NordVPN vs Private Internet Access; two of the most popular VPN providers on the market with varying features.
NordVPN is an excellent VPN that is easy to use and a great option for streaming fans thanks to its strong geo-unblocking capabilities. PIA is one of the best VPN providers when it comes to torrenting support thanks to its eye-watering network of servers, unlimited P2P support, and port-forwarding feature.
The best VPN provider comes with a complete package of first-rate security features, user-friendly clients, and additional features. So, is NordVPN or Private Internet Access a better option? Read on to find out.
Both NordVPN and PIA offer excellent VPN products that come with a range of advanced security features. But which one is right for you?
NordVPN is based in Panama and offers an excellent VPN product that comes with torrenting support, impressive streaming unblocking capabilities, and fast connection speeds, thanks to its proprietary NordLynx protocol. Its mobile apps are not the most user-friendly, but it is still a great choice for most users.
NordVPN is one of the most popular VPN providers on the market, and if you have done any research on VPNs, you have likely heard of it. But how good is it? And how does it compare to Private Internet Access (PIA)?
NordVPN is relatively good value for money with subscription prices starting at $3.71 if you are happy to commit to its longer-term 2-year plan. However, its 1-month option is on the higher end at $11.95.
Despite the savings that come with a longer-term subscription plan, we would typically recommend starting with a shorter plan or at least a free trial and then upgrade to a longer-term option if you are satisfied. Opting for a longer plan before testing a product may mean that you are stuck with a VPN that does not offer all of the features and services you require.
NordVPN offers a range of payment options to suit various customers, including PayPal, credit card, and multiple anonymous methods, including Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
Users will be protected by military-standard AES-bit encryption as standard as well as a range of additional features, including Onion over Tor and Double VPN technology that will encrypt your private internet data twice rather than just once.
There is a reliable kill switch, too, to protect your browsing activity even if the VPN fails for any reason. If your VPN drops, the kill switch will automatically cut your internet connection so that no unencrypted data or your actual IP address become exposed.
NordVPN also offers access to a range of obfuscated servers that hide the fact that you are using a VPN. This feature is helpful for tasks including streaming, as many streaming services utilize strong VPN-blocking technology and firewalls.
The VPN provider offers a strong no-logs policy that is evidenced by an independent security audit. This is reassuring as it means that NordVPN does not store, misuse, or sell private user data.
It is a great option if you are looking for a streaming VPN service, thanks to its excellent server connection speeds, especially if you use the proprietary NordLynx protocol. It successfully unblocks a range of streaming services, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and Hulu. There is P2P support on almost all of the provider’s servers, too, making it a decent option for torrenting fans.
NordVPN also boasts an excellent customer support team and a 24/7 live chat support option if you run into any difficulties while using the VPN service. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee, too, for additional peace of mind. This means that you can test the product risk-free before committing to a paid VPN subscription.
Private Internet Access is a great option for torrenting fans thanks to its eye-watering server network and host of configurable settings. It also comes with excellent mobile and desktop apps. However, it is not the best VPN service for accessing geo-restricted streaming services, and its speeds are somewhat average.
Private Internet Access or PIA is one of the best VPN services on the market, thanks to its impressive server coverage, wide platform support, and excellent encryption standards. The provider offers over 22,000 servers across 76 countries, which is more than any other VPN provider on the market.
If you sign up for a month, PIA is not cheap, at $11.95 a month but this is average among its competitors. If you opt for a yearly subscription option, the price will fall to $3.33 a month. However, the most cost-effective option is its 3-year plan, which comes in at just $2.19 a month, making it one of the cheapest VPN services available.
PIA also boasts excellent security and privacy features. Users will gain access to WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols, which are two of the best available. There is also the option to choose your encryption level and activate data authentication and handshake methods. All of the provider’s apps are open-source too, which means that they have been heavily scrutinized by developers for issues and vulnerabilities.
There is a reliable kill switch to protect your web traffic if your VPN fails for any reason. However, we would like to see the provider complete an external security audit of its no-logs policy and software to provide evidence for its security claims.
Despite that the provider’s server coverage is impressive, speeds are somewhat average. In the US, test results revealed server speeds of around 70Mbps, which is somewhat lower than its competitors.
Private Internet Access is successful at accessing United States Netflix; however, libraries in other countries such as Japan are unavailable. It also fails to unblock BBC iPlayer, which is disappointing for fans of UK streaming content. Some, but not all of PIA’s servers enabled access to Amazon Prime Video and Disney+.
Overall, if you are a streaming fan, PIA may not be the best choice. However, torrenting and P2P sharing are permitted on all servers, and there is a useful port-forwarding feature specially designed for torrenters.
Cost can be a deciding factor for many customers, so we’ve taken a look at both VPN services subscription plans.
NordVPN comes with a 30-day refund policy, too, meaning that you can test the app to make sure it is right for you before committing to a paid subscription plan. The company does offer a free trial; however, it is only available on Android and iOS, so we would recommending signing up for a paid subscription plan to avail of the money-back guarantee.
With NordVPN, there is a range of payment options too including credit card, PayPal, prepaid card, UnionPay, AmazonPay, GooglePay, and iTunes. There is also support for anonymous payment options with cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Monero, and Ethereum.
Like NordVPN, PIA also comes with three subscription options: a monthly, yearly, and 3-year plan.
There is no free trial with PIA either, but it also comes with a 30-day refund guarantee. PIA supports an extensive list of payment options, including credit cards, gift cards, cryptocurrencies, bank transfers, and more.
Excellent privacy and security features are an important aspect of any VPN service, so we’ve checked out what each provider has on offer.
NordVPN operates on military standard AES-256 bit encryption as standard as well as 4096-bit Diffie-Hellman keys. The VPN provider also offers Perfect Forward Secrecy technology, which creates new encryption keys at the start of every VPN session and periodically after that.
There is also an Onion over VPN to link your internet connection through the encrypted Tor network for complete privacy and anonymity.
The VPN provider also offers a range of obfuscated servers which is helpful to hide the fact that you are using a virtual private network connection to gain access to a site or app that blocks the use of a VPN.
PIA is also a great option if you are concerned about your internet privacy and security. The VPN provider operates on OpenVPN and WireGuard, two of the newest and safest protocols available. PIA utilizes AES-128 encryption, but you can manually increase it to AES-256 in the settings. Users can also activate handshake methods, including RSA-2048 and RSA-4096, as well as data authentication.
For DNS leak protection, Private Internet Access operates on its own DNS server, but you can switch this to your own too. The provider also offers a reliable kill switch to ensure your actual IP address and location do not become exposed if your VPN fails for any reason. This feature is also available on PIA’s mobile apps, which is unusual.
PIA’s clients are open-source, which means that they have been heavily scrutinized by developers for leaks or bugs. This means you can rest assured that the software is completely secure.
The Private Internet Access Chrome extension offers a range of additional security features, including an ad, third-party cookie, and malware blocker. The browser extension can be used to activate the VPN directly from your browser; however, it will only protect your browser activity.
PIA claims that it does not keep logs of private user data; however, its no-logs policy has not yet completed an independent security audit of its policies and software, which is disappointing.
Many users install VPNs to access geo-restricted streaming content on sites such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer. For example, if you are based in the United States, you may not be able to access some European or UK streaming content. A VPN serves to mask your real IP address and replace it with that of the VPN. This means that you can make it appear as if your internet activity originates in an entirely alternate location and gain access to streaming services that are not usually available in your region.
NordVPN is the clear winner when it comes to accessing streaming content. It is successful at unblocking a range of Netflix libraries and YouTube, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video.
PIA can unblock some streaming content, but it is nowhere near as successful as Nord. Private Internet Access was able to stream US Netflix content, but it did fail to unblock the service in any other countries. Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video were available on some, although not all, of the provider’s servers.
NordVPN provides access to a wide range of P2P-friendly servers. Not all of the company’s servers are optimized for torrenting, but there remains an excellent array of locations to choose from. When you launch your P2P-sharing client, or it detects torrenting traffic, Nord will usefully automatically reconnect you to a P2P server. This means that you do not need to worry about remembering you activate the VPN every time you want to torrent.
Private Internet Access is arguably a better VPN option when it comes to torrenting. There are no torrenting restrictions, and P2P sharing is supported across the provider’s extensive range of VPN servers. This means that you can freely use any of the company’s servers for torrenting. There is even support for port forwarding, which can be helpful if you need to access the internet from behind a NAT firewall to increase torrenting speeds.
NordVPN and Private Internet Access offer impressive customer service if you run into difficulties while setting up or using your new VPN.
When it comes to customer support, NordVPN offers a few options. There is a range of setup and support articles available on the company’s site, which are comprehensive and well-written. Nord also offers a 24/7 live chat support option operated by a team of friendly and helpful agents. There is email support, too; however, you will likely be waiting longer for a reply.
Private Internet Access offers a support center with a range of setup and troubleshooting guides. They are not as detailed as those offered by NordVPN, but there is an extensive array of articles. If you require further assistance, there is the option to raise a support ticket or use the live chat. Typically, users will be waiting a few hours for a support ticket reply, while the live chat is somewhat quicker.
When it comes to choosing a VPN provider, it is important to consider the size and range of its server network. Having a large and well-located network means that you will have sufficient choice when choosing a server in a particular location for streaming, gaming, or torrenting. NordVPN and PIA both boast impressive server networks in a wide range of locations.
NordVPN has 5300+ servers across almost 60 countries. Its server network covers all continents and many countries.
Private Internet Access offers an eye-watering network of over 22,000 servers in 95 locations across 77 countries. There are PIA servers in places like New Zealand, Mexico, and Spain.
Once you have downloaded and installed NordVPN’s desktop apps, they are well-designed and simple to use. A large server location map allows you to select your desired server with a single click. There is a typical server location list too. Alternating between VPN protocols and enabling the kill-switch is quick and simple in the Settings section.
Installing the Private Internet Access VPN clients is easy. The download page for each app offers a changelog that reveals the changes and updates previously made. There are OpenVPN configuration files available, too, in case you want to use your own app.
Once you have installed the app and entered your login details, a large Connect button will automatically connect you to the best available server in terms of speed and proximity. You can also easily select a VPN location from the list of cities and countries, showing ping and latency statistics to help you choose the best one.
In Settings, there is a large array of configurable features. You can select between OpenVPN over WireGuard or UDP over TCP. You can also create a custom port, select an encryption level between AES-128 or AES-256, and activate SHA1 or SHA256 authentication, or handshaking RSA-2048 or RSA-4096. There is a Small Packets future, too, that enhances reliability on poor Wi-Fi connections.
There is a reliable kill switch on the desktop client, too, which will cut your internet connection if your VPN fails or disconnects for any reason. This ensures that no unencrypted information or your actual IP addresses ever become exposed.
Both providers offer good desktop apps, but what about when it comes to smartphones?
NordVPN’s mobile iOS and Android apps feature a large map-based interface. However, the server map is somewhat difficult to navigate due to the small screen size. Installing and setting up the client is similar to any other app on Android or iOS.
Once you have signed up for a NordVPN subscription plan, the website will redirect you to the relevant app store. Download the app, accept the terms and conditions, and enter your login details. Activating and deactivating the VPN is simple, thanks to the easy-to-use Connect button. The important settings options are easy to access too.
NordVPN also allows users to activate Auto-Connect, which means that the VPN will automatically turn on if it detects a connection to an unsecured or unknown Wi-Fi network or any other those that you have added to your WhiteList. There is CyberSec technology, too, which will block ads, malware, and phishing attempts.
There are a few minor differences between the NordVPN Android and iOS apps. The Android app does not offer a standard kill switch, but you can set up something similar by enabling “Always-on VPN” and “Block Connections without VPN.” The iOS app has this feature built-in, but you cannot turn it off.
The Android app is also the only NordVPN client to feature split tunneling; this means that you can choose the apps that run through your VPN, as well as those that will bypass it. This is handy if you want to use the VPN connection for certain tasks such as online banking, but you want your normal browsing activity to run outside of the encrypted VPN connection.
The iOS does not offer split tunneling due to Apple’s limitations. However, it is one of the most powerful VPN apps for iOS. There is support for Siri, a dark mode, and a decent range of VPN protocols, which is sufficient for a typical mobile user.
PIA also offers apps for iPhone and Android. A subscription to Private Internet Access enables support for up to 10 simultaneous connections, much more than NordVPN offers. The Android client is simple but well-designed with a large Connect button, your actual IP address, and your chosen server location displayed on the screen. Selecting a region offers a list of other available locations with expected latency indicators to help you choose the best available server.
The PIA iOS app is similar to the Android option. There is a Network Management section that enables users to select certain networks as automatically safe or unsafe. There is support for Siri, which means you can connect and disconnect the VPN with your voice.
Pia’s mobile clients offer a range of user-configurable features. Users can choose between IKEv2, OpenVPN, and WireGuard protocols. You can also choose between 4 different OpenVPN encryption methods, 2 authentication methods, and 6 handshaking processes. There is also the option to set up a DNS server or custom port and choose between OpenVPN TCP and UDP connections.
The iOS and Android apps also feature integrated kill switches that work the same way as the desktop version.
Hi, I'm Cliff. I'm based in Cleveland, Ohio, with my wife and two kids.
I have a keen interest in cybersecurity and have been writing about it for around a decade now. Due to my background in computer science, I am familiar ...
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