Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | NordVPN | Private Internet Access (PIA) |
|---|---|---|
| Server count | 6,300+ in 111 countries | 35,000+ in 91 countries |
| Price (2-year plan) | ~$3.99/mo | ~$2.19/mo (3-year) |
| Price (monthly) | ~$12.99/mo | ~$11.95/mo |
| Jurisdiction | Panama (outside 5-Eyes) | United States (5-Eyes member) |
| Open source | No | Yes (all apps on GitHub) |
| No-logs proof | Deloitte audit | Court subpoenas returned no data (multiple cases) |
| Simultaneous devices | 6 | 10 |
| Protocols | NordLynx, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 |
| Ad blocking | Threat Protection (advanced) | PIA MACE (DNS-level) |
| Kill switch | Yes (advanced + system) | Yes |
| Streaming | Reliable (Netflix, BBC, etc.) | Moderate (less optimized than NordVPN) |
| Customizable encryption | Limited options | High (cipher, handshake, auth configurable) |
| Parent company | Nord Security | Kape Technologies |
Our Picks
- Panama — outside 5-Eyes and intelligence alliances
- Reliable Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ unblocking
- Threat Protection: ad/malware blocking
- NordLynx (WireGuard) — fast and stable
- Deloitte-audited no-logs
- Closed-source apps
- 6 device limit
- Kape-adjacent concern not applicable — Nord is independent
- 35,000+ servers — largest network
- Open-source apps on all platforms
- 10 simultaneous connections
- PIA MACE: built-in DNS ad blocking
- No-logs proven in federal court (multiple subpoenas)
- US jurisdiction — 5-Eyes member
- Streaming less reliable than NordVPN
- Kape Technologies ownership (same concern as CyberGhost)
US Jurisdiction: The Core Debate
PIA being US-based is the single most common objection to choosing it over competitors. The US participates in the 5-Eyes intelligence alliance, has the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), and issues National Security Letters (NSLs) that can compel companies to share data with gag orders prohibiting disclosure. However, NSLs and FISA requests require specific targets — mass VPN user data collection is a different legal instrument that has never been documented against a VPN provider.
More relevant: PIA has been subpoenaed by the FBI on multiple occasions and each time the subpoena returned nothing usable because PIA genuinely retains no logs. The no-logs policy has been tested in the most adversarial real-world conditions available — a federal law enforcement request — and held up. This is a stronger real-world test than any paper audit.
PIA's Open-Source Advantage
PIA publishes all of its client apps as open-source code on GitHub — a relatively rare practice among consumer VPNs (ProtonVPN and Mullvad also do this). Open-source apps allow independent security researchers to audit the code without relying on commissioned audits. If the app does something it should not, it becomes visible. NordVPN's apps are closed-source; trust relies on Deloitte's audit scope rather than public code review.
Server Count: 35,000 vs 6,300
PIA's 35,000+ server count is by far the largest of any major VPN. This gives it excellent geographic diversity and, in theory, lower average server load than competitors. In practice, server count matters less for individual users than server quality and IP rotation strategy — which is where NordVPN's streaming optimizations give it an advantage despite having fewer servers. For users who primarily care about fast, uncongested connections without streaming needs, PIA's massive network is a genuine advantage.
Streaming: NordVPN Is the Stronger Choice
NordVPN significantly outperforms PIA for streaming. NordVPN maintains dedicated streaming servers with frequent IP rotation for Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, and other services. PIA can unblock some streaming services but does not invest as heavily in streaming server maintenance. If streaming multiple international Netflix libraries or BBC iPlayer is a primary use case, NordVPN is the correct choice between these two.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has PIA ever given user data to the government?
No. PIA has been subpoenaed by federal law enforcement multiple times and each time the subpoena returned no usable data because PIA retains no logs. Court documents from these cases are publicly available and confirm that PIA had no user data to provide. This court-proven no-logs record is one of PIA's strongest trust signals.
Does being in the US make PIA unsafe?
It adds legal jurisdiction risk compared to offshore VPNs, but PIA's no-logs architecture means there is no data to compel. A US court order cannot produce logs that do not exist. Users with extremely high threat models (journalist sources, whistleblowers) should still prefer offshore jurisdiction. For ordinary privacy use — hiding from ISPs, securing public WiFi, bypassing geo-restrictions — US jurisdiction with verified no-logs is acceptable.
Is PIA good for streaming?
PIA can unblock some streaming services but is not as reliably optimized as NordVPN or ExpressVPN for international Netflix libraries and BBC iPlayer. For occasional streaming needs, PIA is adequate. For users who primarily want a streaming VPN, NordVPN or ExpressVPN are better choices.
Can PIA unblock Netflix?
Yes, for some Netflix regions. PIA maintains servers that work with Netflix US and some other regions, but reliability is lower than NordVPN's dedicated streaming server network. BBC iPlayer is more inconsistent with PIA than with NordVPN.
What is PIA MACE?
PIA MACE is PIA's built-in DNS-level ad and tracker blocker, similar in concept to NordVPN's Threat Protection or AdGuard Home. It blocks ads, trackers, and malware domains at the DNS query level, meaning the block happens before any connection is established. It works on all apps and platforms where PIA is installed, without requiring a separate application.