Windscribe VPN is an honest possibility for these looking for a digital non-public community with a totally practical free model. Its free plan permits as much as 10GBs of information, limitless gadget connections, and the identical security measures because the paid tier. It additionally has a customizable Construct A Plan subscription possibility, giving prospects extra account flexibility.

Nonetheless, it is probably not your best option for customers who worth having a big server community, significantly for streaming or unblocking functions. Proper now, Windscribe helps macOS, Home windows, Android, iOS, Linux, Mozilla, and Opera.

Windscribe VPN pricing

For its annual subscription, the $5.75 monthly falls within the center vary when it comes to pricing in comparison with different VPNs. In the meantime, Windscribe’s month-to-month $9.00 monthly plan is without doubt one of the extra reasonably priced choices in the marketplace. Whereas most VPNs make their long-term subscriptions extra reasonably priced, I admire how Windscribe’s month-to-month plan is on the decrease finish of the spectrum.

Windscribe additionally presents a Construct A Plan tier that permits prospects to pick out servers from totally different places. There’s a $3 minimal buy, with every server location costing $1 monthly, however the general possibility may be very customer-friendly.

For groups of 5 or extra, ScribeForce is a plan that permits for centralized billing and staff administration with one subscription.

Lastly, Windscribe has a free model that gives a number of options discovered within the paid plan.

I might suggest customers fascinated with Windscribe attempt the free model earlier than committing to a paid plan. In the event you’re set on accessing all the Professional options, their month-to-month plan is the best way to go, given its lower-than-usual worth.

Windscribe VPN free model

Windscribe VPN has a free model that comes with loads of the identical in-app performance as their paid plans. The primary distinction is that the free model solely supplies entry to servers in 10 places.

Particularly, Windscribe VPN’s free model presents entry to servers from america, Canada, the UK, Hong Kong, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, and Romania.

On the flip aspect, a Windscribe Professional account consists of entry to all server places in 69 nations and 134 cities. These customers have entry to Professional servers which might be much less crowded and carry out higher. As well as, a paid subscription consists of limitless information, whereas the free model solely permits as much as 10GB month-to-month information. Nonetheless, new customers can solely entry 2GB of information with out offering an electronic mail deal with.

The choice to check out the service with out offering private info, resembling an electronic mail deal with, is a plus. Just like the paid tier, the free Windscribe model permits limitless gadget connections. That is spectacular, contemplating that different VPNs don’t supply limitless gadget connections — even on their paid plans.

The free model additionally consists of an abbreviated model of Windscribe’s R.O.B.E.R.T. area and IP blocking software for malware, adverts, and monitoring safety. The total R.O.B.E.R.T. function set is included with the Professional plan.

Total, Windscribe’s free model is a strong free VPN with extra performance than anticipated. In the event you’re fascinated with different free VPNs, take a look at our rundown of the Finest Free VPNs for 2024.

Is Windscribe VPN secure and dependable?

Sure, Windscribe VPN is a secure VPN to make use of in 2024. It presents all of the industry-standard safety protocols anticipated of a VPN: OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard. It additionally has AES-256 encryption, break up tunneling, and a dependable Windscribe Firewall that acts as a VPN kill change.

It additionally has a no-logs coverage stating that Windscribe doesn’t report connection logs, IP timestamps, session logs, or person exercise. To ensure that is really the case, it’s essential to verify if a VPN’s no logs coverage, or any facet of its utility for that matter, has been independently audited.

Once I first reviewed Windscribe final yr, the VPN supplier stated that it had been independently audited and was presently present process one other audit. Nonetheless, these audit outcomes had been neither revealed nor obtainable for public viewing. On this regard, I needed to dock factors off of Windscribe since they didn’t have any publicly obtainable audits then.

Now that we’re in 2024, I’m blissful to report that Windscribe has revealed full particulars of its impartial audits for each its no-logs coverage and utility. In September 2021, Windscribe’s desktop app was audited by Leviathan Safety Group, which aided the VPN supplier in addressing all points that had been raised.

In 2022, each Windscribe Android and iOS functions had been additionally audited by Leviathan. Lastly, Windscribe’s VPN stack referred to as FreshScribe was additionally not too long ago audited by Packetlabs in June 2024.

WindScribe VPN additionally publishes real-time Transparency Stories that define the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and legislation enforcement requests despatched to their service.

On high of all this, Windscribe VPN has absolutely open-sourced its functions on GitHub, which means anybody can view their supply code and spot vulnerabilities or weaknesses. To me, this can be a significant promoting level that provides factors in direction of Windscribe within the transparency and credibility division.

Some customers could also be cautious of Windscribe’s Canada-based operations as a result of nation’s inclusion within the 5-Eyes information and intelligence-sharing alliance. To be honest, they aren’t the one service based mostly in these areas, however customers searching for a VPN working in a pro-privacy nation might need to look elsewhere.

Having each the required security measures and impartial audits beneath its belt, I can say that Windscribe VPN is a secure and safe service to make use of in 2024.

SEE: Can a VPN Be Hacked? (TechRepublic)

Key options of Windscribe VPN

Along with providing a free model, Windscribe VPN has notable options that set it aside from different VPNs; I’ve highlighted just a few of them beneath.

R.O.B.E.R.T. software

Windscribe VPN has a built-in area and IP blocking software referred to as R.O.B.E.R.T. It’s a customizable server-side software that may block adverts and trackers and stop software program infections.

The software permits customers to customise blocking settings. They will choose to dam objects resembling malware, adverts and trackers, playing content material, porn, social networks, clickbait, and even faux information.

Customers may customise which IP addresses or domains they wish to be blocked or allowed by way of R.O.B.E.R.T.’s Customized Entry Guidelines.

Per my testing, the IP blocking labored as marketed.

ScribeForce Crew Accounts

ScribeForce is one other title for Windscribe Crew Accounts, which permits for centralized billing and staff administration with one subscription. This plan supplies all Windscribe’s Professional options and could be a highly effective administration software for a small enterprise.

With ScribeForce, an proprietor can generate and handle person accounts from a single web page. Plus, ScribeForce accounts are cheaper to put money into in comparison with common end-user accounts.

This can be a significant worth proposition for small enterprise homeowners searching for a VPN that may be simply built-in into their enterprise workflow.

Windscribe Firewall

Whereas Windscribe doesn’t have a conventional kill change like different VPNs, it does have Windscribe Firewall — firewall implementation that forestalls the opportunity of any packets leaking to your web service supplier in case your VPN session is disrupted.

The “All the time On” setting is noteworthy right here as it’s going to solely enable an web connection to your machine if it’s by way of Windscribe VPN’s safe connection. Even when the VPN crashes otherwise you manually exit the app, your machine gained’t be capable to hook up with an ISP.

Once I examined the firewall, it was capable of reliably reduce off the connection even when I had closed the app or disconnected from the VPN server. This can be a handy set-and-forget safety function that I can see many customers benefiting from.

SEE: Is a VPN Actually Price It in 2024? (TechRepublic)

Pace and efficiency: How briskly is Windscribe VPN?

Windscribe VPN’s speeds are on the good-to-average aspect. Total, I used to be capable of preserve a secure connection throughout my use. Throughout my session, I used to be ready to make use of Google Drive and Google Docs, and I had a number of Chrome tabs open to browse the web for analysis and stream movies on YouTube.

I did expertise a problem loading and enjoying a 4K video on YouTube. This may increasingly have been an remoted challenge with my connection, nevertheless it’s nonetheless value noting for the needs of this assessment. Switching servers and establishing connections additionally took just a few extra seconds than I anticipated.

For readability, I used to be utilizing Windscribe’s free model throughout my testing, however Windscribe has stated that there’s no distinction when it comes to pace between their free and paid variations.

To check Windscribe’s area title system leak safety, I ran it by way of a public DNS leak software a number of instances and recorded zero leaks.

For obtain speeds, I recorded a considerably bigger share drop with Windscribe in comparison with different VPNs I’ve examined. Whereas the quantity itself was respectable, the distinction was nonetheless bigger than lots of the VPNs I’ve used thus far. However, add speeds had been first rate and consistent with different VPN companies.

Lastly, the Windscribe app carried out effectively. I skilled zero points utilizing options and located it to be intuitive. I additionally favored the extra trendy strategy it takes for its person interface.

Windscribe VPN servers and places

In 2024, Windscribe’s server community offers you entry to servers in 69 nations and 134 cities. That’s an honest enhance in comparison with final yr, the place it had servers unfold out over 63 nations and 110 cities. Whereas they don’t disclose the precise variety of servers they’ve, they’ve stated that it ranges within the a whole bunch. Per my analysis, Windscribe has round 400–500 servers.

In the event you’re searching for a VPN with many servers to select from, Windscribe in all probability gained’t be the perfect match. Their server fleet is among the many lowest I’ve seen thus far. Taking a look at different server networks, Non-public Web Entry VPN has servers from 91 nations; CyberGhost VPN presents servers from 100 nations; and NordVPN has servers throughout 111 nations.

That is, maybe, WindScribe’s greatest weak spot, as different VPNs can present a greater number of server places for streaming, gaming, or torrenting use instances.

SEE: 5 Finest VPNs for Streaming in 2024 (TechRepublic)

For safety, Windscribe has Double Hop, a server function that routes person requests by way of any two servers or places on their community. Whereas you have to use each the desktop app and Windscribe’s browser extension to make use of it, Double Hop nonetheless supplies elevated anonymity and privateness for the top person.

Windscribe buyer assist

For buyer assist, Windscribe VPN has a web based data base with guides and tutorials for all its VPN functions. It additionally has an official Discord and Reddit group for extra discussion-oriented assist.

Windscribe additionally has its personal AI chatbot referred to as Garry, which is on the market to each paid customers and most people. Once I tried it, I discovered that it might present completely correct and useful details about Windscribe. The chat additionally loaded up shortly and gave me responses with zero lag time.

That is in distinction to different AI chatbots I’ve tried, the place just a few merely gave me tutorial hyperlinks as a substitute of straight answering my questions or had solutions that weren’t as coherent as Garry’s. I additionally admire how Garry is on the market for customers, not simply premium Windscribe subscribers. To me, this can be a consumer-friendly method for individuals to study Windscribe with out buying a full-fledged subscription.

Windscribe VPN execs

• Has a beneficiant free model.
• Helpful R.O.B.E.R.T. IP-blocking software.
• Impartial audits now obtainable in 2024.
• Open-source.
• ScribeForce staff accounts for organizations.
• Limitless gadget connections.

Windscribe VPN cons

• Very small server community and nation unfold.
• Pace efficiency is inconsistent.
• Primarily based in Canada (5-Eyes member nation).

Who’s Windscribe VPN greatest for?

Windscribe VPN is greatest for potential VPN customers who wish to attempt a totally practical, free VPN. Windscribe’s free model is without doubt one of the extra beneficiant free VPNs I’ve tried thus far. With the free model, you’ll be able to entry their R.O.B.E.R.T. IP-blocking software and as much as 10 GB of information with out price.

In 2024, it’s additionally a good selection for privateness fanatics who worth transparency. With its publicly obtainable impartial audits and open-source structure, Windscribe VPN is efficacious for customers who need credible proof that their on-line exercise is secure and guarded.

Windscribe’s ScribeForce plan additionally makes it an honest possibility for small enterprise homeowners searching for a VPN with administration options inbuilt. ScribeForce permits for centralized billing and handy person administration with only one VPN subscription.

Nonetheless, when you’re searching for a VPN with a big and sturdy server suite, Windscribe is probably not your best option.

SEE: All the things You Have to Know concerning the Malvertising Cybersecurity Risk (TechRepublic Premium)

Windscribe VPN options

In the event you really feel that Windscribe VPN doesn’t have the options you want, I’ve listed comparable options which may be a greater match.

Surfshark

Surfshark is without doubt one of the extra well-known VPN choices immediately. It has zero bandwidth limitations, a seven-day free trial, and limitless gadget connections. It additionally comes with malware safety and advert blocker assist.

To be taught extra, learn our full Surfshark assessment.

TunnelBear

In the event you’re searching for a VPN with yearly impartial audits, TunnelBear is a best choice. They repeatedly bear third-party safety testing and have dedicated to yearly audits to confirm their claims.

To be taught extra, learn our full TunnelBear VPN assessment.

CyberGhost VPN

For consumers who need a big server community, CyberGhost VPN is without doubt one of the greatest. It presents an in depth suite of servers unfold throughout 100 nations and 125 places. It even segments these servers into streaming, torrenting, and gaming classes.

To be taught extra, learn our full CyberGhost VPN assessment.

How I evaluated Windscribe VPN

My assessment of Windscribe VPN concerned an in depth evaluation of its security measures, price, and real-world efficiency. I had hands-on expertise with Windscribe VPN’s free model and supplemented my findings with person testimonials and respected opinions for each the free and paid plans.

For pace, I examined Windscribe by way of Ookla’s public Speedtest. For DNS leaks, I ran Windscribe a number of instances by way of DNSleaktest.

Lastly, I scored Windscribe on every part from its protocols to its pricing based mostly on an inside algorithm to get a rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars. This was based mostly on Windscribe VPN alone and with different VPNs obtainable immediately.