Windscribe Review 2022 – Lowest Price, Best Quality

Windscribe is an excellent VPN for anyone looking to browse the net anonymously. It may not deliver the fastest speeds or have the biggest server park, but it’s packed with a ton of security and privacy features. Plus, it works great with Netflix and BitTorrent. 

Best of all, the company’s popular free version provides a generous 10GB monthly limit for all users. 

So, is there anything not to like about this VPN? 

Read our Windscribe VPN review to find out.

Speed

We conducted several Windscribe speed tests through different server locations to find out how fast this VPN is. When connected to a local UK server on our 200Mpbs connection, the VPN brought down the download speed to 160–180Mbps, which is impressive. Windscribe’s performance is outstanding even when compared to industry heavyweights like NordVPN.

The first US server we connected to gave us an average speed of 30–40Mbps, which is pretty slow. However, when we tried a different US server, the average speed increased to 120Mbps. This means that some servers can get overloaded, so there’s room for improvement in Windscribe’s infrastructure.

Overall some tests gave us below-average results, but fortunately, that wasn’t the case most of the time. Some speed loss is expected when using a VPN. Windscribe does not increase data usage much, which means it won’t significantly slow down your speed. 

Security and Privacy

Below we explore the different privacy and security measures Windscribe takes.

Encryption

Windscribe encryption is very strong, and you can rely on it to protect your data. The AES-256 cipher and the default VPN protocol IKEv2 offer an excellent balance between security and a stable speed. Windscribe also uses SHA512 auth and a 4096-bit RSA key which further contribute to the strong protection. 

Security Protocols

Windscribe’s default VPN protocol is the IKEv2 protocol, but you can also switch to OpenVPN if you prefer. If you go for the latter, you can pick from UDP (User Datagram Protocol) or TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) OpenVPN connections. 

You can hide your OpenVPN traffic using Stealth Mode through a TLS Tunnel. This can be helpful in some countries that try to restrict or block VPN traffic.

DNS / WebRTC Leaks

You won’t have to worry about Windscribe DNS or IP leaks. In our tests, the service effectively hid our GPS location or faked our time zone depending on the server we chose to use. You also have the option to change your browser user agent, which will make you even more difficult to track. 

Jurisdiction

One of Windscribe’s disadvantages is that it’s based in Canada, which is not the best privacy jurisdiction to be in. Why?

Because Canada is a member of the 5 Eyes Alliance along with the following countries: Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and the US. These countries have mandatory data retention laws and surveillance practices that might seem intrusive to internet users who seek anonymity. 

If complete privacy is essential for you, you might want to opt for a provider registered in a jurisdiction with no data retention requirements, such as ExpressVPN (British Virgin Islands).

Data Logging 

So what kind of data are we talking about here? And does Windscribe keep logs? 

Windscribe never collects historical records of your source IP or the websites you visit during a session while connected to the VPN. But what it does collect is the number of bytes transferred in a month and the time you’ve spent connected to Windscribe.

Static IP Address

Whichever Windscribe package type you choose, you have the option to obtain a static IP address. However, if you want to add a datacenter or residential IP address, it will cost you an additional fee of around $2/month or $24/year and $8/month or $96/year, respectively. 

This will allow you to access more blocked websites, and you’ll be able to connect to IP-restricted businesses and various networks. 

R.O.B.E.R.T

Windscribe offers a customisable blocker called R.O.B.E.R.T. Windscribe Pro subscribers can use this unique security feature to protect them from harmful content such as advertisements, malware trackers, or cryptominers. You can use R.O.B.E.R.T in a limited capacity with the free Windscribe version too. 

With R.O.B.E.R.T, you can also block social networks, sexually explicit content, or gambling sites.

Kill Switch

Another thing to add when it comes to security is that Windscribe has a WebRTC leak protection and a Windscribe kill switch. To be more precise, you get the Windscribe firewall, as the provider argues a kill switch is essentially a “snake oil feature” because when your VPN connection drops, data can leave your computer through the default gateway before the software detects that the VPN has disconnected.

Split Tunnelling

Does Windscribe support split tunnelling? Yes! You can choose this option if you want to customise your VPN protection by redirecting some of the apps through a secure VPN tunnel while others continue using your regular ISP connection.

At the time of writing, split tunnelling is only available in Windscribe for Android devices. The provider’s website says the feature is soon coming to Windows, Mac, and Linux. It’s worth noting that the newest versions of iOS and macOS don’t support split tunnelling yet, so you won’t be able to use this feature even with widely popular providers, such as NordVPN.

Servers and Server Locations

Windscribe doesn’t disclose the exact number of servers it has but says they are spread out across 110 cities in 63 countries around the world. The Windscribe desktop application connects you to the closest server to your location using the Autopilot feature, but you can also choose to switch it manually.

Although some competitors, such as ExpressVPN, have a wider distribution of servers, the number of Windscribe locations is still sufficient to meet your needs. 

VPN’s Primary Uses

Below we look at the common usage types of VPNs and whether Windscribe supports these.

Streaming

With Windscribe, you can unlock most major streaming sites. The provider offers the Windflix feature in the server selection menu. This option allows you to unblock US and UK streaming libraries, no matter your location. You can access sites like Netflix US (from all test locations with servers from different countries), BBC, iPlayer, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video easily with the free Windscribe servers.  

Unfortunately, you might experience issues streaming on Hulu, HBO Go, or even Netflix US and iPlayer (but only occasionally). If accessing entertainment content is among your main reasons for using a VPN, you might want to look at other providers such as CyberGhost, which has servers optimised for streaming.

Torrenting

You can use Windscribe for torrenting on most of its servers. At the locations where the provider doesn’t support torrenting, you can see a crossed-out P2P icon in the server selection menu. What’s more, the paid version of the VPN has unlimited bandwidth and allows P2P across most servers, so torrenting shouldn’t be an issue. 

Gaming

When we tested Windscribe with online games, such as Fortnite, it showed excellent results. With this provider, you’re unlikely to experience any lag when gaming.

Windscribe allows you to game on multiple devices, such as Mac, Windows, and even a mobile device. You can also use Windscribe on your PS3, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox 360. To do this, you have to use the Hotspot secure feature on a spare computer. However, this is only available on Windows devices. 

Supported Platforms

Windscribe is compatible with all desktop and mobile operating systems, including Linux. It also has browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. 

But the best part is that both the free and paid Windscribe version allow you to connect an unlimited number of simultaneous devices, adding even more value to this VPN.

Desktop Apps

The Windscribe Windows and Mac apps are really easy to use. Plus, they come with a ton of options like:

Windscribe also allows you to set up your computer as a secure hotspot or proxy gateway, letting you connect other devices on your network to the VPN through it. This is useful for devices that may not support VPN software, such as smart TVs and game consoles. (Some providers, such as ExpressVPN, actually provide TV and game console clients.)

Mobile Apps

Although the interface of the Windscribe mobile apps is similar to the desktop ones, the mobile versions actually come with more features. 

They let you select your protocol and port but also enable split tunnelling (Android only). They have a firewall feature that works similar to a kill switch and also provide GPS spoofing. There’s even a Network Whitelisting tool that automatically connects you to Windscribe when you access unreliable networks. 

Browser Extensions

There’s a Windscribe Chrome extension, as well as a Firefox one. They are a great way to connect to the VPN through your browser. But since they’re just proxies, there are certain limitations.

That said, they support some of the main features like Autopilot, tagging cities/countries from the list of servers as favourites, and blocking WebRTC leaks. Plus, you get Windscribe’s R.O.B.E.R.T. which allows you to block malware, ads, and trackers. 

The extensions also give you the option to connect to one location on the desktop app and another on the browser. They also let you delete cookies in each tab after every session. What’s more, Windscribe can match your GPS location and time zone to that of the server—a feature dubbed Split Personality, giving you an extra layer of protection.

Windscribe is compatible with other devices, too, such as Kodi, Amazon’s Fire Stick, and Windscribe’s InvizBox 2 router, which gives VPN access to an unlimited number of devices.

Pricing

How much does Windscribe cost?

Windscribe is one of the cheapest VPNs around, and that’s not even mentioning their free version.

As you might guess, the free version has its limitations—you get access to servers in only eleven countries and a 10GB data allowance. But it’s still one of the best and most generous free VPN services.

Additionally, you can use the ScribeForce plan, with a minimum of five users which costs £2.19 per user and includes all the Pro package features. 

Windscribe is cheaper than most of its competition, including providers considered budget-friendly, such as Hotspot Shield.

Customer Support

You can contact Windscribe in the following ways:

• You can write them a ticket, to which they might respond in a few hours, but sometimes a couple of days.
• You can talk to the chatbot Garry, who is helpful for basic queries but not much else.

Additionally, you can use Windscribe’s FAQ page, Setup Guides, Knowledge Base, and even the Subreddit, which you can get to through a button on the provider’s website.

The Windscribe rating on Trustpilot is 4.8, with 82% of the people rating it as excellent. Out of the ~1,000 reviews, only 3% rated Windscribe as bad. That score is among the highest in the industry and is matched only by CyberGhost among the more popular providers.

From user comments, we can see that almost no one complained about Windscribe not working. Most comments say it’s fast, creates no lags, and is overall reliable.

Windscribe Alternatives

Windscribe meets and exceeds expectations, but it’s hardly the only VPN out there. Let’s check out some other providers and see how they compare. 

Bottom Line

Windscribe has excellent security features, great speed, and is easy to use.

Another advantage is that you can stream Netflix US, download torrents, and game without any problems. What’s more, Windscribe is available on all devices, both desktop and mobile, and also offers browser extensions. 

Although speeds are above average, they can be inconsistent, which is not the case with some other popular providers like ExpressVPN and Surfshark.

Still, Windscribe allows an unlimited number of connections—something rarely seen among VPNs. Plus, it’s one of the cheapest providers on the market, especially considering the features you get.

All in all, Windscribe is definitely an option worth considering.