Norton VPN 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
34%
20 recommend · 39 warn
Data Quality
High
Reviews
81
Reviewers
79
Best for:
People who already pay for Norton 360 and want a simple VPN toggle
Casual users who just want basic protection on public Wi‑Fi
Anyone who wants antivirus and a VPN in one app
Norton VPN comes up a lot as the “it’s already there” VPN, especially if you’re using Norton 360. People like that it’s simple to turn on, works fine on phones, and once it connects it can handle basi...
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 | Norton VPN | Winner | Private Internet Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming | 71% (9) | ← | 67% (9) |
| Torrenting | 0% (4) | → | 63% (8) |
| Privacy | 29% (18) | → | 46% (64) |
| Censorship | 75% (6) | ← | 25% (4) |
| Gaming | 0% (4) | ← | - |
| Travel | 0% (2) | ← | - |
| Work | 50% (5) | ← | 0% (3) |
| Router | - | → | 100% (2) |
| Mobile | 100% (1) | - | 100% (1) |
| Price | 25% (5) | → | 86% (12) |
Norton VPN
Strengths
- Very easy to use
- Convenient if you already have Norton 360
- Works well on mobile
- Fine for basic streaming once connected
- All-in-one antivirus bundle option
Weaknesses
- Disconnects and stability issues (especially on Windows/gaming)
- Annoying popups and upsells
- Billing and subscription management headaches
- Refund experience can be frustrating
- Can trigger bot/blocked access on some websites
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