Private Internet Access (PIA) and Surfshark are two very reputable VPN providers that have a wealth of features and benefits between them, so deciding on the one that meets your requirements can be tricky at first glance. Fortunately, we’ve covered many of the desired areas to help make your decision a little easier, detailing everything from speed and security to pricing and configuration options.
Whether you need a VPN to hide your torrenting activities, stream some of the major streaming platforms from anywhere, or protect sensitive information at wifi hotspots, both providers are excellent options to cover most use cases.
We’ve summarized both providers in the highlights below to give you an understanding of their strong points, but following that, you’ll find a side-by-side comparison laid out by category. Without further delay, let’s find out who comes out on top!
Highlights
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Surfshark vs Private Internet Access pricing
| Surfshark | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription periods | One month | One month |
| Six months | One year | |
| Two years | Three Years | |
| Special offer | 83% off three year plans | 83% off three year plans |
| Highest price per month | $12.95 | $11.95 |
| Lowest price per month | $2.21 | $2.03 |
| One-year price | $59.76 | N/A |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days | 30 days |
We’re beginning our comparison focusing on Private Internet Access’ pricing and subscriptions. PIA offers one-month, one-year, and three-year plans with an 83% discount when you sign up for thirty-six months. Doing so brings the monthly cost down to $2.03 per month when you pay for the three years upfront. PIA’s monthly pricing costs $11.95, which is among the lowest we’ve seen, allowing you to try the service for a month and cancel if you don’t want to commit to the service long-term.
Surfshark isn’t too dissimilar in its pricing structure, offering a one-month, six-month, and two-year plan, with the same 83% discount on twenty-four-month plans. Paying for two years in full drives the monthly fee down to $2.21, which is pretty close to PIA’s three-year offering.
Both providers offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, and we’d advise taking advantage of this by signing up for a one-month deal if you’re unsure about a longer-term commitment. Try the service for 30 days, and if you aren’t 100% satisfied, you can request a cancellation to get a full refund.
BEST DEAL FOR SURFSHARK:save 83% when you choose Surfshark’s 2-year deal.
BEST DEAL FOR Private Internet Access:get 83% off PIA’s 3-years + 3 months plan.
Surfshark vs Private Internet Access features
| Surfshark | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Simultaneous connections | No limit | 10 |
| Operating system apps | Windows, Linux, MacOS, Android, iOS, Amazon Firestick/ Fire TV | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, smart TVs, games consoles |
| Manual install devices | Select routers | Select routers |
| Split tunneling | Yes | Yes |
| Free extras | Malware-scanning, ad-blocking, and anti-tracking features. Browser extensions (Chrome, Firefox). | Browser extensions for Firefox, Chrome, and Opera, automatic ad/malware blocking |
Neither provider underperforms on the features categories, offering split tunneling as standard, helpful for advanced users, and a generous device limit. Split tunneling is an excellent addition to any VPN as it allows you to simultaneously use a VPN and a direct connection. For example, let’s say that you were using an app like Kodi to stream online media, you’d need to secure your connection with a VPN to ensure you don’t get into trouble due to your ISP tracking your activities. You decide that you only need the VPN to privatize activities within Kodi, but your web browser doesn’t need protection from a VPN – enabling the split tunneling feature makes this possible.
PIA and Surfshark also offer Chrome and Firefox browser extensions. Let’s suppose you’re playing online games and want to use your direct internet connection, but you need a VPN to protect everything in your Chrome or Firefox browser. A VPN extension would come in extremely useful, only protecting your privacy on websites you visit but not the rest of your device.
Private Internet Access offers ten simultaneous device connections, which is a great start, but it doesn’t come close to Surfshark’s unlimited connection limit. You could use Surfshark on every device around the house in addition to securing your neighbor’s devices (if you were feeling generous). You could even halve the subscription cost by sharing one account with your best friend!
Surfshark and PIA have an almost identical lineup of apps covering all major operating systems, games consoles, and smart TVs to secure your favorite devices. Each provider also allows you to set up their VPN on a supported router, which is beneficial for securing every device that connects to your router via wifi without installing an app on each device you want to privatize.
Both providers also have added extras that’ll give your privacy an extra boost while you surf the web. Surfshark and PIA include built-in adblocking software (although Surfshark’s adblocker is a better performer) and anti-malware detection tools. The anti-malware features warn you of malicious websites before you visit them rather than removing the malware itself.
Streaming and Unblocking
| Surfshark | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix | Over a dozen libraries including Netflix US, UK, France, India, Japan, Netherlands | Sometimes |
| Hulu |
Yes | Yes |
| Sky Go |
Yes | Yes |
| Amazon Prime Video | Yes | Yes |
| BBC iPlayer/b> | Yes | Yes |
| CBS | Yes | Yes |
| NBC | Yes | Yes |
| ITV | Yes | No |
| Channel 4 | Yes | Yes |
Need a VPN that lets you watch shows from across the globe, no matter where you hook up your connection? Platforms like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Disney Plus use geo-restrictions to limit the content libraries based on the region you are connecting from. By introducing a VPN, you can enjoy the streaming platforms you’d normally watch at home from anywhere in the world.
Additionally, ISPs blacklist some VPN IP address ranges, and when you connect to a service like Disney Plus with a blacklisted VPN IP address, the service detects this and blocks the connection.
Surfshark and PIA are both very capable VPNs that let you enjoy your favorite home streaming platforms from abroad. We tested each provider to see which of the most popular streaming services they could access, and both produced some impressive results. Surfshark let us stream every provider it came up against, opening access to over a dozen Netflix libraries and viewing the likes of BBC iPlayer from the US without any hassle. PIA produced similar results to Surfshark, although it did struggle with streaming ITV, and on occasion, came up against the Netflix proxy error.
Using PIA and Surfshark in China
Some users traveling to places like China and Turkey become reliant on a VPN to avoid the heavy internet censorship set by these countries. China is so strict that it blocks access to apps like Telegram and WhatsApp, sites like Facebook and Netflix, and even bans news and media outlet access. Internet censorship is manned by China’s Great Firewall, which is an almost impenetrable system to ensure China’s internet users only have access to the things they are allowed.
Thanks to VPNs like Surfshark, users can get around the Great Firewall to enjoy access to the sites and apps they enjoy using the most. By installing a VPN before you arrive in China and connecting to a foreign VPN server, users can effortlessly access apps like Instagram and sites like CNN. Unlike Surfshark, which consistently works in China using its NoBorders and Camouflage Modes, PIA doesn’t reliably work in China.
PIA uses the Shadowsocks protocol to beat internet censorship in China, and there are reports of PIA working in China, but connections are inconsistent at best. You wouldn’t want to arrive in China with PIA working, only for it to stop a few days later!
Setup and Interface
| Surfshark | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic setup wizard | Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS | Windows, Android, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| Main location selection | List-based | List-based |
| Extra settings page |
Yes | Yes |
| Mobile-friendly | Yes | Yes |
Surfshark and PIA are almost identical in terms of their setup and interface options, with the exception of PIA providing its own incognito browser called InBrowser for Android and iOS. InBrowser works with the TOR network, and each time you log off, your browsing data and cookies are wiped from existence.
Both providers offer an automatic setup wizard for all platforms, meaning you’ll be up and running within a few minutes of downloading the installation file. Server selection is ordered by country in a list format, and you’ll be hooked up to your nearest server if you select the option to connect automatically.
Additional settings can be tweaked from a dedicated settings page, allowing you to adjust the protocol you’re using, enable split tunneling, or switch on cloaking technology (Surfshark only). The apps for both VPNs look and feel easy to navigate on both mobile and larger screens like a Mac or desktop computer.
Servers and Performance
| Surfshark | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Server countries | 65 | 78+ |
| Total number of servers | 3,200+ | 29,000+ |
Private Internet Access outnumbers Surfshark’s 3200+ servers, with over 29,000 servers spanning the globe. PIA also offers servers in 78+ countries which is slightly higher than the 60+ server locations provided by Surfshark. Unlike Surfshark, a significant portion of PIA’s servers are virtual, making it more difficult to pinpoint a server’s exact location. This could be annoying for users in America, for example, who want to connect to a server in New York, but are instead connected to a server on the other side of the country, or even a different country altogether.
It’s essential to have a significant number of servers to improve speeds during peak times or when servers become overcrowded. With a higher number of locations covered, it also means you’ll never have an issue finding a server close to your physical location.
Speed test results
| Surfshark | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Average speed (Mbps) | 323.60 | 117 |
As part of our VPN testing process, we put both VPNs to the ultimate test to gather their download speeds on a maxed-out internet connection. For context, we use a connection of around 5GBps before connecting the VPN to see the results. We connected to our nearest server location in the US with Surfshark, which produced a staggering speed of 323.6 MBps. We then tested a server further away in the UK, experiencing a very unnoticeable loss (<10MBps).
We then performed the same test with Private Internet Access, which produced a much less favorable speed of just 117 MBps when connected to our nearest server.
Security
| Surfshark | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| VPN protocols |
OpenVPN, IKEv2, Shadowsocks, WireGuard | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IPSec on iOS, Shadowsocks |
| OpenVPN data encryption |
AES-256 | AES-256 |
| Allows torrenting |
Yes | Yes |
| Cloaking technology |
NoBorders and Camouflage Mode | Shadowsocks |
| App security |
Kill switch | Kill switch |
| DNS status |
Private DNS | Private DNS |
Private Internet Access and Surfshark were pretty similar in the VPN protocols available with their VPN apps. Both providers offer the Shadowsocks protocol, which generally provides a fast and secure connection for users connecting in heavily censored regions. Unfortunately, PIA isn’t as consistent as Surfshark on this front, so the use of Shadowsocks is irrelevant.
WireGuard is one of the latest, fastest, and most secure protocols available at the time of writing, and both providers use it. OpenVPN is also available with PIA and Surfshark in addition to IPSec/IKev2, which is the more secure OpenVPN alternative. AES-256 is the current standard of encryption we’d expect to see with any VPN and is used by both VPNs as it’s virtually impossible to crack.
An internet kill switch is included with both VPN providers’ apps to further enhance your privacy. When an internet kill switch is enabled, the app monitors your VPN connection to check for any disconnects, and if detected, your connection to the internet is disabled until the connection to the VPN tunnel is re-established. This feature is useful when you’re streaming on platforms like Netflix, where you need a constant VPN connection to prevent interruptions in your viewing experience. Another use case for a kill switch is when you’re torrenting and need to keep your connection private. The kill switch would kick in to ensure no data leaks take place to reveal your activities to your ISP.
The only cloaking technology offered by PIA is in the use of its Shadowsocks protocol, whereas Surfshark offers double obfuscation in its NoBorders and Camouflage Modes. Obfuscation is useful for avoiding being identified as VPN a user and thus prevented from accessing websites due to censorship controls. An obfuscation feature disguises the packets of data sent via a VPN tunnel to make them look like regular internet traffic. As a result, it makes it harder to identify when a VPN is in use.
Both VPNs allow P2P activities and torrenting and offer specialized servers that are dedicated to these types of tasks. These servers are ideal for anonymizing your connection and hiding your IP address from your ISP. As a result, your torrenting activities are seen by you and no one else, and your ISP doesn’t throttle your connection for high bandwidth usage.
PIA and Surfshark use private DNS, which means they own all of their nameservers rather than outsource them to third parties to expose your web requests.
Configuration
| Surfshark | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Address allocation | Shared | Shared |
| Dedicated/static IP address possible | No | Yes |
PIA and Surfshark use shared, dynamic IP addresses for all of their users, meaning every time you use a VPN to access the internet, your IP address changes. It makes it more difficult to track activities when each IP address is potentially shared with hundreds or thousands of users.
Unlike Surfshark, PIA offers a dedicated IP address option to add to its base subscription pricing. A dedicated IP never changes and is only used by one user rather than shared. This is useful if you’re hosting online games that require a static IP address, for example.
Privacy
| Surfshark | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Amsterdam, The Netherlands | United States |
| Connection logs | Some, for diagnostic purposes | None |
| Activity logs | Collects advertising IDs on mobile | None |
| User details for signup | Email address | email address, payment details, state and zip code |
| Anonymous payment options | Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple | Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitpay, and Litecoin |
PIA operates its HQ out of the United States, a Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes Alliance founder, and is subject to some of the strictest privacy laws of all the alliance members. Fortunately, PIA has a no-logs policy that has been proven many times over; it never logs any activity or connection details that could be used to identify an individual. PIA was taken to court with a request to hand over data on one of its users, but there was nothing to share with authorities, thanks to its zero-logs policy.
PIA keeps a record of billing details, state and zip codes for tax purposes, and an email address that is used for your username. It also offers anonymous payment methods such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Surfshark operates its HQ in a Nine Eyes Alliance territory in the Netherlands, but similar to PIA, the logs it collects are unlikely to link an individual to their online activities. Surfshark also offers anonymous payment methods like Ethereum and Bitcoin so that the payment cannot be traced back to you.
Customer Service
| Surfshark | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Live chat | Yes (ZenDesk) | Yes |
| Ticket support | Yes | Yes |
| Email support | Yes | Yes |
| Phone support | No | No |
| Searchable knowledge base | Yes | Yes |
| Video guides | No | No |
Customer service is almost too close to call between Surfshark and PIA because they both offer a 24/7 live chat option, ticketing, and email support, as well as a searchable knowledge base.
Surfshark slightly outperforms PIA on the LiveChat basis because responses are more detailed, and it takes a little longer to get a response from PIA in the evenings.
If your query is a little less urgent, Surfshark’s knowledge base rocks by providing answers to commonly asked questions. PIA is on par with guides that offer screenshots and step-by-step walkthroughs to a best-case solution.
In cases where the FAQs aren’t cutting it, ticketing and email support is the next best option, with both providers answering queries within the same day. Overall, there’s not much to determine a clear winner in this category – it’s a tie!
The Winner: Surfshark
Apps Available:
- PC
- Mac
- IOS
- Android
- Linux
Website: www.Surfshark.com
Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS
It was a close one, but Surfshark pulled ahead of PIA for its blazing-fast connection speeds, which were excellent with every server we tested. PIA may have a more extensive network of servers, but it’s unclear how many of these are virtual, and it makes it difficult to know the exact location you’re connecting to. Surfshark meanwhile has a smaller network, but its servers tell you the city you’re connecting to rather than just the country. PIA limits the device connection to ten, which is probably sufficient enough to secure your device at home, but it doesn’t compare to Surfshark’s unlimited connection limit.
PIA is inconsistent for use in China at best. Surfshark meanwhile operates well in China thanks to its double obfuscation features. While the pricing is similar for both providers, some may prefer the option of six months or two years versus PIA’s yearly and three-year pricing terms.
The last significant difference is that Surfshark streams every media catalog that you throw at it. At the same time, PIA struggles with some services and can be inconsistent at letting you watch Netflix.
L’article Surfshark vs Private Internet Access – Which Wins? est apparu en premier sur Comparitech.
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