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PureVPN-vs-PIA- in-UAE

Winner: PureVPN

If you’re a long-time VPN user, you’re probably familiar with PureVPN and PIA – Two of the Top VPN providers in the industry. These providers have existed in the industry for a long time and have a huge base of loyal customers, but which one is the better choice?

The purpose of this detailed comparison between PureVPN vs PIA in UAE  is to find the answer to this question, namely the winner between these two VPNs.

PureVPN vs PIA in UAE: Head-to-Head Comparison

We have compared both PureVPN and Private Internet Access in UAE on a few performance criteria. Here is a brief overview of the different factors, which these VPNs had to fight on:

  • Pricing Plans: Which VPN is more affordable in terms of pricing plans in UAE?
  • Logging Policy: Review the logging policy of both VPNs to see which one is secure and which keeps no logs in UAE.
  • Speed: Speed test to see which VPN is faster in terms of connection speeds in UAE.
  • Server Network: Which VPN offers more servers and server locations in UAE?
  • Device Compatibility: To see which VPN is compatible with more devices and operating systems in UAE.
  • App Usability and Interface: Which VPN offers a better app interface and is easy to use in UAE?
  • Customer Support: To test which VPN offers better customer support in UAE.
  • Netflix and Unblocking Strength: To see which of the VPNs can bypass firewalls and unblock restricted sites like Netflix in UAE.
  • Torrenting: Which VPN is secure for P2P file-sharing in UAE?
  • Privacy & Security Features: Which VPN offers more security features and protocols in UAE?

A Quick Comparison of PureVPN vs PIA in UAE

To test the depth of both VPNs we examined various features of PureVPN and PIA in UAE. So, if you’re in a hurry and want to know a summary of the comparison, you can take a look at the comparison table below:

Factors PureVPN PIA
Jurisdiction  The British Virgin Islands USA
Logging Policy No activity or user-related logs No activity logs
Pricing USD3.29/mo (US$ 3.29/mo) (5 Months FREE + 84% Off on a 2-year plan) USD 2.69/mo
Speed 51.67 Mbps 91.09 Mbps
Server Network 6,500+ servers
140+ countries
2,657+ servers
47 countries
Customer Support Live chat Email
Torrenting Supported Supported
Netflix Unblocking Supported Not supported
Security Strong Strong
Website PureVPN PIA

Moreover, you can see our VPN comparison chart in UAE in which we have compared more than 60 providers.

Detailed Analysis of PureVPN vs PIA in UAE

PureVPN is a British Virgin Islands-based VPN service that is known for the geographical diversity of its servers, presence in over 140 countries, and innovative features like split tunneling. The provider also has a good logging policy with a loyal fan base across the world.

PIA is a USA-based VPN service. It offers a range of basic features, but it covers these basics very well. The US jurisdiction is not considered a positive thing for any VPN service, so that is one of the major downsides to PIA.

Further details for both VPNs will be uncovered in the following detailed comparison.

1. Pricing Plans: PureVPN vs PIA in UAE

Result: PIA VPN is less expensive than PureVPN in UAE if you want to subscribe to the 2-year plan. 

Plans PureVPN PIA
1-month USD 10.95/mo USD 11.95/mo
1-year USD 5.82/mo USD 3.33/mo
Best plan USD3.29/mo (US$ 3.29/mo) (5 Months FREE + 84% Off on a 2-year plan) (2-year plan) USD 2.03/mo (3-year plan)

PureVPN – It offers multiple plans. The 1-month plan is costly as it USD 10.95/month. The 1-year plan is also on the expensive side costing USD 5.82/month. However, PureVPN offers better value for the longer-term plans, especially the 2-year subscription that is priced at USD3.29/mo (US$ 3.29/mo) (5 Months FREE + 84% Off on a 2-year plan)

PIA – It also offers 3 plans: 1-month, 1-year, and 2-year plans. The 3-year plan, costing USD 2.03/month, is more affordable than PureVPN’s subscription for the same period. Therefore, PIA is automatically the better choice for long-term subscriptions.

pia-price-cart-in-UAE Payment Methods and Refund Policy

Both PIA and PureVPN offer a good refund policy and accept multiple payment methods in UAE.

Payment method & Refund PureVPN PIA
Credit Card Yes Yes
PayPal Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency Yes Yes
Ali Pay Yes No
Blue Snap Yes No
PaymentWall Yes Yes
Beam No Yes
Amazon Pay No Yes
Money-back guarantee 31 days 30 day

PureVPN – You can purchase PureVPN through different payment methods including credit cards, PayPal, and cryptocurrency in UAE. Users that want to remain anonymous can easily choose PayPal or cryptocurrency to purchase their desired PureVPN subscription in UAE. In addition, PureVPN offers a 31-day money-back guarantee.

PIA – It also facilitates users by accepting payments through cryptocurrency, credit cards, and PayPal in UAE. The company used to have a 7-day refund policy, but it has extended this to 30 days now, making it just as good as PureVPN (with just a day short).

Winner: Private Internet Access 

PIA is cheaper than PureVPN in UAE and it also accepts a lot of payment methods including cryptocurrency for anonymous payment.

2. Logging Policy: PureVPN vs PIA in UAE

Result: PureVPN has a more transparent logging policy as compared to PIA in UAE

Logs Type PureVPN PIA
Connection logs No Unspecified
Activity logs No No

Does PureVPN keep logs? – It has a more transparent and reassuring logging policy as well as the advantage of being located in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction of The British Virgin Islands. The provider keeps no logs of personally identifiable information such as user activity, IP address, DNS requests, etc. which leaves no chance of any third parties gaining access to your private files and information.

Does PIA keep logs? – It has a rather vague logging policy in UAE. Although they maintain that they keep no traffic logs, it is unclear if they do store logs of other user-related information such as IP addresses. As such, there is nothing conclusive about PIA’s treatment of user metadata.

No-Logging-Policy-PIA-VPN-in-UAE

Furthermore, PIA is based in the USA, which is one of the worst countries for privacy, due to mass surveillance programs in the country as you can also see comparison of Private Internet Access and TunnelBear in UAE .

Jurisdiction is a very crucial aspect when selecting a VPN provider. If the jurisdiction is located in a country such as the US, where any law enforcement authority can ask for user logs and data then it completely defeats the VPN purpose. Therefore, trusting IPVanish with your personal data wouldn’t be a smart decision. So using a provider like PureVPN, which supports user and privacy-friendly jurisdiction is the best decision. Also, we recently pitted PureVPN against a top-tier VPN provider and you can learn more about the comparison of PureVPN and ExpressVPN in UAE.

Winner: PureVPN

PureVPN has a better logging policy and it is clear about the information it collects. PIA on the other hand has a vague logging policy and it is also headquartered in the unsafe jurisdiction of Colorado. PureVPN, on the other hand, is based in the safe jurisdiction of The British Virgin Islands.

3. Speed Results: PureVPN vs PIA in UAE

Result: PureVPN is slightly faster than PIA in UAE. Both VPNs deliver excellent speeds in general.

Although both providers are quite fast, PureVPN managed to outperform PIA by a small but notable margin in UAE. To measure the speeds of both VPNs, Ookla’s online SpeedTest tool was used using a base internet connection of 30 Mbps.

PureVPN PIA VPN
US:  91 Mbps US: 51.67 Mbps
UK:  86.09 Mbps UK: 74.59 Mbps
France: 90.84 Mbps France: 91.84 Mbps
Australia:  76.75 Mbps Australia: 85.5  Mbps
Avg. Download: 88.63 Mbps Avg. Download: 73.46 Mbps

PureVPN – It has reached as high as 91 Mbps on the US server and maintained an impressive average of 88.63 Mbps across all the four servers tested i.e US, UK, Australia, and Germany.

PIA – Its highest speed was recorded when connected to one of its US servers, where it reached 51.67 Mbps. Therefore, Private Internet Access’s fastest server was France during our testing. The average speed of PIA after testing it on all four different servers is 73.46 Mbps.

Speed Test #1 US Server

PureVPN managed to offer a download speed of 91 Mbps on its US server with high pings coming in at about 131 ms.

PureVPN-speed-in-UAE

Private Internet Access delivered a download speed of 51.67 Mbps on its US server which was very slow as compared to PureVPN. Pings were also very high at 299 ms.

PIA-speed-in-UAE

Speed Test #2 Australia Server

On the Australian server, PureVPN gave a download speed of 76.75 Mbps and a high upload speed of 86.84 Mbps.

PIA was faster on the Australia server as compared to PureVPN. It managed a download speed of 85.5 Mbps with very high pings at 310 ms.

Winner: PureVPN

PureVPN is slightly faster than PIA in UAE.  PIA also performed amazingly during the speed test, but PureVPN took the lead.

4. Servers in Countries

Result: There is no clear winner here. PureVPN covers more countries through virtual servers, but PIA offers more servers in total with bare-metal servers only in UAE.

PureVPN PIA
Countries 140+ 77
Servers 6,500+ 35,912+

PureVPN – It has 6,500+ servers spread in 140+ countries. The extensive geographical coverage of the server network is one of the USPs of PureVPN, as most other providers in the VPN industry have their networks confined to a smaller footprint. However, it must be pointed out that many of PureVPN’s servers are virtual in UAE.

PureVPN-Servers-in-UAE

PIA – It has a larger total server count of 35,912+ in 77 countries.  Although the number of servers is pretty impressive, PIA is only spread around 77 countries. The good thing is that PIA is entirely composed of physical servers only, which is one of the factors behind their smaller geographical coverage.

PIA-servers-in-UAE

Winner: It’s a Tie!

PureVPN has one of the largest server coverage with servers in over 140+ locations. PIA, on the other hand, has a large number of servers in over 77+ locations.

5. Device Compatibility: Private Internet Access and PureVPN in UAE

Result: Both PureVPN and PIA offer excellent compatibility for devices and platforms in UAE. However, PureVPN offers apps for more devices. 

Compatibility PureVPN PIA
Android Yes Yes
iOS Yes Yes
Windows Yes Yes
macOS Yes Yes
Android TV Yes Yes
Linux Yes Yes
Chrome Yes Yes
Firefox Yes Yes

PureVPN – It is compatible with the commonly used platform and devices in UAE. This includes Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, Fire TV, Kodi, and more. The mobile apps are neatly designed and work with optimal responsiveness. In addition, PureVPN offers extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge in UAE. With one PureVPN subscription, you can connect up to 10 devices simultaneously in UAE. 

You can also set up PureVPN on Firestick in UAE, Roku in UAE, and Kodi in UAE. It can also be configured on routers and used on devices that dont have native support for VPN.

PIA – It offers dedicated apps for most common devices including Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux in UAE. For browsers, it offers extensions that support Opera, Firefox, and Opera. With PIA, you can connect up to 10 devices at the same time in UAE.

Winner: PureVPN

PureVPN is compatible with more devices including Android TV, Smart TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more in UAE.

6. App Usability and User Interface in UAE

Result: Both PIA and PureVPN offer well-designed apps for desktops and smartphones in UAE. This round is a tie.

PureVPN and PIA have easy-to-use apps for a variety of devices and platforms. However, PureVPN has a much more appealing app design as compared to PIA in UAE, which has a very basic app design.

PureVPN PIA
One-click installation setup Android, iOS, Windows, macOS Android, iOS, Windows, macOS
Configurable settings Yes Yes
Overall usability Moderate Easy
Browser Extensions Yes Yes

In terms of performance, both apps work quite smoothly in UAE. However, PIA usually takes a longer time to connect to a server. The desktop app of PureVPN starts with the Streaming Mode selected by default.

purevpn-windows-app-interface-in-UAE

It takes a little getting used to as there are multiple sub-menus full of different settings, so the app can certainly be made more user-friendly. However, the smartphone app of PureVPN boasts an awesome design and superior usability in UAE.

PureVPN-ios-interface-in-UAE

PIA offers a much simpler app that simply resides on the taskbar in your desktops. You can switch servers, connect, or disconnect the VPN from the taskbar.

PIA-in-UAE

The smartphone apps of PIA also feature excellent usability in UAE. You can connect to a server directly from its home screen menu.

PIA-smartphone-app-in-UAE

Winner: It’s a Tie!

Both PureVPN and PIA have great app usability and easy-to-use interface in UAE. Both have a clean app interface and tons of features.

7. Customer Support: Private Internet Access vs PureVPN in UAE

Result: PureVPN offers 24/7 live chat support in UAE. PIA does not offer live chat support. 

Customer support is something that can either make or break a VPN service. Every product has flaws and you can’t expect to satisfy all customers. But if the customer support team is kind, respectful, and empathetic to their customers, it can convert even displeased customers into people that can spread positive word of mouth about a brand.

Support PureVPN PIA
Live chat Yes No
Email support Yes Yes
Telephone support No No
Troubleshooting guides Yes Yes
Setup guides Yes Yes
FAQs Yes Yes

PureVPN – It is evident that the provider takes customer support quite seriously. 24/7 live chat support is incredibly useful for instantly getting answers to your questions, as well as for raising complaints if you are experiencing troubles with the VPN in UAE. PureVPN’s website also consists of a lot of helpful articles and detailed guides that explain the setup process and other important details to facilitate the user in UAE.

As a test, we asked customer support about servers to watch Netflix US through their live chat feature, and they replied instantly.

PIA – It also offers support to customers through the email ticketing system in UAE. Unfortunately, it does not offer a live chat feature which is a bummer. Like PureVPN, PIA’s official website is full of guides and instructions for installing its VPN apps, configuring different settings, and getting the best out of the service in UAE.

PIA-customer-support-in-UAE

Winner: PureVPN

PureVPN is the winner in customer support criteria because it offers 24/7 live chat support that PIA fails to offer in UAE.

8. Torrenting: PureVPN vs PIA in UAE

Result: PureVPN is a safer choice for torrenting as compared to PIA in UAE

A large number of online users use VPN for peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing via BitTorrent. This method is a perfectly legal way to share files. However, sharing copyrighted material such as music, movies, and games is illegal in UAE.

Even if you are not using this technology for downloading copyrighted materials, your ISP might throttle your bandwidth. Therefore, the best way to prevent this is to use a VPN for torrenting in UAE.

Torrenting Features PureVPN PIA
No Logs Yes Yes
Fast Speeds Yes Yes
Unlimited Bandwidth Yes Yes
Obfuscation No No
Safe Jurisdiction Yes No
Leak-Proof Yes Yes

PureVPN – It unblocks torrent websites and allows the safe downloading of torrents in UAE. The fact that PureVPN has a no-logging policy and is based in The British Virgin Islands is another favorable advantage when it comes to downloading torrents safely.

PIA – It supports torrents though it should be remembered that the provider is based in the US. The strictest anti-piracy laws are in the US. This fact combined with the surveillance capabilities of US agencies and the vague logging policy of PIA makes it a less-than-ideal choice for downloading torrents. Though as far as performance is concerned, PIA is very efficient for unblocking and downloading torrents.

However, a strict zero-log policy, port forwarding add-on, and SOCKS5 proxy support help build up this provider’s image as one of the best VPNs for torrenting in UAE.

Disclaimer: We do not encourage nor condone the use of VPNs to engage in illegal activities including copyright infringement in UAE.

Winner: PureVPN

PureVPN is a better choice for torrenting because it is headquartered in the safe jurisdiction of The British Virgin Islands.

9. Netflix & Unblocking Strength:in UAE

Result: PureVPN is much more reliable for unblocking popular streaming services as compared to PIA in UAE

VPNs are having a hard time unblocking streaming services these days in UAE. With geo-restriction and anti-VPN technologies improving, it’s not as easy for VPNs today to find access to popular streaming services in UAE.

PIA PureVPN
Netflix US (Inconsistent) US, Germany
Hulu US, Japan US, Japan
BBC iPlayer No Yes
Amazon Prime Video No Yes
Sky Go Yes Yes
CBS Yes Yes

PureVPN – The good news is that PureVPN is still one of the few VPNs that are effective for unblocking VoD services such as Netflix in UAE, Hulu, BBC iPlayer in UAE, and Amazon Prime Video. The fact that PureVPN offers speeds more than PIA also gives it a definite edge over PIA because seamless streaming requires fast internet connections in UAE.

Examining the query, Does PureVPN work with Hulu? in my tests on different USA servers, PureVPN demonstrated affirmative results. It promptly unblocked Hulu and ensured satisfactory speed for HD streaming, reinforcing its dependability. For users in search of effective access to Hulu with smooth, high-quality streaming, PureVPN stands as a reliable choice.

PIA – It has the ability to unblock some streaming services, however, not all in UAE. If you want to watch US Netflix through one of its servers, PureVPN might be a better choice. During our testing, we did manage to get Netflix US after extensive testing because most servers were not working with Netflix and we constantly got the Netflix proxy error.

Chinese Restrictions: PureVPN vs PIA in UAE

China has imposed strict internet restrictions and censorship in the country. Most premium VPNs cannot bypass the Great Firewall of China in UAE. Let’s see if PIA and PureVPN are good options for Chinese users to circumvent censorship and restrictions.

Does PIA work in China?

PIA used to work in China, but it doesn’t work anymore. When you try to use it in China, it tells users to switch protocols from OpenVPN to L2TP/IPSec which is not a secure option at all. Similarly, as discussed above, PIA cannot unblock geo-restricted sites, so you will now be able to access Google, Netflix, Skype, and more in China.

Does PureVPN work in China?

Yes, PureVPN does work in China as it is headquartered in The British Virgin Islands. It is also great for Chinese ex-pats living abroad because it offers 12 obfuscated servers in ChinaBeijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong. However, you might need to manually configure PureVPN on your devices to make it work in China.

Winner: PureVPN

PureVPN is the winner because of its excellent unblocking capability and ability to circumvent firewalls in UAE. PureVPN also works with major streaming platforms like Netflix, BBc iPlayer, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and more. PIA fails to unblock geo-restricted sites.

10. Security Features: PureVPN vs PIA in UAE

Result: Both PureVPN and PIA are quite evenly matched in terms of security in UAE. You get valuable features from each provider that can boost your online privacy and security.

Security Features PureVPN PIA
AES-256 encryption Yes Yes
Leak protection Yes Yes
Kill switch Yes Yes
Multi-logins 10 10
Benchmark protocols Yes Yes
Obfuscation No No
Ad/malware blocker No Yes
Split tunneling Yes No

PureVPN – It uses AES-256 encryption. The VPN protocols offered by PureVPN include OpenVPN, L2TP, PPTP, SSTP, IKEv2. PureVPN allows easy switching between different protocols directly through its apps. For authentication, PureVPN uses RSA-2048. In addition, advanced features such as kill switch and IP/DNS leak protection are also offered by PureVPN.

PureVPN offers strong security and privacy features including Split Tunneling, Double VPN, NAT Firewall, and DDoS protection. It also uses two different kinds of authentication:

  • For data channel: AES-256-CBC cipher with HMAC SHA1 hash authentication.
  • For control channel: AES-256-CBC cipher with HMAC SHA384 hash authentication and RSA-4096 handshake encryption.

PureVPN-settings-menu-in-UAE

PIA –  It implements AES-256 encryption but you can only use the OpenVPN configuration, which is unchangeable. PIA offers a kill switch as well as an ad and malware-blocking capability using its proprietary MACE technology.

PIA-settings-menu-in-UAE

PIA uses AES-256-bit ciphers, RSA-4096 for the handshake, and SHA256 for data authentication for its data channel. For its control channel, PIA uses simple hash authentication and the same ciphers as the data channel.

Winner: PureVPN

Both PIA and PureVPN offer great security and privacy features in UAE. However, PureVPN goes the extra mile by offering more features.

Final Verdict: PureVPN is the Winner in UAE

PureVPN is the winner!

PureVPN is the winner in this contest against PIA because of the following:

  • Logging: Clear no-logs policy
  • Lower Price: USD 3.29/mo (US$ 3.29/mo) (5 Months FREE + 84% Off on a 2-year plan)
  • Jurisdiction: British Virgin Islands (safer)
  • Netflix: Supported
  • Server Spread: 6,500+ servers in 140+ countries
  • Live Chat Support 

PureVPN is better than PIA in terms of speed, logging policy, pricing, server locations, unblocking strength, and more in UAE. Although PIA is itself a very good VPN, it falls short in many departments when compared to the raw strength and strong functionalities of PureVPN.

Some of the areas where PIA gets the better of PureVPN with a larger overall server count. In most other departments, however, PureVPN has outperformed PIA in UAE. To learn more about this provider, check out our PIA VPN review in UAE.

So if you’re looking for a VPN with better privacy, compatibility with VoDs like Netflix, speed, and affordability, PureVPN is much the better choice in this comparison of PureVPN vs PIA in UAE. You can discover more about this service in our in-depth PureVPN VPN review guide in UAE.

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