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Cybersecurity · head to head

Netwrix vs Private Internet Access

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Netwrix

Cybersecurity

Data access governance and change auditing across Active Directory, file shares and Microsoft 365

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: Netwrix the portfolio is assembled from acquisitions, so consoles, agents and licensing metrics differ between products and the platform story is ahead of the engineering reality.; Private Internet Access monthly plan is priced noticeably higher than the discounted multi-year commitments, penalizing short-term users.
  • They diverge on capability: Netwrix covers Change auditing, 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 Netwrix and Private Internet Access actually diverge.

Attributes where Netwrix and Private Internet Access differ
AttributeNetwrixPrivate Internet Access
Starting priceOn request$11.99/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWindows, Webwindows, 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 Netwrix

  • Change auditing
  • Effective permissions
  • Data classification
  • Access remediation
  • Threat detection
  • Group policy management

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.

Netwrix

  • An organisation that cannot tell an auditor who has access to a sensitive file share and needs an answer with evidencenot Private Internet Access
  • A security team reducing ransomware blast radius by removing Everyone and Domain Users permissions from sensitive datanot Private Internet Access
  • An IT team investigating an unexplained Active Directory change and needing the exact account, time and previous valuenot Private Internet Access
  • A company responding to GDPR data subject access requests that must first locate personal data scattered across legacy sharesnot Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access

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

Where each one falls short

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

Netwrix

  • The portfolio is assembled from acquisitions, so consoles, agents and licensing metrics differ between products and the platform story is ahead of the engineering reality.
  • Licensing metrics vary by product, per enabled user for some and per managed asset for others, which makes assembling a multi-product quote unusually difficult to compare against a single-vendor competitor.
  • Auditing agents and collectors add load to domain controllers and file servers, and large estates need careful sizing to avoid degrading the systems being monitored.
  • It reports and remediates but does not enforce access decisions at request time, so it complements rather than replaces identity governance and buyers still need an IGA tool for certification workflows.
  • Coverage is strongest on Microsoft estates; Linux, NAS appliances and non-Microsoft SaaS are supported unevenly and often need additional modules or trail behind on feature parity.

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

Netwrix

On request
  • Netwrix Platform$undefined/year
    • Priced per enabled user or per managed asset depending on the product
    • Auditing, data classification, privileged access and threat products licensed separately
    • Netwrix 1Secure SaaS console with a 14-day free trial

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 Netwrix if

  • You need change auditing.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want effective permissions.
Netwrix 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 Netwrix or Private Internet Access better?
Neither clearly leads. Netwrix 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, Netwrix or Private Internet Access?
Netwrix starts at On request and Private Internet Access at $11.99/month.
Does Netwrix or Private Internet Access run on more platforms?
Netwrix runs on Windows, Web. Private Internet Access runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
What is Netwrix best used for?
Netwrix is most often used for an organisation that cannot tell an auditor who has access to a sensitive file share and needs an answer with evidence, a security team reducing ransomware blast radius by removing everyone and domain users permissions from sensitive data, an it team investigating an unexplained active directory change and needing the exact account, time and previous value, a company responding to gdpr data subject access requests that must first locate personal data scattered across legacy shares. Of those, an organisation that cannot tell an auditor who has access to a sensitive file share and needs an answer with evidence and a security team reducing ransomware blast radius by removing everyone and domain users permissions from sensitive data are not what Private Internet Access is typically brought in for.
What can Netwrix do that Private Internet Access cannot?
Netwrix covers Change auditing, Effective permissions, Data classification, Access remediation. Private Internet Access covers Split tunneling, Kill switch, Ad and tracker blocking, Dedicated IP add-on.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Netwrix: Does it replace identity governance?

No. It shows you who has access and lets you fix it, but recertification campaigns and access request workflow are an IGA product.

Netwrix: Is there a SaaS option?

Netwrix 1Secure is the cloud console covering data and identity visibility, with a 14-day free trial including full access.

Netwrix: How is it priced?

Per enabled user or per managed asset depending on the product, quoted rather than published. Assume separate line items per module.

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