Windscribe VPN Review

Windscribe doesn’t have the largest network, but it gives you locations in 69 countries with 112 cities. Actually, all of Windscribe’s servers are city-level, and there are 45 different locations in the US, which tops what many of the most popular VPNs offer.

Windscribe Review 2023 — Is This the Best Free VPN?

Windscribe claims it’s not like other VPNs. It takes pride in being self-funded and avoiding paid ads and affiliate deals. Plus, its free plan is one of the most popular, but does its premium subscription compare to the top VPNs?

To find out, I tested every feature Windscribe has. That included performing leak tests, speed checks, and exploring its streaming capabilities with free and paid plans. I also thoroughly investigated its no-logging claims.

After my tests, I highly recommend trying the free app. It’s one of the fastest and safest free VPNs available. However, the paid version isn’t perfect. This is because support is a little tough to get a hold of, and the server network is a bit small. You can check out one of the best VPNs available today in this list.

Short on Time? Here Are My Key Findings

Pros

• Excellent for streaming. Windscribe can unblock all the major platforms. See which streaming services I could access here.
• Fast speeds. I got great results on nearly every server. Find out how well my speeds held up here.
• Great security. It passed all of my leak tests. Read about the extra features you get with a paid subscription here.
• Privacy-friendly. Its logging policy promises it won’t store your vital information. See if the policy has been audited here.
• Solid torrenting support. You can access P2P networks with most servers. Find out how fast its download rates were here.
• Compatible with most devices. You can set up Windscribe on almost anything you use to connect to the internet. Read about the differences between its native apps here.

Cons

• Small network. It doesn’t offer as many servers as the top VPNs. See what you get with the free app here.
• Weak support. There is no 24/7 live chat. Find out how long it took to get email responses here.

Windscribe VPN Features — 2023 Update

8.6

&#x1F4B8 Price	0 USD/month
&#x1F4C6 Money Back Guarantee	3 Days
&#x1F4DD Does VPN keep logs?	No
&#x1F5A5 Number of servers	177+
&#x1F6E1 Kill switch	Yes
&#x1F5FA Based in country	Canada
&#x1F6E0 Support	Email support
&#x1F4E5 Supports torrenting	Yes

Streaming — Its Paid Version is One of the Best

9.4

Windscribe unblocked every streaming platform I tested, and the playback was always excellent. I was especially impressed that this was true even while using the free version. It works so well because Windscribe uses a proprietary spoofing technology (called Location Warp) that helps mask your IP, so you can access geo-restricted streaming platforms.

However, the data limit means you won’t be able to stream for long if you have a free account. You can get 10GB of data monthly if you confirm your email address (and an extra 5 Mbps when tweeting about the VPN). Still, this will only get you around 7 hours of HD streaming. So, if you want a VPN for binge-watching your favorite shows, Windscribe’s paid account is difficult to beat.

Unblocked: Netflix, Disney+, Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer

Windscribe can access several entire Netflix libraries. I only found one server (Tokyo Kaiju) that couldn’t unblock more than just Originals. Netflix Originals is a version of the site that only has the content Netflix owns, so there are many region-blocked movies and shows you can’t watch.

I could also access entire libraries in Australia, Brazil, Japan, the UK, France, and Canada

Most videos loaded almost instantly, with no buffering or quality issues. The longest I had to wait for a video to start was with the Sao Paulo server, which is far from where I live. However, it only took 8 seconds, so it wasn’t a big deal.

Max can be tough to unblock, but Windscribe did it easily. I was able to watch it on my first attempt with no troubleshooting. I never had to switch from the default protocol (WireGuard) in my tests.

It loaded in a few seconds and playback was perfect, even when I skipped around

I was also able to access Disney+ and Hulu. After testing around for a while, I did find one server that was blocked by Hulu (Dallas BBQ). But that’s very impressive. It’s rare I use a VPN where I have to search around to find a server that gets detected.

I didn’t experience buffering, long load times, or any dips in quality

Amazon Prime Video worked too, but it took a while to load my movie. I had to wait 20 seconds for Three Thousand Years of Longing to get started. I also got blocked by BBC iPlayer with the Edinburgh server, but a London location unblocked it in my next test.

In addition, I could unblock All 4, ITV, DAZN, and even use it with Kodi. Overall, Windscribe is a great choice for streaming, and I’m impressed you can watch each of these platforms for a brief amount of time with a free account.

Speed — Very Fast on Free and Premium Servers

7.4

Windscribe has the fastest free servers I’ve tested, and paid servers are impressive too. You’ll get great speeds on the vast majority of Windscribe’s servers even when they’re far away.

We use a dedicated speed tester to get our results. That way, all of the tests are done from the same location with the same connection. The chart below shows you results from the free servers. However, we got comparable speeds with paid servers.

I lost 4% of my speed on nearby servers and 29% on distant ones

There is also a Best Location option, but Windscribe is so fast it doesn’t really make a difference. In our tests, just about every server under 4,000 km away dropped our speeds less than 5%. That’s a great result because most VPNs lower your speeds by 15% at least in that range.

Speeds were just a little slower with IKEv2 and OpenVPN UDP

The only issue is some protocols are very slow. Our tester even lost 100% of her speed with several servers using OpenVPN TCP, Wstunnel, and Stealth. My tests weren’t as bad, but I did lose 93% of my speed while testing my closest location with TCP. And the Stealth protocol lowered my speeds by 75% or more each time.

It also has a few select 10GBPS servers, but there wasn’t much difference in our tests. There were even a few cases where regular servers were faster.

Since there was only 1 free server over 6,000 km from our tester, I did a few more tests with distant servers. Auckland, New Zealand is almost 12,000 km from where I live, but it only dropped my speeds by 24%. Most VPNs drop your speed by around 70% or more when the server is that far away, so Windscribe has some of the best long distance speeds I’ve seen.

Overall, you won’t easily find a faster free VPN than Windscribe. It could even be one of the fastest premium VPNs someday, but for now, there are just too many slow protocols.

Gaming — Too Much Lag for Online Play

6.0

Even though my ping was low, I still had glitchy gameplay while connected to Windscribe. Ping is very important during gaming. It tells you how long it takes the network to respond to your commands. When it’s high, the lag between your button presses and your character’s actions makes games unplayable.

I’ve never tested a VPN that lets you game on long-distance servers

I only had a ping rate of 27 ms during my test. That’s great because you can usually play with minimal lag if you’re at 85 ms or under. But despite that, the game kept on freezing and stuttering. There was such a long gap between clicking the mouse and seeing my character fire that I continuously lost.

There are several VPNs that can keep you safe while you’re enjoying games. Check out this list of the best VPNs for gaming to find one that lets you play without lag.

Server Network — Good Coverage for a Small Network

9.4

Windscribe doesn’t have the largest network, but it gives you locations in 69 countries with 112 cities. Actually, all of Windscribe’s servers are city-level, and there are 45 different locations in the US, which tops what many of the most popular VPNs offer.

All of Windscribe’s servers are physically located as well. That means they’re actually in the city you connect to. Some VPNs offer virtual servers, which are located somewhere else.

It also uses some rented servers while it owns others. Unfortunately, the company doesn’t disclose a lot about its network, including the exact number of servers it owns. It did claim to have 177 in the past.

The list also displays which servers are 10GBPS and which are recommended for P2P

I also like that Windscribe lets you access several countries many VPNs neglect, like Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Turkey. You can also purchase static IP addresses, which are helpful if you need a consistent, encrypted IP to operate a website.

The free service lets you use the Hong Kong location, 10 US servers, and 8 European countries. For free and premium apps, Western Europe and North America have the most coverage. One small issue is it can take a while to connect on distant servers. But overall, Windscribe’s network is slightly above average due to its features.

Security — Plenty of Solid Features That Keep You Safe

9.0

Windscribe is very safe, and it comes with military-grade AES 256-bit encryption which makes your data virtually unreadable.

It also lets you turn on IPv6 and WebRTC leak protection

Its whitelisting feature can automatically activate the VPN. I love this because I often forget to turn on a VPN when using public networks. You can also access your home network remotely with port forwarding, but only if you pay extra for a static IP ($2/month for Datacentre and $8/month for Residential) .

In addition to the features listed below, it offers some additional obfuscation options like Time Warp and Location Warp. There’s also double hop, secure hotspot, all the protocols mentioned in the speeds section, and tons of highly technical options. These are things like packet size, API resolution, and more. They’re not especially important for most people, but big time tech nerds will appreciate them.

Split Tunneling

Split tunneling lets you choose which apps or websites move through the VPN tunnel. This can be helpful if you want to stream foreign content while still being able to access local services (like your banking app).

R.O.B.E.R.T. (Ad Blocker)

This is a very customizable tool that serves as Windscribe’s ad and malware blocker. It does even more with the premium app. It will let you block social networks, porn, gambling, clickbait, and more. It’s a nice addition, although some things like native banner ads would still show up occasionally even with it activated.

Firewall (Kill Switch)

Windscribe calls its dedicated kill switch Firewall, and it works as advertised. This feature will disable the network when your VPN connection drops, so you don’t leak any data. To test it, I tried to open a tab while the VPN was connecting. It always blocked the page until the connection was complete. This is a necessary feature every VPN needs to have.

Privacy — A Great Policy With a Few Minor Issues

9.0

I can recommend Windscribe as a private VPN because it follows a strict no-logs policy. You’re not even required to enter your email address when signing up. This is pretty rare and makes its free option one of the safest around.

Windscribe also offers transparency reports which verify its policy. These let you see any time there have been DMCA requests for its data, and they show that Windscribe has never shared anything.

Does Windscribe Keep Logs? No

Your IP address, the sites you’ve visited, and timestamps for your VPN sessions aren’t collected. Windscribe only stores anonymous data that’s necessary for maintaining the service. While you’re in a session, the server’s memory will have your OpenVPN/IKEv2 username, the time of connection, and the amount of data transferred. All of this is deleted as soon as you disconnect.

This was actually put to the test when Windscribe’s servers were seized in Ukraine in 2021. Thankfully, there was nothing on any of the servers, which showed Windscribe backs up its privacy claims.

Was Windscribe Audited? Yes

According to Windscribe’s website, the VPN’s desktop app has been audited and open-sourced, along with the mobile apps. However, Windscribe didn’t state who performed the audits. I hope it will be more transparent about this in the future, following the example of the best premium providers.

Based in Canada

Canada is not the best location for a VPN’s headquarters because it’s in the 5 Eyes Alliance. This is an agreement between several countries to share data on their citizens. Luckily, the VPN doesn’t store any data that could compromise its users. Still, if privacy is crucial to you, there are many VPNs headquartered in more privacy-friendly countries.

Does Windscribe Work in China? Yes

You can use Windscribe in China. Support has claimed that it will work in just about any country.

The Hong Kong server is slow, so you may need to try another one

The only issue here is it’s recommended that you use the Stealth protocol, which seriously reduces speeds. If you’re looking for a faster option in China, you can check out these VPNs that can all get past the Great Firewall.

The Chinese government has banned many VPNs, but it rarely goes after people for using them. However, my team and I don’t condone any illegal activities. I suggest you read the laws before deciding to use a VPN in China.

Torrenting — Fast Downloads on Most Servers

9.0

You can torrent on nearly every Windscribe server, and it hardly slowed me down at all. The only servers you can’t use are located in India, Lithuania, Russia, and South Africa.

I tested it out with uTorrent (it works with all major torrenting clients), downloading a 1.62 GB file. I can finish this in about 5 minutes with no VPN connected. While on Windscribe’s Bend Oregon Trail server, I could complete the file in only 7 and a half minutes. That’s impressive as some VPNs increase my wait time with this file by up to an hour.

While Windscribe does offer support for port forwarding, it is not a mandatory requirement. Although this feature can potentially facilitate slightly faster downloads, it doesn’t make a significant difference due to Windscribe’s inherent speed. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that Windscribe is compatible with TOR, despite the absence of mention on its official website.

Just be aware that torrenting is legal in most countries, but accessing copyrighted files isn’t. You should only download torrents in the public domain to be sure you don’t break any laws.

Installation & Apps

9.0

Windscribe is easy to use although its interface isn’t the most attractive. I never had any issues connecting to servers or accessing the settings, but it’s missing some of the eye candy its competitors offer like interactive maps.

There are 4 settings tabs along with tabs for your account and tips

However, it makes up for this with tons of customization options. You’ll have a tough time finding a VPN that lets you tweak more aspects of your app, so that’s a big plus if you’re a techie.

Setup & Installation

It only took me a few minutes to install Windscribe, no matter what device I was using. You can download it from Windscribe’s website for desktop, and you’ll use the proper store on mobile devices.

This can also be done on a phone by visiting your device’s app store

The Linux app can be downloaded just as fast too since it offers a full GUI. That means you won’t have to control it through the command line, which can be a little clunky. I like that the free version is available for Linux too since many VPNs don’t offer that.

Device Compatibility

Windscribe gives you a way to connect to its servers on nearly any device. There are native apps for every popular OS. Its proxy gateway feature also gives you an easy way to connect game consoles and smart TVs. There are plenty of options for setting it up on a router, so you can use it on anything connected to your network. So, it rivals the best VPNs in this category.

Desktop — Apps for Windows, Mac, and Linux

Each desktop app is similar with a few key differences. The Windows app comes with everything Windscribe offers except for the Network Whitelisting feature. The Mac app is missing the always on feature, and split tunneling.

Android and iPhone (iOS)

Mobile apps are almost the same as desktop versions, but they each lose a few features. The Android app misses out on the very crucial kill switch. You’ll get that on iOS, but that app doesn’t come with network white listing, split tunneling, the Stealth protocol, or the always on option. Neither phone version lets you access proxy settings either.

Browser Extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge

Overall, I’m impressed by Windscribe’s browser extensions. These come with many features other VPNs don’t offer. You can use all of the same servers you use on the other apps, plus double hop. It can also automatically pick the best server for you, block ads, and prevent WebRTC leaks.

What I liked most is the Cookie Monster feature that automatically deletes all the cookies you’ve accepted as soon as you close the tab. Another unique Windscribe feature is Split Personality, which randomly rotates your user agent to hide your OS and browser version.

These extensions are very popular, especially because they can easily be used for free. However, you just need to remember they’re only proxies. That means they don’t fully encrypt your connection, so you’re always safer using the full app.

Apps for Amazon Fire TV & Nvidia Shield

You can download native apps for Fire TV and Nvidia Shield. These don’t look quite the same as the other apps, but they get the job done and even offer split tunneling. This lets you choose which of your televisions’ apps use the VPN tunnel.

There are no apps for game consoles, but you can connect them easily. This can be done with the proxy gateway feature. Basically, this lets you connect any device with proxy settings through your computer. It’s easy to set up, but it can be a little slower than smart DNS due to the rerouting.

Windscribe does offer smart DNS, but it charges extra. Since many VPNs offer this along with your subscription, I don’t recommend paying for it.

Router Compatibility

You can install Windscribe on DD WRT, Asus, and Tomato routers. It also sells its own Invizbox pre-configured routers. Setting it up on a router lets you connect any WiFi-enabled device in your household. However, you can find VPNs that offer more robust router options here.

Simultaneous Device Connections

You can connect as many devices as you want with a free or paid account. This is a great feature; almost no free VPNs offer Unlimited simultaneous connections. I tested it out by connecting it to my Fire TV Stick, 2 laptops, and my Android phone. Its speeds were just as fast even when I streamed on all 4 devices.

Windscribe VPN Review

Those in the United States and United Kingdom will love accessing Netflix with Windscribe.

All of our content is written by humans, not robots. Learn More

By Aliza Vigderman , Senior Editor, Industry Analyst & Gabe Turner , Chief Editor Last Updated on Jul 07, 2023

Editors Rating:
8.7 /10

What We Like

• Double-hop: Your data will be encrypted twice as it travels through two servers to get to the Internet.
• Positive app ratings: Both iPhone and Android users had good things to say about the Windscribe app.
• Free option: You can get Windscribe completely free in the U.S, Canada, U.K, Hong Kong, and more countries.

What We Don’t Like

• Part of Five Eyes: As Windscribe is based in Ontario, Canada, it’s possible that your data will be shared with other nations in certain situations.
• Netflix only works for U.S and U.K: Those outside of these places should not expect Netflix to work.
• Speed on Mac: I was disappointed with Windscribe’s upload and ping speeds on my Macbook Air.

Bottom Line

With Windscribe, our web traffic was encrypted not once but twice, giving us twice the protection. Plus, users in the U.S, Canada, and other countries can connect to Windscribe completely free!

Contents: About Features Video Review Testing Subscriptions Customer Support App Recap

Choosing a VPN can be tough, especially when you don’t even know what qualities to look out for. Today I’m reviewing Windscribe, a VPN with over 500 servers in more than 60 countries that are based in Ontario, Canada. At the end of the day, I’m looking for a VPN that’s secure and fast, so I’ll be checking out Windscribe’s pros and cons, its features, subscription options, customer support, and app. I’ll also be performing my own tests on Windscribe so I can see how it measures up in terms of security and speed. Then, I’ll determine if Windscribe is a good VPN overall, and a good VPN for you specifically. Let’s get started!

Features

Log Data	No
Kill Switch	Yes
Split Tunneling	Yes
Netflix	Yes (U.S. & U.K.)
Torrenting	Yes

Editor’s Rating

Overall Rating

• Netflix access in U.S and U.K
• Double-hop encryption
• Static, shared IP addresses

About Windscribe

Based in Ontario, Canada, Windscribe has over 500 servers in over 60 countries. While I love Canada and Canadians, I’m not thrilled about the VPN’s location. Canada is a part of the international surveillance alliance Five Eyes, which means that you could be subject to hand over your data, completely legally. Sure, this would only be done in a very specific and dire situation, but you’re using a VPN for a reason (and I won’t ask why!). Canada has been known to have stricter data retention and surveillance policies, so it’s not the best place for a VPN’s headquarters.

How Does Windscribe Compare?

Windscibe scored an 8.7 out of 10 in our testing, which is above average, but it also falls short in some key aspects. It tends to be sluggish at times, it lacks complete data protection, and it’s not the best VPN for accessing Netflix. Those can be deal-breakers, so see our highest-rated VPNs below and compare Windscribe to NordVPN, as well as Windscribe to Surfshark, for potentially better options.

Editor’s Rating:

9.7 /10

Editor’s Rating:

9.5 /10

Editor’s Rating:

9.4 /10

Windscribe Features

Now that I’ve given you some necessary background, I want to tell you about the features of the VPN itself.

Will Windscribe Log My Data?

The only data that Windscribe keeps is your username, password, email address, and payment method. They’ll also keep track of the total amount of bytes you’ve transferred in the past 30 days, plus the timestamp of your last activity and the number of parallel connections to prevent account sharing. They will not store your original IP address or the sites you’ve visited.

As far as logging data goes, Windscribe logs a little more than the bare minimum. I don’t love that they keep track of the number of bytes you’re transferring or when you’re using the VPN— it seems unnecessary, unlike your account information.

Does Windscribe Have A Kill Switch?

Windscribe does have a kill switch, also called a network lock feature. Say you’re in a coffee shop using the Windscribe VPN, and for whatever reason, your VPN fails. Immediately, all of your websites and applications will be “killed” so you won’t have any leaks onto the public server. That’s a good thing!

What Kind of Tunneling does Windscribe Offer?

Windscribe offers split tunneling, meaning you’ll be able to go on a public network and a private network simultaneously. This is great for bandwidth, an added bonus.

Can I Use Netflix with Windscribe?

You’ll be able to access Netflix on Windscribe servers in the U.S and U.K but watching Netflix from any other country probably won’t work.

Windscribe Encryption

Encryption is what turns the words you see on your computer into inscrutable code, indecipherable to any third party. Let’s see how Windscribe actually encrypts your data.

SHA512

A Secure Hash Algorithm encrypts your data and also matches a specific public key to an identity. The “hashes” created are both irreversible, meaning that if you only had the hash, you couldn’t figure out what the original data was, and unique, meaning that no two pieces of data will result in the same hash.

Windscribe Protocols

Next, Internet protocols determine how your data is transmitted across a network. Let’s take a closer look.

IKEv2

Say you get disconnected from your VPN and you want to connect again. The Internet Key Exchange (version two) will re-establish your connection. This is especially helpful if you’re someone that likes to switch in between Wi-Fi and mobile hotspots through your phone. Basically, if you’re working in a coffee shop, IKEv2 is the protocol for you.

SOCKS

Picture yourself as a girl on the run. What’s the first thing you do? Buy a disguise, of course. SOCKS, which stands for Sockets, is what gets you in disguise through a spanking new IP address. Then, it gets the data to its destination, but keep in mind that with SOCKS alone, the data won’t be encrypted. That’s why we match it with encryption methods, to attain both the speed of SOCKS and the safety of encryption.

UDP

A user datagram protocol is responsible for sending the data packets, but it’s not responsible for keeping them in order. Think of UDP like a fun uncle sending you off to school one morning. While you’ll get there eventually, you will probably be missing some of your homework or lunch.

TCP

That’s why Windscribe pairs UDP with TCP, Transmission Control Protocol. Not only does it transport data, but it also makes sure that it gets to the right place. First, it creates a connection between the source and the destination and ensures that it’s active. Then, it breaks the data into smaller packets and makes sure it gets put back together in the right order. If UDP is your fun uncle, TCP is your responsible older sister picking up the slack.

Stealth

Is it just me or does Stealth sound like a James Bond movie? Stealth is what disguises your VPN traffic as regular web traffic so it can get through firewalls. This is especially helpful if you’re using Windscribe in countries like China, Pakistan, Cuba, or the United Arab Emirates that don’t allow VPNs.

Video Review

Testing Windscribe

Now that I’ve shown you how Windscribe does what it does, I want to see how well it works. That’s why I’ll be testing this VPN for its speed, as well as checking for any DNS or WebRTC leaks. I test all my VPNs on both a Macbook Air and a Windows Vivobook from my apartment in Brooklyn, where my Internet service provider is Optimum. Let’s see how Windscribe performs!

Speed Test

Now here’s the fun part: actually getting to see how Windscribe affects the speed on my computer.

Download Speed Tests

Mac
Without VPN	21.66 mbps
With VPN	17.27 mbps

Windows
Without VPN	63.85 mbps
With VPN	36.41 mbps

As far as download speed goes, Windscribe worked better on my Macbook than it did on my Vivobook, with a decrease of only 20% compared to 43% on the Vivobook.

Upload Speed Tests

Mac
Without VPN	20.54 mbps
With VPN	8.12 mbps

Windows
Without VPN	41.72 mbps
With VPN	35.01 mbps

In upload speed, however, things were reversed. While upload speed was only decreased by about 16% on the Vivobook, it was reduced by a whopping 60% on the Macbook Air.

Ping Speed Tests

Mac
Without VPN	12 ms
With VPN	20 ms

Windows
Without VPN	12 ms
With VPN	16 ms

The last thing I test speed-wise is ping, otherwise known as latency. Again, the Vivobook out-performed the Mac in this area, only increasing latency by 33% compared to 66% on the Mac. Overall, Windscribe performed faster on the Windows over the Mac, leading me to believe that it’s a better VPN for PC users over Mac users.

DNS Leak Test

DNS stands for Domain Name Server, and some would call it the phonebook of the modern age. It’s basically a website’s address that your computer gets to by using Internet protocols. But before there were websites with easy to remember names like google.com, there were IP addresses. Whenever you’re going to a website, your device needs to know that IP address, so the DNS acts as a shortcut.

If you’re using a VPN, it might be because you don’t want anywhere to know where you go online, a.k.a the DNS’s you visit. The good news for you is that Windscribe didn’t have any DNS leaks on either the Mac or the Windows computer, so your web traffic remains encrypted in the VPN’s tunnel.

WebRTC Leak Test

Have you ever heard about cutting out the middle man? It’s something that’s supposed to make things quicker, and that’s exactly what WebRTC is. It allows web browsers to communicate directly with each other rather than through a middle-man server. The pros? Faster speeds and less lag, especially for file sharing, livestreaming, or video chat. The con? All devices that use WebRTC will need to know the other device’s private IP address. If you’re using browsers like Firefox, Opera, Chrome, and Microsoft Edge, you should know that your default is WebRTC.

The WebRTC leak test makes sure that your private IP address hasn’t been leaked outside of the encrypted VPN tunnel. You’ll be glad to know that Windscribe didn’t have any WebRTC leaks in either of my tests, so it seems like the encryption is up to snuff.

Windscribe Subscriptions

Now I want to show you what you’ve probably been wondering about all along: Windscribe’s pricing.

Options

Contract length	Monthly cost	Total amount billed	Maximum GB of data per month	Maximum number of servers connected to	Maximum number of connections
1 month	$0	$0	10	10 (U.S, Canada, U.K, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, Romania)	Unlimited
1 month	$9	$9	Unlimited	62	Unlimited
1 year	$4.08	$49	Unlimited	62	Unlimited

One subscription to Windscribe gets you an unlimited amount of server switches, simultaneous connections, and devices— that’s pretty generous, especially considering they offer a free VPN to certain countries! When you pay for a subscription, however, you do get some bonus features— unlimited data, the ability to block ads, trackers, and malware, and to configure your generator how you like. That doesn’t seem too bad for $9 a month! Plus, you can get Windscribe completely free in some countries, which is pretty unusual.

Feature	Windscribe free VPN
Locations	U.S., Canada, U.K, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, and Romania
Usage data limit	10 GB/month
Ad blocking	No
Manual configuration	No
Ad, tracker, and malware blocker	No
Split tunneling	Android only
Multi-hop	Yes
Netflix access	On the U.S. and U.K. servers only
Torrenting	Yes

Manual Configurations

Windscribe works on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, routers, and NAS devices.

Browser Extensions

Windscribe will work in Chrome, Opera, and Firefox web browsers.

Windscribe Customer Support

I find few things in this world more frustrating than having to call tech support. It’s 2023: why can’t things just work as they should? However, I live in the real world and understand customer support as a distinct possibility. Am I thrilled about it? No, but at least I’ll be prepared. How does Windscribe’s customer support work, and is it any good?

Features

You can contact Windscribe’s customer support through live chat or an online form. You can also check out their subreddit or their lengthy setup guides, FAQ’s or knowledge base. I’m pretty happy that Windscribe offers live chat, as many VPNs skimp on customer support.

Customer Support Ratings

I’m a man of the people, so when it comes to customer support, I want to see what real Windscribe customers had to say about it. On Google, Winscribe has a 3.9 out of five-star rating, which is pretty good. Only two reviews mentioned customer support— one was positive, and one was negative, so that wasn’t the most helpful. On Amazon, however, Windscribe has a whopping 144 reviews and an overall 3.6 out of five-star rating. Unfortunately, none of the reviews mentioned customer support, but I’m going to take that as a good sign that Windscribe worked for many people without needing help.

The Windscribe App

The Windscribe app has good ratings of 3.9 and 4.2 from the Apple and Google Play stores, respectively. I’m glad to see that customers are digging Windscribe’s app!

Windscribe Vs. Private Internet Access

Feature	Private Internet Access	Windscribe
Log Data	No	No
Kill Switch	Yes	Yes
Split Tunneling	No	Yes
Netflix	Yes	Yes (U.S. & U.K.)
Torrenting	Yes	Yes
IP Addresses	Anonymous, Dynamic	Anonymous, Static, Shared

I’m comparing Windscribe to a similar VPN called Private Internet Access, or PIA for short. Neither VPN logs your data, but PIA is stricter than Windscribe— they won’t keep the total amount of bytes you’ve transferred over the last month, nor when you used the VPN. However, Windscribe does have split tunneling, which PIA lacks. Other than that, PIA dominates Windscribe when it comes to Netflix access as well as dynamic IP addresses, much more secure than static IP addresses. When it comes to Internet speed, PIA wins over Windscribe, although neither had any security leaks in my tests.

Overall, I’d pick Private Internet Access over Windscribe due to its faster speeds and stricter data logging policy.

See how Windscribe measures up in the industry

For a closer look at how Windscribe performs, we compared it with other popular VPNs.

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• Surfshark vs. Bitdefender VPN: Rivals in More Markets Than One
• Surfshark vs. Avast VPN: A Tale of Two Industry Leaders
• Surfshark vs. Atlas VPN: Which VPN is Superior?
• Atlas VPN vs. NordVPN

Recap of Windscribe

Windscribe is definitely not the VPN for everyone, but is it the right VPN for you?

I’d recommend Windscribe if you’d like…

• Double-hop: Your data will be encrypted multiple times, increasing security.
• Fast speed on Windows: I was pleased with Windscribe’s speed on my Windows Vivobook.
• Free option: There’s nothing better than free, and Windscribe is completely free in the U.S, Canada, Hong Kong, the U.K, and more.
• Good app ratings: Customers liked the Windscribe app on both iPhones and Androids.

But steer clear if you dislike the following…

• Speeds on Mac: While it wasn’t horrible, I wasn’t too impressed with Windscribe’s speed on my Macbook Air.
• Part of Five Eyes: As Canada is part of an international surveillance alliance, Windscribe can be legally forced to hand over your data.
• Netflix policy: If you’re on any other servers outside of the U.S or U.K, you won’t be able to use Netflix with Windscribe.
• Data logging policy: Windscribe logs more data than necessary, like the number of files you’ve transferred and when you used the VPN.

FAQ

If you’ve got any more questions, read on below for our answers to the frequently asked questions about the Windscribe VPN.

• Server locations: The free version can only connect to servers in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, and Romania.
• Data limit: The free version has a two GB usage limit per month, whereas the premium version has no data limits. You can increase the data limit to 10 GB by registering and verifying your email address.
• Ad blocking: The free version does not block advertisements, ad trackers, and malware, but the premium version does.
• OpenVPN configuration generator: The premium version comes with an OpenVPN configuration generator that lets you connect any device that supports OpenVPN to the Windscribe VPN.

The Windscribe VPN hides your IP address whenever you connect to the VPN. It masks your IP address with a VPN server’s IP address, so that websites, your ISP, and anyone online won’t be able to spy on you. In addition, the Windscribe VPN hides your internet traffic so that no one can track your online activity.

• Windows
• Mac
• Linux
• iOS
• Android
• Chrome
• Firefox
• Opera
• Microsoft Edge

Windscribe is a legitimate VPN company based in Ontario, Canada with servers in over 70 countries.

The Windscribe free VPN includes two GB of usage data per month. However, you can increase the limit to 10 GB per month if you sign up and verify your email address. If 10 GB is not enough, you can always upgrade to a premium subscription for as low as $9 per month or $49 per year. A premium subscription will give you unlimited data.