Windscribe VPN Review

Windscribe VPN has garnered attention not just for its features, but also for its commitment to social good. Its outspoken owner has also raised a few eyebrows here and there.

Known for transparency about what it can and can’t do and a generous free VPN offering, Windscribe stands out in the crowded VPN market.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been putting its performance, usability, and security through their paces and comparing them to other top providers.

While its unique approach and ethical stance are commendable, the real question remains, does Windscribe deliver on its promises? or is it nothing more than riding on its notoriety?

My hands-on experience aims to uncover whether this VPN truly lives up to the hype. If you’re interested to know if Windscribe is for you, let’s find out.

Oh, as a side note, I tested the paid-for service which was provided free by Windscribe for our review, I did not test their free service.

If you’re in a rush and don’t have time to read the full thing, check out our video round-up review:

Don’t have time to read the full review? Check out our Windscribe video review:

1. Service

Speeds

Speed is one of the most critical areas of any VPN. It’s going to effect almost everything you do from general browsing to streaming and gaming.

A slow VPN can mean poor playback speeds, especially if you’re using a slower connection to begin with.

My test system was a Windows desktop PC using a Wi-Fi mesh system, very similar to what most of you may have in your own home. The internet connection was a regular residential connection, again, just like you’ll be using.

The advertised internet service and speed of my home connection is “500 Mb/s Full Fibre”.

I tested Windscribe daily for my regular internet use, this included regular browsing, streaming video from sites like YouTube and other streaming services like Netflix and Disney+.

I also ran speed tests using a popular speed test tool. My speed without VPN at the time of testing was: 494.4 Mbps.

Below are the results that Windscribe achieved.

• UK – 242.2 Mbps
• Netherlands – 346.7 Mbps
• Switzerland – 228.3 Mbps
• Sweden – 260 Mbps
• France – 250.8 Mbps
• New York, US – 168.1 Mbps
• Australia – 73.1 Mbps

Overall I am mightily impressed with the speeds achieved using Windscribe. They’re not the very fastest but they’re up there with the best.

What most stood out were very good speeds even at distance such as New York in the US and Australia, but even nearer to home the speeds were very fast in comparison.

But how do they compare to the competition?

In our most recent ExpressVPN review, their UK server showed speeds of 361.4 Mbps, compared to Windscribe’s 242.2 Mbps meaning they were around 39% slower.

NordVPN recorded speeds of 314.6 Mbps meaning Windscribe was 26% slower.

But how about against a similar privacy-first service? VPN.ac had speeds of 109.43 Mbps compared to 242.2 Mbps at Windscribe meaning Windscribe was 75% faster!

Let’s not forget, these are just a single speed result and at any time Windscribe could be faster or slower than the competition. A lot of factors will influence these speeds.

Logging

Windscribe’s logging policy is transparent and privacy-focused.

They claim to strictly adhere to a no-logs policy, avoiding the storage of connection logs, IP timestamps, or session logs.

This is done to ensure your online activity remains as private as practically possible.

The only data tracked is the last usage time and the amount of data used in a 30-day period. They claim to do this so that can enforce free account limits and prevent abuse​​​​.

I especially liked that their transparency report claims to track real time data-request which isn’t something I’m aware is done with any other provider. They also claim they’ve never complied with any law enforcement request.

Like many other providers they claim they couldn’t comply even if they wanted to.

Windscribe recently published the results of an extensive audit carried out by Packetlab which covers both their server network, apps and more. For technical details you can read the full 17-page report.

As a summary, any “minimal security concerns” were “promptly remediated”.

Windscribe’s Privacy Policy is out of date and hasn’t been updated since 2018. It references their “affiliate” program which hasn’t been operational for a good number of years. I’d like to see this updated to keep relevant.

Simultaneous Connections

Windscribe allows an unlimited number of concurrent connections.

However, this comes with one caveat, which is, don’t abuse it.

Windscribe themselves are happy for you to use multiple devices at the same time while also recognising that one user won’t have 30 computers sitting around their home.

In Comparison:

• Surfshark – Unlimited connections
• IPVanish – Unlimited Connections
• VPN.ac – 12 connections
• ExpressVPN – 8 connections
• NordVPN – 6 connections
• VyprVPN – 5 connections

Jurisdiction

Windscribe is registered in Canada.

There aren’t a great deal of VPN providers registered in Canada.

Canada is part of the 5-eyes intelligence sharing group, however Windscribe makes some very good arguments against this. They have an interesting post on the subject called “It doesn’t matter how many eyes you have” which is worth a read.

While Windscribe do make some very valid points against this being an issue, they also have an investment in making that argument, due to the fact, they are located within a 5-eyes nation.

I’ll leave you to decide if it’s a negative for you or not.

In Comparison:

• NordVPN – Panama
• Surfshark – Netherlands
• IPVanish – United States
• VyprVPN – United States
• CyberGhost VPN – Romania
• VPN.ac  – Romania

Customer Support

Windscribe has multiple support methods available.

The most common you’ll come across is a “live help” feature on their website. This is actually powered by AI and while that isn’t ideal it is very good at answering basic questions about the service.

I’m a little old school though and prefer to talk to an actual human. Lots of VPN providers run live help services and they range from very good to canned responses which may as well be AI drive.

Unfortunately Windscribe doesn’t offer live help but after jumping through a few hoops with their AI system “Garry” you can be put through to a human.

Sadly, this isn’t “live” but is instead via their email system.

When I tested their email help service they responded quickly, in under 30 minutes actually which is impressive.

The response from “Krishna” was considered and even though it wasn’t an overly technical question, offered more detailed solutions than I’ve seen from some other providers.

7-day money back guarantee

2. Server Locations

Windscribe offers a well-rounded server network, boasting servers in 69 countries and 134 cities.

They don’t publish the exact number of servers for whatever reason. Forbes recently put this at 480, but Windscribe themselves just describe it has having “hundreds of servers”.

They claim this is because server numbers fluctuate, however I don’t see why they can’t have a live updated number.

I suspect this may be to keep customers from comparing providers that offer thousands to a number in its hundreds and making the wrong assumption that that is somehow “bad”, which we’ve written about extensively before.

The network covers major regions including North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and even South America, Africa, and Oceania, keeping it in line with the competition.

I’m impressed that Windscribe ensures global coverage, allowing access to content from virtually anywhere.

I did notice a couple of geo-location issues, once the UK reported as Texas, US and their joke Antarctica connection showed up as New York, US.

The free plan that I didn’t test includes access to servers in 10 countries, which is very generous compared to other free VPN offerings.

If numbers are really your thing, take a look at how Windscribe compare:

In Comparison:

• ExpressVPN – 105 countries
• NordVPN – 61 countries
• Surfshark – 100 countries
• IPVanish – 52 countries
• VyprVPN – 64 countries
• CyberGhost VPN – 100 countries

3. Security and Safety

Protocols & Encryption

Windscribe offers a variety of protocols to suit different needs so like most other VPN providers you’ve got some options.

OpenVPN uses AES-256 encryption, paired with SHA512 authentication and a 4096-bit RSA key, ensuring top-tier security.

For handshaking 4096-bit is what I would consider a minimum these days but it’s surprising to see just how many providers still don’t make use of this.

WireGuard: A next-gen protocol known for its speed and efficiency. It’s becoming the gold standard for VPN protocols these days.

OpenVPN (UDP and TCP): OpenVPN over UDP is generally faster but can be blocked, while OpenVPN over TCP is more resilient but slower. If you’re not using Wireguard for whatever reason then I’d recommend OpenVPN UDP.

IKEv2: Known for its fast connection times, but if you can use either of the above I’d suggest this.

Stealth: This protocol disguises VPN traffic as regular HTTPS traffic, useful for bypassing strict network restrictions. I’m pleased to see Windscribe offer a mode like this as not all providers do.

WStunnel: Encapsulates OpenVPN in a WebSocket, useful in highly restrictive environments.

Compared to competitors, Windscribe’s range of protocols offers flexibility and robust security, they offer as many or more protocol options than other providers.

Windscribe Protocols:

• WireGuard
• IKEv2
• OpenVPN (UDP/TCP)
• Stealth
• WStunnel

Windscribe’s diverse protocol options cater to various needs. There are enough options to satisfy most users.

DNS Leak Testing

DNS leaks are an important factor when considering your privacy.

While your IP address may be hidden by a VPN, often outside influences can reveal data that shouldn’t be revealed.

I put Windscribe through tests to ascertain if it is leaking important information via DNS using some of the most popular online DNS leak testing services.

Both DNSLeakTest.com and IPX.ac revealed no leaks.

This is good news because a DNS leak could reveal the names of websites you’re visiting. This is often to your ISP.

If you live in a country like the UK then your ISP is bound to record the names of every website that you visit. With Windscribe the results show that this shouldn’t be an issue.

Are there any Windscribe security incidents?

Windscribe has been at the better end of incidents in comparison to the competition but they’re not without their faults either.

Ukrainian server seizure

In 2021, one of Windscribe’s servers were seized in the Ukraine. It transpired that the server was not fully encrypted.

Windscribe claims this issue would have been easy to hide and that by being open and honest it should increase your trust in them.

I tend to agree with this to a point, however the situation still took place so you will need to weigh up if their honesty outweighs the incident.

Mac security flaw

In 2024 a security researcher posted details about a security issue in Windscribe’s Mac client.

Windscribe isn’t alone in having security flaws in its products and it is thanks to their mainly open source nature that security researchers can find and highlight such issues.

7-day money back guarantee

4. Apps

Windscribe offers a full suite of apps for a huge range of systems including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Apple iOS and Amazon Fire TV.

Additionally the apps are available on third party app stores like F-Droid and Huawei’s App Gallery which is an interesting addition that I haven’t seen before from many providers.

I’ve been making use of their Windows, Android and Amazon Fire TV apps over the course of the past few weeks to find out how they stack up against the competition.

Android App

The Windscribe Android app is packed with features so it’s not just a basic connection app that some providers offer. Upon running for the first time you can make use of 2FA which I haven’t seen with most other providers.

The home screen is mainly taken up with server location selection and some important details at the top plus the connection/disconnection button.

I found the app straightforward to use and if you’re a beginner you’ll definitely be able to make use of it without issue.

Behind the scenes there are a lot of options to play around with. If you’re a more advanced user then you’ll appreciate the ability to customise the app to your liking.

Everything from the location order, the display latency all the way through to the flag appearance can be changed. There’s also the important light and dark mode options.

The ‘Connect’ settings area is also feature rich where you can customise the protocol, packet size, always on VPN and much more. There’s plenty to set the app as you want and in comparison to other providers probably a little more than most.

One unique feature is GPS spoofing, which is particularly useful for bypassing app-based location restrictions on streaming services, a feature not commonly found in most other VPN apps.

Off the top of my head, only Surfshark offers this.

Additionally, the app includes ad and tracker blocking with its R.O.B.E.R.T. feature, and it’s easy to use with a clean, intuitive interface. This allows you to easily enable or disable different types of blocking from malware right through to clickbait and even other VPNs!

Personally, I find Windscribe’s Android app impressive for its comprehensive features and user-friendly design. The layout is easy to follow and it has something for everyone.

7-day money back guarantee

Windows App

The Windows app is much the same as its mobile counterpart, again 2FA is possible here.

The home screen of the app deals with connection. The server selection part can either be minimised or maximised to your preference.

Again, if you’re a new user you’ll have no issues getting to grips with the layout and connection is easily made.

Like the mobile apps there’s plenty of settings to customise behind the scenes.

These start with an extensive ‘General’ area that deals with the app function such as Launch on Startup, Close to Tray, Docked, Show Notifications etc.

Under the ‘Connection’ area is where advanced users may wish to delve. This deals with everything from protocol selection right through to network and proxy options plus more.

When minimised to the taskbar, the Windscribe app clearly shows it’s connected, I haven’t seen this elsewhere and it seems like a useful feature.

Although minor I liked that the quit icon functioned as it should, giving you the option to quit. Many VPN apps will simply minimise to the notification area when pressing the quit button even though it’s not really how the quit button should function.

Again as with the mobile apps I found the desktop apps easy to use with enough features to set everything to my liking.

Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced user the Windows app has enough options for everyone.

Other Apps

Windscribe offer up a large range of apps as I discussed earlier but the standout for me is their Amazon Fire TV app.

While most of the big name VPN providers do offer an Amazon Fire TV app, it’s not completely common across the board. I was pleased to see one was available from Windscribe.

Upon logging in you can use a ‘Lazy Login’ which is extreme useful, especially if you have (and you should!) a complicated password.

I found using the app effortless, the layout has been well thought out and I found it easy to navigate using the Fire TV remote control.

If you’re big on streaming then you’ll definitely appreciate the addition of this app as it opens up the possibility of streaming content from across the globe on some of the biggest streaming services.

Does Windscribe offer browser extensions?

Windscribe provides extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.

I’m not a huge fan of them for a few different reasons but it’s excellent to see Windscribe offering them and gives you an option should you need to use them.

They cover all the most popular browsers and in comparison to other big name providers their offering matches the best.

7-day money back guarantee

5. Streaming

In my mind I consider Windscribe a “privacy-first” VPN provider. Their security offerings are impressive, but as we all know, streaming is a big part of VPN services.

I’ve been putting them to the test with the most popular streaming services to see how they perform.

6. Prices

Windscribes prices are both low and not so low depending on how you look at it.

First, there’s a completely free package that is actually one of the best free offerings around. It gives access to 11 different locations with at 10GB per month limit.

You can add additional locations for just a dollar. However, if you don’t provide your email you’ll only get 2GB of data and can’t reset your password.

If you’re after the fully featured service then this will set you back $9 per month. This is cheaper than many providers’ monthly packages.

Their annual subscription works out at $5.75 per month. This isn’t the lowest I’ve seen, for example, VPN.ac offers their yearly package at $4.80 a month and IPVanish at just $2.79.

It’s also not the highest priced 12-month package either, ExpressVPN comes out at $6.67 a month, for example.

• 1-Month: $9 per month (~£6.94)
• 1-Year: $5.75 per month (~ £4.43)

Windscribe was running a deal at the time of writing this review to pick up a 12-month package for just $2.42 per month although there was no indication of how long this deal will last.

Additionally there was no fake count down timer that you find at some other providers to encourage you to sign up quickly.

In Comparison:

• ExpressVPN – $6.67 / month (1-year)
• NordVPN – $6.99 / month (1-year)
• Surfshark – $6.49 / month (1-year)
• IPVanish – $2.79 / month (1-year)
• VyprVPN – $5.00 / month (1-year)
• CyberGhost VPN – $2.37 / month (1-year)
• VPN.ac – $4.80 / month (1-year)

One thing to note, Windscribe only offers a 7-day money back guarantee. This is much shorter than the competition who usually offer 30-days as standard with some offering up to 45 days.

7. Verdict

As I haven’t previously tested Windscribe I was looking forward to see how they compare to the competition.

I was impressed with Windscribe’s speed and performance. It delivered impressive speeds, especially for distant servers like New York and Australia.

Even the closer European servers performed well, making it suitable for various online activities, including streaming and gaming. While it wasn’t quite as fast as some other providers it is definitely up at the higher end of the scale.

The transparency and privacy policies stood out, particularly the no-logs policy and real-time data request transparency. I am, however at a little loss why their privacy policy hasn’t been updated in 6 years.

Windscribe have finally published the results of an extensive audit which overall gave the service a clean bill of health and any minor issues were resolved.

Their commitment to privacy, despite being based in a 5-eyes nation, was commendable. I appreciated their honesty about the Ukrainian server incident, which, despite being a mishap, increased my trust in their transparency.

Windscribe’s server coverage is large, with servers in 69 countries, ensures extensive global reach, which I found is excellent for accessing content from different regions.

On the downside, despite generally good speeds, Windscribe lagged behind competitors like ExpressVPN and NordVPN in speed tests. They’re fast, but there are definitely faster.

If you’ve got a very fast connection at home or work then you may want to consider if you’ll be able to maximise its potential.

Windscribe lacks live help and while the AI-powered help is actually quite good and the email support responsive, it can’t replace immediate human interaction for urgent issues.

While Windscribe worked well with many streaming services, I encountered occasional hiccups with BBC iPlayer during high-traffic events. However, overall streaming was extremely good and allowed the accessing of many services that others struggle with.

The service is based in Canada, a 5-eyes nation, so it might deter you despite Windscribe’s strong arguments and transparency against this being an issue.

Windscribe’s owner Yegor Sak is very hands-on with the service and this will either be a positive or negative for you. While I appreciate his finger on the pulse attitude, I can’t help but feel he takes his product’s criticisms as a personal insult.

While you may applaud this passion I feel the VPN industry has moved on from its infancy and a more professional image may be suited better. However, I’ll readily admit, you’ll either love this or hate it, Sak is essentially the Elon Musk of the VPN world.

Overall, Windscribe offers a solid VPN service with commendable speed, privacy features, and extensive server coverage. However, its streaming issues at peak times, live-support limitations, and jurisdiction might make it less appealing to some users.

There’s a lot to love about Windscribe and only a couple of niggles let it down.

Would I recommend it? Wholeheartedly.

If you’re after a reliable VPN service and their negatives don’t concern you, they could very well be your choice.

7-day money back guarantee