PIA and ExpressVPN finish almost exactly level in our comparison, 3.64/5 each. ExpressVPN edges it by a fraction, but this is as close as head-to-heads get, and the two providers could hardly feel more different in practice. There is also a detail neither markets loudly: they are owned by the same company.
The one fact that frames everything
Both Private Internet Access and ExpressVPN belong to Kape Technologies. That matters, because a lot of people compare VPNs partly on trust, and if Kape ownership is a dealbreaker for you, it is a dealbreaker for both. Choosing between them does not let you escape it. Our who owns your VPN guide explains why the corporate parent is worth knowing before you subscribe.
With that on the table, the two products still target opposite buyers.
ExpressVPN: fast, polished, expensive
ExpressVPN’s strengths are speed and streaming. It scores 5/5 on both, with its Lightway protocol delivering consistent top-tier speeds and reliable access to Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, Prime Video and the rest, rated Excellent across the board in our streaming data. Its British Virgin Islands base earns a 5/5 jurisdiction score, outside every intelligence alliance, and it runs a public bug bounty, which we score 5/5.
The catch is price. At roughly $8.32/month on the annual plan, ExpressVPN is one of the pricier mainstream providers, well above PIA. You are paying for polish and performance. Our ExpressVPN review covers whether that premium lands for you.
One weak spot stands out in our data: leak protection scores just 1/5, reflecting a documented past data-leak issue. It is the area where the more expensive provider actually trails the cheaper one.
PIA: cheap, configurable, privacy-proven
PIA scores the same 3.64/5 by winning on a different set of criteria. Price is the headline, one of the cheapest audited VPNs available on long plans. It offers unlimited simultaneous devices against ExpressVPN’s 8, includes a genuine ad-blocker (5/5, where ExpressVPN scores 0), and posts a perfect 5/5 on leak protection, the exact area ExpressVPN struggles with.
Its privacy record is strong in a way audits alone cannot match: PIA’s no-logs policy has been tested in US court cases where it had no data to hand over. Its apps are open source. The weaknesses are a US jurisdiction (3/5 against ExpressVPN’s 5/5), slightly lower speed (4/5), and less consistent streaming (3.5/5). Our PIA review and does PIA keep logs go deeper.
Want to compare all VPNs side by side? Check our full VPN comparison table with scores across 18 criteria.
Head to head on what matters
Speed goes to ExpressVPN, 5/5 against 4/5, noticeable over long distances. Streaming is a clearer ExpressVPN win, 5/5 against 3.5/5, so if unblocking is your priority it is the safer pick. Jurisdiction favours ExpressVPN too, BVI over the US.
Leak protection flips the other way, PIA’s 5/5 against ExpressVPN’s 1/5, which is a genuine mark against the pricier option. Ad-blocking and device count also go to PIA, along with price by a wide margin. Logging is close: both are audited, but PIA’s court-tested record is arguably the stronger proof. Our does ExpressVPN keep logs piece covers Express’s side.
So the near-tie in the overall score is real. ExpressVPN buys you speed, streaming and jurisdiction. PIA buys you price, devices, ad-blocking and leak protection. Neither dominates.
How to choose
Choose ExpressVPN if streaming and speed are your top priorities, you want a non-US jurisdiction, and the higher price is acceptable. Choose PIA if you want strong value, unlimited devices, better leak protection, and a no-logs policy proven in court, and you can live with US jurisdiction and merely-good streaming.
But here is the honest broader point. Both sit around 3.64/5, both are Kape-owned, and both are beaten in our table by providers under different ownership. If the Kape question bothers you, or you simply want a higher score, NordVPN leads at 4.63/5 with independent ownership, and Proton VPN follows at 4.24/5. For many readers weighing PIA against ExpressVPN, the better answer is a third option.
PIA and ExpressVPN tie at 3.64/5, and the choice really comes down to priorities. ExpressVPN wins speed, streaming and jurisdiction but costs far more and trails badly on leak protection. PIA wins price, unlimited devices, ad-blocking and leak protection, with a court-tested no-logs record, at the cost of US jurisdiction. Both are Kape-owned, though, so if that concerns you, or you want a higher overall score, NordVPN and Proton VPN are the stronger picks under different ownership.