Ivacy VPN and ProtonVPN represent two notably different tiers of VPN service, with overall scores of 64% and 89% respectively. While both providers share a common set of core features, the gap between them becomes clear when examining the individual category scores in detail.
Both providers support WireGuard, a kill switch, split tunneling, and P2P torrenting, meaning the fundamental technical toolkit is comparable on paper. However, ProtonVPN distinguishes itself by also offering a bug bounty program, which signals a more proactive and transparent approach to identifying security vulnerabilities. ProtonVPN is based in Switzerland, a country recognized for strong privacy legislation and outside the jurisdiction of major intelligence-sharing alliances. Ivacy VPN operates out of Singapore, which carries a somewhat less favorable privacy reputation in this context. The privacy audit score reflects this difference sharply, with ProtonVPN earning a perfect 100% compared to Ivacy's 54%.
On the ethics front, ProtonVPN again scores significantly higher at 100% versus Ivacy's 67%, suggesting a stronger overall commitment to user-focused practices and transparency. Both providers achieved identical speed scores of 80%, meaning real-world performance in terms of connection quality is roughly equivalent between the two.
Where Ivacy does stand out is in its pricing score of 91%, considerably higher than ProtonVPN's 73%, suggesting that Ivacy offers more competitive pricing relative to the value it provides at its price point. For users on a strict budget, this may be a meaningful consideration. That said, Ivacy scores notably lower in streaming at 43%, while ProtonVPN performs well in that category at 86%, making ProtonVPN the stronger choice for users who prioritize access to geo-restricted content.
The application and interface experience also differ considerably. ProtonVPN holds a perfect GUI score of 100% and an application score of 80%, while Ivacy scores 47% and 60% in those respective categories, pointing to a more polished and user-friendly experience with ProtonVPN. Customer support is a shared strength, with both providers earning a perfect 100% in that category.
In summary, ProtonVPN leads across most meaningful categories, particularly in privacy, ethics, streaming, and overall application quality. Ivacy VPN may appeal to cost-conscious users who prioritize affordability and already have the baseline features they need, but those seeking a more comprehensive and privacy-oriented service will find ProtonVPN the stronger overall option based on the tested scores.