WireGuard and OpenVPN are protocols with their own clients, while Private Internet Access is a full VPN service with its own Windows application. Version 3.6.1+08339 from Private Internet Access, Inc. came out on September 2, 2024. It switches OpenVPN connections to the Wintun driver by default, which should improve bandwidth, and adds experimental arm64 support.
Servers in 30+ countries and 50+ regions
The defining point of this app is the network behind the client. The publisher describes gateways worldwide, with access in 30+ countries and 50+ regions. The app creates encrypted tunnels and hides the IP address and location of the device.
The Windows installer is 23.8 MB and the app is free. The licence is proprietary, so the code is not open for inspection.
What a session with the Windows client involves
You install the client, sign in and pick a gateway, then connect. Once connected, traffic runs through the encrypted tunnel and the visible IP address changes.
The latest build makes Wintun the default for OpenVPN connections, which the changelog says should improve bandwidth. The kill switch also stays on after a subscription expires.
Against Windscribe, Surfshark and the open-source clients
Windscribe and Surfshark are the other full VPN services among the alternatives. Cloudflare One Client, WireGuard, OpenVPN and OpenVPN Connect are different in kind, as they are tools or connectors rather than a bundled server network. Private Internet Access fits readers who want the client and the servers from one publisher.
What's new in 3.6.1+08339
Version 3.6.1 adds experimental arm64 support on Windows and updates to Wintun driver 0.14.1. Only PIA clients can now send RPC calls that disconnect or log out the user.
Private Internet Access pros and cons
Pros
- Servers in 30+ countries and 50+ regions
- Wintun is the default for OpenVPN connections, aimed at better bandwidth
- Kill switch stays on after subscription expiry
- Installer is small at 23.8 MB
- Official download from the publisher's own host
Cons
- Proprietary licence, so the code is not open
- Few visuals are available to preview the app
- arm64 support is still experimental
- Subscription pricing is separate from the free installer
Is Private Internet Access safe?
Private Internet Access, Inc. develops the app under a proprietary license, and the installer is served from the publisher's own host, installers.privateinternetaccess.com. This release restricts RPC calls that disconnect or log out the user to PIA clients only, and the killswitch stays on after a subscription expires. Scan the file yourself before running it if you want an extra check.
How to install Private Internet Access
- Press the download button to get the official file.
- Run the installer you saved and confirm the Windows security prompt if the publisher matches.
- Follow the setup steps, then start Private Internet Access from the Start menu.
