Softwr

Cloud · head to head

Neon vs Private Internet Access

Neon logo

Neon

Cloud

Serverless Postgres for modern developers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Private Internet Access logo

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

  • Only Neon has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Neon compute pricing at $0.106-$0.222/CU-hour means costs scale directly with workload, unlike fixed-price alternatives; Private Internet Access monthly plan is priced noticeably higher than the discounted multi-year commitments, penalizing short-term users.
  • They diverge on capability: Neon covers Serverless PostgreSQL, Private Internet Access covers Split tunneling.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Neon and Private Internet Access differ
AttributeNeonPrivate Internet Access
Starting priceFree$11.99/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloudwindows, mac, linux, ios, android
CategoryCloudCybersecurity
Founded2021Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Neon

  • Serverless PostgreSQL
  • Database Branching
  • Autoscaling
  • Bottomless Storage
  • Point-in-time Recovery
  • Connection Pooling
  • Read Replicas
  • Instant Cloning

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.

Neon

  • Serverless applicationsnot Private Internet Access
  • Development databasesnot Private Internet Access
  • Preview environmentsnot Private Internet Access
  • Testingnot Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access

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

Where each one falls short

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

Neon

  • Compute pricing at $0.106-$0.222/CU-hour means costs scale directly with workload, unlike fixed-price alternatives
  • Separation of compute and storage may add complexity to cost prediction compared to all-in-one plans

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

Neon

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 100 CU-hours/month
    • 0.5 GB storage
    • 1 project
  • Launch$15/month
    • Pay-as-you-go compute
    • $0.35/GB storage
    • Multiple projects
  • Scale$31/month
    • Higher compute rates
    • 99.95% SLA
    • HIPAA compliance

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 Neon if

  • You need serverless postgresql.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud.
  • You also want database branching.
Neon 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 Neon or Private Internet Access better?
Neither clearly leads. Neon 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, Neon or Private Internet Access?
Neon has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Neon and $11.99/month for Private Internet Access.
Does Neon or Private Internet Access run on more platforms?
Neon runs on Cloud. Private Internet Access runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
Can I use Neon for free?
Yes. Neon has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Private Internet Access starts at $11.99/month.
What is Neon best used for?
Neon is most often used for serverless applications, development databases, preview environments, testing. Of those, serverless applications and development databases are not what Private Internet Access is typically brought in for.
What can Neon do that Private Internet Access cannot?
Neon covers Serverless PostgreSQL, Database Branching, Autoscaling, Bottomless Storage. Private Internet Access covers Split tunneling, Kill switch, Ad and tracker blocking, Dedicated IP add-on.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Neon: What is Neon and what makes it different?

Neon is a serverless PostgreSQL database that separates compute and storage, enabling automatic scaling and instant database branching. After acquisition by Databricks in May 2025, pricing has been significantly reduced.

Source
Neon: Does Neon offer a free tier?

Yes, Neon's free tier includes 100 compute units per month and 0.5 GB of storage. This is suitable for development and small projects.

Source
Neon: What are the paid plans and pricing for Neon?

Neon offers consumption-based pricing on Launch ($0.106/CU-hour, approximately $15/month) and Scale ($0.222/CU-hour, approximately $31/month) plans with separate storage billing at $0.35/GB-month. No monthly minimum required.

Source
Neon: What features does Neon provide?

Neon includes git-like branching for database copies, point-in-time recovery, data anonymization for testing, managed authentication, serverless functions, and object storage that branches with projects.

Source
Neon: What compliance and reliability guarantees does Neon provide?

Neon's Scale tier offers 99.95% uptime SLA, HIPAA compliance, SOC2 certification, and private networking via PrivateLink at no extra cost.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Neon

More on Private Internet Access

Keep looking

Other head to heads