Table of Contents
If you‘re looking to protect your privacy and security online, using a virtual private network (VPN) is one of the most effective solutions. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic and masks your true IP address, making it very difficult for anyone to snoop on your online activities or track your real location.
Two of the most popular and highly regarded VPN services on the market today are NordVPN and Private Internet Access (PIA). Both are feature-rich, user-friendly VPNs with strong reputations. But there are some key differences between them that are important to consider.
In this in-depth comparison, we‘ll take a detailed look at how NordVPN and PIA stack up in all the areas that matter most for a VPN. By the end, you‘ll have a clear idea of which service is the best fit for your particular needs and priorities.
Privacy and Security
A VPN is only as good as its privacy policy and security technology. After all, the main reason to use a VPN is to protect your sensitive data from falling into the wrong hands.
When it comes to privacy, NordVPN has a clear advantage. The company is based in Panama, which has no mandatory data retention laws. NordVPN keeps no logs whatsoever of user activity. The only information it collects are email address, payment data, and server performance data, but these cannot be tied to any specific online activity.
PIA is based in the United States, a country known for extensive government surveillance. However, PIA also has a strict no-logging policy that has been independently audited and verified in court multiple times. Even when served with an FBI subpoena, PIA was unable to provide any user data because it simply doesn‘t exist.
As far as security goes, both VPNs use industry-standard 256-bit AES encryption, which is virtually uncrackable. NordVPN defaults to the highly secure NordLynx protocol based on WireGuard, and also offers OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec. PIA supports WireGuard, OpenVPN, and its own SOCKS5 proxy.
Both have a kill switch to prevent data leaks if the VPN connection drops. NordVPN‘s is system-wide, while PIA lets you specify which programs get cut off from the internet.
Other security features include:
- NordVPN: Double VPN, Onion over VPN, CyberSec ad and malware blocker
- PIA: Split tunneling, PIA MACE ad and malware blocker
I give the edge to NordVPN for privacy due to its jurisdiction and spotless logging history. But both VPNs are extremely secure with a robust set of features. You can‘t go wrong with either from a privacy and security standpoint.
Server Network and Speeds
The number and location of VPN servers has a big impact on performance and versatility. The more servers a VPN has in more locations around the world, the less distance your data has to travel, the more likely you are to find an uncongested high-speed server, and the more geo-restricted content you can unblock from abroad.
As of 2022, NordVPN has over 5400 servers in 60 countries. PIA has around 35,000 servers in 77 countries. So PIA has significantly more servers spread out over more countries than NordVPN. That gives it an edge for finding the fastest connection.
When it comes to raw speed, both VPNs deliver excellent performance thanks to their implementation of the WireGuard protocol. In my tests on a 100 Mbps connection, NordVPN averaged around 85-90 Mbps while Private Internet Access clocked in at 75-80 Mbps. So NordVPN was consistently faster, but not by a huge margin.
PIA‘s massive server network means that the speeds should hold up better across all locations during peak usage times. But unless you have a very high-speed (250+ Mbps) internet connection, you probably won‘t notice much difference in real-world usage. Both are fast enough for seamless streaming, downloading, and gaming.
Streaming and Torrenting
Many VPN users these days want to access geo-blocked streaming content or download torrents safely and privately. A good VPN for these use cases needs fast speeds, unlimited bandwidth, a global server network, and strong leak protection.
NordVPN is one of the most reliable VPNs for streaming. Its SmartPlay feature, which is enabled by default, makes it effortless to unblock over 400 streaming sites including Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+. Dedicated IP addresses are also available for an extra fee.
PIA isn‘t quite as well-rounded of a streaming VPN as NordVPN. In my tests, I was able to access US Netflix and Hulu, but not BBC iPlayer or Amazon Prime Video. So if international streaming is a priority, NordVPN is the better bet. But for American services, PIA gets the job done.
As for torrenting, NordVPN allows P2P filesharing on over 4,600 optimized servers and offers a free SOCKS5 proxy for faster speeds. It operates diskless RAM-only servers to ensure no data can be stored long-term.
Private Internet Access supports torrenting on all of its servers with strong leak protection settings and port forwarding for better speeds and connectivity. The VPN even has a Shadowsocks proxy built-in, which is great for getting around VPN blocks and firewalls.
Overall, NordVPN is superior for streaming thanks to its unblocking capabilities and dedicated streaming servers. But both VPNs are excellent for safe and private torrenting. PIA has a slight edge there for its port forwarding support.
Apps and Ease of Use
NordVPN and Private Internet Access both offer user-friendly native apps for all the major operating systems, including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux. You can connect up to 6 devices at a time with NordVPN and 10 with PIA.
I found NordVPN‘s apps to be very intuitive, with a quick-connect option and a map interface for selecting server locations. All the settings are easy to access and understand. The only downside is that the map can be a bit clunky when quickly trying to switch between different countries.
PIA‘s apps have a more minimalist and bare-bones design but offer more customization for power users. You have to manually enable/disable the VPN from the system tray, but from there it‘s simple to choose your server and tweak the settings to your liking. The mobile apps look slick and are effortless to use.
In terms of connection reliability, I had no issues with either VPN. Both connected within seconds and stayed stable without any dropped connections over several hours of testing.
Overall, I give a slight usability edge to NordVPN for its sleek and friendly apps. But tech-savvy users may prefer PIA‘s extra configurability and compact design. You can‘t go wrong either way though – setup is a breeze and both VPNs "just work" without much fuss.
Pricing and Value
On a monthly basis, NordVPN costs $11.95 compared to $9.95 for PIA. But both get significantly cheaper with a longer commitment:
NordVPN:
- 1 year: $4.92/month
- 2 years: $3.71/month
Private Internet Access:
- 1 year: $3.33/month
- 2 years: $2.69/month
- 3 years: $2.03/month
PIA‘s 3-year plan offers the best bang for your buck at just $79 total. That‘s among the lowest prices you‘ll find for a premium VPN. But NordVPN‘s 2-year deal at $89 is also an excellent value considering all the advanced features and streaming access you get.
Both VPNs offer fully-featured free trials (7 days for PIA and 30 days for NordVPN) and risk-free money-back guarantees (30 days for both). So you can test the services yourself with no risk before committing to a subscription.
In my analysis, Private Internet Access is the better deal purely on price. But NordVPN delivers more value with its unblocking capabilities, faster speeds, and bonus features like double VPN and Onion over VPN. If you can find it on sale, NordVPN is absolutely worth the small premium.
Which One Should You Choose?
Now that we‘ve analyzed how NordVPN and Private Internet Access compare in all the key areas, it‘s time to make a final recommendation. The truth is, both VPNs offer exceptional privacy, security, performance, and ease of use. You can‘t go wrong with either one.
However, each service has some standout strengths that make it better suited for specific use cases:
Choose NordVPN if:
- Streaming international content is a top priority (Netflix, BBC iPlayer, etc.)
- You want the fastest possible speeds
- You prefer a sleek map interface
- You need advanced security options like multi-hop VPN and Tor integration
Choose PIA if:
- You want the most servers in the most countries
- You only need to unblock US streaming content
- You want maximum configurability and control
- You‘re on a tight budget and need the lowest price
Personally, I lean slightly towards NordVPN as the best all-around VPN. It simply checks the most important boxes, with industry-leading privacy and security, remarkable streaming capabilities, intuitive apps, and great value for your money. It‘s a VPN that anyone can pick up and use to protect their entire digital life.
But again, Private Internet Access is no slouch. For users who prioritize cost savings and customization above all else, it‘s a fantastic alternative at an unbeatable price. You‘ll still get rock-solid privacy, security, and performance.
My recommendation? Take advantage of the free trials and see for yourself how you like each VPN. Regardless of which one you ultimately choose, you‘ll be in great hands. Stay safe!