Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Kaspersky vs PIA
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Kaspersky |  PIA |
|---|---|---|
| Server countries | 93Higher | 91 |
| Jurisdiction | CH | US |
| Protocols | WireGuard | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSecCovers more |
| Features | Kill switch, Split tunnelling | Kill switch, Multi hop |
| Platforms | Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Smart TV, GamingCovers more |
| Monthly price | Not confirmed | $11.95 |
| Long-term plan price | Not confirmed | $2.03 |
| Devices | 10 | Not confirmed |
| Renewal price | Not confirmed | $47.88 |
| Streaming services | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ | Not confirmed |
| Longest plan (months) | Not confirmed | 39 months |
Same on both: Money-back period (30 days).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- PIA scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 9.1.
- Server countries is higher at Kaspersky: 93 vs 91.
- Protocols: only PIA offers OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPSec.
- Features: only Kaspersky offers Split tunnelling.
- Features: only PIA offers Multi hop.
- Platforms: only PIA offers Linux, Chrome, Firefox.
- Support channels: only Kaspersky offers Community.
- Support channels: only PIA offers Email, Chat.
- Founded is lower at Kaspersky: 1997 vs 2010.
- Features: only Kaspersky offers Streaming, Travel.
Our verdict on each
Kaspersky
Kaspersky Secure Connection fits households already inside the Kaspersky ecosystem, since one subscription carries the VPN, password manager and parental controls together. Server reach of 93 countries sits above the median VPN, and 10 devices at once covers a couple or a family.
PIA
PIA suits readers who want an audited no-logs policy, open source apps and a long plan, with the long-term plan running 39 months at $2.03 a month. The trade-off is entry pricing at $11.95 a month for the single term and a renewal figure of $47.88.
Score breakdown
| Area | Kaspersky | PIA |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Not confirmed | 9.2Cost lands mid-table: PIA's monthly plan is $11.95 against the €7.89 figure, while the long-term plan holds at $2.03. |
| Offer | 8.9The offer pairs a 30 day refund window with a 30 day free trial on the wider Kaspersky suite. | 9.3HigherThe plan bundles kill switch and multi hop and 91 server countries in one subscription, plus a 30 day money back window. |
| Privacy | 9.4Higher | 9.1 |
Feature by feature
| Features | Kaspersky | PIA |
|---|---|---|
| Kill switch | Yes | Yes |
| Split tunnelling | Yes | No |
| Multi hop | No | Yes |
Pick Kaspersky if, pick PIA if
Pick Kaspersky if privacy and server countries matter most.
Pick PIA if offer, protocols, and platforms matter most.
How the counts compare
| Fact | Kaspersky | PIA |
|---|---|---|
| Server countries | 93 | 91 |
| Money-back period | 30 days | 30 days |
How they place
| Ranking | Kaspersky | PIA |
|---|---|---|
| VPNs | 6 of 232 | 29 of 232 |
| Privacy tools | 5 of 280 | 28 of 280 |
| Ad blockers and private DNS | 5 of 63 | 15 of 63 |
| Private browsers and search engines | 2 of 55 | 10 of 55 |
| Free VPNs | 5 of 189 | 25 of 189 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Kaspersky | PIA |
|---|---|---|
| Features | No logs, Streaming, TravelCovers more | No logs |
| Pricing model | Free | Budget |
| Legal entity | AO Kaspersky Lab | PIA Private Internet Access, Inc. |
| Headquarters | Switzerland | United States |
| Founded | 1997Lower | 2010 |
| Support channels | Help centre, Community | Email, Chat, Help centre |
Password managers
| Fact | Kaspersky | PIA |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Not confirmed | $11.95 |
| Free plan | YesHas it | No |
| Family plan | One Kaspersky Premium subscription shared with family members via the same account | Not confirmed |
| Passkeys | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Encryption | AES-256 with key derived from the master password via PBKDF2, zero-knowledge architecture | Not confirmed |
| Open source | Not confirmed | Yes |
Privacy tools
| Fact | Kaspersky | PIA |
|---|---|---|
| Logging policy | VPN claims your online actions are not logged | No-logs: never tracks, stores, records or sells browsing data; RAM-only servers, no-logs policy audited by Deloitte |
| Privacy tool type | Ad blocker, Browser | Ad blocker, Browser |
Antivirus
| Fact | Kaspersky | PIA |
|---|---|---|
| Free version | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Extras | VPN, Password manager, Parental controls | Not confirmed |
Identity protection
| Fact | Kaspersky | PIA |
|---|---|---|
| Free trial length | 30 days | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Kaspersky | PIA | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | Not confirmed | $11.95above the median | $9 |
| Long-term plan price | Not confirmed | $2.03lowest quarter | $4.50 |
| Devices | 10at the median | Not confirmed | 10 |
| Server countries | 93above the median | 91above the median | 62 |
| Renewal price | Not confirmed | $47.88above the median | $12 |
| Money-back period | 30 daysat the median | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
Median across 132 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Kaspersky
Pros
- Kaspersky Premium bundles the VPN, password manager and parental controls (vpn, password manager and parental controls) in one subscription a family plan can share
- Device and platform coverage is generous: 10 devices at once, with apps for Windows, macOS and Android on desktop and mobile
- Streaming and travel are stated features, with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ supported and kill switch and split tunnelling built in as standard
Cons
- Support runs on help centre and community only, so quick answers go through documentation or the community rather than live chat
- The protocol list is WireGuard, so readers who want a wider choice of protocols have less room to compare
- The free version that Kaspersky lists sits with antivirus rather than a free VPN, so VPN features start on a paid subscription
PIA
Pros
- The logging policy is no-logs, with browsing data never tracked, stored, recorded or sold, and Deloitte has audited it.
- The apps are open source, which suits readers who read the client code before trusting it.
- A network of 91 server countries, above the 46.5 figure for VPN brands.
Cons
- There is no free plan, so the 30 day money back window is the only route in before you commit.
- PIA's monthly plan at $11.95 sits above the €7.89 monthly figure across the site.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, with no phone number in that list.
Who each suits
Kaspersky
Who it suits
- Households that already pay for Kaspersky security software and want the VPN folded into the same subscription rather than bought separately
- Travellers who want one app for secure connections on Windows, macOS and Android across phones and desktops while abroad
- Families sharing one account, since the family plan passes the same subscription across to other members in the household
Who should look elsewhere
- AVG, if server spread matters most, since its coverage starts at from 100 countries, further than Kaspersky reaches
- Namecheap, if you want the widest server list, since it lists from 100 countries or more across its network
- ESET Brasil, if device counts drive the choice, since its plans scale from 3 to 25 devices under one plan
PIA
Who it suits
- Readers who want an audited no-logs policy and open source apps in a single subscription.
- Long-term buyers, since the long-term plan runs 39 months at $2.03 with a 30 day money back window.
- People who need one account across Windows, macOS and Linux and a wide spread of exit locations.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers who want to browse options before paying anything, since PIA has no free plan and Apple Inc. at $0.99 suits lighter privacy budgets.
- Readers who want a different kind of protection: ESET Brasil spans 40 to 70, a different footprint from PIA's 91.
- Readers on a strict budget for one subscription, since Sinew Software Systems lists $1.99 against PIA's monthly plan at $11.95.
Current offers
Kaspersky
Current offer
Free trial
7-day free trial of Kaspersky VPN: 7 days free
Free for 7 days, auto-renews to a paid subscription unless cancelled in My Kaspersky; 2 days' reminder before trial end
Source, checked September 26, 2026
PIA
Current offer
Discount code
83% off on 3 Years + 3 Months EXTRA plan: 83% off, $2.03/mo (autorenews at $79 every 3 years)
amounts shown in USD, discount calculated against current monthly service pricing of $11.95/mo
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
30-day money-back guarantee: 30 days
new subscribers only; subscriptions bought via third-party app stores such as the Apple App Store are subject to those stores' terms
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Questions about each
Kaspersky
What does Kaspersky Premium include besides the VPN?+
One Kaspersky Premium subscription covers vpn, password manager and parental controls, and the family plan lets the same subscription be shared with family members through one account. That bundle is the main reason to look here rather than a standalone VPN.
How many devices can one Kaspersky subscription cover?+
The plan covers 10 devices at once, which suits a couple or a shared family without straining. Server reach runs to 93 countries, a wider spread than the median VPN listed on the site.
PIA
How much does PIA cost a month?+
The monthly plan is priced at $11.95. The long-term plan drops to $2.03 a month when bought for 39 months, which is where most of the saving sits. Renewal is quoted separately at $47.88, so budget for a second figure as well as the monthly rate.
What does PIA cost at renewal?+
Renewal is listed at $47.88, set apart from the $2.03 monthly rate that opens the long-term plan. The two figures are not interchangeable, so a buyer who budgets on the headline rate alone is not prepared for the second term. Read the renewal line before committing to a long subscription.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
- Kaspersky vs NordVPN
- Kaspersky vs NordVPN Threat Protection
- Kaspersky vs NordPass
- Kaspersky vs Qwant
- PIA vs Kaspersky
- PIA vs Kaspersky Latam
- Kaspersky vs ESET Brasil
- Kaspersky vs ESET
- Kaspersky vs FastestVPN
- Kaspersky vs Surfshark Alert
- Kaspersky vs Surfshark One (Antivirus)
- Kaspersky vs Proton
- Kaspersky vs Proton Pass
- Kaspersky vs AdGuard
- Kaspersky vs Trend Micro
- Kaspersky vs ExpressVPN
- Kaspersky vs Proton AG