PIA or Private Internet Access is a high portfolio VPN with a vast number of interesting features and that too at a budget-friendly price. It offers instant Netflix unblocking, wide range of feature-packed apps, decent-sized network, and expert-level tweaks. It is highly configurable and has a lot more which we have described in the below-mentioned paragraphs. Even though it has a vast number of advantages, it certainly has some disadvantages as well. The company doesn’t offer you a free trial. Along with that, it cannot unblock the iPlayer as well.
Private Internet Access: Features
Private Internet Access is owned by the same company which owns ZenMate and CyberGhost, Private Internet (formerly KAPE). PIA has over 1985 servers in over 46 countries according to the reports in August 2020, and all of them deliver peer-to-peer communication. It supports apps from Linux, Android, iOS, and Windows, and also the browser extensions from Firefox, Opera and Chrome. You will also see detailed tutorials regarding the setup for routers and many other types of devices.
With Private Internet Access, you can connect over 10 devices at a time which is twice the devices you can connect with most of the VPNs available out there. PIA offers built-in blocking of trackers, malwares and ads on websites. It also gives you the ability to select your preferred encryption, offers port forwarding support, a SOCKS5 proxy for extra speed, authentication and various handshaking methods. You also get 24/7 support to help solve your queries or problems.
It also has new features like the private browser for iOS, which wipes the session data once you close the app; a command-line app for Mac, Windows, and Linux which automatically enables VPN operations from scripts. It now has WireGuard for all the PIA users, no matter what platform they have. Its Shadowsocks feature might help you to connect with the countries which prefer blocking the VPNs. Also, there are smaller tweaks and fixes like the Snooze option and more. You will also get 2-month free access to Private Internet Access VPN on purchase of its yearly plan. Earlier it did not have live chat support, but now it offers a 24/7 live chat support to its users.
Private Internet Access: Plans & Pricing
PIA has monthly pricing of $9.95. If you opt for its six-month plan, your estimated monthly price would be $5.99, but when you make a payment for its yearly plan, the cost of a one-month subscription will decrease to $3.33. The plans of PIA are cheaper compared to many VPNs available out there. You can make payments with PayPal, gift cards, Bitcoin and more. Even though it doesn’t offer a free trial, you get a 30-day money-back guarantee with your purchase.
Private Internet Access: Privacy & Performance
PIA offers high privacy as it uses a highly secure OpenVPN protocol for both mobile phones and desktops. With just a few clicks you can set CBC or GCM, AES-128 or 256 encryption types. You can also entirely turn off the encryption if you only need speed. You can also choose from the data authentication and handshake methods (RSA-2048-RSA-4096), and can also set the type of connection, and along with that, you can set local or remote ports too.
The MACE feature of PIA blocks access to domains that are used by the trackers, malwares, and ads, which in turn provides you with additional layered protection. PIA offers its own DNS so as to minimize the chances of DNS leaks. You also get a kill switch alongside other features which will help you in disabling your internet connection, in case your VPN drops. The kill switch is available for all the platforms.
There are also a vast number of additional privacy features which you get in bonus like the website referrers, blockage of location access, and third-party cookies and more.
Final Verdict
For some users, Private Internet Access might not be a perfect choice, but it is still among some of the best VPNs available out there in many ways as it can run on almost any platform and is very easy to use. It carries advanced features and delivers an impressive performance at a very reasonable price.
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