⚡ Quick Verdict:
- Pricing: Private Internet Access starts at $2.03/month on the 2-year plan. Virtual Shield starts at $9.58/mo.
- Best for: PIA VPN for privacy and unlimited simultaneous connections. VirtualShield for antivirus protection and identity protection in one app.
- Key difference: PIA covers 35,000 servers in 91 countries. Virtual Shield runs roughly 20 servers across 12 countries.
- Our pick: Private Internet Access for most vpn users, because it costs less and its strict no logs policy has been audited.
One of these two costs about $2 a month.
The other starts near $10 and throws in antivirus protection.
Private internet access and virtual shield are not chasing the same buyer.
One is a pure virtual private network built for power users.
The other is an all around security app for people who hate juggling three subscriptions.
Here is how they compare on price, privacy, and speed.
Overview
This Private Internet Access vs Virtual Shield comparison covers pricing, privacy, features, and support.
We reviewed documentation, pricing pages, and public user reviews for both vpn services.
Our writers also spent hands-on time with each app.
Those notes sit in the two “What Our Team Noticed” sections below.
By the end you will know which vpn service fits your internet connection.
What is Private Internet Access?
Private Internet Access is a vpn service that hides your real ip address.
It wraps your internet traffic inside an encrypted vpn tunnel.
Your internet provider sees scrambled data instead of your browser traffic.
PIA covers 35,000 vpn servers in 91 countries, including all 50 US states.
The private internet access vpn app runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile devices.
PIA supports browser extensions, a command line app, and the Apple App Store.
Here is the walkthrough if you would rather watch than read.
Private Internet Access
An affordable vpn with a Deloitte-audited no logs policy. Unlimited bandwidth, open-source apps, and unlimited devices on one account.
Private Internet Access Pricing
PIA offers three plans with no paywalled features.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Years + 4 Months | $2.03/month | Long-term privacy on a budget |
| 6 Months | $7.50/month | Medium commitment users |
| 1 Months | $11.99/month | Short-term testing |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: No open trial. You get a 30-day money back guarantee instead.
Money-back guarantee: Yes, 30 days from your purchase date.
📌 Note: PIA does not raise its price at renewal. Most vpn providers double the rate after year one, so this saves real money.
⚠️ Pricing conflict flagged: Some sources list PIA as $11.95 per month, $39.96 per year, or $79 for three years. Our CSV is the authority, so the table above stands. Check the checkout page before you pay.
Key Benefits of Private Internet Access
Here is what you actually get:
- Audited privacy: Deloitte verified the strict no logs policy through multiple audits. PIA stores no browsing history, connection data, identifying data, or dns queries.
- Every device you own: Unlimited simultaneous connections cover all your devices on one account. Most vpn providers stop at five or ten.
- Real price protection: Private internet access deals start near $2.03/month and the rate holds at renewal.
- Open code: PIA’s apps are open-source, so anyone can inspect them. Quarterly transparency reports list every legal request.
- MACE ad blocking: The built-in blocker kills ads and trackers at the dns level. No extra software needed.
- Power-user controls: Split tunneling, multi-hop routing, port forwarding, and a dedicated ip address are all available.
What Our Team Noticed
Our writer paid for a plan and used the pia app as a daily driver across laptop and phone. Here is what stood out from that hands-on time:
Private Internet Access Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Cheapest long-term plan at $2.03/month with no renewal price hike
- Unlimited simultaneous connections on a single account
- Strict no logs policy verified by Deloitte audits
- 35,000 servers in 91 countries, with coverage in all 50 US states
- Open-source apps, split tunneling, multi-hop, and MACE ad blocking
❌ Cons
- Average download speed loss of 49%, which hurts bandwidth-heavy work
- Unblocking streaming content is inconsistent, and BBC iPlayer can fail
- Owned by Kape Technologies, which some vpn users still distrust
What is Virtual Shield?
Virtual Shield is an online security suite, not just a vpn app.
It bundles a virtual private network with antivirus protection and identity protection.
The VirtualShield VPN piece encrypts your internet traffic through its own vpn server list.
Each session gives you a randomly generated connection ID instead of a fixed account ID.
That randomly generated connection adds an extra layer, so sessions are harder to tie to a single user.
The company is US-based and sells the whole bundle as one app.
This video shows the app and the dashboard in action.
Virtual Shield
VPN, antivirus, and dark web monitoring in one account. Built for a single user or a household that wants all around security without extra apps.
Virtual Shield Pricing
VirtualShield sells three tiers, and the gap between them is real.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $9.58/mo | Single user who wants the VPN only |
| Plus | $13.75/mo | VPN plus antivirus and dark web alerts |
| Ultimate | $20.41/mo | Full identity protection and monitoring |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: A 7-day trial is offered on the existing plan lineup.
Money-back guarantee: Yes, 30 days. The company does not offer refunds after that window closes.
📌 Note: Add-ons are billed separately. Unrestricted streaming runs $9.99 per month, premium phone support $14.99, and Protection Plus $12.99 for that monthly maintenance layer.
⚠️ Pricing conflict flagged: Other sources list the basic package at $10.99 monthly, $5.99 on yearly billing, $4.99 on 24-month billing, and a $15.99 family plan. Our CSV is the authority here. Payment is taken upfront for the full contract, and only major cards and PayPal are accepted.
Key Benefits of Virtual Shield
Here is where the bundle earns its keep:
- One app, three jobs: VPN, antivirus, and identity protection share a single dashboard. That is the sole purpose of the product.
- Dark web scanning: The service watches the dark web for your personal data and sends real-time alerts plus resolution help.
- Strong ciphers: AES 256-bit secures all traffic, with ChaCha20 and Poly1305 on the openvpn protocol stack.
- Offline defense: Antivirus and malware defense also cover local files and apps, which a plain vpn provider cannot do.
- Support that answers: The support team runs 24/7 live chat, and Trustpilot customers rate the customer experience 4.6 out of 5.
- Household coverage: The family plan connects up to 15 devices, versus three devices on the basic tier.
What Our Team Noticed
Our writer ran the VirtualShield app across desktop and mobile for everyday browsing and ID monitoring. Here is what came out of that:
Virtual Shield Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- VPN, antivirus, and identity protection under one subscription
- Dark web monitoring with real-time breach alerts and resolution help
- 24/7 live chat support with a 4.6 out of 5 Trustpilot score
- Family plan covers up to 15 devices at once
- Kill switch, ad blocking, and torrenting support on mainstream P2P services
❌ Cons
- Roughly 20 servers across 12 countries, a very small network
- No split tunneling, no dedicated IP servers, and no independent no-logs audit
- Billing complaints are common, with unexpected charges and refund friction
Feature Comparison
Let’s go feature by feature. We cover 10 areas plus pricing, so you can see exactly where each vpn provider pulls ahead.
| Feature | Private Internet Access | Virtual Shield |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $2.03/month | $9.58/mo |
| Server Locations | 35,000 in 91 countries | ~20 in 12 countries |
| Simultaneous Connections | Unlimited | 3 (15 on family plan) |
| Audited No-Logs Policy | ✅ | ❌ |
| Split Tunneling | ✅ | ❌ |
| Dedicated IP Address | ✅ | ❌ |
| Antivirus Protection | ✅ | ✅ |
| Dark Web Monitoring | Email breach alerts | ✅ Full monitoring |
| Kill Switch | ✅ Two modes | ✅ |
| Best For | Privacy and power users | All around security in one app |
1. Strict No Logs Policy and User Privacy
Private Internet Access: The privacy policy states PIA does not collect browsing history, connected content, user IPs, connection timestamps, bandwidth logs, or dns queries. Deloitte has verified that strict no logs policy through more than one audit. Only an email address and payment details are kept.
Virtual Shield: VirtualShield has a no activity logs policy and says browsing history and ip addresses are never saved. No third party has verified it. The company is US-based and sits inside the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance, which matters if jurisdiction is your deciding factor.
2. Encryption Level and VPN Protocols
Private Internet Access: You get AES 256-bit encryption over the openvpn protocol, or ChaCha20 on WireGuard. The encryption level is adjustable in settings, which most vpn apps hide. PIA also supports multi-hop, sending your traffic through two vpn servers.
Virtual Shield: AES 256-bit secures all traffic sent through its servers, paired with ChaCha20 and Poly1305. OpenVPN is the primary protocol for a successful connection. There is no WireGuard option and no multi-hop.
3. Server Locations and Network Size
Private Internet Access: Around 35,000 vpn servers spread across 91 countries, with a server in all 50 US states. That density means PIA’s servers usually include one close to you. Some are virtual servers rather than physical hardware.
Virtual Shield: Roughly 20 servers over 12 countries, and other counts put it at 11. However you slice it, this is a small network. Fewer server locations than other vpn providers means congestion at peak hours. The basic tier also caps your account’s simultaneous connections at three devices.
⚠️ Warning: Wondering how many servers you actually need? If you only connect from one country, network size matters less than the speed of the nearest vpn server.
4. Download Speeds and Connection Speeds
Private Internet Access: Average internet download speed loss sits near 49%, and upload loss is usually worse. Connection speed swings by server location and protocol, though the tunnel does stop isp throttling. On Windows, the OpenVPN protocol has posted better numbers than WireGuard in published speed tests.
Virtual Shield: US server speeds have been reported in the sub-50 Mbps range. Reviewers still call that above average for a network this small, and US users report fast speeds. OpenVPN over UDP is the recommended pick when you want high speed servers.
💡 Pro Tip: Neither service is ideal for bandwidth-intensive work. Both handle web browsing fine, and both leave unlimited bandwidth on the table for casual use.
5. Kill Switch and DNS Leak Protection
Private Internet Access: Two kill switch modes ship on Windows and macOS, a regular one and an advanced one. If the vpn connection drops, internet traffic stops before your actual ip address leaks. PIA runs its own dns servers, so dns requests never touch your ISP and dns leaks stay shut.
Virtual Shield: One kill switch blocks all internet traffic when the connection drops. It works, but it is not always on by default once you are vpn connected. There is no built-in dns leak test tool to confirm your data private status yourself.
6. Split Tunneling and Customization
Private Internet Access: Split tunneling lets you exclude specific apps and IP addresses from the vpn tunnel. Automation rules can connect or disconnect based on the network you join. Power users get encryption protocol switches and port forwarding too.
Virtual Shield: No split tunneling here. The app is deliberately simple, and the macOS build is the most basic of the set. Ad-blocking and webcam privacy prompts are the main extras you can toggle.
7. Antivirus and Malware Defense
Private Internet Access: Antivirus is an add-on rather than the headline. MACE blocks ads and trackers at the dns level, which cuts a lot of junk before it loads. Identity Guard adds data breach monitoring for your email.
Virtual Shield: Antivirus and malware defense cover offline files and applications, not just browser traffic. Special servers block harmful websites, intrusive adware, and ransomware attempts. This is the clearest thing VirtualShield does that a plain vpn service cannot.
Ransomware coverage sits in the same module.
8. Identity Protection and Dark Web Monitoring
Private Internet Access: Identity Guard alerts you when your email shows up in a breach. That is the extent of it. There is no broker removal and no wider monitoring of your private data.
Virtual Shield: The service monitors personal details across the dark web and fires real-time alerts with resolution assistance. Personal identity monitoring and data removal round out the package. If protecting your online identity is the point, this is the stronger half of the matchup.
Data removal and ongoing monitoring round out the identity side.
9. Streaming Services and Unblocking
Private Internet Access: Dedicated streaming servers handle Netflix, Disney Plus, and Amazon Prime Video most days. BBC iPlayer is the weak spot and has been flagged as inconsistent. Unblocking streaming content is not guaranteed on any single connection.
Virtual Shield: The service reaches Netflix content, Hulu, and Amazon Prime across major platforms by bypassing geographic blocks. Unrestricted streaming is a paid add-on at $9.99 per month. With so few server locations, your country options are thin.
10. Dedicated IP Address, Port Forwarding, and Online Gaming
Private Internet Access: A dedicated ip address is available as an add-on, which cuts CAPTCHAs and helps with incoming connections. Port forwarding supports servers and peer-to-peer work. For online gaming, a nearby vpn server plus a dedicated IP keeps latency sane.
Virtual Shield: No dedicated IP servers and no port forwarding. Torrenting is allowed and works with mainstream P2P providers. Gamers will find the server list too short to matter.
11. Pricing & Cost
Here are both ladders side by side.
| Tier | Private Internet Access | Virtual Shield |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | 2 Years + 4 Months — $2.03/month | Basic — $9.58/mo |
| Middle | 6 Months — $7.50/month | Plus — $13.75/mo |
| Top | 1 Months — $11.99/month | Ultimate — $20.41/mo |
| Refund window | 30-day money back guarantee | 30-day money back guarantee |
Private Internet Access: Even PIA’s most expensive plan costs more than $2 less than VirtualShield’s cheapest. This is a cheap vpn with a clear pricing structure and no hidden costs. The catch is that antivirus and identity tools are extras, not included.
Virtual Shield: You are buying three products, so compare it against a VPN plus antivirus plus an ID service, not against a VPN alone. Judged as a vpn provider on its own, it is expensive for 20 servers. Judged as a security bundle, the price reads differently.
Different Scenarios
| If You Need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tight budget | Private Internet Access | Under $2.50 vs $9.58 |
| Antivirus in the same app | Virtual Shield | Offline malware defense |
| Many server locations | Private Internet Access | 91 countries vs 12 |
| Dark web monitoring | Virtual Shield | Full identity protection |
| All your devices covered | Private Internet Access | Unlimited connections |
| Audited privacy proof | Private Internet Access | Deloitte no-logs audits |
💰 Your Budget
PIA costs roughly a quarter of Virtual Shield at the entry tier. If money is the deciding factor, this is a short conversation.
🔌 Your Tech Stack
Already paying for antivirus and an ID monitor? Then a standalone vpn service is the cheaper route. If you own neither, the bundle removes two bills.
📝 Your Privacy Standard
PIA’s no-logs claim has been checked by outside auditors and tested in court. VirtualShield’s has not been audited, and jurisdiction is an important factor for security and privacy.
🎓 Your Experience Level
Virtual Shield is easier to hand to a non-technical relative. PIA rewards people who like settings, protocols, and manual control.
🆓 Free Trials and Demos
Neither runs an open free tier. Both carry a 30-day money back guarantee, so buy the shortest plan and test before you commit.
🛟 Support Options
VirtualShield wins here. Its customer support runs 24/7 live chat, and reviewers name individual tech support reps as super helpful and quick to respond. Premium phone support costs extra.
Switching Guide
Already on one of these? Here is what changes.
🔄 Switching from Private Internet Access to Virtual Shield?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Antivirus and ransomware defense on local files
- Dark web monitoring with resolution assistance
- 24/7 live chat and optional premium phone support
❌ What you’ll lose:
- Unlimited simultaneous connections, down to three devices
- Split tunneling, port forwarding, and a dedicated ip address
- Thousands of server locations and audited no-logs proof
📋 How to switch:
- Note your PIA renewal date, then cancel inside the account dashboard
- Start the VirtualShield trial and pick your plan tier
- Install on your three devices and enable the kill switch manually
🔄 Switching from Virtual Shield to Private Internet Access?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- A far lower bill and no renewal price increase
- 35,000 servers, unlimited devices, and unlimited bandwidth
- Split tunneling, multi-hop, MACE, and open-source apps
❌ What you’ll lose:
- Bundled antivirus and offline malware scanning
- Full dark web and personal identity monitoring
- Phone support and the named-rep customer experience
📋 How to switch:
- Request cancellation in writing, since refunds stop after 30 days
- Buy the PIA plan that matches your commitment length
- Install the pia app everywhere, then turn on MACE and the kill switch
What Our Review Didn’t Cover
This comparison focused on individuals and households. We did not evaluate business deployments, router-level rollouts at scale, or how either service behaves in heavily censored regions. Add-on billing across a full contract cycle was not tracked. If you are buying for a team, your priorities will differ.
Final Verdict
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| 💰 Pricing | Private Internet Access |
| 🔒 Privacy and Logging | Private Internet Access |
| 🌍 Server Locations | Private Internet Access |
| ⚡ Speed | Virtual Shield |
| 🛡️ Antivirus and Identity | Virtual Shield |
| 👶 Ease of Use | Virtual Shield |
| 🔧 Advanced Controls | Private Internet Access |
| 🏆 Overall Winner | Private Internet Access |
🏆 WINNER: PRIVATE INTERNET ACCESS
Private Internet Access wins 4 of 7 categories.
Best for: budget privacy, unlimited devices, power users who want control over vpn protocols
These are two different products wearing the same label. Private internet access makes a focused vpn service and sells it cheaply. Virtual Shield sells a security bundle where the VPN is one of three parts.
Virtual Shield is excellent if you want one app to handle antivirus protection, identity protection, and a vpn connection. In my not so humble opinion, its support team earns extra points.
But for most vpn users, PIA is the better buy. You get more servers, more devices, audited privacy, and a lower price. If you want a quality vpn and nothing else, this is a top tier vpn at a budget rate.
More of Private Internet Access Compared
Here is how PIA lands against the competitors people actually cross-shop:
Private Internet Access vs NordVPN
PIA wins on: unlimited simultaneous connections, a larger raw server count, adjustable encryption settings
NordVPN wins on: lower speed loss under load, steadier streaming access, a polished threat-blocking suite
Private Internet Access vs ExpressVPN
PIA wins on: price per month across every tier, device limits, open-source client code
ExpressVPN wins on: raw throughput, consistency on distant servers, broader unblocking of regional catalogues
Private Internet Access vs Proton VPN
PIA wins on: cheaper paid tiers, far more server locations, port forwarding for P2P work
Proton VPN wins on: Swiss jurisdiction outside Five Eyes, a usable free plan, Secure Core routing
More of Virtual Shield Compared
And here is where VirtualShield sits against its closest rivals:
Virtual Shield vs AuraVPN
Virtual Shield wins on: simpler dashboard, named live chat agents, cheaper entry into identity monitoring
AuraVPN wins on: more server locations, broader family coverage tiers, stronger credit-side monitoring
Virtual Shield vs McAfee VPN
Virtual Shield wins on: a lighter app, dark web alerts included at mid tier, no upsell-heavy installer
McAfee VPN wins on: antivirus depth, price when bundled with existing security, wider device support
Virtual Shield vs CyberGhost
Virtual Shield wins on: bundled antivirus, identity alerts, phone support as a paid option
CyberGhost wins on: thousands of servers, purpose-built streaming locations, much lower monthly cost
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Private Internet Access safe?
Yes. It uses AES 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and a no-logs policy audited by Deloitte. The apps are open-source, so anyone can inspect the code.
How much does PIA VPN cost?
Three plans: $2.03/month on the 2 Years + 4 Months deal, $7.50/month for 6 Months, and $11.99/month for 1 Months. All carry a 30-day refund window.
Is VirtualShield legit?
Yes. It is a US-based security company with a 4.6 Trustpilot score and 24/7 live chat. The common complaints involve billing and refunds, not the software itself.
Which VPN is better than PIA?
NordVPN and ExpressVPN beat it on speed and streaming. Proton VPN wins on jurisdiction. On price and device limits, almost nothing beats it.
What does VirtualShield do?
It combines a VPN, antivirus, and identity protection in one app. The service also scans the dark web for your personal data and sends real-time breach alerts.
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