Given the vast number of VPN services in the market and the ever-increasing privacy threats, finding a good VPN remains crucial.
Of course, you cannot blindly trust a service for all your sensitive information.
However, some of this industry’s old players have demonstrated the phrase “old is gold” by surviving throughout the years without compromising their security standards. That’s why they have won an enormous customer base as well.
Private Internet Access is one such VPN that has existed successfully for over a decade. It offered valuable features, ensured privacy, and attracted happy customers.
But a somewhat shady company’s latest takeover of this service raised many questions about PIA’s performance.
So, has it gone wrong after the deal? Should you still trust PIA VPN for your privacy? Let’s check it out via this extensive Private Internet Access review.
Private Internet Access (PIA) – Quick look
Key features
| Price | $2.03/ month |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days |
| No-logs policy | Yes |
| Number of servers | 35000+ (estimated) |
| Number of devices per license | Unlimited |
| Kill switch | Yes |
| VPN protocols | OpenVPN and WireGuard |
| Home country | United States |
| Customer support | 24/7 live chat support |
| Supports torrenting | Yes |
Pros and cons
- Ideal for unblocking streaming sites. Using PIA, I could bypass geo-restrictions on the Netflix catalog, HBO Max, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and Amazon Prime, among others.
- Offers dedicated streaming-optimized servers for various regions.
- Excellent speeds on nearby servers, great for gaming and streaming.
- It offers a variety of servers to choose from.
- Top-notch security with the ability to customize settings. It has two-way encryption (AES-128 and AES-256 bit), a kill switch, and split tunneling. You can also customize the settings to your preferences.
- Attractive user-interface and dark theme availability.
- Offers a no-logs policy. The no-logs policy is tested and proven, which improves security and privacy.
- Solid apps for various operating systems. It has an app with various features for different OS.
- 30-day money-back guarantee. As a first-time user, you get paid features for free for one month.
- The customer support service in live chat is great only when available. However, getting hold of them is a hit or miss.
- Lacks dedicated or optimized servers for torrenting and gaming.
Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN overview
Private Internet Access (PIA) started in 2010 as an independent firm offering a quality VPN.
Since its inception, the VPN has attracted more and more customers worldwide due to its ever-expanding features and impressive performance.
In 2019, a UK-based Israeli firm Kape Technologies acquired PIA. This company also took over two other VPNs before PIA, CyberGhost, and Zenmate, and later acquired ExpressVPN.
That’s where things got a bit dubious, as Kape Technologies bears a shady history. Previously recognized as Crossrider, the company generally holds a bad reputation for its adware distribution and tracking practices.
Nonetheless, Private Internet Access VPN ruled out all concerns as they continued their premium security best practices after the merger.