PIA vs VyprVPN: Which is The Ultimate VPN?

Private Internet Access (PIA) and VyprVPN are both among the best VPNs to consider, but there are some notable differences between them. One of them can be much cheaper than the other. One of them is much better at unblocking streaming services and government bans on VPNs. One of them gives you extraordinary security.

In this article, we detail, explain, and analyze everything known about PIA and VyprVPN to help you determine which of these two VPNs is better for you.

Highlights

PIA vs. VyprVPN: price comparison

PIA has lower prices than VyprVPN for any period of time. PIA’s two-year deal is the best value. It has one of the lowest prices on the market. VyprVPN occasionally runs promotions that give you a much better deal, but at the moment, it is not competitive with PIA or the market in general in price.

Features

Both services can be used with the four most popular operating systems. PIA also makes an app for Linux, and it has a graphical user interface, which is an unusual benefit. VyprVPN makes apps for some NAS devices, which is also an unusual benefit.

Both VPNs allow 10 simultaneous device connections. Many VPNs only allow five simultaneous connections, so 10 is generous.

PIA and VyprVPN both have split tunneling, a feature that lets you bypass the VPN connection with specific programs.

Private Internet Access can block malware, ads, and trackers. Users say the feature isn’t fully effective. Some VPNs have fairly effective malware-blocking capabilities, but you should not expect any VPN to be a substitute for good security software or a secure web browser.

Boxcryptor is included free with some PIA plans and is otherwise available for purchase. It is encryption software for files you backup to cloud storage sites.

Streaming & Netflix comparison

VyprVPN has a big advantage in unblocking streaming services. It works with almost all services. Although Private Internet Access claims to work with all major streaming services, its results were disappointing in our tests.

PIA vs. VyprVPN: China

Unblocking China is a bigger challenge for VPNs than unblocking streaming services is. Few are successful, and success can be fleeting. VyprVPN is one of the few that does work in China; PIA does not. VyprVPN also made our list of the best VPNs for use in China.

Setup and interface

PIA’s apps are user-friendly and customizable, as are a variety of aspects of the service. They are better for geeks.

VyprVPN’s apps are simpler and more suitable for someone who isn’t tech-savvy. VyprVPN’s desktop and mobile apps are very similar.

Servers and performance

PIA does not disclose its total number of servers, but PIA does have servers in all 50 states of the U.S.

While PIA doesn’t tell us how many servers it has, VyprVPN is misleading about where it has physical servers. You can get an IP address for a virtual or physical server location.

A virtual server is a server that is in one physical location but is using an IP address assigned to another location. The benefit of a virtual server is that it may fool websites that only allow access to certain content from users in specific locations.

Some VPNs claim to have servers in specific locations that are merely virtual servers. The disadvantage to that is that if you are far from a VPN’s nearest server, your connection will be slow.

VyprVPN acknowledges that it uses virtual servers, but it doesn’t tell you where they are or even how many of its servers are virtual. This study from December 2019 found that some VPNs either fail to acknowledge that some of their servers are virtual servers or have very high percentages of virtual servers. VyprVPN was the biggest offender: more than half of its servers were found to be virtual servers. ExpressVPN and NordVPN were found to be the most forthright VPNs in the study.

PIA was not included in that study but is equally forthright about its use of virtual servers. It has virtual servers in 35 locations but does not count them in its list of locations.

VyprVPN has grown since the study and probably has more servers in more places. If it is one of your final candidates, you should find out if VyprVPN literally has a server near you.

Even without full information from both VPNs, PIA clearly has a significantly larger server network. In particular, PIA saturates the U.S. with servers. VyprVPN only has servers in eight US cities, and six of them are on the east or west coasts.

Both PIA and VyprVPN list servers in India on their websites. PIA removed its servers from India in June. Many VPNs have been removing their servers from India due to government logging requirements. VyprVPN might also be one of them soon if it’s not already.

We measure VPN speeds using servers in the U.S., U.K., and Hong Kong. PIA made our updated list of the fastest VPNs. VyprVPN did not make our list, but it had to be a near miss. Its test results were considerably better than they were in our previous tests. Either of these VPNs will be fast enough for anything you want to do online.

Security comparison

Both VPNs enable the use of the WireGuard protocol, which has become widely regarded as the fastest and most secure.

Both VPNs provide more than a full complement of standard security features, although VyprVPN lacks a kill switch in its iOS app. A kill switch will automatically terminate your internet connection if you become disconnected from your VPN.

Both PIA and VyprVPN will give you private DNS on each server or let you use a third-party DNS server. We experienced no DNS leaks with either VPN in our most recent tests. A leak can reveal your real IP address.

PIA lets you customize several security features. Its extra features give you even greater privacy protection. Multi-hop routes traffic through several servers at the same time. RAM-only servers have no disc drives and therefore cannot save data. When you close your browser, no traces of your web use are saved. All of PIA’s servers are RAM-only.

VyprVPN’s proprietary Chameleon technology scrambles OpenVPN packet metadata. That keeps restrictive governments and websites that block VPNs from knowing that traffic is coming from a VPN server. VyprVPN says that Chameleon does not slow your connection or harm your security.

PIA gives you some protection against malware. Its security measures are superb. VyprVPN is not far behind.

PIA vs. VyprVPN: Privacy

Both VPNs have satisfactory no-logs policies, and both have been independently audited to prove that. However, VyprVPN was last audited four years ago.

VyprVPN is owned by Golden Frog, a Swiss company. Switzerland does not require that VPNs collect any personally identifiable information. PIA is based in the U.S., which does not require data collection either, but if PIA did collect data, it could be required to submit that information to governments that request it. The PIA website has a warrant canary that will be removed if it is ever forced to hand over personal information under court order.

PIA also gives you the ability to block trackers. Many browsers, including Edge, Safari, and Chrome, do track you. Social media companies and other web-based businesses also engage in tracking. Some secure browsers also give you the ability to block trackers.

Some ISPs throttle the speed of users who torrent. Both of these VPNs allow torrenting and bypass any restrictions your ISP might have on torrent downloads.

PIA and VyprVPN both require email addresses when you register, but they can be burner accounts. PIA will send your password to that account, so you can’t use a one-time-only or fake address to sign up.

VyprVPN does not allow anonymous payment options. PIA accepts several cryptocurrencies as payment but apparently no longer accepts payment from popular retail gift cards.

PIA allows complete anonymity; VyprVPN comes close.

Configuration

Most VPN users connect to servers that are also being used by many other subscribers. While an overloaded server will cause slow speeds, shared servers are a benefit because websites cannot distinguish individual users from the crowd. Both PIA and VyprVPN users share server IP addresses.

You can buy a dedicated IP address from PIA for an additional $4/month.

Customer service

In our test, PIA responded immediately through its chat box, but did not respond to a press query. VyprVPN is easier to reach for support, although its response times are slower than those of the best VPNs. Users who left reviews on Trustpilot complain about the responsiveness of both VPNs. Some say that VyprVPN’s chat feature is just a decision tree of automated responses.

Private Internet Access has more than 8,500 reviews on Trustpilot and has earned an “excellent” (4.6/5) rating. VyprVPN has fewer than 300 user reviews on Trustpilot, so the sample size isn’t as convincing. It has an “average” (3.6/5) rating. NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, CyberGhost, PrivateVPN, Hotspot Shield, and IPVanish are among the other competitors with excellent ratings.

A lot of the complaints about VyprVPN have to do with billing issues. Others say VyprVPN didn’t meet their expectations. Those are the main reasons why 21 percent of VyprVPN customers rate the VPN as “bad.” A majority of recent complaints about PIA had to do with inadequate responsiveness from tech support or customer service.

VyprVPN’s website is well-organized. It does not have a search box on its home page, and it buries its support link at the bottom of the page. Otherwise, information is easy to find in the support section. Help articles include screenshots and brief instructions.

PIA’s website had readability issues in five different browsers on many of its pages. The home page has a support link on the menu at the top, but the only search boxes are on the support pages. PIA gives you more content and more depth than VyprVPN does on its website.

Both VPNs have easy-to-follow tutorials for getting started. They include screenshots.

PIA vs. VyprVPN: The winner

PIA gives you so much for as little as a couple of dollars per month and has such excellent privacy and security features, that it has to be considered better than VyprVPN. Yet, it isn’t better for everyone. VyprVPN’s unblocking abilities are much better than PIA’s. If you need a VPN that works in China or another VPN-blocking country, VyprVPN is the better choice. If unblocking streaming services is your major reason for wanting to use a VPN, VyprVPN is also a better choice.

PIA is a particularly good choice for U.S. residents (and many Canadians) because of its vast server network that includes servers in every U.S. state. It should be much faster than VyprVPN, whose North American presence is relatively small.

VyprVPN’s commitment to privacy is outstanding, but PIA employs every known technology and capability to protect your security and anonymity. Both VPNs are top choices for torrenting, but PIA’s faster speed should make it better.

VyprVPN’s current prices are too high for a VPN with just an average rating from users on Trustpilot. Both of these VPNs need to be more responsive to customer questions and problems. PIA’s ownership may concern some prospective customers. While neither of these VPNs is perfect, they are both among the best choices. PIA is the better choice for people who aren’t primarily interested in unblocking capabilities.

Comparing PIA and VyprVPN: our methodology

We evaluated and compared these two services in:

• Server networks: Bigger server networks allow you to be able to access more content. They increase the likelihood of finding a server near your physical location, which enables faster speed. With PIA not revealing how many servers it has and VyprVPN not revealing how many actual server locations it has, this is an unusual challenge.
• Speed: Using a VPN slows your internet connection. The fastest VPNs, PIA included, make little difference. We conduct our speed tests on VPN servers in three continents.
• Unblocking: People use VPNs to bypass blocked content and geographic restrictions. Websites and countries with restrictions are currently engaged in a battle with VPNs. We test all VPNs with popular streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+ to determine whether they can successfully overcome blocking attempts.
• Security: We review encryption methodology, connection protocols, the availability of kill switches in apps, protection against data leaks, and extra features.
• Privacy: We review logging practices, data collection, government requirements in the VPN’s home country, the possibility of anonymous registration, and company history regarding privacy.
• Ease of use: Every VPN creates apps for some or all of the major operating systems for computers and smartphones. Those apps must be user-friendly and must be backed with good tech support and other customer service, including a helpful website, multiple methods of contact, and quick responsiveness. We test, review, and compare all those factors.
• Value: Price is part of value, but what you get per dollar determines value. VPNs try to make direct price comparisons difficult, but we find ways to make comparisons. We look for money-back guarantees and test their credibility. We note upselling practices and report any unsavory business practices. We also report extra features that competing VPNs do not routinely offer.

If you’d like to know more about the specific tests we run on VPNs like PIA and VyprVPN, check our full VPN testing methodology.

PIA or VyprVPN FAQs

See also:

• Private Internet Access full review
• VyprVPN detailed review