Cybersecurity · head to head
Ory Kratos vs Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access
Cybersecurity
Long-standing VPN service with a large server network and flexible multi-year plans
- From
- $11.99/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Ory Kratos has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Ory Kratos headless means you build every screen, which is significant work compared with a hosted login page; Private Internet Access monthly plan is priced noticeably higher than the discounted multi-year commitments, penalizing short-term users.
- They diverge on capability: Ory Kratos covers Headless API, Private Internet Access covers Split tunneling.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Ory Kratos and Private Internet Access actually diverge.
| Attribute | Ory Kratos | Private Internet Access |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $11.99/month |
| Pricing model | Open-source self-hosted, with a paid managed network | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted | windows, mac, linux, ios, android |
Identical on both: 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 Ory Kratos
- Headless API
- Self-service flows
- Multi-factor authentication
- Pluggable identity schemas
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.
Ory Kratos
- Products needing complete control over the look and flow of authenticationnot Private Internet Access
- Applications that must not hand user identity data to a third partynot Private Internet Access
- Teams building identity as infrastructure across several servicesnot Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access
- Encrypting traffic on public Wi-Fi with a kill switchnot Ory Kratos
- Blocking ads and trackers network-wide via MACEnot Ory Kratos
- Maintaining a consistent connection identity with a dedicated IP add-onnot Ory Kratos
- Committing to a long-term plan for a lower effective monthly ratenot Ory Kratos
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Ory Kratos
- Headless means you build every screen, which is significant work compared with a hosted login page
- More moving parts than a monolithic IAM: Kratos handles identity, and OAuth2 needs Ory Hydra alongside
- Documentation assumes real familiarity with identity concepts and is not a gentle introduction
- Self-hosting identity carries the security and availability burden that hosted providers absorb
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
Ory Kratos
Free- Self-hostedFree
- Full identity server
- All flows
- Community support
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 Ory Kratos if
- You need headless api.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
- You also want self-service flows.
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 Ory Kratos or Private Internet Access better?
- Neither clearly leads. Ory Kratos 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, Ory Kratos or Private Internet Access?
- Ory Kratos has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Ory Kratos and $11.99/month for Private Internet Access.
- Does Ory Kratos or Private Internet Access run on more platforms?
- Ory Kratos runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted. Private Internet Access runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
- Can I use Ory Kratos for free?
- Yes. Ory Kratos has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Private Internet Access starts at $11.99/month.
- What is Ory Kratos best used for?
- Ory Kratos is most often used for products needing complete control over the look and flow of authentication, applications that must not hand user identity data to a third party, teams building identity as infrastructure across several services. Of those, products needing complete control over the look and flow of authentication and applications that must not hand user identity data to a third party are not what Private Internet Access is typically brought in for.
- What can Ory Kratos do that Private Internet Access cannot?
- Ory Kratos covers Headless API, Self-service flows, Multi-factor authentication, Pluggable identity schemas. Private Internet Access covers Split tunneling, Kill switch, Ad and tracker blocking, Dedicated IP add-on.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Ory Kratos: Is Ory Kratos free?
Yes, open source and free to self-host. Ory Network is a paid managed service.
Ory Kratos: What does headless mean here?
Kratos provides identity flows as APIs and no user interface. You build the login, registration and recovery screens yourself.
Ory Kratos: Does Kratos do OAuth2?
No. Kratos handles user identity; OAuth2 and OpenID Connect provider functionality is Ory Hydra, a separate component.
Related pages
More on Private Internet Access
Other head to heads
- Ory Kratos vs 1Password
- Ory Kratos vs Bitdefender Total Security
- Ory Kratos vs Norton 360
- Ory Kratos vs LastPass
- Ory Kratos vs Snyk
- Ory Kratos vs Bitwarden
- Ory Kratos vs Brave Browser
- Ory Kratos vs Clerk
- Ory Kratos vs CrowdStrike Falcon
- Ory Kratos vs Kaspersky Total Security
- Ory Kratos vs Mullvad VPN
- Ory Kratos vs OneTrust
- Ory Kratos vs Proton Mail
- Ory Kratos vs Tuta
- Ory Kratos vs Akeyless
- Ory Kratos vs Doppler
- Ory Kratos vs Frontegg
- Ory Kratos vs Infisical
- Private Internet Access vs 1Password
- Private Internet Access vs Bitdefender Total Security
- Private Internet Access vs Norton 360
- Private Internet Access vs LastPass
- Private Internet Access vs Snyk
- Private Internet Access vs Bitwarden
- Private Internet Access vs Brave Browser
- Private Internet Access vs Clerk
- Private Internet Access vs CrowdStrike Falcon
- Private Internet Access vs Kaspersky Total Security
- Private Internet Access vs Mullvad VPN
- Private Internet Access vs OneTrust
- Private Internet Access vs Proton Mail
- Private Internet Access vs Tuta
- Private Internet Access vs Akeyless
- Private Internet Access vs Doppler
- Private Internet Access vs Frontegg
- Private Internet Access vs Infisical