Private Internet Access vs ExpressVPN 2025: Which Takes the Win?

Both Private Internet Access and ExpressVPN can enhance your privacy and security while using the internet, but we found ExpressVPN to be the better VPN provider overall.

Private Internet Access offers a more cost-effective solution with unlimited simultaneous connections, whereas ExpressVPN offers faster speeds and additional security features to justify its higher price point. 

We take a look at the differences between Private Internet Access and ExpressVPN, including the number of connected devices, cost, features, and more, in our hands-on comparison.

Private Internet Access vs. ExpressVPN at a glance

• Private Internet Access: Best for affordability
• ExpressVPN: Best for additional features

		Our Pick
Price	From $2.19/mo	From $3.49/mo
Max # of connected devices	Unlimited	14
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
# of servers	Unlisted in 91 countries and 50 U.S. states	Unlisted in 105 countries
VPN protocol	WireGuard, OpenVPN, IPsec	Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2
No-logs policy	No logs	No logs
Unblocks Netflix?
24/7 customer support
Learn more	Get Private Internet Access Read Private Internet Access Review	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review

Private Internet Access pros and cons

Private Internet Access is significantly cheaper than ExpressVPN if you’re willing to commit to a two-year contract. It also allows you to have unlimited devices connected at a time, which increases your subscription value, whereas ExpressVPN allows up to 14.

ExpressVPN pros and cons

On the other hand, though, ExpressVPN was speedier during our tests — likely thanks to its Lightway protocol. It also includes features such as a built-in password manager, ad and tracker blockers, and more on higher-tier plans.

Which VPN is the better value?

Private Internet Access is significantly cheaper than ExpressVPN and offers unlimited simultaneous connections.

	Our Pick
Price range	$2.19–$11.99/mo	$3.49–$12.95/mo
Best value plan	2-year plan for $2.19/mo	24-month plan for $3.49/mo
Money-back guarantee	Yes — 30 days	Yes — 30 days
Learn more	Get Private Internet Access Read Private Internet Access Review	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review

If you’re looking to choose a VPN based on cost, you’ll want to commit to a longer-term subscription to get the best rate. Private Internet Access has the most affordable option, at $2.19/mo. Otherwise, you can pay $7.50/mo or $11.99/mo.

We also like that Private Internet Access lets you connect an unlimited number of devices, so you can protect your entire household with one subscription. 

ExpressVPN offers $4.99/mo, $9.99/mo, and $12.99/mo. But the best value is the 2-year plan for $3.49/mo, which is more in line with most top VPN providers.

Now, if you would like to test out one of these VPNs before committing to it, both services offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

Payment options

Paying for your VPN access can be done in several ways, depending on the VPN you choose. 

PIA separates its payment options based on whether the user chooses a non-recurring subscription or a recurring subscription. Recurring subscription users are encouraged to pay with credit cards, PayPal, or other payment methods. Non-recurring subscription users are encouraged to pay with cryptocurrency, Paygarden, and iDeal.

ExpressVPN also allows a variety of payments, including Bitcoin, if users want their payments to be anonymous. 

Private Internet Access payment options

• Credit card
• PayPal
• Amazon Pay
• Cryptocurrencies
• Paygarden
• Third-party gift cards
• iDeal

ExpressVPN payment options

• Credit card
• PayPal
• BitPay
• Paymentwall

Which VPN is faster?

ExpressVPN increased our speeds on every server we tried, while Private Internet Access still slowed them. A key component of finding the right VPN is ensuring your internet speed isn't drastically affected once you’re connected. That's why we test all the VPNs we review.

First, we recorded our internet speed without a VPN connection, also known as the baseline speed. Then, we connected to servers in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia to measure how much each VPN would affect our baseline speed.

Here are the average speed changes for ExpressVPN vs. PIA.

Server location		Our Pick
Average speed change	58% slower	12% slower
Learn more	Get Private Internet Access Read Private Internet Access Review	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review

Overall, ExpressVPN performed better in terms of speed. Although we didn't notice a difference while browsing, we actually had faster speeds with every server we tested. 

Private Internet Access put a small dent in our speeds on the U.S. and Canadian servers. However, it halved our speeds on the U.K. and Australian servers, resulting in a significant drop. 

Which VPN is more secure?

ExpressVPN is more secure with its privacy-friendly headquarters and enhanced VPN features. 

Feature		Our Pick
Server count	Unlisted in 91 countries and 50 U.S. states	Unlisted in 105 countries and 50 U.S. states
No-logs policy	No logs	No logs
VPN headquarters	United States	British Virgin Islands
Encryption	AES-128-GCM or AES-256-GCM	AES-256
VPN protocol	WireGuard, IPsec, OpenVPN	Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2
Kill switch
Split tunneling
DNS leak protection
Ad blocker
Learn more	Get Private Internet Access Read Private Internet Access Review	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review

Private Internet Access and ExpressVPN have pretty similar features. However, these services differ when it comes to their log policies, headquarters, and protocols.

Depending on your use case, the VPN’s headquarters and logs policy may not matter to you. Both ExpressVPN and PIA tout no-logs policies for their VPN services. To ensure these VPNs keep no logs, they often have an independent party audit their security measures.

ExpressVPN’s last audit was completed in February 2025. KPMG found no issues with ExpressVPN’s no-log policy. PIA's last audit was completed in April 2024 by Deloitte. This audit also showed that PIA’s no-logs policy is sufficient and does not pinpoint user data.

However, PIA is headquartered in the U.S. This location may be a point of concern because the U.S. is part of the Five Eyes alliance. Being part of this intelligence-sharing alliance, PIA may be required to turn over user data to other Eyes countries.

ExpressVPN is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, which is outside of data-sharing alliances. 

ExpressVPN also goes above and beyond for features. For one, it created the Lightway protocol for faster, more secure, and more reliable connections. 

ExpressVPN also offers additional features that make its subscription worthwhile. You'll get Keys, ExpressVPN's built-in password manager and Threat Manager, which blocks trackers on apps and websites. 

PIA does have a similar feature, known as PIA MACE. It can tackle ads, trackers, and malware. But PIA stands out for offering double VPN, AKA multi-hop, which ExpressVPN doesn't. 

Which VPN has the better compatibility and customer service?

ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access are evenly matched with compatibility and customer service, but we'll give the win to ExpressVPN for its easy-to-use support tools. 

		Our Pick
Windows
macOS
Android
iOS
Linux
Router
Smart devices
Browser extensions	Chrome, Firefox, Opera	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Vivaldi
24/7 live chat
Customer support options	24/7 live chat, email, online guides, social media	24/7 live chat, email, online guides
Learn more	Get Private Internet Access Read Private Internet Access Review	Get ExpressVPN Read ExpressVPN Review

Overall, both Private Internet Access and ExpressVPN have user-friendly interfaces that make it easy to connect to servers in any available country. However, ExpressVPN’s preferences seemed to be less robust than PIA's.

Each had settings for VPN protocols, but PIA offered additional options to customize the service for your needs, including the VPN dashboard icon color, where the VPN dashboard is displayed, and automation and multi-hop settings. We found it was easier to update PIA’s settings and adjust the VPN to our liking.

Customer support and resources are also important factors in choosing a VPN. Although PIA and ExpressVPN should be easy-to-use solutions, there may be times when you need to reach out for assistance or troubleshooting. Both have robust content libraries that help users find answers to frequently asked questions.

While testing ExpressVPN, we noticed our internet connection would stop after connecting. We used the ExpressVPN support center to find the answer to our issue, which turned out to be a problem with our router, not the VPN.

ExpressVPN and PIA also offer 24-hour chat support, so you can ask any questions if necessary. We didn’t have any issues to discuss with them, but it was easy to engage the chat and get access to a live agent. The only issue we found was finding the chat icon when using PIA. If you’re inside the PIA support portal, the chatbot doesn’t pop up as it would on the regular site.

Both VPNs encourage users to use the live chat feature as their first point of contact. When you select Contact Us in ExpressVPN’s footer, it automatically opens the chat window. PIA has a live chat pop-up on the site and a submission form to contact its support teams.

Private Internet Access vs. ExpressVPN alternatives

Private Internet Access and ExpressVPN are two of our favorite services, but we'd also recommend other top VPNs based on price, performance, and perks. 

FAQs

Is Private Internet Access or ExpressVPN better?

Now that we’ve looked at both VPNs to see the variety of features, along with the pros and cons, which one should you choose? Overall, these VPNs are pretty evenly stacked. However, we think ExpressVPN inches forward as the winner overall.

We like that ExpressVPN has faster speeds than PIA VPN. We also have concerns about PIA being headquartered in the U.S., which means ExpressVPN offers a higher level of privacy in the end. We also liked some additional features of ExpressVPN, including a speed test that tests every server location to find the fastest speeds and smallest latency across its network.