Cybersecurity · head to head
Private Internet Access vs Tenable
Private Internet Access
Cybersecurity
Long-standing VPN service with a large server network and flexible multi-year plans
- From
- $11.99/month
- Rated
- -
Tenable
Cybersecurity
AI-powered exposure management platform for unified security visibility
- From
- $3500/year
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Private Internet Access monthly plan is priced noticeably higher than the discounted multi-year commitments, penalizing short-term users.; Tenable pricing starts at $3500/year for Tenable One VM, expensive for small organizations
- They diverge on capability: Private Internet Access covers Split tunneling, Tenable covers Unified attack surface mapping.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Private Internet Access and Tenable actually diverge.
| Attribute | Private Internet Access | Tenable |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $11.99/month | $3500/year |
| Platforms | windows, mac, linux, ios, android | Cloud, Web |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Private Internet Access
- Split tunneling
- Kill switch
- Ad and tracker blocking
- Dedicated IP add-on
- Bundled antivirus add-on
Only in Tenable
- Unified attack surface mapping
- Exposure intelligence enrichment
- Tenable Hexa AI orchestration
- Cloud Exposure (CNAPP)
- OT Exposure
- Identity Exposure
- Vulnerability Management
- Attack Surface Management
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Private Internet Access
- Encrypting traffic on public Wi-Fi with a kill switchnot Tenable
- Blocking ads and trackers network-wide via MACEnot Tenable
- Maintaining a consistent connection identity with a dedicated IP add-onnot Tenable
- Committing to a long-term plan for a lower effective monthly ratenot Tenable
Tenable
- Comprehensive vulnerability scanning for enterprise networksnot Private Internet Access
- Cloud security monitoring and compliance for AWS, Azure, GCPnot Private Internet Access
- Identity and access management risk assessmentnot Private Internet Access
- Operational technology security for industrial systemsnot Private Internet Access
- Attack surface management for third-party risknot Private Internet Access
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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.
Tenable
- Pricing starts at $3500/year for Tenable One VM, expensive for small organizations
- Many enterprise features require custom quote and sales engagement
- Cloud Exposure, OT Exposure, and other modules have no published pricing
- Multi-year contracts common, limiting flexibility
- Setup and configuration complexity for enterprise deployments
Pricing, plan by plan
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
Tenable
$3500/year- Tenable One Vulnerability Management$3500/year
- Per 100 assets
- Multi-year discounts available
- Tenable One Web App Scanning$3578/year
- Per 5 FQDNs
- Annual subscription
- Nessus Professional$4790/year
- Vulnerability scanning
- Multi-year discounts available
- Optional advanced support: $400/year
- Nessus Expert$6790/year
- Advanced vulnerability scanning
- Multi-year discounts available
- Optional advanced support: $400/year
Which should you pick?
Choose Private Internet Access if
- You need split tunneling.
- You work on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
- You also want kill switch.
Choose Tenable if
- You need unified attack surface mapping.
- You work on Cloud, Web.
- You also want exposure intelligence enrichment.
Questions people ask
- Is Private Internet Access or Tenable better?
- Neither clearly leads. Private Internet Access starts at $11.99/month and Tenable at $3500/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Private Internet Access or Tenable?
- Private Internet Access starts at $11.99/month and Tenable at $3500/year.
- Does Private Internet Access or Tenable run on more platforms?
- Private Internet Access runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android. Tenable runs on Cloud, Web.
- What is Private Internet Access best used for?
- Private Internet Access is most often used for encrypting traffic on public wi-fi with a kill switch, blocking ads and trackers network-wide via mace, maintaining a consistent connection identity with a dedicated ip add-on, committing to a long-term plan for a lower effective monthly rate. Of those, encrypting traffic on public wi-fi with a kill switch and blocking ads and trackers network-wide via mace are not what Tenable is typically brought in for.
- What can Private Internet Access do that Tenable cannot?
- Private Internet Access covers Split tunneling, Kill switch, Ad and tracker blocking, Dedicated IP add-on. Tenable covers Unified attack surface mapping, Exposure intelligence enrichment, Tenable Hexa AI orchestration, Cloud Exposure (CNAPP).
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Tenable: How is Tenable One pricing structured?
Tenable One Vulnerability Management costs $3500/year per 100 assets. Web App Scanning is $3578/year per 5 FQDNs. Multi-year discounts are available.
SourceTenable: What is the difference between Nessus Professional and Nessus Expert?
Nessus Professional costs $4790/year and provides core vulnerability scanning. Nessus Expert costs $6790/year and offers advanced scanning capabilities.
SourceTenable: Are custom support and training available for Tenable?
Yes. Optional advanced support is available for $400/year. Training courses range from $275-$385/year.
SourceRelated pages
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