Private Internet Access VS Smart DNS Proxy Comparison

UPDATED Apr. 2024
Table Of Contents+
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Smart DNS Proxy and Private Internet Access both fall into the category of top-tier VPN providers, which is why it is not a least bit surprising that so many people have a hard time deciding which of these two VPNs to sign up for. One way to decide is to look at specific areas of service and see which of them does better.

Smart DNS Proxy
Best For Avid Streamers
VS
Private Internet Access
Best For VPN Experts

Highlights

Smart DNS Proxy
Smart DNS Proxy offers an interesting combo of Smart DNS and a VPN. The Smart DNS service is there to provide blazing fast speeds while streaming and the VPN allows you to stay safe and anonymous with strong encryption and zero logs.
  • Excellent speeds
  • Rather affordable
  • 14-day free trial
  • Allows torrenting
Private Internet Access
If you are looking for a reliable VPN with plenty of servers all across the globe and rock-solid connections at decent to excellent speeds, you should definitely check out Private Internet Access, a US-based VPN service provider.
  • Zero user logs kept
  • Offers SOCKS5 proxy
  • Unlimited bandwidth
  • P2P sharing allowed

Compare Prices

Company
1 Month
3 Months
6 Months
1 Year
2 Years
Smart DNS Proxy
1 Month
$4.90
3 Months
$4.30
6 Months
/
1 Year
$3.32
2 Years
$2.08
Private Internet Access
1 Month
$6.95
3 Months
/
6 Months
$5.99
1 Year
$3.33
2 Years
$2.91
* The prices shown represent the cost of one month within different subscriptions. To see all available plans and pricing options, check individual reviews.

Compare Features

Smart DNS Proxy
Based In
Poland
Number Of Servers
29
Number Of Countries
40
Protocols
OpenVPN, STP, IKEv1, IKEv2, L2TP, PPTP
Encryption
AES-256
Simultaneous Connections
5
Logs Policy
no logs
Dedicated IP
Killswitch
DNS Leak Protection
Allows Torrenting
Torrenting Servers
SmartDNS
Private Internet Access
Based In
US
Number Of Servers
3079+
Number Of Countries
28
Protocols
PPTP, OpenVPN, and L2TP/IPSec
Encryption
256-bit AES
Simultaneous Connections
5
Logs Policy
no traffic logs
Dedicated IP
Killswitch
DNS Leak Protection
Allows Torrenting
Torrenting Servers
SmartDNS

Supported Devices

Smart DNS Proxy
Windows
OS X
Linux
Android
iOS
Xbox
Router
Private Internet Access
Windows
OS X
Linux
Android
iOS

Compare Ratings

Smart DNS Proxy
FINAL RATING
9.4/10
Anonymity
Reliability
Performance
Features
Support
Value For Money
Private Internet Access
FINAL RATING
9.3/10
Anonymity
Reliability
Performance
Features
Support
Value For Money

Compare User Reviews

Smart DNS Proxy
  • Submitted By paul on 10/13/2019
    iam not in my 3 year with smart DNS proxy in canada were i live i have only one choice of a internet , that onlu gaves me 15 MPS and smart dns proxy works verry good for me on all my devices and on my 65 inch sony android smart tv i even get 4k shows andmovies
  • Submitted By Gordon andrade on 03/15/2019
    They started off having access to a whole load of netflix regions but now it's only the US. I am unable to understand why their service is unable to work on my smart tv or fire stick.. works perfectly on my ps3.. their support though 24/7 says change router.. seriously.. I've been with them for 3 years. Time to change.. I'm sure there are better ones
  • Submitted By Jon Beckson on 10/26/2018
    Unstable and unreliable. I e had nothing much more than problems with this service. I just wanted something simple that allowed me to view Netflix and various UK tv catch up services. What I’ve got is a system that constantly fails to obscure my location. I co tact the support and am told to go into my router and change all manner if settings, I’m not computer geek!. I’ve do e this twice at their behest and now it’s stopoed workojg again and they want me to change a load more settings . I give up,with it, it’s very poor and not what I expected.
  • Submitted By Bilou on 01/11/2018
    Review: I've tested many DNS proxy and VPN providers for hours to test features & VPN configuration over different protocols in order to reach the best streaming performance from South Africa and SmartDNS proxy turned out to be the fastest but also the easiest to set up on a DD-WRT based router whether for basic DNS proxy or VPN using the standard DD-WRT openvpn client interface. For me the advantages / limitations noticed are as follow: SmartDNS proxy (proxy only) pros: - easy to set up - automatic update features available for DD-WRT routers - works with netflix (intermittent disruptions due to Netflix ban engine probably that kicks in sometimes) - works with europe / us tv channels cons: - intermittent disruptions noted on Netflix which "detects proxy" SmartDNS proxy using their VPN engine: pros: - fastest & stable of all VPN providers tested - easy and straightforward OpenVPN protocol configuration on DD-WRT - app on iOS does 100% the job - works 100% with European TV channels (better and faster than using just a DNS proxy despite the encryption involved) cons: - does not work with Netflix (when using OpenVPN)
Private Internet Access
  • Submitted By JJ Sanders on 11/15/2019
    Private Internet Access does NOT protect your identity - it leaks your IP address. I really like the ease of use and the interface, but now have received several Copyright Infringement letters from my ISP while using PIA, even after their customer service suggested several fixes and adjustments. At first it was leaking my Ipv6 data, and we fixed that. I found that even though their suggested test site said it was OK, other sites shows the data was still leaking. Even after stopping that - PIA continues to leak my IP address causing me more problems. I used a simple Anonymizer previously for years with no problems. DON'T USE PIA IF YOU NEED TO PROTECT YOUR ISP ADDRESS.
  • Submitted By Anonymous of course on 10/19/2018
    I love this VPN. I highly doubt I'll use any other VPN ever. The only thing I dislike about this provider is that Amazon streaming and Netflix streaming are blocked but that's fine. I use other streaming services. I cancelled my Netflix subscription and I'd cancel my prime membership to Amazon too if not for the free 2 day shipping. I'll sign up again when they let me be anonymous on the internet like everyone should be. Anyways this VPN has never had downtime for me and the Killswitch means I can p2p with no worries. Torrent freak has 2 articles about PIA being taken to court and PIA informing they have a no log policy and being unable to help with any logs. I'll trust these guys with my privacy for sure. Conclusion: if you can survive without streaming Netflix this VPN provides the best privacy and security and has had it's no log policy tested. 5 stars without a doubt.
  • Submitted By Jose Cuervo on 10/02/2018
    I have been using PIA for several years now and am satisfied with the service. I originally used Viscosity as my client but the one from PIA has improved enough to make it the best option. Though I have not yet tried the Linux client, the ones on Windows, MacOS, iOS and Android work well. Since I stared using PIA, they have added a bunch more servers and the performance has never been an issue for me. The combination of features, compatability and server locations represents the best value for me....YMMV. PIA was my third and so far best VPN experience.
  • Submitted By Maria Martonioni on 06/22/2017
    I liked this service for a while but I feel that lately they have started to slack a bit, especially when it comes to connection reliability. No matter what kind of server I connect to (I usually connect to US and UK ones, sometimes some European ones) the connection keeps dropping and I keep losing my protected connection which is definitely not cool.

Winner

Smart DNS Proxy is an unusual service that allows you to enjoy both the great streaming speeds offered by Smart DNS and the protection VPN provides. Learn more about it in this expert-made Smart DNS review.

* All the prices on this website are subject to change without notice. While we put a great deal of effort into making sure that all the prices are accurate, one or more products may have outdated prices. Please visit the specific product’s official website for exact prices.