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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

How to Cancel PIA in 2024: Get an Easy Refund

Georgii Chanturidze Updated on 7th August 2024 Senior Writer
When I asked for a full refund after using PIA for 25 days, it stood by its money-back guarantee. It was really no hassle to get my money back, and it didn't even matter that I used a deal to get the cheapest PIA plan.

If you’ve tried out Private Internet Access (PIA) and you’re not 100% happy, canceling your subscription and getting a refund is quick and straightforward. When I tested it, the entire process only took 5 minutes — there was no pressure to continue my subscription.

Even if PIA isn’t for you, I advise you to keep your online activity secure with another premium VPN. There are plenty of alternative services offering features that may better suit your needs — while keeping you and your devices safe from hackers and other cyber threats.

My team and I tested over 300 VPNs for speeds, reliability, and security. From these, ExpressVPN is my top recommendation — it’s superfast, highly secure, and works great for streaming. Plus, you can try ExpressVPN risk-free since it's backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. If it doesn’t meet your expectations it’s easy to claim a refund. Editor's Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: Intego, Cyberghost, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.

Try ExpressVPN Today

Check out more top alternatives

Quick Guide: How to Cancel PIA and Get a Full Refund in 3 Easy Steps

  1. Cancel auto-renew on your subscription.
    Simply visit PIA’s website and sign in to your “Control Panel”. Select the option to turn off auto-renewal under “Subscription Overview”.
  2. Request a refund via customer support.
    Fill out a simple contact form, submit it, and wait for confirmation.
  3. Receive your full refund.
    After email confirmation, wait 5-10 business days to see your money back in your account. I only had to wait 3 days for mine.

Editor's Note: Transparency is one of our core values at vpnMentor, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as Private Internet Access. However, this does not affect our review process.

Step-By-Step: How to Cancel PIA in 2024 and Get a Refund

The method to cancel and request a refund depends on how you signed up for Private Internet Access.

On PIA’s Website

This is the easiest method to cancel your subscription and request a refund, and lets you try PIA for free under the 30-day money-back guarantee. Each step is done directly through the “Client Control Panel” once you log in.

  1. Sign in. Visit PIA’s website and enter your account username and password. Then navigate to the “Subscription Overview” page. Private Internet Access' homepage with indication of where the Login button is at the top right corner of the screenThen click “Subscription Overview” to view your account information
  2. Cancel auto-renewal. This will prevent your account from automatically renewing monthly/yearly (depending on your subscription). Private Access's customer control panel in the You’ll still need to contact customer support to claim your refund after this step
  3. Provide a reason. A new tab will pop up, prompting you to provide a brief reason. If you select “I have another reason”, you can enter a short comment in the box below. Private Internet Access's website asking the customer to select one of the 6 provided options as a reason for turning off auto-renewal in the customer control panel, with the opportunity to type additional comments and feedbackI didn’t have a specific reason for canceling, so I left a general comment saying it didn’t meet my needs
  4. Get in touch with PIA’s customer support. Click back into the original tab displaying the Control Panel. Here, claim your refund by selecting the option to contact a customer representative. Indicating in the customer control panel of Private Internet Access's website where to find the When you’re redirected to a new page, click “Contact Us” to proceed
  5. Fill out the contact form. For “Department”, select “Account Support”. For “Subject”, I used “Account cancelation”. Have your order number ready — or one of the other payment identifiers listed above. I typed a message saying I’d canceled my subscription and would like to claim my refund. Private Internet Access's contact form asking for customers' connection method, account ID, payment method, verification details, and any additional message which can be typed in a provided fieldYou can find the version of the app or software you’re using in its settings.
  6. Check your email. Response times may vary — but for me, it was less than 30 minutes before I got an email saying that my refund had been issued. The agent didn’t even ask any further questions; there was no pressure to reconsider. Email from Private Internet Access's help desk explaining that a customer refund has been issued and will be returned to the bank account within 5-10 daysAllow up to 10 days for the payment to be reflected by your payment institution — for me, it only took 3 days

On Android

If you signed up for PIA in Google Play, you need to cancel your subscription first through Google with the following steps:

  1. Sign in to the Google Play Store. Once you’re at the Google Play Store app, log in using your email address and password (if you’re not signed in already). If you’re already signed in, tap your profile icon at the top right of the screen.
  2. Pull up your subscriptions. Tap “Payments and Subscriptions” and then “Subscriptions”. Select the Private Internet Access subscription.
  3. Cancel your PIA subscription. Tap “Manage Subscription” then “Cancel subscription”.
    Keep in mind — these steps will not automatically issue you a refund. Once you’ve finished canceling your subscription through Google Play, follow the steps for claiming your refund through PIA’s website above.

On iOS

If you signed up for PIA in the iTunes or iOS app, you need to cancel and request your refund directly through Apple.

One point to note — if your PIA subscription charge is still pending in iTunes, you won’t be able to request your refund until it is fully processed.

Follow these steps to cancel your subscription and request a refund through Apple:

  1. Go to settings. Open the “Settings” app on your Apple device. Then click your name and icon at the top of the screen.
  2. Tap “Subscriptions”. Once you’re there, you’ll see a list of apps you’re subscribed to. Tap Private Internet Access.
  3. End your PIA subscription. Tap “Cancel subscription”.
  4. Visit reportaproblem.apple.com. Once you’ve navigated to Apple’s support page, sign in to your Apple account.
  5. Click “Request a refund”. After you’re signed in, you’ll see a drop-down menu with the option to select “Request a refund”. Once you select that, it will list Private Internet Access along with your other apps or purchases that qualify for a refund.
  6. Complete and submit your request. Select Private Internet Access from the apps list — where it says “Tell us more…”, type in “I’d like to claim Private Internet Access’s 30-day money-back guarantee” and follow the instructions for submitting.

Best Alternatives to PIA in 2024

Now that you've canceled your PIA account and claimed your refund, you should consider another VPN service so you're not left vulnerable online. Below is a list of some of the best VPNs currently available, all of which offer money-back guarantees.

1. ExpressVPN – High-Level Security With Ultra-Fast Speeds

Editor's Note: Transparency is one of our core values at vpnMentor, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process.
  • Military-grade encryption, verified no-logs policy, and automatic kill switch keep you safe and anonymous
  • Lightning-fast speeds for uninterrupted browsing, streaming, and gaming
  • 3,000 servers in 105 countries let you enjoy content from around the world
  • 8 simultaneous device connections
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Works with: Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Vudu, and more
  • Compatible with: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, routers, smart TVs, and more

ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands. This ensures that your information won’t be passed to third-parties as the islands aren’t a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes alliances. This means your personal data, location, and internet activity won’t be leaked to anyone — even if a government requested this info, ExpressVPN is under no obligation to provide it.

It has a strict zero-logs policy backed by TrustedServer technology (meaning your activity is wiped on each reboot and never shared). I even ran ExpressVPN through DNS and IP leak tests and there were no leaks detected. It also uses military-grade encryption and a kill switch, so your personal data won’t be exposed, even if you lose connection to the VPN.

We also found ExpressVPN to be much faster than PIA. Even when testing long-distance servers, we recorded download speeds of 38.30 Mbps — to stream in HD, you only need 5 Mbps. Our connections remained stable while watching videos and we didn’t encounter any lag. This means you can enjoy buffer-free streaming from any location.

Server speed comparison showing ping, download, and upload speeds between 4 different ExpressVPN servers — Hungary, Serbia, Melbourne, and New York

ExpressVPN’s Hungary server was the fastest we tested with just a 27% decrease from base speeds — it didn’t make any difference to our online experience. During my tests, I found ExpressVPN also gives you more options for enjoying your favorite streaming platforms — like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Its MediaStreamer feature allows you to use your VPN with devices that normally don’t support them, such as smart TVs or gaming consoles. This way, you can even watch movies and shows on your big screen.

The only downside I found with ExpressVPN is it’s a bit more expensive than some VPNs at $6.67/month. However, ExpressVPN frequently offers generous discounts making it more than worthwhile. I got 8 off and 3 extra months for free.

As an added assurance, ExpressVPN is backed by a trustworthy money-back guarantee. If you're not satisfied, you have 30 days to claim a refund. I tested this process myself after 18 days of using it. All I had to do was contact an agent via the 24/7 live chat and they quickly approved my request. After just 3 days, I saw the payment back in my bank account.

ExpressVPN Offer November 2024: For a limited time only, you can get an ExpressVPN subscription for up to 48% off! Don't miss out!

2. CyberGhost – User-Friendly Apps to Easily Access Content Anywhere

Editor's Note: Transparency is one of our core values at vpnMentor, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as CyberGhost VPN. However, this does not affect our review process.
  • Optimized servers for streaming and torrenting make it really user-friendly
  • Military-grade encryption, a no-logs policy, and an automatic kill switch keep you safe online
  • 11,690 servers for 100 countries for accessing content from around the world
  • 7 simultaneous device connections
  • 45-day money-back guarantee
  • Works with: Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Vudu, and more
  • Compatible with: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, routers, smart TVs, and more

CyberGhost’s intuitive interface makes it easy to find the right connection for streaming, so it’s a great alternative to PIA for enjoying your favorite content. It even offers optimized servers, labeled according to which streaming platform they work best with. During my CyberGhost tests, I was able to find the server I needed within seconds. I went to the app’s dedicated streaming profile and searched For streaming — then it presented me with a list of optimized servers for lots of different services.

Cyberghost's app displaying its specialty servers, optimized for streaming purposes

You can find the best servers for Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+ and moreYou can effortlessly steer clear of crowded servers by checking the number of users already connected to them. In fact, CyberGhost goes a step further by providing a list of the most optimal servers based on your specific online activities. Whether you're streaming, requiring high-speed downloads for torrenting, or engaged in gaming, CyberGhost offers server recommendations tailored to your needs.

Your devices are protected by CyberGhost’s built-in malware, tracking, phishing, and ad blockers. It’s similar to PIA’s ad blocker, but I found it worked more consistently. I didn’t get any ads on my streaming content and enjoyed knowing that I was protected from hackers and third-party tracking. Additional security features include 256-bit encryption, a no-logs policy, an automatic kill switch, and DNS/IP leak protection.

Regrettably, CyberGhost is not functional in China. While this doesn't affect me as I have no plans to use a VPN there, it's a factor that may be relevant if you're contemplating travel or relocation to China.

Long-term plans are very affordable; you can get a subscription from only $2.03/month. Coupled with the longer refund policy, this is the best option.

You can test out CyberGhost for free with a 45-day money-back guarantee. My tests proved this to be reliable — all I had to do was answer a few questions via the 24/7 live chat feature and within 5 days I saw my refund on my credit card.

November 2024 Deal: CyberGhost is currently offering 84% off its most popular plan! Take advantage of this offer now and save more on your CyberGhost subscription.

3. IPVanish – P2P-Friendly Global Server Network for Easy Torrenting

  • Military-grade encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and a kill switch ensure you're well protected online
  • Superfast speeds great for torrenting and streaming free from interruption
  • 2,400 servers in 130 countries give you access to worldwide content
  • Unlimited simultaneous device connections
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Works with: Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Vudu, and more
  • Compatible with: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, routers, smart TVs, and more

If torrenting is a major priority for your VPN use, you may like the fact that IPVanish supports torrenting on all of its servers. IPVanish protects you and your devices from cyber threats while you torrent with its 256-bit encryption, kill switch, zero-logs policy, and DNS/IP leak protection. I even tested IPVanish for leaks and found none.

Moreover, IPVanish offers intuitive and user-friendly applications. For example, you can easily configure your connection preferences with just a few clicks, such as activating or deactivating the kill switch and employing Scramble (obfuscation) to mask your VPN traffic. The world map feature within the app, displaying the server count in each location, proved to be quite useful during my use.

The IPVanish app's world map feature zoomed in on the western side of the US showing server locations and the number of servers in each location — there is also an arrow showing where the quick connect feature is to the left

You can even pull up a server list in the app and view each in terms of speeds and load. On the 6 IPVanish servers we tested, we recorded an average download speed of 24.36 Mbps — this is slightly faster than the 21.32 Mbps average we recorded with PIA’s servers. Increased speeds can help you avoid annoying interruptions while you game, stream, or browse.

Unfortunately, IPVanish was a bit inconsistent with streaming platforms. However, when I contacted customer support, the agent was very helpful and advised me to use the split tunneling feature for it to work.

You can get a yearly IPVanish plan for as low as $2.19/month, making it better value than the short-term subscriptions.

If you’re still unsure whether IPVanish is for you or not, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee. The refund process is super easy — when I tested it, I didn’t even have to contact an agent; I just logged into my IPVanish account, clicked a few buttons, and submitted my refund request. I had my money back in 4 days.

IPVanish November 2024 Deal: It's hard to find active IPVanish offers so I was really surprised to find this one! Click here to get 83% off your IPVanish subscription today! Discount automatically applied (no code required).

FAQs on Canceling PIA and Getting a Refund

What is Private Internet Access’ refund policy?

PIA refund requests made within the 30-day money-back period will be honored. As long as you claim your money back within this period, the refund process is simple and reliable. These recommended VPNs also offer a solid refund policy.

How long does it take to get my refund from PIA?

PIA states that it usually takes 5-10 days. When I tested it, I had my money back even faster — in just 3 days. My tests have shown that not all VPNs are as quick to give you your money back. If you plan to try another service, I recommend only using VPNs with a refund policy you can trust.

While PIA may be quick to issue your refund, factors involved with your payment institution can affect how long it takes to get your money back.

Conclusion

PIA is fast, secure, and affordable — with a dependable money-back guarantee. However, you may seek a VPN that better meets your personal needs. I advise that you only sign up for a VPN with a tried-and-tested refund policy, so there’s no risk to you.

For stronger security, consistent streaming ability, and lightning-fast speeds, I recommend ExpressVPN. Best of all, you can even try ExpressVPN risk-free because it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee — I tested the refund process myself, and it was quick and hassle-free.

To summarize, the best alternatives to PIA are…

Editor's Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: Intego, Cyberghost, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.

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The information above can be used to track you, target you for ads, and monitor what you do online.

VPNs can help you hide this information from websites so that you are protected at all times. We recommend ExpressVPN — the #1 VPN out of over 350 providers we've tested. It has military-grade encryption and privacy features that will ensure your digital security, plus — it's currently offering 48% off.

Visit ExpressVPN

We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
Learn more
vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

About the Author

Georgii Chanturidze is a Senior Writer at vpnMentor with a knack for VPNs, cloud services, and anti-malware tools. He meticulously researches and tests services for vpnMentor’s readers, providing valuable, accurate information.

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