Virtual private networks (VPNs) are an essential tool for protecting your privacy and security online. When you connect to a VPN, your internet traffic is routed through an encrypted tunnel to the VPN server. This prevents your internet service provider (ISP) and others on the network from seeing your browsing activity.
One key advantage of VPNs is that they allow you to mask your real IP address. Instead of using your ISP-assigned IP, which can be traced back to your location, VPNs assign you an IP address from their own large pool. This makes it much harder for websites or snoops to identify you based on your IP address.
But not all VPN services are equal when it comes to the size of their IP address pools. The number of available IP addresses has a major impact on the quality and reliability of the VPN. Services with larger pools can support more simultaneous connections without IP address conflicts. They are also less likely to be blocked by streaming sites or targeted by sophisticated attackers.
So which VPN has the biggest selection of IP addresses? Let’s take a look at some of the top providers and see how their IP pools stack up.
NordVPN
One of the most popular VPN services, NordVPN offers over 5,000 servers in 60 countries. NordVPN does not disclose the exact number of IP addresses available across its server network. However, based on testing, experts estimate that NordVPN has between 3,000,000 and 5,000,000 unique IP addresses.
This makes NordVPN’s IP pool one of the largest among consumer VPN providers. With millions of IPs, the chance of receiving a duplicated IP address from NordVPN’s pool is extremely low. The large pool enables NordVPN to easily accommodate a high number of users. It also allows NordVPN to frequently cycle IP addresses to avoid blacklisting.
Key Facts on NordVPN’s IP Pool:
- Estimated pool of 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 IP addresses
- Largest IP pool among the top consumer VPNs
- Cycles IP addresses frequently to avoid blacklists
- Can support over 100,000 simultaneous connections
Thanks to its sizable IP address arsenal, NordVPN can offer reliable connections and strong anonymity. The vast pool makes it difficult to track users across websites or tie activity back to an individual IP address. For those seeking maximum privacy online, NordVPN’s enormous IP inventory is a key asset.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is another highly-regarded VPN solution, known for its fast speeds and reliability. While specific IP address figures are not published, ExpressVPN confirms its entire server fleet uses unique IP addresses.
The service offers 3,000+ VPN servers covering 160 locations in 94 countries. Assuming most physical servers host multiple virtual servers, each with a different IP address, experts estimate ExpressVPN’s total IP pool is likely between 300,000 and 500,000 addresses.
Key Details on ExpressVPN’s IP Pool:
- Estimated pool of 300,000 to 500,000 unique IP addresses
- Each physical server location has multiple virtual servers
- Exact number of IP addresses not publicly verified
- Large enough pool to support 100,000+ simultaneous connections
While smaller than NordVPN’s pool, ExpressVPN still has an ample supply of IP addresses. The company indicates its pool is sufficiently large to accommodate all connected users without assignment conflicts. The pool is distributed globally across ExpressVPN’s widespread server infrastructure.
Few user complaints exist around receiving duplicate IP addresses from ExpressVPN. Overall, ExpressVPN seems capable of providing unique IPs to all concurrent users. But users seeking the absolute largest pool of IP addresses may prefer NordVPN.
Surfshark
Surfshark is a rapidly growing VPN provider known for offering unlimited device support on a single subscription. The service has over 3,200 servers in 100+ countries.
Surfshark also advertises that it provides a “limitless pool of IP addresses.” This implies Surfshark can assign a unique IP to each user at any given time. However, the company does not share the actual number of IP addresses available.
What We Know About Surfshark’s IP Pool:
- “Limitless pool” of IP addresses advertised
- No specific number of IP addresses published
- 3,200+ servers available globally
- Able to provide unique IPs for all concurrent users
While Surfshark appears equipped to supply a different IP to each connected customer, its pool is likely not as vast as bigger providers like NordVPN. But Surfshark’s IP resources are certainly sufficient for most general VPN uses. The unlimited device support per account also reduces IP exhaustion issues since users don’t have to reconnect repeatedly.
CyberGhost
CyberGhost, which is owned by Kape Technologies, operates over 7,400 servers in 91 countries. The company does not reveal its total number of IP addresses. But based on its infrastructure scale, experts estimate CyberGhost’s IP address pool is between 500,000 and 1 million IPs.
What is Known About CyberGhost’s IP Pool:
- Owns 7,400+ VPN servers globally
- Estimated 500,000 to 1 million IP addresses
- Does not publish official IP address numbers
- Capable of assigning unique IPs to concurrent users
With an estimated pool in the high hundred thousands or low millions, CyberGhost has enough IP diversity to issue unique IPs and prevent conflicts. The provider accommodates tens of millions of customers overall, indicating its IP resources are sufficiently robust. While not the largest pool, CyberGhost’s IP inventory remains impressive compared to many VPN competitors.
IPvanish
IPvanish manages a network of 1,400+ servers in over 70 locations around the world. The company claims to have the largest pool of IP addresses among providers tested. However, it does not share any specific numbers publicly.
Some analysts estimate IPvanish may have between 500,000 and 800,000 IP addresses available globally. The company also indicates it does not oversell IPs, suggesting its pool is large enough to assign a unique IP to each active user.
What We Know About IPvanish’s IP Pool:
- Operates 1,400+ VPN servers worldwide
- Said to be the largest tested IP pool by the company
- No official IP address count provided
- Likely has 500,000+ IP addresses minimum
While IPvanish does not disclose its IP address capacity, third-party estimates place it among the larger VPN IP inventories. The provider appears capable of accommodating many premium users without IP conflicts. But top tier providers like NordVPN almost certainly exceed IPvanish’s pool based on their immense server count and user capacity.
Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access (PIA) runs over 10,000 servers in 77 countries, making it one of the largest VPN infrastructures. However, the provider does not share any details about its overall IP address inventory.
Some experts guess PIA may have between 300,000 and 800,000 unique IP addresses. The available pool is likely on the lower end of top tier VPN providers but still substantial. PIA can support up to 10 simultaneous connections per account, so its IP resources must be large enough to prevent conflicts.
What is Known About PIA’s IP Pool:
- Operates 10,000+ VPN servers globally
- No published data on IP address pool
- Estimated range of 300,000 – 800,000 IPs
- Able to assign unique IPs to all connected users
The sheer size of PIA’s server network points to it having a sizable IP address pool. But the unclear inventory makes it difficult to compare against leading brands. PIA does appear capable of delivering unique IPs to each user. However, extreme power users may prefer VPNs with verified larger IP pools.
Comparison of VPN IP Address Pools
Here is a summary comparing the estimated IP address pools of the top VPN providers:
| VPN Provider | Estimated IP addresses |
|---|---|
| NordVPN | 3,000,000 – 5,000,000 |
| ExpressVPN | 300,000 – 500,000 |
| Surfshark | Not disclosed |
| CyberGhost | 500,000 – 1,000,000 |
| IPvanish | 500,000 – 800,000 |
| PIA | 300,000 – 800,000 |
NordVPN clearly stands above other top providers with its enormous pool of 3-5 million unique IP addresses. This gives NordVPN significant capacity to assign many different IPs to users while avoiding conflicts.
ExpressVPN and CyberGhost also have sizable address pools in the mid to high hundred thousands. Surfshark, IPvanish, and PIA have undefined but likely smaller pools according to third-party estimates.
Even mid-range IP pools with hundreds of thousands of addresses are sufficient for most VPN uses. But mega-providers like NordVPN offer the most IP diversity for maximum anonymity. The largest address pools provide the most flexibility to rotate IPs and prevent tracking.
VPN Server Location Impacts IP Diversity
In addition to the overall size of the IP pool, the server distribution also affects IP diversity. VPNs with more server locations can pull IPs from multiple regional pools rather than one centralized group.
For example, a VPN with 5,000 IPs all located in the U.S. provides less diversity than a VPN with 2,500 IPs spread across 30 countries. Using servers in a single country makes it easier to establish location patterns in the IP assignments.
The top providers highlighted here all have expansive server networks covering between 70 and 160 countries. This geographic diversity allows them to offer IP addresses from many distinct regional pools rather than just one market.
So when comparing VPN IP address pools, it’s important to factor in both the overall inventory size as well as distribution across server locations. Larger global networks inherently enable greater IP diversity.
Why Large IP Pools Matter for VPN Performance
There are several reasons why a large pool of IP addresses enhances VPN performance and security:
- Prevents IP conflicts: With a vast supply of IPs, it’s easy for the VPN to assign a unique address to each user. Smaller pools risk assigning duplicate IPs to different users which can create connectivity problems.
- Enables IP cycling: Larger pools allow VPNs to frequently cycle users to new IPs. This prevents tracking across sites and makes it harder to block IPs.
- Supports more connections: Big IP pools allow more simultaneous user connections without slowdowns. VPNs need multiple IPs available to scale to large user bases.
- Improves server capacity: When IP resources are scarce, VPN servers become overloaded more quickly. Abundant IPs help distribute load efficiently across servers.
- Avoids targeted attacks: The more unique IPs available, the lower the chance of all IPs being blacklisted or targeted by advanced persistent threats.
In summary, VPNs with massive IP pools can offer better performance, reliability, and security for users. When IPs are scarce, the user experience suffers.
Conclusion
The number of IP addresses available is a key factor affecting VPN capabilities, especially for power users. NordVPN possesses the largest IP pool by a wide margin compared to competitors. ExpressVPN and CyberGhost also have robust and sizable IP address inventories.
Surfshark, IPvanish, and Private Internet Access provide fewer IP address specifics but are still capable of delivering unique IPs based on infrastructure scale. Ultimately, all top VPNs maintain IP pools sufficient for typical needs.
However, maximum privacy and performance benefits go to VPNs with immense IP resources like NordVPN. When choosing a VPN for streaming, P2P traffic, or torrenting, large IP pools ensure reliable connections and avoidance of throttling or blocking. For users prioritizing privacy, huge IP inventories provide maximum anonymity by preventing tracking and targeted attacks.
