Reviewed by the VPNStreamer Team · Last updated: July 2026 · How we compare VPNs
Private Internet Access is our #6 pick overall on the full best VPN for Australia list — and our #1 pick specifically for torrenting, thanks to one feature most competitors have quietly dropped: port forwarding.
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Pros
Cons
Private Internet Access Pricing
| Plan | Price/mo | Billing |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Years (+2 months free) | $2.19 | Billed $56.94 every 26 months |
| 1 Year | $3.33 | Billed $39.99 every 12 months |
| 1 Month | $11.95 | Billed Monthly |
No free trial, but every plan carries a 30-day money-back guarantee. Refunds are requested via support ticket — you’ll need your account email and PIA order number, and refunds typically process within 5-10 business days. A dedicated IP add-on is available at $5/month across a handful of countries including the US, UK, Germany, and Australia.
Key Features
Protocol Support
PIA defaults to OpenVPN, with WireGuard available as a faster alternative on both desktop and mobile. Manual configuration options extend to L2TP/IPsec, PPTP, and SOCKS5 Proxy for advanced users. Encryption is customizable — AES-128 if you want to prioritize speed, or AES-256 for maximum security — a level of user control most competitors don’t offer.
DNS Service
PIA runs its own private DNS across its servers, avoiding reliance on a public-facing system.
Platforms Supported
Native apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux — PIA’s Linux support is genuinely full-featured with a proper GUI, ahead of most competitors who leave Linux users with command-line-only options. Router support is available for DD-WRT, Tomato, and pfSense.
Device Support
Unlimited simultaneous device connections — a real strength, matching Surfshark, and ahead of NordVPN’s and ExpressVPN’s per-device caps.
Ad-Blocking
PIA’s MACE feature blocks ad, tracker, and malware domains at the DNS level. It’s a binary on/off setting rather than a customizable filter list, so it’s a useful baseline rather than a full replacement for a dedicated ad blocker.
Privacy and Security
PIA’s standout privacy claim isn’t just marketing — its no-logs policy has been tested twice in US federal court (2015 and 2017), and on both occasions, PIA had no user data to hand over. That’s a rare, concrete proof point most VPNs can only claim, not demonstrate.
All apps are open source, meaning the code is publicly available for anyone to inspect — a meaningful transparency step beyond a written privacy policy alone. Advanced users get full control over encryption level, protocol choice, and port forwarding directly in the settings menu.
PIA is based in the United States, a Five Eyes member, and would be legally required to comply with a valid data request — but given nothing is logged in the first place, court history suggests there’s simply nothing to hand over. PIA’s parent company, Kape Technologies, also owns ExpressVPN and CyberGhost — see our full ownership breakdown for more.
Ease of Use
Sign-Up
Choose a plan, select a payment method (credit card, PayPal, Amazon Pay, or cryptocurrency), and create your account. Downloads are available from your confirmation email or directly from PIA’s website.
Setup and Interface
The app is straightforward at a glance — a connect/disconnect button and a map showing your current server — but has real depth underneath for anyone who wants it: port forwarding, DNS options, launch-on-startup behaviour, and detailed connection stats are all accessible from an expandable settings panel. Split tunneling is available on desktop, letting you route specific apps (banking, torrenting) differently from the rest of your traffic.
Advanced Features
Port forwarding is PIA’s headline feature for anyone torrenting seriously — available on most servers, and genuinely useful for improving seed/download speeds, something most major competitors, including ExpressVPN, no longer offer at all. A SOCKS5 proxy option is also available for faster (but unencrypted) connections, useful for streaming but not a substitute for the full VPN when torrenting.
Browser Extensions
Available for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera — useful for lightweight browser-level privacy on top of the full app.
Performance and Servers
PIA runs a very large network — tens of thousands of IP addresses across 90+ countries and roughly 91 server locations. We haven’t run our own lab-based speed tests on this specific connection (see our methodology), so treat performance claims as a reflection of current third-party benchmarks rather than an in-house result. Current independent testing generally places PIA’s US speeds competitively close to NordVPN, with international routes showing more variability — consistent with most VPNs, where distance to server matters more than which provider you’re using.
Streaming and Torrenting
PIA now works with Netflix and Amazon Prime Video reliably, with streaming-optimized servers and a dedicated IP add-on both improving consistency further. Some other platforms can be more hit-or-miss on regular servers. For torrenting, it’s genuinely one of the strongest options available — supported on all servers, with port forwarding to boost speeds and SOCKS5 proxy support alongside it.
SPECIAL OFFER – Save 82% on the 2-Year Plan
Customer Service
24/7 live chat, plus a genuinely extensive self-serve library — installation guides, troubleshooting articles, and a searchable knowledge base cover most common questions without needing to contact support at all.
FAQ
Does Private Internet Access work with Netflix?
Yes — it reliably unblocks Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, with streaming-optimized servers available for more consistent results on other platforms.
Who owns Private Internet Access?
Kape Technologies, which acquired PIA from London Trust Media in 2019. Kape also owns ExpressVPN and CyberGhost.
How many devices can I connect at once?
Unlimited simultaneous connections on a single subscription.
Does PIA keep logs?
No — and unusually, this has actually been tested: PIA’s no-logs claim held up under two separate US federal court data requests, with nothing to hand over on either occasion.
Does PIA have a kill switch?
Yes, blocking IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks if your connection drops. It may need to be manually enabled depending on your platform, so check your settings after installing.
Where is PIA based?
The United States — a Five Eyes intelligence-sharing member, worth knowing if jurisdiction is a high priority for you.
Is PIA Right for You?
If torrenting, deep customization, or genuinely proven no-logs privacy matter more to you than the absolute best streaming reliability, PIA is one of the strongest options available — and the clear pick on our list specifically for torrenting, thanks to port forwarding most competitors no longer offer. If you want the simplest possible experience or the most consistent streaming out of the box, NordVPN or Surfshark are worth comparing directly.
Alternatives to PIA
| NordVPN | Read Review | Visit Site |
| Surfshark | Read Review | Visit Site |
| IPVanish | Read Review | Visit Site |
