PIA vs. ProtonVPN: A Comparison in November 2024
When it comes to online privacy and security, two names often come up: Private Internet Access (PIA) and ProtonVPN. As someone with subscriptions to both services, I’ve had the chance to explore their features extensively. Here’s a breakdown of how these two VPN giants stack up.
Logging Policy
Both PIA and ProtonVPN proudly boast no-logs policies, which is reassuring for privacy-conscious users. These policies have been put to the test and remain a cornerstone of their trustworthiness.
Longevity and Experience
PIA has been in the game for a long time, earning its place as a veteran in the VPN industry. ProtonVPN, on the other hand, is relatively new to the scene. While ProtonMail, its parent service, has been around longer, the VPN component is still finding its footing.
Unique Features
One feature that sets PIA apart is its dedicated IP option, available to individual users. In contrast, ProtonVPN only offers dedicated IPs to business accounts, leaving individual users out.
PIA also shines with its complexity and customization. It provides a wealth of settings, tweaks, and advanced options to suit power users. ProtonVPN, while clean and user-friendly, feels overly simplistic as of November 2024. This simplicity might appeal to beginners, but seasoned VPN users might find it lacking.
Pricing and Value
Pricing is another area where PIA takes the lead. With competitive pricing and unbeatable seasonal discounts, PIA offers incredible value for its feature set. ProtonVPN, while not overpriced, simply can’t compete with PIA’s aggressive pricing strategies.
Personal Experience
Having used PIA for nearly a decade, I remain a satisfied customer. Its reliability, extensive features, and affordability have kept me loyal. While I’m a fan of Proton’s ecosystem and admire the quality of their other services like ProtonMail, ProtonVPN still needs time to mature before it can challenge PIA head-on.
Verdict
If you’re looking for flexibility, customization, and value, Private Internet Access is the clear winner. ProtonVPN, while promising, has some growing to do before it can become a true competitor.
For now, my pick is PIA for its feature-rich platform and unbeatable pricing. That said, ProtonVPN could become a major contender in the future with continued development and refinement.
Alberta, Canada