NordVPN vs Private Internet Access: NordVPN wins 79 to 71
NordVPN beats Private Internet Access 79 to 71 on my scoreboard. PIA is the cheapest VPN I track on a long plan and allows unlimited devices; NordVPN is better at streaming, easier to use and quicker to answer support. On privacy and security they are closer than the US jurisdiction suggests.
- Longest plan
- $3.49/mo · $94.23 for 27 mo
- Month to month
- $14.99/mo
- Based in
- Panama
- Protocol
- NordLynx
- Trustpilot
- 4.2 / 5
- Longest plan
- $2.03/mo · $79.00 for 39 mo
- Month to month
- $11.95/mo
- Based in
- United States
- Protocol
- WireGuard
- Trustpilot
- 4.2 / 5
Plain links to each provider. I have no affiliate or referral deal with either, so I earn nothing if you buy. Prices are USD as advertised on October 7, 2026; most plans renew higher.
NordVPN vs Private Internet Access, feature by feature
Each feature scored 1 to 10 by me, same scale as the full scoreboard. Green is 8 to 10, yellow 5 to 7, red 1 to 4. The higher score in each row is marked.
| Feature | NordVPN | Private Internet Access | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| SpeedDownload throughput and latency over WireGuard | 9 | 8 | NordVPN by 1 |
| PrivacyNo-logs policy, independent audits, jurisdiction | 9 | 8 | NordVPN by 1 |
| SecurityEncryption, kill switch, DNS and IPv6 leak protection | 10 | 9 | NordVPN by 1 |
| ServersServer count and country coverage | 9 | 9 | Tie |
| StreamingUnblocks Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and live sport | 9 | 6 | NordVPN by 3 |
| PriceValue on 1 and 2 year plans, refund window | 7 | 9 | Private Internet Access by 2 |
| Ease of useApp quality, setup, defaults | 9 | 7 | NordVPN by 2 |
| SupportLive chat availability and response time | 9 | 7 | NordVPN by 2 |
| TrustpilotTrustpilot TrustScore out of 5, doubled to a 1 to 10 scale | 8 | 8 | Tie |
| TotalPlain sum of the 9 scores | 79of 90 | 71of 90 | NordVPN by 8 |
Where they differ most
- Streaming: NordVPN leads by 3 (9 against 6).
- Price: Private Internet Access leads by 2 (7 against 9).
- Ease of use: NordVPN leads by 2 (9 against 7).
- Support: NordVPN leads by 2 (9 against 7).
Privacy and security
Privacy is 9 against 8. PIA is based in the United States, which costs it a point, but its no-logs policy has been tested in court more than once and its apps are open source, so the gap is one point and not three. NordVPN is in Panama with audited no-logs claims. Security is 10 against 9: both have a kill switch and leak protection; NordVPN bundles more on top.
Streaming, apps and support: NordVPN
Streaming is the widest gap: 9 against 6. PIA unblocked the major libraries inconsistently in my checks and failed on live sport. NordVPN unblocked everything. Ease of use is 9 against 7: PIA's apps expose a lot of settings, which power users like and everyone else has to learn. Support is 9 against 7; both offer live chat, NordVPN's answered faster.
Speed is 9 against 8 and servers tie at 9. PIA has one of the largest server counts of any VPN, and NordVPN covers more countries; I score them the same.
Price: PIA
PIA scores 9 for price, NordVPN 7. PIA's longest plan is 39 months for $79, which works out to $2.03 a month, the cheapest rate on my scoreboard. NordVPN is $3.49 a month, $94.23 for 27 months. Month to month PIA is $11.95 and NordVPN $14.99. PIA also allows unlimited simultaneous connections. Trustpilot is a tie at 8, from a 4.2 TrustScore each.
How I scored these
Every number on this page comes from the same tests as the main scoreboard: speed over WireGuard on a wired 1 Gbps line at three times of day, streaming checked against Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and a live sport service in two regions, and privacy from published policies, audits and jurisdiction. The method is on the How I score page. Think a score is wrong? Tell me what you found and I will re-test.
Pick NordVPN if
- You stream, including live sport.
- You want the simpler app and faster support.
- You would rather be in Panama than the United States.
Pick Private Internet Access if
- You want the lowest long-term price on the board.
- You need unlimited devices.
- You like open-source apps with lots of settings.
Not sure about either?
All 15 VPNs are on one sortable table. Sort by the column you care about and see who else is close.
Open the full scoreboard