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Head-to-head · VPN Services

Proton VPN vs Private Internet Access

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score Proton VPN #1 in VPN Services 9.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Proton VPN
Private Internet Access #3 in VPN Services 9.1/10 7-day trial Free trial✓ 5 of 5 features Visit site

Proton VPN leads on 1 check, Private Internet Access on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreProton VPN · 9.3/10
  • Free planonly Proton VPN
  • Free trialonly Private Internet Access

Proton VPN scores higher on our rubric for vpn services: 9.3 against 9.1 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #3.

Proton VPN offers free plan; Private Internet Access doesn't.

Proton VPN is the better fit for free, privacy-focused VPN use. Private Internet Access is the better fit for households and teams with many devices.

  • Proton VPN fits best

    Free, privacy-focused VPN use

  • Private Internet Access fits best

    Households and teams with many devices

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Side by side

Feature Proton VPN 9.3/10 Visit ↗ Private Internet Access 9.1/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.3 9.1
Ranking #1 in VPN Services #3 in VPN Services
Best for Free, privacy-focused VPN use Households and teams with many devices
Pricing model Free plan + paid Paid
Starting price — $3.99/mo
Free plan ✓ (best) —
Free trial — 7 days
Money-back guarantee 30 days 30 days
Deployment Cloud, Mobile, Browser extension Cloud, Desktop, Mobile, Browser extension
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome extension Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome extension
Support Email, Live chat, Docs Email, Live chat, Docs · 24/7
Compliance 2FA 2FA
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features Proton VPN 5/5 · Private Internet Access 5/5
Verified no-logs audit ✓ ✓
Streaming support ✓ ✓
Torrent support ✓ ✓
Kill switch ✓ ✓
WireGuard support ✓ ✓
Specs
Server countries Not checked yet 91 countries
Simultaneous devices 10 devices Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Unlimited data on the free plan with a kill switch
  • Open-source apps and an audited no-logs policy
  • Paid plans add 10 devices, streaming, P2P, and NetShield
  • Unlimited simultaneous connections across supported devices
  • Independent Deloitte assessment of its no-logs policy
  • Streaming, P2P, split tunneling, and port forwarding support
Cons
  • The free plan limits connections to one simultaneous device
  • Free users connect through 10 randomly selected countries
  • Streaming and P2P support are available on paid plans
  • No free plan is available
  • Port forwarding works only on selected servers
  • The 7-day free trial is limited to first-time mobile subscribers
Our verdict

Proton VPN is a virtual private network service operated by Proton AG, a Swiss company headquartered in Geneva. It encrypts internet traffic, hides users’ IP addresses, and provides applications for web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS,…

Read the review →

Private Internet Access is a paid VPN service for individuals, households, and teams that want encrypted internet traffic, masked IP addresses, and access to servers in 91 countries. It supports Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome,…

Read the review →
  1. Proton VPNVPN Services 9.3Free plan
  2. Private Internet AccessVPN Services 9.17-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Proton VPN — where it wins

    • Unlimited data on the free plan with a kill switch
    • Open-source apps and an audited no-logs policy
    • Paid plans add 10 devices, streaming, P2P, and NetShield

    Where it doesn't

    • The free plan limits connections to one simultaneous device
    • Free users connect through 10 randomly selected countries
    • Streaming and P2P support are available on paid plans

  • Private Internet Access — where it wins

    • Unlimited simultaneous connections across supported devices
    • Independent Deloitte assessment of its no-logs policy
    • Streaming, P2P, split tunneling, and port forwarding support

    Where it doesn't

    • No free plan is available
    • Port forwarding works only on selected servers
    • The 7-day free trial is limited to first-time mobile subscribers

More comparisons

All VPN services comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update