offer the same level of speed, it is also very good. Although in the past, the reliability and the speed of some servers was disappointing, it is clear that ibVPN has upgraded its network in order to provide consistent and fast performance. However, it is important to remember that the results may vary depending on the server chosen, your location and internet connection speeds.

If you are mainly concerned about getting a fast service that allows you to stream content without delays, you’ll be glad to know that apart from offering an option that encrypts your data and keeps information secure, ibVPN offers a SmartDNS service known as ibDNS. This is the most convenient solution for streaming and gaming. ibDNS doesn’t encrypt your connection, but it lets you access services that are blocked in your country. With ibDNS you can access popular applications and content that are usually only available in the US, or the UK. Just keep in mind that since there is no encryption, it is not the right option to protect your privacy.

Servers

ibVPN’s network of servers is constantly growing to provide more options for customers across the world and faster solutions to stream content. At the moment, they have more than 100 servers that cover 47 countries including United States, United Kingdom, Panama, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Iceland, Israel, Argentina, India, Switzerland and South Africa. P2P is supported but only on servers located in Canada, Netherlands, Bulgaria, Sweden, Russia, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Lithuania. There is a plan specifically designed for this purpose as we will see below.

Plans

ibVPN offers four plans that cater for different requirements. The most complete solution is the Ultimate VPN plan as it combines VPN and the SmartDNS service, meaning that you can enjoy security and speed for streaming in the same package. This plan gives you access to all the servers in the network, including the locations where P2P is allowed. It also comes with a Chrome extension and you can connect up to three devices at the same time. The price for one month is $10.95 USD. If you subscribe for a full year, you pay $58.06, which means that the monthly cost is reduced to $4.84.

The cheapest option is the Standard VPN plan, but it is quite basic in comparison to the Ultimate plan. Still, it provides VPN protection and gives you access to servers in 44 countries. ibDNS is not available with this plan and only one connection is supported. This plan normally costs $4.95 per month and you can save money if you opt for a full year as it costs $36.95, making the monthly price $3.08. At the time of writing, there is an incredible sale that reduces the price per month to $2.48 or just $1.54 if you pay in advance for a full year.

If you are not too concerned about privacy and prefer to pay only for ibDNS, you can opt for the plan that is specifically designed for this service. It costs $4.95 per month or only $3.08 when you pay for a full year. This plan is good for streaming, but VPN is not included and P2P is not allowed. In order to secure your torrent downloads, the best option is the Torrent VPN plan. It lets you access servers in 9 countries and has the same cost of the ibDNS and plan. Note that this plan doesn’t offer SmartDNS and only one connection is allowed. There is a 15-day money back guarantee applied to all plans and thanks to the free trial, you can test both SmartDNS and VPN for 24 hours before purchasing a plan.

Customer Support

This is one of the strongest aspects of ibVPN as the provider includes setup guides that are quite detailed and straightforward. The Help section features a Knowledge Base, FAQ and a Forum. Additionally, there is an option to request remote support if needed. The team can be contacted via live chat and ticket system. You can expect professional and detailed responses to any of your questions.

Conclusion

There are many good reasons to opt for ibVPN as it supports a good selection of features that will suit security concerned customers, as well as those who are focused on getting good speeds to stream content that is only available in other countries. The plans are arranged in such a way that you can chose the one that supports the ideal features for your specific needs. The provider continues improving in terms of privacy protection and technology. ibVPN has come a long way and it offers a solid customer support as well as a reliable VPN and SmartDNS service. One thing that they have kept and that we hope they never lose is their commitment to offer affordable prices.