Private Internet Access vs ExpressVPN 2024: ExpressVPN is Faster but PIA is Cheaper

Best for Affordability

5.0

AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

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On Private Internet Access's website

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Private Internet Access

• One of the cheapest VPNs with a full set of features
• Unblocks Netflix and other streaming services
• Located in the U.S., which is part of the Five Eyes Alliance

Best for Additional Features

4.6

AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Editorial Rating

Learn More

On ExpressVPN's website

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VPN

ExpressVPN

Save 49% (3 months free)

• Strict no-logs policy with independent audit
• In-house Lightway protocol for more speed and security
• One of the priciest VPNs

There are many reasons to use a virtual private network (VPN). Whether you’re looking to access Netflix from a foreign country or you want to browse the internet with added protection, a VPN might be the answer. There are many VPN providers you can use. Two of those options include Private Internet Access (PIA) and ExpressVPN.

Both PIA and ExpressVPN offer a solid VPN solution that enhances your privacy and security while using the internet. Private Internet Access offers a more cost-effective solution, whereas ExpressVPN costs a little bit more. Although both VPNs get the job done, they each have unique features that may benefit different types of users.

Let’s look at what PIA and ExpressVPN have to offer users.

Private Internet Access vs. ExpressVPN at a glance

ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access are both great VPN solutions that offer a variety of features. You’ll notice small differences between the two, including the number of connected devices, cost, overall VPN server count, and more.

For instance, Private Internet Access is significantly cheaper than ExpressVPN, if you’re willing to commit to a three-year contract. PIA and ExpressVPN both offer annual plans, and PIA is still less expensive at $11.99/mo compared with ExpressVPN’s $6.67/mo (billed annually).

PIA allows you to have unlimited devices connected at a time, whereas ExpressVPN allows five. And PIA has more server locations, especially when you consider it offers servers in every U.S. state. On the other hand, though, ExpressVPN tended to be speedier during our tests — likely thanks to its Lightway protocol.

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

How do Private Internet Access vs. ExpressVPN compare?

	Private Internet Access	ExpressVPN
Price	From $2.19/mo	From $6.67/mo (billed annually)
Max # of connected devices	Unlimited	8
24/7 customer support
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
# of servers	84 countries + 50 U.S. states	Servers in 105 countries
VPN protocol	WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec	Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP/IPsec
No-logs policy	No logs	No logs
Unblocks Netflix?
	Get PIA Read Our PIA Review	Get ExpressVPN Read Our ExpressVPN Review

ExpressVPN and PIA are both great for streaming your favorite shows or gaming. ExpressVPN uses some proprietary technology, including its MediaStreamer DNS, which allows you to change your DNS location when VPN services aren’t available. 

For devices that can’t use a VPN, MediaStreamer can spoof your location to give you access to geo-restricted content. You may want to use MediaStreamer on an Apple TV, Nintendo Switch, or older Playstations. PIA also has a similar Smart DNS product that allows you to change your location to access restricted content.

PIA doesn’t specifically disclose the number of servers it has in its system, whereas ExpressVPN offers servers in over 20 more countries than PIA, but PIA also has servers in all 50 U.S. states.

There’s also a big difference in the cost of each VPN. If you’re looking to save money on a VPN, PIA is definitely the best option for you. Although ExpressVPN is more costly, it does have some nice additional features to justify its price.

ExpressVPN offers additional features on its website to help you check the overall security of your connection. You can check your IP address, generate passwords, and check for a DNS or WebRTC leak.

Private Internet Access vs. ExpressVPN: prices

If you’re looking to select a VPN based on cost, you’re going to 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, if you’re willing to commit to a three-year contract. Without a contract, you’ll end up paying $1.45/mo + cost of VPN.

With ExpressVPN, you only need to commit to a 12-month contract to get the best pricing, but it's significantly more than PIA. You’ll pay $6.67/mo (billed annually) for 12 months or $9.99/mo (billed every six months) if you are looking for a month-to-month plan.

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. Just remember to submit your refund request within 30 days — set a reminder on your phone, just in case.

Private Internet Access vs. ExpressVPN: features

When looking at the features offered by Private Internet Access and ExpressVPN, they are fairly similar. They both offer many of the same features such as streaming support, Smart DNS, and more. However, as you look more into the two, you can see some differences that may help you decide which VPN is best for you.

Headquarters and no-logs policy

Depending on your use case, the VPN’s headquarters and log policy may not matter as much to you as to others. 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 examine their protections.

ExpressVPN’s last audit was completed in October 2022 by KPMG and Cure53. KPMG did not find issues with ExpressVPN’s no-log policy. Cure53 conducted a security assessment of ExpressVPN’s TrustedServer, where they also did not find any critical issues. PIA also participated in an audit in August 2022, conducted by Deloitte. This audit also showed that PIA’s no-log policy is sufficient and does not pinpoint user data.

Now, when it comes to headquarters, there is a stark difference. PIA is headquartered in the U.S. ExpressVPN is located in the British Virgin Islands. PIA’s headquarters may be a point of concern because the U.S. is part of the Five  Eyes, Nine Eyes, and 14 Eyes alliances. Because the U.S. is a part of these alliances, it could require PIA to share confidential information about its users.

ExpressVPN is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, which is not a part of those alliances.

VPN protocol and encryption

If you’re using a VPN, you’re expecting that the VPN is keeping your information private. The two most significant parts of this include the VPN protocol and the type of encryption used by the VPN.

ExpressVPN and PIA both offer AES-256 encryption, which is one of the highest-rated encryptions available. ExpressVPN uses its own proprietary protocol called Lightway and OpenVPN. PIA uses WireGuard, IPsec, and OpenVPN. Both VPNs allow you to change the protocol as needed to improve speeds or useability.

ExpressVPN also offers a speed test feature that allows you to look at every server and see the internet speeds you would get from each server location. It’s easy to start the speed test from the ExpressVPN menu. Running the test takes about four minutes but gives you insight into the fastest speeds available.

PIA vs. ExpressVPN: streaming support

Reviewed by Andrew Adams

“ExpressVPN and PIA are both great for streaming your favorite shows or gaming. ExpressVPN uses some proprietary technology, including its MediaStreamer DNS, which allows you to change your DNS location when VPN services aren’t available. PIA also has a similar Smart DNS product that allows you to change your location to access restricted content.”

ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access both allow users to stream their favorite shows from Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming services. Each of them also offers support for your Smart TVs and other devices, too. In addition, ExpressVPN has a few extra features that can make streaming your favorite shows easier.

MediaStreamer is ExpressVPN’s DNS service, which allows you to watch geo-restricted content without using a VPN. MediaStreamer doesn’t include the security and privacy of a VPN, but it allows you to mask your location so you can watch content from another location. MediaStreamer can be used on devices that are not compatible with a VPN.

Private Internet Access vs. ExpressVPN: internet speeds

A key component in finding the right VPN is ensuring your internet speed is not drastically affected once you’re connected to the VPN.

We tested both PIA and ExpressVPN to see how these VPNs affected our internet speed. We tested these VPNs using servers in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada.

Overall, ExpressVPN performed higher when it came to overall speed. PIA had a significant impact on speed, especially when using servers in the U.K. or Australia. Although it slowed speeds down, it was still fast and would be sufficient for most browsing.

Private Internet Access vs. ExpressVPN: speed test results

Although people mostly worry about internet speeds, we also looked at the latency of our connection when using each VPN. Latency is the time it takes for a data packet to travel from one destination to another. You want the latency time to be as low as possible for optimal browser speeds.

In some cases, being connected to a VPN decreased the latency more than when we were browsing without a VPN. Without a VPN, our latency was 19 ms.

ExpressVPN also had the best performance when it came to latency in most locations. When using ExpressVPN in Canada, it had a higher latency than PIA. However, ExpressVPN had the fastest speeds when using the Canada server. PIA had the highest latency when using servers in Australia.

PIA vs. ExpressVPN latency comparison

Private Internet Access vs. ExpressVPN: compatibility and ease of use

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

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

ExpressVPN and PIA were compatible with most if not all operating systems and browsers. Both VPNs tout the ability to use the VPN while gaming on PlayStation, Xbox, and more.

ExpressVPN also has a Chrome extension we found valuable. You can control the ExpressVPN app from inside your browser instead of having to open the VPN desktop program. Although simple, this was a nice feature that made it easier to adjust our VPN settings.

Private Internet Access vs. ExpressVPN: customer service

Customer support and resources are an important part of choosing a VPN. Although PIA and ExpressVPN should be easy-to-use solutions, there can always be issues where you need to reach out for assistance or troubleshooting. Both PIA and ExpressVPN have robust content libraries that help users find answers to frequently asked questions.

When testing ExpressVPN, we were having trouble with our internet connection stopping after connecting. We used the ExpressVPN support center to find the answer to our issue, which ended up being 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 the user to use the live chat feature as the first contact point. When selecting Contact Us in ExpressVPN’s footer, it automatically brings up 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: payment options

Paying for your VPN access can happen in several different 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, and other options. Non-recurring subscription users are encouraged to pay with cryptocurrency or PayGarden.

ExpressVPN also allows a variety of payments, including bitcoin if users want their payments anonymous. If you’re using a VPN to access Netflix or to add privacy to your browser, you can pay for your VPN with a credit card or other payment. If you are trying to avoid government censorship or want to have added security, you may want to pay through bitcoin or another anonymous source.

Private Internet Access payment options

• Credit card
• PayPal
• Apple/iTunes
• Google Play
• Amazon
• Cryptocurrency
• PayGarden

ExpressVPN payment options

• Credit card
• PayPal
• bitcoin
• Apple Pay
• Prepaid cards
• Online transfers, including Klarna

Private Internet Access vs. ExpressVPN FAQs

Private Internet Access vs. ExpressVPN: which is 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 at the end of the day.

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.

Of course, ExpressVPN is a little bit more expensive than Private Internet Access, and the added cost may not feel worth the ease of use and the additional features.

Extensive Server Network Provides Protection Wherever You Go

4.6

AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Editorial Rating

Learn More

On ExpressVPN's website

VPN

ExpressVPN

Save 49% (3 months free)

• Hides intrusive display ads when browsing the web, improving page speed and easing data usage on mobile
• Privacy and safety benefits of a VPN with best-in-class encryption and innovative server technology in 105 countries
• Enjoy no activity logs, malicious sites and trackers protection, and more on up to 8 devices
• More expensive than NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost

Author Details

Andrew Adams

About the Author

Andrew Strom Adams is a freelance writer focused on online privacy and digital security. He writes on various topics to help individuals protect themselves on the internet. Andrew has worked in legal marketing, technology, and startups. He has more than 12 years of experience in marketing and communications. He holds an M.B.A. from Westminster College and a B.A. in journalism from Oklahoma Baptist University. When he’s not writing, he’s playing with his two kids or watching reality TV.