Private Internet Access Review

Community-sourced VPN review based on real Reddit & Twitter discussions

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Community Verdict
Mixed Reviews

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...

58%
positive
159
reviews
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
58% Positive Reviews
63 recommend, 46 warn
High Data Quality
159 reviews from 128 people
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
Approval Rate
58% positive
63 recommend · 46 warn
Reviews
159
104 Reddit · 27 Twitter
Unique Reviewers
128
Data Quality
High

What the Community Says

Community Rating 7.5/10

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, Android, macOS, and Linux, and has a track record of backing up its no-logs claims in real-world situations. It also gets a lot of love from folks who torrent and want features like port forwarding.

The biggest hesitation is trust: it’s a US-based service and it’s owned by Kape, which makes some people uncomfortable and sparks a lot of debate online. On the practical side, some say speeds and reliability aren’t as strong as they used to be, and there are occasional app quirks—especially on macOS (background service issues) and for Linux if you’re using the command line. A few people also mention setup headaches with certain networking gear and the occasional “it used to be great, but I moved on” vibe.

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
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
Not ideal for: Anyone who can’t get past the Kape ownership debate People who want the simplest, most foolproof experience on macOS or Linux CLI Speed-obsessed users who want the most consistent performance Privacy purists who prefer a provider outside the US

Summary generated 1 week ago from 159 community mentions

What People Are Saying

27 reviews

"Exactly. Anyone looking for a proper VPN btw, that won't get hit by the ban, and won't bend to the UK government, take a look at Mullvad. Years ago when they were raided, they just let the police in because they had literally NO logs of anything, at all. All the VPNs you get advertised on YouTube say they don't keep logs, but they do and police reports prove it. ExpressVPN / PIA / Surfshark etc - these are all completely useless if there's a ban or the Government comes knocking. Does anyone know of any other proper VPNs that can actually be counted on?"

@Bobby_P_90 1 week ago View on Twitter →

"@phct001 @rekdt at least private-internet-access has court cases to prove they defend their users and didnt cooporate with government cause they didnt log anything. proton isnt secure/private-by-design They fckd multiple users now"

@PeylsX 1 week ago View on Twitter →

"@MaxNordau Makes sense, Israelis do disguise surveillance products as tech products. Some examples: TM Signal - logs Signal chats for Israeli review Or their VPN honeypots disguised as privacy products- ExpressVPN/PIA/GhostVPN/etc. All Israeli owned, for sure not used for data collection"

@xplanetv 1 week ago View on Twitter →

"@ProtonMail EVER PROVIDER CAN SEE YOUR EMAILS... ALSO... PROTON VPN SUCKS... I used to have pia and it was SOO much better."

@Robert__Leonard 1 week ago View on Twitter →

"@AidanSimardone Just use VPN not backed and controlled by Israel or Mossad Just Google “VPNs Israel” and you should get some articles on this and which the Israeli ran VPNs, such as ExpressVPN and PIA"

@pedropithan 3 weeks ago View on Twitter →

"@SaarNil72 My personal preference for vpn is "private internet access" for only one reason. They are the only provider that I'm aware of that has had its "no log" policy tested in court when they were subpoenaed in the US. Been with them for years now, decent speeds, loads of devices."

@MrSacs 3 weeks ago View on Twitter →

"@iamwilsxn My research: PIA VPN is owned by Kape Technologies, a company fully controlled by Israeli billionaire Teddy Sagi since 2023. Kape acquired PIA in late 2019, integrating it into a portfolio that includes other VPNs like ExpressVPN and CyberGhost Fuck Zionism.✊ @NordVPN ftw"

@PolynomialXYZ 3 weeks ago View on Twitter →

"@BazBall__ I use Private Internet Access (PIA) mate. The app is really easy to use on whatever your chosen device is."

@Derek__Downie 3 weeks ago View on Twitter →

"@moveincircles Make sure it's one that doesn't keep logs. I would stay away from free ones. Europe based used to have more privacy but that will change. Can recommend Private Internet Access, US based. Plenty of other good ones though, shop around."

@Olthwaite2001 3 weeks ago View on Twitter →

"@ReclaimTheNetHQ Israeli firm now controls 8 vpn services A big concern that an Israeli firm now controls 30% to 40% of the VPN market. ExpressVPN , CyberGhost, Private Internet Access (PIA) , ZenMate , Hotspot Shield , Betternet , Touch VPN...."

@CrunchieNews 1 week ago View on Twitter →

"@Dollartreetips1 @Stake Buy proxy ip pia should work or use cyberghost vpn switch to Nigeria it should work"

@Iamkelvinsol 1 week ago View on Twitter →

"@thecoastguy Kape Technologies (Israel): A significant player, owning ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, Private Internet Access (PIA), and ZenMate, previously operated under the name Crossrider with a controversial adware past. Aura/Pango Group (Israel/US): Owns Hotspot Shield, Betternet, Touch VPN,"

@nugent_eddie 1 week ago View on Twitter →

"@StarkPrivacy @grok How come Mullvad can continue to operate as one of the best out there and how come many others have sold out, such as PIA or ProtonVPN. Who are some similar competitors to Mullvad but offer Port Forwarding for p2p?"

@Netwarfare420 1 week ago View on Twitter →

"@stringer_kade @phct001 @rekdt huh? they keep using the excuse "they had no choice but to cooporate with the government" due to "lawful orders" Stop making excuses for these WEF fools. I dont see PIA or Mullvad comply with this to Rat out their users ?!"

@PeylsX 1 week ago View on Twitter →

"@windscribecom If you use private internet access configuration to send everything over 443 it should work."

@EdwardHorigin 2 weeks ago View on Twitter →

"@nealasher @elonmusk I use Private Internet Access ... use whatever toots your own. As a backup I rent a virtual machine with a VPS provider in the US so if I need to get my X feed, I just RDP to that machine and I'll "physically" be from an american IP."

@BoringBattlecry 3 weeks ago View on Twitter →

"@ForeverScept @RedsReporter @grok is private internet access owned by the Israel intelligence service?"

@andykc1973 3 weeks ago View on Twitter →

"@ForeverScept @AugusteCom30151 @LozzaFox @Keir_Starmer @grok Yeah it’s unfortunate, Kape acquired so many of them too. ExpressVPN Cyberghost PIA Just to name a few…. PIA used to be a favourite of mine too, many moons ago."

@_17410742_ 3 weeks ago View on Twitter →

"If you can give out any paid vpn log hit me up please PIA | EXPRESS | IPVanish | NORD Socks secure proxy more more more any paid vpn"

@Bobby_topboy 1 week ago View on Twitter →

"Dropping New log on telegram Private Pia and surfshark only."

@tophoodupdates 1 week ago View on Twitter →

"@turveyandrew1 @Lewis_Brackpool Or you could tell the truth. NordVPN - Panama ExpressVPN - Delaware Surfshark - Netherlands ProtonVPN - Switzerland Mullvad - Sweden PIA - USA CyberGhost - Romania"

@nobdy_imp 1 week ago View on Twitter →

"@windscribecom thoughts on the Private Internet Access VPN? have proved no logs etc in courts as I undertand it"

@honesta43097284 1 week ago View on Twitter →

"@Stecojnr @Mrbankstips Which one do you suggest. I’ve got cyberghost, express, PIA"

@drobiy12 1 week ago View on Twitter →

"@Ryzex_Dreemurr @MayaMatt_ @ProtonVPN @PlayStation also ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, Private Internet Access (PIA), and ZenMate"

@esqmxd 2 weeks ago View on Twitter →

"@iAnonymous3000 This graph by Windscribe needs to be revognized more. Nord pulled out of influencer marketing and now focused on mostly website affiliates, in that place is Surfshark now. Similarly, Cyberghost and PIA was replaced by ExpressVPN in recent few years, all owned by Kape."

@TRX9800_ 3 weeks ago View on Twitter →

"@A0701194850794 @BasilTheGreat Kape owns ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access (PIA). Amongst others."

@SentinelP2P 3 weeks ago View on Twitter →

"@AugusteCom30151 @LozzaFox @Keir_Starmer @grok Just been reading into Mullvad seems to be exactly what PIA used to be. Just depends on bandwidth restriction and PFsense compatibility now."

@ForeverScept 3 weeks ago View on Twitter →