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Cybersecurity · head to head

Motorola Vigilant vs Private Internet Access

Motorola Vigilant logo

Motorola Vigilant

Cybersecurity

Fixed and mobile licence plate recognition with a shared law enforcement plate database

From
On request
Rated
-
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
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Motorola Vigilant state law can decide eligibility outright: California's SB 34 imposes operator duties and restricts sharing ALPR data with out-of-state and federal agencies, and agencies have been audited and found non-compliant.; Private Internet Access monthly plan is priced noticeably higher than the discounted multi-year commitments, penalizing short-term users.
  • They diverge on capability: Motorola Vigilant covers Fixed LPR cameras, Private Internet Access covers Split tunneling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Motorola Vigilant and Private Internet Access differ
AttributeMotorola VigilantPrivate Internet Access
Starting priceOn request$11.99/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, Windows, iOS, Androidwindows, mac, linux, ios, android

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

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 Motorola Vigilant

  • Fixed LPR cameras
  • Mobile LPR
  • LEARN database
  • VehicleManager analytics
  • Hotlist alerting
  • Published API
  • Audit logging

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.

Motorola Vigilant

  • A police department building a hotlist alerting network on arterial roads into a jurisdictionnot Private Internet Access
  • An investigator reconstructing a suspect vehicle's movements across multiple agency jurisdictionsnot Private Internet Access
  • A toll or parking authority enforcing against a registered vehicle listnot Private Internet Access
  • A sheriff's office locating a vehicle associated with an active AMBER or missing person alertnot Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access

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

Where each one falls short

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

Motorola Vigilant

  • State law can decide eligibility outright: California's SB 34 imposes operator duties and restricts sharing ALPR data with out-of-state and federal agencies, and agencies have been audited and found non-compliant.
  • Local surveillance technology ordinances increasingly require a published usage policy, retention limits and a public council hearing before purchase, which can add many months or block the procurement entirely.
  • Motorola has faced litigation over its dual role as ALPR operator and end user, so the legal exposure of the data-sharing model is unresolved and sits partly with the purchasing agency.
  • The value comes from the shared LEARN database, which means the capability an agency actually buys depends on what other agencies contribute, and that can shrink if peers withdraw for legal or political reasons.
  • Nothing is published on price, and camera hardware, database subscription and analytics are separate line items, so the multi-year total is far higher than the initial camera quote suggests.

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

Motorola Vigilant

On request
  • Vigilant LPR$undefined/year
    • Fixed and mobile camera hardware quoted per unit
    • LEARN database access subscribed per agency
    • Analytics software licensed separately

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 Motorola Vigilant if

  • You need fixed lpr cameras.
  • You work on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want mobile lpr.
Motorola Vigilant 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 Motorola Vigilant or Private Internet Access better?
Neither clearly leads. Motorola Vigilant starts at On request 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, Motorola Vigilant or Private Internet Access?
Motorola Vigilant starts at On request and Private Internet Access at $11.99/month.
Does Motorola Vigilant or Private Internet Access run on more platforms?
Motorola Vigilant runs on Web, Windows, iOS, Android. Private Internet Access runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
What is Motorola Vigilant best used for?
Motorola Vigilant is most often used for a police department building a hotlist alerting network on arterial roads into a jurisdiction, an investigator reconstructing a suspect vehicle's movements across multiple agency jurisdictions, a toll or parking authority enforcing against a registered vehicle list, a sheriff's office locating a vehicle associated with an active amber or missing person alert. Of those, a police department building a hotlist alerting network on arterial roads into a jurisdiction and an investigator reconstructing a suspect vehicle's movements across multiple agency jurisdictions are not what Private Internet Access is typically brought in for.
What can Motorola Vigilant do that Private Internet Access cannot?
Motorola Vigilant covers Fixed LPR cameras, Mobile LPR, LEARN database, VehicleManager analytics. Private Internet Access covers Split tunneling, Kill switch, Ad and tracker blocking, Dedicated IP add-on.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Motorola Vigilant: What is LEARN?

The Law Enforcement Archival Reporting Network, the shared database where plate reads from subscribing agencies are stored and queried. It is the core of the product.

Motorola Vigilant: Can any agency buy it?

No. Several states restrict ALPR use and data sharing, and many municipalities require a published usage policy and a public hearing first. Check statute and local ordinance before budgeting.

Motorola Vigilant: Does California allow sharing with federal agencies?

SB 34 restricts sharing ALPR information with out-of-state and federal agencies, and California agencies have been audited on precisely that point.

Motorola Vigilant: Is it only for police?

No. Toll and parking authorities, and some commercial repossession and insurance operations, also use LPR, though the LEARN law enforcement network is agency restricted.

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