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PIA VPN is one of the most affordable but also most versatile of providers available thanks to a superb content access score (9.0) ideal for streaming, extensive features including a kill switch on all apps as well as other rich security features (9.63), and a reassuringly high company reliability score (9.40) thanks to some great customer experiences.
An unlimited number of connections makes Private Internet Access a top choice for anyone with a lot of devices that need protection. It’s also worth noting that thanks to malware, ad and tracker blocking, this VPN goes to extensive levels to keep you protected.
PIA is fast but not the fastest (7.34). Also privacy and security are good but not the greatest (7.43). In both instances most users won’t be left wanting for much more, thanks to 100Mbps+ speeds across all apps and a third-party audited no-logging policy carried out for the second time in 2024. But it’s worth noting as these are certainly not leading the VPN pack.
So for a very affordable VPN that offers excellent streaming, customer support and a broad range of features, PIA is an excellent choice right now.
| VPN provider | Price | Free version? | Number of servers | Maximum number of devices | Netflix | BBC iPlayer | Disney+ | Amazon | HBO Max | Audit? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private Internet Access | From £1.69/m | No | 500+ | Unlimited | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Yes |
| ExpressVPN | From £6.66/m | No | 3,000+ | 8 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Yes |
| NordVPN | From £2.69/m | No | 6,400+ | 10 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Yes |
| Surfshark | From £1.69/m | No | 3,200+ | Unlimited | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Yes |
| CyberGhost | From £1.92/m | No | 11,400+ | 7 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Yes |
7.43
Privacy & Security
7.34
Speed
9.00
Content Access
8.40
Pricing
8.57
Usability
9.63
Features
9.40
Company
8.00
Customer Service
PIA VPN is not the best VPN out there nor are its apps consistent with features, but it stands out in quite a unique way. This is because the service offers a selection of powerful features on most of its apps – not just one or two that make it unique. This includes some of the best streaming access out there (9.0) with all the big names accessible in testing. That means the likes of Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus and more are all available wherever you are or need to appear.
It does all this while also offering unlimited simultaneous connections at once, which should mean you can access it from nearly any device you may need. This is backed by a selection of apps which are not only feature rich but are also available on nearly all the major platforms.
You may note that PIA got an impressive score in the features section (9.63) and this is in no small part thanks to its powerful apps. These can be a little complicated for some less experienced users, but for anyone in need of more advanced options these apps can go above and beyond the basics. The fact these apps are open source can play a big part in that, allowing for community led updates to the features that users actually want to see. On the downside that does appear to slow down releases, as app updates are few and far between when compared to the competition.
Privacy is yet another area in which PIA offers excellence. Despite a lower score (7.43) the company does offer a powerful kill switch across its apps that performed admirably in testing. The fact that this VPN is based in the US can lose it points for some users, when it comes to ultimate privacy where accountability can be a problem in this jurisdiction. It did feature a no-logs policy audit that was carried out in 2024, independently, which found the claims that no data was available on its users to be accurate.
When it comes to pricing (8.40) this is a stand-out choice as it offers a very favourable rate when charged at the two year tier, making it one of the most affordable of all the big name VPNs out there right now. While transparency on pricing could be clearer, there is a 30-day money-back guarantee and free seven-day trials available on the iOS and Android apps.
So while no one area is the best of the best, most features a person tends to look for in a VPN are operating at a high standard with PIA. It does all this while keeping the price low and only having one drawback of slower speeds than some other WireGuard VPN options out there. So if tip top speed isn’t everything to you, this could be an ideal all-round VPN option.
One area PIA performed well in testing was features (9.63) thanks to a great selection of in-depth options across its open source apps. Primarily the unlimited number of connections really appeals as it means this can be used across its many apps, on all the devices needed, without the hassle of logging out at any point.
The kill switch also helps to push this score up as it not only works well, and is active as standard, but also features across all the major apps. On top of that there is malware protection, multi-hop options, split tunnelling, plus tracking and ad-blocking across apps. The only exceptions are the ad blocking that’s missing on Android and split-tunnelling from iOS.
While the company doesn’t publicly advertise its server number, it does reveal that there is coverage offered in 91 countries across 155 distinct locations. It’s not the most impressive of all the VPNs out there but does still represent more than enough for most users, even those who travel internationally regularly.
PIA scored highly on pricing (8.40) not only thanks to a low price point for that two-year commitment, but also due to a favourable refund policy. Combine that with the option of a seven-day free trial, a 30-day money-back guarantee and some decent promos, and the result is a very appealing VPN in terms of value for money.
Another area where PIA stood out was content access (9.0) where my testing found it was easy to access all the big streaming services. That included Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney Plus and Apple TV. That was done from a number of different servers, for testing purposes, but that wouldn’t be needed in actual use as I had the service up and running, first time, in all those app use cases.
The overall PIA usability was decent (8.57) thanks to a combination of easy to use features. Switching between servers was super fast at 3.75 seconds and the website’s homepage is relatively jargon free and easy to navigate. Interestingly it was the MacOS app which not only had the most features but was also the easiest to use – a rare and much appreciated combination in the VPN world.
As a company I found PIA impressive in testing (9.4) and that was despite it being US based. ItThis did well thanks to no breaches according to both the ASA and ICO, very few negative reviews found and a high trust score result. Throw in that recent no-logs audit and Private Internet Access appears to live up to its name.
PIA didn’t score the highest when it comes to privacy and security (7.43) but when you break that down it’s clear this VPN covers the important areas well. That means you have a third-party audited no logging policy, last carried out – for a second time – by Deloitte in 2024. But it also passed the IP leak test, kill switch testing and encryption rating, all while also having no security incidents to speak of. It only lost points here due to that US based location, meaning the jurisdiction rating was lower, plus due to there being less transparency than some other VPN providers.
While PIA does well to offer the AES-128 encryption of your data as standard, there is also an option to upgrade this. You can manually upgrade that to full AES-256 if you want that military and financial institution level security for your data in transit. I didn’t notice any difference in terms of performance between the two, so it’s definitely worth activating this higher encryption level for maximum peace of mind. The reason this is classed as a neutral and not a positive? That higher grade encryption is for the OpenVPN protocol only. So you’ll be limited to AES-128 if you want the latest WireGuard protocol up and running.
The usability score (8.57) places this in the neutral category simply because it won’t be an issue for everybody. The lack of tracker and ad blocker on the Android app, and the missing split-tunnelling on iOS, may affect some people, so it gets a mention here. But if you don’t need those features, or don’t use those apps, then you may not find these to be deal breakers.
The number of servers is not published and locations top out at 91. This may be enough for many users but some people, perhaps who need specific countries, may be found wanting. It’s noted here simply to ensure, if you’re one of those people, you check the server countries before you commit to paying for this service.
Speed testing (7.34) saw this fall down as one of the slower VPN services using the latest WireGuard protocols. While it was fastest on iOS, even there the best speed drop from the baseline connection saw a 34% loss in performance. For Android, where this scored worst, this was as high as 69% in some tests. So while you do still get 100Mbps+ speeds from a 450Mbps line, the loss you suffer as a result of using this VPN is considerably more than most of the competition.
Customer service (8.0) wasn’t terrible but the response time wasn’t great either. I contacted PIA and I was responded to by a human after a hefty five and a half minutes of waiting. In fairness they were then able to answer my first question, with a satisfactory answer. Only on my second and third questions, about refunds and streaming access servers, did I find the service wasn’t up to scratch.
The privacy and security score (7.43) is lower than some other VPNs I have tested and so it features both in the neutral and cons sections. That’s not to say it’s prohibitively bad – thanks to that 2024 Deloitte no-logs policy audit that came back positively. However, it is worth noting that some issues like the jurisdiction of this company being US based, could be a problem for some people. Also, the fact that the malware blocker, plus ad and tracker blockers, are not on all apps is worth noting.
Here’s how PIA compares when looking at a range of criteria in-depth.
PIA didn’t score very highly in the speed testing as across the apps it offered much lower speeds than those offered by the line it was connected through. That isn’t to say they were terrible, with plenty of 100Mbps+ results that should be enough for many uses – including for 4K streaming. However thanks to drops on Windows from a 486Mbps line to as low as 182Mbps, and Android scores on a 463Mbps line to as low as 139Mbps, this did lose some points in this area. The iOS app performed the best with an average international drop of 35% from the baseline speed to VPN use. As mentioned previously this is a VPN that performs best on Apple devices.
The PIA VPN scores highly here with a strong result thanks to its ability to get you up and running across nearly all the streaming services. That means you can be in a different country, or appear to be, as needed to ensure you have access to the likes of Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer and more. Crucially this worked first time and did so without the streaming platforms coming up with any error messages.
The VPN also performed well for P2P torrenting where my identity was kept secure while file transfers were still available, and at relatively decent speeds. Unlike some other VPNs out there, with certain servers dedicated to P2P traffic, the PIA network all works for torrenting with limitless access.
The pricing for PIA is one of the best out there thanks to a selection of options including one-month, six-month or two year plans. Of course the longer term commitment saves you the most, working out at £1.69 per month versus the six month £5.39 per month, or the highest price for rolling monthly at £10.99. A 30-day money-back guarantee, free seven-day mobile app trials and the inclusion of antivirus and dedicated IP on the two year package all make for very compelling reasons to invest.
| Subscription term | Price |
|---|---|
| Monthly | £9.99 / month |
| 12 months | £2.71 / month |
| 24 months (+2 months free) | £1.67 / month |
The PIA score here is decent but not outstanding. This is thanks to a combination of a third-party audited no-logs policy, the optional AES-256 encryption, powerful automatic kill switches across apps, and the use of its own DNS servers. It lost points for that higher encryption only being on the OpenVPN protocol and for the US jurisdiction issue.
There is a high score here thanks to fast server switching times, an easy one tap connection, plus a well designed website with easily accessible information and minimal jargon. PIA also has a huge number of features across its apps with the MacOS version having the most at 10 in our testing versus 9 on Windows, five on Android and four on iOS.
If you want features like split-tunnelling, multi-hop, DNS control, AES levels and advanced kill switch settings then the Mac version is ideal. There are still plenty of essentials across the other apps too without getting complicated, so it’s all very easy to use. There is also malware protection as well as ad and tracker blocking as standard, and split tunnelling, on nearly all the apps. PIA lost points for having fewer server countries than some of the competition.
This wasn’t the best score as response times by a human could have been faster and not all questions were answered satisfactorily in my tests. That said, PIA did score well thanks to offering decent resolutions overall and having low customer complaint issues. The inclusion of live chat was helpful here and that was backed by lots of useful articles on the company’s website, which can be searched using keywords as needed.
There are no company breaches according to the ASA and ICO, plus this has earned a high trust score in testing based on the US location, losing a little for not being outside of the EU/Five Eyes. But thanks to very few customer reviews that are negative, PIA comes off favourably as a company that works hard to keep its customers happy.
Speed
When considering the weaker areas of PIA, you may wish to think about other VPN options to help negate that. So if speed is what you are after then a VPN like Surfshark might suit you better. This still has lots of the best bits of PIA, only it offers a better speed score (8.25). In fact it’s so fast that it actually performed 10% faster using the VPN than without it turned on during some tests.
Privacy & Security
In my PIA VPN testing I found that it could have scored higher in the privacy and security section (7.43). One alternative is NordVPN which excelled in privacy and security testing (9.37). It can be a more expensive option, depending on the pricing tier, but does offer that extra peace of mind in the many layers of security – and is famously third-party audited for its no logging policy across its service.
Server count
The number of international locations that PIA extends to was lower than some of the competition, at 91 here. If you’re travelling a lot, or need access to even more locations worldwide, then a good option is NordVPN which has over 6,000 servers spread across 140 locations in 110 countries. These are RAM based for security and run very quickly on its NordLynx Protocol, which is based on WireGuard.
Yes, PIA is a safe VPN that offers a decent level of privacy and security. You have a third-party audited no logs policy, DNS servers worldwide plus ad, malware and tracking blocking as standard. It also offers two levels of encryption and gives you the option of a multi-hop for even more security and privacy if needed. It is US based though, so that jurisdiction may not be acceptable for some users.
PIA offers a lot of apps and one of them is a native Fire TV Stick app, which works using the standard remote control. Connect to the VPN, open the app, start streaming. It’s a very simple setup and just works. PIA is a particularly good VPN for streaming services, so you can rely on it to work on the Fire TV Stick across locations and the apps running within it.
No, there is not a free version of PIA. However you can use a seven-day trial on its iOS and Android apps to try before you buy. Similarly, you can test the VPN service on other app platforms by signing up and using the 30-day money-back guarantee to try before you commit to keeping the service.
Yes, the PIA VPN service does work in China. From the 91 countries offered with PIA servers, one of them is China. So you should not only be able to access a local Chinese server but also appear to be based in any of the other countries offered. Unlike many other VPN options, this is one that consistently performs well in China in spite of the strict measures to stop VPNs from operating there.
Yes, PIA is an excellent option for torrenting. Unlike many other VPNs that offer certain servers for P2P traffic, the PIA servers are all built to work with torrents. That should mean you can connect to any server location you want and it will be set to torrent at the best speed possible. The only downside to PIA over the competition is that the speeds using WireGuard protocol weren’t the fastest – although you should still get 100Mbps+ in most instances.
No, PIA has a strict no logs policy across its VPN service. This is backed by a third-party audit that was last carried out in 2024. Deloitte performed the audit, as the second in PIA’s history, and found the no-logs claims to be in order across the RAM-only servers worldwide.
PIA VPN is not the fastest out there, but it’s also not slow. In testing, speeds were 100Mbps+ across apps and locations – although there was a speed loss of between roughly 35% and 65% across the app platforms.
Yes, PIA does work with Netflix and is actually one of the best VPN services for streaming content as it works across all the major streaming services. In testing, PIA was able to access Netflix, on the first attempt, across locations internationally, without any issues at all. It was also fast enough to stream at maximum 4K and HDR quality.
Yes, PIA has a built-in ad blocker which will automatically stop any adverts. This is standard across the major apps and works with MacOS, Windows, and iOS. Note though that it does not work on the Android app.
Yes, PIA offers a kill switch on all its apps which can be set to work automatically. This features on MacOS, Windows, Android and iOS and will automatically stop traffic if a disconnect is detected on the device. It can be turned on or off as needed and offers a more complex control system on MacOS, where you can also prevent leaks going outside the VPN even when the VPN is off.
The data in this review is reported from a neutral stance and should be used for informational purposes only. We review VPN services from the perspective of:
Independent Advisor strongly recommends that you follow the local laws in your region whilst using a VPN. We do not condone the use of a VPN to bypass copyright restrictions, or to stream content without a valid subscription in your current region. Make sure to comply with any and all applicable laws and regulations whilst using a VPN with streaming services, and any other relevant platforms.
