NordVPN vs PIA (2026): Which Is Better?
NordVPN and PIA are both Deloitte-audited no-logs providers, and the strongest fact on the page is PIA's: subpoenaed more than once in US courts and had nothing to hand over, the kind of pressure test NordVPN has never faced. PIA also wins on price and torrenting — port forwarding built in, interface binding for a torrent client, unlimited devices, and a 3-year plan that renews at the exact same $1.79 it sells at. NordVPN answers with Panama jurisdiction outside the US legal system, nearly double the countries (118 against 91), and a broader feature list including Meshnet and Threat Protection Pro. We have not measured speed or streaming for either.
Who wins each category
- Privacy & securityNordVPNNordVPN 9.5 · PIA 9.0
- SpeedTieNordVPN 0.0 · PIA 0.0
- StreamingTieNordVPN 0.0 · PIA 0.0
- Apps & easePIANordVPN 9.4 · PIA 9.5
- ValuePIANordVPN 6.5 · PIA 9.5
Sub-scores are provisional for NordVPN and PIA — published audits, jurisdiction and public record rather than our own measurement; see the review; weights are privacy & security 30%, speed 25%, streaming 15%, apps & ease 15%, value 15%. Methodology
Choose NordVPN if…
- You'd prefer a provider outside the US legal system — Panama rather than a Five Eyes member
- You want the wider country spread — 118 against PIA's 91
- You want Meshnet, Threat Protection Pro and a dedicated-IP option
Choose PIA if…
- You torrent and want port forwarding built in, with interface binding for a torrent client
- You want unlimited devices on a 3-year plan that renews at the same $1.79 it sells at
- PIA's no-logs claim has been tested by subpoena more than once and held
NordVPN vs PIA: the numbers
 NordVPN |  PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.7provisional — not tested by us | 9.3provisional — not tested by us |
| Rank · badge | Not ranked · Widest server network | Not ranked · Top rated overall |
| 2-year price / mo | $3.49 | $1.79 |
| 1-year price / mo | $5.49 | $3.99 |
| Monthly price | $14.99 | $11.95 |
| Renewal | Billed $94.23 for the first 27 months, then renews at $139.08 a year | Billed $69.81 for 39 months, then autorenews at $69.81 every 3 years — the same rate |
| Money-back | 30 days | 30 days |
| Simultaneous devices | 10 | Unlimited |
| Avg download speed | Not tested by us | Not tested by us |
| Jurisdiction | Panama | United States |
| Owner | Nord Security | Kape Technologies |
| No-logs audit | Deloitte no-logs audit, 2024 | Deloitte no-logs audit, 2024 |
| Servers | 7,400+ in 118 countries | Tens of thousands in 91 countries |
| Protocols | NordLynx (WireGuard), OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, NordWhisper | WireGuard, OpenVPN |
| Torrenting | P2P allowed on dedicated P2P servers | P2P allowed on all servers |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Support | 24/7 live chat, email, help centre | 24/7 live chat, email, help centre |
| Visit NordVPN | Visit PIA |
Full reviews: NordVPN · Private Internet Access
What each one actually costs
The advertised rate covers the first term only. These are the totals once the renewal is counted.
| NordVPN | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan priced | 24-month plan | 24-month plan |
| Intro rate / mo | $3.49 | $1.79 |
| Then renews at / mo | $11.59 (+232%) | $1.79 — no jump |
| First term, up front | $83.76 | $42.96 |
| Total over 3 years | $222.84 | $64.44 |
| True cost / mo over 3 years | $6.19 | $1.79 |
| Money-back | 30 days — 30 days, published — we have not claimed one yet | 30 days — 30 days, new subscribers only — we have not claimed one yet |
| Check NordVPN price | Check PIA price |
PIA is cheaper both ways — lower to start and $158.40 less across three years once the renewals are counted. Same arithmetic as our price calculator: the first term at the advertised rate, every month after it at the rate the provider publishes for renewals.
Speed by region
Neither VPN has been speed-tested by us yet, so there is nothing to chart here.
NordVPN and PIA have not been through our speed rig yet, so there is no region-by-region chart for this pair. Speed figures other people have published are on the NordVPN and Private Internet Access review, attributed to whoever measured them.
Streaming, service by service
| NordVPN | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Unblocked | 0 of 0 reported (not tested by us) | 0 of 0 reported (not tested by us) |
| Netflix US | n/r | n/r |
| Netflix UK | n/r | n/r |
| Netflix JP | n/r | n/r |
| Netflix CA | n/r | n/r |
| Netflix AU | n/r | n/r |
| Prime Video | n/r | n/r |
| Disney+ | n/r | n/r |
| Hulu | n/r | n/r |
| Max | n/r | n/r |
| Paramount+ | n/r | n/r |
| Peacock | n/r | n/r |
| BBC iPlayer | n/r | n/r |
| ITVX | n/r | n/r |
| DAZN | n/r | n/r |
| n/r — no published result found | n/r — no published result found |
Security features
| NordVPN | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Kill switch | ||
| Split tunnelling | ||
| Obfuscation / stealth | ||
| Port forwarding | ||
| Dedicated IP | ||
| Ad & tracker blocking | ||
| Multi-hop (double VPN) | ||
| RAM-only servers | ||
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, browser extensions, routers | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, browser extensions, routers |
Has the no-logs promise ever been tested?
Every VPN on this page says it keeps no logs. The claim only means something once someone has demanded the data — a police raid, a court order, a subpoena. Here is what happened to each of these two when that came up, and what it means if it never has.
- NordVPNNever tested
No police raid, court order or subpoena against NordVPN has been made public. That is not a mark against it — most providers have never been asked — but it does mean the policy has never had to hold up under pressure.
Audit: Deloitte no-logs audit, 2024 · Panama
- PIAHeld
Subpoenaed more than once. The claim held — there was nothing useful to hand over. That is the one form of proof no audit can give you, because it happened under real pressure rather than on a scheduled visit.
Audit: Deloitte no-logs audit, 2024 · United States
What each one is our top pick for
One of these scores higher overall, which does not make it the right buy for every job. These are the use cases where each one comes first on its own list.
- NordVPN16 categories
- PIA2 categories
Port forwarding included, P2P on every server, interface binding for qBittorrent, and no-logs claims proven in court. Unlimited devices on a cheap long plan.
Questions
Is PIA better than NordVPN for torrenting?
Yes. PIA includes port forwarding and can bind a torrent client to the VPN interface; NordVPN has P2P servers but no port forwarding. For downloading only, both are fine.
Is PIA safe even though it is in the US?
PIA has been subpoenaed in US courts and had no logs to hand over, and its no-logs policy has since been audited. The US has no data-retention law for VPNs. Many people still prefer NordVPN's Panama base on principle.
Which is cheaper, NordVPN or PIA?
PIA, especially on its 3-year plan at $1.79 a month — which is also what it renews at, no jump at all. NordVPN's long plan is $3.49 and renews at $11.59, the steepest jump of any VPN we track. PIA has no device limit; NordVPN covers ten.
We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. Scores and the winner are decided by the scoring rubric before any commercial consideration. Disclosure