Is Private Internet Access or PureVPN better?

Private Internet Access scores higher overall, 73.0 against 69.0, a gap of 4 points out of 100. That is close enough that the deciding factor should be which criteria matter to you rather than the total.

Which is cheaper, Private Internet Access or PureVPN?

Private Internet Access, at $2.03/mo against $2.11/mo. Both rates require committing to the provider’s longest term; the monthly rates are considerably higher.

Which one has been audited more recently?

PureVPN, most recently in 2023 against Private Internet Access’s 2022.

Does jurisdiction differ between them?

Yes. Private Internet Access operates from United States and PureVPN from British Virgin Islands. PureVPN is outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement; the other is not.

Head to head · Updated August 13, 2026

Private Internet Access vs PureVPN

Private Internet Access takes it by 4 points, 73.0 against 69.0. That margin is worth reading past — PureVPN wins 1 of the seven criteria outright.

Private Internet Access

73.0

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

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PureVPN

69.0

Cheap and broadly capable, carrying a documented 2017 logging incident that the current audit arrangement is designed to answer.

From: $2.11/mo
Based in: British Virgin Islands
Devices: 10
Audits: 1

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Criterion by criterion

Private Internet Access wins 3, PureVPN wins 1, 3 tied. Each row shows the raw score out of ten and the weighted contribution to the total.

Criterion	Weight	Private Internet Access	PureVPN	Winner
Independent audit	20	7/10 (14.0)	7/10 (14.0)	Tied
Jurisdiction and ownership	15	3/10 (4.5)	6/10 (9.0)	PureVPN
Protocol and crypto stack	15	9/10 (13.5)	9/10 (13.5)	Tied
Leak protection	15	8/10 (12.0)	7/10 (10.5)	Private Internet Access
Transparency	15	8/10 (12.0)	4/10 (6.0)	Private Internet Access
Price and refund terms	10	9/10 (9.0)	9/10 (9.0)	Tied
Platform coverage	10	8/10 (8.0)	7/10 (7.0)	Private Internet Access
Total	100	73.0	69.0	Private Internet Access

Where each one actually wins

Private Internet Access is ahead on

Leak protection. Kill switch on desktop and mobile with an advanced always-on mode, and port forwarding available.
Transparency. All clients are open source and a transparency report is published; signup requires an email address.
Platform coverage. Broad platform coverage with unlimited connections, but no Apple TV application.

PureVPN is ahead on

Jurisdiction and ownership. British Virgin Islands, outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement, following a relocation from Hong Kong in 2021.

Choose Private Internet Access if

Readers who want open-source clients and granular control over encryption settings.

Choose PureVPN if

Readers who want a low price and are satisfied by the current audit arrangement.

Reasons to pick neither

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.

Skip PureVPN if: Past conduct matters to you. The 2017 incident is a matter of public court record, and no later audit erases it.

Questions

Is Private Internet Access or PureVPN better?: Private Internet Access scores higher overall, 73.0 against 69.0, a gap of 4 points out of 100. That is close enough that the deciding factor should be which criteria matter to you rather than the total.
Which is cheaper, Private Internet Access or PureVPN?: Private Internet Access, at $2.03/mo against $2.11/mo. Both rates require committing to the provider’s longest term; the monthly rates are considerably higher.
Which one has been audited more recently?: PureVPN, most recently in 2023 against Private Internet Access’s 2022.
Does jurisdiction differ between them?: Yes. Private Internet Access operates from United States and PureVPN from British Virgin Islands. PureVPN 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.