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Government · head to head

CityView vs Private Internet Access

CityView logo

CityView

Government

Community Development Software

From
$10000/year
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
P

Private Internet Access

Cybersecurity

Long-standing VPN service with a large server network and flexible multi-year plans

From
$11.99/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CityView high implementation and licensing costs for smaller municipalities; Private Internet Access monthly plan is priced noticeably higher than the discounted multi-year commitments, penalizing short-term users.
  • They diverge on capability: CityView covers Building Permits, Private Internet Access covers Split tunneling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CityView and Private Internet Access actually diverge.

Attributes where CityView and Private Internet Access differ
AttributeCityViewPrivate Internet Access
Starting price$10000/year$11.99/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWebwindows, mac, linux, ios, android
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity
Founded1976Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 CityView

  • Building Permits
  • Business Licensing
  • Code Enforcement
  • Inspections Management
  • Online Citizen Portal
  • Esri ArcGIS
  • Microsoft Office
  • Payment Gateways

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.

CityView

  • Citizen Servicesnot Private Internet Access
  • Records Managementnot Private Internet Access
  • Public Safetynot Private Internet Access
  • Civic Engagementnot Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access

  • Encrypting traffic on public Wi-Fi with a kill switchnot CityView
  • Blocking ads and trackers network-wide via MACEnot CityView
  • Maintaining a consistent connection identity with a dedicated IP add-onnot CityView
  • Committing to a long-term plan for a lower effective monthly ratenot CityView

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CityView

  • High implementation and licensing costs for smaller municipalities
  • Complex setup and customization requiring expert assistance

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

CityView

$10000/year

No published plan breakdown. See the CityView 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 CityView if

  • You need building permits.
  • You also want business licensing.
CityView review

Choose Private Internet Access if

  • You need split tunneling.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
  • You also want kill switch.
Private Internet Access review

Questions people ask

Is CityView or Private Internet Access better?
Neither clearly leads. CityView starts at $10000/year 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, CityView or Private Internet Access?
CityView starts at $10000/year and Private Internet Access at $11.99/month.
Does CityView or Private Internet Access run on more platforms?
CityView runs on Web. Private Internet Access runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
What is CityView best used for?
CityView is most often used for citizen services, records management, public safety, civic engagement. Of those, citizen services and records management are not what Private Internet Access is typically brought in for.
What can CityView do that Private Internet Access cannot?
CityView covers Building Permits, Business Licensing, Code Enforcement, Inspections Management. Private Internet Access covers Split tunneling, Kill switch, Ad and tracker blocking, Dedicated IP add-on.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CityView: Is CityView cloud-based or on-premise?

CityView offers both cloud-based SaaS deployments and on-premise options depending on municipality preference and requirements.

Source
CityView: What modules are included?

CityView Suite includes Property Information, Permits and Inspections, Planning, Code Enforcement, Licensing, Animal Licensing, Service Requests, Rental Housing, Cemetery Management, Parking Management, and Cashiering modules.

Source
CityView: How long has CityView been in the market?

CityView has over 40 years of experience serving local governments with community development and municipal land management solutions.

Source
CityView: What is the pricing structure?

CityView pricing ranges from $10,000 to $75,000+ per year for mid-sized municipalities, or approximately $100 to $250 per user per month for SaaS deployments, depending on modules selected.

Source
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