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We measured our connection speeds before and after connecting to a Private Internet Access server in London, close to our physical location. Here are the results:
International Speed Test Results
Long-distance connection speeds were less impressive, but still fast enough for most activity We connected to servers in the US, Australia, Germany, and Singapore from our London office, measuring our speeds before and after.
Here are our latest long-distance speed test results:
USA (New York):
Download: 66Mbps (34% slower)
Upload: 38Mbps (57% slower)
Germany (Munich):
Download: 97Mbps (8% slower)
Upload: 72Mbps (19% slower)
Japan (Tokyo):
Download: 26Mbps (74% slower)
Upload: 9Mbps (90% slower)
Australia (Melbourne):
Download: 54Mbps (46% slower)
Upload: 10Mbps (89% slower)
As expected, the servers located furthest from our office in the UK recorded the largest speed losses. We recorded an average speed loss of 74% when connected to Japan and 34% when connected to Singapore. This level of speed loss is not unusual for long-distance connections, though, but it’s not up to the standard we expect from PIA. More positively, we found that PIA’s speeds are consistent and reliable. We did not experience any unexpected drops in performance and found that connection times were consistently quick.
PIA VPN’s privacy policy states outright that all user activity is “NOT recorded, logged or stored at all.” This commitment to privacy makes it a rare outlier among competing services that often collect some form of connection data. Private Internet Access does collect your email address and payment details at sign-up, which is standard practice.
Cost-effective VPN with a 30-day Refund Policy
Huge Network of Servers
The benefit of PIA’s huge server network is that it minimizes server load and increases the chances you’ll connect to a reliable and close-by server. You can see how Private Internet Access’ server network compares to other VPN services in the table below:
VPN Service
No. Of Servers
No. Of Countries
Average No. Of Servers Per Country
PIA
30,000
78
385
NordVPN
5,000
60
83
CyberGhost
7,000
91
77
ExpressVPN
3,000
94
32
IPVanish
1,400
57
25
HMA
1,100
210
5
In turn, this makes PIA one of the fastest VPNs available, with an average speed loss of 3% on local connections. You can read more about the VPN’s speed performance in the dedicated section of this review.
Basic Server Labeling
Every PIA server is labeled by location. This is a very simplistic approach to server locations that can present some problems. The app should display server load so users can see which locations are congested at any given time. As it stands, most users will have to cycle through their closest servers to find a location that works for them.
Its servers are mostly located in Europe and North America, but the spread elsewhere is very impressive. In practice, this means that wherever you’re located, you’ll be able to connect to a nearby PIA server.
Dedicated IP Addresses
The VPN also introduced an option to get a dedicated IP address. This IP address is unique to you and remains the same every time you connect. Australia, Canada, Germany, UK, and the US are the only available locations, and it costs an extra $5.00 per month.
Virtual Server Locations
Private Internet Access only uses bare-metal (physical) servers, but 41% of its server locations are virtually located. These servers are labeled in the apps with a globe icon. They can be disabled by toggling off ‘Include Geo-Located Regions’ in the apps’ settings. A virtual server location assigns you an IP address in your chosen location, even if the physical server is located elsewhere. They can also improve performance if the physical server is closer to your real location than the IP address you’re assigned. However, if the physical server is much further from your physical location than advertised, performance may also drop significantly. Using virtual server locations isn’t a problem if done properly. PIA’s clear labeling of these servers, alongside allowing users to disable them entirely, is a welcomed level of transparency.
Rented but Secure VPN Servers
We contacted a PIA representative who confirmed Private Internet Access rents almost all its VPN servers. We were told: “The majority of our servers, if not all of them, are rented from third parties.” The representative also informed us that PIA uses a “stringent vetting process” for these third parties. Most VPN companies rent some of their servers from data centers around the world. This helps provide users with access to a global network, but means you are forced to trust an additional party with the responsibility for your data. Generally speaking, rented servers are not an issue if the VPN provider takes the time to audit all installed hardware along with the network environment it is operating in. We asked PIA to explain their vetting process and how they can guarantee compliance from third parties. Sadly, PIA chose not to respond. It is not unusual for a VPN service to rent its hardware. That said, given its security-focused reputation, we expected PIA to be more transparent about its server ownership and its vetting process.
Strong Security, Encryption and Open-Source Apps
Protocols
IKEv2/IPSec
L2TP/IPSec
OpenVPN (TCP/UDP)
WireGuard
Encryption
AES-128
AES-256
Security
DNS Leak Blocking
First-party DNS
IPv6 Leak Blocking
Supports TCP Port 443
VPN Kill Switch
WebRTC Leak Blocking
Advanced Features
None
PIA supports OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2, and L2TP/IPSec protocols with the option to choose between UDP and TCP connections. The default setting protects your connection with AES 128-bit encryption, but we recommend you select the AES-256 cipher in the settings interface. There is built-in protection against IPv4 and IPv6 leaks, DNS leak protection, and a VPN kill switch on all platforms.
Private Internet Access is everything I want in a VPN: Great speeds, strong security, and easy access to all my favorite streaming content!
llis** on 07/09/2022
Very easy service to use, and when you have a problem, support is right there to help and get it resolved very quickly.
nniss** on 06/09/2022
I had a trial before purchase and the service works a dream with Sony smart TV and Android devices. Netflix streaming worked fine and I needed to contact support for Disney+ which wouldn't connect initially and this was resolved by a simple chat interaction with the online agents who were very efficient. A great product and customer service to boot. Buy with confidence!!
dmsn** on 05/09/2022
The best service of my life. I bought a dedicated IP and when i installed it, it doesnt work. When i made a support contact, they helped me and made a refund of the bought, if i bought it again. And the support answered all my questions in minutes. The best support ever!! For this support, and for this security, they are way to cheap! I 'd pay x2 only for this support! Because such a fast, and correct service is impossible to find!
l** on 04/09/2022
The only thing that was annoying was remembering my user name which was the letter 'p' followed by a bunch of numbers. Other than that, it was very easy to use and reliable for what I needed. Cancelling was easy although I didn't receive a reminder email that it was renewing. But they processed my refund anyway. I will probably use a again in the future just not now.
