NordVPN vs Private Internet Access: stealth and post-quantum, or open source and no device cap
NordVPN scores 5.58 and Private Internet Access 5.13 out of 10. NordVPN leads overall; the table shows where each one is stronger.
NordVPN vs Private Internet Access
| What we compare | NordVPN | Private Internet Access |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 5.58 (better) | 5.13 |
| Privacy and jurisdiction | 6.3 | 6.3 |
| Security and protocols | 7.1 (better) | 5.7 |
| Price and fair terms | 3.1 | 5.6 (better) |
| Censorship bypass | 1.9 (better) | 0.0 |
| Network and streaming | 6.9 (better) | 4.0 |
| Platforms and support | 8.1 | 8.6 (better) |
| Cheapest price, € a month | €3.00 | €1.63 (better) |
| Renewal vs first term | 3.3× | 1.1× (better) |
| Refund window, days | 30 | 30 |
| Independent no-logs audit | Yes | Yes |
| Kill switch | Yes | Yes |
| WireGuard | Yes | Yes |
| Obfuscation | Yes (better) | — |
| Crypto payments | Yes | Yes |
| Jurisdiction | Panama (outside 14 Eyes) | USA (5 Eyes) |
| Platforms supported | 9 | 10 (better) |
NordVPN comes out on top, 5.58 against PIA's 5.13, taking security, censorship bypass and network. PIA hits back on price and fair terms plus platforms and support; privacy ends level.
Panama against Denver, yet a level privacy score
Registration decides the first chunk of points. NordVPN runs under nordvpn S.A. in Panama City, outside the 5, 9 and 14 Eyes alliances, banking the alliance points that Private Internet Access, Inc. of Denver, a Five Eyes country, forfeits. PIA claws them back twice: it says its no-logs promise was proven in court, and its policy lists no session times. NordVPN stores last-session info deleted within 15 minutes plus a 90-day usage flag, and makes no court claim.
| Logged, per policy | NordVPN | PIA |
|---|---|---|
| Connection IP | no | no |
| Session times | last-session note, 15-minute deletion | none |
| Device info | app technical data | opt-in reports only |
Both publish a transparency report (NordVPN's is quarterly) and neither prints a warrant canary. PIA names Deloitte as auditor. NordVPN says it was independently verified five times since 2018 but its page does not name the auditors. On legal demands, NordVPN may disclose limited data if the law forces it and usually holds nothing to share; PIA answers valid subpoenas after legal review. Nord Security owns one, Kape Technologies the other.
Post-quantum, 2FA and Private DNS against open-source code
Three NordVPN features lift its security score above PIA's: post-quantum encryption in every app, two-factor sign-in and its own Private DNS for leak-proof lookups. PIA's counter-argument is code you can audit yourself, plus a choice of AES-128 or AES-256. Shared kit: kill switch, WireGuard (NordLynx on Nord's side), OpenVPN, RAM-only servers, multi-hop (Double VPN). NordVPN runs its bug bounty on HackerOne, PIA a Vulnerability Disclosure Program. Neither publishes a separate security audit.
Obfuscated servers and a bigger map: NordVPN's other two leads
For networks that throttle VPN traffic, Nord deploys obfuscated servers and NordWhisper, a protocol built for restricted environments; that keeps its bypass above zero. PIA publishes no stealth or obfuscation mode, scoring zero, and its terms restrict use in US-embargoed countries and in countries under US export rules, China, Russia and Vietnam among them.
The network column follows: 7,115 servers across 150 countries, Middle East locations like the UAE, Egypt and Turkey, torrenting on dedicated P2P machines, and port forwarding through dedicated servers or a dedicated IP. PIA covers 104 countries, runs 10 Gbps servers and colocated hardware, offers Smart DNS, but stays silent on server counts, torrenting policy and port forwarding. Both sell a dedicated IP as an add-on.
What 39 months cost on each
| Plan | First term | Per month | Then |
|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN Basic | 27 months, $94.23 | $3.49 | $139.08 yearly |
| NordVPN Complete | 27 months, $121.23 | $4.49 | $219.48 yearly |
| NordVPN Prime | 27 months, $202.23 | $7.49 | $296.28 yearly |
| PIA 3 years + 3 months | 39 months, $73.71 | $1.89 | $73.71 per 3 years |
| PIA 1 year | 12 months, $47.88 | $3.99 | unchanged |
| PIA 1 month | $11.95 | $11.95 | unchanged |
Nord Basic's renewal more than triples the effective monthly cost. Over the same 39 months you would pay $233.31 against PIA's $73.71. In euros the cheapest entry sits at €3.00 versus €1.63. The pricier Nord tiers bundle an antivirus, tracker blocker, password manager and encrypted storage, with Prime adding identity theft cover and credit monitoring; PIA sells one plan with every VPN feature, antivirus and dedicated IP sold separately.
Money-back rules, cash and crypto
Both refund within 30 days and neither offers a free plan or trial. PIA extends refunds to renewals after verification and gives no refund for a new account opened within 3 months of an earlier refund. NordVPN takes cash through prepaid cards sold at retailers, and also accepts Apple Pay, Google Pay and the coins BTC, ETH, LTC and a stablecoin. PIA takes crypto through BitPay and also accepts Amazon Payments; it does not take cash. Auto-renewal is on by default for both, so cancel it in your account.
Routers and no device cap: why PIA takes the apps column
PIA supports 10 platforms including routers and Chromebook, with unlimited simultaneous devices; NordVPN counts 9 platforms and has Android TV and Apple TV apps and an Edge extension, which PIA does not list. Router support tips the column, since consoles hook through it. Both cover split tunnelling and live chat.
NordVPN vs PIA: short answers
Which one is faster or better for Netflix?
VPNRadarLab scores published facts only and runs no speed or streaming tests; neither provider names Netflix or any other streaming service in its claims.
Can I torrent on both?
Nord allows P2P on its specialty servers. PIA publishes no torrenting policy, so there is nothing to rank.
Is PIA the same thing for less money?
Our "cheaper with the same features" check for NordVPN lists PIA among the matches, though PIA does not publish obfuscation or two-factor sign-in.
Which one to buy for which job
Buy NordVPN if you connect from networks that block VPNs and want obfuscated servers, or need Middle East locations or plan to pay cash. Buy PIA for unlimited devices, router setups and a bill that stays flat for three years.