Quick answer (July 2026): ProtonVPN wins on privacy — Swiss-based, open source, independently audited, with a genuine free tier. PIA wins on value — 35,000+ servers at $2.19/mo on a 3-year plan. For most privacy-conscious users, ProtonVPN is the stronger pick.
TL;DR Quick Answer
ProtonVPN wins overall — scoring 9.0/10 in our editorial scoring. Choose ProtonVPN if you prioritise privacy, Swiss jurisdiction, or want a genuinely free VPN. Choose PIA if you want the cheapest long-term price and the largest server network. Both have proven no-logs policies.
ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN
Swiss-based, open source, audited no-logs
Score: 9.0/10
Private Internet Access
PIA
35,000+ servers, court-proven no-logs, $2.19/mo
Score: 8.5/10
Winner
Our Verdict
ProtonVPN
Best for most — Swiss privacy + free tier
→ Read our reasoning
ProtonVPNVPN · Free forever or from $4.99/mo
Swiss-based VPN from the team behind ProtonMail. Open source, independently audited, and the only VPN with a no-data-cap free tier. Best for users who won't compromise on privacy.
Private Internet AccessVPN · from $2.19/mo (3-year plan)
US-based VPN with the largest server network in the industry — 35,000+ servers in 91 countries. Court-proven no-logs (FBI subpoenas produced no data). Best for value-focused users who need maximum server choice.
Verdict at a Glance
Both ProtonVPN and PIA are legitimate, privacy-respecting VPNs with verified no-logs policies. The difference is jurisdiction and trust model. ProtonVPN is headquartered in Switzerland — outside the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and Fourteen Eyes surveillance alliances — and publishes open-source apps audited by independent security firms. PIA is US-based (Five Eyes), but has demonstrated its no-logs policy in court on multiple occasions when US law enforcement asked for user data and PIA had nothing to provide.
If you're choosing between them, the core question is: do you trust audits and open source code (ProtonVPN), or do you trust courtroom precedent (PIA)? Both are defensible. For most users we recommend ProtonVPN for the stronger jurisdiction and the free tier. Choose PIA if budget is the deciding factor — at $2.19/mo on a 3-year plan, it's hard to beat.
Who Should Choose ProtonVPN?
- Privacy-first users — Swiss jurisdiction, outside Five Eyes, open-source apps
- Users who want a free VPN — ProtonVPN Free is the only no-data-cap free VPN worth using
- Proton ecosystem users — Unlimited plan includes Proton Mail, Proton Drive, and Proton Calendar
- Teams needing business VPN — Proton for Business with dedicated servers
Who Should Choose PIA?
- Budget-conscious users — $2.19/mo on a 3-year plan beats most VPNs on pure cost
- Power users needing maximum servers — 35,000+ servers in 91 countries
- Users needing a built-in ad blocker — PIA MACE blocks ads and trackers at the DNS level
- Simultaneous connections — PIA allows unlimited simultaneous connections; ProtonVPN Plus limits to 10
Pricing Comparison
ProtonVPN has a genuine free tier with no data cap — this is rare in the VPN market. PIA has no free tier but undercuts most VPNs on long-term pricing.
ProtonVPN vs PIA 2026 pricing comparison
| Plan | ProtonVPN | PIA |
|---|
| Free tier | Yes — 1 device, no data cap | No free tier |
| Entry paid (annual) | $4.99/mo (Plus, 10 devices) | $3.33/mo (annual, unlimited devices) |
| Best value plan | $4.99/mo (Plus, annual) | $2.19/mo (3-year plan) |
| Monthly billing | $9.99/mo | $11.95/mo |
| Family / multi-user | $11.99/mo (6 accounts) | Unlimited simultaneous connections |
| Money-back guarantee | 30-day | 30-day |
| Score | 9.0/10 | 8.5/10 |
Pricing verified July 2026. Annual and multi-year plans are significantly cheaper — avoid month-to-month billing on either service.
Feature Comparison
ProtonVPN vs PIA 2026 features comparison
| Feature | ProtonVPN | PIA |
|---|
| Jurisdiction | Switzerland (outside 14 Eyes) | USA (Five Eyes) |
| Open source | Yes — all apps | Yes — all apps |
| Independent audit | Yes — SEC Consult, Cure53 | Partial audit |
| No-logs policy | Audited + court-backed | Court-proven (2 FBI subpoenas) |
| Server count | 7,200+ servers, 110+ countries | 35,000+ servers, 91 countries |
| Simultaneous devices | 10 (Plus), 1 (Free) | Unlimited |
| WireGuard | Yes | Yes |
| OpenVPN | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in ad blocker | NetShield (paid only) | MACE (free) |
| Tor over VPN | Yes (Tor servers) | No |
| Split tunneling | Yes | Yes |
| Kill switch | Yes | Yes |
| Free tier | Yes — no data cap | No |
| Overall score | 9.0/10 | 8.5/10 |
Our Final Verdict
ProtonVPN is our recommendation for most users. Here is why:
- Choose ProtonVPN if privacy is the priority: Swiss-based, fully open source, independently audited, and the only credible free VPN with no data cap. Starting at $0 (free) or $4.99/mo (Plus, 10 devices, annual). 30-day money-back guarantee on paid plans.
- Choose PIA if budget is the deciding factor or you need unlimited simultaneous connections: $2.19/mo on a 3-year plan, 35,000+ servers, court-proven no-logs. MACE ad blocker included free. 30-day money-back guarantee.
If you're currently on ProtonVPN Free and hitting the 1-device or speed limitations, upgrading to ProtonVPN Plus at $4.99/mo is the natural next step — you get 10 devices, higher-speed servers, Tor over VPN, and the NetShield ad blocker. If pure cost is the constraint, PIA's 3-year plan at $2.19/mo is genuinely hard to beat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ProtonVPN better than Private Internet Access?
For privacy: yes. ProtonVPN scores 9.0/10 vs PIA's 8.5/10. ProtonVPN is Swiss-based, open source, and independently audited — stronger privacy guarantees than PIA's US jurisdiction. PIA is better if budget is your top concern: $2.19/mo on a 3-year plan vs ProtonVPN Plus at $4.99/mo.
Does ProtonVPN have a free plan?
Yes — ProtonVPN Free is genuinely free forever with no data cap. You get 1 device, medium-speed servers in 5 countries (US, Netherlands, Romania, Japan, Poland). PIA has no free tier, only a 30-day money-back guarantee on paid plans.
How much does ProtonVPN cost vs PIA?
ProtonVPN: Free forever (1 device), Plus $4.99/mo (annual, 10 devices), Unlimited $7.99/mo (includes Proton Mail + Drive). PIA: $2.19/mo (3-year plan, unlimited devices), $3.33/mo (annual), $11.95/mo (monthly). PIA is cheaper on long-term plans; ProtonVPN has a genuine no-cost option.
Is PIA safe in 2026?
Yes — PIA's no-logs policy has been proven in court twice. The FBI issued subpoenas and PIA had no user data to provide. PIA is US-based (Five Eyes jurisdiction), which some users consider a theoretical risk, but the courtroom track record is the strongest real-world proof any VPN can provide. ProtonVPN's Swiss jurisdiction is outside Five Eyes, adding a structural legal layer PIA lacks.
Which VPN is faster — ProtonVPN or PIA?
Both support WireGuard, the fastest modern VPN protocol. In independent testing, ProtonVPN Plus (paid) tends to deliver similar WireGuard speeds to PIA. ProtonVPN Free uses medium-speed servers which are noticeably slower. If speed matters, both paid plans perform comparably — go with whichever has a server closer to your location.