Which VPN is best for you? Comparing PIA vs ExpressVPN
Let's compare Private Internet Access vs ExpressVPN.
Compare the pros and cons of Private Internet Access vs ExpressVPN and decide for yourself which is best for your needs.
We first summarize our results and then list how each VPN service beats out the other, as well as how both VPN services are about equal. We even provide a table comparing the features of Private Internet Access vs ExpressVPN side-by-side.
'Private Internet Access vs ExpressVPN' Contents (select to expand)
Bottom Line: Private Internet Access vs ExpressVPN
For our money, we're going with Private Internet Access.
Not only is PIA cheaper, it's our favorite torrenting VPN, and comes with lots of other great privacy and security features.
For instance, PIA has proven their no-logs policy in court and through third-party audits, so you can be confident that they're not recording your activity.
And their network has lots of servers, spread across 84 different countries and all 50 US states.
For our money, we're going with Private Internet Access
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Lowest monthly cost | $2.19 for our readers | $6.67 for our readers |
Torrenting allowed [?] | Yes | Yes |
Data logging | No | No |
Trial/Money-back period | 30 days | 30 days |
Anonymous payments | Yes, incl BitCoin & gift cards | Yes |
Devices per account | unlimited | 5 |
Servers | 17,000 | 3,000 |
Server countries | 84 | 94 |
Encryption level | 256-bit | 256-bit |
Kill switch [?] | Yes | Yes New! |
DNS leak protection [?] | Yes | Yes |
Other info | Best Android VPN app PIA sponsors EFF | Fast speeds |
HQ | USA | British Virgin Islands |
Website |
Of course, ExpressVPN is a solid VPN service as well.
It has plenty of servers, a proven no-logs policy, a slick UI, and is a good option for streaming services, like Netflix. That being said, the price is a little steep: it's roughly 3x times more than PIA!
With that summary in mind, let's dig a little deeper into PIA vs ExpressVPN.
How Private Internet Access is Better than ExpressVPN
Convinced? Visit Private Internet Access' website and sign up.
The advantages of Private Internet Access vs ExpressVPN include:
- PIA has a much higher server count (17,000 servers) than ExpressVPN (3,000), though ExpressVPN has servers in more countries
- PIA is considerably cheaper ($2.19/mo) at less than half the cost of ExpressVPN ($6.67/mo)
- especially as you can use PIA VPN on up to unlimited devices simultaneously (versus only 5 devices for ExpressVPN)
- PIA keeps no logs whereas ExpressVPN does engage in some minor logging (connection logs) according to reliable sources such as ThatOnePrivacySite and RestorePrivacy
- PIA's app for Windows has a small "footprint", residing in your System Tray which is the area beside where the time is displayed at the lower-right of your screen (some people might not consider this an advantage, but we do)
- PIA has been a leader in the VPN industry a lot longer than relative newcomer ExpressVPN
Try it 30 days risk-free.
How ExpressVPN is Better than Private Internet Access VPN
Go to ExpressVPN's website to see all the details.
The advantages of ExpressVPN vs Private Internet Access VPN include:
- ExpressVPN is faster than PIA
- ExpressVPN has a higher number of server countries (important for content streaming and accessing Netflix and online sportscasts), 94 versus PIA's 84
- ExpressVPN is based outside the USA (which may be important for some people)
- ExpressVPN has better technical support than PIA, for those who need it
Comes with a 30 day full money-back guarantee.
How Private Internet Access and ExpressVPN are About the Same
Comparing PIA vs ExpressVPN reveals that they have a lot in common:
- both have easy-to-use apps that load fast for a ton of devices and operating systems, including routers and even gaming consoles
- both PIA and ExpressVPN enjoy "Excellent" ratings on TrustPilot with over 4.5+ stars (out of 5)
- both providers offer 30-day money back guarantees
- both are very p2p torrent file-sharing friendly
- both have reliable kill switch, DNS leak protection and IPv6 leak protection features
- both utilize high encryption standards
- both have great blogs and support worthy privacy causes
At-a-Glance: PIA vs ExpressVPN
| | ||
Lowest monthly cost | $2.19 for our readers | $6.67 for our readers |
Torrenting allowed [?] | Yes | Yes |
Data logging | No | No |
Trial/Money-back period | 30 days | 30 days |
Anonymous payments | Yes, incl BitCoin & gift cards | Yes |
Devices per account | unlimited | 5 |
Servers | 17,000 | 3,000 |
Server countries | 84 | 94 |
Encryption level | 256-bit | 256-bit |
Kill switch [?] | Yes | Yes New! |
DNS leak protection [?] | Yes | Yes |
Other info | Best Android VPN app PIA sponsors EFF | Fast speeds |
HQ | USA | British Virgin Islands |
Website |