SHORT ON TIME? HERES A QUICK SUMMARY
Right off the bat, there's a lot to love about this VPN. In addition to all the standard security features, it tosses a lot of extras such as WireGuard tunnelling protocol, dedicated IPs, SOCKS5 proxy, port forwarding, and an ad- and tracker-blocking tool, just to name a few. Private Internet Access is also known for its sheer number of servers, totalling more than 35,000 across 78 countries. This is great news for anyone counting on a VPN for their streaming and torrenting needs. Intuitive and user-friendly, Private Internet Access is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, Apple iOS, and Android. So far, that's more than enough reasons to have this VPN on anyones radar.
Right off the bat, there's a lot to love about this VPN. In addition to all the standard security features, it tosses a lot of extras such as WireGuard tunnelling protocol, dedicated IPs, SOCKS5 proxy, port forwarding, and an ad- and tracker-blocking tool, just to name a few. Private Internet Access is also known for its sheer number of servers, totalling more than 35,000 across 78 countries. This is great news for anyone counting on a VPN for their streaming and torrenting needs. Intuitive and user-friendly, Private Internet Access is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, Apple iOS, and Android. So far, that's more than enough reasons to have this VPN on anyones radar.
👍 優點：
- Unique security features
- Massive server network
- Allows simultaneous connections of up to 10 devices
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Quick and easy installation
- Allows customization of protocols, encryptions, data authentication, and handshake
- Anonymous payment options such as Bitcoin, bitcards, etc.
👎 缺點：
- The design and user interface seems a bit dated
- Fast but inconsistent speed
- Parent company has a dubious history
伺服器位置
PRIVATE INTERNET ACCESS KEY DATA
Jurisdiction: US
Member of intelligence sharing alliances: YES
Servers: 35,000+
Server location: 78 countries
Simultaneous connection: up to 10 devices
Desktop apps: Windows, macOS, Linux
Mobile apps: Apple iOS, Android
Browser apps: Chrome, Firefox, Opera
TV apps: Android TV, Amazon Fire
Encryption: AES-128 or AES-256
Protocols: OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, PPTP, WireGuard, and SOCKS5 Proxy
DNS and IP leak protection: YES
Automatic kill switch: YES
Streaming: YES
Torrenting: YES
Notable Features: strict no-logs policy, transparent open-source software, dedicated IPs, unlimited bandwidth, split-tunneling, identity Guard system, 24/7 live chat support
SEE WHAT USERS HAVE TO SAY
Trustpilot Rating: 4.3 out of 7,032 reviews
Having the option to run my VPN for specific apps only makes all the difference. I have it on my phone and PC and it has worked great for me. I can also put it on routers that support VPN. Has worked great for me.
PIA is the most seamless and easy to use of the VPN's on the market and I have tried them all. I get the best download speeds while running it. It's secure, fast, and updated often, and the vpn killswitch feature that allows programs only to run when VPN is active is great. For those super worried about their privacy, They truly are the only big VPN that doesn't keep files on their customers' usage. Just google the others that say they do, they have given up info on clients.
I've tried many different VPN apps, this one is the one I keep coming back to. PIA is really the best one out there. So easy, user-friendly, great customer service when needed. I recommend it 100%.
Works independently. So nice that Private Internet Access can do everything without my help- because I would mess things up.
So important also that it begins at startup. PIA protects this computer without me doing anything. Love it.
WILL IT KEEP ME SAFE AND ANONYMOUS ONLINE?
Private Internet Access is owned by Private Internet (formerly known as KAPE Technologies, and before that, Crossrider). Yes, its the same company that owns Cyberghost and Zenmate. This might trigger your anxiety, given that it has a dubious history of producing malware/adware. But, of course, we did some digging, and it seems like PIA's parent has since left the malware business and now thrives in cybersecurity. So, until something suspicious comes up, we'll consider this issue as nothing but a historical footnote.
Another thing that may not sit well with other users is that Private Internet Access is based in the US, and therefore is a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances. But we don't see how this could be a problem, given that this VPN provider has a strict and court-tested no-log policy. Even if they receive subpoenas requesting user data (which they did in the past), they simply would have no data to hand over.
Almost all VPNs promise to protect your online privacy, but Private Internet Access clearly goes above and beyond. They grant you the freedom to choose between AES-128 or AES-256 for encryption, and provide a handful of protocols like OpenVPN and Wireguard to create the encrypted tunnel. We prefer OpenVPN because it is open-source so its available for the public for review. You can't get this level of transparency from other proprietary software, and is proof that the company isn't trying to hide anything from you. Private Internet Access also offers a kill switch feature that automatically disconnects your computer if the VPN drops. This prevents your IP address from being accidentally exposed, so your online anonymity is never compromised.
Now, here is where it gets real juicy. Private VPN offers dedicated IPs in five locations: US, Canada, UK, Australia, and Germany. Unlike shared IP, a dedicated IP is unique to your account, so you get the same one every time you log in. This makes it a lot safer because you're less likely to suffer the consequences of someone else's shady online activities.
When it comes to bonus security features, PIAs offering runs the gamut of simple and straightforward to the more advanced. You get MACE which is a fast and efficient way to block ads, trackers, and other malwares. You also get port forwarding support, split tunnelling, SOCKS5 proxy, authentication and handshaking methods. Connect to the web through its Chrome extension, and you won't have to deal with annoying website referrers anymore, nor third-party cookies, and location access.
HOW FAST IS IT?
Given its high server count, we expected PIA to perform really well in terms of speed. After all, its unlikely for one server to be overcrowded with a network this extensive. Is that assumption correct? Lets find out.
Before connecting to the VPN speed, our download speed was at 90.2 Mbps. We then connected to a nearby server in NY, and our speed dropped to 40.5 Mbps. We tried this several times, and we were surprised that the results were pretty inconsistent. We disconnected from the server and tried a few minutes later. During the subsequent tests, the speed fluctuated between 50Mbps to 20Mbps. We then tried connecting to a server across the world. Connecting to a server in Japan gave us a download speed of 12Mbps. Its a considerable drop of 87%, but we were still able to stream in HD without any interruption. All in all, we got decent speeds, but the inconsistency might frustrate some users.
STREAMING, TORRENTING, AND GAMING EXPERIENCE
PIA doesnt flex their ability to unlock streaming platforms, so we werent expecting much in this area. In fact, if you go to their website, you won't find any mentions of "streaming" or "torrenting" at all. What you'll find is a claim to "access all of your favorite content TV shows, apps, news outlets, or anything else with zero restrictions, regardless of where you live." It sounds the same, yes, but it lacks the conviction of other VPN vendors, and we felt like they're playing it safe. However, we're happy to report that despite our apprehensions, PIA did succeed in unblocking popular streaming sites like Netflix and Hulu. We had luck accessing both Netflixs US and UK libraries. Sadly, it didn't work with BBC iPlayer. Torrenting works too, but as we've noted in our speed test section, some servers are faster than others, so you may have to experiment and see which servers work for you.
PRICING AND PLANS
Private Internet Access has three billing options, all of which are covered by a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee. The month-to-month plan costs $9.95, quite pricey, considering that you can get a decent VPN at $5 per month. The annual plan is a better option as the price drops from $9.95 to $3.33 per month. However, the real value kicks in when you get the 2-year plan where you get 2 months extra for free as well as a boxcryptor cloud security license- all for a low price of $2.69 per month. It's also worth noting that you get the same exact features no matter which tier you select.
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
PIAs support portal is one of the best we've seen. It is well organized with separate sections on Community, Guides, Knowledge Base, News, and Contact Us. The Knowledge Base section consists of FAQs and helpful articles on billing, account, technical, and best security practices. If you hate browsing, you can simply send them a message by filling up a contact form. PIA claims to offer 24/7 support, so we tried to contact them via live chat at 2am. A bot responded initially, but after requesting to speak to a live agent, I was able to talk to a support person in less than a minute. The representative was polite, helpful, and straightforward.
THE VERDICT
So, do we recommend Private Internet Access? Yes! Although we were unhappy with the inconsistent speeds, you can always switch to one of the 35,000 servers. For $2.69 per month, we get solid internet privacy, data protection, unlimited bandwidth, streaming, torrenting capability, simultaneous connections of up to 10 devices, and efficient customer support. Nonetheless, it's not without any flaws. If you're heading to the far east, know that Private Internet Access does not work in China.
PRIVATE INTERNET ACCESS KEY DATA
Jurisdiction: US
Member of intelligence sharing alliances: YES
Servers: 35,000+
Server location: 78 countries
Simultaneous connection: up to 10 devices
Desktop apps: Windows, macOS, Linux
Mobile apps: Apple iOS, Android
Browser apps: Chrome, Firefox, Opera
TV apps: Android TV, Amazon Fire
Encryption: AES-128 or AES-256
Protocols: OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, PPTP, WireGuard, and SOCKS5 Proxy
DNS and IP leak protection: YES
Automatic kill switch: YES
Streaming: YES
Torrenting: YES
Notable Features: strict no-logs policy, transparent open-source software, dedicated IPs, unlimited bandwidth, split-tunneling, identity Guard system, 24/7 live chat support
SEE WHAT USERS HAVE TO SAY
Trustpilot Rating: 4.3 out of 7,032 reviews
Having the option to run my VPN for specific apps only makes all the difference. I have it on my phone and PC and it has worked great for me. I can also put it on routers that support VPN. Has worked great for me.
PIA is the most seamless and easy to use of the VPN's on the market and I have tried them all. I get the best download speeds while running it. It's secure, fast, and updated often, and the vpn killswitch feature that allows programs only to run when VPN is active is great. For those super worried about their privacy, They truly are the only big VPN that doesn't keep files on their customers' usage. Just google the others that say they do, they have given up info on clients.
I've tried many different VPN apps, this one is the one I keep coming back to. PIA is really the best one out there. So easy, user-friendly, great customer service when needed. I recommend it 100%.
Works independently. So nice that Private Internet Access can do everything without my help- because I would mess things up.
So important also that it begins at startup. PIA protects this computer without me doing anything. Love it.
WILL IT KEEP ME SAFE AND ANONYMOUS ONLINE?
Private Internet Access is owned by Private Internet (formerly known as KAPE Technologies, and before that, Crossrider). Yes, its the same company that owns Cyberghost and Zenmate. This might trigger your anxiety, given that it has a dubious history of producing malware/adware. But, of course, we did some digging, and it seems like PIA's parent has since left the malware business and now thrives in cybersecurity. So, until something suspicious comes up, we'll consider this issue as nothing but a historical footnote.
Another thing that may not sit well with other users is that Private Internet Access is based in the US, and therefore is a member of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances. But we don't see how this could be a problem, given that this VPN provider has a strict and court-tested no-log policy. Even if they receive subpoenas requesting user data (which they did in the past), they simply would have no data to hand over.
Almost all VPNs promise to protect your online privacy, but Private Internet Access clearly goes above and beyond. They grant you the freedom to choose between AES-128 or AES-256 for encryption, and provide a handful of protocols like OpenVPN and Wireguard to create the encrypted tunnel. We prefer OpenVPN because it is open-source so its available for the public for review. You can't get this level of transparency from other proprietary software, and is proof that the company isn't trying to hide anything from you. Private Internet Access also offers a kill switch feature that automatically disconnects your computer if the VPN drops. This prevents your IP address from being accidentally exposed, so your online anonymity is never compromised.
Now, here is where it gets real juicy. Private VPN offers dedicated IPs in five locations: US, Canada, UK, Australia, and Germany. Unlike shared IP, a dedicated IP is unique to your account, so you get the same one every time you log in. This makes it a lot safer because you're less likely to suffer the consequences of someone else's shady online activities.
When it comes to bonus security features, PIAs offering runs the gamut of simple and straightforward to the more advanced. You get MACE which is a fast and efficient way to block ads, trackers, and other malwares. You also get port forwarding support, split tunnelling, SOCKS5 proxy, authentication and handshaking methods. Connect to the web through its Chrome extension, and you won't have to deal with annoying website referrers anymore, nor third-party cookies, and location access.
HOW FAST IS IT?
Given its high server count, we expected PIA to perform really well in terms of speed. After all, its unlikely for one server to be overcrowded with a network this extensive. Is that assumption correct? Lets find out.
Before connecting to the VPN speed, our download speed was at 90.2 Mbps. We then connected to a nearby server in NY, and our speed dropped to 40.5 Mbps. We tried this several times, and we were surprised that the results were pretty inconsistent. We disconnected from the server and tried a few minutes later. During the subsequent tests, the speed fluctuated between 50Mbps to 20Mbps. We then tried connecting to a server across the world. Connecting to a server in Japan gave us a download speed of 12Mbps. Its a considerable drop of 87%, but we were still able to stream in HD without any interruption. All in all, we got decent speeds, but the inconsistency might frustrate some users.
STREAMING, TORRENTING, AND GAMING EXPERIENCE
PIA doesnt flex their ability to unlock streaming platforms, so we werent expecting much in this area. In fact, if you go to their website, you won't find any mentions of "streaming" or "torrenting" at all. What you'll find is a claim to "access all of your favorite content TV shows, apps, news outlets, or anything else with zero restrictions, regardless of where you live." It sounds the same, yes, but it lacks the conviction of other VPN vendors, and we felt like they're playing it safe. However, we're happy to report that despite our apprehensions, PIA did succeed in unblocking popular streaming sites like Netflix and Hulu. We had luck accessing both Netflixs US and UK libraries. Sadly, it didn't work with BBC iPlayer. Torrenting works too, but as we've noted in our speed test section, some servers are faster than others, so you may have to experiment and see which servers work for you.
PRICING AND PLANS
Private Internet Access has three billing options, all of which are covered by a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee. The month-to-month plan costs $9.95, quite pricey, considering that you can get a decent VPN at $5 per month. The annual plan is a better option as the price drops from $9.95 to $3.33 per month. However, the real value kicks in when you get the 2-year plan where you get 2 months extra for free as well as a boxcryptor cloud security license- all for a low price of $2.69 per month. It's also worth noting that you get the same exact features no matter which tier you select.
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
PIAs support portal is one of the best we've seen. It is well organized with separate sections on Community, Guides, Knowledge Base, News, and Contact Us. The Knowledge Base section consists of FAQs and helpful articles on billing, account, technical, and best security practices. If you hate browsing, you can simply send them a message by filling up a contact form. PIA claims to offer 24/7 support, so we tried to contact them via live chat at 2am. A bot responded initially, but after requesting to speak to a live agent, I was able to talk to a support person in less than a minute. The representative was polite, helpful, and straightforward.
THE VERDICT
So, do we recommend Private Internet Access? Yes! Although we were unhappy with the inconsistent speeds, you can always switch to one of the 35,000 servers. For $2.69 per month, we get solid internet privacy, data protection, unlimited bandwidth, streaming, torrenting capability, simultaneous connections of up to 10 devices, and efficient customer support. Nonetheless, it's not without any flaws. If you're heading to the far east, know that Private Internet Access does not work in China.
