Head to head · Updated August 13, 2026
IVPN vs NordVPN
NordVPN takes it by 1.5 points, 84.0 against 82.5. That margin is worth reading past — IVPN wins 2 of the seven criteria outright.
IVPN
82.5A deliberately small, transparent operation that costs more than the market and makes no attempt to hide it.
- From
- $6.00/mo
- Based in
- Gibraltar
- Devices
- 7
- Audits
- 1
We earn nothing from IVPN. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.
NordVPN
84.0The most complete all-round package here, provided you accept closed-source clients and a renewal price well above the introductory rate.
- From
- $3.39/mo
- Based in
- Panama
- Devices
- 10
- Audits
- 2
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Criterion by criterion
IVPN wins 2, NordVPN wins 3, 2 tied. Each row shows the raw score out of ten and the weighted contribution to the total.
| Criterion | Weight | IVPN | NordVPN | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent audit | 20 | 8/10 (16.0) | 9/10 (18.0) | NordVPN |
| Jurisdiction and ownership | 15 | 9/10 (13.5) | 9/10 (13.5) | Tied |
| Protocol and crypto stack | 15 | 9/10 (13.5) | 8/10 (12.0) | IVPN |
| Leak protection | 15 | 9/10 (13.5) | 9/10 (13.5) | Tied |
| Transparency | 15 | 10/10 (15.0) | 6/10 (9.0) | IVPN |
| Price and refund terms | 10 | 5/10 (5.0) | 8/10 (8.0) | NordVPN |
| Platform coverage | 10 | 6/10 (6.0) | 10/10 (10.0) | NordVPN |
| Total | 100 | 82.5 | 84.0 | NordVPN |
Where each one actually wins
IVPN is ahead on
- Protocol and crypto stack. WireGuard and OpenVPN only, with no proprietary protocol.
- Transparency. Open-source apps, anonymous account IDs, cash accepted, and the affiliate programme was closed to remove reviewer incentives.
NordVPN is ahead on
- Independent audit. Deloitte re-audited the no-logs claim in 2023 and Cure53 audited the applications; both reports are public.
- Price and refund terms. Effective $3.39/month on a 2-year term with a full 30-day refund, but the monthly rate is $12.99 and renewals price higher than the intro term.
- Platform coverage. Native apps across desktop, mobile, Apple TV, Android TV and routers, with 10 simultaneous connections.
Choose IVPN if
Readers who value published reasoning and anonymous signup over network size.
Choose NordVPN if
Readers who want one subscription to cover a household of mixed devices.
Reasons to pick neither
Skip IVPN if: You want a large server network or the lowest possible price. IVPN is explicitly not competing on either.
Skip NordVPN if: You need open-source clients or want to pay month to month. At $12.99 monthly it is one of the most expensive short-term options here.
Questions
- Is IVPN or NordVPN better?
- NordVPN scores higher overall, 84.0 against 82.5, a gap of 1.5 points out of 100. That is close enough that the deciding factor should be which criteria matter to you rather than the total.
- Which is cheaper, IVPN or NordVPN?
- NordVPN, at $3.39/mo against $6.00/mo. Both rates require committing to the provider’s longest term; the monthly rates are considerably higher.
- Which one has been audited more recently?
- NordVPN, most recently in 2023 against IVPN’s 2022.
- Does jurisdiction differ between them?
- Yes. IVPN operates from Gibraltar and NordVPN from Panama. Both sit in the same position relative to the Fourteen Eyes agreement.
Related comparisons
Comparison generated from the same dataset as the ranking. Emphasis criterion definitions are on the rubric page. Criterion labels: Independent audit, Jurisdiction and ownership, Protocol and crypto stack, Leak protection, Transparency, Price and refund terms, Platform coverage.