NordVPN (founded 2012, Panama, Nord Security group) has had its no-logs policy independently verified six times, most recently by Deloitte in December 2025. Private Internet Access (founded 2010, United States, owned by Kape Technologies) has open-source clients and a no-logs record tested in court — the most concrete form of real-world validation. The clearest difference is jurisdiction: Panama is outside 5/9/14 Eyes, while the US is the founding member of the 5 Eyes. Neither is universally better — the right choice depends on what kind of evidence you trust most.
VPN comparison
NordVPN vs Private Internet Access: An Honest Comparison
By Editorial Team · Last updated 25 June 2026
NordVPN vs Private Internet Access: the verified facts
| VPN | Trust & certifications | pricing | money-back | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN Since 2012 | Independent no-logs audit (Deloitte, 2025) | — | — | |
| Private Internet Access Since 2010 | Open-source clients; court-tested no-logs | — | — |
NordVPN Since 2012
- Trust & certifications
- Independent no-logs audit (Deloitte, 2025)
- pricing
- —
- money-back
- —
Private Internet Access Since 2010
- Trust & certifications
- Open-source clients; court-tested no-logs
- pricing
- —
- money-back
- —
Only fields we can verify (certifications, confirmed specs, launch year) are shown.
How do they compare on the facts?
NordVPN was founded in 2012 and is incorporated in Panama, a jurisdiction outside the 5/9/14 Eyes intelligence-sharing alliances with no mandatory data-retention framework. Its parent group is Nord Security, which also owns Surfshark. NordVPN's no-logs policy has been independently verified six times, with the most recently disclosed assurance engagement conducted by Deloitte and reported December 2025. The repeated engagement with named global firms — six times over the product's life — represents an unusually deep audit commitment for a consumer VPN. Nord Security's dual-brand structure (NordVPN and Surfshark sharing a parent) is worth noting if single-group ownership is a concern.
Private Internet Access was founded in 2010 and is based in the United States — squarely inside the 5 Eyes. It is owned by Kape Technologies, the same parent that owns ExpressVPN and CyberGhost. PIA's clients are fully open-source, meaning the no-logs architecture can be independently inspected at the code level, not just taken on the provider's word. The most distinctive credential is its courtroom record: on multiple occasions involving subpoenas and law-enforcement requests, PIA had no usable user data to hand over. That is the most concrete form of no-logs validation available to any VPN — audits assess configuration at a point in time, but a real legal request tests what data actually exists.
Who suits whom?
NordVPN is the stronger fit if jurisdiction and named-firm audit depth are your primary criteria. Panama's position outside the 5/9/14 Eyes means there is no automatic intelligence-sharing obligation with the US, UK, or other major Western signatories. Six independent no-logs assurance engagements — the most recent by a globally recognised firm — represent a track record that few providers can match. If you also want Surfshark's features or server network, Nord Security's group structure means the two sit under one parent; if you want to avoid that shared ownership, look outside the group.
Private Internet Access suits users who weight open-source verifiability and a real-world courtroom no-logs record above jurisdiction. PIA's open-source clients mean you are not taking the provider's word — the code is inspectable. The subpoena record is arguably the hardest privacy evidence any VPN can produce: legal compulsion to hand over data, and nothing to give. The US jurisdiction is a genuine disadvantage relative to Panama, but for users whose threat model centres on data-retention practices rather than cross-border intelligence sharing, PIA's demonstrated track record may carry more weight. Note that Kape Technologies' ownership of three major VPN brands simultaneously (ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, PIA) is a concentration worth factoring into any independence assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for privacy, NordVPN or Private Internet Access?
Both have strong privacy credentials — just different kinds. NordVPN has a Panama jurisdiction (outside 5/9/14 Eyes) and six named-firm no-logs audit engagements, the most recent by Deloitte (December 2025). PIA has open-source clients (independently inspectable code) and a court-tested no-logs record (subpoenas with no user data to produce). If jurisdiction and audit depth are your priorities, NordVPN has the edge. If open-source verifiability and a real-world legal test are more persuasive, PIA's record is harder to manufacture.
Is it a problem that PIA is based in the US?
It depends on your threat model. The US is the founding member of the 5 Eyes alliance, which means US law-enforcement can issue legal requests under US process. However, PIA's courtroom record is the most concrete counter-evidence: when served with real subpoenas, PIA had no user data to hand over — because it did not hold any. For users concerned about cross-border intelligence sharing, the US base is a genuine issue. For users concerned primarily about whether the provider holds any identifying data, PIA's court record addresses that directly.
Does PIA have open-source apps?
Yes. Private Internet Access publishes open-source clients across its main platforms, meaning the no-logs architecture can be independently inspected at the code level by anyone with the skills to do so. That is the same standard as Proton VPN and Mullvad, and distinguishes PIA from NordVPN, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost and Surfshark, which have not open-sourced their clients.
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