Software · head to head
Cisco Duo vs Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access
Software
Long-standing VPN service with a large server network and flexible multi-year plans
- From
- $11.99/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Cisco Duo has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Cisco Duo free tier caps at 10 users; every paid tier requires a minimum of 10 users; Private Internet Access monthly plan is priced noticeably higher than the discounted multi-year commitments, penalizing short-term users.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Cisco Duo and Private Internet Access actually diverge.
| Attribute | Cisco Duo | Private Internet Access |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $11.99/month |
| Pricing model | freemium | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web | windows, mac, linux, ios, android |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Cisco Duo
Nothing recorded that Private Internet Access does not also cover.
Only in Private Internet Access
- Split tunneling
- Kill switch
- Ad and tracker blocking
- Dedicated IP add-on
- Bundled antivirus add-on
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Cisco Duo
No use cases recorded yet. See the Cisco Duo review.
Private Internet Access
- Encrypting traffic on public Wi-Fi with a kill switchnot Cisco Duo
- Blocking ads and trackers network-wide via MACEnot Cisco Duo
- Maintaining a consistent connection identity with a dedicated IP add-onnot Cisco Duo
- Committing to a long-term plan for a lower effective monthly ratenot Cisco Duo
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Cisco Duo
- Free tier caps at 10 users; every paid tier requires a minimum of 10 users
- Licenses cannot be bought individually above the free tier: under 100 users they are sold in increments of 10, and over 100 users in increments of 25
- Duo Premier, the top tier with the most adaptive access controls, costs $9 per user per month on top of the per-increment purchase requirement
Private Internet Access
- Monthly plan is priced noticeably higher than the discounted multi-year commitments, penalizing short-term users.
- Dedicated IP and antivirus are paid add-ons rather than included features.
- Headquartered in a jurisdiction whose privacy reputation some competitors market against, despite audited no-logs claims.
- App interface is less streamlined than some higher-priced premium VPN competitors.
Pricing, plan by plan
Cisco Duo
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Cisco Duo review.
Private Internet Access
$11.99/month- Monthly$11.99/month
- Billed month to month
- Full server network access
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- 1-Year$3.1/month
- Billed annually at $37.19
- Full server network access
- 2-Year$2.19/month
- Lowest advertised rate, billed every 2 years
- Full server network access
Which should you pick?
Choose Private Internet Access if
- You need split tunneling.
- You work on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
- You also want kill switch.
Questions people ask
- Is Cisco Duo or Private Internet Access better?
- Neither clearly leads. Cisco Duo starts at Free and Private Internet Access at $11.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Cisco Duo or Private Internet Access?
- Cisco Duo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cisco Duo and $11.99/month for Private Internet Access.
- Does Cisco Duo or Private Internet Access run on more platforms?
- Cisco Duo runs on Web. Private Internet Access runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
- Can I use Cisco Duo for free?
- Yes. Cisco Duo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Private Internet Access starts at $11.99/month.
- What can Cisco Duo do that Private Internet Access cannot?
- Private Internet Access covers Split tunneling, Kill switch, Ad and tracker blocking, Dedicated IP add-on.
Related pages
More on Private Internet Access
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