PureVPN vs PIA (2026): Which Is Better?
Two budget VPNs with port forwarding, and the honest answer is that PIA is the better one: port forwarding is included rather than an add-on, the apps are open-source, devices are unlimited, and the no-logs policy has been tested in court. PureVPN counters with a slightly better streaming record this month, a larger country list, and a dedicated-IP add-on. On price they are close; PureVPN's longest promotions edge it.
Who wins each category
- Privacy & securityPIAPureVPN 8.7 · PIA 9.0
- SpeedPIAPureVPN 7.9 · PIA 8.0
- StreamingPureVPNPureVPN 8.6 · PIA 7.8
- Apps & easePIAPureVPN 8.3 · PIA 8.4
- ValuePureVPNPureVPN 9.2 · 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
Choose PureVPN if…
- You want a dedicated IP as a cheap add-on
- Streaming matters — PureVPN unblocked 12 of 14 to PIA's 10
- You want the most countries to choose from
Choose PIA if…
- Torrenting — port forwarding is included and interface binding is built in
- You want unlimited devices and open-source apps
- The court-proven no-logs record matters to you
PureVPN vs PIA: the numbers
 PureVPN |  PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.4 | 8.3 |
| Rank · badge | #5 · Best long-term deal | #6 · Torrenting |
| 2-year price / mo | $2.14 | $2.03 |
| 1-year price / mo | $3.32 | $3.33 |
| Monthly price | $12.45 | $11.95 |
| Renewal | renews at the 2-year rate | renews at the 1-year rate |
| Money-back | 31 days | 30 days |
| Simultaneous devices | 10 | Unlimited |
| Avg download speed | 466 Mbps | 480 Mbps |
| Jurisdiction | British Virgin Islands | United States |
| Owner | GZ Systems | Kape Technologies |
| No-logs audit | KPMG always-on audit | Deloitte no-logs audit, 2024 |
| Servers | 6,500+ in 65 countries | Tens of thousands in 91 countries |
| Protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | WireGuard, OpenVPN |
| Torrenting | P2P allowed on 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 PureVPN | Visit PIA |
Full reviews: PureVPN · 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.
| PureVPN | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan priced | 24-month plan | 24-month plan |
| Intro rate / mo | $2.14 | $2.03 |
| Then renews at / mo | $2.14 — no jump | $3.33 (+64%) |
| First term, up front | $51.36 | $48.72 |
| Total over 3 years | $77.04 | $88.68 |
| True cost / mo over 3 years | $2.14 | $2.46 |
| Money-back | 31 days — refunded in 6 days | 30 days — refunded in 3 days |
| Check PureVPN price | Check PIA price |
The cheaper sticker price is not the cheaper VPN here. PIA has the lower introductory rate, but over three years PureVPN costs $11.64 less once both renewals are counted — which is the number you actually pay. 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.
| PureVPN | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| US East | 540 Mbps | 560 Mbps |
| UK | 498 Mbps | 520 Mbps |
| Singapore | 410 Mbps | 420 Mbps |
| Australia | 416 Mbps | 418 Mbps |
| Added latency | +11 ms | +10 ms |
Streaming, service by service
| PureVPN | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Unblocked | 12 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
| PureVPN | 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.
- PureVPNNever tested
No police raid, court order or subpoena against PureVPN 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: KPMG always-on audit · British Virgin Islands
- 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.
- PureVPN1 category
Regular 5-year promotions at the lowest per-month price of any audited VPN; renews at the same 2-year rate.
- 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 PureVPN or PIA better for torrenting?
PIA. Port forwarding is included, P2P is allowed on every server and the app can bind a torrent client to the VPN. PureVPN's port forwarding is a paid add-on.
Which is cheaper, PureVPN or PIA?
They are within cents of each other on 2-year plans; PureVPN's multi-year promotions are usually the lowest per-month price, PIA's 3-year plan is close.
Which is more private, PureVPN or PIA?
PIA's no-logs record has been tested in court and audited; PureVPN has an always-on audit but a 2017 logging incident in its past. PIA is US-based, PureVPN is in the British Virgin Islands.
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