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Unlimited devices and good server choices for a great price.
Last Updated: March 5, 2025
Table of Contents:
Private Internet Access (PIA) is a premium VPN provider owned by Kape Technologies, the parent company of several other top-rated VPNs. The best part? It can cost you as little as about $2 monthly. But there are always variables to consider.
This article will guide you through PIA subscription plans, add-ons, and refund policies. We’ll also discuss how to test PIA risk-free.
With its strict no-logs policy, top-notch security, and flexible pricing options, PIA deserves its high ranking. It offers optimal value for the price, particularly on long-term subscriptions.
PIA’s pricing is straightforward, with only three plans to pick from: monthly, yearly, and three-year. Below is a detailed breakdown of the subscription plan pricing.
The monthly subscription is more expensive than long-term plans, which is common among VPN providers. However, PIA’s long-term plans offer unusually high savings.
You can save 83% with the three-year plan.
All plans offer the same features; the only difference is the subscription duration.
Private Internet Access also provides corporate VPN solutions. While it lacks features designed exclusively for remote business access, PIA offers bulk discounts for purchases of 10 or more subscriptions.
All accounts purchased in bulk must have the same subscription length and be paid for with a credit card. PIA doesn’t accept other payment methods for bulk orders.
With the yearly and three-year subscriptions, you get free 500 GB of encrypted storage via pCloud. It offers real-time file synchronization and secure backup for one year.
PIA offers other add-ons for an extra charge. While these can be purchased separately, bundling them with the VPN is cheaper.
You can also opt for the PIA Antivirus addon at an additional cost. The cost depends on the duration of your PIA Antivirus plan:
Your PIA Antivirus and PIA VPN subscription duration can differ. For example, you may subscribe to PIA VPN’s three-year plan while opting for a monthly antivirus subscription.
PIA Antivirus continuously scans your downloaded files, email attachments, and visited websites for malware. If suspicious files are detected, PIA isolates them for you to review and delete.
Furthermore, you can initiate a quick or complete scan manually at any time. PIA Antivirus also logs your entire scan history allowing you to access it whenever needed.
The app further enhances security by blocking pop-up ads and preventing websites from tracking your online activity.
Note: PIA Antivirus is only compatible with Windows 7 and above with at least 500 MB of free disk space and 2 GB RAM.
PIA also offers dedicated IP addresses:
Your subscription duration doesn’t need to match your VPN subscription, as with PIA Antivirus.
Usually, when you use a VPN, you share an IP address with other people. This can lead to several issues, including reduced internet performance and reputation damage. For example, if one of the users sharing said IP address engages in spamming or phishing, other users might also get blacklisted.
Your IP address may change whenever you connect to the VPN or every few minutes while connected. This is known as a dynamic IP. It has advantages but can also cause connection issues for some users or services.
In contrast, a dedicated IP address is a static IP address that no one else can use. Using dedicated IP results in a faster, more reliable, and more secure connection, fewer CAPTCHAs, and protected access to IoT devices.
You can get a Private Internet Access subscription via the official website or download the PIA app from your device’s store. I advise going with the first route for laptops and PCs.
Follow these steps to sign up for PIA on the website:
1. Go to PIA’s website.
2. Decide on a plan (monthly, yearly, or three-year), then click Select Plan.
3. Review your order and add any extra features you’d like. You can pick a different subscription duration for PIA add-ons than for the VPN.
4. Click on your payment method (credit or debit card, PayPal, or cryptocurrency) to expand the drop-down payment details.
5. Enter your payment details and click on Pay Now.
6. Authorize the payment.
Success! You’ve purchased a Private Internet Access VPN service. Next, you must register an account and set up the VPN app on your device. Follow the instructions below:
1. Go to the Download page on PIA’s official website.
2. Click on Download PIA VPN for [Your OS]. If the operating system shown isn’t correct, select a different one under Protection For All Your Devices.
3. Run the installation file and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
4. Open the app and enter your login credentials.
To get PIA VPN via your device’s app store, follow the steps below:
1. Open Google Play on Android or the App Store on iOS. Alternatively, you may download an APK file from PIA’s website and install it manually on an Android device other than a smartphone.
2. Type Private Internet Access into the search box.
3. Tap on Install.
4. Open the app.
5. If you’ve already purchased a subscription via PIA’s website, select Log In. If you haven’t gotten your subscription, choose your preferred plan and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the account setup. Note that the 1-year and 3-year plans come with a 7-day free trial on mobile.
Once logged in, connect to a server and use PIA.
If you need setup instructions for other devices, like Amazon Fire TV or your router, check PIA’s knowledge base.
If you have a PIA gift card, you can redeem it when paying for a subscription. Here’s how to do that:
1. Visit PIA’s gift card link.
2. Enter your gift card’s code into the text box.
3. Click on I’m not a robot to pass the CAPTCHA.
4. Click on Continue.
5. Enter the email address you want to subscribe with.
6. Click on Redeem Gift Card.
7. Check the email you entered for your login credentials.
You can view and edit your billing details on the My Account page on PIA’s official website. There, you can also find receipts for all recurring payments.
PIA offers a variety of payment options, namely:
That’s not much compared to ExpressVPN or CyberGhost, but all the most popular payment methods are available. PIA’s ability to offer an alternative to Bitcoin is also nice for crypto users, as many VPN providers only accept Bitcoin.
PIA’s payment gateway is secure, which protects your sensitive data from malicious actors.
PIA also accepts gift cards in addition to traditional payment methods. You can get a gift card from an approved retailer. The card balance can range from $10 to $100.
Note that gift card payments can’t utilize any special offers, can’t be refunded, and don’t auto-renew.
PIA is a premium VPN service that doesn’t offer a free plan except for Android users. Free VPN plans typically come with serious limitations. You may not have access to the full server network, experience reduced speeds, or be restricted from using advanced features, such as data caps or low server counts. Without full access to all features, you may not get a complete picture of how well the VPN meets your needs for security, streaming, or gaming.
But that doesn’t mean you must pay upfront for an app you haven’t tried. PIA offers a 30-day money-back guarantee if you want to test the app on a PC or another device. The guarantee applies to all plans. You can subscribe to any of PIA’s subscription plans and use the VPN without limitations. If you decide not to continue at any point during the first month, you can request a full refund via customer support.
PIA’s support team is helpful and processes refunds without questions. There’s no catch; you can get your money back as quickly as you subscribed, if not more easily.
Some VPN providers don’t issue refunds for subscriptions purchased with crypto, but PIA does. Its money-back guarantee covers all payment methods apart from gift cards.
However, if you subscribed via the Apple App Store, you’ll need to contact Apple’s support team to claim a refund for a PIA subscription. The refund process follows Apple’s policies.
For Android users, refunds are handled by PIA’s customer support, but you must first cancel the subscription through the Google Play store.
The refund policy also applies to auto-renewal payments, which most VPN providers don’t offer. Assume you’ve been using PIA for a year and forgot to turn off recurring payments. You can contact customer support within 30 days of your renewal payment and get your money back. If you don’t intend to use PIA forever but want to try it long-term, this renewal refund is a major plus.
However, PIA also offers a 7-day free trial for all iOS and Android users. You must get the PIA mobile app via the App Store for iOS or Google Play for Android to get the free trial. Just select the 1-year or 3-year plan to receive the 7-day trial. If you decide PIA isn’t right, you can cancel the trial via your device’s app store.
While PIA’s pricing is already affordable, you can save even more by watching out for special offers. For example, as of February 2025, PIA’s three-year plan is available with 83% off. Plus, the package includes four months of free service.
If you weren’t lucky enough to get this deal, you can wait for public holidays and other special occasions, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. On these dates, many VPN providers offer significant discounts.
Private Internet Access also offers deals for students. In collaboration with StudentBeans, PIA provides two years of VPN service at $2.69 monthly, which includes two months of free service.
Lastly, a VPN subscription can get you PIA’s Dedicated IP and Antivirus add-ons at lower prices.
You may find PIA discount coupons on third-party websites. Sometimes, such deals are legitimate, but be cautious. Only follow links posted by trusted PIA partners. Some websites may use deals to trick you into sharing personal information or infecting your device with malware.
Private Internet Access is a trustworthy VPN with excellent features. But how does PIA compare with other VPN services cost-wise? Which of our top-rated VPNs (ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, PIA, and NordVPN) offers the best value? Let’s break down the competitor pricing.
PIA is one of the cheapest VPNs we’ve tested. While the monthly plan’s price is comparable to competitors, the three-year plan offers the best price.
NordVPN and CyberGhost’s higher prices are justified by additional add-ons like a password manager, streaming-optimized server locations, and proprietary tunneling protocols designed for better speeds.
ExpressVPN is the most expensive option due to its advanced features and best-in-class quality of service. But ExpressVPN’s top position in our tests doesn’t mean other VPN services aren’t worth considering.
PIA is a well-rounded VPN that meets industry standards. If your primary goal is to protect your online privacy, there’s no reason to pay extra for features you might not use.
That said, price shouldn’t be your only consideration. Every VPN should protect your privacy, but different services cater to different needs. Determine whether you also require features like bypassing geo-restrictions, getting fast speeds, torrenting, or securing your remote work.
ExpressVPN leads in speed and unblocking streaming platforms. CyberGhost boasts an extensive server network optimized for streaming, anonymity, and torrenting. NordVPN offers up to $1,000,000 in identity theft coverage and 1 TB of cloud storage for an extra $3 monthly.
PIA’s main strengths are its unlimited active device connections and a strong privacy policy that was proved in a Federal court during a trial.
In a San Jose Federal court trial, the FBI accused PIA of being used by cybercriminals to operate Embarcadero Media’s email accounts. PIA could not help the investigation as it did not retain any logs of its VPN users’ activity.
Pricing is about the value, not the numbers alone. Let’s see whether PIA delivers what it charges for.
For more information about Private Internet Access features, check out our full review.
All PIA subscription plans automatically renew at the end of each billing cycle. For example, if you subscribed to the monthly plan on October 20, PIA will charge you again on November 20. If you purchased a yearly plan in December 2024, you’ll be charged again in December 2025. To prevent automatic renewal, you must cancel your subscription before the next billing date.
The only exception is that you don’t need to cancel your plan if you paid with cryptocurrency or a gift card. Such non-recurring payments can only be renewed via a link PIA will send to your email 11 days before the due date.
If you subscribed via the PIA website, you can cancel your subscription via the website’s Client Control Panel.
You can cancel the subscriptions purchased via the Google Play Store from the Play Store. If you use the PIA iOS app, cancel your subscription through your device’s settings.
Note that turning off automatic payments does not initiate a refund. If you’ve been using PIA for less than 30 days (or within 30 days of your renewal) and want to use the money-back guarantee, contact customer service via the Support Portal.
For further instructions, please refer to our step-by-step guide.
Given PIA’s affordable long-term pricing, industry-standard features, and a 30-day money-back guarantee, there’s no reason not to try it.
You might be wondering, why pay even $2.03 if I could use a VPN for free? However, free VPN apps have limitations and can do more harm than good. Subscribing to a reliable premium VPN like PIA is always the better choice for protecting your data.
If PIA doesn’t have the features you need, consider CyberGhost as a budget alternative or ExpressVPN or NordVPN if you’re willing to shell out for their advanced and unique features.
No, Private Internet Access is a premium VPN with no free version. However, PIA offers a 7-day trial on mobile devices (available via Google Play on Android or the App Store on iOS). Furthermore, you can claim a refund within 30 days of your initial purchase or renewal.
PIA costs $11.95 per month on the monthly plan. With the yearly plan, one month of usage will cost you $3.33. The three-year plan has the lowest monthly cost of $2.03.
PIA's yearly plan costs $39.95, offering 72% savings over the monthly cost. If you want a premium VPN for a low price but don't want to commit to three years with the same provider, the yearly plan is an optimal choice.
Depending on the plan, PIA charges monthly, yearly, or once every three years. The yearly and three-year plans require you to pay more upfront but offer savings of up to 83% in the long term. We advise you to choose one of these options, as you can always claim a refund within 30 days if the VPN doesn't work for you.
Yes. PIA is a secure VPN with a no-logs policy and a global server fleet. It offers advanced features like split tunneling, a kill switch, Multi-hop, torrenting support, and unlimited simultaneous connections. PIA's three-year plan is the most cost-effective option. If unsure, subscribe to PIA and test it risk-free with its money-back guarantee.
The three-year plan offers the best value at only $2.03 monthly. However, you must pay $79 upfront. If you aren't ready to spend that much, consider PIA's yearly subscription, which will cost you $3.33 monthly and $39.95 upfront. Both plans have a refund guarantee.
Yes, PIA does have a free trial, but only on mobile devices. You must get the PIA app via the App Store on iOS or Google Play on Android to get the trial. But you can still test the app risk-free on other devices, thanks to PIA's 30-day money-back guarantee.
Both VPNs are worth their money and consistently rank high in our tests, so the answer depends on your needs. PIA is more affordable and allows unlimited simultaneous connections. NordVPN is pricier but offers sophisticated security features and complimentary add-ons, such as a password manager and encrypted cloud storage.
Yes, PIA accepts gift cards purchased from approved retailers. You can redeem a gift card on PIA's website. However, you can't get any special discounts using a gift card. Furthermore, payments made with gift cards are non-refundable and non-recurring, so you'll have to manually extend your subscription via a link sent to your email as renewal approaches.
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