Private Internet Access vs Proton VPN
Proton VPN has the higher grade on both axes: Safety 7.3 against 6.3, and Privacy 6.4 against 6.2.
Private Internet Access
US VPN with open-source apps; crypto is no longer listed, gift cards still are
Privacy
6.2/ 10
Fair
Safety
6.3/ 10
Fair
No ID mentioned KYC 1 Docs reviewed Full review →
Proton VPN
Swiss VPN with a free tier; paid plans payable in Bitcoin or cash
Privacy
6.4/ 10
Fair
Safety
7.3/ 10
Strong
No ID mentioned KYC 1 Docs reviewed Full review →
Side by side
| Private Internet Access | Proton VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | VPNs | VPNs |
| KYC policy | No ID mentioned | No ID mentioned |
| Custody | N/A | N/A |
| Sign-up | Email required | Email required |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Tor onion address | No | No |
| Coins | Not published | BTC |
| Pay with | Card, PayPal, Gift card | Crypto, Cash, Card, PayPal, Bank transfer |
| Fees | Subscription plans; 30-day refund window per the terms | Not published |
| Founded | Not published | 2017 |
| Jurisdiction | United States | Switzerland |
| Incidents on record | 0 | 0 |
| Published tests (180 days) | 0 | 0 |
Only Private Internet Access
No-logs policy
Both
Requires emailOpen sourceLegal entity disclosed
Only Proton VPN
Accepts cash5+ years operating
Where they sit among vpns
Questions
Is Private Internet Access or Proton VPN safer?
Proton VPN has the higher Safety grade: Private Internet Access 6.3, Proton VPN 7.3, out of 10.
Does Private Internet Access or Proton VPN require KYC?
Private Internet Access is KYC level 1 (no ID mentioned). Proton VPN is KYC level 1 (no ID mentioned).
Which has more incidents on record?
Private Internet Access has 0 and Proton VPN has 0 documented incidents in the registry.