We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
Advertising Disclosure

vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

Private Internet Access vs AirVPN 2024

Table of Contents
    Our Score: 9.5/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Our Score: 7.0/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Editor's Note: Transparency and impartiality are important to us when bringing you our best selection of VPNs. Some of the industry-leading products on our list, including Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost, and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company. The VPNs we choose are derived from a thorough testing process.

    Which VPN Is Better?

    Author Image Kate Richards
    Kate Richards

    Former Managing Editor

    PIA is one of the oldest VPNS in the market and has made a name for itself with competitive pricing especially for long-term users. Both AirVPN and PIA accept different types of payments including bitcoin. AirVPN is based in Italy and does not keep logs but the same cannot be said for US-based PIA, which does. With over 80 servers in popular destinations, AirVPN will easily unblock Netflix. Both VPNs support OpenVPN with AES-256 encryption but AirVPN goes an extra step to run OpenVPN over TCP port 443 to bypass firewalls in China. PIA supports five simultaneous devices, compared to AirVPN’s three and offers additional features including a kill switch, DNS leak protection and servers in over 20 locations. Both VPNs have mediocre customer support at best but PIA redeems itself with impressive connection speeds.

    Our Score

    Features 9.5/10
    Pricing 9.5/10
    Ease of Use 9.6/10
    Reliability & Support 9.8/10
    Features 7.0/10
    Pricing 7.4/10
    Ease of Use 6.8/10
    Reliability & Support 8.2/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Keira Waddell
    Keira Waddell

    Former Senior Writer

    Our Score: 9.5/10

    Private Internet Access (PIA) offers one of the cheapest VPN subscriptions, starting at just $2.19/month. With such a low price, I wondered whether PIA could really stand out against its higher-priced competitors. However, it prides itself on a 10-plus-year reputation of being safe and trustworthy, so it’s also one of the best-value VPNs available. I’ve used PIA for a while and have examine...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    E
    Ez
    10.0/10
    Best VPN Out on The Market

    I like PIA VPN the best for the following reasons: ● It's a reliable and trustworthy policy; they don... 't record anything harmful to you; strict no logs. ● I've been using it for one month and there are specific times when it speeds up my internet speed (varies by internet) ● It's a distinctive feature of DIP (dedicated IP) - I think not many popular VPNs have this feature, I also purchased this feature to avoid getting the captcha verification and it never showed up ever since. It's only been a month using this VPN but as I gain more experience with this client, I'm pretty sure I will find more good features and utilize them. Thanks for having read my review:)More

    Latest negative user review
    M
    Mike Johnson
    2.0/10
    PIA no longer works on Amazon Fire devices.

    I have used PIA for several years with no issues. Currently, amazon fire devices can no longer sign i... n to the account. Used on 3 TVs with 3 different fire devices with the same result. There is no way to resolve the issue.More

    Read the full review
    Review by our expert
    Author Image Lawrence Wachira
    Lawrence Wachira

    Editor

    Our Score: 7.0/10

    AirVPN is a budget-friendly option that claims to provide robust protection against online threats. Plus, it says it offers high-performance servers. But can it really rival the top VPNs, or is the price so low because it’s not that good? After testing all its features, I found that AirVPN is secure, but it can't match the best VPNs. It has many great security features, solid speeds, and work...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    M
    Marco
    8.0/10
    I am AirVpn cusomers since 2015, and on my gear works remarkably well

    I am working in the biggest country in Asia since 2006. I constantly use AirVpn on my MacBook Pro sinc... e 2015, and on my iPhone - iPad. I never had an issue, of any kind, with it, and I was quite amazed to read the article above. Lately, it is very difficult to get it properly run on iPhone and iPad, but this is more the result of this country where I live in restrictions than the vpn in itself. While in Hong Kong was still working fine, but as soon as I crossed the border troubles started. I will tweak that as soon as I will be out again. In the rest of the world, I never had issues. So I do not give the 5th star just because of my at present troubles using it on my iPhone and iPad. For the rest, I will stick with it.More

    Latest negative user review
    A
    Ari
    2.0/10
    14 Eyes country

    Italy is a 14 Eyes country and that is enough reason to not buy AirVPN. No servers in Russia, so you c... ant bypass the Western censorship of Russian media. VPN should be about bypassing censorship, but this is not the case with AirVPN.More

    Read the full review

    Pricing

    Starting price $2.19/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license Unlimited devices
    Starting price $2.91/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license 5 devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall

    Both Private Internet Access (PIA) and AirVPN are well-known names in the VPN market, but PIA is one of the oldest providers in the industry. Both VPNs use advanced encryption to secure their server networks, but PIA operates a much larger global network than AirVPN. As a result, PIA has better geoblock-bypassing capabilities. PIA's apps are also richer in features than those of AirVPN.

    Best VPN for Torrents

    Both PIA and AirVPN support torrenting/P2P file sharing on a number of their servers. Both VPNs protect your privacy, but PIA leads the way when it comes to speed.

    Best VPN for Windows

    The PIA Windows app is easier to set up and navigate around than the AirVPN app. Compared to higher-tier VPNs, PIA's app is considered a little basic. Nevertheless, it has more useful built-in features than AirVPN's Windows client, which is aimed at tech-savvy users.

    Best VPN for Android

    Both PIA and AirVPN have client apps for Android devices that are easy to download and install. PIA's Android app has a simpler interface than the AirVPN app, however. Like their Windows clients, AirVPN's Android app offers a lot for advanced users, but PIA's is a better choice if you don't have a ton of technical expertise.

    Best VPN for Mac

    Both providers have native MacOS apps with reliable built-in features. However, the PIA app offers a much simpler interface, greater stability, and better overall performance. The AirVPN app requires more technical knowledge to access key features. If you have that knowledge and customize the settings for your purpose, you'll find it pretty reliable.

    Best VPN for iOS

    PIA has a user-friendly app for iOS devices that is filled with features and is easy to navigate and configure. AirVPN doesn’t have an app for iOS and so must be manually configured using a third-party OpenVPN app. In other words, you’ll be able to secure your iOS connection with AirVPN, but you won’t be able to enjoy the rest of the VPN’s features.

    Best VPN for USA

    PIA has a much larger network of US servers than AirVPN. To be specific, PIA operates 1,400+ servers in 14 US locations, while AirVPN has about 30 servers in the US. PIA also has a proven ability to access American geoblocked services, such as US Netflix and HBO Go.

    The Bottom Line

    See Plans & Pricing

    PIA emerges victorious not only for its affordable price plans backed by a hassle free seven-day money-back guarantee. It also offers some of the strongest encryption with its OpenVPN protocol handled by military grade AES-256 cipher. PIA is compatible with different devices and platforms including iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, and Chrome. This VPN boasts impressive speeds, something few VPNs would be able to match up to. The icing on the cake is its wide network coverage, which guarantees privacy and security irrespective of your geographical location.

    Time to decide which one is best for you

    Go with Private Internet Access
    Go with AirVPN
    Or click here to check best VPNs, rated by {{review_count}} users

    FAQ

    Is Private Internet Access better than AirVPN?

    Yes, Private Internet Access is better overall than AirVPN. It has 29650 servers in 91 countries, fast speeds, and impressive security features.

    Best of all, you can take advantage of its latest discount and get it for only $2.19 a month.

    What should I keep in mind when choosing between Private Internet Access and AirVPN?

    When choosing a VPN, you want to pay close attention to its number of servers, overall speed score, pricing, and the number of simultaneous device connections it offers. While some VPNs provide a flawless online experience, others will really slow you down.

    If you’re ready to commit, then Private Internet Access may be perfect for you due to its performance during the tests .

    Is Private Internet Access faster than AirVPN?

    Yes, Private Internet Access is faster than AirVPN. Since your VPN is your computer’s main connection to the internet, you need to use a service that won’t slow you down by more than 20%.

    If speeds are important to you, then I recommend you take a look at ExpressVPN. It’s the fastest service out there, provides unlimited bandwidth, and you won’t experience any slowdowns even when you connect to the other side of the planet. You can try it out risk-free. It’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can get a full refund if you don’t like it.

    Do Private Internet Access or AirVPN offer any deals?

    Both Private Internet Access and AirVPN offer deals on occasion. You can check out the current coupons and discounts here. However, ExpressVPN has the best deals. Right now, you can get a 61% discount and up to 3 months for free with a new subscription.

    We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
    Learn more
    vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

    About the Author

    Kate is a former Managing Editor at vpnMentor. Kate promoted the use of VPNs as a means to achieve unhindered access to the internet, as she strongly believes in online freedom for everyone.