How to cancel Private Internet Access (PIA)

PIA
(Image credit: PIA)

Private Internet Access (PIA), like Surfshark, packs a lot of value into its plans – you get a huge number of servers, unlimited simultaneous connections, rock-solid privacy, and excellent unblocking capabilities at some of the cheapest rates in the entire industry.

However, while PIA is a top choice for bargain hunters, it’s, unfortunately, not without its downsides. It’s not the most beginner-friendly VPN (that’d be ExpressVPN), nor does it offer lightning-fast connection speeds (Surfshark is the fastest VPN right now), like the top dogs.

Now, in case you find out that PIA is not the best VPN for you after purchasing a plan, or you only intended to use it for a short span – maybe to try it out before a long-term commitment or for a limited time use case – there’s an easy way out. You can use PIA’s 30-day money-back guarantee to get a full refund. Keep reading to find out how to cancel your PIA subscription and request a refund from its customer support team.

Can I get a refund from Private Internet Access (PIA)?

Despite being a cheap VPN, Private Internet Access pulls no punches when it comes to providing the full VPN experience on par with industry standards and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all its plans – that’s including its 2-year, 1-year, and monthly plans.

In order to qualify for a refund from PIA, you’ll have to make sure that you cancel your PIA subscription within the first 30 days of purchase, irrespective of the plan you chose.

It’s worth noting, however, that PIA – like all other VPNs with a money-back guarantee – is very strict about its duration, so you absolutely must cancel and request a refund within the 30-day window, or you, unfortunately, won’t be eligible for a refund.

How to cancel Private Internet Access (PIA)

To stop your PIA subscription from automatically renewing at the end of its billing cycle, follow these steps:

  • Go to PIA’s website and log into your Client Control Panel.
  • Head over to “Next billing”
  • Then, select “Turn off auto-renewal”
  • You’ll be shown a prompt asking you to confirm that you do indeed want to cancel. Click on “Turn off auto-renewal” once again.
  • From a bulleted list, select your reason for cancellation and tap “Continue with cancellation”
  • Lastly, you’ll be asked if there’s a problem with the service and whether you’d like to get in touch with PIA’s support. Select “Turn off auto-renewal” to confirm cancellation.

That’s it! You’ll now see a confirmation message on the same screen saying, “Auto-renewal was successfully turned off.”

It’s super important to note that canceling your PIA subscription won’t automatically lead to a refund. To request and receive a refund, you’ll have to get in touch with PIA’s support team after you’ve canceled your plan.

How to claim a PIA refund

To receive a refund from PIA, you'll need to get in touch with its customer support team. You'll also need to still be within PIA's 30-day money-back guarantee period.

You can do so by submitting a support ticket via their Contact Us link or by emailing them at support@privateinternetaccess.com.

The customer support team will then ask you to verify your account, for which they’ll need your email address (the one you used to register with PIA) and your PIA order number. Once your request is successfully processed, you’ll receive your money in 5-10 business days.

Krishi Chowdhary
Contributor

Krishi is a VPN writer covering buying guides, how-to's, and other cybersecurity content here at Tom's Guide. His expertise lies in reviewing products and software, from VPNs, online browsers, and antivirus solutions to smartphones and laptops. As a tech fanatic, Krishi also loves writing about the latest happenings in the world of cybersecurity, AI, and software.