My VPN package is going up - Looking for Recommendations - Advice.

[Captain Disorderly]

Ive been using PIA ( Private Internet Access ) for a few years now and not had any problems . Its nearly time to renew my PIA yearly 12 month package and Ive just seen this ..

 

We would like to inform you that as of Oct 15, 2024, the price of our yearly plan will increase to USD $49.99. This was not an easy decision. We have always tried to keep our prices as low as possible for customers whilst operating a globally leading VPN service. However, in order to continue to provide the most reliable and competitive service possible, we must now increase our prices.

 

In the past the same yearly 12 month package cost was ..... USD $29.00 . 

 

I know that if I subscribe to a different plan with PIA  ( 2 years or 5 Years ) I could possibly get the cost down , but I would rather just keep a yearly plan .

 

I use a VPN mainly for torrenting and privacy .

 

I was hoping to locate another VPN provider for a better yearly package cost .

 

Any recommendation , suggestion or advice please. 

 

 

 

 

[scottiejohn]

1 hour ago, Captain Disorderly said:

Ive been using PIA ( Private Internet Access ) for a few years now and not had any problems . Its nearly time to renew my PIA yearly 12 month package and Ive just seen this ..

 

We would like to inform you that as of Oct 15, 2024, the price of our yearly plan will increase to USD $49.99. This was not an easy decision. We have always tried to keep our prices as low as possible for customers whilst operating a globally leading VPN service. However, in order to continue to provide the most reliable and competitive service possible, we must now increase our prices.

 

In the past the same yearly 12 month package cost was ..... USD $29.00 . 

 

I know that if I subscribe to a different plan with PIA  ( 2 years or 5 Years ) I could possibly get the cost down , but I would rather just keep a yearly plan .

 

I use a VPN mainly for torrenting and privacy .

 

I was hoping to locate another VPN provider for a better yearly package cost .

 

Any recommendation , suggestion or advice please. 

 

 

 

 

Try google comparrison sites!

You often get discounted offers by applying via them!

[Tom100]

I have used NAMECHEAP FastVPN for 2 years. It works great. It costs $1.00 per month, 12.00 per year. 

https://www.namecheap.com/vpn

[john donson]

are AN members spies or something that they need this, or is this to enable the hub of pron and other sites that are 'blocked'

[iaminwa]

I use Dashlane password manager - excellent. Theynow give you a free VPN as well called Hotspot Shield.

 

I did use Express VPN for a long time but now their prices are a ripoff.

Edited Friday at 01:06 AM by iaminwa

[KannikaP]

3 hours ago, Tom100 said:

I have used NAMECHEAP FastVPN for 2 years. It works great. It costs $1.00 per month, 12.00 per year. 

https://www.namecheap.com/vpn

You will get what you pay, or don't pay for. When it comes to VPNs there are many out there, some are very dodgy at stealing and/or sharing your data and where you connect. For the extra few bucks, go with the 'good' ones, eg Nord or Express.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

Opera browser has a free VPN service.

 

The main downside is that it only provides a VPN for the browser itself and not any other applications that may access the internet.

[AlwaysThere]

19 hours ago, Captain Disorderly said:

Ive been using PIA ( Private Internet Access ) for a few years now and not had any problems . Its nearly time to renew my PIA yearly 12 month package and Ive just seen this ..

 

We would like to inform you that as of Oct 15, 2024, the price of our yearly plan will increase to USD $49.99. This was not an easy decision. We have always tried to keep our prices as low as possible for customers whilst operating a globally leading VPN service. However, in order to continue to provide the most reliable and competitive service possible, we must now increase our prices.

 

In the past the same yearly 12 month package cost was ..... USD $29.00 . 

 

I know that if I subscribe to a different plan with PIA  ( 2 years or 5 Years ) I could possibly get the cost down , but I would rather just keep a yearly plan .

 

I use a VPN mainly for torrenting and privacy .

 

I was hoping to locate another VPN provider for a better yearly package cost .

 

Any recommendation , suggestion or advice please. 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are happy with PIA, then simply open a new account using a different email address. Standard price US$39.99. Two years 4 months for US$57.

Just let your current account expire without renewing. Turn off auto-renewal.

Edited Friday at 01:43 AM by AlwaysThere

[Taxi]

Let it expire there's a good chance they email you a special offer to get your business back. I don't know about this company specifically but Ive had that with Nord and other subscriptions. 

[Peterphuket]

1 hour ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

Opera browser has a free VPN service.

 

The main downside is that it only provides a VPN for the browser itself and not any other applications that may access the internet.

I use it for long time but as far as I know, it is not free anymore, for that reason I remove Opera.

[AlwaysThere]

3 minutes ago, Peterphuket said:

I use it for long time but as far as I know, it is not free anymore, for that reason I remove Opera.

 

It's still free....

It's the full VPN that's optional. You removed it for nothing.

[Old Curmudgeon]

@Captain Disorderly -

 

Proton Mail offers free VPN if you sign up for their free email service.

 

Yes: free + free.

 

I have Proton Mail for my "burner email addresses", and I installed their free VPN, but don't use it regularly.

The free version is a bit slow.

(Can use, just too slow for this impatient old man.)

Edited Friday at 02:51 AM by Old Curmudgeon

[KannikaP]

2 hours ago, john donson said:

are AN members spies or something that they need this, or is this to enable the hub of pron and other sites that are 'blocked'

What is this PRON you mention. I'd like to try it! 555

I use my NORD VPN to be able to watch UK TV channels, and to protect my Banking activity.

[FarangRimPing]

1 hour ago, AlwaysThere said:

 

If you are happy with PIA, then simply open a new account using a different email address. Standard price US$39.99. Two years 4 months for US$57.

Just let your current account expire without renewing. Turn off auto-renewal.

I have used PIA for years but when they sent a notice of a rate increase, I turned off auto-renewal. They then responded with the $57 deal, which I took. I didn't need to use a different email address.

Edited Friday at 03:20 AM by FarangRimPing

[KannikaP]

1 hour ago, AlwaysThere said:

 

It's still free....

It's the full VPN that's optional. You removed it for nothing.

Opera basic free does not connect to UK, so no good for watching BBC etc

Brave Browser says it has a built in VPN, but it is $9.99 a month. NORD is $80 for 2 years.

Edited Friday at 03:52 AM by KannikaP

[KannikaP]

2 hours ago, AlwaysThere said:

 

It's still free....

It's the full VPN that's optional. You removed it for nothing.

Yes Peter, keep everything which you do not need or use on your PC as Mr There suggests.

[Captain Flack]

A reported flame post and replies have been removed.

[G_Money]

Tunnel Bear 

[hakancnx]

I have this plan for 36 months. 

Only for access to Swedish TV. 

 

privateVPN.com

 

[The Fugitive]

Subscribed to SurfShark for two years. Never failed to connect or unblock geo-blocked websites. Perfect for streaming, never any buffering. Customer Service answered an email within one hour. Now use SmartDNSProxy (includes a VPN). Totally free trial (no credit card details required). Subscribed for three years which works out at just over one dollar per month. Never any issues.

[xylophone]

1 hour ago, The Fugitive said:

Subscribed to SurfShark for two years. Never failed to connect or unblock geo-blocked websites. Perfect for streaming, never any buffering. Customer Service answered an email within one hour. Now use SmartDNSProxy (includes a VPN). Totally free trial (no credit card details required). Subscribed for three years which works out at just over one dollar per month. Never any issues.

After trying Express VPN and a couple of others, and even Nord, I finally settled on SmartDNSProxy and found it to be superb and for me far better than the others mentioned.

 

So now I can watch Match of the Day on BBC iPlayer, as well as rugby on Stan Sport so I'm a "happy camper"!
 

[Peterphuket]

I'm due to get a VPN, but after reading all the posts about it today, the choice isn't getting any easier.
One says FastVPN, another says Private VPN is the best, another says Surfshark...
Should I wait any longer for another best VPN provider?

[JAS21]

5 hours ago, The Fugitive said:

Subscribed to SurfShark for two years. Never failed to connect or unblock geo-blocked websites. Perfect for streaming, never any buffering. Customer Service answered an email within one hour. Now use SmartDNSProxy (includes a VPN). Totally free trial (no credit card details required). Subscribed for three years which works out at just over one dollar per month. Never any issues.

I use Surfshark … no problem with iPlayer or itv … any problem they very quickly sorted it out .. even though my fault lol

[nickmondo]

i was using Express, but not that great.

now using Nord..........no complaints, works great, not expensive

[nickmondo]

a lot of You Tubers get sponsored by various VPN providers.

take a look because they have a link where you can get good discounts.

Paddy Doyle for eg.

[Peterphuket]

On 11/22/2024 at 8:13 AM, KannikaP said:

You will get what you pay, or don't pay for. When it comes to VPNs there are many out there, some are very dodgy at stealing and/or sharing your data and where you connect. For the extra few bucks, go with the 'good' ones, eg Nord or Express.

Unfortunately, after my experience yesterday, or rather today, I have to agree with you on this.
What turns out, because of the price and small risk $1/month, I took out a 1-year subscription with ‘Namecheap’ yesterday, fine, everything worked yesterday.
What turns out today, they have blocked the subscription with the reason that they need more information and will block the connection until then. What the <deleted>!
They won't get them, have asked for a refund, which I don't expect back.
Then just suffer a $12 loss.

But a good lesson for others.

 

 

[RocketDog]

On 11/22/2024 at 7:50 AM, john donson said:

are AN members spies or something that they need this, or is this to enable the hub of pron and other sites that are 'blocked'

you are displaying your ignorance.

Go research the topic for yourself.

Do you seriously believe VPN was created for spies and porn viewers?

I'll give you a clue:   PRIVACY

[RocketDog]

10 hours ago, nickmondo said:

i was using Express, but not that great.

now using Nord..........no complaints, works great, not expensive

I had Express for years and really liked it the rotating IP address schema they use didn't work for the private torrent book club I use.

 

I tried Trust.Zone and that worked fine and is cheap , but since I have changed all my mail, cloud storage, calendar, password manager to ProtonMail I pay $11/month and the VPN is not only faster than Express, but much more secure and has a huge number of server sites around the world.

[KhunHeineken]

In a time of high inflation, high rents, and high wages, they have increased the price by $20.99USD per year.  This works out to be an increase of $1.75USD per month. 

 

$1.75USD is 60 baht a month, which is less then one small beer in a bar, all over Thailand, per month.

 

I have always said, you get what you pay for with VPN's, and not all VPN's are made equally. 

 

If you are familiar with the PIA user interface, and billing system, and the company has served you well in the past, you might reconsider and just pay the extra money. 

 

Yes, there are cheaper VPN's on the market, but when you do some research, you will find they are cheap for a reason. 

Edited 3 hours ago by KhunHeineken

[scubascuba3]

I bought my VPN via google playstore, that makes it easy to pay and cancel