FastestVPN vs Private Internet Access (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, FastestVPN grades higher than Private Internet Access: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
FastestVPN grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
FastestVPN
Low-priced VPN with 15 logins and a bundled password manager
Private Internet Access
Open-source VPN with unlimited devices and servers in all 50 US states
Which one is for you
Pick FastestVPN if
- Fits if you want one VPN account across up to 15 devices
- Works for people who want P2P servers and an ad blocker included
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want to try it first: there's no free trial, only a 31-day money-back guarantee
- Watch out: the two-year plan recurs but the buy page doesn't state the renewal price
- Watch out: Lifetime Plus at $40 carries a Black Friday label and could change
- Pricey if some features matter: network add-ons are paid extras
- Watch out: the privacy policy says it's based in the Cayman Islands; we didn't find the legal entity
Pick Private Internet Access if
- Fits if you want a VPN price that stays at $47.88 a year after the first year
- Works for torrenting, with port forwarding on selected servers, or for a server in a set US state
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want to try it free first, as there's no free plan or trial
- Pricey if you pay monthly, at $11.95 a month
- Skip it if you want antivirus or a dedicated IP priced up front, as both are added at checkout
- Watch out: the 3-year plan's $2.03 a month has no first-bill total shown, and it renews at $79 every 3 years
- Watch out: app store purchases follow Apple's or Google's refund terms, not the 30-day guarantee
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAFastestVPNFair | 2.2GPAPrivate Internet AccessFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B$5 a month billed monthly, the category's middle. The two-year plan is $19.95 for the first term, but its renewal price isn't stated, so we don't grade on it. | C$47.88 a year, the same at renewal, so two years cost $95.76, about $3.99 a month, just above the cheaper quarter of VPNs at $3.33. The 3-year plan is $2.03 a month for the first 39 months, then $79 every 3 years, but that's three years up front. Monthly is $11.95. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan and no trial. A 31-day money-back guarantee isn't a trial. | FNothing free: no free plan and no trial. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee for new subscribers, but that isn't a trial. |
| Features | B15 simultaneous logins, several protocols, ad and malware blocking, P2P servers and a password manager. Nothing in the listing is missing from the core job of a VPN. | BUnlimited devices, servers in 104 countries including all 50 US states, RAM-only servers, WireGuard and OpenVPN, ad and malware blocking, split tunneling, multi-hop and port forwarding. It covers the whole job. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record. Install it and connect. | BNo App Store rating on record, but it's an app you install, sign in to and connect, with nothing to configure first. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android and a browser extension. No API or integration list. | BMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android and browser extensions, with open-source apps. There's no integration list or API on record, so it stops at B. |
| Best for | a cheap VPN with 15 devices | unlimited devices without renewal surprises |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: FastestVPN and Private Internet Access. How we grade
Price against what you get
FastestVPN starts at $5 a month and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Private Internet Access starts at $3.99 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.0.
They score the same, and Private Internet Access starts $1.01 a month lower. Of the other VPNs on the chart, 1 scores higher than FastestVPN for less, and none scores higher than Private Internet Access for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Private Internet Access is open source, according to its own site.
- FastestVPN also covers password manager and malware protection.
At a glance
| FastestVPN | Private Internet Access | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | $5 per month, billed monthly ($19.95 first 2 years, renewal not stated) | $47.88 per year (1 Year plan, the same price at renewal) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | FastestVPN | PIA Private Internet Access, Inc. |
| Price read from | fastestvpn.com | privateinternetaccess.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Worth knowing
FastestVPN
- The two-year plan recurs, but the buy page does not state its renewal price, so the $19.95 is a first-term figure.
- There is no free trial; new purchases carry a 31-day money-back guarantee.
- The Lifetime Plus price carries a Black Friday label and could change when that promotion ends.
- Its privacy policy says it is based in the Cayman Islands; the legal entity was not found on the pages read.
Private Internet Access
- The 3-year plan's $2.03 a month is a first-term rate; it renews at $79 every 3 years, and the page gives no total for the first 39 months.
- There is no free trial; the 30-day money-back guarantee is for new subscribers, and app store purchases follow Apple's or Google's refund terms.
- Antivirus and a dedicated IP cost extra and are added at checkout; their prices are not shown on the plans page.
Key features
FastestVPN
- 15 simultaneous logins
- Every plan allows 15 multi-logins; the checkout sells additional devices at $1 each.
- Protocols
- WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, IPSec, OpenConnect and L2TP are listed, with unlimited bandwidth and server switching.
- Ad blocker and malware protection
- Both are listed as free on every plan, alongside a kill switch and a NAT firewall.
- P2P servers
- Servers optimized for torrenting are listed on every plan, among servers in 100+ locations.
- Password manager
- FastestPass is included free for a stated period depending on the plan, and for life with the Lifetime Plus plan.
- Paid network add-ons
- A dedicated IP (US, Russia or Germany) is $1.49 a month and port forwarding is $1.20 a month on the monthly plan.
Private Internet Access
- Unlimited devices
- One subscription can be used on as many devices at the same time as you like.
- Servers in 104 countries
- The network reaches 104 countries, including servers in all 50 US states, and the servers run from RAM only.
- Open-source apps and protocols
- PIA's apps are open source, and it connects over WireGuard or OpenVPN.
- MACE
- Blocks ads, trackers and malware at the DNS level.
- Split tunneling, multi-hop and port forwarding
- Choose which apps skip the VPN, route traffic through more than one server, and open a forwarded port on selected servers for torrenting.
- Email breach monitor
- A built-in alert tells you if your email address shows up in a data breach.
Plans
FastestVPN
1 Month Plan$5
per month, billed monthly
Renews monthly at $5. All plans include 15 logins, the VPN apps, an ad blocker and a password manager.
1 Year + 1 Year Free$19.95
first term of 2 years, billed once; renewal price not stated
Advertised as $0.83 a month for 24 months paid up front, with a 83% saving shown. It is a recurring plan, but the page gives no renewal price.
Lifetime Plus Plan$40
one-time, lifetime
Labeled a Black Friday exclusive with 93% off and no end date shown. Includes a lifetime family password manager.
Private Internet Access
1 Month$11.95
per month
Billed monthly and renews at the same $11.95.
1 Year$47.88
per year
$3.99 a month. The first year and each renewal are both billed at $47.88.
3 Years + 3 Months$79
every 3 years at renewal, after a first term of 39 months
Shown at $2.03 a month for the first 39 months, labelled 83% off; the page does not state the first bill. Renews at $79 every 3 years.
Ways to pay less
FastestVPN
- Other savings
2 years for $19.95 up front
The 1 Year + 1 Year Free plan costs $19.95 for its first term, shown as $0.83 a month. The page does not say what it renews at.
- Lifetime license
Lifetime Plus Plan for $40
A one-time $40 payment, labeled Black Friday exclusive, with 93% off and no end date displayed.
Private Internet Access
- Other savings
3 years plus 3 extra months at $2.03 a month
The 3-year plan comes with 3 extra months at $2.03 a month for the first term, which the page calls 83% off the monthly price. It then renews at $79 every 3 years.
- Annual discount
About 67% off with yearly billing
The 1-year plan costs $47.88, against $143.40 for twelve months at the $11.95 monthly price.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, FastestVPN or Private Internet Access?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Private Internet Access is cheaper to start with: $3.99 a month when paid by the year, against $5 a month for FastestVPN. FastestVPN starts at $5 per month, billed monthly ($19.95 first 2 years, renewal not stated), and Private Internet Access starts at $47.88 per year (1 Year plan, the same price at renewal).
Which has a free plan, FastestVPN or Private Internet Access?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither FastestVPN nor Private Internet Access has a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.