ProtonVPN operates from Switzerland under Proton AG; PIA operates from the United States under Kape Technologies. Different jurisdictions, different ownership structures, and a genuine split on what transparency means in practice — one through open-source code, one through institutional architecture.

What you get that PIA doesn't offer

Swiss jurisdiction — outside all Eyes alliances; a legal basis PIA's US registration doesn't share. Proton AG's independent ownership carries no conglomerate parent. Secure Core routes traffic through hardened Swiss or Icelandic servers before exit — a double-hop architecture PIA has no structural equivalent to. ProtonVPN optimizes for streaming access; PIA doesn't position around it. Free tier with unlimited bandwidth. Privacy and security architecture is more developed across all measured dimensions.

What you give up

PIA publishes full open-source clients on every platform — including Windows, macOS, and mobile — meaning any researcher can audit the complete codebase without an account. ProtonVPN's open-source coverage is equally comprehensive, but PIA's has been in the public repository longer. PIA's MACE blocking operates at the DNS infrastructure layer — a different implementation approach than ProtonVPN's NetShield. PIA's simultaneous connection allowance is more generous.

What you get that ProtonVPN doesn't offer

Fully open-source clients across all platforms, including the full Windows and macOS codebase. MACE ad, tracker, and malware blocking at the DNS infrastructure layer. Highly configurable interface: encryption level, protocol, MTU, and port selection are all user-adjustable. Generous simultaneous connection limits. Long operational track record as an open-source infrastructure provider.

What you give up

United States jurisdiction — 5-eyes member with federal legal reach and no equivalent to Switzerland's constitutional privacy framework. Kape Technologies owns PIA alongside ExpressVPN and CyberGhost — the same parent across three major providers is an ownership concentration ProtonVPN has no parallel to. Streaming reliability gap. ProtonVPN's Secure Core architecture has no PIA equivalent.