PureVPN vs. Private Internet Access 2024: Which VPN Is Better? by Gjurgjica Panova

Gjurgjica Panova

Updated on: December 25, 2023

PureVPN and Private Internet Access (PIA) are a two of the best VPNs on the market. They both have strong security and privacy features, a large server network, and user-friendly apps for all major platforms.

Both VPNs come with all the industry-standard VPN security features, like 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, and a no-logs policy. Moreover, they also have the following features:

• Perfect forward secrecy.
• Full leak protection.
• Obfuscation.
• Split-tunneling.
• Anti-DDoS protection.
• Dedicated IP addresses.
• Port forwarding.

However, there are some differences between the two providers. PIA includes extra features like port forwarding and anti-DDoS protection in its regular subscription price — PureVPN charges a small fee for each one. Moreover, it has fast speeds on nearby and distant servers and works reliably with 30+ streaming sites. The VPN also allows P2P support on all servers, not just on dedicated ones. On the other hand, PureVPN causes noticeable slowdowns on distant servers, and it doesn’t reliably work with streaming sites like Amazon Prime. What’s more, it only allows torrenting on servers in 30+ countries.

I used different metrics to compare PureVPN with Private Internet Access, including security, extra features, privacy, servers, speeds, streaming support, P2P support, gaming, bypassing censorship, ease of use, plans and pricing, and customer support. Overall, I think Private Internet Access is much better than PureVPN, but I still recommend reading the entire article to see which VPN would be the best option for your budget and online habits.

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PureVPN vs. Private Internet Access — Quick Overview

Security — Both VPNs Are Secure

Both VPNs are great for securing your data. They have industry-standard security features, including:

• 256-bit AES encryption. Makes all your data unreadable, so that nobody can spy on it. Banks and militaries use the same encryption level.
• No-logs policy. Prevents the VPN from storing your IP address, browsing history, and the files you download.
• Kill switch. Shuts down all internet access if your VPN connection has dropped, which prevents data leaks.

PIA has an Advanced Kill Switch option on Windows and Mac, which disables internet access if you’re not connected to a VPN server. In my tests, it prevented me from accessing the internet when I wasn’t connected to PIA’s servers. I also like that the VPN has a built-in kill switch on its iOS app as many VPNs don’t have a kill switch on iOS.

I like that both VPNs have full leak protection. I ran leak tests while connected to servers in 20+ countries for each VPN, and I never saw any leaks.

Only PIA has RAM-only servers. This is an advanced security feature that only writes data to the RAM instead of the hard drive. In this way, with every server reset, all data is wiped.

The good news is that both VPNs have perfect forward secrecy. This security feature changes the encryption key for each VPN session, which prevents hackers from compromising past or future encryption keys and using them to access your VPN traffic history.

Each provider offers fast and secure protocols. They both have OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2/IPSec protocols. PureVPN also has a protocol called Proxy, which is a proxy connection that changes your IP address, but it doesn’t encrypt your traffic. This means that you’ll get faster speeds, but no security.

Both VPNs have two-factor authentication — this requires you to verify your login attempts with a time-sensitive code or security key that’s generated by an app.

Extra Features — Private Internet Access Has More Extra Features

Private Internet Access has more extra features. Although PureVPN’s additional features are decent, it can’t compete with PIA, which has feature-rich apps.

You get split-tunneling with both VPNs. However, PIA’s split-tunneling feature is better, as it not only allows you to choose which apps use or don’t use the VPN but also lets you choose which IP addresses bypass the VPN.

Each VPN allows obfuscation, which hides your traffic to provide better privacy. PIA provides obfuscation via Shadowsocks, an encrypted open-source proxy. I like that both VPNs can work in restrictive countries like China.

However, only PIA has an ad blocker, which is called PIA MACE. It’s the best ad blocker on the market, which blocks ads, ad trackers, and malicious sites. In my tests, it blocked all ads on ad-heavy portals and prevented me from accessing shady sites.

PIA offers Tor support on all of its servers. It allows you to browse .onion sites with an extra layer of security. I like how easy it is to use the feature — you can just connect to any PIA server and then start using the Tor browser, which is free to download.

Only PIA offers a smart DNS feature. It allows you to use the VPN on devices that don’t have a native VPN app, like smart TVs and gaming consoles.

I like that both VPNs offer port forwarding and dedicated IP addresses. Port forwarding lets you connect to more peers to get faster speeds for downloading torrents. Dedicated IP addresses are IPs that are assigned only to you for an extra cost. They are useful for reducing the amount of reCAPTCHAs you get while browsing. PureVPN offers dedicated IP addresses from 7 different countries, and PIA offers dedicated IP addresses for 5+ countries.

PIA has some features that PureVPN lacks:

• SOCKS5 proxy servers. They provide you with faster speeds for downloading by changing your IP address, but not encrypting your traffic.
• Identity Guard. This is a data breach monitoring tool that allows you to check if your email has been a part of a data breach, and it will alert you if anything gets leaked in a new breach.

PureVPN comes with Quantum Resistant servers in 70+ countries. These Quantum Resistant servers use quantum-resistant encryption keys, which can’t be compromised by quantum threats. They future-proof user data to protect it against potential quantum threats.

Privacy — Each Provider Is Great For Privacy

You get great privacy from both VPNs. The VPNs’ no-logs policies have been independently audited and verified. PIA’s no-logs policy underwent an independent audit in 2022, and PureVPN’s no-logs policy has an “always-on” audit policy, which means that the contracted security firm (KPMG) can audit the VPN’s policy at any time without notice.

PIA is based in the US, which is part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances (a group of countries that share surveillance data). However, even if the government asked the VPN for user data, PIA’s no-logs policy means it wouldn’t have any data to share. I like how PureVPN is located in the British Virgin Islands, which is a privacy-friendly location and is outside of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances.

Only PIA has open-source apps — this means that anyone can inspect the code for security vulnerabilities. That said, I would like to see PIA’s app undergo an independent security audit.

It’s great that both providers accept cryptocurrency payments, which provide better privacy than standard payment methods, like credit cards.

Servers — Both VPNs Have Great Server Networks

I’m impressed with both VPNs’ server networks. Private Internet Access doesn’t display the number of servers, but it has servers in 91 countries, while PureVPN has 6,500+ servers in 70+ countries. With a large server network, you’re less likely to connect to overcrowded servers, which can cause slowdowns.

Both VPNs use virtual servers — these servers provide you with an IP address from the country you connect to, but they’re physically located in a different country. PIA has virtual servers in 40+ countries, and PureVPN has virtual servers in 20+ countries.

Each provider also allows P2P traffic on its servers — PIA allows torrenting on all of its servers in 91 countries, while PureVPN allows P2P traffic on servers in 30+ countries.

Both PureVPN and PIA support obfuscation on their servers. PIA allows obfuscation on all of its servers. On the other hand, PureVPN has 10+ obfuscated servers in 5+ countries.

I like that both providers offer dedicated IP addresses for an extra cost. You’ll be assigned an IP address that’s only yours. These dedicated IP addresses are helpful for avoiding reCAPTCHAs, which are quick tests you need to do to access certain sites to prove you are human.

PIA has dedicated servers for streaming in 5+ countries — the US, the UK, Japan, Italy, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark. These servers refresh their IP addresses more often, making it more difficult for streaming sites to block them.

PureVPN has Quantum Resistant servers. These Quantum Resistant servers use quantum-resistant encryption keys, which aren’t vulnerable to quantum threats.

Speeds — Private Internet Access Has Faster Speeds

In my tests, I had significantly faster speeds with PIA — this doesn’t come as a surprise, as the VPN is one of the fastest VPNs on the market.

I was impressed with PIA’s speeds on nearby and distant servers. On nearby servers, websites, HD videos, and 4K videos loaded instantly. I was able to download a 20 GB file in 11–12 minutes. On distant servers, websites loaded in 1–2 seconds, HD videos in 2 seconds, and 4K videos loaded in 4 seconds. I was able to download the same 20 GB file in 20–22 minutes.

I experienced noticeable slowdowns when connected to PureVPN’s servers. On nearby servers, websites loaded in 2–3 seconds, HD videos loaded in 5–6 seconds with minor buffering, and 4K videos took 8–9 seconds to load with noticeable buffering. It took me 32–34 minutes to download a 20 GB file. On distant servers, websites loaded in 5–6 seconds, HD videos played in 7–8 seconds with interruptions, and 4K videos loaded in 10–12 seconds with major buffering. The same 20 GB file took me 40–43 minutes to download.

Streaming — Private Internet Access Has Better Streaming Support

I think PIA is much better for streaming, as it works with 30+ streaming sites. PureVPN couldn’t provide me with an exact number.

Both VPNs work with Netflix. However, PIA’s support team confirmed that it works with 5+ Netflix libraries, including Netflix US, Netflix UK, and Netflix Japan. On top of that, both providers work with other streaming sites, like Max, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer (confirmed by my UK colleague). That said, only PIA is compatible with Amazon Prime.

PIA also comes with a smart DNS feature. This allows you to use the VPN on devices that don’t have a native VPN app, like gaming consoles.

Torrenting — Private Internet Access Has Better P2P Support

PIA has better torrenting support, as it allows torrenting on all of its servers in 91 countries. PureVPN only allows P2P traffic on servers in 30+ countries.

Both VPNs work with top P2P apps, like qBittorrent, Vuze, and Deluge. I tested 5 different P2P apps while connected to P2P servers from each VPN, and I never experienced any issues.

I like that both VPNs allow port forwarding. With PureVPN, you’ll need to pay extra to get access to the port forwarding feature, while PIA includes port forwarding in its subscriptions.

Only PIA has SOCKS5 proxy support. These SOCKS5 proxy servers change your IP address but don’t encrypt your traffic, giving you faster P2P speeds.

Each VPN has strong security and privacy features for torrenting. They both have a kill switch and a no-logs policy that has been independently audited and confirmed. In addition, PIA has a top-notch ad blocker called PIA MACE, which blocks malicious ads on P2P sites, prevents you from accessing shady torrenting websites, and blocks malware-infected downloads.

I ran leak tests before I started torrenting with each VPN — I never experienced any leaks. Moreover, I also ran torrent IP leak tests to ensure P2P apps can’t expose my real IP address while connected to each VPN. Each time, the VPN’s IP address was displayed, not my real one.

Gaming — Both VPNs Are Great For Gaming

I used both VPNs while playing Dota 2 — PIA was faster, but PureVPN’s speeds were also decent. Both VPNs provided me with a good ping on local servers. On distant servers, I had a higher ping with PureVPN, while PIA maintained a lower, more stable ping. However, the lag was more noticeable with PureVPN.

It’s also great that both providers have anti-DDoS protection. If anyone tries to DDoS you when you’re connected to either of the VPNs’ servers, they wouldn’t be able to do it. PIA offers anti-DDoS protection on all of its servers, and it’s included in its regular subscription. I don’t like that PureVPN charges extra for DDoS protection.

I like that you can set up both VPNs on your router, which allows you to game with a VPN on devices that don’t natively support VPN apps, such as gaming consoles.

Neither provider has support for cloud gaming, which means that you won’t be able to use them to access online services, like GeForce Now, that stream video games to portable devices, like smartphones and laptops.

Bypassing Censorship — PureVPN Is The Better Choice

	Obfuscation	Works in China	Works in Russia	Works in Iran	Works in Indonesia	Works in Saudi Arabia
Private Internet Access	✅	❌	❌	❌	✅	✅
PureVPN	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅

PureVPN has a better obfuscation feature. The VPN’s customer support representatives confirmed that the VPN works in restrictive countries.

PIA’s obfuscation feature only works in two restrictive countries — Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. Its customer support can’t guarantee that the VPN will work in countries like China, Russia, and Iran.

Apps & Ease of Use — Both VPNs Are User-Friendly

Both VPNs have apps for all major platforms — iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux. PIA has an app for Android TV, and PureVPN has an app for Fire TV.

I’m a big fan of the mobile apps of both providers. PIA’s mobile apps allow customization of 20+ settings. For example, you can change encryption levels, protocol settings, and the look and layout of the app. PureVPN’s mobile apps allow you to create 1-click shortcuts for certain streaming sites and VPN servers. I tested it by setting Netflix with a server in Canada, and it worked perfectly.

The desktop apps are also great. They have a very simple design, which makes it easier to find the server you’re looking for. There’s a quick-connect feature that connects you to the fastest servers, and the settings are easy to understand and configure.

I like that you can manually configure each VPN on your router. Both VPNs provide helpful tutorials that help a lot during the setup process.

Plans & Pricing — Both VPNs Are Affordable

Both VPNs are quite affordable. PureVPN allows 10 simultaneous connections, while PIA allows unlimited devices connected. So, you can use it on as many devices as you want.

PIA has 1-month, 6-month, and 2-year plans starting at $2.11 / month. The 2-year plan offers the best value and often offers additional months for free.

PureVPN offers monthly, yearly, and 2-year pricing plans that start at $2.29 / month. It also has 3 tier-based subscriptions. The Standard subscription comes with all VPN features, the Plus subscription adds a password manager and end-to-end file encryption, and the Max subscription adds social media privacy.

Both providers accept credit/debit cards, PayPal, and cryptocurrencies. PIA accepts Amazon Pay, while PureVPN accepts Google Pay. Moreover, PureVPN has a 31-day money-back guarantee, while PIA has a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Customer Support — Both VPNs Have Good Customer Support

PIA and PureVPN offer multiple customer support platforms. They have extensive support libraries with FAQs, tutorials, and troubleshooting guides.

I like that each VPN has great 24/7 live chat support. The friendly representatives were capable of answering all of my questions quickly and accurately.

I also tested each VPN’s email support — it usually took less than a day to receive a response from each VPN’s email support team. The replies I received were always detailed and informative.

PureVPN vs. Private Internet Access: Overall Winner

Private Internet Access is much better than PureVPN — as it comes with more extra features, like an ad blocker, a smart DNS, and faster speeds. It also works with more streaming sites and allows torrenting on all of its servers in 91 countries.

PureVPN has decent security and privacy features. It also offers a vast server network, a great obfuscation feature, and affordable plans. What’s more, its customer support is quite responsive and helpful.

While both VPNs are good, PIA provides much better value. It offers more extra features and can maintain fast speeds across all servers. It works with 30+ streaming sites and allows P2P traffic on all of its servers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Private Internet Access better than PureVPN?

According to my tests, yes. Private Internet Access comes with more extra features, like an ad blocker, smart DNS feature, and Identity Guard. It has faster speeds on nearby and distant servers and works with more streaming platforms. Moreover, PIA allows torrenting on all of its servers.

Are Private Internet Access and PureVPN safe to use?

Yes, both VPNs have strong security features. On top of the industry-standard VPN security features, they come with a no-logs policy that has been independently audited and advanced features like perfect forward secrecy, which changes the encryption key for each VPN connection, and full leak protection.

Do Private Internet Access and PureVPN work with Netflix?

Yes, but I think PIA is a much better option for Netflix than PureVPN. It works with 5+ Netflix libraries, including Netflix US, Netflix UK, and Netflix Japan whereas PureVPN’s reps told me it only works with Netflix US. Overall, PIA has better streaming support, as it reliably works with 30+ streaming sites. PureVPN’s representatives couldn’t provide me with an exact number of the streaming services the VPN works with.

Is Private Internet Access faster than PureVPN?

In my tests, PIA had faster speeds than PureVPN. PIA was able to maintain fast speeds for browsing, streaming, and torrenting on nearby and distant servers. With PureVPN, I experienced significant slowdowns, especially on distant servers.

Read more about the best VPNs in 2024