Private Internet Access Review
Still a proper privacy tool, still a bit rough round the edges.
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Quick take: PIA is one of those VPNs that still makes a lot of sense if you care about privacy features and like having some control. The reason it lands at 8.2/10 instead of higher is simple: it is more convincing than CyberGhost on privacy and depth, but it still does not feel as polished, calm or broadly recommendable as ExpressVPN. So yes, it is good. No, it is not the easiest premium pick in the room.
PIA makes more sense for some buyers than others, which is exactly why it lands at 8.2 and not 9-plus.
If you like open-source apps, fiddly controls, split tunnelling and a VPN that feels like a proper tool, PIA is still very appealing.
If you just want the smoothest, easiest premium VPN, PIA can feel a little more functional than refined, and that is where it loses ground.
Why PIA Scores 8.2/10
Better Privacy Credibility Than CyberGhost
If you put PIA next to CyberGhost, the thing that stands out is not flashiness. It is credibility. PIA feels more like a long-running privacy product and less like a mass-market VPN brand trying to look serious. That does not make it flawless, but it does make it easier to trust on the technical side, which is why it edges ahead at 8.2 vs 8.1.
It also helps that PIA still has a proper enthusiast streak to it. There is more depth here, more room to tweak things, and more sense that the product was built for people who actually care how a VPN behaves.
Not As Broadly Polished As ExpressVPN
This is also why it stays below ExpressVPN at 8.4. PIA can absolutely win on nerd appeal, but Express still feels cleaner and easier to recommend to the average buyer. PIA is more of a “good if you know why you want it” VPN than a “just buy this and get on with your day” VPN.
What I Like About PIA
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More technical depth than most mainstream VPNs PIA still has that proper power-user feel. If you like digging into settings rather than just tapping one giant button, that is a genuine plus.
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Stronger privacy story than the score might suggest The overall 8.2 is held back by polish, not by a weak privacy case. On that front, PIA still feels serious.
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Good fit for torrenting and hands-on users If your idea of a good VPN includes granular control and not being treated like an idiot, PIA still has a lot going for it.
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Feels less generic than a lot of rivals There is still a bit of old-school VPN character here, which some users will genuinely prefer.
Where It Still Falls Short
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It is not the slickest VPN to live with The apps do the job, but they are more functional than elegant. That matters once you compare them with better-polished premium rivals.
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Streaming confidence is good, not elite PIA is usable for streaming, but it is not the first name I would reach for if that was my main priority.
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The ownership question never fully disappears Even if you are comfortable with the product itself, some privacy-minded buyers will still hesitate because of the wider corporate picture.
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Too tool-like for some people If you just want a calm, premium, beginner-friendly VPN, PIA can feel a bit more utilitarian than reassuring.
Apps & Ease of Use
Useful, Capable, A Little Less Polished Than The Best
This is where PIA most obviously misses out on a higher score. The apps are not bad at all. In fact, if you already know your way around VPN settings, they can feel refreshingly honest. But they do not have the same smooth, premium ease that helps the best consumer VPNs feel effortless.
That is the trade-off. PIA gives you more to work with, but it asks a bit more from you in return. Some users will like that. Others will just see it as slightly clunkier than it needs to be.
Privacy & Security
Still The Best Reason To Take PIA Seriously
If you are asking whether PIA is safe, I would say yes, with one important qualifier: it is safer and more convincing as a product than its overall score might first suggest. The privacy side is where it earns most of its respect. That is also why it sits above CyberGhost on our scale.
The no-logs reputation, the open-source angle, and the generally more technical flavour of the service all work in its favour. I would not call it the cleanest trust story in the whole market, but I also would not dismiss it as some cheap throwaway VPN. It is a proper product with real strengths.
The Catch Is Trust, Not Capability
The reason PIA does not score higher is not because it lacks tools. It is because trust in this space is about more than features. Some users will be perfectly happy with PIA's transparency efforts and technical posture. Others will always keep one eyebrow raised because of the ownership picture. That is fair enough, and it is part of an honest score.
Speed, Streaming & Torrenting
Fast Enough For Normal Use, But Not A Speed King
PIA is not painfully slow, and that needs saying because some people still assume a privacy-heavier VPN must feel sluggish. In day-to-day use it is more than usable. Browsing, downloads and general background use felt perfectly fine. The reason the speed score stays at 8.0 is simply that the top names now feel a bit more consistent and a bit more premium under pressure.
Better For Torrenting Than For Streaming Glory
This is where PIA’s character shows. I would describe it as more naturally appealing to torrenters and power users than to people who only care about friction-free streaming. That does not mean streaming is poor. It means streaming is not really where the service earns its identity.
If your priorities are privacy, control and decent real-world performance, PIA still makes sense. If your top goal is the cleanest streaming-first experience, there are easier options.
Where PIA Sits On Our Scale
| VPN | Score | Why It Lands There | Overall Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| CyberGhost | 8.1/10 | Easier for some casual users, but less convincing on privacy depth | Good, but lighter-weight |
| Private Internet Access | 8.2/10 | Stronger privacy and configurability, but not polished enough to push much higher | Best for hands-on users |
| ExpressVPN | 8.4/10 | Cleaner all-round experience and easier mainstream recommendation | More premium overall |
This 8.2 Makes Sense
If you gave PIA much lower than this, you would be underselling its privacy credentials and utility. If you pushed it much higher, you would be pretending the rough edges and trust caveats do not exist. That is why 8.2 feels about right. It is a good VPN with a very specific kind of appeal, not a universally easy win.
Who PIA Is For
A Better Match For People Who Care How Their VPN Works
PIA makes the most sense for buyers who want more than a glossy interface. If you care about settings, privacy features, torrenting, and having a bit more control over how the VPN behaves, there is a lot here to like. In that lane, it still feels relevant and still earns its place.
Who Should Probably Choose Something Else
If you want the smoothest mainstream experience, the cleanest premium apps and the least amount of fiddling, PIA is probably not the first VPN I would point you toward. It is good, but it is not the easiest type of good.
FAQs
Is Private Internet Access safe?
Yes. PIA is a capable and credible VPN, especially on privacy and configurability. The 8.2 score is not a sign that it is unsafe. It is a sign that it is good, but not quite premium-top-tier overall.
Why does PIA score 8.2 out of 10?
Because it gets a lot right on privacy, advanced features and hands-on use, but it drops points for polish, broader trust comfort and the fact it is not as easy to recommend widely as stronger premium rivals.
Is PIA better than CyberGhost?
On our scale, yes, slightly. PIA feels stronger on privacy and technical depth, which is why it lands at 8.2 versus CyberGhost at 8.1.
Is PIA as good as ExpressVPN?
No. PIA has plenty going for it, but ExpressVPN still feels more polished and more broadly premium overall, which is why it stays ahead at 8.4.
