PIA vs Proton VPN: price and which to choose
Quick verdict
These are the only two of our six with port forwarding — but PIA’s doesn’t work on US servers, while Proton’s works on its P2P servers on paid plans. PIA allows unlimited devices and covers all 50 states; Proton VPN has a free plan, a Swiss base, a 2026 audit and 6,015 US servers in 22 cities, with 10 devices on paid plans.
Option A
$11.95/moPIA VPN
Official price before tax: $11.95
Price checked
Private Internet Access price and plans
Option B
$9.99/moVPN Plus
Official price before tax: $9.99
Price checked
Also has a free plan: Proton Free
Proton VPN price and plansWe compare plans with a similar purpose, whose features may differ; prices before sales tax; prices for other plans and periods are in the reviews.
Feature comparison
| Criterion | Private Internet Access | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Port forwarding | Not on US servers | Yes (paid, P2P servers) |
| Free plan | No | Yes (1 device) |
| Devices | Unlimited | 10 |
| Jurisdiction | USA (Five Eyes) | Switzerland |
| US coverage | 55 regions, all 50 states | 6,015 servers, 22 cities |
| Latest audit | 2025 | 2026 |
PIA and Proton VPN both appeal to technical users: open-source apps on one side, port forwarding and a free plan on the other.
If you don’t want to read further
Unlimited devices or a specific state — PIA. Port forwarding on a US connection, a free plan or Swiss jurisdiction — Proton VPN.
What really sets them apart
In each row, the last sentence matters most — what the difference means for you.
Port forwarding?
Private Internet Access
Yes — but none of the US regions supports it.
Proton VPN
Yes, on paid plans, on P2P servers (Windows, macOS, Linux).
For port forwarding on a US connection, Proton.
Is there a free plan?
Private Internet Access
No.
Proton VPN
Yes — one device, no data limit; the country is chosen for you.
Only Proton can be tried without paying.
How many devices?
Private Internet Access
Unlimited.
Proton VPN
10 on paid plans.
Big households lean PIA.
Where is the company?
Private Internet Access
USA — inside the Five Eyes.
Proton VPN
Switzerland — outside the 14 Eyes.
If jurisdiction matters to you, Proton.
US coverage?
Private Internet Access
55 regions covering all 50 states; 32 geo-located.
Proton VPN
6,015 servers in 22 cities.
PIA for state choice; Proton for server count.
Linux?
Private Internet Access
64-bit desktop app with split tunneling; ARM too.
Proton VPN
App with or without a graphical interface; standard and advanced kill switch.
Both cover Linux – check your distribution.
TV apps?
Private Internet Access
Fire TV and Apple TV apps.
Proton VPN
Android TV, and Apple TV on a paid plan with tvOS 17.
No app for your TV? A VPN router covers it.
Where they don’t differ, even though it seems they should
This part is often more useful than the list of differences — it saves money for anyone who was about to pay for an imaginary advantage.
Port forwarding exists
The only two of our six that offer it at all.
30-day money-back
Both refund within 30 days on paid plans (PIA: new subscribers).
Tax not stated
Neither price list says whether tax is added.
Which one fits whom
| Your situation | What to choose | On what condition |
|---|---|---|
| You torrent on a US connection | Proton VPN Plus | Port forwarding on P2P servers. |
| More than 10 devices | PIA | Unlimited. |
| You don’t want to pay | Proton VPN Free | One device. |
| You need a particular state | PIA | All 50 states. |
- PIA’s port forwarding doesn’t work on US servers.
- Proton Free doesn’t let you choose a US server.
- PIA is under US jurisdiction.
- Check the checkout total for tax with both.
Where the facts come from
Sources: PIA’s and Proton’s US price lists, server lists and Proton’s port forwarding page. Prices are in the price blocks on each service’s page.
Facts in the text checked: .
FAQ: Private Internet Access or Proton VPN
Other comparisons
The same products against other competitors, and other comparisons in the “VPN services” category.
Where their scores differ
Only criteria we’ve checked for both services and where the scores differ. Equal criteria and criteria without data aren’t shown here, because they add nothing to the decision.
If what matters most is — jurisdiction: Proton VPN VPN Plus
Private Internet Access: US or Five Eyes (1,5/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: outside the 14 Eyes, no data retention obligation (5,0/5)
If what matters most is — free way to try it: Proton VPN VPN Plus
Private Internet Access: refund within 30 days (3,0/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: free version (5,0/5)
If what matters most is — price jump at renewal: Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access: 2,05 USD/mo — 1,1× more expensive (5,0/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: 6,99 USD/mo — 2,0× more expensive (3,0/5)
If what matters most is — network coverage: Proton VPN VPN Plus
Private Internet Access: 104 countries (3,0/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: 149 countries (5,0/5)
If what matters most is — price now: Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access: 1,89 USD/mo before tax (5,0/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: 3,49 USD/mo before tax (4,0/5)
If what matters most is — devices at once: Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access: unlimited (5,0/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: 10 (4,0/5)
If what matters most is — app rating: Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access: 4,7 out of 5 (4,7/5) · Proton VPN VPN Plus: 4,6 out of 5 (4,6/5)
The scores and their weights are the same as in the reviews of both services. How we calculate
Comparison text updated: