LimeVPN vs IPVanish
Privacy History & Full Comparison 2026
IPVanish has unlimited device connections but a controversial 2016 logging incident. LimeVPN offers technically enforced no-logs from a non-US jurisdiction. The full story matters.
⚠️ The 2016 Logging Incident — Full Context
In 2016, IPVanish (under Highwinds Network Group ownership) provided user connection logs to a Homeland Security agent who was investigating child sexual abuse material. This directly contradicted IPVanish's public "zero-log" privacy policy at the time.
The incident came to light through a court document filed in 2018. IPVanish had stored logs of connection timestamps, source IPs, and destination IPs — the exact data their privacy policy claimed they never collected.
Current state (2026): IPVanish was acquired by Ziff Davis in 2019. The company states it has rebuilt its infrastructure and genuinely does not log VPN activity under current ownership. Independent audits by Leviathan Security (2022) and Schellman (2025) verified the current no-logs policy.
Whether the old incident under old ownership should disqualify IPVanish is a personal judgment call. The structural concerns remain: US jurisdiction and Ziff Davis (a US media company) ownership.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | LimeVPN | IPVanish |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $5.99/mo Core (no contract) | $2.19/mo (2-yr Essential) |
| Annual price | $49/yr Core · $84/yr Plus | ~$53/yr (2yr Essential) |
| Server count | 30+ locations | 2,400+ servers, 90+ locations |
| Simultaneous devices | 5 | Unlimited |
| Protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP |
| No-logs policy | ✅ No browsing or activity logs | ✅ Schellman 2025 audit (2016 incident under prior ownership) |
| Independent audit | Planned 2026 | ✅ Leviathan 2022, Schellman 2025 |
| Kill switch | ✅ | ✅ |
| DNS leak protection | ✅ | ✅ |
| Dedicated IP | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Split tunneling | ✅ | ✅ |
| Streaming (Netflix) | ✅ | ⚠️ Inconsistent |
| SOCKS5 proxy | — | ✅ Included |
| Scramble (obfuscation) | — | ✅ |
| Torrenting / P2P | ✅ | ✅ |
| Crypto payments | ✅ | — |
| Company ownership | Independent | Ziff Davis (US media company) |
| Jurisdiction | Privacy-friendly (non-5-Eyes) | USA (5-Eyes) |
| Privacy history | ✅ Clean record | ⚠️ 2016 FBI/DHS logging incident |
| Money-back guarantee | 7 days | 7 days |
Pros & Cons
LimeVPN
Pros
Cons
IPVanish
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
Bottom line: Despite IPVanish's Schellman 2025 audit and rebuilt infrastructure, the 2016 logging incident and US jurisdiction remain significant concerns. LimeVPN offers a lower price, non-5-Eyes jurisdiction, technically enforced no-logs, and a clean corporate history with no prior incidents.
IPVanish's unlimited device connections is a genuine advantage if you need to protect 6+ devices simultaneously. For streaming and everyday privacy, LimeVPN delivers better value and a more reliable privacy foundation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did IPVanish log user data in the past?
Yes. In 2016, under its previous ownership (Highwinds Network Group), IPVanish cooperated with a Homeland Security investigation and provided logs of a user's activity — despite publicly claiming a "zero-log" policy. The company was later acquired by Ziff Davis (J2 Global). Under new management, IPVanish claims to have rebuilt its infrastructure on a true no-logs basis. However, this historical incident is a significant concern for privacy-focused users.
Is IPVanish still logging users?
IPVanish claims to have a genuine no-logs policy under its current ownership (Ziff Davis). The 2016 incident occurred under the previous Highwinds ownership. IPVanish has since undergone independent audits by Leviathan Security (2022) and Schellman (2025) that verified its no-logs policy. LimeVPN has a privacy-first minimal-log policy — browsing activity, DNS queries, and traffic content are never logged.
How does unlimited connections on IPVanish compare to LimeVPN's 5 devices?
IPVanish allows unlimited simultaneous device connections, which is a genuine advantage for households with many devices or users who want to share their subscription. LimeVPN allows 5 simultaneous connections. If device count is a key concern, IPVanish's unlimited policy is an advantage.
Does IPVanish work with Netflix?
IPVanish has had inconsistent Netflix performance historically. Results vary by server location. LimeVPN offers dedicated IP addresses, which provide more reliable and consistent streaming access — dedicated IPs are harder for streaming platforms to block.
Why is IPVanish based in the US a concern?
The US is part of the 5-Eyes intelligence alliance and has broad surveillance laws. The 2016 IPVanish incident (where Highwinds provided logs under a DHS request) is a real example of a US VPN responding to US government requests. While IPVanish is now under different ownership, the structural risk of US jurisdiction remains. LimeVPN operates from outside 5-Eyes countries.
Clear No-Lock-In Monthly Pricing — Non-US Jurisdiction
LimeVPN Core from $5.99/month (no contract), Plus with dedicated IP from $9.99/month. Never logged user data, operates outside 5-Eyes surveillance alliances, 14-day money-back guarantee.
Get LimeVPN — From $5.99/moAES-256 Encryption · No-Logs Policy · 30+ Locations · Kill Switch