ExpressVPN vs IPVanish: Which is Fastest and Secure For New Zealand in 2022?
Selecting a VPN service in New Zealand has become a difficult task. With a multitude of options available online, all providers claim to be the best in the marketplace. But can they provide you with what you need? Don’t worry, we’ll tell you how you measure that out in a VPN provider in New Zealand.
In this ExpressVPN vs IPVanish comparison analysis for New Zealand, I have tested both the providers in New Zealand to help you choose the best one considering the primary features such as Features, Pricing, Speed, Servers, Security, Privacy, Configuration, Interface, Unblocking Capabilities, and Customer Service.
If you’re looking for a premium VPN in New Zealand for streaming, torrenting, or everyday browsing, ExpressVPN and IPVanish are both strong names to take care of your VPN needs.
So, if you’re thinking, “IPVanish vs ExpressVPN which is better between the two in New Zealand?” then pop that bubble above your head and start with the highlights to ease your curiosity!
ExpressVPN vs IPVanish: Highlights For New Zealand
| ExpressVPN | IPVanish |
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For more information, visit our dedicated guides for ExpressVPN and IPVanish!
ExpressVPN vs IPVanish: Features For New Zealand
| ExpressVPN | IPVanish | |
| Simultaneous Connections | 5 | Unlimited |
| Operating System Apps | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Amazon Fire TV/Firestick, some routers | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, and Fire TV |
| Manual Install Devices | Some Routers, Set Top Boxes | Linux, Routers, Set Top Boxes |
| Split Tunneling | Yes | Yes |
| Free Extras | MediaStreamer Smart DNS, browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari | Browser Extension for Chrome and App for Windows Phones |
In terms of features, ExpressVPN offers great value for your money. It has apps for all major platforms/devices in New Zealand, including preconfigured routers and an app that runs on DD-WRT and Tomato routers as well.
IPVanish, on the other hand, does offer the same app compatibility in New Zealand. However, they do not offer a browser extension for Mozilla Firefox users, which does affect its overall value.
You also have more features available in New Zealand with ExpressVPN, including Rotating Servers, Dedicated Router App, MediaStreamer Smart DNS, and plenty more, whereas IPVanish is quite basic.
ExpressVPN even offers obfuscation servers which allows users in New Zealand to use a VPN in heavily restricted regions like China.
The only advantage of signing up with IPVanish is that you can get more simultaneous connections in New Zealand. Where ExpressVPN supports only 5 multi-logins, IPVanish doesn’t have a limit on simultaneous connections.
ExpressVPN vs IPVanish: Pricing and Discounts in New Zealand
In terms of pricing in New Zealand, ExpressVPN leans over to the more expensive side, whereas IPVanish tends to be incredibly budget-friendly. If you plan to subscribe to ExpressVPN, you will have three plans available: 1 month, 12 months, and 6 months.
| ExpressVPN | IPVanish | |
| Special offer | 49% Off on the 1-Year Plan | 69% Off on the 1-Year Plan |
| Highest price per month | NZD 22.66 ($12.95) | NZD 19.23 ($10.99) |
| Lowest price per month | NZD 11.67 ($6.67) | NZD 5.83 ($3.33) |
| One-Year Price | NZD 174.92 ($99.95) | NZD 69.99 ($39.99) |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 Days | 30 Days (On the 1-Year Plan Only) |
As far as the money-back guarantee is concerned in New Zealand, ExpressVPN has a 30-day money-back offer on all of its plans. On the other hand, IPVanish too offers a 30-day money-back offer, but its only applicable if you sign up for the 1-year plan.
IPVanish wins in this category since it is more budget-friendly than the mighty ExpressVPN. However, if you’re looking for a money-back offer with a short-term plan, then ExpressVPN is preferred in New Zealand.
ExpressVPN vs IPVanish: Speed
| ExpressVPN | IPVanish | |
| USA Server | ||
| Download Speed | 93.53 Mbps | 80.94 Mbps |
| Upload Speed | 89.23 Mbps | 72.44 Mbps |
| UK Server | ||
| Download Speed | 88.28 Mbps | 77.09 Mbps |
| Upload Speed | 83.49 Mbps | 74.58 Mbps |
| Canada Server | ||
| Download Speed | 89.72 Mbps | 71.83 Mbps |
| Upload Speed | 85.36 Mbps | 68.01 Mbps |
| Germany Server | ||
| Download Speed | 83.53 Mbps | 70.92 Mbps |
| Upload Speed | 79.12 Mbps | 66.84 Mbps |
| Average | ||
| Download Speed | 88.76 Mbps | 75.19 Mbps |
| Upload Speed | 84.3 Mbps | 70.46 Mbps |
Upon conducting the ExpressVPN vs IPVanish speed test, we can safely say that ExpressVPN wins this battle by offering blazing fast connections, especially if you connect to a server near to your physical location.
The ExpressVPN speed test was conducted with the OpenVPN (UDP) protocol which achieved an average download speed of 88.76 Mbps and an average upload speed of 84.3 Mbps.
IPVanish, too offered decent speed with its OpenVPN (UDP) protocol, achieving an average download speed of 76.19 Mbps and an average upload speed of 70.46 Mbps.
Here are the screenshots of my speed test:
Test 1: US Server
ExpressVPN
IPVanish
Test 2: UK Server
ExpressVPN
IPVanish
Test 3: Canada Server
ExpressVPN
IPVanish
Test 4: Germany Server
ExpressVPN
IPVanish
I used the OpenVPN (UDP) protocol as it is the most used protocol for hardcore gaming and streaming. However, if you connect to the OpenVPN (TCP) variant, the speed will most probably decrease as the protocol requires more juice to establish a stable connection.
Both of these VPNs offer more advanced protocols too. While IPVanish has WireGuard, ExpressVPN has its own propriety protocol called Lightway, which is super-secure and flashy-fast!
ExpressVPN vs IPVanish: Servers and Performance in New Zealand
| ExpressVPN | IPVanish | |
| Server Countries | 94+ | 75 |
| Total Number of Servers | 3000+ | 2000+ |
Determining the winner in this category is quite easy. As you can see above, ExpressVPN offers way more diversity in servers selection as compared to the US-based IPVanish.
Where ExpressVPN offers 3000+ servers in 94+ countries, IPVanish only reaches 2000+ in 75 countries. As a result, users may face server load and latency issues.
So I would recommend going for ExpressVPN for a decent network of servers and performance in New Zealand.
ExpressVPN vs IPVanish: Security Features in New Zealand
| ExpressVPN | IPVanish | |
| VPN Protocols | IKEv2, OpenVPN, Lightway | IPSec, IKEv2, OpenVPN, WireGuard |
| OpenVPN Data Encryption | AES-256 | AES-256 |
| OpenVPN Control Channel Encryption | RSA-4096 | RSA-2048 |
| Cloaking Technology | Cipher Block Chaining | OpenVPN Obfuscation |
| App Security | Kill Switch | Kill Switch |
| DNS Status | Private DNS | Private DNS |
For users who sign up with ExpressVPN, you can feel assured to receive better security than IPVanish in New Zealand. The VPN supports IKEv2, OpenVPN, and Lightway protocols.
For security, you receive protection via AES-256-CBC and AES-256-GCM ciphers. The difference between the two is of something called “chosen ciphertext attacks”. AES-256-CBC uses a secure Message Authentication Code (MAC), along with AES.
Conversely, AES-256-GCM has built-in authentication codes, which makes the process a whole lot faster! For added security, ExpressVPN utilizes Perfect Forward secrecy via the DH-2048 Diffie-Hellman key exchange.
IPVanish, on the other hand, uses the same technologies and encryption in New Zealand but falls behind because of using the old RSA-2048 control channel encryption, which is not as effective as ExpressVPN’s RSA-4096!
So it is clear that the winner is ExpressVPN in New Zealand in this category because of the better encryption mechanism and its propriety Lightway protocol.
ExpressVPN vs IPVanish: Privacy Features in New Zealand
| ExpressVPN | IPVanish | |
| Headquarters | British Virgin Islands | United States |
| Connection Logs | None | None |
| Activity Logs | None | None |
| Sign Up Information | Email Address | Email Address |
| Anonymous Payment Methods | Bitcoin | None |
Excluding ExpressVPN’s incredibly safe British Virgin Islands location (away from EU and US jurisdictions), the provider has an incredibly strong zero logs policy.
Though some account information is recorded in New Zealand, like name, email address, and payment information, the VPN does not store session/connection information, timestamps, and IP activity.
In fact, even the Turkish authorities could not find anything on ExpressVPN servers following a seizure after the assassination of the Russian Ambassador of Turkey.
IPVanish, on the other hand, has its headquarters in the Five Eyes Alliance country, the US. As such, it automatically loses a lot of its credibility as the government mandates data retention.
Therefore, if IPVanish receives a court order accompanied by a gag request, they will have to comply with the law, so as not to get into legal hassles.
So ExpressVPN is definitely the safer option if you’re hunting for a super private VPN in New Zealand.
ExpressVPN vs IPVanish: Configuration in New Zealand
| ExpressVPN | IPVanish | |
| Address Allocation | Shared | Shared |
| Static IPs | No | No |
| DDoS Protection | Yes | Yes |
| NAT Firewall | Yes | Yes |
Both VPNs adopt a similar configuration of using shared IP addresses in New Zealand. Neither gives the ability to access dedicated/static IPs and this emits a huge audience that may want to safely indulge in banking transactions or access remote networks in New Zealand.
ExpressVPN and IPVanish both offer Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) protection, which is great news for those users who may be using the VPN for gaming in New Zealand.
As a positive, Express and IPVanish do use NAT firewalls to block unsolicited incoming traffic by decrypting packet headers, getting the relevant IP address, and only sending traffic from that IP where it’s needed in New Zealand!
ExpressVPN vs IPVanish: Setup and Interface in New Zealand
| ExpressVPN | IPVanish | |
| Automatic Setup Wizard | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Amazon Fire TV |
| Main Location Selection | List-based | Map & List-based |
| Extra Settings Pages | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Friendly | Yes | Yes |
Both ExpressVPN and IPVanish offer intuitive apps that work smoothly on larger and smaller screens. They have a neat outlook with a one-click connection interface with easy location selection feature in New Zealand.
Desktop apps
Both VPNs have GUI clients for Windows and macOS but there is no graphical app available for Linux users in New Zealand. To use ExpressVPN or IPVanish, you’ll have to manually set it up using your terminal window.
The desktop version of ExpressVPN in New Zealand uses a more compact style than IPVanish and unlocks most of its features hidden upon clicking on the menu button in the top left corner.
It has a big connect button with options for selecting a location underneath along with Smart Location and Recent Locations for quick connecting to servers.
IPVanish, on the other hand, has a more broader design with accessibility to more features than its mobile counterparts.
You can choose a server using any interface you prefer in New Zealand, list-based or map-based. Upon clicking on the gear icon in the left panel, you get to play with more features of IPVanish, including general settings, kill switch, LAN traffic blocking, protocol settings, and network security settings.
By comparison, though, it still falls behind ExpressVPN’s barebones automatic reconnection and Smart Location feature, along with an easy-to-comprehend look.
Mobile apps
The mobile version of ExpressVPN in New Zealand is almost identical to the desktop version with the same attributes and style, which is pretty much okay as the desktop version is easy to use.
IPVanish, on the other hand, has a different look for its mobile apps in New Zealand as compared to its desktop counterparts. It is designed to be more compact and less cluttered to perfectly fit a mobile screen.
And keep in mind that the Android version of IPVanish in New Zealand is superior to the iOS version since it has more features like the split tunneling option and obfuscation toggle.
Comparing them both, I would recommend ExpressVPN’s mobile interface in New Zealand as it is well-maintained and easy to navigate with far more features than IPVanish.
ExpressVPN vs IPVanish: Unblocking Capabilities in New Zealand
| ExpressVPN | IPVanish | |
| Netflix | Yes | Yes |
| Hulu | Yes | Yes |
| Sky Go | Yes | Yes |
| Amazon Prime | Yes | Yes |
| BBC iPlayer | Yes | Yes |
| ABS | Yes | Yes |
| CBS | Yes | Yes |
| NBC | Yes | Yes |
| ITV | Yes | Yes |
| Channel 4 | Yes | Yes |
As you can see above, both VPNs in New Zealand, ExpressVPN and IPVanish, offer functionality to streamers by unblocking Netflix and other mentioned streaming services in New Zealand such as BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Sky Go, Amazon Prime Video, and more.
However, while I experienced a “hit and miss” scenario with IPVanish with these streaming platforms in New Zealand to unblock different libraries, ExpressVPN worked the first upon connecting to a server with a smooth streaming experience because of its MediaStreamer feature.
So I would definitely recommend ExpressVPN as the best VPN for streaming in New Zealand.
As far as torrenting is concerned, both VPNs are champions in this category, offering P2P on all servers to keep your original IP hidden to avoid copyright infringement issues.
ExpressVPN vs IPVanish: Do they actually work in China?
When it comes to bypassing the “Great Firewall”, you need a strong provider that does not skimp on security. The Great Firewall service implements algorithms that instantly block repeat IP addresses suspected to be part of a VPN provider.
It also disables the connection to any device that tries accessing content outside China or vice versa. Upon testing the two providers, only ExpressVPN proved incredibly successful in overcoming the challenges set by the “Great Firewall”
While the BVI-based provider doesn’t offer any Chinese servers, you can use the VPN while residing in China, as it offers a special obfuscation feature to make your VPN traffic look like regular traffic to the ISP. The feature is made for heavily restricted regions.
IPVanish, on the other hand, offers no such features for access in China specifically.
ExpressVPN vs IPVanish: Customer Service in New Zealand
Both IPVanish and ExpressVPN offer support in New Zealand via live chat, email, and a ticket system.
IPVanish even has a phone line. I haven’t used it myself but it is good to have an extra option in case you don’t want to type a scenario-based problem and instead explain it verbally to a representative in New Zealand.
Testing the live chat services in New Zealand revealed that responses were quite fast. Email/ticket support did take some time with IPVanish (averaging at 3 hours per reply), whereas ExpressVPN cut it shorter (averaging at 40 minutes).
We conducted these tests by sending each VPN three questions via email. Among them, two were general queries and two were a little more technical. See the statistics below:
| ExpressVPN | IPVanish | |
| Video Guides | Yes | Yes |
| Knowledge Base | Yes | Yes |
| Phone Support | No | Yes |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes |
| Average Email Response Time | 40 Minutes | 3 Hours |
| Ticket Support | Yes | Yes |
| Live Chat Support | Yes | Yes |
Customer Service: ExpressVPN
| Question | Initial Response Time | Number of Emails | Question Answered |
| Can ExpressVPN unblock Netflix US? | 30 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
| What logs does ExpressVPN store if any? | 30 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
| Can ExpressVPN be used in China and how? | 50 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
| How to use uTorrent safely with ExpressVPN? | 50 Minutes | 1 | Yes |
Customer Service: IPVanish
| Question | Initial Response Time | Number of Emails | Question Answered |
| Is IPVanish good for Torrenting? | 3 Hours | 1 | Yes |
| Does IPVanish work with Netflix? | 2 Hours | 1 | Yes |
| Why is IPVanish not working on Firestick? | 3 Hours | 1 | Yes |
| What routers work with IPVanish? | 4 Hours | 1 | Yes |
Who is the Winner For New Zealand Users?
While both (ExpressVPN vs IPVanish) are great services in New Zealand, the BVI-based ExpressVPN definitely wins this comparison for New Zealand. It is located in a safer jurisdiction, has a verified no-logging policy, and unblocks all major streaming platforms in New Zealand.
Not to mention, you have great functionality for accessing the VPN in China and exceptional support for apps, including one for routers that work on both: DD-WRT and Tomato using the dedicated router app.
If you are in search of an alternative to ExpressVPN in New Zealand, the best option would be to go for Surfshark. It is a newcomer that offers the same functionality as ExpressVPN but at a minimal price of NZD 4.36/mo ($2.49/mo) on a 2-year plan.
FAQs: ExpressVPN vs IPVanish For New Zealand Users
Is ExpressVPN better than IPVanish in New Zealand?
Yes, ExpressVPN is better than IPVanish in New Zealand because of its jurisdiction. It is based in the privacy-friendly British Virgin Islands, while IPVanish is based in the US, which is a founding member of the 5 Eyes Alliance.
ExpressVPN has a massive network of 3000+ servers in 94+ countries, covering 160 locations, while IPVanish falls behind with its 2000+ servers in 75 countries.
How should I choose between ExpressVPN and IPVanish in New Zealand?
While choosing between any two VPNs in New Zealand, compare the major factors such as speed, security, streaming support, server network, customer support, pricing, and more.
According to our comparison test between ExpressVPN and IPVanish, ExpressVPN stands out as a better provider to cater to user needs in New Zealand.
Are there any deals available for ExpressVPN and IPVanish in New Zealand?
Yes, ExpressVPN is currently offering 49% off on its 1-year plan, while IPVanish has 69% off on its 1-year plan. The discount is automatically applied on these plans in New Zealand when you sign up.
Can I trust ExpressVPN in New Zealand?
ExpressVPN is a trustworthy, safe, and capable VPN service in New Zealand. The provider is based in the British Virgin Islands which a safe jurisdiction and not a member of the 14 Eyes Alliance.
ExpressVPN has TrustedServer Technology which means all of its servers run on the RAM infrastructure, which cannot log any customer data. The VPN in New Zealand also has a strict no-logs policy which has been audited by PwC and F-Secure.
What VPN is better than IPVanish in New Zealand?
ExpressVPN offers more (and better) features than IPVanish in New Zealand. The BVI-based VPN offers better speeds, strong security, streaming and P2P-optimized servers, and handy features such as kill switch, dedicated router app, split tunneling, and more.
Why ExpressVPN is the best in New Zealand?
ExpressVPN qualifies as the best VPN in New Zealand of all time because of its strong encryption and privacy features. Furthermore, the VPN offers fast speeds and a network of 3000+ servers in 94+ countries.
