Nowadays, it’s harder than ever to browse the internet without fearing hackers, data thieves, and even the government. That’s why VPNs are slowly but surely becoming a must-have, especially if you handle sensitive information on a daily basis. Even so, how can you know which one to choose? With so many different VPNs that claim to offer complete privacy and security, it becomes a challenge to pick the right one. But luckily, we are here to talk about Private Internet Access and how it can protect you and your precious data.
What Is A VPN?
A virtual private network is a service that focuses on offering privacy and protecting all your data. It manages to do that by creating an encrypted private connection between you and your desired website or software. That way, nobody can find out what you are browsing and what information you are transferring. In other words, VPNs manage to prevent government agencies, internet service providers, and hackers from stealing your data. That should come in handy for both private and public connections, such as your home network or free public Wi-FI.
Besides that, VPNs hide your IP address and your location, meaning that you can virtually move your connection to another country. Why is that helpful? Because it allows you to access content that is restricted in your country. For example, you can watch movies or play video games that your government blocks due to a variety of reasons.
What Is Private Internet Access?
Private Internet Access is one of the most popular virtual private networks available on the market. Its main goal is to provide high-level security while also allowing its users to access any website they want. Additionally, PIA is proud to offer over 35,500 servers in 78 different countries. And while it might not surpass other VPNs in terms of country support, Private Internet Access is constantly updating its list with new servers and locations.
When it comes to platform support and versatility, Private Internet Access offers apps for Android, Windows, iOS, Linux, and macOS. All Private Internet Access apps are easy to install and require no previous technical knowledge. But if you are not too keen on downloading their software, you can always give their Firefox and Chrome extensions a try. Just keep in mind that other plugins can affect the browsing speed and may reduce the quality of the connection when used together with Private Internet Access.
Pricing
Although most VPNs are spreading their features among different subscription tiers, Private Internet Access avoids that mistake. Its basic subscription has all the features and content you would want from a VPN. The Private Internet Access monthly subscription will set you back by $11.30 per month, with other yearly subscription plans offering discounts.
If you plan on going for a yearly subscription, you will have to pay $44.75 per year, which is about $3.72 per month. Private Internet Access also offers a two-year subscription plan that costs $78.22 per two years and almost $6.60 per month. The two-year subscription options also give you two extra months at no additional cost. And if you are looking to buy multiple accounts for business purposes, PIA provides different discounts depending on how many accounts you want to purchase.
It’s important to mention that all subscription plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. But sadly, there is no trial or free version that will allow you to test their features before making a purchase.
Private Internet Access Server Locations
As we noted earlier, Private Internet Access provides over 35,000 servers in more than 78 countries. While that might not be as impressive as PureVPNs collection, Private Internet Access is constantly expanding its network. It’s safe to say that, one day, they might even become the largest and most versatile VPN on the market.
Since Private Internet Access is a US-based company, most of its servers are located in the US, UK, and Canada. However, they also provide servers in locations such as Turkey, South Africa, and even Hong Kong. In short, you will be able to find the right server for browsing, gaming, and streaming without a hassle.
Speed And Performance
No matter what VPN you are using, it will affect your browsing and gaming experience. In other words, your connection will have a harder time passing through all the encryptions before reaching its destination. While some VPNs manage to maintain a consistent connection speed, low-quality VPNs will hinder your online activities.
But luckily, Private Internet Access manages to maintain more than 80% of the original internet speed. Additionally, the latency increase should not affect your gaming or streaming experience considerably. However, you should remember that results will be different depending on what server and location you use. For example, using the US servers will offer some of the best and confident results when browsing. On the other hand, the further away from your original location, the more latency you will experience.
Furthermore, Private Internet Access supports Torrent connections meaning that you can download all the content you want using their Peer to Peer servers. And thanks to their unlimited bandwidth support, you don’t have to worry about restrictions on how much you can download or stream. Even so, you still need to be careful what you download as Private Internet Access is not responsible and will not cover any illegal activities its users might be doing.
Privacy And Security
Even though speed and performance are important, the main goal of any VPN is to provide a secure connection to the internet. You will be glad to hear that Private Internet Access has a no-logs policy, meaning that they never record or keep logs of your browsing activity. And since Private Internet Access makes enough money through subscriptions, they have no reason to profit from selling user data to advertisers.
However, it’s important to mention that Private Internet Access is a US-based company, meaning that it is under the jurisdiction of intelligence gathering alliances such as Nine Eyes. So you should still be wary about what content you look up online, even if PIA doesn’t keep logs.
When it comes to security, Private Internet Access uses military-grade AES-256 encryption. Not only that, but PIA supports OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols that offer increased security. In other words, it is impossible for third parties such as hackers to gain insight into your private information.
Customer Support
It doesn’t matter if you are a new user or a VPN enthusiast; you will most likely have to deal with customer support at one point. As a result, a good VPN should be able to provide fast and reliable assistance to all of its customers. Private Internet Access offers a contact form that allows you to send a message to their support team. They also provide a live chat system that helps you get in contact with one of their agents.
Additionally, Private Internet Access has a variety of guides and tips that cover most issues you may encounter. However, a lack of a phone number can be a downside for some users that prefer classic support methods.
Additional Features And Benefits
When talking about additional features, Private Internet Access has a few tricks up its sleeve. For starters, they offer split tunneling, which is essential for day-to-day internet browsing. The feature allows users to select which connection to encrypt when dealing with multiple connections. As a result, you can watch your favorite movies without buffering while also enjoying secure internet browsing.
Besides that, Private Internet Access is built from the ground up with streaming in mind. While some VPNs make it almost impossible to use Netflix or HBO, Private Internet Access provides unrestricted access to all major streaming services. And if that wasn’t enough, you can use your PIA subscription on up to 10 devices at the same time. Therefore, you can help your close friends and family experience a safe and private internet connection.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, Private Internet Access is one of the most reliable and affordable VPNs available. It offers high-quality internet connections while also managing to completely protect all your personal data. Not only that, but PIA supports most operating systems and devices, making it a truly versatile VPN. You should definitely consider giving Private Internet Access a try, no matter if you are a gamer or a casual internet user.