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.
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 VPN Unlimited vs Encrypt.me VPN 2024

Table of Contents
    Editors' Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, Cyberghost and Expressvpn are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company.

    Which VPN is better?

    Author Image Kristina Perunicic
    Kristina Perunicic

    Managing Editor

    VPN Unlimited and Private Internet Access (also known as PIA) are multi-platform VPNs which can be used on Windows, Mac, or Android. Both are quick and easy to install, although PIA brings a far higher number of available servers and server locations to the table. Cloak focuses solely on privacy protection for Apple devices and does so very well, providing automated VPN connections on any untrustworthy networks that you join. Both VPN Unlimited and PIA offer a solid but unremarkable access from 5 simultaneous devices, whilst Cloak allows connections from unlimited Apple products through a single account. All three have excellent mobile apps with impressive user interfaces; however, one common criticism of the VPN Unlimited platform has been their slow response times to customer service queries. A big plus for Apple users is the 30-day free trial available with Cloak, compared with just seven days through VPN Unlimited and PIA.

    Our Score

    Features 9.5/10
    Pricing 9.5/10
    Ease of Use 9.6/10
    Reliability & Support 9.8/10
    Features 8.2/10
    Pricing 8.9/10
    Ease of Use 8.7/10
    Reliability & Support 7.3/10
    Features 7.9/10
    Pricing 6.4/10
    Ease of Use 8.3/10
    Reliability & Support 8.4/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Angela Jovanoska
    Angela Jovanoska

    Cybersecurity Researcher

    Our Score: 9.5/10

    Private Internet Access has one of the cheapest VPN subscriptions available — you can sign up for as little as $2.03/month. With such a low price, I wondered whether PIA could really stand out against its higher-priced competitors. It’s been around for 10+ years, so it could be one of the best-value VPNs out there. I decided to find out just how good it is by looking into the company’s lo...

    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

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Andreea Juganaru
    Andreea Juganaru

    Senior Editor

    Our Score: 8.2/10

    VPN Unlimited comes across as a very capable VPN, with its main focus being unblocking multiple streaming sites. I wanted to see if it delivered on this promise, and to test whether its security, privacy, and customer service stacks up against the best VPNs in the industry. While it certainly delivered on some of its assertions, unfortunately, it fell short in some essential areas. It unblocke...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    J
    J
    8.0/10
    Very Happy with Lifetime license

    I picked up a lifetime license and honestly, it's been "solid". It delivers at good speeds, no leaks ... so far have been detected. Offers a wide range of streaming options & Protocols. I've contacted customer service several times and received replies quickly. The servers for P2p are limited to three locations but are still very functional. I'd appreciate a public audit of how secure the service is but it seems none of this info is published for customers, or potential customers to view.More

    Latest negative user review
    E
    Edgar
    2.0/10
    Definitely honey pot

    Stay away, none of streaming services mentioned works, support may be courteous but will not solve pro... blems. Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and others may work for a while but eventually your data will be sold to requesting parties and you get blocked.More

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Kristina Perunicic
    Kristina Perunicic

    Managing Editor

    Our Score: 7.9/10

    Important: Encrypt.me has joined forces with StrongVPN. You can no longer sign up to Encrypt.me as a new member, but you can check out our StrongVPN review here. Current Encrypt.me customers will still have access to their usual Encrypt.me services. While we wish it offered as many devices as some of our top providers, Encrypt.me (previously Cloak VPN) succeeds in protecting Apple devices connec...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    M
    Mel Snyder
    10.0/10
    Simple for all my iOS/OSX devices

    I travel a lot, US and EU, and use airline club, airport and hotel connections - all of which make me ... nervous, especially because I check my IRAs 2-3 times a day. Cloak is the third VPN I've tried - I don't remember the names of others because I quickly abandoned them when I found them kludgy and hard to set up. Cloak is SO easy, and shows up as a simple iOS setting choice. I see no speed impact, although I suspect there may be one, and so when I'm connecting to a slow service, I may use it only when transmitting or receiving sensitive data. Like seatbelts and life jackets, the easier they are to use, the more likely they are to be used. Cloak is easy.More

    Latest negative user review
    T
    Toby
    6.0/10
    Great VPN when it works

    Easy to setup, easy to "set and forget". But, that's only when the Cloak servers are responding and ru... nning as normal. I have found that often (10% of the time approx) when trying to use wifi the Cloak servers are not responsive/down and that leaves you in the exactly the situation you don't want to be in... either using iOS and OSX on unsecured connections or not using them online at all. Pretty poor outcome for something that you actually pay for.More

    Pricing

    Starting price $2.03/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license Unlimited devices
    Starting price $4/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license Unlimited devices
    Starting price $8.33/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license Unlimited devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall
    Best VPN for Torrents
    Best VPN for Windows
    Best VPN for Android
    Best VPN for Mac
    Best VPN for iOS
    Best VPN for USA

    The Bottom Line

    Whilst Cloak is a fantastic VPN resource for Apple device owners, its limited capacity of just supporting iPhones, iPads and Macs is a big drawback. Private Internet Access is a worthy winner of this comparison, outranking VPN Unlimited in server numbers, customer speed reports, server locations, encryption quality and the fact that a kill switch is included as standard. Its annual plan is significantly cheaper than Cloak's and, whilst being a little more expensive than VPN Unlimited, is well worth the extra few cents per month in our opinion.

    Time to decide which one is best for you

    FAQ

    Is Private Internet Access better than VPN Unlimited and Encrypt.me VPN?

    Yes, Private Internet Access is better overall than VPN Unlimited and Encrypt.me VPN. It has 29650 servers in 90 countries, fast speeds, and impressive security features.

    Best of all, you can take advantage of its latest discount and get it for only $2.03 a month.

    What should I keep in mind when choosing between Private Internet Access, VPN Unlimited and Encrypt.me VPN?

    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 VPN Unlimited and Encrypt.me VPN?

    Yes, Private Internet Access is faster than VPN Unlimited and Encrypt.me VPN. 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, VPN Unlimited or Encrypt.me VPN offer any deals?

    Private Internet Access, VPN Unlimited, and Encrypt.me VPN 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 49% 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

    Kristina Perunicic is a former editor for vpnMentor. She’s a cybersecurity expert with an interest in VPNs and their importance in the digital privacy landscape.