ExpressVPN vs Private Internet Access
Side-by-side comparison based on Reddit & Twitter discussions
Community Pick
Private Internet Access
Based on community sentiment and discussions
Approval Rate
52%
85 recommend · 78 warn
Data Quality
High
Reviews
287
Reviewers
239
Best for:
People who want a VPN that’s easy and reliable
Streaming fans who want to watch shows from other countries
iPhone users who want something simple
ExpressVPN comes up a lot as a “just works” VPN: people like that it’s easy to use, connects quickly, and stays stable without much fiddling. It’s often praised for feeling fast in day-to-day browsing...
Private Internet Access
Winner
Approval Rate
58%
63 recommend · 46 warn
Data Quality
High
Reviews
159
Reviewers
128
Best for:
People who want a cheaper VPN that still feels full-featured
Torrenters who want port forwarding
Folks who use multiple devices (Windows, Android, macOS, Linux) and want one VPN for all of them
Users who prefer a VPN with a long history and lots of community familiarity
Private Internet Access (PIA) has a long-time fan base and a reputation for being a solid “everyday VPN” that’s usually easy to live with. People like that it’s affordable, works across Windows, Andro...
Performance by Use Case
| Use Case | ExpressVPN | Winner | Private Internet Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming | 65% (29) | ← | 67% (9) |
| Torrenting | 0% (4) | → | 63% (8) |
| Privacy | 28% (90) | → | 46% (64) |
| Censorship | 50% (28) | ← | 25% (4) |
| Gaming | 0% (1) | - | - |
| Travel | 0% (2) | ← | - |
| Work | 33% (4) | → | 0% (3) |
| Router | - | → | 100% (2) |
| Mobile | - | - | 100% (1) |
| Price | 90% (16) | → | 86% (12) |
ExpressVPN
Strengths
- Fast everyday speeds
- Stable connection
- Easy to use
- Good for streaming
- Simple location switching
Weaknesses
- Can be pricey
- Trust and ownership concerns
- Doesn’t work well in China
- Some censorship bypass limits
Private Internet Access
Strengths
- Good value for the price
- Generally easy to use on Windows and Android
- No-logs track record people point to
- Linux support (especially with the GUI app)
- Port forwarding and torrent-friendly features
Weaknesses
- Ownership and trust concerns (Kape)
- US jurisdiction makes some people uneasy
- Some reports of slower speeds or worse reliability over time
- macOS app/daemon can be glitchy
- Linux command-line experience can be frustrating