Private Internet Access vs ZenMate
Side-by-side comparison based on Reddit & Twitter discussions
Community Pick
Private Internet Access
Based on community sentiment and discussions
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...
Approval Rate
20%
1 recommend · 4 warn
Data Quality
Medium
Reviews
10
Reviewers
10
Best for:
People who want a straightforward VPN for everyday browsing
Casual streamers who want something easy
Users who like using a VPN through a browser extension
ZenMate comes up as a pretty approachable VPN that people see as “good enough” for everyday use, especially if you want something simple and not overly technical. It also gets mentioned alongside main...
Performance by Use Case
| Use Case | Private Internet Access | Winner | ZenMate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming | 67% (9) | ← | - |
| Torrenting | 63% (8) | ← | - |
| Privacy | 46% (64) | ← | 20% (7) |
| Censorship | 25% (4) | ← | - |
| Work | 0% (3) | → | -- (1) |
| Router | 100% (2) | ← | - |
| Mobile | 100% (1) | - | - |
| Price | 86% (12) | ← | - |
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
ZenMate
Strengths
- Simple to use
- Decent speeds for everyday use
- Good for basic privacy and tracking protection
- Handy browser extension option
Weaknesses
- Ownership concerns (Kape/Teddy Sagi)
- Trust questions for privacy-focused buyers
- May not satisfy advanced business/network needs