Proton VPN vs PIA (2026): Which Is Better?
Proton VPN scores higher overall (8.9 vs 8.3). Below is every number we measured this month for Proton VPN, PIA, side by side — speed by region, streaming by service, features, prices and refund terms.
Who wins each category
- Privacy & securityProton VPNProton 9.8 · PIA 9.0
- SpeedProton VPNProton 8.6 · PIA 8.0
- StreamingProton VPNProton 8.4 · PIA 7.8
- Apps & easeProton VPNProton 8.8 · PIA 8.4
- ValueProton VPNProton 8.9 · PIA 8.6
Sub-scores from this month's tests; weights are privacy & security 30%, speed 25%, streaming 15%, apps & ease 15%, value 15%. Methodology
Proton VPN vs PIA: the numbers
| Proton VPN | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.9 | 8.3 |
| Rank · badge | #4 · Best free tier | #6 · Torrenting |
| 2-year price / mo | $4.49 | $2.03 |
| 1-year price / mo | $4.99 | $3.33 |
| Monthly price | $9.99 | $11.95 |
| Renewal | renews at the same rate | renews at the 1-year rate |
| Money-back | 30 days | 30 days |
| Simultaneous devices | 10 | Unlimited |
| Avg download speed | 541 Mbps | 480 Mbps |
| Jurisdiction | Switzerland | United States |
| Owner | Proton AG (Proton Foundation) | Kape Technologies |
| No-logs audit | Securitum no-logs audit, 2024 | Deloitte no-logs audit, 2024 |
| Servers | 12,000+ in 117 countries | Tens of thousands in 91 countries |
| Protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, Stealth | WireGuard, OpenVPN |
| Torrenting | P2P allowed on P2P servers (paid plans) | P2P allowed on all servers |
| Free plan | no data cap, no ads, 1 device, auto-chosen country | No |
| Support | email, help centre, live chat (paid plans) | 24/7 live chat, email, help centre |
| Visit Proton VPN | Visit PIA |
Full reviews: Proton VPN · 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.
| Proton VPN | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan priced | 24-month plan | 24-month plan |
| Intro rate / mo | $4.49 | $2.03 |
| Then renews at / mo | $4.49 — no jump | $3.33 (+64%) |
| First term, up front | $107.76 | $48.72 |
| Total over 3 years | $161.64 | $88.68 |
| True cost / mo over 3 years | $4.49 | $2.46 |
| Money-back | 30 days — pro-rated refund, processed in 5 days | 30 days — refunded in 3 days |
| Check Proton VPN price | Check PIA price |
PIA is cheaper both ways — lower to start and $72.96 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
Download on a 940 Mbps line, 3 runs per server, median reported. Highlighted cell = fastest.
| Proton VPN | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| US East | 602 Mbps | 560 Mbps |
| UK | 576 Mbps | 520 Mbps |
| Singapore | 498 Mbps | 420 Mbps |
| Australia | 488 Mbps | 418 Mbps |
| Added latency | +9 ms | +10 ms |
Streaming, service by service
| Proton VPN | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Unblocked | 11 of 14 | 10 of 14 |
| Netflix US | ||
| Netflix UK | ||
| Netflix JP | ||
| Netflix CA | ||
| Netflix AU | ||
| Prime Video | ||
| Disney+ | ||
| Hulu | ||
| Max | ||
| Paramount+ | ||
| Peacock | ||
| BBC iPlayer | ||
| ITVX | ||
| DAZN |
Security features
| Proton VPN | 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.
- Proton VPNHeld
Fought data requests in court. 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: Securitum no-logs audit, 2024 · Switzerland
- 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.
- Proton VPN2 categories
No data cap, no ads, no logs, open-source apps on every platform. Limits: one device, an auto-chosen country, no streaming or P2P.
- 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.
We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. Scores and the winner are decided by the tests before any commercial consideration. Disclosure