Alternatives to Private Internet Access
Long-running VPN with open source clients
Private Internet Access ranks #1 of 9 in Personal VPNs, with an Alt Score of 100. It is proprietary, sold by subscription from $1.33/mo and available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and Browser extension. 12 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Privacy-conscious individuals who want to mask their IP and encrypt their traffic across everyday devices, including streamers, travelers, and anyone using public Wi-Fi.
Access to a large server network spanning around 90 countries plus all 50 US states, with a no-logs policy independently audited by Deloitte and upheld in court. Apps are fully open-source and available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, browsers, routers, and smart TVs. Users can choose between 128-bit or 256-bit AES encryption and connect via WireGuard or OpenVPN.
Install the PIA app on a device, log in, and connect to a server in a chosen country or state to route traffic through an encrypted tunnel that hides the device's real IP address.
Where Private Internet Access stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave Private Internet Access
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
Sign in to add a reason — new reasons go through moderation before appearing.
Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the Personal VPNs checklist (16 rows). Human-verified cells only. ? means the value has not been verified.
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| Personal VPNs checklist | Private Internet Access | Windscribe | Surfshark | NordVPN | ExpressVPN | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Independent audit published | ||||||
| No-logs policy jurisdiction | ||||||
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| Simultaneous devices | ||||||
| Kill switch | ||||||
| Split tunneling | ||||||
| Port forwarding | ||||||
| Dedicated IP option | ||||||
| P2P allowed | ||||||
| RAM-only servers | ||||||
| Anonymous payment accepted |
Every fact and feature listed for Private Internet Access is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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License Proprietary verified 2026-07-11
Free and Open Source Software from Private Internet Access - Made With Love
https://github.com/pia-foss -
Pricing model Subscription verified 2026-07-11
Autorenews at $79 every 3 years
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/buy-vpn-online -
Starts at $1.33/mo verified 2026-07-11
$ 1.33 /mo
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/buy-vpn-online -
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension verified 2026-07-11
Download PIA For Windows / Download PIA For macOS / Download PIA For Linux / Download PIA For Android / Download PIA For iOS / Chrome VPN
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/download -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
3.7.2
https://github.com/pia-foss/desktop/releases -
Independent audit published Yes verified 2026-07-11
Deloitte, one of the Big Four auditing firms, reviewed our server environment and found that we store no logs and no details that could be used to identify our users or pinpoint their activities.
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/blog/privacy-audit/ -
No-logs policy jurisdiction Yes verified 2026-07-11
No-logs promise proven in a US court
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/vpn-features/no-logs-vpn -
WireGuard support Yes verified 2026-07-11
PIA supports both protocols, so you're never locked into one.
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/vpn-features/wireguard -
Server count / countries Yes verified 2026-07-11
Connect to Secure, High-Speed VPN Servers in 50 Countries Worldwide
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/vpn-server -
Simultaneous devices Yes verified 2026-07-11
Unlimited Device Connections
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/vpn-features -
Kill switch Yes verified 2026-07-11
Prevent data leaks — our advanced Kill Switch prevents data transmission when the VPN is switched off.
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/vpn-features -
Split tunneling Yes verified 2026-07-11
PIA takes this basic concept one step further by allowing you to choose between standard and inverse split tunneling.
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/vpn-features/split-tunneling -
Port forwarding Yes verified 2026-07-11
Activate port forwarding on selected servers to optimize your torrent performance for faster downloads.
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/vpn-features -
Dedicated IP option Yes verified 2026-07-11
Sign up for PIA VPN and select the Dedicated IP add-on.
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/vpn-features/dedicated-ip-vpn -
P2P allowed Yes verified 2026-07-11
Enjoy full support for torrenting on every PIA VPN server, so you can share files more safely and privately.
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/vpn-features -
RAM-only servers Yes verified 2026-07-11
All our servers are RAM-only.
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/blog/pia-colocated-servers/ -
Anonymous payment accepted Yes verified 2026-07-11
Pay anonymously with many major brand gift cards
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/pages/gift-card-payment
FAQ
Yes. Windscribe, Proton VPN and Cloudflare WARP have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Windscribe, Proton VPN and Mullvad — every license claim links its source.