Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access is a US-based consumer VPN service operating 35,000+ servers across 90 countries, offering encrypted internet access, IP masking, and privacy tools to individual consumers, remote workers, and streaming users through subscription plans, and owned by Kape Technologies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersGrandville, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Private Internet Access does
Private Internet Access (PIA) is a US-based consumer virtual private network (VPN) service founded in 2010 and headquartered in Grandville, Michigan. PIA provides encrypted internet connections, IP address masking, and privacy protection across unlimited simultaneous devices, operating a NextGen network of more than 35,000 servers spanning 90 countries including all 50 US states. The service is built on open-source applications supporting WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols, RAM-only server architecture with routine reboots, and 10Gbps network cards, with security and privacy claims independently verified through multiple Deloitte audits and proven in court proceedings. The core product is differentiated by features including MACE (built-in ad/tracker/malware blocking), Multi-Hop double-VPN routing, and split tunneling, with premium add-ons for Dedicated IP addresses and a privacy-first Windows antivirus.
PIA operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kape Technologies plc, a London Stock Exchange-listed digital privacy and security group that also owns CyberGhost and ExpressVPN. Revenue is generated almost entirely through tiered subscription billing — monthly at $11.95, annual at $3.33/month, or a 3-year plan at $1.33/month ($79 total) — supplemented by antivirus and dedicated IP add-ons. The go-to-market motion is product-led: direct-to-consumer digital sales via privateinternetaccess.com, mobile app stores (iOS, Android), browser extension marketplaces (Chrome, Firefox), router firmware partnerships, and a network of affiliate and influencer referral partners. The company targets privacy-conscious individual consumers, streaming and entertainment users, remote workers, travelers, and increasingly industrial IoT/enterprise use cases requiring static IPs, with no disclosed enterprise anchor accounts.
The company is led by CEO Ted Kim, with co-founder Andrew Lee historically associated with the brand, and operates with 51-100 employees. Recent strategic activity centers on the March 2026 OpenBoundary initiative — a server-level CSAM blocking toolkit developed with the Internet Watch Foundation and open-sourced alongside sister brands — signaling an effort to influence industry privacy standards while expanding PIA's adjacent product surface through antivirus and dedicated IP offerings.
Private Internet Access firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Private Internet Access
- Legal name
- PIA Private Internet Access, Inc.
- Website
- https://privateinternetaccess.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Private Internet Access is a US-based consumer VPN service operating 35,000+ servers across 90 countries, offering encrypted internet access, IP masking, and privacy tools to individual consumers, remote workers, and streaming users through subscription plans, and owned by Kape Technologies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Private Internet Access industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Virtual Private Network (VPN) Services
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)
- akta.pro primary industry
- VPN & Remote Access Gateways (HDADABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Network Security Services (Firewall/VPN/ZTNA/SASE Integration) (BPAEAEAG), Home Network & Wi‑Fi Security (Router/Firewall) Services (HSAHAJAB)
Keywords
Where Private Internet Access is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Grandville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Private Internet Access business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- VPN Subscription (Recurring): PIA generates revenue primarily through tiered subscription plans billed monthly, annually, or multi-year (3 years). The service offers three main tiers: monthly at $11.95/mo, annual at $3.33/mo ($39.95/year), and 3-year plan at $1.33/mo ($79/3 years). Additional revenue comes from optional add-ons including Privacy-First Antivirus and Dedicated IP addresses. The company also earns commissions through its affiliate and influencer programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly Plan - $11.95/month |
| Subscription | Annual | 1-Year Plan - $3.33/month (89% off) |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 3-Year + 3 Months - $1.33/month (89% off) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
Private Internet Access product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Private Internet Access sells a consumer VPN subscription service that encrypts internet traffic, masks IP addresses, and routes user connections through more than 35,000 servers in 90 countries, supporting unlimited simultaneous devices across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, and compatible routers. The service is built on open-source applications with a verified no-logs policy, and is monetized through tiered monthly, annual, and multi-year subscription plans, with optional add-ons including a Windows privacy-first antivirus and dedicated IP addresses.
Product overview
Private Internet Access offers a unified VPN service platform with multiple add-on modules and features. The core product is PIA VPN, a virtual private network service providing encrypted internet connections, IP masking, and privacy protection. Add-on modules include Privacy-First Antivirus (for Windows malware protection), Dedicated IP (static IP addresses), and VPN Router configuration. The service also includes integrated features such as MACE (ad/tracker/malware blocking), Multi-Hop (double VPN chaining), and Split Tunneling. All offerings share the same underlying infrastructure of NextGen servers across 90 countries, support unlimited device connections, and operate under a verified no-logs policy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- PIA VPN Core consumer VPN service providing encrypted internet connections, IP masking, and privacy protection across unlimited simultaneous devices with servers in 90 countries; supports WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols and includes built-in MACE ad/tracker/malware blocking.
- Privacy-First Antivirus
Quantifiable outcome
- Successfully accessed Netflix catalogs in US, Japan, and Canada
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Private Internet Access
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Private Internet Access technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Private Internet Access partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)corePIA, along with fellow Kape Technologies brands CyberGhost and ExpressVPN, is participating in the OpenBoundary initiative. This is a server-level CSAM blocking toolkit developed in partnership with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) that blocks known child sexual abuse material domains at the DNS level without traffic inspection or encryption breaking. The technology is being open-sourced under the 'Not on My Network' initiative to encourage other VPNs, ISPs, and cloud platforms to adopt similar safeguards while preserving audited no-logs privacy policies.
- Kape Technologies (Parent Company)corePIA is owned by Kape Technologies, which also owns CyberGhost and ExpressVPN. Kape Technologies previously operated as Crossrider. PIA participates in company-wide initiatives like the OpenBoundary CSAM blocking partnership alongside sister brands.
- Deloitte Audit RomaniacoreDeloitte Audit Romania conducts independent third-party audits of PIA's no-logs policy, verifying that RAM-only architecture and routine server reboots ensure no persistent data storage. These audits confirm PIA's privacy claims.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Private Internet Access competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Surfshark: Consumer-focused VPN with similar subscription tiers, unlimited device support, and no-logs claims. Competes head-to-head with PIA on price and streaming unblocking.
- NordVPN (Nord Security): One of the largest consumer VPN providers globally, with similar WireGuard/OpenVPN support, subscription pricing, and global server footprint. Closest direct competitor to PIA in the consumer segment.
- Mullvad VPN: Privacy-first consumer VPN with anonymous account creation and audited infrastructure. Competes with PIA in the privacy-purist segment, though smaller in scale.
- Windscribe: Consumer VPN with built-in ad/tracker blocking (R.O.B.E.R.T.) comparable to PIA's MACE feature. Competes in the same privacy-tools category with freemium and paid tiers.
- ExpressVPN: Direct competitor in the consumer VPN market; owned by Kape Technologies (sister brand to PIA), offering subscription VPN with similar protocols, server network, and no-logs positioning. Highly comparable product, pricing tiers, and target audience.
- VyprVPN: Consumer VPN offering similar protocol support, no-logs claims, and global server coverage. Competes directly with PIA for streaming and privacy-conscious users.
- CyberGhost VPN: Direct competitor and sister brand under Kape Technologies. Offers consumer VPN with streaming-optimized servers, no-logs policy, and tiered subscription pricing — directly overlapping PIA's product and GTM.
- Proton VPN: Swiss-based privacy-focused VPN with audited no-logs policy and a freemium tier. Comparable privacy positioning to PIA and a direct alternative for security-conscious consumers.
- IPVanish: US-based consumer VPN offering unlimited device connections and tiered subscriptions — direct overlap with PIA on pricing, features, and target buyer.
Emerging players
- TunnelBear: Consumer VPN (acquired by McAfee) focused on simplicity and beginner users. Smaller network than PIA but targets overlapping entry-level VPN buyers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Private Internet Access social profiles
Digital presencePrivate Internet Access compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Private Internet Access financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Private Internet Access leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Private Internet Access funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Private Internet Access M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Private Internet Access
What does Private Internet Access do?
Private Internet Access sells a consumer VPN subscription service that encrypts internet traffic, masks IP addresses, and routes user connections through more than 35,000 servers in 90 countries, supporting unlimited simultaneous devices across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, and compatible routers. The service is built on open-source applications with a verified no-logs policy, and is monetized through tiered monthly, annual, and multi-year subscription plans, with optional add-ons including a Windows privacy-first antivirus and dedicated IP addresses.
Is Private Internet Access a public or private company?
Private Internet Access is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Private Internet Access founded?
Private Internet Access was founded in 2010. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Private Internet Access based?
Private Internet Access is headquartered in Grandville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Private Internet Access make money?
One revenue line is on record: VPN Subscription (Recurring).
Who are Private Internet Access's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Surfshark, NordVPN (Nord Security), Mullvad VPN, Windscribe, ExpressVPN, VyprVPN, CyberGhost VPN, Proton VPN and IPVanish. TunnelBear is listed as an emerging player.
Does Private Internet Access have an API?
No public API is recorded for Private Internet Access.
What industry is Private Internet Access in?
Private Internet Access's product category is Virtual Private Network (VPN) Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDADABAD, VPN & Remote Access Gateways, with a secondary code of BPAEAEAG, Network Security Services (Firewall/VPN/ZTNA/SASE Integration). Its NAICS code is 5182.