# Private Internet Access

> Defeat censorship, unblock any website and access the open Internet the way it was meant to be with Private Internet Access®

Canonical page: [https://chrome-stats.com/d/private-internet-access-ext](https://chrome-stats.com/d/private-internet-access-ext)

## Overview

- **ID:** `private-internet-access-ext`
- **Platform:** Firefox
- **Type:** Firefox add-on
- **Status:** Available
- **Publisher:** PrivateInternetAccess
- **Category:** privacy-security
- **Daily users:** 15,013
- **Weekly downloads:** 445
- **Rating:** 3.35 / 5 (376 ratings)
- **Version:** 4.0.5
- **Last updated:** 2025-01-21
- **First published:** 2018-04-05
- **Size:** 2.68 MB
- **Data as of:** 2026-09-11
- **Store listing:** [Firefox Add-ons Store](https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/private-internet-access-ext/)
- **Website:** [https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/helpdesk/](https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/helpdesk/)
- **Privacy policy:** [https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/private-internet-access-ext/privacy/](https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/private-internet-access-ext/privacy/)

## Description

Private Internet Access (PIA) is a leading VPN service and secure proxy that empowers Firefox users to defeat censorship and unblock websites. With PIA, you can protect your privacy by encrypting network traffic and masking your IP address, allowing safe browsing on both private and public networks, including WiFi hotspots.

Key features include WebRTC blocking, latency-based gateway selection, and a user-friendly on/off switch. PIA offers high-speed connections, unlimited bandwidth, and support for up to 5 devices simultaneously. Trusted since 2010, PIA enforces a strict no-log policy and supports privacy advocacy organizations. Access geo-restricted content securely and surf anonymously with Private Internet Access VPN.

## Rankings

- #608 — Overall
- #140 — Privacy & Security
- #1 — free access
- #1 — internet
- #18 — netsuite
- #22 — tunneling

## Permissions and access

### Permissions

- `<all_urls>`
- `storage`
- `unlimitedStorage`
- `cookies`
- `webRequest`
- `webRequestBlocking`
- `notifications`
- `tabs`
- `proxy`
- `privacy`
- `alarms`
- `downloads`

## Safety

- **Risk impact:** Very high risk impact
- **Risk likelihood:** Low risk likelihood

### Analysis details

- Allows access to all websites, posing a significant security risk as it can monitor and modify data from any visited site.
- This extension has medium user count. Unpopular extensions may not be stable or safe.

> Some risk analysis details are omitted from this free response. [Upgrade to view the full analysis](https://chrome-stats.com/pricing).

## Review summary

User reviews are mixed: many praise longevity and flexibility, praising its ability to complement PIA VPN and strengthen anonymity. However, a significant number report reliability problems, including frequent disconnects, server instability, and authentication failures. Auto-connect and browser-start auto-launch are missing, risking IP exposure. Firefox compatibility is repeatedly flagged as poor. Server lists are shrinking and speeds can be slow, with some users seeing only a single server and frequent logouts. A kill switch is inconsistent or absent, further harming privacy protection. Overall, strong potential, but reliability/compatibility issues limit trust and usefulness for many users.

### Pros

- Long-term reliability across many years (10+ years) with few issues.
- Flexibility and options to strengthen anonymity.
- Complements the PIA VPN app and enhances anonymity together.
- Peace of mind / general usefulness for some users.

### Cons

- Frequent disconnects and reliability problems (server dropouts, authentication failures).
- Lack of auto-connect / startup auto-launch, risking IP exposure.
- Firefox compatibility issues; not functioning in Firefox across reviews.
- Limited server availability and slow speeds; need to switch servers or only one server at times.
- Kill switch is missing or ineffective / inconsistent.

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Source: [Chrome-Stats](https://chrome-stats.com/d/private-internet-access-ext)