NordVPN and Private Internet Access are two well-known VPNs that offer consumers high-speed encrypted internet access as well as online protection.
You’re certainly not alone asking which service is superior. Both VPNs have extensive server networks, support multiple streaming platforms, and provide excellent security.
Nonetheless, they’re extremely distinct VPN providers, which can make your decision much more difficult than it needs to be. So, today, we’ll test both VPNs against one other in terms of speed, security, features, and ease of use. Let’s see which is better: NordVPN vs PIA.
NordVPN vs Private Internet Access: Head to Head Comparison
| NordVPN | PIA | |
| Trustpilot Rating: | 4.4 | 4.6 |
| Servers: | 5600+ servers in 60 countries | 35000+ servers in 80+ countries |
| Logs policy: | No logs | No logs |
| Pricing: | Starts from $3.29/month | Starts from $2.19/month |
| VPN protocols: | L2TP/IPsec, OpenVPN, IKEv2, Nordlynx | OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, IKEv2 |
| Streaming Compatibility: | Hulu, Amazon Prime, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and more | Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and more |
| Platforms: | Linux, Windows, Firefox, Chrome, macOS, iOS, and Android | iOS, Windows, Mac, and Android |
| Simultaneous connections: | 6 devices | 10 devices |
| Support: | 24/7 live chat, FAQs, knowledge base, email support | knowledge base, FAQs, 24/7 live chat, email support |
NordVPN vs PIA VPN; Which one is faster?
People often assume that VPNs would offer faster speeds than they have dreamed of. But the truth is that virtual private networks tend to offer speeds based on your base connection. Yes, they do help eliminating ISP throttling and the speeds are fast, but that all depends on the VPN you select and the protocol you choose.
We conducted NordVPN vs PIA speed tests on all protocols to figure which VPN offers better speeds overall on the following base criteria: 100 Mbps download speed/100 Mbps upload speed.
| Protocols | NordVPN | PIA |
| Nordlynx/WireGuard | 79/64 | 75/56 |
| OpenVPN (TCP) | 50/32 | 52/15 |
| OpenVPN (UDP) | 79/41 | 68/17 |
The WireGuard tunnelling protocol is used by both services. NordVPN just refers to it as NordLynx. As a result, NordVPN connected without issue, with only a 21% average speed drop for downloads and a 44% average drop-off for uploads. PIA’s download speed, on the other hand, dropped by 25 percent.
The average download speeds with PIA on the OpenVPN UDP protocol plummeted by 32%, while upload speeds declined by 83%. With NordVPN, download speeds dropped by 21% and upload speeds dropped by 59%.
The speed decreases are due to the fact that OpenVPN TCP is a slower and safer alternative. The average download speed of NordVPN is reduced by 50 percent, while upload speeds are reduced by 68 percent. PIA, on the other hand, isn’t that dissimilar. Their average download speeds are 58 percent, with 85 percent upload speeds.
Final Result: NordVPN is the Winner!
Which one has the best features?
One of the ways VPN providers may set themselves apart is by offering unique features. In our PIA VPN vs NordVPN comparison, we compared various features of both VPNs and the results are as follwos:
Split tunneling
Split tunnelling is available in both services, and they’re implemented similarly. So, you can set up whichever option is most useful for you.
During our tests, we discovered that the feature in PIA’s case didn’t always perform as it should. On NordVPN for websites and apps, the same feature worked flawlessly.
Split tunnelling is a reduced version of PIA’s desktop feature on mobile. It is available for specific apps but not for webpages.
Final Result: NordVPN is the Winner!
Kill Switch
Kill switches are accessible in the NordVPN and PIA apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. A kill switch for Linux is also available by NordVPN.
We intentionally disconnected our VPN connection while running an IP checking tool to see if the kill switches were working properly. Our IP address was always secured by PIA and NordVPN.
Because it has an app-specific kill switch and an internet kill switch that disables everything when the VPN connection goes down, NordVPN provides greater control than PIA. Because it is safer, we recommend that you utilise the internet kill switch.
PIA provides a one-of-a-kind kill switch feature that disables your internet connection until you launch the VPN app.
Final Result: NordVPN is the Winner!
Ad-blocker
NordVPN’s CyberSec is a built-in technology that blocks harmful websites, prevents botnet control, and allows you to bypass intrusive adverts. MacOS, Android, Windows, iOS, and Linux are all supported.
PIA also has an ad-blocker built in called PIA MACE that helps to keep malware at bay. It isn’t the best ad-blocker, but it will suffice.
Final Result: NordVPN is the Winner!
Additional features
Both PIA and NordVPN offer a free SOCKS5 proxy, however the former also includes Shadowsocks, which NordVPN only offers on Android.
Each service has its own DNS server. NordVPN differs from Private Internet Access in that it offers Double VPN and obfuscated servers, which can help if the government bans VPN traffic.
For further protection, NordVPN uses the Tor network in conjunction with its Onion over VPN capability.
Handshake Naming System, or HNS for short, is a unique feature of PIA. It helps prevent DNS-level blocking by decentralising the domain name system. While this functionality seems interesting, it will only be beneficial to selected users: if you can’t access Facebook, HNS won’t help you either.
Final Result: NordVPN is the Winner!
Private Internet Access vs NordVPN: which VPN is more secure?
AES encryption is used by both NordVPN and PIA. The AES-256-CBC cipher with the SHA-512 hash function is used by NordVPN. PIA has a wider range of options, allowing you to choose between AES-128-CBC with SHA-1 (the default setting) and AES-256-CBC with SHA-256 (the strong setting). NordVPN excels not just in encryption but also in location, transparency, and infrastructure.
Jurisdiction
When analyzing NordVPN vs PIA security in detail, the first thing to look at was jurisdiction. NordVPN is based in Panama, a country known for its privacy. It’s not present in the Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes jurisdiction. This is fantastic news because it implies that seizing somebody’s data will always necessitate a Panamanian court warrant.
Because PIA is based in headquartered the United States, the service provider is at the heart of the Five Eyes. Furthermore, some domestic legislation, such as the recently reauthorized Patriot Act, pose a threat to your privacy.
Final Result: NordVPN is the Winner!
Logging
As for NordVPN vs PIA logging policies, PIA claims that the company does not collect activity logs. This has been verified on multiple occasions when authorities have requested data from PIA.
The privacy policy of NordVPN is significantly more transparent. They claim they aren’t storing any of your information. So there is nothing to show when the government comes knocking. This is comforting because it corresponds to their RAM-only architecture claims. This stance has also been supported by an independent audit conducted by PwC.
Final Result: NordVPN is the Winner!
Encryption Protocols
With the OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols, PIA uses an AES-256 cipher with SHA256 for authorization and an RSA-4096 handshake. Within the VPN software, PIA also allows users to change protocols and encryption cyphers (Windows and Mac OS).
NordVPN employs an AES-256 cipher with SHA256 authorisation and an RSA-4096 handshake with OpenVPN and IKEv2 in the same way that PIA does. NordVPN, like PIA, offers the WireGuard protocol with the ChaCha20 encryption upgrade.
Final Result: It’s a Tie!
Netflix and other streaming services unblocking
When it came to NordVPN vs PIA streaming capabilities, Netflix proved to be a difficult nut to crack with PIA. Even if Netflix in the United States worked, it was slow and the video quality was poor. Meanwhile, NordVPN had some issues at initially, but after turning off the custom DNS option, it was able to access blocked libraries.
With BBC iPlayer, PIA’s lucky streak came to an end. It displayed the error “BBC iPlayer only works in the UK,” preventing access to the site. In the meantime, NordVPN had no issues accessing the site’s content.
HBO Max is one of the most difficult to get around – only a few services are able to get around these restrictions. PIA was unable to obtain access to the streaming service. In the meantime, NordVPN was one of the few services that was able to unblock HBO Max.
Final Result: NordVPN is the Winner!
Torrenting and P2P
P2P is supported by both NordVPN and PIA. So you’ll be users can download torrent files from either service.
Because PIA does not distinguish between specialised and non-P2P servers, it makes no difference which server you connect to.
Meanwhile, NordVPN operates in a unique way. It has dedicated torrent servers as well as ordinary servers. Technically, you can torrent on any server, but if P2P activity is identified, you’ll be redirected to a P2P server automatically.
Final Result: It’s a Tie!
Plans and pricing; Which one is more affordable?
| Prices and Plans | NordVPN | PIA |
| Periods | 1 month | 1 month |
| 1 year | 6 months | |
| 2 years | 2 years | |
| Special offers and discounts | 70% off on the 2-year plan | 3 Years + 3 Free Months |
| Lowest price per month | $3.49/month | $2.03/month |
| Highest price per month | $11.99/mo | $9.95/mo |
Private Internet Access is significantly less expensive than NordVPN in terms of price. As for similarities, both the VPNs offer risk-free 30-day money-back guarantees for you to test out the service.
Final Result: It’s a Tie!
Server locations
Private Internet Access has the most servers of any VPN we’ve tested, with over 30000. With 5600+ servers, NordVPN still outnumbers the competition, but Private Internet Access remains the obvious winner.
The number of server locations is a more direct comparison, with Private Internet Access having 78 versus NordVPN’s 60.
Final Result: PIA is the Winner!
Apps, interface, and ease of use
| PIA | NordVPN | |
| OS supported | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android |
| Other devices and operating systems | Kodi, Fire TV devices, and Android TVs | Kodi, Fire TV devices, and Android TVs |
| Browser extensions | Chrome, Opera, & Firefox | Chrome & Firefox |
| Simultaneous connections | Ten | Six |
NordVPN and PIA offer apps for whichever device you use on a daily basis. Let’s check out the NordVPN vs PIA device compatibility in detail below:
Desktop apps
One thing we like about PIA is how informative its desktop apps for Windows and Mac are. It shows you the details of your protocols, port, encryption, connection, and authentication cipher. Although the user interface isn’t as appealing, it provides more data than some other VPN providers.
An interactive map with a nation sidebar is included in the NordVPN desktop app’s user interface. You get less information than PIA because the only presented information is the freshly given IP address. If you tap on the three dots in a sidebar near a country then a server selection screen appears, where you can choose the quickest or a specific server.
It’s worth noting that NordVPN has an odd distinction for macOS apps between the website app (sideload) and the App Store version. Only the OpenVPN tunnelling protocol is included in the sideload, which has the most recent upgrades. PIA makes no such distinction; their clients will behave the same regardless of where they are downloaded from.
Final Result: PIA is the Winner!
Mobile apps
There won’t be much of a distinction between Android and iOS apps in terms of user interface. This is true for both NordVPN and PIA. Both clients look to their desktop counterparts for inspiration.
A map and a country list are included in the NordVPN mobile apps. As a result, the functionality is equal to that of desktop clients. Your preferences are stored in a separate tab, making it simple to switch between them, make changes, and return to your previous task.
On mobile, PIA’s apps strive to strike a balance between minimalism and a wealth of connection information. The apps have less area than desktop apps, which leads to some unusual design choices.
Both service providers have added the ability to switch between dark and bright modes in apps.
Final Result: It’s a Tie!
Browser extensions
While both NordVPN and PIA have Firefox and Chrome apps, only PIA has an Opera app.
NordVPN’s Chrome browser extension is far superior to PIA’s. It comes with an ad blocker, a ‘Bypass List,’ which functions as split tunnelling for your browser, and a complete server list.
Both VPNs have a WebRTC leak blocker that prevents your IP address from being leaked while unblocking Netflix and BBC iPlayer. NordVPN has the second-best Chrome extension (right after ExpressVPN).
In addition, NordVPN’s Firefox app is superior to PIA’s. The Threat Protection feature for ad blocking is included in the Firefox extension, just like it is in the NordVPN Chrome extension, and it effectively unblocks geo-restricted content.
Final Result: It’s a Tie!
Customer Support Comparison
Customer service options are comparable for NordVPN and PIA. Both offer email assistance as well as 24/7 live chat.
NordVPN offers an automated chatbot, which is the most significant distinction between the two. The chatbot provided by NordVPN is the best we’ve seen. It provides quick and accurate responses and makes it simple to contact a human if necessary.
There is no phone assistance, as is frequently the case with VPNs. You can, however, send your query via email.
Final Result: NordVPN is the Winner!
NordVPN vs PIA: which one wins?
It was a difficult decision, but after going over all the information and passing both VPNs through multiple tests, we believe NordVPN has the dominant position over Private Internet Access in the end.
Both firms provide secure Internet access, encrypting and protecting our browsing activity; nevertheless, there are a few factors that make NordVPN a more appealing option, including as their exclusion from the surveillance jurisdictions of the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and 14 Eyes.
Because of their randomised IP addresses, global access, and ability to connect more devices at once, Private Internet Access had an advantage. If you’re on a budget, they’re also the less expensive option, though not by much.
FAQs
Is PIA a zero log VPN?
PIA has a rigorous no logs policy, which means they don’t collect or keep any information about our users’ VPN usage. They don’t keep track of your surfing activities, connection, bandwidth use, or anything else like that.
Is PIA good for gaming?
Yes! Thanks to their NextGen server architecture, Private Internet Access offers fast speeds for gaming, and with 84 countries on their network, you can access a vast amount of geo-restricted content, gaming and otherwise.