We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company. Advertising Disclosure

Wizcase was established in 2018 as an independent site reviewing VPN services and covering privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on Wizcase are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

Advertising Disclosure

Wizcase was established in 2018 as an independent site reviewing VPN services and covering privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on Wizcase are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

IPVanish VPN vs Private Internet Access 2024

We put these VPNs to the test to find out which is the best!

The truth is if you are OK with using a VPN based in the US then you can’t go wrong with either one of these services. From a security standpoint, both VPNs have several security protocol options including OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP. They both use AES 256-bit encryption, include kill switch feature and have DNS leak protection. Both companies also have a zero-logs policy, but since they are located a Five Eyes country, that claim could be put to the test.

When it comes to bypassing geo blocks, both companies publicly say that you can’t access Netflix through their servers, although we’ve had no problem streaming US and UK Netflix while connected to IPVanish. More Info

How do these VPNs Compare?

Speed

Private Internet Access performed admirably well when we did our speed tests. However, IPVanish was simply faster when put to the same tasks. It was faster when it came to browsing, streaming content, and in torrenting.

VPN vendor IPVanish VPN Private Internet Access
Download speed reduction 37% (UK) 35% (UK)
Upload speed reduction 30% (FRA) 39% (FRA)
Ping time to google.com 363.25ms 35ms
Average time to connect (sec.) 10ms 10ms
Unblock successful for Kodi-logo Espn-logo HBO-logo Netflix-logo Netflix-logo Youtube-logo Hulu-logo Kodi-logo
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Why Most Speed Tests are Pointless & How We Correctly Test VPN Speeds

Speed determines how fast content uploads, so if you're torrenting or streaming, you want the speed to be somewhat identical to your regular internet speed. Since a VPN encrypts your data, it usually takes a bit longer to send your data back and forth, which can slow down your connection. However, if your ISP deliberately slows down your connection (also known as throttling) a VPN might increase your internet speed. Testing a VPN is somewhat pointless because new servers pop up and affect speed. Your speed can also differ according to your location, so your speed test might not match ours. Having said that, we tested the speed in numerous locations to provide you with the average.

Servers

IPVanish has 1000+ servers spread out over 60 countries while PIA has over 3,500 servers in 33 countries. What this means for you is that the PIA servers are less likely to become overburdened by users in a specific country since there are more options than IPVanish. On the other hand, if you need a VPN in Estonia then IPVanish is the way to go.

One feature we really liked with IPVanish is the Server rotation feature which automatically switches your IP address at specific intervals for additional safety.

VPN vendor IPVanish VPN Private Internet Access
Server Locations 1000 30
Server Countries 55 30
IP Addresses 40,000 3,236+
Dynamic Server Switching
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The Big Mistake When Comparing Number of Servers and What to Really Look For

The ratio of servers to countries is an important factor to look at when choosing a VPN. Only paying attention to location or number of servers can get you in trouble. More servers generally means faster speeds, but if VPN X has a few more servers than VPN Y but twice as many users, VPN X will typically have slower speeds. Ideally, you want a VPN that has a lot of servers in every location. This way you won’t have to worry that server/country that you want will be overburdened and running slow

Support

We always prefer a VPN with 24-hour live chat help, and between these two, you can only get that with IPVanish.

Both PIA and IPVanish have an extensive knowledgebase/FAQ and a ticket system for responding to emails in a timely manner.

VPN vendor IPVanish VPN Private Internet Access
Email Response Time 0.2 24
24/7 Support
Live Chat
Knowledge Base
Video Tutorials
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How We Test Customer Support and Why Should You Care

We personally test the customer support team of every VPN we review. This means asking technical question through the live chat feature (where applicable) and measuring the response time for email questions. Whether you need to connect to a specific server, change your security protocol, or configure a VPN on your router, finding a VPN with quality customer support should be important to you.

Ease of Use

IPVanish VPN

I didn’t encounter any difficulties while downloading and installing this VPN. The software focuses on functionality without unnecessary extras. The provider takes pride in offering distinctive features and a wide range of servers to choose from. In fact, recently, they released their brand new 2.0 version software, packed with more features including a server map. However, we felt that they excel greatly when it came to their robust security protocols.

Here, we looked at criteria such as their logging payments, encryption strengths, and additional privacy features. We found things such as:

    • 256-bit encryption strength
    • A built-in DNS leak protection
    • NAT firewall
    • BitCoin payment feature
Private Internet Access

Downloading and installing this VPN was also pretty easy and the UI makes it easy to connect to the server of your choice. PIA includes a kill-switch to protect your online anonymity in case your VPN connection fails, and IPv6 leak protection.

If you are in China you will need to use the L2TP protocol in order to bypass the Great Firewall of China. Connecting to Netflix is not very consistent, but if you get lucky you can stream shows the are only available in the US.

Some of their privacy highlights include:

  • No VPN logs
  • 256-bit encryption strength
  • It accepts BitCoin
  • Built-in DNS leak protection

Pricing

THE WINNER IS

Visit IPVanish VPN Website!

Which VPN Will You Choose?

In our performance tests, both VPNs were quite similar, and each stood out in a couple of areas. However, IPVanish impressed us with its wide variety of servers and breathtaking speeds. It also has better pricing packages and a cash-refund guarantee proving it’s a more reliable VPN as compared to Private Internet Access! More Info
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