Pow VPN vs Private Internet Access: Which Should You Choose?
Private Internet Access is one of the better-known names in the VPN category. If you're deciding between Private Internet Access and Pow VPN, here's an honest look at where each one actually stands out -- not a one-sided takedown.
Private Internet Access at a glance
| Jurisdiction | the United States |
| Primary protocol | WireGuard and OpenVPN |
| Network | a very large number of served locations and a fully open-source app codebase |
| Standout feature | granular encryption settings that advanced users can tune manually |
| Pricing pattern | inexpensive on multi-year plans, part of the same corporate group as several other brands on this page |
Where Private Internet Access does well
- Open-source clients that security researchers can and do inspect.
- Court-tested no-logs claim: PIA has been asked to produce logs in real legal cases and had none to hand over.
- Deep customization for users who want to tune cipher and handshake settings.
Private Internet Access is a solid pick for technical users who want to tune their own encryption settings and value the court-tested no-logs history.
Where Pow VPN is the better fit
- Plans sized to how many devices you actually have -- 1 device on Lite, 2 on Max, 3 on Elite -- instead of one fixed price for everyone.
- AmneziaWG (an obfuscated WireGuard variant) and VLESS Reality, both designed to blend in on networks and countries that actively block ordinary VPN traffic.
- No browsing activity, DNS query or destination logs kept at the network layer -- session metadata used for abuse prevention is short-lived and never includes what you visited.
- A real free plan (2 GB every month on Lite locations) and a genuine 3-day, 10 GB trial before you enter a card for a paid plan.
- One price shown once -- no countdown-timer discounts that quietly renew at a much higher rate.
Pricing side by side
Pow VPN's paid plans start at $1.59/month (Lite, 1 device), $2.99/month (Max, 2 devices) and $4.59/month (Elite, 3 devices) on monthly billing, dropping further on 3-month and annual terms -- see the pricing page for the current annual rates. Compare that against Private Internet Access's pricing pattern above and pick based on how many devices you actually need to cover and which protocol matters more for your network.
Bottom line
Private Internet Access suits technical users who want to tune their own encryption settings and value the court-tested no-logs history. If you'd rather pay only for the devices you use, connect through obfuscated protocols built for restrictive networks, and know exactly what is (and isn't) logged, try Pow VPN free -- no card required to start.