Private Internet Access vs Mullvad VPN

PIA and Mullvad are both open-source VPNs that value transparency, but they take different paths. PIA is a feature-rich torrenting specialist owned by Kape Technologies with court-proven no-logs. Mullvad is a privacy-focused minimalist with anonymous accounts and zero data collection. Both are honest about what they are - the question is which kind of honesty you need.

Quick Verdict

PIA is the better choice for torrenting and general use. Port forwarding, unlimited connections, and US-based streaming. Mullvad is the better choice for privacy. Anonymous signup, cash payments, and a higher transparency standard. Choose PIA for functionality; choose Mullvad for privacy purity.

At a Glance

| Category | PIA | Mullvad | Winner | |----------|-----|---------|--------| | Overall Score | 8.1 | 8.4 | Mullvad | | Privacy Score | 8.5 | 9.8 | Mullvad | | Speed | 76.3 Mbps | 82.4 Mbps | Mullvad | | Torrenting | 9.0 | 8.8 | PIA | | Streaming | 7.9 | 5.5 | PIA | | Connections | Unlimited | 5 | PIA | | Transparency Score | 74 | 95 | Mullvad |

Speed Comparison

| Location | PIA | Mullvad | Difference | |----------|-----|---------|------------| | US (New York) | 76.3 Mbps | 82.4 Mbps | -7.4% | | UK (London) | 71.8 Mbps | 78.9 Mbps | -9.0% | | Germany (Frankfurt) | 69.5 Mbps | 80.1 Mbps | -13.2% | | Japan (Tokyo) | 58.9 Mbps | 63.2 Mbps | -6.8% | | Australia (Sydney) | 55.4 Mbps | 60.7 Mbps | -8.7% |

Winner: Mullvad. Mullvad is 7-13% faster despite having 700 servers versus PIA's 35,000. Quality over quantity - Mullvad's servers are better maintained and less congested.

Pricing Comparison

| Metric | PIA | Mullvad | |--------|-----|---------| | Monthly | $11.99/mo | ~$5.48/mo (5 EUR) | | 2-Year | $2.03/mo | ~$5.48/mo | | Renewal | $3.33/mo (yearly) | ~$5.48/mo | | 3-Year True Cost | $111.48 | ~$197.28 |

Winner: PIA on long-term plans; Mullvad on monthly. PIA's 2-year plan is less than half of Mullvad's flat rate. But Mullvad is cheaper than PIA's $11.99 monthly plan and its pricing has no tricks. Over three years, PIA saves about $86.

Torrenting

| Factor | PIA | Mullvad | |--------|-----|---------| | P2P Support | Yes (all servers) | Yes | | Port Forwarding | Yes | No | | Kill Switch | Yes | Yes | | Connections | Unlimited | 5 | | Court-Tested No-Logs | Yes (twice) | Police raid (nothing found) |

Winner: PIA. Port forwarding is the critical differentiator for torrenting - it improves speeds and seeding ratios. Combined with unlimited connections and the most battle-tested no-logs record in the industry, PIA is the better torrent VPN.

Privacy

| Factor | PIA | Mullvad | |--------|-----|---------| | Jurisdiction | United States | Sweden | | Parent Company | Kape Technologies | Mullvad VPN AB | | Email Required | Yes | No | | Anonymous Payment | Crypto | Cash, crypto | | Open Source | Yes (all apps) | Yes (all apps + infrastructure) | | RAM-Only | No | Yes | | Post-Quantum | No | Yes | | Transparency Score | 74 | 95 |

Winner: Mullvad. Both are open-source, but Mullvad goes further: no email, cash payments, RAM-only servers, post-quantum encryption, and the highest transparency score in our database. PIA's US jurisdiction and Kape ownership are significant concerns that Mullvad's independent Swedish operation avoids.

Streaming

PIA unblocks US streaming platforms (Netflix US, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Max). Mullvad scores 0/12.

Winner: PIA. Limited international support, but it works for US streaming. Mullvad does not attempt streaming unblocking.

Who Should Choose PIA

• Torrenters who need port forwarding
• Users who want unlimited device connections
• Anyone who values a court-proven no-logs record
• US-based streaming users on a budget
• Open-source advocates who also want feature breadth

Who Should Choose Mullvad

• Privacy purists who want zero personal data exposure
• Users who need anonymous signup and cash payments
• Anyone who values post-quantum encryption
• Technical users who want the fastest open-source VPN
• Journalists and activists with serious threat models

Our Recommendation

PIA for torrenting and general use. Port forwarding and unlimited connections are unmatched. Mullvad for privacy. Anonymous accounts and zero-knowledge architecture set the standard. If you need both privacy and torrenting, PIA with cryptocurrency payment is a reasonable middle ground.