PIA VPN Review – In Depth Testing by TheVPNExperts in Oct 2026

Private Internet Access, or PIA VPN for short, is a decade-old VPN service provider headquartered in the U.S. Online, it is rated as one of the best in the business, but is it really worth getting?

That’s what I wanted to find out.

After testing the PIA VPN for a week, I was more than happy with its performance. Its apps for mobile and desktop devices work great. It easily unblocks Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, Netflix U.S., and even BBC iPlayer.

It is fast too and offers unlimited bandwidth for torrenting. Most impressively, it offers thousands of servers (exact number undisclosed) in 70+ countries — which is more than what any other VPN service provider offers currently.

All in all, Private Internet Access is a solid VPN service that is also affordable to get. But is it better than its competitors?

Is it worth getting in 2024? Does it have what it takes to be recommended on TheVPNExperts? Read on to find out.

Key Findings from PIA VPN Review

PIA VPN Speed Test Analysis

To cut to the chase, Private Internet Access is fast. Most of its servers only reduced my base internet speeds by only 20% to 25%. But…some of its long-distance server locations weren’t very stable.

To properly test what speeds you can expect, I performed multiple speed tests using my 100 Mbps connection and connecting to both long and short-distance servers offered by PIA VPN.

By the way, all of the test results you’re going to see below were performed from my physical location in the Netherlands.

Short Distance Servers

When testing PIA VPNs short distance servers, I made sure to use the automatic server selection feature. That way, I got connected to the closest servers near my actual physical location in the Netherlands.

Here’s a screenshot of my actual IP address and geo-location without connecting to PIA VPN:

Through my T-Mobile connection, I first ran a quick speed test while connected to PIA VPN’s U.K. London server. Once the test was complete, I managed to get a download speed of 71.33 Mbps, an upload speed of 68.87 Mbps, and a ping of 129 ms. As you can tell, my speeds didn’t drop too drastically.

Next, I connected to the Swiss server location. This time I managed to get a download speed of 72 Mbps, an upload speed of 74.34 Mbps with a ping of 209 ms.

While testing out both close-distance servers, I was able to stream a bunch of content on YouTube in HD quality and also play In the US with low latency.

Overall, PIA VPN worked great when I tested its short-distance servers. Now, let’s check out if it can offer the same performance over long-distance servers.

Long Distance Servers

If we talk about long-distance speed tests, I picked servers from the USA, Singapore, Canada, and Australia. All of these server locations are significantly far away from the Netherlands from where I’m located.

First I connected to the Australian server. Using the Ookla speed test tool, I managed to get a downloading speed of 47.87 Mbps and an uploading speed of 41.22 Mbps. As you can tell, this time my download speed dropped by 52.13%.

On to the next server location…

Next, I connected to the Canadian server. When I ran the test this time, I got a download speed of 73.09 Mbps and an upload speed of 69.17 Mbps.

After that, I connected to the Singapore server location. After running the test, my connection speeds dropped again. I got a download speed of 41.52 Mbps and an upload speed of 54.32 Mbps.

Lastly, I tested the speeds while connected to the U.S. server. From the previous test, my speed jumped back to 68.54 Mbps download and 70.16 Mbps upload.

So to sum up, PIA VPN is definitely fast. However, if you pay attention, some servers performed better than others. But to be fair, VPN speeds are always subjective. Based on your location and ISP, you might get better or worse results than what I experienced.

PIA VPN Passed DNS Leak tests

To prevent you from using public DNS servers and exposing your IP address, PIA VPN offers a leak protection feature. This feature is enabled by default so you don’t have to enable it manually.

To test if PIA VPN’s leak protection feature works as expected, I connected to its Swiss server and ran a quick leak test on ipleak.net. Once the test results showed up, it was clear that PIA VPN is totally leakproof.

Here’s a screenshot of the test result:

As you can tell from the screenshot, my original IP address from the Netherlands is nowhere to be seen. Also, all of my network requests are getting routed through Swiss DNS servers. This way, my identity is totally hidden.

To be extra sure, I performed multiple leak tests while connected to other server locations as well. Check out the table below for the test results:

Overall, PIA VPN passed my leak tests without any issues.

PIA VPN Can Unblock Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus & BBC iPlayer

Much like ExpressVPN which I reviewed not so long ago, PIA VPN also managed to easily unblock 5 of the top streaming services without any problems. I was able to unblock various Netflix regional libraries, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and even BBC iPlayer.

Here’s a screenshot of me streaming “Unbelievable” on Netflix U.S with PIA VPN’s US Denver server:

I also tried unblocking various other Netflix libraries as well. After switching servers over servers, I managed to unblock Netflix UK, Italy, Germany, France, and Netflix Japan.

After Netflix, I switched to the UK London server to access BBC iPlayer. This time I played a show called “Love Life” and it started streaming instantly without any issues.

Next, I tried unblocking Disney+. To keep things short and simple, I only tested PIA VPN with U.S and Italy servers. Both of these server locations worked. I was able to stream “LOKI” without any buffering issues.

Next, I tested Hulu. Since Hulu is only available in the U.S., I switched back to the Denver server. As soon as I got connected, I logged into my Hulu account and searched for a show called “Helstrom”. I simply clicked on the play button and it started streaming in no time.

Check out this screenshot:

To test Amazon Prime Video, I searched for a show called “Carnival Row”. As expected, it started streaming straightaway in HD quality.

Lastly, I wanted to see if PIA VPN would work with Kodi. I mean, who doesn’t love free movies and TV shows, am I right?

While PIA VPN doesn’t offer an add-on, I was able to run PIA VPN on my laptop in the background and use it with Kodi. Everything worked fine and I was able to stream a couple of movies without any connectivity issues.

So to wrap up, PIA VPN is exceptionally good for unblocking streaming services. I was more than impressed by its performance.

PIA VPN is a Great Option for Torrenting

Aside from unblocking popular streaming services, PIA VPN is also great for torrenting. The cool thing about PIA VPN is that it supports torrenting on all of its servers. It also offers unlimited bandwidth and security features such as a Kill switch, DNS leak protection, and a No-logs policy for complete privacy.

To test out PIA VPN’s torrenting performance, I connected to a server in Austria. When I tried downloading a 1.4 GB file, it took around a couple of minutes to get downloaded completely. As for speed, I managed to get an average downloading speed of 5.4 Mb/s.

I also tried downloading torrents while connected to other server locations to see how PIA VPN would perform. Overall, after testing three more server locations (Netherlands, Belgium, Cyprus), I found it to offer consistent speeds.

PIA VPN Offers Awesome Apps

PIA VPN offers easy-to-use apps for all popular devices. I like that its apps are lightweight and designed with beginner VPN users in mind. Speaking of lightweight, when I ran the task manager on my Windows 10 laptop, I noticed that PIA VPN barely hogged any RAM and CPU power.

In terms of design language, both mobile and desktop apps look quite similar. When testing PIA VPN, I found it quite convenient to look up and change different settings. You can change protocols, encryption levels, and other settings with just a couple of clicks and taps.

As far as usability goes, you can quickly connect to a fast server near you by simply tapping or clicking on the giant power button. If you wish to choose servers manually, you’ll find it quite convenient too as the apps show you the latency across different servers. If you find any server that you like, you can add it to your favorites list.

Overall, you’ll love PIA VPN apps.

PIA VPN Offers a Legit No-Logging Policy

PIA VPN claims that it keeps no logs of its users, but is that true?

From looking at its privacy policy, it’s clear that PIA VPN doesn’t monitor the traffic logs of its users. Just to give you an idea, here’s the only bare minimum information PIA VPN collects from its users:

• E-mail Address for the purposes of account management and protection from abuse.
• Payment Data for the purposes of processing payments as required by our third-party payment processors. Note that we do not save your full credit card details.
• Cookie identifiers (see our Cookie Policy);
• State or Territory of origin and zip code.

Despite being headquartered in the U.S., which is a part of the 5,9,14 eyes alliance, PIA VPN still managed to make it to our list of best no-logs VPN providers since it ensures no sensitive user data gets logged. PIA’s privacy policy also states:

“While we may disclose collected Personal Data to necessary members in our group of companies (across our ultimate holding company and all its subsidiaries) insofar as is reasonably necessary to continue our Service in line with this Policy, we regard our commitment to user privacy as paramount.”

Judging by the history of PIA VPN and how it didn’t disclose any user data to the authorities in two separate cases back in 2015 and 2017, PIA VPN is definitely a service you can trust. Here’s a link to the Reddit thread if you want more information.

PIA’s NextGen Network

Another key aspect of PIA’s logging policy is its use of the NextGen network, which operates entirely on RAM-based servers. This means that all data is erased each time the server is rebooted, reducing the risk of third-party access and preventing the collection of sensitive information, such as your browsing activity.

Third-Party Audits

Furthermore, PIA underwent a third-party audit in August 2022 conducted by Deloitte Audit Romania. The audit verified that PIA’s server configurations are fully aligned with its internal privacy policies. As a result, you can be confident that PIA does not store or collect your online activity data.

PIA VPN Offers a 30-Days Money-Back Guarantee – Proven

PIA VPN offers a hassle-free 30-day money-back guarantee. Usually, most VPN providers don’t like to refund their customers. I’ve talked about the retention tactics of different VPN providers in my refund policy expose.

But unlike most VPN providers, the support representatives at PIA VPN were very professional when I asked them for a refund. The agent that I chatted with first inquired about any issues that I may have experienced with PIA VPN. But when I told him that I’d just like a refund, he just asked me to provide him with a copy of my order number.

After checking my account details, the support agent processed my refund request and told me that I’d get my money back within 5-10 business days. Sure enough, after waiting for like a week, I got my money back in my bank account.

You can’t ask for a more simple and hassle-free refund process.

Key Features of PIA VPN

1. 256-bit AES encryption
2. Ad, tracker, and malware blocker
3. Four protocols (WireGuard®, PPTP, OpenVPN, and L2TP/IPSec)
4. Kill Switch
5. DNS leak protection

256-bit AES encryption

PIA VPN offers powerful AES-256-GCM encryption to keep you totally secure online. The cool thing about PIA VPN is that it actually lets you choose different encryption levels as well. You can either stick with AES 256-GCM encryption or change it to:

• AES-128-CBC
• AES-256-CBC
• AES-128-GCM

This way, if you want less or more encryption, you can always step up or tone it down a notch.

Ad, Tracker, and Malware Blocker

PIA VPN comes with a comprehensive Adblocker that not only blocks intrusive ads but also blocks trackers and malware. I’ve tested out this feature and it works as advertised. You’ll actually see it blocking ads in real time which is super impressive.

Four Protocols (WireGuard®, PPTP, OpenVPN, and L2TP/IPSec)

PIA VPN fully supports industry benchmark protocols. You can choose between WireGuard®, PPTP, OpenVPN, and L2TP/IPSec. Because it supports so many protocols, PIA VPN is both secure and fast.

Kill Switch

To prevent your IP address from accidentally getting exposed, PIA VPN offers a built-in kill switch feature. This feature will block your internet connection whenever you get abruptly disconnected from PIA VPN’s servers. It’s basically a fail-safe mechanism. I’ve tested this feature and it works perfectly.

The Windows app of Private Internet Access comes with two types of kill switches. This is great as most VPNs only come with one regular kill switch.

Port Forwarding

PIA VPN offers port forwarding, an advanced feature that enables you to connect to remote devices, among other uses. However, I found it somewhat inconvenient since the forwarded port is assigned randomly.

This means you must configure your network to forward the specific port. Additionally, it’s worth noting that PIA’s servers in the US do not support port forwarding at all.

One advantage of this feature is that it allows for further customization through a command-line interface, where you can write your own scripts for more control over the setup.

Multi-hop

PIA VPN also provides a multi-hop feature, allowing you to route your VPN connection through an extra location for enhanced privacy and obfuscation, especially useful when torrenting. This feature can also be utilized in your torrenting client or browser to conserve bandwidth.

To use this feature, simply navigate to the Multi-hop tab and choose your desired connection route. You can select from the SOCKS5 Proxy or Shadowsocks, with the latter potentially bypassing the Great Firewall of China. PIA offers a total of six proxy locations: the UK, Switzerland, Canada, the US, the Netherlands, and Japan.

DNS Leak Protection

Lastly, PIA VPN comes with a DNS leak protection feature. The way these features work is that when you are connected to PIA VPN, your real DNS is hidden. Instead of your real IP or DNS address, your ISP will only see the VPN IP address or VPN DNS address.

This way, no one will be able to tell what websites you visit. I’ve already talked about the leak protection feature earlier in this review. Go ahead and scroll back for a quick refresher.

InBrowser

PIA VPN includes a private browser called InBrowser, designed to enhance privacy. Each time you close the browser, all data, including cookies and browsing history, is automatically erased. However, if you prefer InBrowser to remember active tabs, you can adjust the privacy settings accordingly.

One feature I appreciated is the ability to lock your favorite websites with biometric authentication, such as TouchID or FaceID, adding an extra layer of security.

Currently, InBrowser is only available on mobile devices, including both Android and iOS. The best part? It’s completely free to use.

Identity Guard

PIA’s Identity Guard feature helps track whether your email address has been involved in any data breaches. This tool monitors where your sensitive information may have been exposed without your knowledge.

This feature is not available within PIA VPN’s apps but can be accessed through your web account. To use it, simply navigate to the left menu and select Identity Guard. After entering and confirming your email address, you can view a detailed report of any breaches where your information may have been compromised.

Analysis of Servers

PIA VPN has one of the largest server networks in the industry. I’m not kidding you, it currently offers thousands of servers (exact number undisclosed) in 70+ countries. No other VPN provider is offering this many servers.

You can find servers in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and even in the Middle East. What I found unique about PIA VPN is that it offers a lot of servers in Middle Eastern countries such as Israel, UAE, and even Saudi Arabia.

PIA VPN also offers multiple Chinese servers, but we’ll talk about its coverage in China a bit later on in this review. It also offers a small fleet of virtual servers in countries where it’s impossible to get physical servers. For example, it’s Hong Kong servers are actually located in Singapore.

Overall, if server coverage is something that matters to you, you’re not going to find a better option than Private Internet Access.

PIA VPN’s Apps Compatibility

PIA VPN offers excellent app compatibility. You can install it on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and even routers. With its router compatibility, you can use PIA VPN with devices that don’t natively support VPNs such as gaming consoles.

PIA VPN for macOS & Windows

PIA VPN offers optimized apps for both macOS and Windows operating systems. If you have a macOS computer running OS 10.13 (64-bit) or higher, you can easily download its app from its official website. For its Windows client, you’ll need Windows 8.1 or 10 (32 & 64 bit).

If we talk about user experience, both macOS and Windows apps of PIA VPN are super easy to use. Settings are easy to find and connecting to a server location takes no more than a second or two. Overall, I think their desktop apps work great. Throughout the time I tested each client, I never noticed any bugs or crashes either.

PIA VPN for Android & iOS

PIA VPN is also compatible with Android and iOS devices. Its Android app has a 4.5-star rating on the Google Play Store and is compatible with all the latest Android OS versions. Its iOS app has a 4.7-star rating on iTunes and is iOS 11.0 or later.

If we talk about user experience, I found its mobile apps to work great. Though some features are not available on the mobile versions, you’re not going to miss out on much. Personally speaking, I think the lack of a complicated UI without cluttered features is what I like most about PIA VPN.

I found it dead easy to connect to different servers and the ping indicator allowed me to pick the best server with the lowest latency. Overall, I loved its mobile apps.

PIA VPN’s Browser Extensions

PIA VPN offers browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera. Its browser extensions are super snappy. You can choose different server locations and connect instantly. While VPN browser extensions, in general, are secure, do keep in mind that only the activities you perform from your browser will get encrypted, leaving everything else unencrypted.

PIA Linux App

Installing and using the Private Internet Access VPN app on Linux was surprisingly straightforward. All I had to do was download the installation script and execute it. The user interface is consistent with the one found in the macOS and Windows versions.

The app provides the same features as the Windows and macOS versions. However, the split tunneling feature is a bit more complex on Linux, as it requires some familiarity with the Linux filesystem to set up properly. On the plus side, it includes an extra option specifically for virtual machines.

PIA VPN’s Router App

PIA VPN is compatible with most router models. If you have a DD-WRT-compatible router, you can configure PIA VPN on it with a bit of effort. If you have the technical knowledge and want to set up PIA VPN on a router yourself, you might find this guide useful.

But if you don’t want to deal with manual configurations, you can just purchase a pre-configured router from FlashRouters starting from $149.99.

Does PIA VPN Work in China?

Unfortunately, PIA VPN doesn’t work in China. My colleague in China tested it out extensively but couldn’t get it to work. I also inquired about it with PIA VPN’s customer support agent and he told me that PIA VPN among other VPNs is currently blocked in China. The support agent did tell me to use OpenVPN to get it to work, but my friend had no luck.

Best Alternative to PIA VPN

PIA VPN is a fast and reliable VPN service. Its logging policy is legit and it can unblock all sorts of geo-blocked content without any issues. But if I had to nit-pick any flaws I would say that some of PIA VPN’s servers didn’t offer the speeds that I expected.

Although PIA VPN is perfect in every other way and I would suggest you look for any other VPN service, if you want to try something else, I would suggest that you check out my Surfshark vs NordVPN and ExpressVPN vs Surfshark comparisons.

Do I Recommend PIA VPN?

Yes, I highly recommend Private Internet Access. Its $2.19/mo price is super affordable and its server network is insanely massive. Also, it offers great security features and easy-to-use apps and it works great with both streaming and torrenting.