I came into this review thinking of Private Internet Access (PIA) as one of the better VPNs. It's in the Kape Technologies portfolio, along with the top-tier ExpressVPN and the generally reliable CyberGhost. It's one of the cheapest VPNs out there, its interfaces hold together and it boasts plenty of server locations.
Sadly, I was either misremembering PIA, or it used to be better until someone at Kape fell asleep at the switch. The more I tested this VPN, the more I came to terms with the fact that it's much harder to recommend these days, especially compared to the entries in our best VPN guide. The biggest culprit is unmoored download speeds that swing wildly from acceptable to unusable, but I also encountered dropped connections, high latencies and dead ends in the UI.
I want to make it very clear that this PIA review is a snapshot of a moment in time. I don't think this is an inherently bad service, but it needs to do a lot of work to right the ship. As I go through my usual 11-point testing plan, I'll make a (hopefully) cogent case for why you should give PIA a miss as of now.
Editor's note (10/20/25): We've overhauled our VPN coverage to provide more detailed, actionable buying advice. Going forward, we'll continue to update both our best VPN list and individual reviews (like this one) as circumstances change. Most recently, we added official scores to all of our VPN reviews. Check out how we test VPNs to learn more about the new standards we're using.

Table of contents

Findings at a glance
Installing, configuring and using Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access speed test
Private Internet Access security test
How much does Private Internet Access cost?
Private Internet Access side apps and bundles
Close-reading Private Internet Access's privacy policy
Can Private Internet Access change your virtual location?
Investigating Private Internet Access's server network
Extra features of Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access customer support options
Private Internet Access background check
Final verdict

Findings at a glance
Here's a quick overview of everything I learned from testing Private Internet Access. For details on the bullets, check out the relevant section.



Category
Notes


Installation and UI
Desktop apps work well but are limited to mobile proportions Android app has some confusing design choices and often gets stuck on screens that prompt setting changes iOS app is the best, but lacks dark mode Browser extension has several unique features


Speed
Major swings in speed and latency, even on the same server minutes apart Average download speed drop of 34 percent conceals a lot of outliers in both directions Latency was the most inconsistent measure of all, swinging by over 1000 milliseconds


Security
OpenVPN and WireGuard, the two universally available protocols, are secure IKEv2/IPSec only available on iOS Passed all leak tests, including while switching locations Encrypts all data packets


Pricing
$11.95 per month Best plan costs $79 for 39 months, or $2.03 per month Unlimited connections on any plan


Bundles
Antivirus and dedicated IP addresses available at checkout for an extra fee


Privacy policy
Free of loopholes, with no basis for logging user identities or activities RAM-only servers make long-term logging impossible Parent company Kape Technologies is bound to the same rules Passed two audits by Deloitte, but reports are only available to subscribers


Virtual location change
Never blocked by Netflix Canada and UK servers failed to change content three times each Tests were successful in Australia, Japan and Italy, but speeds remained a problem


Server network
155 locations in 91 countries 59 percent of servers are virtual


Features
Two levels of kill switch — stronger setting prevents all internet access before you connect to the VPN PIA MACE is good at blocking banner ads Controlling maximum download unit size can improve speeds App and IP-based split tunneling with normal and inverse options Automation generally doesn't work Multi-hop uses ShadowSocks or SOCKS5 obfuscation Port forwarding supported


Customer support
Written knowledgebase is not easy to use Live chat is attentive but slow and not always expert Support team answers email tickets quickly


Background check
Owned by Kape Technologies No serious hacks or breaches Former CTO came with some controversy, but no longer works there Two court cases have confirmed PIA doesn't store logs



Installing, configuring and using Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access downloads and installs with very little friction across all the platforms that support its apps. Since I have basically no complaints about the experience of setting it up, I'll spend this secti

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