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ExpressVPN vs Private Internet Access

Comparing
two VPNs
Decided by
Independent no-logs audits
Last reviewed
2026-08-26
ExpressVPNTakes bitcoin

Courtroom-tested no-logs claim and a bitcoin refund policy that pays back the coins you sent, from a company that also owns two rivals here.

Private Internet AccessTakes bitcoin

The only service here whose no-logs claim has been tested in open court twice, sold cheaply from inside the Five Eyes.

Verdict: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN carries more independent audits of its no-logs claim: 5 against 3 for Private Internet Access. We publish no rating for VPNs, so the audit count is the one criterion that decides.

Criterion
Independent no-logs audits
ExpressVPN
5
Private Internet Access
3

ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access, fact by fact

Every row is from the two reviews as of their review dates, with sources on each. A check marks the side a decidable criterion favours; rows without one are information, not a score.

ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access compared fact by fact from their reviews; a check marks the side a decidable criterion favours.
FactExpressVPNPrivate Internet Access
Independent audits5, latest 2025 (favoured on this row)3, latest 2025
Real-world tests12
Incidents on record00
Market exits11
OwnerKape TechnologiesKape Technologies
JurisdictionBritish Virgin IslandsUnited States
Eyes allianceOutsideFive Eyes
PriceFrom $2.99/mo on the 2yr planFrom $2.03/mo on the 3yr plan
Money-back30 days30 days
Crypto acceptedbitcoinbitcoin
Anonymous signupNoNo
Free tierNoneNone
ServersVendor states servers in 113 countries, all running from RAM under its TrustedServer designVendor states RAM-only servers across 91 countries, including all 50 US states
Last reviewed2026-08-262026-08-26

No-logs evidence, side by side

Dated audits and real-world tests from each review. An empty column is a finding: the claim has not been independently checked.

ExpressVPN

  • 2025Audit by KPMG: third KPMG audit of the no-logs privacy commitments
  • 2024Audit by Cure53: fourth security audit of the Lightway VPN protocol
  • 2023Audit by KPMG: assessment of the privacy policy claims
  • 2022Audit by KPMG: no-logs policy and the TrustedServer architecture
  • 2019Audit by PwC: privacy policy compliance and the TrustedServer technology
  • 2017Turkish investigators seized a physical ExpressVPN server during the inquiry into the killing of the Russian ambassador to Turkey: The server produced no logs tying any customer to the IP addresses under investigation

Private Internet Access

  • 2025Audit by Deloitte Audit Romania: third no-logs assurance engagement
  • 2024Audit by Deloitte Audit Romania: second no-logs assurance engagement on the server network
  • 2022Audit by Deloitte Audit Romania: no-logs policy and server configuration as of 30 June 2022, under ISAE 3000 (Revised)
  • 2018A federal hacking trial in San Jose examined PIA IP addresses used to reach Embarcadero Media email accounts: PIA testified in open court that it keeps no logs of customer activity and could not tie any IP address to a person
  • 2016An FBI subpoena in a bomb-threat investigation demanded usage logs identifying a Private Internet Access user: PIA reported it held no identifying usage logs and could say only that the traffic came from a server cluster

Frequently asked questions

Is ExpressVPN or Private Internet Access better for privacy?

ExpressVPN carries more independent audits of its no-logs claim: 5 against 3 for Private Internet Access. We publish no rating for VPNs, so the audit count is the one criterion that decides. Audits, court and seizure records and incidents are dated on each review with their sources.

Can I pay ExpressVPN or Private Internet Access with bitcoin?

ExpressVPN takes bitcoin (processor: BitPay). Private Internet Access takes bitcoin (processor: BitPay). Each review quotes the vendor's own refund sentence for crypto purchases verbatim.

Which is cheaper, ExpressVPN or Private Internet Access?

ExpressVPN: From $2.99/mo on the 2yr plan. Private Internet Access: From $2.03/mo on the 3yr plan. Money-back: ExpressVPN 30 days, Private Internet Access 30 days. Prices are from each vendor's own page as of the review date.

Where are ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access based?

ExpressVPN: British Virgin Islands (outside the five, nine and fourteen eyes alliances). Private Internet Access: United States (five eyes member). A jurisdiction matters less than a court record showing what the provider could hand over; the reviews carry those where they exist.

Are ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access the same company?

Both are owned by Kape Technologies. Shared ownership means shared infrastructure decisions and shared jurisdiction risk, whatever the brands say about each other.

The full reviews: ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access, each with its sources, and every VPN we review.

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