Private Internet Access VPN

Most people think about antivirus and ransomware when they think about digital security (if they think of it at all), but network attacks are becoming increasingly common. With government spooks, hackers, and advertisers all hungry for our personal information, virtual private networks (VPNs) are essential tools. And Private Internet Access is among the best VPN services, offering a robust collection of features, thousands of available servers, and support for file-sharing services, all in a feather-light package that costs less than the price of a Netflix subscription. For all that, Private Internet Access is a PCMag Editors' Choice winner among desktop VPNs.

What Is a VPN?

Your computer has an IP address that can be used to figure out the geographic location of your ISP's data center. For many of us, that's also pretty close to our actual geographic location. You need a VPN to mask the IP address assigned by your ISP with one drawn from its pool of servers. Why would you want to do this? Consider, for example, that Facebook is blocked in China and some YouTube videos are blocked in Germany. Being able to change your computer's apparent physical address can be useful. Political activists and journalists have long used VPNs for just this purpose.

Perhaps more important for the average user, however, is that using a VPN service encrypts all online traffic and ensures that your data remains hidden from third parties when you're using an unsecured Wi-Fi network. This means that the next time you're browsing the web using the coffee shop's Wi-Fi, you might want to switch on a VPN to make sure no one else is watching.

Because you can use a VPN to spoof your location, it's an effective tool for getting around internet censorship. It's also a way to watch region-locked content. If you log in to a VPN server in the UK, you'll be able to watch BBC streams for free. Unfortunately, Netflix and other streaming platforms have started to block VPN usage.

Note, however, that VPNs only protect your data in transit. If the destination site is not using HTTPS, that part of the connection remains unencrypted, and attackers can use complicated timing algorithms to intercept and identify data at that point. Even so, if you're using a VPN service at your coffee shop, at the very least you won't be the low-hanging fruit, and that's who the average hacker is likely to target. A VPN can also prevent your ISP from being able to harvest your data.

Features and Pricing

Private Internet Access has three billing options, starting at $6.95 per month; you can also get a six-month plan for $35.95 or a year of service for $39.95. If you're looking to save money, the annual plan is a remarkably good value. I really like that all the tiers provide the exact same features, and don't reserve advanced tools for the higher-paying customers.

Private Internet Access offers excellent value, but it's not the cheapest premium VPN on the market. Spotflux Premium costs a mere $4.99 a month, and Editors' Choice winner KeepSolid VPN Unlimited offers a seven-day Vacation plan for $2.99. There are also many worthy free VPN services to choose from. Private Internet Access does not offer a free version of its service to try, however.

Purchasing a subscription to Private Internet Access can be done in several ways. The company accepts payments via Amazon, Bitcoin, CashU, Google Wallet, OKPay, PayPal, and Ripple accounts, as well as credit cards. If you're concerned about increasing levels of government surveillance and uncomfortable with paying with anything that could be traced back to you, the company has many options. Private Internet Access also accepts gift cards from 90 different retailers, including Starbucks and Bloomingdales. Buy one of these cards with cash, and your payment becomes reasonably anonymous. Should you ever tire of Private Internet Access, your account page has a large Cancel button, which is handy.

Your Private Internet Access subscription lets you use up to five devices with the service, which is about average for the industry. The company offers clients for Windows and macOS. You can also take your VPN on the road with Private Internet access apps for Android and iOS.

Your other choice is to purchase a router with Private Internet Access software preinstalled. This is a good option, since your single license can protect every device connected to your router. I'm happy to see that the list includes some of the best routers, such as the Editors' Choice-winning Linksys Smart Wi-Fi Router AC 1900 (WRT1900AC). If you're keen on installing a VPN on devices besides smartphones and computers, some services go even further. TorGuard VPN, for example, sells Apple TV and Roku streaming boxes with its software preinstalled. Other services merely provide instructions on how to protect other devices.

With a subscription to Private Internet Access, you get access to the company's 3,263 servers spread out over 25 countries. Some VPNs, like Spotflux Premium, only have servers in a handful of countries. Private Internet Access, on the other hand, has some of the best geographic diversity I've seen, with servers in Asia, Central America, Europe, India, South America, the UK, and the US. It doesn't offer servers in any African nations, but that's unfortunately not unusual for VPNs. Numerous servers mean that you're more likely to find an uncrowded one to serve your needs, while numerous server locations mean that even when you're traveling you'll be able to find a nearby server that's speedy and reliable.

Note that while Private Internet Access used to support servers in Russia, it no longer does. This change was in response to new laws in that country that Private Internet Access felt would have prevented it from adequately protecting user privacy. Other VPN services have weighed in on the issue, but Private Internet Access is among the very few to cease Russian operations entirely.

Private Internet Access uses the OpenVPN protocol in its Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows clients. The company also supports PPTP and L2TP for legacy users, although I strongly discourage people from using these outdated protocols if they can avoid it. The iOS app uses IPSec, which is not unusual, as Apple requires extra vetting when companies want to include the OpenVPN protocol in their iOS client. If you're keen to use OpenVPN on the iPhone, you can download the OpenVPN iPhone stand-alone app and input your Private Internet Access credentials. Private Internet Access does not, however, currently support IKEv2. TorGuard, NordVPN, and others do support this newer protocol.

Private Internet Access also gives users access to a private DNS server. This is important, since clever attackers can still glean your web traffic by monitoring DNS requests. You could also become the victim of a DNS poisoning attack. A SOCKS5 proxy is also included, and users can rest assured that Private Internet Access does not log their movements.

Private Internet Access allows the use of P2P file-sharing networks and BitTorrent on its servers. I'm happy to see more VPN services offering these features. Notably, Private Internet Access does not require that you limit your torrenting to specific servers. That's convenient.

There's also a Kill Switch included in Private Internet Access, which shuts down internet-connected applications should the VPN be suddenly disconnected. Other VPNs that include this feature require you to select the applications to shut down, but Private Internet Access goes the extra mile of simply cutting off all internet communications. That way, none of your information is accidentally transmitted in the clear.

Private Internet Access recently added an ad- and tracker-blocking tool called MACE. When engaged, this tool specifically blocks pesky advertisements plastered across web pages and trackers that allow companies to track your movements across the Internet. Of course, some might balk at the idea of blocking ads, since doing so makes it harder for those in the media, from solo webcomic artists to decades-old technology review websites, to earn a living. It's worth noting that few of the VPNs I have reviewed offer ad-blocking.

It's important to remember that blocking ads isn't just about saving yourself from annoyance or the ever-encroaching presence of late-stage capitalism. Savvy attackers will sometimes purchase ads from legitimate advertising networks and use them to launch "malvertising" attacks. In a blog post, Private Internet Access explained that its product blocks ads and trackers by running DNS requests through a black list. According to the company, "PIA doesn't do anything besides block domains associated with advertisements, trackers, and malware at the DNS level."

While the technology that a VPN company brings is important, its physical location also makes a difference. A representative for London TrustMedia, the company that owns Private Internet Access, told me that it maintains headquarters in Iceland and the US, countries they cite as having no mandatory data retention laws and strong consumer protection laws. The practical upshot is that customers can rest easy knowing that Private Internet Access isn't required to store user information. The company does not keep any user log data, nor does it inject advertisements into customers' Web traffic.

Spartan Design

I downloaded the Windows version of Private Internet Access from the company's website and installed it within seconds to my Lenovo ThinkPad T460s running Windows 10. I received new login credentials in the purchase confirmation email, a practice that gives you extra anonymity but may be confusing for novices.

The client for Private Internet Access is markedly different from the offerings of other VPN services. It's minimal to the point of being nearly nonexistent. There is a login window, which also acts as a settings page for things such as the encryption type, the servers to connect to, and proxy information. Everything else is buried in the system tray icon's right-click menu.

When you're connected to a Private Internet Access server, the icon glows green. If you're disconnected, it's red. If the software is in the process of trying to establish a connection, the icon is gray. The service plays well with Windows 10 notifications, which makes it easier to tell what's happening with your connection. Because the interface is so minimal, it's impossible to find information like the load any given server is experiencing. NordVPN does a great job of conveying critical information like this.

Not having an app to poke around with might throw off some new users. I know I was confused the first time I used the service. Experienced security wonks, however, may appreciate having a VPN that stays out of the way and doesn't waste resources on fancy graphics. This is probably Private Internet Access' most divisive aspect. If you feel more comfortable with a traditional GUI, you'll prefer my other Editors' Choice, NordVPN. Thankfully, Private Internet Access also offers 24-hour live chat support in case you're confused.

I always try to load Netflix videos as part of my VPN testing. Unfortunately, I received an error warning from Netflix saying I would have to shut down my proxy before I could continue. Netflix and similar services have been blocking VPN services to prevent users from beating regional limitations on usage by changing their IP addresses.

Speed and Performance

Regardless of the VPN you use, it will affect your Web browsing speeds. There's no way around it. To gauge the level of that impact, I measure latency, download speeds, and upload speeds using the Ookla speed test app. (Note that Ookla is owned by PCMag's publisher, Ziff Davis.) I take measurements with and without the VPN active on a nearby server and then find a percent change. I then perform the same test, but connecting to a VPN server in Australia and an Ookla test server in Anchorage, Alaska. This is a stress test of the service, while testing on domestic servers is more reflective of how average people more typically use VPN services.

In the domestic tests, I found that Private Internet Access increased latency by 13.5 percent. Hide My Ass performed better, increasing latency by just 5.6 percent. Private Internet Access also reduced download speeds by 6.1 percent, and eroded upload speeds by 7.1 percent. Editors' Choice winner PureVPN, on the other hand, is the fastest VPN I've tested and actually improved download speeds by 346.4 percent in this test. PureVPN also had top marks in the upload test, where it slowed uploads by 4.9 percent.

In the international test, Private Internet Access increased latency by 309 percent. Hotspot Shield Elite increased latency by only 155.4 percent in the same test. Private Internet Access also reduced download speeds by 14.7 percent, and upload speeds by 6.8 percent. Again, PureVPN has the top marks in the download test, where it actually improved download speeds by 403.8 percent. Hotspot Shield snuck in a victory in the upload test, improving upload speeds by 1.4 percent.

Private Internet Access for Android

The Private Internet Access Android app is available from the Google Play store for the low price of completely free. The service's protection, of course, comes at the price of a subscription. Like the iPhone version of the app, it looks (and, in fact, is) very spare. Also like the iPhone version, the Android app includes the MACE DNS-level protection against malware and ads.

The Android app does include a wider set of features than the iPhone. Most important is the ability to designate which apps should use a VPN connection and which can use a regular data connection. This is called Split Tunneling and it's very handy, particularly for games and video streaming apps, which will need to be whitelisted in order to function properly. The Android app also offers a Smart Packets option, which shrinks the size of data packets sent by the phone.

The speed test scores for Private Internet Access on Android are an exercise in contrasts. In the latency test, it had the worst results by far. In the all-important download test, however, Private Internet Access redeemed itself by getting the best results by a wide margin. Upload test results were still strong, if less superlative, as the app earned the third-best score.

Private Internet Access for macOS

Those searching for the Private Internet Access Mac app in the official Mac app store are sure to be disappointed, as the company only provides its VPN client through its website. Unlike most other VPN clients for macOS, however, Private Internet Access has an honest-to-goodness installer. Simply clicking and dragging the new app into the Applications folder is the norm for VPNs. Private Internet Access' installer gets you up and running in no time.

Once installed, Private Internet Access is not going to blend in with your other apps. It is thoroughly un-Apple in its design, with its spartan grey window imported directly from the Windows version. If you'd rather not look at it too much (and I wouldn't blame you), you can select a server from the menu bar. However, the resulting pull-down shows every single location, making it just as ugly, but harder to use, than the core client.

Private Internet Access performed remarkably well in my speed tests. When connected to a local VPN server, it had the best upload and latency scores I've yet recorded, and the second-best download speed score. When connected to an international server, it was the complete opposite. Here it had the worst latency score of any VPN service I've tested for Mac, and the second-worst scores for upload and download speeds.

Private Internet Access for iPhone

The Private Internet Access iPhone app is a free download from the iPhone app store. You'll need a subscription to use the app, of course. Like the Windows client, the iPhone app is a stripped-down affair. It's little more than a page with where you can toggle the VPN connection on and off, with hidden settings to change VPN server location. One nice, but simple, flourish is that the app clearly shows your actual and apparent IP address.

Unfortunately, the iPhone app doesn't offer all the features of its Android cousin (described below). You cannot, for example, designate specific apps that must use a VPN connection. But the app does include the MACE ad and malware blocker, which uses blacklists to block ads and potentially dangerous websites at the DNS level.

On the iPhone, Private Internet Access had strong performance in the download speeds test. I believe this is the most important test of the bunch, so that's great. Unfortunately, it only managed so-so results in the latency test, and returned the worst upload score yet recorded in this test.

The Simplest Security

Private Internet Access offers thousands of VPN servers across the world for a reasonable monthly fee. No matter where you go, you're very likely to find a nearby server that's not too crowded. With advanced features and ad-blocking, it's easy to see why this no-frills VPN is a darling of security wonks, and one of our Editors' Choice winners for best VPN services. But if you prefer a slick interface that offers a little more reassurance and explanation, our other Editors' Choice winners NordVPN, KeepSolid VPN Unlimited, and PureVPN will serve you well.