Home / Compare / NordVPN vs Private Internet Access
Head to head · 2026
NordVPN vs Private Internet Access
NordVPN and PIA target different users. NordVPN is the polished mainstream pick — easy apps, strong streaming, premium feel. PIA is the power-user pick — open-source clients, port forwarding, court-tested no-logs, but US jurisdiction.
NordVPN
Best all-round VPN — premium price, premium features.
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Private Internet Access
Power-user friendly — open-source apps, port forwarding, but Kape ownership is a flag.
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Specs
Side-by-side
| Features | NordVPN | Private Internet Access |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 |
| from | $3.69/mo | $2.03/mo |
| Jurisdiction | Panama | United States |
| Five Eyes | No | Yes |
| 14 Eyes | No | Yes |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Audited | Yes | Yes |
| Court-tested | No | Yes |
| Servers | 6,400+ | 30,000+ |
| Countries | 111 | 91 |
| Devices | 10 | 10 |
| Port forwarding | No | Yes |
| Netflix | Yes | Yes |
| BBC iPlayer | Yes | Yes |
| Last verified | 2026-05-04 | 2026-05-04 |
The verdict
Pick NordVPN or Private Internet Access?
Pick A
Choose NordVPN if
Choose NordVPN if you want streaming to just work, you don't need port forwarding, and you prefer Panama jurisdiction over the US.
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Pick B
Choose Private Internet Access if
Choose PIA if you actively torrent and need port forwarding, you value open-source clients, you're convinced by court-tested no-logs as the strongest privacy signal, and you can live with US jurisdiction.
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Frequently asked
Frequently asked questions
Is PIA's no-logs claim more trustworthy than NordVPN's?
Arguably yes — PIA's no-logs has been court-tested twice (2016, 2018) and produced no user data. NordVPN's has been audited (Deloitte) but never tested in court. Audits validate processes; courts validate that data doesn't actually exist.
Does NordVPN support port forwarding?
No. NordVPN does not offer port forwarding. PIA does. If you seed torrents or run a server through your VPN, this matters.
Is PIA's US jurisdiction a real privacy problem?
It's the worst major-VPN jurisdiction on paper, but the court-tested no-logs claim mitigates it. The bigger concern is the Kape Technologies ownership — Kape's history pre-rebrand included adware distribution.
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