Private Internet Access, or PIA for short, is an established VPN service provider. It bills itself as the “world’s most trusted VPN,” and as the name implies, privacy iterates first.
Private Internet Access is a lightweight VPN that users may extensively customise to their own needs. It provides excellent security and decent speeds, but falls short when it comes to unblocking region-locked content or bypassing government censorship in places such as China. Rather than those who wish to stream video and unblock content, I recommend it to sports streaming and other users who use a VPN to maintain privacy.
What are the alternatives to Private Internet Access (PIA) to watch sports abroad
Here are few of the top alternatives to Private Interne to stream sports abroad:
Why Private Internet Access (PIA)
Private Internet Access (PIA) is a capable VPN provider that is currently owned by Kape, which also owns CyberGhost, ZenMate, and ExpressVPN.
The ‘NextGen VPN Network’ of the firm includes locations in 83 countries across the world. (This is an increase from 78 in our previous analysis, as PIA has expanded into Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Indonesia, and Malaysia.)
We’re not talking about cheap-cost shared servers here. NextGen servers, according to PIA, “have better hardware components,” feature “10Gbps network cards instead of 1Gbps,” employ RAM discs to ensure “all sensitive information is lost as soon as the server loses power,” and now support both WireGuard and OpenVPN.
This VPN network is accessible via apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux, browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera, and detailed setup tutorials for routers and many other device types.
PIA may connect up to ten devices at the same time. That’s twice the allowance you’ll get with many VPNs, however Windscribe and Surfshark have no limits at all.
The extras range from the simple and straightforward (built-in blocking of ads, trackers, and known malicious websites) to the more low-level and technical: a SOCKS5 proxy for extra speed, port forwarding support, the ability to choose your preferred encryption, authentication, and handshaking methods, and more.
If it sounds too complicated for you, don’t worry – there’s always live chat support available to walk you through any tricky bits.
Private Internet Access (PIA) Features
Flexible Encryption
VPN service providers frequently force users to use fixed encryption rates. While this can be an idiot-proof way for keeping users safe, it limits your flexibility.
The higher the encryption rate employed, the more secure your data. Unfortunately, this safety comes at the expense of potential speed sacrifice. While those of you who use modern, powerful devices will be mainly OK, the extra overhead can be crippling on slower devices at times.
We don’t always need to run our VPNs with full encryption. The ability to adjust encryption rates allows you to tune your PIA client to benefit in certain scenarios, such as while downloading large files.
Full Security
Aside from the benefit of adjustable encryption, PIA offers users with a choice of extra security options. Even though they have their own implementation of several standard features, they are not unique to PIA.
Among the security features you’ll discover are:
- VPN Kill Switch
- PIA MACE
- Proxy
- No Logging
- Choice of Nameserver
Decent Speeds
The performance of PIA varies greatly among countries and even servers. This trait is not unique and will be shared by all VPN service providers.
To demonstrate how quick PIA is, we ran sets of speed tests (with and without PIA active) for five different locations. While the dataset is not definitive, it may be used as a general indicator of their overall service quality.
Massive Server Farm
PIA advertises a vast network of servers, with about 30,000 of them located in 77 countries. While not entirely indicative of quality, this coverage is significantly more accessible. Even some top-tier providers fall short in comparison. Surfshark, for example, has 3,200 servers across 65 countries.
The significance of availability isn’t seen until you need to accomplish something specific. If you want to bypass geo-blocks in specific regions, make sure you sign up with a provider that has coverage as good as PIA.
User Friendly
While you may be surprised to learn that I like this, not all services are simple to use. This is especially true for more technical services such as VPNs. Despite the fact that it provides a wide range of options, PIA is simple to use.
Once installed, the software is quite easy to use. You won’t waste time looking for what you need to accomplish thanks to the user-friendly interface. The only exception is changing the server by right-clicking on the PIA notification icon.
- Installation on Linux is a Breeze
- Available in 19 Languages
Connect Up To 10 Devices
PIA allows you to connect up to ten devices to their service at the same time. Having a high device allowance is more critical than you would think. When I first started using VPNs, I only had one laptop and one smartphone. In my home now, I run more than eight devices.
Consider the VPN to be protection for the entire family, rather than just yourself. That means your PIA subscription may cover all of your home’s devices for a single, low price.
If you’re thinking of being smart and working around this by installing PIA on your router, I’m sorry to disillusion you. While it is possible, your speeds will be snail’s pace. Most routers can handle some encryption, although they weren’t designed to do so.
PIA is available for a wide range of platforms. These include:
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
- Android
- iOS
Browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera are also possible.
Reasonable Plan Duration and Prices
Unlike some VPN providers that try to lock you in for extremely long contracts, PIA offers a maximum discount on their 2-year plan. That sums up to about $2.69 per month, which is a low rate for a VPN service.
To put this into perspective, a month’s worth of PIA would cost less than a Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino. Sure, you can find lower prices, but not many with this combination of price, features, and performance.
Aside from the low cost of the 2-year plan, you also get an additional two months free, making your account valid for 26 months. PLUS, you’ll receive a free subscription to Boxcryptor, a cloud storage encryption service.
However, bear in mind that, like with all other VPNs, signing up for shorter durations is typically prohibitively expensive.
1-Month | 12-Month | 24-Month | |
Price | $9.95 | $39.96 | $64.56 |
Billing Cycle | 1-Month | 12-Month | 24-Month |
Large volumes of VPN encryption will simply overwhelm the majority of consumer routers.
Pros and Cons of Private Internet Access (PIA)
What streaming services can I access with Private Internet Access (PIA) abroad
Streaming Services | Nature |
Sling TV | Sports |
Hulu TV | Sports |
Amazon Prime Video | Sports |
Disney+ | Sports |
ESPN+ | Sports |
CNBC | Sports |
ABC Go | Sports |
BBC iPlayer | Sports |
HBO Max | Sports |
DAZN | Sports |
YouTube TV | Sports |
Hotstar | Sports |
Foxtel Now | Sports |
Paramount Plus | Sports |
DirecTV | Sports |
fuboTV | Sports |
MLB.Tv | Sports |
NBA League Pass | Sports |
BeIN Sports | Sports |
Fox Sports | Sports |
TSN Direct | Sports |
NHL LIVE | Sports |
Sportsnet Now | Sports |
BT Sports | Sports |
NOW Pass | Sports |
Sky Sports | Sports |
The Athletic | Sports |
Facebook Live | Sports |
EFL iFollow | Sports |
Premier Sports | Sports |
NOW TV Player | Sports |
Sky Go | Sports |
meWatch | Sports |
SuperSport | Sports |
Peacock | Sports |
HesGoal | Sports |
Verizon Fios | Sports |
Foxtel Now | Sports |
Kayo | Sports |
Stan Sport | Sports |
USTV | Sports |
ITV | Sports |
Vudu | Sports |