Privacy comparison
Proton VPN vs Private Internet Access: our current pick is Proton VPN.
Proton VPN is the stronger privacy pick right now if jurisdiction, audits, and protocol options matter most to you. Private Internet Access may still be the better choice if you prefer its feature set or overall value more. In our current scoring, Proton VPN is at 9/10 versus 7/10 for privacy.
Quick verdict
Choose Proton VPN if you want the stronger mix of features for privacy right now. Choose Private Internet Access if its pricing, device allowance, or overall approach fits you better.
Why Proton VPN stands out
- • 15,000+ servers in 120+ countries on current official pages
- • Swiss base, open-source apps, and public audits add useful transparency
- • Stealth protocol helps when VPN traffic gets blocked
Why Private Internet Access may still suit you
- • Unlimited devices make it easy to cover a whole household
- • 90+ countries and mature apps across major platforms
- • Public Deloitte audit history helps support its no-logs claims
What to compare first
- • jurisdiction and public no-logs evidence
- • protocol options and leak protection
- • transparency around audits and policy language
- • how comfortable you are with the company’s overall track record
| Metric | Proton VPN | Private Internet Access |
|---|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Switzerland | United States |
| Servers | 15,000+ | — |
| Countries | 120+ | 90+ |
| Devices | 10 | Unlimited |
| Refund | 30 days | 30 days |
| Monthly plan | $9.99 | $11.95 |
| Protocol | WireGuard + Stealth | WireGuard |
| Stealth / anti-blocking | Stealth protocol | Multi-hop options and privacy tooling |
| WireGuard | ||
| Score for Privacy | 9/10 | 7/10 |
Choose Proton VPN if…
- • 15,000+ servers in 120+ countries on current official pages
- • Swiss base, open-source apps, and public audits add useful transparency
- • Stealth protocol helps when VPN traffic gets blocked
- • A strong fit if privacy matters more to you than flashy extras
Look elsewhere if…
- • The interface and plan lineup can feel more technical than NordVPN or Surfshark
- • Streaming performance is good but not usually the category leader
- • Premium tiers can feel expensive if you mainly want a simple everyday VPN
Next step
Ready to try one?
Start with the service that matches your needs best, then use the refund window to see how it performs on your own devices and network.
Official sources used on this page
Proton VPN
- Features page (protonvpn.com)
- Homepage (protonvpn.com)
- Pricing (protonvpn.com)
- Plans explained (protonvpn.com)
- No-logs policy (protonvpn.com)
Private Internet Access
- Homepage (privateinternetaccess.com)
- Server network (privateinternetaccess.com)
- No-logs page (privateinternetaccess.com)
- Transparency report Q4 2025 (privateinternetaccess.com)