PureVPN vs Private Internet Access

PureVPN and Private Internet Access (PIA) have few things in common besides their unique features.

Talking security, PureVPN features AES-256-CBC encryption running with an RSA-2048 handshake in addition to an SHA-1 hash authenticator. It has Ozone-enabled servers to offer you additional protection from malware, and IPS or IDS. The supported tunneling protocols are Layer 2 Tunnelling Protocol (L2TP), OpenVPN, Internet Protocol Security (IPSec), Internet Key Exchange version 2 (IKEv2), and Secure Socket Tunnelling Protocol (SSTP). Just to mention, by default, PureVPN uses the PPTP protocol.

This VPN also has Split Tunneling, allowing users to decide which apps should stay outside the VPN tunnel. This helps users save bandwidth. PureVPN has a kill switch, but it is reportedly faulty. In the past, it also had problems with DNS, IPv6, and IPv4 leaks, and some of their servers are virtual, which is a concern when seeking complete privacy and anonymity.

Security

In 2017, there was an FBI case involving PureVPN, which shed some light into how VPNs could be cheating on their “no logs” or “zero logs” policies. The FBI liaised with PureVPN to locate a cyber-stalker in the US who used the VPN service. On the positive front, PureVPN offers multiple-logins by allowing up to 5 devices to be connected at once. It also has crazy connectivity speeds to help stream content online and download your favorite videos and movies. Entertainment notwithstanding, if you are wondering which is the best when comparing PureVPN vs Private Internet Access, then the security and performance features should give you a clear line between them.

Virtual Private Networks are sometimes different from what we see on the surface – they go overboard with their promises or they can’t resist situations that are beyond their control. Governments and intelligence agencies may compel VPNs to act against the wishes of their subscribers. Having said that, now let’s switch to PIA, which stands for Private Internet Access. The VPN has both AES-256 and AES-128 encryptions. This is a great thing for PIA because users can switch between the two encryption types depending on their needs.

Speed & Performance

We ran our in-house speed test to determine which of these two performs better. The long-term results shown in the table below speak in favor of Private Internet Access. However, that is if we count the average, taking both upload and download numbers.

When it comes to performance in different countries, PureVPN may actually give you significantly better results. Of course, the best thing would be to test these services for yourself and see which one fares better. Both have a 30-day money-back guarantee, which should be enough to run some tests on your own.

PureVPN vs Private Internet Access: 14-Day Speed Average

Installation & Download

Downloading and installing PIA isn’t difficult. When you go to their website, you will see the “Get Started Now” button. You will need to create an account, make a payment, and download the app for your platform. Installation is run from the browser or the Downloads directory on your device.

Downloading and installing PureVPN isn’t hard either, you simply choose the pricing plan and make your payment. You then download PureVPN for your platform.

Ease of Use

PureVPN’s user interface may not look professional, but its interactivity with users is straightforward. When you launch the client, you will log into your account. When logged in, you see different modes of use – for example, Dedicated IP, File-sharing or P2P, Security and Privacy, Stream, or Internet Freedom.

PIA’s client is pretty good looking. In the Settings menu, there are options for desktop notifications, connection by country or region, and auto-connect on launch. You can also choose the connection type, like UDP/TCP. The PIA MACE features an anti-tracker, ad-blocker, and anti-malware feature – these tools add an extra protection layer. In the Advanced settings, users can enable and disable the kill switch and the DNS/IPv6 leak protection.

Apps & Extensions

The PIA client supports different platforms, like Android, Linux, macOS, Windows, and iOS. The VPN supports browser extensions like Firefox and Chrome, which act as PIA’s proxy services. When you use these add-ons, the traffic from the browsers gets channeled through an HTTPS proxy.

PureVPN works with platforms like Android, iOS, Windows, Mac OS, Android TV, routers, Amazon Firestick TV, and Android TV. It also supports Kodi add-on, Firefox and Chrome extensions.

Netflix and other entertainment platforms

PureVPN gives users access to Netflix and unblocks geo-blocked content. You can also use PureVPN with Kodi. Using Kodi allows you to stream media content from TV channels like iTV, BBC, HBO, Fox, and ESPN.

PIA, on the other hand, is not compatible with these streaming services and doesn’t appear to work with either Netflix or BBC iPlayer.

Torrents & P2P file-sharing

Accessing P2P websites to share files is another impressive aspect with PureVPN. One setback with PureVPN when it comes to torrenting and P2P file-sharing is that users are not permitted to use servers in main locations like Canada, the UK, and the US.

PIA isn’t bad at torrenting, at least it has some decent speeds for users in America and Europe. More importantly, it doesn’t share PureVPN’s security issues, which is very important to consider when torrenting.

PureVPN vs Private Internet Access: geo-coverage and use in China

PIA has a massive number of servers, totaling over 36700 scattered throughout 77 countries. It has servers in Beijing and Shanghai but since China blocks OpenVPN tunnel, subscribers may be forced to use alternative protocols like L2TP/IPSec. PureVPN has over 6500 servers all distributed in 140 plus countries and would be good for users in China if it weren’t for the terrible security situation.

Pricing & Money-back guarantee

Private Internet Access (PIA)

• 1 month – $9.95
• 1 year – $39.95 ($3.33/month)
• 2 years – $69.95 ($2.69/month)
• 7-day money-back guarantee

PureVPN

• 1 month – $10.95
• 6 months – $49.95 ($8.33/month)
• 1 year – $77.88 ($5.75/month)
• 31-day money-back guarantee

PureVPN vs PIA: The pros and cons

As with any VPN there is the good and the bad.

PIA Pros

• *Very cheap
• Decent security credentials
• Allows torrents

PIA Cons

• US-based
• Not ideal for Netflix
• Problems for users in China, especially when using OpenVPN
• Has fewer servers outside the US and Europe

PureVPN Pros

• Wide geographical coverage of over 140 countries
• Quite low prices
• Many platforms
• Split Tunneling

PureVPN Disadvantages

• Concerns over IPv4 and IPv6 leaks
• Virtual server locations
• Faulty kill switch
• History of cooperation with law enforcement

Private Internet Access vs PureVPN: Wrap Up

Despite PureVPN having strong encryption and good speeds, it fails in the security department. As for Private Internet Access, it’s pretty cheap, and provides a solid service that should suit most users. Private Internet Access wins this one!

Recommended reads:

PureVPN Review
PIA Review
PureVPN vs NordVPN
PureVPN vs VyprVPN