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Private Internet Access vs Zenmate VPN 2023

Table of Contents
    Rated: 9.5/10
    %s User Reviews
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    Rated: 9.1/10
    %s User Reviews
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    Which VPN is better?

    Author Image Kristina Perunicic
    Kristina Perunicic

    Managing Editor

    Private Internet Access (PIA) and ZenMate are very popular VPNs known for their innovative services and easy-to-use, dedicated apps for all major platforms, including iOS and Android. Strong 256-bit encryption, malware blocking, tracking and wi-fi protection, unlimited bandwidth, and all the other essentials you would expect from top VPNs can be found with either of these providers. When it comes to advanced features, you’ll find ad blocking, a built-in SOCKS5 proxy, and DNS leak protection only in PIA’s service. If you plan to download torrents, both providers support P2P activities, but you should be aware that ZenMate had a questionable privacy policy in the past regarding torrenting. While ZenMate offers a 7-day free trial and a 14-day money-back guarantee, PIA offers only a 7-day money-back guarantee on new orders and no free trial. These providers also differ in network size, with PIA maintaining an impressive 3,160+ servers in 33 countries, compared to around 300 servers in 30+ countries for ZenMate. See our detailed, category-by-category comparison below to decide which VPN is better for you.

    Rating

    Features 9.5/10
    Pricing 8.0/10
    Ease of Use 9.6/10
    Reliability & Support 9.8/10
    Features 9.1/10
    Pricing 8.4/10
    Ease of Use 8.2/10
    Reliability & Support 8.4/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Matthew Amos
    Matthew Amos

    Senior 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
    A
    Artaban
    2.0/10
    PIA is a perfect backdoor to your computer

    Briefly said, all my accounts were compromised few days after PIA installation only on Chrome, includi... ng services that I have never used like Facebook Ads (corrupted from far far away in Kazakstan). Yesterday, someone changed my PIA email for a one-shot usage email @yopmail.com and stole around 100 euros on my VISA for payment to PIA - Private Internet Access. There is no doubt that PIA is a perfect and complete security hole direct to your computer and personal stuff.More

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    Review by our expert
    Author Image Magdalena Madej
    Magdalena Madej

    Cybersecurity Researcher

    8.2/10

    ZenMate is a simple and user-friendly VPN. It will protect you at home and when using public WiFi. It has an extensive server network, with servers optimized for P2P and streaming services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+. ZenMate can lure you with its competitive prices, especially for long-term plans. It offers a 30-day money-back guarantee to try it out. There is also a business offer...

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    Latest positive user review
    M
    Mattew
    10.0/10
    Good experience

    No matter your location, using a VPN is important for your online security. I got ZenMate for exactly ... that and I am satisfied with it, especially when it constantly improves its service. Customer support helped me so much and I just wanted to say that I've asked for their help a few times. And every time the support was respectful and fast in their response time. Keep it up!More

    Latest negative user review
    K
    Kaleo
    4.0/10
    Buggy and Unreliable

    Good when it works, with a limited number of available servers. However, 1. Does not always connect ... to the fastest server. 2. On the Mac, it does not automatically connect to a server. 3. On iOS, it does connect automatically BUT does not do so consistently. 4. The Mac app has been buggy and not connecting at all, FOR MONTHS. They still have not fixed it.More

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    More Info

    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) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license Unlimited devices
    See Plans

    Best VPN by category

    Best VPN Overall

    PIA offers a powerful service with a very large network of servers, no known restrictions on speed or usage, and many unique features. ZenMate also has a fairly reliable service that’s consistently improving, with very user-friendly apps across all major platforms.

    Best VPN for Torrents

    If you’re interested in P2P file sharing, we recommend PIA, which offers dedicated, high-speed servers optimized for downloading torrents anonymously. ZenMate now supports torrenting, but has previously prohibited P2P activities on its network, and its privacy policy still leaves some unanswered questions about the level of anonymity you can expect.

    Best VPN for Windows

    PIA offers a Windows app with a straightforward interface and access to advanced DNS leak protection and ad blocking. Meanwhile, ZenMate’s Windows client is very easy to install and set up, features a smooth interface that’s easy to adapt to, and gives you access to strong encryption and VoIP capabilities.

    Best VPN for Android

    By providing access to more than 3,000 servers worldwide, a dedicated app, and features like malware protection and ad blocking, PIA offers a commendable service for Android. ZenMate also has an attractive service for Android that includes its own user-friendly app, with OpenVPN as the default protocol.

    Best VPN for Mac

    PIA features a powerful service for MacOS that includes access to a SOCKS5 proxy, an ad blocker, and support for the PPTP, OpenVPN, and L2TP/IPSec VPN protocols. ZenMate also provides a MacOS app that includes malware protection and access to the provider’s entire network of about 300 servers.

    Best VPN for iOS

    PIA offers a dedicated iOS app that uses IPsec as its default encryption protocol and includes built-in malware protection and ad blocking. If you need to use PIA with OpenVPN, you can manually configure the protocol using the universal OpenVPN connect app, which can be set up in minutes. ZenMate also offers an iOS app with a very user-friendly interface and malware and tracking protection.

    Best VPN for USA

    PIA unblocks hundreds of US websites from any location worldwide and even has dedicated streaming servers for accessing US shows and movies. However, it does not unblock US Netflix. Although its connections are slower, ZenMate offers more than 70 US servers that are capable of unblocking Netflix and many other websites based in the country.

    The Bottom Line

    Private Internet Access wins this comparison mainly by offering a much larger network of servers and more advanced features than ZenMate. It also has a more transparent privacy policy, including a verified promise to never store any activity logs. PIA’s more budget-friendly subscription prices and faster connection speeds than ZenMate also help to tip this contest in its favor. Interestingly, top VPN providers like CyberGhost and ExpressVPN match PIA’s privacy protections while offering even better speeds and reliably unblocking Netflix-US.

    Time to decide which one is best for you

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

    FAQ

    Is Private Internet Access better than Zenmate VPN?

    Yes, Private Internet Access is better overall than Zenmate VPN. 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 Zenmate 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 Zenmate VPN?

    Yes, Private Internet Access is faster than Zenmate 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 or Zenmate VPN offer any deals?

    Both Private Internet Access and Zenmate 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.