When comparing Private Internet Access vs NordVPN, the Slant community recommends NordVPN for most people. In the question“What is the best VPN provider? ” NordVPN is ranked 6th while Private Internet Access is ranked 7th. The most important reason people chose NordVPN is:
Server locations are nicely spread and covers many users. NordVPN constantly adds new servers to their service.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Cheap
For a single year of service the total cost is $39.95, which comes out to $3.33 per month. Making Private Internet Access one of the cheapest providers of VPN services on the net.
Pro Disconnects internet if VPN drops
If the VPN goes out, the internet will be disconnected so users will be protected from browsing without protection.
Pro P2P/Torrent service included
All users are able to access P2P networks without having to download a 3rd party client. Private Internet Access uses separate VPN gateways for browsing and P2P access, so both are optimized without interfering with each other.
Pro Multiple layers of security
Including IP cloaking, encryption, firewall, complete anonymous browsing & complete uncensored access to the internet.
Pro Multiple OS compatibility
Private Internet Access is compatible with MacOS X and iOS, without having to use a third party client. It also works on Windows, Android, Linux & more. In total, Private Internet Access is compatible with almost 40 operating systems.
Pro No traffic or protocol restricitions
You can use any and all protocols at your disposal, no traffic is restricted.
Pro Use multiple devices
Private Internet Access allows for up to 5 devices in use simultaneously.
Pro Instant setup
When you sign up, you will instantly get a user id and a password to use in their provided software (Windows and Macintosh) and they have tutorials and FAQs for Android, iPhone, Linux and other devices such as routers.
Pro Excellent service
They are very eager to answer any questions that you may have.
Pro Multiple VPN gateways
You can pick where you will appear to be from: the US (multiple), Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Sweden, France, Romania, Canada, or Hong Kong.
Pro Multiple payment options
Payments are accepted through Bitcoin, Ripple, PayPal, Google Play (Mobile), OKPay, CashU, Amazon and any major Gift Card.
Payment plans are by the month, half year and by the year.
Currently $6.95/mo, $35.95/half year, $39.95/year.
Truly anonymous payments can be made by gift cards or Bitcoins.
A $25 Starbucks gift card gives you 100 days.
A $32 Best Buy gift card gives you 129 days.
A $50 Walmart gift card gives you 366 days.
Pro No logs are kept
According to Private Internet Access in 2013:
We absolutely do not maintain any VPN logs of any kind. We utilize shared IP addresses rather than dynamic or static IPs, so it is not possible to match a user to an external IP.
According to Private Internet Access in 2014:
We absolutely do not log any traffic nor session data of any kind, period. We have worked hard to meticulously fork all daemons that we utilize in order to achieve this functionality.
Pro Servers in 40+ countries
Server locations are nicely spread and covers many users. NordVPN constantly adds new servers to their service.
Pro Unlimited speed & bandwidth
NordVPN does not limit your Internet connection speed or bandwidth.
Pro Double VPN
Double VPN is a solution where you traffic uses two hops and is encrypted at both nodes. It gives a double security for the users.
Pro Includes a kill switch
Pro Tor over VPN
A very secure solution where your traffic is firstly encrypted at the NordVPN node and then it is directed to the Tor network where it is router through multiple hops and then exits at one of the Tor network exit nodes.
Pro Cheap if snagged on a sale
You can buy it for $107.55/3 Yr - that's $2.99 a month, which is pretty reasonable for the quality and development of service that can be found at Nord.
Pro Outside of Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes countries
Located outside of countries intent on degrading your privacy.
Pro Six simultaneous devices allowed
Users can use the same VPN account on six devices at the same time. Clients who have a lot of computers and smart-phones at home can set up their router with VPN which will use only 1 device slot and will provide VPN connection to all connected devices.
Pro User-friendly custom software for Windows
A very user-friendly custom software for Windows is a great VPN software solution for every user.Features include auto-connection, default protocol selection, process Kill-switch. More features are being developed such as DNS sink-hole and port-forwarding.
The software also comes with a 3-hour free trial hence new users can try this software out.
Pro Compatibility
NordVPN VPN service can be used on every device that is compatible to connect to a VPN.
Pro Allows filesharing
NordVPN is one of the best VPNs for filesharing. It also unblocks Netflix US, which seems impossible with other VPN's.
Pro Free security tools
For people who do not have an ability to purchase privacy tools but would like to use it, NordVPN offers free security tools such as Encrypted Chat, Secret Notes, Free Proxy List, Web Proxy, Google Chrome Web Proxy Extension.
Pro No logs are kept
This aspect of their service is fairly straightforward - no logs are kept, whatsoever.
Pro A strong encryption
NordVPN uses strong encryption algorithms to encrypt their user traffic:
- OpenVPN - 2048bit SSL
- L2TP - 256-bit AES
- PPTP - 128-bit MPPE
Pro 24/7 Customer Service
Customer service is available 24/7 via email and live chat.
Pro Easy to install
Pro Dedicated IPs
Cons
Con Based in the USA
Private Internet Access is based in the United States of America and can subject to a gag order, so basically the NSA can do whatever they want without PIA telling their customers what the NSA is doing.
Con No free version
While they offer a variety of payment plans and payment methods, a free version of this service is not available to users.
Con Non Transparent "Proprietary Method" to detect violators of Terms of Service (ToS).
When asking a Customer Service Representative, how violators of ToS are detected, the CSR stated "Proprietary Methods." When asked for clarification, was referred to Legal Department.
Con When breach happens, they wait a few months before telling customers about it
NordVPN said it found out about the breach a “few months ago,” but the spokesperson said the breach was not disclosed until today because the company wanted to be “100% sure that each component within our infrastructure is secure.”
So instead of allowing their customers to do their own damage limitation, they left their customers in the dark and continued to expose them to a breach they weren't sure they had fully contained.
Con Shady marketing
Fake countdown and always on sale.
Con Speed flucuates
Most of the time download speeds are great, however when rush hours occur (for instance, during the weekend), speed drops drastically.
Con P2P traffic only allowed on certain servers
If you transmit any kind of BitTorrent P2P traffic on certain servers, all of your active connections will be automatically terminated and you will be transferred onto a different server where file-sharing traffic is "allowed". This is not mentioned in the Terms of Service, and is only vaguely mentioned in the FAQ: "Yes, we allow P2P traffic on certain servers. The server list that allows it: Romania, Russia, Sweden, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Canada."
This suggests that NordVPN might do live deep packet inspection on your VPN traffic in order to determine if it's BitTorrent traffic or not.
Con Hid data breach
Con Reports of poor customer service
Con Basically impossible to connect with Amazon.com
Sometimes it loads a page on Amazon, but probably 90% of the time, it fails. Must disable Nord to do any shopping on the site.
Con Request for refunds sometimes ignored
Though most refund requests get handled promptly.
Con You have to input your username and password and then have another login sent to verify it's you
Can get it sent to your mobile phone as a one time password text, but very annoying. Or to another phone/tablet with Amazon App and get a Push.