IPVanish

VS

SmartDNS Proxy

VPNs Comparison

IPVanish vs SmartDNS Proxy: Side-by-Side Comparison

IPVanish
SmartDNS Proxy
Rating
★★★★★★★★★★
4.1/5
★★★★★★★★★★
3.7/5
Free Tier
No
No
Trial Days
30-day trial
14-day trial
Pricing
Annual plan from $3.33/month. Quarterly plan $5/month. Monthly plan $10.99/month.
14-day free trial. Annual plan from $3.99/month. Monthly plan $4.90/month.
Company
Ziff Davis
SmartDNS Proxy
Founded
2012
2013
Best For
Power users and families wanting unlimited device connections on self-owned server infrastructure
Streamers prioritizing maximum streaming coverage and zero speed reduction over VPN privacy

Pros & Cons

200 Jobs AI Will Replace
FREE REPORT

200 Jobs AI Will Replace

Is yours on the list? 52% of workers are already worried. Find out where your career stands before it's too late.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.

IPVanish

Unlimited simultaneous device connections with no per-device restrictions
US-based servers owned and operated directly by IPVanish - no third-party hosting
SOCKS5 proxy included for torrent clients needing fast uncapped speeds
SugarSync 250GB cloud storage bundled with subscription at no extra cost
Strong WireGuard and OpenVPN support across all major platforms
Owned by Ziff Davis which has a complicated history with US law enforcement
Past logging controversy in 2016 damaged long-term trust with privacy advocates

SmartDNS Proxy

Unblocks 400+ streaming services from around the world via SmartDNS
Zero speed impact compared to VPN connections for streaming activities
Works on gaming consoles, Smart TVs, and routers without software install
VPN access included in subscription for privacy needs alongside SmartDNS
Change your digital location to 200+ countries for regional content
No encryption or traffic privacy with SmartDNS - only geo-unblocking
Customer support response times slower than premium VPN competitors

Use Case Analysis

Which is better for Privacy?

Both IPVanish and SmartDNS Proxy support Privacy workflows. IPVanish has a slight edge with a 4.1 rating and Only major VPN that owns 100% of its server infrastructure with unlimited device connections. If Privacy is your primary use case, IPVanish is the safer pick.

Which is better for Multi Device?

Both IPVanish and SmartDNS Proxy support Multi Device workflows. IPVanish has a slight edge with a 4.1 rating and Only major VPN that owns 100% of its server infrastructure with unlimited device connections. If Multi Device is your primary use case, IPVanish is the safer pick.

Which is better for Streaming?

Both IPVanish and SmartDNS Proxy support Streaming workflows. IPVanish has a slight edge with a 4.1 rating and Only major VPN that owns 100% of its server infrastructure with unlimited device connections. If Streaming is your primary use case, IPVanish is the safer pick.

Verdict

IPVanish edges out SmartDNS Proxy with a 4.1 vs 3.7 rating. IPVanish's main advantage: Only major VPN that owns 100% of its server infrastructure with unlimited device connections. That said, SmartDNS Proxy may still be the better choice if Streamers prioritizing maximum streaming coverage and zero speed reduction over VPN privacy.

Try Them Yourself

The best way to choose is to trial both. See full details on each:

Get Started Get SmartDNS Proxy
200 Jobs AI Will Replace - Is yours on the list? 52% of workers are already worried. Find out where your career stands before it's too late.