Quick Verdict
NordVPN beats PIA on speed, server geographic coverage, and streaming. PIA wins on price and unlimited simultaneous connections, and has a uniquely verified no-logs record backed by two real court cases.
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Quick Answers
- PIA is $1.33/mo on a 2-year plan -- the cheapest mainstream paid VPN
- NordVPN covers 137 countries; PIA covers 91 countries
- PIA offers unlimited simultaneous connections; NordVPN limits to 10
- PIA's no-logs policy was proven in two separate US court cases -- logs simply did not exist
- NordVPN is faster and handles streaming (30+ Netflix libraries) better than PIA
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PIA (Private Internet Access) competes at a price point NordVPN does not match. The question is whether the performance gap between them justifies the cost difference.
Quick Comparison
| NordVPN | PIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Panama | United States (Kape Technologies) |
| No-logs proof | 5 independent audits | 2 court cases -- no data existed |
| Countries | 137 | 91 |
| Servers | 9,300+ | 35,000+ (many virtual) |
| Simultaneous devices | 10 | Unlimited |
| 2-year price | $3.09/mo | $1.33/mo + months free |
| Streaming (Netflix libraries) | 30+ | Limited |
| Ad/malware blocking | Threat Protection Pro | MACE (built-in) |
Jurisdiction and No-Logs Record
PIA is based in the US -- a Five Eyes country and generally considered a weaker privacy jurisdiction than Panama. However, PIA has a distinction most VPNs lack: its no-logs policy was tested in actual US federal court proceedings twice. In both cases the FBI requested user data. PIA could not comply because the data did not exist. That is a real-world proof that audits cannot replicate.
The US jurisdiction remains a consideration, and PIA is owned by Kape Technologies, a company with a complicated past in ad software. NordVPN's Panama base and five-audit record is a cleaner story. Both no-logs claims are credible; the evidence supporting them is just different in nature.
Speed and Performance
NordVPN is faster than PIA in 2026 speed tests. NordLynx delivers 850+ Mbps on local connections. PIA supports WireGuard and performs well on nearby servers, but drops more on long-distance connections. For basic browsing and domestic streaming the difference is minor. For international routing or large file transfers, NordVPN is noticeably better.
Streaming
NordVPN unlocks 30+ Netflix regional libraries. PIA unblocks Netflix US reliably but struggles with international libraries. If streaming outside your home country is a priority, NordVPN is the better choice. If you only need Netflix in your home region, PIA works.
Torrenting
PIA is particularly popular for torrenting -- P2P is allowed on all servers, MACE blocks malicious ads and trackers, and unlimited connections means every device is covered without thinking about it. NordVPN also supports P2P on dedicated servers and adds Threat Protection Pro, but the unlimited device count gives PIA an edge for households running multiple torrent clients simultaneously.
Who Should Pick Which
Choose PIA if you want the cheapest serious VPN, have more than 10 devices, or do heavy torrenting where the court-verified no-logs record is reassuring. Choose NordVPN if you need international server access, streaming across multiple Netflix regions, or want a faster protocol and cleaner jurisdiction. See our NordVPN review for full performance data, or compare on price with NordVPN vs IPVanish for another budget option.
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Bottom Line
PIA is the best budget VPN for heavy torrenting with unlimited devices. NordVPN is the better choice if you care about international server access, streaming, or faster speeds.