ExpressVPN vs. Private Internet Access is a detailed comparison of these two VPN providers, examining their features, pricing, speeds and more. In this article we’ll help you decide which one to choose for your next online security needs.
ExpressVPN is a VPN service that has been around for years. It offers high speeds, and it’s easy to use. The “expressvpn vs nordvpn” is a comparison of the two services.
For internet users searching for quick connections, extensive worldwide server coverage, and first-rate customer service, ExpressVPN will prove to be a compelling choice.
Users of BitTorrent will particularly appreciate the provider’s worldwide assistance for securing file-sharing connections. Despite being more costly than many other providers, the company provides a strong return on investment because to its high quality of service.
Go to ExpressVPN.
Users seeking a low-cost service that offers quick Relationship Speeds and excellent privacy safeguards may find Private Internet Access (PIA) to be intriguing.
On all of their servers, PIA offers service for BitTorrent users as well. However, when compared to their direct rival, their worldwide server coverage falls short.
Please go to Private Internet Access.
Selection of a VPN
There are several aspects and features to take into account when choosing a VPN for your particular requirements.
In this side-by-side comparison of ExpressVPN vs Private Internet Access, I’ll go through the key factors you should take into account when choosing a VPN provider. I’ll also provide data on how each supplier performs in that specific area.
I will name the supplier who performs best in the chosen category as the “winner” in each area. I’ll name a general winner at the conclusion of the piece.
By that time, you ought to be armed with sufficient knowledge to choose the best VPN for your needs.
Relationship Speed
Relationship Speed is an important category when considering any VPN provider. In today’s always-online world, a fast connection always comes in handy.
Any company worth considering need to provide an encrypted connection that resembles your typical, unprotected connection from your Internet Service Provider (ISP) as closely as is humanly feasible.
Pixel Privacy uses Speedtest.net to test Relationship Speeds. A team of 3 of us conduct the VPN Relationship Speed tests as follows:
- We utilize a North American-based gigabit Ethernet connection to assess a VPN’s download speed.
- We use the provider’s program for Windows and set it up to connect using the OpenVPN protocol via UDP.
- We evaluate each VPN by making connections to the UK, the US, and Hong Kong at various times during the day for three days.
- Following the measurement of the speeds, we compute their average, from which we get the reported speed.
Average Relationship Speeds
Private Internet Access offered up protected Relationship Speeds that were much faster than I expected from a low-cost VPN provider. PIA’s average download speeds of 84.18 Mbps are easily up to the requirements of gaming or efficiently sharing files via BitTorrent.
ExpressVPN does an even better job of providing fast Relationship Speeds. ExpressVPN’s 106.78 Mbps average download speeds work hand-in-hand with the provider’s excellent Server Coverage Worldwide to deliver efficient access to streaming services around the world.
Average Relationship Speed Winner: ExpressVPN
Pricing
When it comes to the area of price, these two direct rivals are on opposing sides of the spectrum.
One of the most affordable VPN services I’ve ever used, Private Internet Access offers great value for the money. The provider’s average monthly cost is less than the cost of a small cup of your preferred brew of coffee, and the average monthly cost is about equal to the cost of the big cup.
With some of the highest prices in the VPN market, ExpressVPN is more of a premium-priced company. Despite this, it does provide premium service in the majority of the areas covered in this article.
Private Internet Access wins on price
Privacy
Customers looking for a VPN service should always go for one that is based in a nation that values privacy. It’s also crucial that they use an anonymous payment method like Bitcoin and don’t store any form of user activity records.
In the British Virgin Islands (BVI), where ExpressVPN is based, there are no regulations governing data retention. This is fully exploited by the supplier, who keeps no user records of any type. ExpressVPN would have no information to pass over, notwithstanding the BVI High Court’s ability to order a corporation to reveal its documents.
Despite being based in the less-than-privacy-friendly United States, Private Internet Access does not record any information on the internet activities of its customers. Therefore, there wouldn’t be any records to send over even if law enforcement or content providers did ask for them.
However, because of the anti-privacy climate in the U.S., I gave PIA a slightly lower rating than ExpressVPN.
Both services offer Bitcoin as a payment method that protects anonymity. If your “Nana” is still giving you that $20 Walmart gift card for your birthday, you may now pay with merchant gift cards using PIA.
Winner for Privacy: ExpressVPN
Features
It’s important not to concentrate on any single category, such as price, Relationship Speed or Server Coverage Worldwide when researching Virtual Private Networks. Instead, take a close look at each feature, considering each one in your final decision.
I’ll go through the numerous features that VPN services have to offer in this part. I’ll examine each one, then describe how each supplier does in that specific area.
Security
ExpressVPN encrypts data using the military-grade Advanced Encryption Standard with 256-bit keys, also known as AES-256. The supplier uses OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP/IPSec VPN protocols in its applications. There are options for kill switch protection, DNS leak prevention, and IPv6 leak protection.
Customers of Private Internet Access may also use the OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP/IPSec protocols with high-level AES-256 encryption. Additionally included are kill switch protection, the ability to block advertisements, trackers, and malware, as well as DNS and IPv6 leak prevention.
Check read my essay on VPN security features for additional information and specifics.
Winner for Encryption: Tied
Parallel Connections
“Parallel Connections” refers to how many devices you can connect to a VPN provider’s servers at once. A higher number is better.
Owners of small enterprises (or heads of big households) who may at any one time have several users in need of a VPN connection should pay particular attention to this figure.
Ten concurrent users, as opposed to the prior five, are now permitted by Private Internet Access.
In addition, ExpressVPN just raised their number of concurrent users, going from 3 to 5 users at once.
Parallel Connections Winner: Private Internet Access
Streaming Assistance
The majority of people I know are subscribers to many streaming services. Numerous additional well-known streaming services exist, such as Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer.
When you travel, you’ll discover that a provider’s content isn’t always the same as it is in other nations. That’s as a result of the agreements the streamers make with the creators of movies and television shows, who place regional restrictions on the content’s accessibility.
ExpressVPN is undoubtedly the greatest service available for unblocking streaming material since it performs an excellent job of unblocking streaming content from various countries. The VPN service provider unblocks streaming services including BBC iPlayer in the U.K., Hulu in the U.S., Netflix in many other countries, and Amazon Prime in the U.S. and the U.K.
Private Internet Access does not, and does not promise to, consistently unblock any streaming services. While I sometimes succeeded in unblocking Netflix streaming from the United States, I was unable to consistently succeed.
ExpressVPN wins for streaming
Support for BitTorrent
Without a doubt, one of the most well-liked internet hobbies right now is BitTorrent/P2P file sharing.
However, it’s also one of the most debatable.
Sharing files might be legal, unlawful, or just frowned upon, depending on where you reside and the kind of information you’re sharing.
P2P file-sharing activity is now often blocked by ISPs on their networks, despite the fact that respectable people and businesses utilize the technology legitimately.
An ISP, however, cannot block something it cannot see. An effective solution for preventing your own Internet Service Provider, government enforcement, and content providers from spying on your BitTorrent activity is a VPN.
BitTorrenting is permitted on all of ExpressVPN’s servers. The firm even provides a helpful how-to manual explaining how their service safeguards you when you participate in file-sharing activities on their website.
Like ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access does not keep any records of your online actions while connected to its servers, and torrenting is permitted on all of its servers. I was informed by a PIA customer service representative that they were unaware of my use of their service and didn’t care. P2P file sharing is included in this. Share freely.
Winner in BitTorrenting: ExpressVPN
Server Coverage Worldwide
Always evaluate how effectively their server farms span the world when evaluating any VPN service. For your content-unblocking requirements, a large number of servers that are evenly spread across the globe provide additional flexibility.
ExpressVPN provides over 3,000 servers, which are spread out in 94 countries around the globe. The provider’s excellent Server Coverage Worldwide means you’ll have plenty of options when it comes to accessing blocked streaming and gaming servers.
Private Internet Access, on the other hand, has 3,390+ amazing servers. They are only stationed in 32 nations, however.
Although PIA has servers in several important nations, like the United States, United Kingdom, France, and others, you may not have as much access to restricted material as you would with ExpressVPN.
Before choosing this service, check the locations of PIA’s servers to make sure they can meet your blocked-content requirements. (To see their server coverage map, go down a little bit on the website.)
Server Coverage Worldwide Winner: ExpressVPN
Multi-Platform Assistance
Since almost every electronic gadget you use every day is linked to the internet, we live in an always-connected world. As a result, one of the most crucial aspects to consider when choosing a VPN service is the number of devices a VPN supports.
With programs for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux-based gadgets, Private Internet Access covers all of the main desktop and mobile operating systems. They also provide support for a few routers and browser extensions for the platforms of Chrome, Firefox, and Opera.
For the platforms of Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Chrome OS, Nook, and Amazon Fire, ExpressVPN offers app support. They also provide add-ons for the Chrome and Firefox browsers, as well as a special software for a few routers and setup guides for other well-known routers.
Both of these providers provide ready-to-use, plug-and-play routers via FlashRouters.com if you’re the kind that doesn’t want to manually configure your router to utilize either one.
Multi-Platform Assistance Winner: ExpressVPN
Customer Service
ExpressVPN’s and Private Internet Access’ apps are easy to install and set up, and both VPN providers provide reliable service. However, there’s still a good chance that you’ll have to contact the providers’ Customer Service agents at one time or another.
ExpressVPN has a problem ticket submission form, live chat help that is available around-the-clock, email assistance, and a convenient support database. All of my support requests were answered promptly and helpfully, and the support library was a great resource for fast solutions.
An online mechanism for submitting support tickets and a searchable knowledge base are available from Private Internet Access. Unfortunately, live chat for customer assistance is not offered. However, I didn’t have to wait long for responses to my inquiries, and the knowledge base turned out to be really useful when I needed a quick response to a brief support query.
Customer Service Winner: ExpressVPN
The winner is…
One company is the victor of the head-to-head competition, even though both provide a great means to shield your online activity from prying eyes and access information that may typically be prohibited in your location.
ExpressVPN is the overall winner in this one-on-one matchup. The provider won thanks to its superior Relationship Speeds, Server Coverage Worldwide, P2P support, native app offerings, streaming service unblocking and Customer Service.
In the security area, the suppliers were tied.
Private Internet Access proved to be superior when it came to pricing and the number of Parallel Connections allowed.
Even though it came in last, PIA was a strong contender in the most of the categories, making it a great VPN choice for those on a low budget.
Always remember to utilize the service whenever it is available, regardless of the VPN provider you choose. You should use every tool at your disposal to secure your internet connection and private information since the online world may be harmful.
ExpressVPN vs. Private Internet Access Comparison & Test Results 2022 is a comparison of the two VPN providers, ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access. The article includes test results for speed, reliability and features. Reference: private internet access vpn.
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