PIA vs NordVPN 2026 — Which Should You Choose?
Both are popular, audited, fast VPNs. But they've diverged significantly: NordVPN dropped port forwarding, while PIA has become the clear choice for P2P users. Here's the honest comparison.
Private Internet Access
★★★★★4.6/5- ✓ Port forwarding on every server
- ✓ 3x independently audited
- ✓ Open-source clients
- ✓ Unlimited simultaneous connections
- ✓ Cheapest audited VPN available
NordVPN
★★★★★4.2/5- ✗ No port forwarding (dropped 2023)
- ✓ Excellent streaming performance
- ✓ Audited no-logs (once)
- ✓ Panama jurisdiction
- ✓ Strong brand reputation
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | PIA | NordVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Port Forwarding | ✓ All servers▲ | ✗ Dropped in 2023 |
| No-Logs Audit | Deloitte (3x verified)▲ | PwC (1x verified) |
| Open Source | ✓ All clients▲ | ✗ Proprietary |
| Best Price (long-term) | $2.03/mo (3-yr)▲ | $3.09/mo (2-yr) |
| Server Count | 35,000+▲ | 6,400+ |
| Countries | 91 | 111▲ |
| Streaming (Netflix) | Works — inconsistent | Excellent, reliable▲ |
| WireGuard Support | ✓ All platforms | ✓ All platforms |
| Kill Switch | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Simultaneous Connections | Unlimited▲ | 10 devices |
| Jurisdiction | USA (Five Eyes) | Panama▲ |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | 30 days |
▲ indicates the winner for that feature. "tie" = comparable performance.
The Key Differences That Matter
Port Forwarding: PIA Wins Decisively
NordVPN removed port forwarding support in 2023, citing policy reasons. This was a significant downgrade for torrenting users. Without port forwarding, your BitTorrent client operates in passive mode — other peers can't initiate connections to you, limiting your downloads and making seeding nearly impossible. PIA supports port forwarding on every one of its 35,000+ servers. For anyone who torrents seriously, this is not a minor feature — it's fundamental.
Privacy & Audits: PIA Has the Edge
Both VPNs have verified no-logs policies. But PIA has been audited three times by Deloitte, while NordVPN has one audit on record (by PwC). Multiple audits demonstrate consistent commitment. PIA is also fully open-source — meaning anyone can inspect the client code on GitHub. NordVPN's apps are proprietary. For users who want to trust, but verify, PIA wins.
Streaming: NordVPN Wins
NordVPN has superior streaming performance. It reliably unblocks Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and other major services. PIA works with many streaming services, but consistency is lower — some servers get blocked, requiring manual server switching. If streaming is your primary use case, NordVPN is the better choice. But you'll pay more for it.
Price: PIA Wins Significantly
PIA's 3-year plan comes to $2.03/month. NordVPN's 2-year plan is $3.09/month. Over 3 years, that's $73 vs $111 — a $38 difference for comparable (and in some ways superior) functionality. For torrenting users specifically, PIA delivers more for less.
Our Verdict
Choose PIA if you torrent, care about price, want open-source apps, or need unlimited simultaneous connections. PIA wins on features-per-dollar and is the better technical product for P2P users.
Choose NordVPN if streaming is your primary use case and you want the most reliable geo-unblocking experience, or if you prefer a non-US jurisdiction for your VPN provider.