Private Internet Access vs Windscribe (2026)
Head-to-head on price, speed, privacy posture and features - based on our independent reviews of both providers.
Score comparison
| Private Internet Access | Windscribe | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 8.5 | 8.5 | Tie |
| Speed & reliability | 8.6 | 8.4 | Private Internet Access |
| Privacy & trust | 8.4 | 8.6 | Windscribe |
| Features & coverage | 9.0 | 9.3 | Windscribe |
| Value for money | 9.5 | 9.2 | Private Internet Access |
| Ease of use | 8.0 | 8.2 | Windscribe |
Side by side
| Private Internet Access | Windscribe | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $2.03/mo | $1/mo |
| Service types | Consumer VPN | Consumer VPN, Free VPN |
| Jurisdiction | United States in the 5 Eyes | Canada in the 5 Eyes |
| Logging policy | No-logs, independently audited | No-logs claimed, no public audit |
| Independent audits | Deloitte (2024) | None published |
| Network | 35K servers | 1.3K servers |
| Country coverage | 91 | 69 |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days | 3 days |
| Free tier | - | ✓ |
| Support | chat, tickets, knowledge-base · 24/7 | tickets, email, knowledge-base |
| Pay with crypto | ✓ | ✓ |
Which should you pick?
Choose Private Internet Access if this fits: best cheap vpn for tinkerers and torrenting. PIA is the value pick for people who like knobs: open source apps, port forwarding, unlimited devices and a no-logs record repeatedly tested in US courts, at a price nothing else in this tier matches.
Choose Windscribe if this fits: best flexible pricing and best paid-tier free plan. Windscribe is the enthusiast's value pick: a genuinely useful 10 GB free tier, a pay-per-location plan nobody else offers, deep controls, and a company that talks to users like adults.
Our scores put these two dead even - read the full Private Internet Access review and Windscribe review to see which trade-offs suit you.