Head to head · Updated August 13, 2026
IVPN vs Private Internet Access
IVPN takes it by 9.5 points, 82.5 against 73.0. That margin is worth reading past — Private Internet Access wins 2 of the seven criteria outright.
IVPN
82.5A deliberately small, transparent operation that costs more than the market and makes no attempt to hide it.
- From
- $6.00/mo
- Based in
- Gibraltar
- Devices
- 7
- Audits
- 1
We earn nothing from IVPN. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.
The only provider here whose no-logs claim has been tested by a court rather than only by an auditor — but it is a US company.
- From
- $2.03/mo
- Based in
- United States
- Devices
- Unlimited
- Audits
- 1
We earn nothing from Private Internet Access. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.
Criterion by criterion
IVPN wins 4, Private Internet Access wins 2, 1 tied. Each row shows the raw score out of ten and the weighted contribution to the total.
| Criterion | Weight | IVPN | Private Internet Access | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent audit | 20 | 8/10 (16.0) | 7/10 (14.0) | IVPN |
| Jurisdiction and ownership | 15 | 9/10 (13.5) | 3/10 (4.5) | IVPN |
| Protocol and crypto stack | 15 | 9/10 (13.5) | 9/10 (13.5) | Tied |
| Leak protection | 15 | 9/10 (13.5) | 8/10 (12.0) | IVPN |
| Transparency | 15 | 10/10 (15.0) | 8/10 (12.0) | IVPN |
| Price and refund terms | 10 | 5/10 (5.0) | 9/10 (9.0) | Private Internet Access |
| Platform coverage | 10 | 6/10 (6.0) | 8/10 (8.0) | Private Internet Access |
| Total | 100 | 82.5 | 73.0 | IVPN |
Where each one actually wins
IVPN is ahead on
- Independent audit. Cure53 audited apps, infrastructure and the no-logs claim, though the most recent published report is older than two years.
- Jurisdiction and ownership. Gibraltar sits outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement and the operating company is named publicly.
- Leak protection. Firewall-based kill switch that blocks traffic outside the tunnel by default on desktop.
- Transparency. Open-source apps, anonymous account IDs, cash accepted, and the affiliate programme was closed to remove reviewer incentives.
Private Internet Access is ahead on
- Price and refund terms. Effective $2.03/month on a three-year term with unlimited devices, though that means a long lock-in.
- Platform coverage. Broad platform coverage with unlimited connections, but no Apple TV application.
Choose IVPN if
Readers who value published reasoning and anonymous signup over network size.
Choose Private Internet Access if
Readers who want open-source clients and granular control over encryption settings.
Reasons to pick neither
Skip IVPN if: You want a large server network or the lowest possible price. IVPN is explicitly not competing on either.
Skip Private Internet Access if: Your threat model includes US legal process. No amount of open-source client code changes where the company is incorporated.
Questions
- Is IVPN or Private Internet Access better?
- IVPN scores higher overall, 82.5 against 73.0, a gap of 9.5 points out of 100. A deliberately small, transparent operation that costs more than the market and makes no attempt to hide it.
- Which is cheaper, IVPN or Private Internet Access?
- Private Internet Access, at $2.03/mo against $6.00/mo. Both rates require committing to the provider’s longest term; the monthly rates are considerably higher.
- Which one has been audited more recently?
- Both published audits in 2022.
- Does jurisdiction differ between them?
- Yes. IVPN operates from Gibraltar and Private Internet Access from United States. IVPN is outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement; the other is not.
Related comparisons
Comparison generated from the same dataset as the ranking. Emphasis criterion definitions are on the rubric page. Criterion labels: Independent audit, Jurisdiction and ownership, Protocol and crypto stack, Leak protection, Transparency, Price and refund terms, Platform coverage.