NordVPN is constantly ranked as the most effective VPNs, but it surely’s positively not probably the most budget-friendly selection, which leads many individuals to discover cheaper options akin to Personal Web Entry VPN. On this overview, I evaluate NordVPN vs. PIA VPN head-to-head that will help you resolve if NordVPN’s higher speeds and further options are definitely worth the elevated price or should you’ll be happy with PIA’s less expensive VPN.
- PIA VPN is greatest for budget-conscious customers who’re on the lookout for an inexpensive VPN and don’t thoughts inconsistent speeds and fewer options.
- NordVPN is greatest for customers who desire a sooner VPN and extra superior options and are prepared to pay extra for that further functionality.
PIA VPN vs. NordVPN: Comparability desk
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PIA VPN vs. NordVPN pricing
Personal Web Entry VPN pricing
PIA affords three easy subscriptions for its standalone VPN product. It’s necessary to notice that PIA doesn’t hike costs after the introductory interval, and as a substitute it is possible for you to to resume your subscription on the similar worth. The pricing for these plans is as follows:
- 3 years + 4 months: $1.98 per thirty days.
- 1 12 months: $3.33 per thirty days.
- 1 month: $11.95 per thirty days.
PIA VPN additionally affords two paid add-ons, antivirus safety for Home windows PC and a devoted IP deal with. Many different VPNs embrace these options with increased tier plans, so it’s necessary to crunch the numbers so that you just’re getting one of the best deal. Right here’s how a lot these add-ons from PIA will price you:
- Antivirus for Home windows PC
- 3 years: $1.00 per thirty days.
- 1 12 months: $2.00 per thirty days.
- 1 month: $4.50 per thirty days.
- Devoted IP deal with
- 3 years: $2.50 per thirty days.
- 1 12 months: $4.25 per thirty days.
- 1 month: $5.00 per thirty days.
A free trial is on the market for PIA VPN, however solely via the App Retailer or Google Play Retailer. After you obtain the app and join a subscription, you will have seven days to try it out totally free earlier than you’ll be charged. The free trial isn’t obtainable via the PIA retailer or for desktop apps. Nonetheless, after I signed up for the trial on my iOS system, I used to be capable of obtain the Mac app on my laptop computer and log in with my credentials that manner. PIA additionally affords a 30-day money-back assure, so you may ask for a refund should you change your thoughts through the first month.
For extra data, learn our full PIA VPN overview.
NordVPN pricing
NordVPN affords three totally different subscription lengths: two years, one 12 months and month-to-month. NordVPN additionally affords three totally different tiers of plans, with the costlier ones providing extra options. The Fundamental plan offers a VPN for as much as 10 units. The Plus plan provides malware safety, a password supervisor, a tracker and advert blocker, and a knowledge breach scanner. The Final plan consists of every part in Plus and 1 TB of encrypted storage. NordVPN does increase costs after the introductory interval ends, although typically it affords reductions (particularly should you threaten to cancel your subscription altogether). The costs for these plans are as follows:
- 2-year plan
- Fundamental: $3.09 per thirty days + 3 further months.
- Plus: $3.99 per thirty days + 3 further months.
- Final: $5.99 per thirty days + 3 further months.
- 1-year plan
- Fundamental: $4.59 per thirty days + 3 further months.
- Plus: $5.59 per thirty days + 3 further months.
- Final: $7.59 per thirty days + 3 further months.
- Month-to-month
- Fundamental: $12.99.
- Plus: $13.99.
- Final: $15.99.
A free trial isn’t obtainable for NordVPN. Nonetheless, it does supply a 30-day money-back assure, so should you resolve you don’t need to maintain utilizing it through the first month, you may get a refund. I had beforehand signed up for a two-year NordVPN plan for my private use, and in consequence didn’t want a free trial with the intention to take a look at it.
For extra data, learn our full NordVPN overview or try our comparisons for NordVPN vs. Surfshark and NordVPN vs. Specific VPN.
PIA VPN vs. NordVPN: Characteristic comparability
Velocity and efficiency
One in every of PIA VPN’s main drawbacks is its average-to-slow speeds. As quickly as I logged into the desktop app (Determine A) and linked to the closest server in Atlanta, I seen the lag instantly. A fast pace take a look at confirmed this: I obtained obtain speeds of 295.66 mbps and add speeds of 75.23 mbps with PIA VPN working within the background. That is a lot slower than NordVPN in addition to one other widespread price range VPN choose, Surfshark. For reference, I obtained obtain speeds of 503.19 mbps and add speeds of 330.90 mbps when testing out Surfshark final month.
NordVPN (Determine B) is costlier than PIA, however I discovered its speeds to be a lot sooner throughout my two-year subscription. In truth, pace was a serious purpose why I selected NordVPN within the first place. There would typically be a bit little bit of a lag, particularly when connecting to a server far-off, but it surely was noticeably sooner than PIA VPN on common.
Consider, nonetheless, that connection pace can differ quite a bit relying on a mess of things, from what number of different individuals are connecting to the identical server to what media you’re making an attempt to stream to your geographic location. For example, fellow TechRepublic author Luis Millares skilled fairly good speeds and minimal lag when testing out PIA VPN for his in-depth overview. That’s why I like to recommend testing out PIA VPN vs. NordVPN for your self to see which one is quicker at your property or enterprise.
Streaming
Streaming content material was straightforward with each PIA VPN and NordVPN. I used to be in a position to hook up with a server within the UK to stream Studio Ghibli movies on Netflix after which switched to a server in Canada to stream “The Workplace.” Though I linked to PIA’s “streaming optimized” servers (Determine C), there was a noticeable lag in comparison with NordVPN.
When linked to PIA servers, I needed to wait some time for every Netflix web page to load, and as soon as I hit the “play” button it took between 15 and 20 seconds for the content material to begin streaming. After that preliminary pause, the video stream was completely wonderful. That being stated, I’d be involved about utilizing PIA for bigger duties, akin to importing very lengthy, high-quality movies to YouTube or streaming advanced video games that require plenty of computing energy.
Ease of use
PIA’s numerous interfaces aren’t probably the most intuitive VPN platform I’ve tried, however in addition they weren’t the worst. The iOS app was quite simple in design, and it solely took me a pair seconds to seek out the area selector software within the left sidebar and connect with the UK. Nonetheless, the design of the desktop app was a bit extra complicated, particularly in comparison with the easy cell apps.
SEE: Begin a Profession in Cybersecurity (TechRepublic Premium)
On a Mac, the PIA VPN desktop interface affords two views, condensed and expanded, and the scale of both can’t be modified. The condensed view (Determine D) solely reveals the join/disconnect buttons and what server you at present have chosen. The expanded view extends the toolbar vertically till the bar covers your entire top of the display, which is a moderately odd design selection. The expanded view offers you entry to extra settings and metrics however hides the join button — you need to collapse the window once more to make the button present up once more.
In distinction, the NordVPN desktop opens in a separate window you can resize and transfer round to your coronary heart’s content material. I personally desire this, so I can maintain the VPN open in a window within the background whereas I’m working or streaming. I additionally admire NordVPN’s map that reveals me what server I’m linked to, although another customers might discover this function pointless or visually distracting. To entry different settings, merely click on via the icons on the left menu bar. The NordVPN cell apps are equally easy to navigate (Determine E), they usually all comply with an analogous design to the desktop, so it seems like one cohesive system.
Safety and privateness
PIA affords many safety and privateness options that are actually thought-about customary for VPNs, together with AES 256-bit encryption, a kill swap and multi-hop routing. Its apps are additionally totally open supply, which offers extra transparency and permits anybody (together with you) to investigate the supply code. PIA VPN additionally has a no-logs coverage and a particularly clear privateness coverage that spells every part out, and it’s been independently audited by Deloitte to again up these claims.
The one safety quirk which may give some customers pause is the truth that PIA has a U.S. jurisdiction, versus a rustic that isn’t a part of an intelligence-sharing alliance. In 2019, it was additionally purchased by Kape Applied sciences, which has been identified to distribute malware and adware prior to now. (PIA has asserted that it operates fully unbiased of Kape itself.)
For many on a regular basis customers like myself, this U.S. jurisdiction and Kape possession received’t be a dealbreaker. If this is a matter for you, then you definately’ll be glad to know that NordVPN relies in Panama, which doesn’t take part within the 5 Eyes, 9 Eyes or Fourteen Eyes intelligence-sharing alliances.
NordVPN additionally affords loads of different safety and privateness measures which might be just like PIA VPN. It additionally makes use of AES 256-bit encryption, a kill swap and multi-hop routing (which the platform calls “Double VPN,” see Determine F). NordVPN additionally has a stable no-logs coverage, which has been independently verified by Deloitte 4 totally different occasions, with the latest one being the top of final 12 months.
PIA VPN execs and cons
Personal Web Entry VPN execs
- Cheaper than NordVPN.
- No worth hikes after the introductory interval.
- Helps limitless simultaneous connections.
- Many security measures.
- Free trial obtainable via App Retailer or Google Play Retailer.
Personal Web Entry VPN cons
- Antivirus safety and devoted IP addresses are paid add-ons.
- Might end in vital pace loss.
- Desktop app design could possibly be improved.
- US jurisdiction might fear privacy-focused customers.
NordVPN execs and cons
NordVPN execs
- Sooner speeds than PIA VPN on common.
- Panama jurisdiction is healthier for information privateness.
- Desktop app may be resized and moved round.
- Superior plans embrace extra options like malware safety.
NordVPN cons
- Dearer than PIA VPN.
- Worth will increase after the introductory interval.
- Restricted to 10 simultaneous system connections.
- No free trial obtainable.
Ought to your group use PIA VPN or NordVPN?
Whether or not your group ought to select PIA or NordVPN is dependent upon quite a lot of components. If you’re on the lookout for the most affordable standalone VPN and don’t care in regards to the inconsistent pace or the U.S. jurisdiction, then you’ll almost definitely be happy with PIA VPN. I particularly admire that it doesn’t hike costs after the preliminary subscription, which is one thing that nearly each different widespread VPN does.
If you’re on the lookout for quick and constant speeds, need higher privateness measures and are prepared to pay extra for that, then NordVPN could also be a more sensible choice. Remember that if your small business additionally wants extra options like malware safety and a password supervisor, it could truly be cheaper to bundle it altogether with Nord than to purchase every product individually.
If neither PIA VPN nor NordVPN looks like an ideal match in your wants and price range, then try our different picks for the high free VPNs.
Evaluate methodology
To match PIA and NordVPN, I signed up for a free trial of PIA VPN. I had already subscribed to NordVPN beforehand for my private use. I examined each VPNs on pace, streaming and ease of use. I additionally delved into their safety and privateness measures to make sure that they’re each protected and dependable VPN choices.
