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Private Internet Access vs PureVPN 2022

After comparing these VPNs, we have a winner!

Rated: 9.3/10
%s User Reviews
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Rated: 8.1/10
%s User Reviews
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Which VPN is better?

Author Image Daniel Krohn
Daniel Krohn

Cybersecurity Researcher

PureVPN, out of Hong Kong, and the US-based PIA are two superb VPN services with differing strengths and weaknesses. PureVPN has a lead when it comes to speed; however, its server locations, including Central America, Oceania and Africa, while impressive, don't match PIA’s abundance of servers, which are spread out in an equally impressive amount of countries. Security wise, they both have comparable 256-bit data encryption to protect users, and kill switches to protect users from unencrypted data leaks. As far as logs go, PureVPN keeps no activity logs, only session logs while PIA keeps no logs. On the other hand, both PureVPN and PIA cannot access Netflix so they are on equal footing there, but both offer a seven-day refund policy should you be unhappy with the service.

Rating

Features 9.3/10
Pricing 8.0/10
Ease of Use 9.6/10
Reliability & Support 9.8/10
Features 8.1/10
Pricing 9.1/10
Ease of Use 8.0/10
Reliability & Support 8.0/10

Reviews

Review by our expert
Author Image Matthew Amos
Matthew Amos

Editor

9.7/10

Private Internet Access has one of the cheapest VPN subscriptions available — you can sign up for as little as $2.19/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...

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Latest positive user review
B
Bert
10.0/10
Best VPN I have used

I have been using PIA for three years and I have been very pleased. My internet connection is 270MB up...  and 270MB down. I get on average 250MB up and 250MB down. I have found that turning on the wire guard speeds up my internet speed by 50mb.More

Latest negative user review
M
Mischa
4.0/10
I was not happy with them

The use of PIA is detected by a lot of websites and you get constantly banned. I try to contact them ... but the contact form doesn't work. Needless to say, if the form doesn't work you can't claim your 30 days money-back guarantee. So I lost my money have no sense with the product and can't do anything.More

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Review by our expert
Author Image MJ Marsden
MJ Marsden

Cybersecurity Researcher

7.4/10

PureVPN is a premium service that operates 6,500 servers in 78 countries. It offers unlimited bandwidth, P2P compatibility, and high-end security features such as military-grade encryption. Even better, it can unblock Netflix. Overall, I was seriously impressed with PureVPN’s test results. I had excellent speeds on its local servers, and was pleased to see that its security and privacy polic...

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Latest positive user review
R
Rich
10.0/10
An excellent value, all things considered

While they will absolutely throttle p2p in most servers, it's easy to find and log into the p2p server... s. They responded promptly when I had questions (although once it was basically to say "sorry, tough luck"). Overall though, I think I paid something like $20 for a year's subscription - I really can't complain. I'm sold on the service, although I think the fact that it's based out of HK is a bit spooky. 9/10More

Latest negative user review
J
John Jonckheere
2.0/10
Never worked

Tried to install with online chat assistance and never got it to install on my Firestick, that is less...  than a year old. It kept freezing up on installation and I could not move the City, State or the Country around, kept freezing up. I have a GB connection and every other app works fine. The tech kept telling me uninstall and reinstall the app again. I did this 5 times and still exactly the same thing it would freeze and never got it to install. So within 1 hour, I cancelled my subscription.More

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Pricing

Starting price $2.19/month
Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
Number of devices per license 10 devices
See Plans
Starting price $1.99/month
Money Back Guarantee (Days) 31 Days
Number of devices per license 10 devices
See Plans

Best VPNs by category

Best VPNs Overall

Both Private Internet Access and PureVPN are considered top-tier VPN providers with a close balance of features and security standards. Even though both providers operate a large network of servers, PIA's network is more dispersed. Both providers offer important features such as a kill switch and DNS leak protection.

Best VPNs for Torrents

Both PIA and PureVPN support torrenting, but only on a limited number of servers (for legal reasons). PureVPN has dedicated servers just for torrenting and with all its privacy features, it can make torrenting a smooth experience. PIA also has servers specially designed for this purpose, and automatically redirects all your traffic through these servers while you are torrenting.

Best VPNs for Windows

PIA and PureVPN both offer easy-to-install and easy-to-use Windows apps, packed with features and supporting all security protocols used by the providers. The only feature PIA lacks that you’ll find in PureVPN is split tunneling.

Best VPNs for Android

The Android apps provided by both PIA and PureVPN are not that different when it comes to the features included, as both offer public wi-fi protection and a kill switch. The PIA Android app supports a higher level of encryption than the PureVPN app - however, both support advanced security protocols. In addition, the PureVPN Android app offers split tunneling.

Best VPNs for Mac

It’s not very common to find VPN Mac apps that support as many features as PIA and PureVPN. Both apps support multiple protocols and are very easy to use. Both include advanced features such as a kill switch and auto-connect. PureVPN also supports Stealth protocol on its Mac app, as well as split tunneling. PIA allows you to customize your connection settings very easily or gives you the option to allow the app to automatically configure itself to suit your online needs.

Best VPNs for iOS

PIA offers a very comprehensive app for its iOS users, by efficiently fitting in it as many of its features as possible. Supporting security protocols directly within an app can be a challenge - especially OpenVPN. However, both PureVPN and PIA support the highly secure and reliable protocol within their iOS app, as well as many more useful features.

Best VPNs for USA

PIA is a US-based provider and operates 1000+ servers in 15 locations within the US, facilitating the access of services geoblocked to the US. On the other hand, PureVPN operates 450+ servers in 13 locations within the US. Even though its network within the US is a little smaller than PIA's, it’s more than enough to meet all the requirements you might need from servers in this region.

The Bottom Line

Author Image Daniel Krohn
Daniel Krohn

Cybersecurity Researcher

PureVPN wins by offering 3 price plans, with the lowest really a bargain, while PIA offers 8 price plans, which is more flexible, but most of the time more expensive. PIA also has an economical option of a yearly plan, which comes out cheap in the long run. Both of these global VPN providers are tough contenders that support major devices. PIA takes the lead with their good, old-fashioned customer service over PureVPN’s poor support record. In the end, PureVPN is the only contender that works within China, taking it to the top.

Time to decide which one is best for you

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

FAQ

Is Private Internet Access better than PureVPN?

Yes, Private Internet Access is better overall than PureVPN. It has 29650 servers in 84 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 PureVPN?

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 PureVPN?

Yes, Private Internet Access is faster than PureVPN. 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 PureVPN offer any deals?

Both Private Internet Access and PureVPN 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.