Private Internet Access (PIA) Review – Is It The Best VPN in 2023?

Private Internet Access Review

This article will provide you with an in-depth Private Internet Access Review. We’ll go over everything you need to know about it and determine if it is the best VPN service currently offered on the market.

Private Internet Access offers affordable prices and excellent VPN features, which is likewise creating a stir in the VPN industry. And having been in the VPN business for more than ten years, they’ve already asserted that they serve millions of satisfied consumers globally. Along with that, they take pride in their open source software’s transparency.

Moreover, they claim that they carefully adhere to a no-log policy while guarding against malware and virus infections on your device. This enables PIA to give you complete virus protection while also giving you control over your data and online privacy. Furthermore, they assign you a unique IP address that you can only use when subscribed to their service.

Without further ado, let’s begin discussing the pricing, offerings, and other services that PIA offers to its present and potential clients. The results will then help us decide whether Private Internet Access is truly the best VPN service available today.

Pricing

There are 3 pricing options offered by Private Internet Access, with the 2-year plan being the most affordable and going up against the 3-year plan offered by Cyberghost.

Similar to other VPN providers, Private Internet Access is promoting its long-term subscription plan by selling it for the lowest price possible—$2.19 per month for 2 years. The amazing part about it is that it still includes a free two months even at its lowest market pricing.

Or you may also go for their 6-month subscription if you think 2 years is too long, which costs $7.50 each month.

But if you only need a VPN service temporarily or for a very short period, you can also choose their $11.99/mo monthly subscription option.

A standard 30-day money-back guarantee is also included with each package.

Private Internet Access Free Trial

With their PIA mobile apps, iOS and Android users can get a 7-day free trial. But on other platforms, their subscription plans come with the customary 30-day risk-free money-back guarantee.

Video on How to Install Private Internet Access on your Firestick

How to Install Private Internet Access on your Firestick

1. Click Home on your remote and scroll once to your left. It will be the search icon.

2. You can either say Private Internet Access to your Alexa’s voice-enabled remote or start typing it. If you typed it, click on the suggestion when it appears.

3. Click on the Private Internet Access icon.

4. Click Get to Download.

5. Click on Open.

6. Click on Login.

7. Input your username and password to log in.

Private Internet Access Speed Test

One of the features that Private Internet Access has become so popular for is download and upload speeds comparable to ExpressVPN. They are two of the fastest browsing speeds available. You can expect a drop of 15-20% on your browser when using a VPN due to the lag from point to point encryption.

But in recent speed tests, many of the European and US servers registered speeds of between 45-60Mbps.

Plus, unlike some providers, Private Internet Access has servers distributed evenly across the globe meaning that you will never have to connect to a server that is too far away and thus significantly slow down your browsing speed

Privacy /Anonymity

Zero Log Policy

Private Internet Access is based in the US, which causes concern for those who fear that their data may be compelled in court if a company operates under US and EU jurisdiction. However, PIA is explicit about having a zero logs policy. Additionally, they can support that assurance with court records.

Mask Your IP Address

Connecting to one of Private Internet Access’ servers enables quick and simple IP address masking. They do this by rerouting your internet traffic through their designated server. You can then conceal your physical location, have access to global servers, and protect yourself from IP trackers and online snoopers.

Security

AES-256 Encryption

Private Internet Access employs AES-256 bit encryption, the most powerful encryption currently available. Nonetheless, they also provide 126-bit encryption; however, 256-bit encryption is unquestionably more secure. Additionally, the US government, armies, and IAs employ these encryption technologies since they are the safest and most secure.

WireGuard

WireGuard improves PIA’s VPN service by increasing its connection stability. This is primarily because it employs a source code that is more accurate since it has fewer lines of code from the typical lines used by other protocols (from 100,000 to 40,000).  As a result, PIA becomes a better and more trustworthy VPN service. Furthermore, WireGuard is known as a highly effective open-source VPN technology.

OpenVPN

Another widely used open-source protocol is OpenVPN, which Private Internet Access also employs. In reality, it is one of the safest protocols available, as it employs VPN technologies to encrypt any data or information exchanged over the internet. Additionally, it uses UDP and TCP protocols for data transfer along with SSL/TLS, which supports authentication certificates.

IPSec (for iOS)

Although we are unsure of the reason why IPSec is only accessible for iOS devices, it is a great VPN protocol for safeguarding sensitive information. You can encrypt any data you send over the network by using this kind of protocol. This is excellent for business dealings and other private transactions, and Private Internet Access makes sure that they remain anonymous.

Note: One thing that PIA does, that we haven’t seen anywhere else, is that all of their mobile, web, and browser applications are open source. Meaning developers can tweak them, rip them apart, and report bugs and security fixes. A strategy that has worked well for a lot of big software companies and we think should be applauded.

Does It Work Well With Popular Streaming Apps?

Now we’ll provide you a Private Internet Access Review based on its performance with the most popular streaming services.

Kodi

Kodi is the perfect solution for those who want to unify streaming all their favorite tv shows, movies, and even live sports in the same place. But unfortunately, Kodi is banned in some countries as it allows you to access shows and films you would normally have to pay for, so is best accessed using a VPN provider.

The good news is that Private Internet Access works great for P2P, thus it also works perfectly with Kodi.

Netflix

Geo-restriction on Netflix can be bypassed with Private Internet Access, but only in certain regions. These are particularly in regions with significant demand, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Netherlands. As a result, most regions are inaccessible via PIA.

Hulu

Private Internet Access also works great with Hulu. The good thing about it is that it can be easily accessed by PIA. All you have to do is connect to a server in the United States, and you can begin streaming through the Hulu website or app on your device.

Jurisdiction

Private Internet Access is based in the US which means it is subject to US regulations. However, they disclose in their transparency report that they do not keep logs, so you must still decide whether PIA is worth the expense.

GeoIP

With over 84 countries to choose from, PIA is more than capable of circumventing GeoIP tracking. Just as Netflix uses GeoIP to direct you to which national site you should go to. So do some countries restrict access to pornography or other illicit sites depending on the location you are browsing from.

Furthermore, PIA is more than capable of circumventing geographic censorship for whatever streaming needs you demand.

Servers

Private Internet Access boasts thousands of available servers from 110 locations in 84 countries. Compared to other VPN services on the market, its scope is pretty large.

Apps

Private Internet Access offers apps for all major browsers, operating systems, and mobiles. This includes Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Consoles, and Smart TV. Therefore, you can always be certain that PIA is compatible with every device you own.

Kill Switch

Private Internet Access offers a firewall-based kill switch. This means it protects against leaks even if your VPN connection is lost. As a result, you’ll never have to worry about accessing information without realizing you’re no longer connected to a VPN.

Split Tunneling

Fortunately, PIA provides split tunneling that is highly configurable. This means you can add trusted apps and websites to your whitelist. So this is great since you won’t have to disconnect your VPN connection if you want to access a site or app that doesn’t support the use of a VPN.

DNS Leak Protection

PIA includes DNS Leak Protection. It is configured by default to protect its users from exposing their IP addresses while utilizing public DNS servers. Additionally, it establishes a secure private tunnel for all of your traffic so you can be guaranteed that neither the website nor the app you are using will be able to see your IP address.

Torrent Policy

Private Internet Access mentions that they are P2P compatible on their homepage, though do not mention it any more than that. Which is fully understandable for a US-based jurisdiction VPN service. Nonetheless, based on the fast download speeds registering on the provider, makes it an ideal provider for torrents.

Tor Compatibility

Private Internet Access is compatible with Tor. The known security risk of using Tor is that the endpoint of your traffic may not be secure if the site you exit on does not use SSL. However, if used in conjunction with PIA will give you an added level of security. Worth recognizing that this will significantly slow down your browsing speeds.

SOCKS5 Proxy

Additionally, Private Internet Access provides proxy servers. While SOCKS5 is included, it’s important to note that Shadowsocks is also an option. By using PIA’s proxy server, you can extend the distance between your VPN connection and your original location. Therefore completely hiding your true identity while you browse and stream material online.

Customer Support

Private Internet Access provides its customers with live support 24/7. In addition, it features a PIA Support Portal where you can look up questions, useful instructions, news, and a lot more about PIA.

Private Internet Access Final Thoughts

We are always conflicted when it comes to VPN providers in the US. But we can understand why Private Internet Access is so popular and we have to admit we are kind of swayed by two things.

The quick download speeds make it ideal for torrents and streaming and are cheaper than other premium VPN services.

Also, we felt like open-sourcing their applications was a masterstroke and something that the most tech-literate would truly appreciate. Though of course, the proof of the pudding is the servers themselves.

Private Internet Access may not be our first choice but definitely makes the shortlist.