Private Internet Access, also known as PIA, is among the oldest VPNs out there. As such, PIA is far from being a bad VPN, and many of its users would say it’s one of the best.
Of course, that still doesn’t mean that PIA fits everyone, and depending on what you need a VPN for, you might find it lacking for your specific needs.
If you do decide that it is not good enough you can always cancel your subscription, but how do you go about doing that?
Below I’ll be showing you the quickest method to cancel and if you’re entitled to, get a full refund.
Can I cancel my PIA subscription?
As mentioned, you can give up your Private Internet Access and stop using it at any time. However, there are two different scenarios in which you can do this.
Option 1: Within 30 days
If you happen to still be within 30 days from the moment you initially subscribed to PIA services, you can cancel your subscription and get your money back.
The process is straightforward and all you need to do is log in to your PIA account. Once you are inside, scroll to the bottom, where you will find a ‘Cancel Subscription‘ option.
Click it, provide some feedback, and you will be done.
Fill in some quick details.
After that, all that remains is to go to the Support tab, click on How Do I Request A Refund, and fill out the form that you will be presented with. Depending on your payment method, you could get your money back within 24 hours.
Option 2: After 30 days
The obvious alternative is that you might want to cancel PIA after several months of use.
Perhaps you do not need it anymore, or you decided to switch services. Regardless of your reasons, if it has been more than 30 days from the moment of purchase, you can no longer receive your refund.
All that remains is to cancel your subscription so that the service would not charge you for the next month.
As mentioned before, log into your account and scroll down until you find the Cancel Subscription option. This is necessary if you pay via credit card, PayPal, Google, or Amazon. If you pay via any other way, you can wait for your subscription to expire.
What can you do after cancelling?
If you were not satisfied with Private Internet Access for any reason, we still believe that you should use a VPN. After all, the internet is a dangerous place without it, and you shouldn’t take unnecessary risks.
However, since PIA obviously didn’t work well for you, we would suggest trying out one of the other top choices.
These also offer 30-day or longer money back guarantees, so whichever you choose will give you time to test them.
1. ExpressVPN
This is a VPN that is somewhat similar to PIA as far as its server network is concerned.
It features 3,000+ servers, whereas PIA has 3,300.
However, while PIA covers 47 different countries, ExpressVPN’s network is much more widespread, with 94 countries covered in total. Twice as many as Private Internet Access and a vast improvement.
In terms of security, both are pretty much equally as good, as they use high levels of encryption to keep you secure.
However, unlike PIA, ExpressVPN is not located in the US, but in the privacy-friendly British Virgin Islands. It is slightly more expensive, but for the added features you’ll understand why.
2. CyberGhost
Next up, we have CyberGhost – a Romanian service that is among the most respected in the VPN industry for its security, as well as the size of its server network.
The service keeps no logs, it uses the strongest security features, and its network covers over 90 different countries, totalling with 6,400 servers around the world.
CyberGhost also offers excellent speeds, so it is perfect for downloading, streaming, and torrenting.
In any case, if your problem with PIA was that it didn’t have servers in the right countries, CyberGhost will be the solution to that problem.
Also, CyberGhost will give you 45 days to request your money back, so you get a month and a half to test it and see if it works well or not.
3. Surfshark
Lastly, we have Surfshark. This is a VPN from the British Virgin Islands, and as such, it is located far away from any intrusive government’s jurisdiction.
This already makes it an attractive solution, but another thing that makes it stand out is the fact that you can protect an unlimited number of devices with a single license.
Surfshark also has a pretty big server network, with over 1,700 servers in 63 countries.
Its security is just as strong as any other service’s on this list, so you won’t have anything to worry on that front, either.
It is definitely a service worth trying out. And, if you don’t like it, use its 30-day money-back guarantee to get your money back.
Before you cancel
Of course, the reason why you want to cancel is your own.
As we said before, perhaps you no longer need a VPN, or you decided that it doesn’t fulfil your needs. If that’s the issue, then feel free to seek out a VPN that works for you.
However, if you wish to change VPN because of a technical issue, you might want to contact PIA’s customer support and try to resolve the problem.
It will make PIA better if they can help you, and it will also spare you of having to go through the process of switching services, which can be bothersome, especially with getting a refund and potential difficulties that can emerge along the way.
Contact support via live chat, and explain your problem.
Summary
Private Internet Access is a great VPN that has been around for a long time. But, even as such, it is not perfect for everyone.
If it doesn’t work well for you, don’t be afraid to say so and try out another option. There are plenty of excellent services that you can try out as an alternative.
Or, if your problem is technical in nature, feel free to contact its customer support and explain the issue. Perhaps it can get fixed, and you can keep using PIA.
In any event, make sure to protect yourself on the internet, whether with PIA or some other service, as ensuring your online safety is the most important part.
