Head-to-head
NordVPN vs Private Internet Access
Two of the most-considered options in their category. Compared on the same scoring scale, here's the honest breakdown.
★ Winner
N
NordVPN
Nord Security
RC Score
8.4/10
Starts at
$3.09/mo intro
Fast, audited VPN with over 9,000 servers and advanced threat protection
See NordVPN review →vs
P
Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access Inc.
RC Score
8.3/10
Starts at
$2.19/mo intro
Budget-friendly, privacy-focused VPN with unmatched server scale and open-source transparency
See Private Internet Access review →Round by round
Scoreboard NordVPN 3–1
7.8/10
Value
★9.2/10
9.2/10★
Features
8.0/10
8.7/10★
Ease of use
8.3/10
7.9/10★
Support
7.2/10
0.0/10
Deal strength
0.0/10
0.0/10
User feedback
0.0/10
ReviewCost analysis
What each one actually costs
Calculated from each vendor's published prices. A dash means the vendor does not publish enough to work it out.
| NordVPN | Private Internet Access | |
|---|---|---|
Entry price (paid) Cheapest plan that costs money | $3.09 | $11.99 |
Free plan | No | No |
How it is charged Decides what a team pays | Flat rate | Tiered |
Monthly, 5 people | $3.09 | $2.19 |
Monthly, 10 people | $3.09 | $2.19 |
Monthly, 50 people | $3.09 | $2.19 |
Three-year total, 10 people | $111.24 | $78.84 |
Renewal price published | Not published | Not published |
Pick by need
Which one is right for you?
There's rarely a universal winner. Here's who wins for which use case.
P
Small personal site
Pick Private Internet Access
Wins on value (9.2/10)
N
Small business
Pick NordVPN
Wins on support (7.9/10)
N
E-commerce store
Pick NordVPN
Wins on features (9.2/10)
N
Developer / power user
Pick NordVPN
Wins on features (9.2/10)
N
Complete beginner
Pick NordVPN
Wins on ease (8.7/10)
N
Need to scale fast
Pick NordVPN
Wins on deal strength (0.0/10)
How to choose between them
The trade-offs that follow from the figures above, rather than a single winner.
- NordVPN starts cheaper — $3.09 a month against $11.99 for Private Internet Access.
- At ten people the gap is $0.90 a month, in Private Internet Access's favour — the pricing models diverge as the team grows.
- They charge differently: NordVPN is flat rate and Private Internet Access is tiered. That, not the headline price, decides which is cheaper at your size.
- Their scores are within half a point of each other, so neither is the obvious choice on our scoring alone.
Scores follow our published methodology. Prices come from each vendor’s own pricing page — see the source and date on NordVPN and Private Internet Access.