ExpressVPN vs Private Internet Access (PIA)
ExpressVPN scores higher overall (7.9 vs 7.1), winning on speed, privacy & trust, apps & support. Private Internet Access (PIA) is ahead on security features, value.
Criterion by criterion
Where each one wins
8.5
Privacy & trust7.0
5.0
Speed1.6
8.8
Value9.7
7.8
Security features8.9
8.5
Streaming8.5
10.0
Apps & support9.3
ExpressVPNPrivate Internet Access (PIA)
Side by side
The numbers
Better value marked with a dot.
| Fact | ExpressVPN | Private Internet Access (PIA) |
|---|---|---|
| Best price | $2.99/mo | $2.03/mo |
| Upfront bill | $83.72 / 28 mo | $79.00 / 39 mo |
| Month-to-month | $14.99 | $11.95 |
| Renews at | $99.95/yr | $79.00 / 3 yrs |
| Money-back | 30 days | 30 days |
| Devices | 10 | Unlimited |
| Speed loss | — | 42% |
| Audit | KPMG 2025 | Yes |
| Jurisdiction | British Virgin Islands | United States |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Servers | — | 29,650 |
| Countries | 113 | 91 |
| Port forwarding | No | Yes |
Prices checked Oct 20, 2026 (ExpressVPN) and Oct 20, 2026 (Private Internet Access (PIA)).
Verdict
Which one should you pick?
Choose ExpressVPN if
- You mostly use it to stream
- You torrent or use P2P apps
- Privacy is your top concern
- You weigh speed above everything else
- You weigh privacy & trust above everything else
Choose Private Internet Access (PIA) if
- You weigh security features above everything else
- You weigh value above everything else
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