Private Internet Access Review

Major changes to Private Internet Access make it a worthy competitor to leaders in the VPN industry. Read this detailed review.

Overall Rating: 4.4 / 5.0
 available_devices
12945+ Servers
78 Countries
USA
No logging
Last Update: March 3, 2022

Private Internet Access Review

Private Internet Access Review Screenshot

VPN servers are one of the things I can never have enough of as someone who manages a large network of region-specific websites for clients all over the world. In the last two years, I've used at least a dozen services, but only a few of them provide more than 30,000 servers in 75 countries.

Private Internet Access (PIA), on the other hand, has an unrivaled number of servers available. While having a large number of servers is an important feature of PIA, each subscription's ability to support five protocols may be just as important.

OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, PPTP, SOCKS5 proxy, P2P support, and L2TP/IPSec are all supported. In addition, ad blocking, tracker removal (so websites can't track your activity), and protection against a known list of malicious websites are also available to users.

updated PIA servers

Our Private Internet Access Review

Rock bottom prices for a premium product 

PIA has a number of appealing offers, including a basic plan for $11.95 per month and $2.69 per month for two years.

Also available is their special 1-year plan, which costs only $3.33 per month, which is less than the cost of a cup of coffee per day. This plan is available for purchase here. Another appealing feature is the wide range of payment options available.

A subscription to PIA can be paid for using Bitcoin, gift cards, PayPal, or credit cards, among other payment methods.

PIA does not log, collect, or sell your private information

Users in Canada and the United States will be relieved that Private Internet Access, unlike other services, does not store data logs.

As a result, the corporation has no way of knowing how long a member was online, what device they used to access the system, where they accessed it, or what websites they visited while online.

Aside from that, as previously stated, an encryption mechanism prevents even malicious corporate employees from collecting private information, which has previously been a problem with other services.

 

PIA anonymity

Excellent Premium Features

Private Internet Access and other high-end services have kept their promises of lightning-fast performance. Furthermore, the registration process is simple. Client software is also available for Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows.

The client downloaded and installed quickly on both operating systems. After installation, the interface is simple.

A server is chosen from a list of available servers by the software. Using the easy selection feature, users can avoid searching through a long list of servers in each country, calculating their ping time, and rating them.

Next, go to the settings menu if you want more options. Select TCP or Open VPN protocols from the settings menu. It's also possible to configure port forwarding. Options ranging from ECC-521 to RSA-4096 are welcome for custom encryption, handshake, and authentication. 

MACE also safeguards you against malicious websites, blocks advertisements, and hides your tracks. Windows users have a kill switch that turns off the Internet if the software disconnects, preventing data leaks caused by intermittent internet access.

Blazing fast performance

In preparation for this review, I put PIA through a battery of performance tests. But it's also because I place a premium on speed because time is money, and no one wants to waste time with a sluggish VPN. The results were outstanding all around.

Initially, local connections were attempted, followed by VPN connections from Toronto to London, Japan, Sweden, France, and other locations. Local connections were ineffective.

I ran speed tests and recorded the results, which included latency and total speed. Overall, the response time was satisfactory.

Despite the fact that my connection to the Toronto server was the fastest, I only saw a 5% decrease in overall speed. VPN connections across the border, on the other hand, experienced a 10% to 12% loss, according to research.

PIA speed

PIA’s Killer Features

One of the standout features is the global network of over 30,000 servers. However, there are a few others that I particularly like and believe the majority of people reading this review will find interesting:

Protect your entire home network: 

PIA has a step-by-step guide on using the service to protect your entire home using a WiFi router that runs pfSense, DD-WRT, or Tomato OS. Using this option ensures that anyone connected to your WiFi router is safe, regardless of whether they are using a mobile device, laptop, or desktop computer.

Easy to use apps for iOS and Android devices: 

The PIA smartphone apps are a scaled-down version of the desktop client. With the three-lined icon menu, iOS and Android versions look the same. In my experience, configuring port forwarding and the kill switch feature is a breeze. The same holds true when you select a country and examine the latency of each server listed. The one with the lowest latency should be selected.

A perfect VPN client for streaming: 

Unlike other similar services, Hulu, YouTube, and Netflix can be accessed from any country with a single click. Plus, because it does not significantly slow down my Internet, I can stream in Ultra HD without waiting for the video to load. As a result, it comes highly recommended by streamers like myself.

Subscribe via Bitcoin: 

Although this isn't a software feature, I like it because it allows you to subscribe anonymously. When you use Bitcoin, the company cannot know who you are or where you are. Even though my credit card information has previously been stolen, that appears to be a significant step for privacy that I never overlook. There is also no other VPN service that I am aware of that accepts Bitcoin.

Low Price and Great Value: 

The most cost-effective option is Private Internet Access VPN, which provides value in the form of a comprehensive set of reasonably priced features. To save the most money, I recommend purchasing a one-year subscription.

The Pros

  • Over 35000+ VPN servers in more than 75 countries around the world mean you'll never run out of options.
  • Excellent network performance across all international servers.
  • The desktop version of their client has an array of customization options perfect for home office users like me.
  • PIA can be used to secure your WiFi network so that everyone connected is secure with their IP masked behind a firewall.
  • Most of all, it's affordable, starting at just around $2.69 for a 2-year subscription.
  • An excellent adblocking software means that I never saw any ads during the testing of their client on my desktop and my MacBook.
  • Connect up to 10 simultaneous devices.
  • MA fully functional Internet Killswitch feature.

The Cons

  • No options to buy for longer than one year.
  • The dedicated IP add-on is a bit expensive.

Private Internet Access Pricing

Customer Support

On their official website, Private Internet Access provides technical support and customer service. However, before contacting support, we strongly recommend that you read through the FAQs to gain a thorough understanding of all potential issues and how to resolve them.

If you contact customer service, they promise to respond within six hours of receiving your message. For example, I sent a general question to the support staff to gauge their level of customer service, and I received a response within a few hours.

However, I miss the one-on-one live chat feature that many other services in this industry provide. Even so, unless you are experiencing a serious technical problem, you should only contact support on rare occasions, if at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of using a VPN?

Authorized users can connect to private networks via virtual networks in the same way that they would if their devices were directly connected to the private network. When you do this, a secure, encrypted connection is established between your computer and the Internet, protecting your personal information from people like hackers who may want to monitor your behavior on your local network or the Internet.

How safe is it to use a VPN?

VPNs are intended to be used as a security tool, encrypting data as it travels from the user to the intended destination. As a result, no one will be able to see any data transmitted or received via a VPN connection. When used correctly, a virtual private network (VPN) can provide a high level of protection against a wide range of online threats and threats to your privacy.

What can people do/see when I use VPN?

VPNs encrypt data sent and received by your computer so that it can only be read by you. This means that anyone listening in on your connection (for example, at an internet café or between network nodes) won't be able to see what you're doing online. Because VPNs frequently change IP addresses, if someone tries to track you down, they won't be able to tell where you're connecting from.

Is Private Internet Access Worth It?

Private Internet Access (PIA) is one of the best VPN services I've used, and it's also one of the most trustworthy. Anyone looking for a comprehensive service that is both aesthetically pleasing and affordable should look no further.

Because of the large number of servers and their extremely low latency, your internet speed will not be hampered. People who want to watch Netflix or ensure that Uncle Sam isn't listening in on their conversations should use PIA.

Many IT professionals are aware that PIA is one of the most private virtual private networks (VPNs) available.

The #1 Most Trusted VPN
With 83% Off
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12945+ servers in 475 countries
By: Michael Miller
Michael is the CEO of VPN Online, one of the fastest-growing media companies in the cyber-security space. VPN Online was started in 2019 after Michael consulted with many Fortune 500 companies and saw the lack of understanding about cybersecurity many of their employees had.