Having a VPN while browsing through the internet is just about the most important thing you can do. Though exciting, and full of opportunities, the internet is also full of countless hidden dangers and threats.
Especially when using public wifi, using the internet without a VPN leaves you vulnerable to viruses, spyware, hackers, data thieves, and allows ISPs to easily collate data on or restrict your internet usage.
A VPN, short for ‘Virtual Private Network’, basically acts as a suit of armor around your data as you browse the internet.
Through the use of a VPN server, you can make use of multiple servers across the world to mask your location, and to provide an extra layer of security for your private information.
There are many VPN services available out there, ready to protect your online usage, but it can be frustrating to try to find the perfect one.
If you’re in the market for a VPN service and are interested in ‘Private Internet Access’, one of the top VPN services, then you will want to check out this comprehensive guide to what the service can offer for you.
What Does ‘Private Internet Access’ Have To Offer?
Ease of Use
To make it in the competitive world of VPNs, many services have to go out of their way to differentiate themselves from the competition. One of ‘Private Internet Access’ most awesome features is its ease of use.
Unlike many VPN services that have complicated and difficult-to-understand menus and toggles, ‘Private Internet Access’ focuses on streamlining the process involved in getting protected online.
This ease of use extends from its desktop application, and through to its mobile applications, which are available on all manner of smartphone models and operating systems.
Every important element of the user interface is clearly designed and denoted, to make navigating your options, and accessing your data simple and quick.
However, ‘Private Internet Access’ isn’t just built for beginner or intermediate internet users, as it also boasts a full set of advanced settings and options that you can play around with to get exactly the experience you want out of it.
This makes it great for frequent internet users who often have very specific needs from their VPN services.
Internet Speeds
One of the biggest downsides of some VPN services is the amount of internet that they can eat through during use.
Accessing a server elsewhere in the world to use as a proxy for exploring websites requires a decent internet connection, and for those with slow internet connections, this can cause the speed of the internet to slow down dramatically.
‘Private Internet Access’, on the other hand, seeks to use up only a small amount of your internet connection to connect you to the server. Data has shown that using the service only cuts your download speed down by around 10%.
This is a negligible amount that you most likely will not even notice during average use. This makes ‘Private Internet Access’ perfect for those who need a speedy connection at all times.
The ‘Private Internet Access’ application itself is also very speedy and will allow you to quickly navigate your settings so that you can get in and then get out in record time.
How Secure Is ‘Private Internet Access’?
‘Private Internet Access’ allows you to quickly and easily cater your experience as you see fit, on the fly. You can choose from a massive range of servers in locations all throughout the world.
This makes the service extra secure and allows you to pile on layer after layer of protection so that you never have to worry about private information leaking out where you don’t want it to.
If you are worried about your DNS being leaked, which would reveal your location to anyone watching you online, then you can simply make use of the service’s own DNS server.
As well as this, you can also customize your DNS server to your preferences, so that your security can be a little more personal to you, and what you need.
Privacy policies are also quickly becoming hot button issues for many online users. Many websites or online platforms hide nefarious or potentially dangerous policies within their fine-print so that the user won’t notice when first reading the user agreement.
Many users of other VPN services have noticed that the services have been quietly collecting usage data to improve the service. Users of ‘Private Internet Access’ have the option to send performance data to the company, but only if they choose.
The option to share this data is not turned on by default, unlike with other services. The privacy policy is also clear and easy to read, as well as to access so that users can always be informed about the use of their private information.
However, one major point of concern for many users of ‘Private Internet Access’ is that the service has never undergone a full and extensive audit.
An audit would be used to determine just how secure their service is, and what they are doing with your data. Audits are usually carried out by a third party, to keep the results unbiased, and truly reflective of the everyday experience.
‘Private Internet Access’ has yet to undergo one of these audits, so much of their talk of strong security features has to be taken on faith by the user, which is not enough for some.
Private Internet Access – The Cost
The pricing for ‘Private Internet Access’ is considered to generally be around the mid-range. The service is very affordable for the average user but is not one of the most affordable amongst the competition.
This makes it both appealing to a novice who may want to pay more for top-of-the-range security, but may also make it off putting to a novice, who doesn’t want to pay too much for their first VPN service.
‘Private Internet Access’ costs $9 per month, and this gives users access to all of its advertised features. If users of the service want to save masses of money in the long term, then they can choose from one of the service’s other generous plans.
The year-long plan costs a lump sum of $39.95, which comes out to around $3.33 per month. This is a massive discount and helps those who use the service frequently to save a lot of money. Even better than this, however, is the three-year deal.
The three-year deal comes to a total of $79, which averages out to around $2.19 per month. Realistically speaking, this is an absolute steal and makes the service truly competitive.
Before starting your use of the service, you can also try it out for a full free week, to see what benefits it offers and whether it is the right fit for you. If you decide, after paying for the service, that it is not the right fit, then you can take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee.
The existence of this guarantee shows that ‘Private Internet access’ has great faith in their product, which is reassuring for their users.
How Is ‘Private Internet Access’ for Streaming Online Content?
One of the most heavily advertised features of modern VPN services, and one of the main reasons users choose to subscribe, is the ability to access streaming content from across the World.
If you are a Netflix user based in the USA, you may want to watch a certain show, but then soon find out that it is only available in the UK version.
By using ‘Private Internet Access’ to access a server in the UK, you can gain access to these exclusive shows. This opens up whole worlds of extra online content to enjoy.
Many streaming services across the world put lots of effort into building security measures to prevent the use of VPN services to access region-locked content. ‘Private Internet Access’ finds itself in the upper echelons of VPN services thanks to its ability to make short work of all of these anti VPN security measures.
This makes the service highly recommendable to those who want to increase their streaming libraries to find content from all over the world.
Support For ‘Private Internet Access’ Users
Sometimes, when browsing online, we encounter roadblocks that significantly impact our enjoyment of the information superhighway. Whether it be technical problems, or just difficulties understanding how to operate certain programs, sometimes, we just need a little bit of extra help.
Luckily, users of ‘Private Internet Access’ have 24-hour access to comprehensive support systems put together by the company.
Visiting their website, you will be met with numerous guides to troubleshoot small problems, and even more advanced guides to help you to access advanced features and settings.
If these guides aren’t enough, you can also get in contact with web support, which will put you in contact with a qualified agent who can answer your questions, no matter how specific they may be.
To Sum Up
While it is still being held back by its lack of a third-party audit to verify its security features, what ‘Private Internet Access’ does offer is more than enough for anyone who wants to improve their online security.
User reviews alone have shown that some of the biggest supporters of the service have had very pleasant experiences with no major problems to talk about.
The service is fairly priced and has multiple extra offers, and it is perfect for both experienced and inexperienced internet users, thanks to its simple user interface, and its plethora of advanced settings.
The service is also great for those looking to access region-locked online content, such as international Netflix libraries, to allow them to enjoy even more binge-watching!
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