A dedicated IP is exclusively yours, avoiding blacklists and CAPTCHAs. Use it for banking, streaming, and business access. Trade-off: slightly less anonymous than shared IPs. Cost: typically $2-5/month extra.
What Is a Dedicated IP?
A dedicated IP (also called "static IP" or "private IP") is an IP address assigned exclusively to you by your VPN provider. Unlike shared IPs, no other VPN users share this address.
Shared IP (Default)
- Used by many users simultaneously
- IP changes when you reconnect
- Traffic blends with others
- May be blacklisted due to others' abuse
- Included in standard subscription
Dedicated IP
- Exclusively assigned to you
- Same IP every time you connect
- Your activity is distinguishable
- Clean reputation (you control it)
- Additional monthly cost
When You Need a Dedicated IP
Online Banking
Banks flag logins from different IPs. A dedicated IP provides consistent access without triggering fraud alerts.
Streaming Services
Shared VPN IPs are often blacklisted. Dedicated IPs are less likely to be detected and blocked.
Remote Server Access
Whitelist your dedicated IP for SSH, RDP, or admin panels instead of opening to all IPs.
Business Use
Consistent IP for business services, email reputation, and professional online presence.
Avoiding CAPTCHAs
Shared IPs trigger constant verification. Dedicated IPs have clean reputation scores.
Email Deliverability
Send emails without landing in spam due to shared IP reputation issues.
When Shared IP Is Fine
- General browsing privacy
- Torrenting (shared IP provides more anonymity)
- Bypassing basic geo-restrictions
- Public Wi-Fi protection
- When maximum anonymity is the priority
Privacy Trade-offs
Privacy Considerations
- Linkability: All your activity comes from one IP, making it easier to build a profile
- VPN provider knows: They can associate the dedicated IP with your account
- No crowd anonymity: You don't blend in with other users
- Subpoena risk: If the IP is subpoenaed, it points to you specifically
What's Still Protected
- ISP can't see: Your traffic is still encrypted from your ISP
- Location hidden: Your real IP is still masked
- Encryption intact: Same strong encryption as shared IPs
Pricing Analysis
Dedicated IPs are typically an add-on to your VPN subscription:
| Provider | Dedicated IP Cost | Available Locations |
|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | ~$3.69/mo | US, UK, Germany, France, Netherlands |
| Surfshark | ~$3.75/mo | US, UK, Germany, Netherlands |
| PureVPN | ~$2.99/mo | Multiple countries |
| CyberGhost | ~$5/mo | US, UK, Germany, France, Canada |
| Private Internet Access | ~$5/mo | US, UK, Germany, Canada, Australia |
Prices as of 2025. Check providers for current pricing.
Is It Worth It?
Calculate based on your needs:
- Banking issues: If you're locked out of accounts, $3/mo is worth it
- Business use: Professional access is worth the cost
- CAPTCHA frustration: Time saved may justify the cost
- Casual use: Probably not necessary
Alternatives to Consider
Residential IPs
Some VPNs offer residential IPs that appear as home connections rather than datacenter IPs:
- Better reputation than datacenter IPs
- Less likely to be blocked
- More expensive than dedicated datacenter IPs
Rotating IPs
Some VPNs offer IP rotation features:
- Get a new IP periodically or on-demand
- Useful if current IP is blocked
- Maintains some anonymity benefits
Split Tunneling
Route specific apps outside VPN:
- Banking app uses your real IP
- Other traffic uses VPN
- No extra cost
- Less secure for excluded apps
Frequently Asked Questions
Dedicated IPs from datacenters can still be identified as VPN/hosting IPs. However, they're less likely to be blacklisted since you're the only user. Residential dedicated IPs are harder to detect as VPN traffic.
Not necessarily. Streaming services also detect datacenter IP ranges. A dedicated IP helps avoid blacklists from other users' abuse, but the IP range may still be flagged. Residential IPs work better for streaming.
Usually yes, but only one device at a time can use the dedicated IP. If you connect from another device, the first disconnects. Some providers allow simultaneous connections on multiple devices with the same dedicated IP.
Security is the same-both use identical encryption. The difference is privacy/anonymity (shared is better) vs convenience/access (dedicated is better). Choose based on your use case, not security concerns.