PIA operates from the US under Kape Technologies; PrivadoVPN is independently registered in Switzerland. PIA publishes its full client code; PrivadoVPN publishes neither code nor a third-party audit. Different transparency approaches from opposite jurisdictional starting points.

What you get that PrivadoVPN doesn't offer

Client code published across all platforms for independent review. MACE DNS-layer blocking. Independently audited no-logs policy — PrivadoVPN has no published third-party audit. Generous simultaneous connection limits. Highly configurable: encryption, protocol, port, MTU all user-accessible. PIA optimizes for streaming access.

What you give up

PrivadoVPN registers in Switzerland — constitutional privacy protections outside all Eyes alliances; PIA operates from the US, a 5-eyes member. PrivadoVPN is independently owned; Kape Technologies owns PIA alongside ExpressVPN and CyberGhost. Free tier with 10GB monthly at PrivadoVPN.

What you get that PIA doesn't offer

Swiss jurisdiction — constitutional privacy protections outside all Eyes alliances. Independent ownership with no parent group. Free tier with 10GB monthly and no time limit. Ten simultaneous connections — equivalent to PIA.

What you give up

No published independent audit and no published client code — PrivadoVPN's no-logs claim is stated but not verifiable at either the policy or code level. PIA's full codebase and audited policy provide both forms of verification. MACE blocking, configurable protocol options, and streaming access are not PrivadoVPN priorities. Kape ownership is a concern, but PIA's transparency measures exist despite it.