Canadian-based Windscribe claims to have one of the most diverse server selections out there and to be a great alternative to US-based VPNs. Using their free trial option, I took a detailed look into whether their claims hold up in this Windscribe review.
Their added Netflix support with the Windflix feature and Firewall protection make Windscribe look like a great VPN option from the surface. But when I dove in a bit deeper, the speeds and headquarters location set off some major red flags.
With features and benefits, pros and cons, to weigh out, here’s how Windscribe really compares to some of the leading VPN providers.
Windscribe VPN Overview
| OVERALL RANK: | #11 out of 78 VPNs |
| USABILITY: | Easy to use |
| LOG FILES: | No Logging Policy |
| LOCATIONS: | 60 countries, 110 cities |
| SUPPORT: | Customer Support is slow |
| TORRENTING: | Limited Torrenting |
| NETFLIX: | Yes 3/4 |
| ENCRYPTION/PROTOCOL: | 256-bit AES, OpenVPN and more |
| COST: | $9.00/mo or $4.08/mo (yearly) |
| OFFICIAL WEBSITE: | www.windscribe.com |
Windscribe Pros
1. You Can Watch Netflix With No Problems From Most Locations
Netflix offers content specific to your location and sets geo-restrictions on its other content, which means someone watching in the US would see a vastly different selection in their Netflix library than someone watching in the UK. Utilizing a VPN allows you to choose a server by location, thus enabling geo-locked content.
Netflix caught on to this and now shows an error if they detect an unblocker or proxy. While you may see these problems accessing Netflix with some other VPNs, Windscribe offers streaming servers through their Windflix feature. Of the four streaming servers we tested, three worked with no issues at all. As of testing in early 2020, the Windflix CA server was the only unsuccessful one, as Netflix detected a proxy.
Overall: 3/4 streaming servers worked
WINDFLIX US – Yes
WINDFLIX CA – No (Proxy detected)
WINDFLIX UK – Yes
WINDFLIX JP – Yes
2. Feature-Rich VPN Means Satisfying Usability
Windscribe offers an easy and user-friendly interface and installation process.
Installation
From the “Get Started” page on their site, Windscribe offers download options by computer OS, mobile OS, and browser. They also include download options for TVs and routers. After choosing which is the best fit for you, the installation process is extremely simple.
You’ll first be asked what type of install you would like. It’s recommended to choose “express install” for a quick and easy process, which is perfect for someone new to using a VPN app. However, if you would like more detailed options throughout setup, you can choose “custom install.” For my testing purposes, I chose “express install” as you’ll see below.
Two-click installation (Express install)
Step 1
Step 2
Once installed, the Windscribe app will launch, asking the user if you already have an account. Take this moment to set up your account if you don’t already have one.
Sign-in
Once logged in, the Windscribe VPN app interface will launch. During this first app launch, a browser window popped up for me, notifying that the installation was complete and prompting me to add the Chrome extension. This is optional, but does add features like ad blocker and secure link generator.
First Glance
Windscribe’s app is non-intrusive to your desktop workspace and user-friendly. The app’s main screen shows your currently selected server, the current IP address, and the firewall/kill switch.
In the top right of the main screen, the bell icon gives you options for a number of notifications that you can choose to enable or disable depending on your personal preferences.
You’ll see I received this notification above. Out of curiosity in testing, I selected “Get the Router” to see more about what is offered with Windscribe and Invizbox’s custom-built VPN hardware. Definitely an option I haven’t seen a VPN provider offering before!
Now let’s get back to the main screen of the app. Clicking the connection bars next to the IP address allows you to rate your current connection speed in order to provide feedback to Windscribe.
Servers
Clicking on the server opens up the list of available servers to choose from. It automatically first connected to the “best location” for me, but this gives you the ability to choose here.
You will see that streaming servers are noted as WINDFLIX (these are the servers I mentioned earlier that work with Netflix), and servers that do not allow P2P sharing are noted as well.
Menu
Clicking on the hamburger menu in the top left of the app gives you a dropdown menu.
Help Me!
The first choice of the dropdown menu is Help Me! This will open up the Support self-help page. Here, you’ll find FAQs, set up guides, and their knowledge base. You can also submit a support ticket, go to their Windscribe subreddit, or chat with their support team.
Preferences – General
The second choice in the dropdown menu is the preferences and configuration of the VPN app. In the General tab, you’ll find options for things like app launch and language settings.
Preferences – Connection
In the Preferences Connection tab, you can configure the kill switch (firewall), as well as select protocols manually and configure DNS while disconnected. For testing purposes, I was using the default/automatic settings.
Preferences – Proxy
Under the Proxy tab, you can configure your network’s LAN proxy. Beware: They do warn you not to touch this area if you’re not sure what you’re doing.
Preferences – Share
Under the Share tab, a secure hotspot can be setup here. You’ll see, however, that my network adapter does not support this feature, but it is available to those that do.
Preferences – Debug
The last tab in Preferences is Debug, which gives you options for viewing your log and even sending it to Windscribe support if you are having an issue with the app or VPN connections.
Features
Next on the dropdown menu is My Account. This opens up a browser tab where unique features can be accessed and applied to my device. Let’s take a look at these available features below:
R.O.B.E.R.T.
R.O.B.E.R.T. is an advanced DNS and IP level blocker that works on all your devices (except for browser extensions).
I decided to test R.O.B.E.R.T. and enabled blocking for Social, as you’ll see below.
Immediately when enabling this, I’m prompted to apply these changes to my currently connected devices.
Once applied, I tested and tried to visit Facebook, but was unable to connect. Social blocking is successful.
Also with R.O.B.E.R.T., you can list custom rules, such as whitelisting IPs.
Port Forwarding
Within the My Account options and features, you’ll find port forwarding. This allows you to access services on your computer or home network remotely, while connected to Windscribe.
ScribeForce
With unlimited data, pro features, centralized billing, and shared static IPs, Windscribe’s ScribeForce provides an easy monthly plan to configure and manage your business’ team on one VPN provider.
3. Leak and Virus Tests Show No Leaks or Viruses Detected
As with any of the VPNs I review, I do my best to verify that there are actually no IP, DNS, or WedRTC leaks and that your data protection is prioritized. Below are my findings after testing with IPLeak.net, Perfect-Privacy.com, BrowserLeaks, IPX.ac, and VirusTotal.com.
IPLeak.net Test – No Leak
Perfect-Privacy.com DNS Leak Test – No Leak
Perfect-Privacy.com IP Leak – No Leak
BrowserLeaks WebRTC Leak Test – No Leak
IPX.ac – No Leak
VirusTotal.com Report
No viruses found.
4. Generous Network of Servers for Your Use
Windscribe claims to have one of the most diverse server selections out there, throughout 60 countries in 110 cities. With the free version of their VPN, they offer servers in 10 different countries. Their pro version offers the full 60 countries and finds the best server location for you.
5. They Keep No Logs Whatsoever
Most users are looking for a VPN to protect their data and keep their browsing activity anonymous, so what would be the point if the very VPN you’re using is logging your activity and information? Windscribe stands behind their no logging policy.
During sign up, only a username and password need to be stored (email is entirely optional in order to recover the password at a later time). No connection logs, timestamps, IPs or session logs are ever stored. The only data they do confirm that they log is the total amount of bandwidth use and the last time Windscribe was used. This is done to ensure their tier limitations are kept.
6. The Kill Switch (Which Windscribe Calls a Firewall) Works Well
Windscribe’s firewall is a big reason why our earlier testing showed absolutely no leaks. But they state that they believe their firewall is a superior feature to other VPN providers’ standard kill switch feature.
With their firewall built into the Windows and Mac applications, all connectivity outside of the tunnel you are connected to is blocked. According to Windscribe, they refer to a kill switch as a reactive feature, allowing a small period of time between the VPN disconnecting and the program detecting that connection to allow for a leak. Their firewall blocks all connectivity period, so, even if the VPN drops, nothing needs to be done to protect you as the user.
While I do understand where they view the difference, I have and may refer to their firewall feature as their kill switch, so that you are able to easily compare their features with other VPNs you may be looking into.
For testing, I had the firewall mode set to automatic, so that way, if I lose connection or switch a server, the “kill switch” is triggered and my Internet connection is disconnected.
When switching servers, the “kill switch” was engaged, and my Internet connection was disrupted. I received a notification as well that I was not connected because the firewall was on.
Once Internet connection was restored, I received another notification letting me know that I had successfully connected to the VPN.
For this feature to be successful, the Firewall/Kill Switch must be turned on. Windscribe VPN does ensure your complete protection even when you may lose connection or switch servers.
7. Selecting the Right Protocols Is Easy
Windscribe offers some of the best VPN protocols out there, including the standard OpenVPN and IPsec protocols. While I do typically see OpenVPN as the industry standard, their IKEv2 connection mode is set to default. This can be changed to any of the other connection modes stated in the screenshot below, if you choose:
Under your Connection Mode preferences, you can choose to set automatically or manually. If you have Automatic selected, this will choose the best protocol available for you.
8. You Get Very Strong Encryption
Windscribe’s encryption is on par with the highest in industry standards, with an AES-256 cypher (with SHA512 auth and a 4096-bit RSA key) for their desktop apps. As for their browser extensions, they offer TLS 1.2, ECDHE_RSA with P-256 key exchange and AES_128_GCM cipher. What’s important to know is Windscribe is double- and triple-checking that they keep your information completely secure from beginning to end.
Windscribe Cons
1. Speed Tests Show Speed Takes a BIG Hit Behind the VPN
It’s no secret that your Internet browsing speeds will most always slow when using a VPN. The trick is to see by just how much they slow down. Unfortunately for Windscribe, I saw speed decreases that simply were way too impactful for a smooth online experience. Let’s take a look at some of the speed test results I saw.
As a benchmark, my Speed Test without the VPN ran as
- Ping 15ms
- 163.50 down
- 11.66 up
US
Auto – Best Location (New York, NY):
- Ping 19ms
- 54.61 down
- 10.54 up
US Central – Dallas – Ranch:
- Ping 52ms
- 55.12 down
- 8.48 up
US East – New Jersey – Situation:
- Ping 19ms
- 89.51 down
- 8.9 up
CA
Canada East – Toronto – Comfort Zone
- Ping 40ms
- 36.45 down
- 8.53 up
UK
United Kingdom – London – Biscuits:
- Ping 87ms
- 71.78 down
- 6.52 up
EU
Amsterdam – Bicycle:
- Ping 105ms
- 80.47 down
- 8.68 up
ASIA
Taiwan – Taipei – Datong
- Ping 221ms
- 1.99 down
- 1.41 up
You’ll see the download speeds barely even hit half of my initial speed on just one server. Otherwise, the speed decrease was one of the most significant I’ve seen in my recent VPN reviews.
2. Using the TOR Network and P2P/Torrenting Are Allowed, but Assistance Is in Short Supply
TOR Network
What I found interesting is that I found no information on their website or support pages about using Windscribe with the TOR Network. So I decided to test out their chat bot.
As you can see, they apparently allow access to the TOR Network using Windscribe and the TOR Browser. However, they do not offer further assistance with this.
P2P/Torrenting
Windscribe does mention in their support section that they support torrenting and P2P sharing.
On this support page, which I’ll provide below, they provide a walkthrough of the correct steps to take to ensure your privacy when torrenting:
https://windscribe.com/support/article/21/using-windscribe-with-torrent-clients
However, on their server list, you will see servers that don’t allow P2P sharing. These servers are noted by the icon in the server list.
Windscribe also offers a specific uTorrent Setup Guide on their site, which is definitely thorough in supporting the Windscribe SOCKS5 proxy with the client:
https://windscribe.com/guides/utorrent
3. Customer Support Is Slow
Chatbot – When testing the chatbot during my TOR research, their response in providing me assistance or answering my question was immediate.
In addition to the chatbot, there are plenty of support channels to utilize, as I mentioned previously in this review.
However, when I decided to go further and test their ticketing system, I ran into a less-than-ideal response time. Over a day later, I had still not received a personal response. The auto-message from their support that I received did state that a reply could take long.
Windscribe’s customer service certainly wasn’t the worst I’ve seen (at least they have a chatbot for immediate issues), but the ticketing system wasn’t ideal. While I am adding this as a con, it is minor because of the availability of other options to support you.
4. They’re Located in Canada
A VPN provider’s location can mean everything to your true privacy, especially when they are part of a jurisdiction that is required to share data when requested.
This is where a potential downfall could lie. Windscribe’s company headquarters is located in Ontario, Canada. And while VPNs are legal in Canada, it is a founding member of the Five Eyes Jurisdiction. This means that, if your data is requested by intelligence agencies, Windscribe would have no choice but to hand it over under this agreement.
While this is unlikely, it does cause a sense of insecurity when choosing this VPN.
Pricing and Payment Methods
Windscribe offers a free trial and Pro versions of their software. The “free” service is limited in the amount of bandwidth and available servers. However, if you do decide to upgrade to Pro, you’ll have more servers to choose from, unlimited data, and few additional features.
Their monthly plan begins at $9 USD per month and can get as cheap as $4 USD per month for their yearly plan. In addition, they offer a few custom options, such as a build-your-own plan and team plans. I personally love that Windscribe offers a student discount, at 40% off of their yearly subscription plans. It also looks as though Windscribe offers unlimited simultaneous connections with these subscriptions, which is surprising considering most VPNs tend to have a limit on the number of devices.
They accept all standard payment methods including bitcoin, Paypal, major credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard, and Paymentwall.
As for their money back guarantee, they strongly encourage everyone to test their free trial first. However, if you are not satisfied, you have the chance to request a full refund within three business days from the date of payment, provided that the software service was purchased directly with them and you do not exceed 10GB of global traffic volume.
Conclusion
You have a few things to weigh with Windscribe. Do they support Netflix? Yes. Do they offer reliable security and privacy? Absolutely. Their no logging policy and encryption are standard, and the top features are there.
Still, pricing is nothing to write home about, as there are cheaper (and better) options out there. Their lack of clear support for the TOR network and torrenting concerned me. Their customer support was a bit slower to respond than most top providers. With speeds as slow as I saw and being headquartered in Canada, Windscribe does not even fall in my top five, maybe even ten, VPN options. Remember, with poor speed performance like that, even if they support Netflix, you’ll be lucky if it loads.
While Windscribe isn’t the worst, I recommend taking a look at some of the more competitive VPN providers such as NordVPN and SurfShark.
Add your own Windscribe VPN review
60 user reviews for Windscribe VPN
🙂
Windscribe is a very good VPN
Windscribe is a very trustable VPN service. They give access to around 10-15 servers with the free version plus a generous amount of data (10GB). Would've given them 100 but the speeds were slow, almost cutting my speed by 70%. I hope they improve the speeds in the future
Dot
For 2 Android 4.1.x smartphones (made in 2013) I switched to Windscribe
I had been using Private Internet Access through Google Play. The Google Play app first included Mace (an ad and malware blocker.) Google Play then said no more Mace with this VPN, so I downloaded the APK version from PIA's website. Then, a few months ago PIA pulled the plug on their older versions. My computer and tablet were fine with PIA, because they have newer operating systems, but not the smartphones. So I went looking for a paid VPN for the smartphones with malware and ad blockers and found Windscribe. I read a few reviews, downloaded it for one phone, tried the free 2 GB, then the 10 GB version before I decided to pay up and install it on both phones with the annual plan. Because the data part of these phones is somewhat slow to begin with, I think that Windscribe has actually speeded that part up. One note: if you want to set up a paid account for Windscribe, set it up on your computer first, and then download the Google Play app. It is a lot easier than messing with typing on a small phone.
Jerry
Windscribe - Review
This VPN from Windscribe serves me well. It gives me choices about what state and city I can use. I'm just not sure when I go from east (my area) to west I get low ms numbers (east-High Numbers West) and high numbers.....120ms-40 ms. Don't know which numbers To use and if there are ping times?? $69.00 for 1 yr.
Ebb
Don't buy unless you want to waste money
The service quality is beyond bad. It's insulting. All the web extensions chrome/firefox are crappy. The whole service is as bad as the marketing emails they send you. Use the free service and spread the word. Good for nothing.
Jack
Problems with Windscribe !
WindScribe is in Canada , and you will be exposed to government agencies revealing your info upon request. cuz it's part of the "eyes" countries. it's not totally safe, & the higher probability it logs information based on government request. For better privacy pick a VPN outside the eyes.
DPL
Windsribe is a marketing scam
I am a journalist working on these topics, VPN services, and I often read your website. Unlike other reviews, this one for Windscribe VPN does not meet your professional standards. And according to the content of your review, Windscribe is a very poor VPN service, and it has one of the worst customer service. They only have a three-day deadline for a refund, which they do not make because they - they do not respond in those three days to your refund request. They have bad servers and slow internet connection, they come from Canada, which has the right to have all the data Windscribe has for users and they store your master data: IP address, access time, internet traffic ...
And in your review they say this but - Windscribe is ranked Eleventh in the competition for 78 VPN services, which is by no means true. Windscribe is at the bottom of the rating, with nothing but marketing scams and an amateur team.
My personal experience with them is worse. The connection is difficult, some applications on Windows do not work with Windscribe, they have a false offer for Static IP that does not work but you pay for it, false information is that they work in Stealth mode, there are drop connections every few hours ... Customer service it suits you outrageously, in a street dictionary, and provokes you to write the same kind of response to blame you, and they took your money and are the authors of that poor VPN service. However, today there are so many good VPN applications and honest and professional teams like Expressvpn, Nordvpn, Mullvad, Surfshark, VyprVPN, Privatevpn ... that working with Windscribe is a waste of time and money.
I stand behind my words, and give the
email I used with Windscribe
Tam
Good VPN
I happen to like Windscribe. Using their service has been seamless. I don't have any speed issues like this article describes. (I do use Cloudflare DNS servers on my android, not Google's...big difference on my Note 10+.) I enjoy their humor as well, the world is so serious and it's nice to see some light-heartedness from unexpected places. I gave a 9 because of no live chat, but I haven't had any issues in the 17 months I've been a customer. I recommend Windscribe.
John
Satisfied
You won't find anything much better than Windscribe especially when it comes to the overall set up of how Windscribe works. From the servers, security, and features, it's got a lot to offer and a price I think is fair. I've personally used Windscribe on multiple devices and browsers for almost a year now and haven't come across any issues worth complaining about. They also have regular updates which keep the overall systems running effectively and smoothly.
Myra
One of the best VPNs I’ve used!
Easy to use VPN that has a great selection of features. I've used Windscribe for a while now and it has been very useful especially when it comes to connecting to geo-restricted sites. The different servers provide reliable speeds while also giving you that extra level of security. I'd definitely recommend it to others looking for a VPN that's fair priced and reliable.
NunoLava1998
Pretty good; a bit slow though
I went for Windscribe because of how secure it was, and the Build Your Plan option let you make incredibly cheap monthly plans (think 3-4$ a month while other VPNs offer 10$ on monthly plans). It's good. Only thing I don't like about it is that it lowers the download speed a lot and the upload speed quite a lot; however, since I have a 200mbps connection it's still perfectly usable and I don't notice a difference.
cyberdlf
inaccurate data usage
I downloaded the free version on 07-29-19, which was supposed to give 10GB of data usage a month; when I created account said I was only going to get 2GB unless I included an email--so I did. When I started the program I noticed that it was still saying only 2GB of data usage. I surfed the net a bit, watched a few short videos and then got a message that I had used up 2GB of data... no way I used that much data in such a short time. I think it was a ploy to get me purchase a plan.... going to delete it.
Amber
Satisfied customer
My favorite VPN is windscribe and I've really enjoyed using it. I've had no problems whatsoever over the last few months and have found it to be very reliable consistent when it comes to connecting to other servers and their speeds. The features are really just a bonus but their an awesome selection!
Tom
Decent VPN, if you can find a lifetime license
Pros:
Works on any OS, including mobile
Torrenting allowed
Netflix region-lock escape!
Cons:
Speed
I've been using Windscribe for a while, and it's my go-to for when I want to do one or two things more securely but not constantly stay connected. I got a lifetime license for really cheap on StackSocial a while back, after my Humble Bundle sub expired, and it's served me well. Not having to pay for CBS All Access to get access to Star Trek: Discovery is nice, since that show is also on Netflix UK. Speeds are kind of bad, though, but I don't really care about that too much. It works very easily on Windows, and Linux configuration is pretty straightforward as well.
Anne
Windscribe should be on the list in my opinion!
I see Windscribe is no longer on your list? Definitely, think it's worth reviewing it again and checking it out. It's had some great upgrade over the last few months, and still has the superb speeds and features to go with it. Windscribe has been a personal fav of mine and I've got a ton of friends and colleagues using it.
Maxim011
Even worse..
My experience was even worse... While using [their paid version of] Windscribe PRO it crapped on me. "Session expired"!!!! was what their useless PC app said... while my applications were all happily connected over the internet, without any protection.. Torrent client included!!!!!! And I had [their obviously useless] "Kill switch" turned on!!! So beware! [Session expired!!!??? Seriously??? What "session"???] This alone is a great reason not to even think of using their service!!!
Also, if you need Port Forwarding [for Torrenting or running your own servers] you will be either paying some extra dollars a month or having to reset "free" PF after every 24 hours!!! If "Gary" ever tells you how to make it even work at all..
Oh, and didn't someone say it already: "They are soooo slow"???
So just stay away. They are charging you a lot of monies for a poor quality. You have been warned...
NOTE: I don't know were all of this "great" reviews coming from, but be advised that they have a large fan following on Reddit and elsewhere, so I guess if these reviews are not fake, it is some orchestrated group effort...
Roger B
Windscribe has too many issues
I purchased a one-year Windscribe plan but when the company sent verification of my purchase it was only for nine months. Their support (Gerry) is of no use and the only way I was able to get a response from them was when I filed a complaint on them on a national complaint site and it still resulted in no action to correct the problem on their part. I also don't like their blanket emails. They are crass and rude, not to mention the language they use. I feel the company is very unprofessional and dishonest.
Skylamar
Definitely worth the money if you can find a lifetime license
I'm a very happy user of Windscribe. I bought a lifetime license on StackSocial back in 2017 for $50, which I think was a real steal.
I have not noticed the speed issues described in this article. My Internet service is about 110Mbps download and when using Windscribe's "Best Location" server, my download speeds are also about 110Mbps.
I also have found that their customer support is pretty good. I contacted them about a question recently and got a response less than a day later.
I also think their app is easy to use and I have it running on two Macs, and iPhone and an iPad. I had tested a few other VPNs before choosing Windscribe, but I chose Windscribe because their apps are well-designed and easy to use.
Their special servers to access Netflix also work great. I am in the USA and subscribe to Netflix but I've used Windscribe's special Netflix servers to access Netflix Canada and Netflix UK, both of which have some content not available on the USA site.
Overall, I would recommend Windscribe, especially if you can find a good deal on a lifetime license.
Monica
Windscribe is my all time favorite
I've been using Windscribe since it first came out and have never looked back. I've stuck with the vpn as it's always proven to be reliable and provide really strong speeds with each location and sever I connect too. I love the selection of features, and over the years it has continued to upgrade and become an even stronger, safer, and more reliable vpn.
Jeremiah
A big fan of Windscribe
Hi! Windscribe user here, and i've been using it for almost a year now. It's a strong vpn with good speeds and excellent security features, some of the best i've ever come across. Windscribe has some of best servers with a selection of locations to choose from, all which work well. I've had no problem using Windscribe in different countries, and I've successfully been able to download and stream while connected to Windscribe. If you're looking for a reliable vpn that gives you your money's worth, you've found it!
Carlo
Satisfying results
Windscribe has been a great VPN that has provided me with nothing less than satisfactory results. I've enjoyed making the most of the features especially the cookie monster and cruise control which automatically connects you to the best server or the strongest server near you. Security wise, all features seem to be working great. The ad blockers work, there are no trackers following me anymore and I feel a lot safer surfing the net. I would definitely recommend Windscribe to others.
Marko
Windscribe Delivers
Windscribe is brilliant for the following reasons:
- The Windscribe apps for Android, iPhone, Windows as well as Google Chrome really are easy to install and use
- The drop down list of available servers for all countries can be sorted by latency allowing you to easily connect to the fastest server
- The VPN "kill switch" or always on functionality is great as it blocks all non VPN traffic
- The support is good and generally very quick
- VPN is stable and generally consistent
- The Windscribe server for USA Netflix called windflix USA works brilliantly if using Netflix outside of the USA while travelling
- Tests show no IP address or DNS leaking
Carlo
Best VPN to have
I've had better customer service support, but in general, and based on the actual VPN, windscribe is by far the best! Definitely gives you what it says it will. The security features are fantastic and the locations all work like a charm!
Jin
Great value
I've had Windscribe Pro for about a year now. Licenses are super cheap if you can catch one of their legit deals (no, not talking about the hacked/resold eBay stuff). Some servers are flaky but in general, they are fine for browsing use and the occasional download. I wouldn't completely depend on this service for bandwidth-heavy stuff because they are big enough now that 1 voice doesn't really matter.
My biggest beef with Windscribe is that their Korea servers are completely underpowered. There was even a point where they lost the contract, but they got it back soon after. Although.... It didn't really matter, because those Korea servers are still unstable. I like catching the occasional geo-restricted football game but it's hard to see a little white ball traveling from point to point when your speed's bouncing all over 0-8Mbps and the media player pegs you at 144p-240p or the dreaded buffer for 80% of the game. Hence I had to get an account with another VPS service. I could've saved the money I paid for Windscribe Pro had I known their Korea servers would be so flaky all the time. I ran some Speedtests a few days ago, and download speeds were fine at roughly 5Mbps, but upload speeds were jumping all over from 0kbps-0.5Mbps. No wonder videos couldn't play.
Sittie
Lovely features
Good vpn to have if you're on the go a lot, meaning you travel. Great to be able to unblock geo-restricted sites and access Netflix from either you laptop, phone, or ipad. Windscribe also has a lot of great features and security options to help keep you safe when using the net. The servers also offer a nice variety, all which have acceptable speeds.
Putz
Cheap and Good
Well, the reason why I chose windscribe is because they have a "build your own" plan.
And since I only need an unlimited bandwith usage and 1 server, so 2$ is really cheap.
The speed may be not as fast as PIA and ExpressVPN (and yes I was previously using their service), but not slow as snail either.
The price is what really suited me more, if only ExpressVPN or PIA has the same plan, I'm going back to them without a second thought.
Jim
slow VPN
If you intend to watch Netflix or download via torrents, forget using this VPN service. I have 150 Mib download speed from my provider. Using any torrent app with Windscribe and my download speeds rarely make it above 2 Mibs. A lot of the time we're talking below 1.0 Mibs. When talking to customer support about the problem they act like they're confused and pretend that I should be getting higher dl speeds than I am. Also when updating my Linux Mint the dl speed drops down to nothing if I forget to turn off the Windscribe. My subscription is up in May 2019...I'll be shopping around.
Dennis
Best VPN
Reliable,fast,secure and so easy to use, and best of all: Very cheap with amazing payment options! I was actually stunned at the quality of this VPN for this price! I love you guys for making this so affordable!
Windscribe user
Amazing VPN
I can’t praise this vpn enough. I have no idea why you complained about speeds when my regular speed is 200MBPS and with “best location” vpn on it drops to about 150-180MBPS , that’s faster than any other VPN I have ever used. These people deserve a praise, whoever made this VPN they are amazing people, and they are by no means greedy. You can literally pay whatever you can afford and get the full experience.
Your review might have been at a earlier time when it wasn’t as great as today. I am writing this 12/29/2018
Windscribe is absolutely the best VPN and fastest I have ever used. I totally recommend this to everyone!
Dave
Not perfect but worth every cent!
It's not perfect, because nothing is! But it does as close to perfect job as can be. Really happy with the services windscribe provides and would definitely recommend it to other users looking for a vpn they can trust and rely on.
Albert
Port forwarding - finally!
Always been a fan of Windscribe. They're actually building new features that users request. One feature I was hoping for is port forwarding, and they finally released it. Works as advertised, no complaints. Great service.
Arvine
Best for netflix
Works extremely well with Netflix which apart from the usual features, is the main reason I use windscribe. My work takes me across the world so it's nice to have something that helps me keep up to date with my favorite programs!
Izekeil
Accommodating VPN
Great package. Everything I consider I need on a daily basis when it comes to surfing I can find with Windscribe. Great data allowances, and even better services and speeds. I've noticed the update have gotten better meaning the Windscribe team has really looked into providing what their customers need. I've got Windscribe on my mobile and desktop and both work perfectly under the one plan.
Steven
Worth trying out!
Windscribe may have its ups and downs, but so does every other VPN or piece of software. Even Apple's iOS has issues yet people still use it and adore it. Windscribe is just like any other VPN but with higher quality features and a generally better selection of locations and speeds. Any major issues always seem to be seen to when they make an update, and those that do have issues can easily seek help from their customer support. I did once and had a great experience with them helping me out straight away. It's worth the try even on the free plan to see if it's the VPN for you. I started off that way and now decided to invest in the pro plan.
DanDareMush
Ignored
This first comment is for using Windscribe PRO ONLY. Customer service with Windscribe (Garry) along with Gared P and Igor is virtually non existent, and when you do receive a reply it is condescending and mainly nothing to do with the issue some of their customers are experiencing. Now because they have no answer to my own issue I am being ignored despite me sending them messages and pictures. Now for a complete change. Windscribe's FREE service is brilliant, it works well and the speeds are great. I am also aware that others have not been so fortunate with the free service. So for this service I cannot fault it 5 stars from me. And yet, yes, there is always a yet. The PRO service does not work for some reason. Using no alterations whatsoever from the FREE service, I try and use the PRO service to get to one particular website, no issue there, then form that website I have to log into my account to watch "LiveStreaming" for which I have paid £145. However, in order to log in I need the boxes of "Username" and another with "Password" but all I keep getting the same message (see picture enclosed), I cannot get any further than this. I have used 6 different browsers turned of WebRTC turned off anti virus and everything else that I could think of, alas to no avail. I would really appreciate if anyone could assist with my issue as I have scoured the Internet for anyone withf the same issue and tried a lot of things but still no joy. Thanking you in anticipation
Murphy
Fantastic!
Windscribe is my favorite VPN. Their security features are amazing and definitely make you feel safe while surfing the internet. It's a lot better than I originally expected, especially when I first signed up a couple of years ago. It was new back then, and now 2 years + down the line it's only improved and upgraded its services to provide a better experience.
June Cranshaw
Maybe not the best for everyone, but works a charm for me!
Windscribe has been pretty consistent with its positive reviews, I've seen many people happy with the VPN, just like I am, however, I've also noticed a few negative ones. However, windscribe has worked like a charm since I first installed it. I'm very happy with the features they provide and the extra security you get. Locations are good and speeds are pretty reliable and a lot better than other VPN's that charge more! A keeper in my opinion at a very good value,
gggirlgee
Windscribe does it for me
I couldn't disagree with this review more. I've been using Windscribe (paid) for over a year. It's very fast (80-90% of my full speed), very secure and the support is great. I've emailed them as well as submitted tickets and a human gets back to me in less than a day with detailed answers.
They call their kill switch a firewall, so they did answer the reviewer's question. The firewall has several options including killing all traffic when the vpn server disconnects.
They do not keep logs for more than 3 minutes so it is impossible to release your traffic logs by court order. That's pretty secure.
It's important to use their default network settings in the software (UDP and IKEv2 if possible) or you will get slower connections. Only change them if they tell you to. It's also important to use a server close to you. I generally get the same speeds within 500 miles. If you're using a server far away expect slow speeds. However, try various servers if you must connect to another country. (I'm on the US west coast. There are servers a couple miles from my house, but I find the Canada west servers great too. Best location doesn't always connect to the closest, fastest server. Expand the server groups and get specific.)
Cons:
They could randomize the IP addresses of the servers more often. They get blocked by websites and torrent trackers often and I have to hunt around for a server that is not blocked. Also Google search freaks out and asks for captcha verification a lot. Annoying!
The PC software gets wonky and decides to block all internet traffic sometimes. The only solution is a reboot. The automatic firewall setting seems to fight with Windows firewall. It takes some fiddling to get it to work smoothly. (I usually turn the automatic-firewall mode, in preferences, off then on again and it seems to work normally.)
"Best location" never connects me to the server with the lowest ping or highest speed, although it's always a decent server. I suspect it would take too long to connect if the software actually pinged dozens of nearby servers, so this is an acceptable compromise.
My nearest servers never geo-locate to my city even though the ping is less than 15ms (indicating the server is very close.) This is only a problem when I use a website, such as google maps, that uses location to provide services. Annoying but not a big deal.
Colin
Windscribe
Find Windscribe's speeds to be good, have 20/20 DSL and most of the time have 16/16 with vpn and 18/18 without. Did get lifetime deal of around 49$ and their service has been up almost all the time, think it was down maybe two or three hours one time in the last two years. Use their chat line about three times for help, two times they were very helpful, but once did seem like a bot/idiot on line. If I do find speed is slow, I just switch severer and speed is back up.
Ricky
Steady with good maintenance
Windscribe has been a steady VPN that continues to do well. I've noticed they do maintenance checks which provide updates to all their features and services. Great on multiple devices and when connecting to different locations on different devices doesn't seem to slow it down. I did have a few issues when I first started out but customer service soon got it sorted. Overall, I still think Windscribe is better than a lot of VPN's i've tried out, and the overall payment plan is definitely priced fairly.
Pooperinabelle
It's okay
I have been using Windscribe for a while now and speed isn't a major issue most of the time. VPNs do slow down the Internet speed for obvious reasons but I haven't found it to be especially noticeable when I use Windscribe. There are times when it does lag a lot but this usually gets resolved when I switch to another server. While 10GB is enough for light to moderate use, you can get more bandwidth by making a tweet about Windscribe (tried and it works). Though they said you can also get more bandwidth by referring friends, I'm not quite sure how that works because the referral link only directs to an ordinary Windscribe page; there's no referral code or anything to identify the referrer (also tried but doesn't work).
Not a bad review but I would enjoy it more towards the end if you skipped the exaggeration and have all statements be more objective and backed up with evidence and/or comparison. Just to add on, Windscribe uses the IKEv2 protocol by default because it provides faster speed and it switches to OpenVPN as a fallback when IKEv2 fails. Might changing the settings have contributed to the speed issue you experienced? It also doesn't matter if you were using the premium version because there is no speed difference between the premium and free services (which is great news for us free users). By pointing it out, it sounds as if the free version would receive worse speed. As for the point on the refund policy, it's understandable that they do not allow subscribers to use more than 10GB and demand for a refund; it prevents abuse of the policy. But I do think that 3 days with written notice is deliberately made too short and inconvenient especially if the user is situated overseas.
Dal
Keeps you safe
I have used Windscribe for over 2 years now. If you are looking for a good safe VPN this is the one. If you are looking for a VPN to watch BBC and Netflix this is not the VPN for you as it does not unblock these sites. Speed is ok and usable, it has had very little down time and all in all im very happy with it.
Its kill switch works and that is a big plus if one wants to stay safe.
Ben Hopkins
Getting better and better
The recent update have definetly taken care of a few issues Windscribe had been experience. I’ve noticed more consistent speeds and haven’t had any more problems when it comes to downloading.
Samantha Jacques
Excellent VPN
Windscribe is easy to use, reliable, and secure. Pretty much everything you look for in a VPN and more! Great way to have ads and trackers blocked, great selection of countries, and great maintenance. The latest pupdate seems to have work as i’ve found downloading speeds have got even better.
Keith
Great service
Im not sure if the reviewer used the same service I did, but the speeds are GREAT, especially since their last update. I’m getting 100% of my normal speed while connected. It helps to try a few locations as Internet routing is more art than science.
A big chunk of the review id dedicated to “Why NZ is down”, really? Servers go down, it happens. It seems the reviewer tried to make a big deal over nothing. I’ve been using Windscribe for almost a year, and saw location downtime a handful of times, usually for very brief periods.
Mark
A good value that works well for me
I tried several VPN services when my previous VPN subscription was about to expire. These included Torguard, Nord, PrivateVPN, Proxy.sh, VPN.ac, and IbVPN. Actually they all seemed to work well for me and I think I wold be happy with any of them. I didn’t try them all with Netflix but Netflix does work for me on Windscribe. I can’t vouch for Windscribe’s speed because my satellite connection is slow, but it ran as fast on my connection as any of the others.
Windscribe seemed to have one of the better combinations of features, performance and price so I purchased a subscription. Its running without issue on my router, Android phone, Windows and Linux laptops. A solid 8/10 for me. Features like a true server to server double-hop connection (not just VPN to browser extension) and/or providing a TOR connection on a hosted exit node would make them a 10 in my book.
Lorette Leak
Love WindScribe
Love winsdscribe.
Great overall performance so far and I’m now on my 4th month with them. Would recommend upgrading to pro if you’re looking to have unlimited data, plus it does provide more locations to choose from. The features they have are great too and all of them seem to work really well. My personal favouties are being able to unblock US Netflix and geo-restricted sites, very handy when you’re travelling.
Terry
No speed issues anymore
I did have speed issues, however, they were all resolved in the latest version of the app with the new ikev2 protocol. I’m now getting 100% of my ISP’s speed.
Desert Tripper
Decent interface, but so far is slow.
Signed up for “lifetime” access last month, I think it was $55. The interface is nice and I like the firewall feature that blocks traffic until the VPN is connected, but I can’t get more than 50-60kb/s out of any of the sites even though I have a 60mb/s service. I will try the beta client with the ikev2 protocol that Fred mentioned and see if that improves anything.
Corylyn
Very impressed!
Very satisfied with Windscribe and what it offers. They’ve really put a lot of time and thought into producing this VPN provider, and the overall performance definitely shows it was worthwhile. A very reliable provider that has everything you need to surf the internet safely all in one place. Love how you don’t need various other extensions to do other things such as block ads and tracker etc
Leonardo
SLOW!!! No netflix
My main purpose was to use it for NETFLIX, which is not possible, because the speed of the connection is 3mb! so no way it can stream FullHD content, let alone 4k! Forget it if you need to use for this reason.
George
Drops connection way too often
Started out good, but over the last two months, drops connection often, sometimes as often as every 3-5 minutes. Unless you can get it cheap – I paid $12 for a year on Humble Bundle, stick to the free version for now, even though their Netflix US and UK servers work.
Tiffay
Love it!
in love with Windscribe! Love how simple it is to use, yet has so many great features. Surfing the net has never been as safe as it is when using Windscribe. I’m not that bright when it comes to this techincal stuff, but i’ve had a few dodgy experiences over the internet and decided to put some research into finding the best VPN that can give me the safety measures I need. I’ve found everything with Windscribe, all for free too! Highly recommending this VPN, it’s a must-have!
Gianmarco
No netflix, but works
I use the free version and I like it. I can’t use it on netflix but it goes very well for download and streaming. The software is multiplatform (windows, mac, linux), really simple to use and even if it is free it allows you to choose a server.
Robert Sales
Reliable free VPN
I’ve been using Windscribe and so far it seems pretty good. Some locations have better speeds than others, but I did read in one of their blogs or previous responses to a customer that it’s best to connect to a place nearer to where you actually are if the speeds seem to be especially slow that time. Personally, with what you can get on the free plan, it’s good enough to say this a rather satisfying VPN.
Fred
Works with Netflix
Read https://windscribe.com/features/windflix
You have to connect to the WINDFLIX location in order to access Netflix US and UK. Works perfectly.
Speeds WERE bad, but if you get their beta version which includes the ikev2 protocol, I’m seeing 95% of my normal speed. Went from a 3/5 VPN (because of the speeds) to a solid 5/5.
Vishnu
Windscribe is good for the most part
I got a two year subscription to Windscribe VPN at a good price. They always seem to have some sort of a deal going which makes it good value for money. They have no bandwidth restrictions or device restrictions and recently added an Android app as well. They seem to have a wide selection of servers across the world. in the PC app, they have an option to select the best server location automatically.
Wish they would bring this to mobile as well. Speed performance can be a bit lacking during heavy traffic, but has been good for the most part. Overall, I think Windscribe is good value for money.
Peter Merchand
Windscribe VPN is Average
Based upon your review, I purchased the Pro version of Windscribe with the intent of using it to access Directv Now in Canada. I have satellite internet through Xplornet with about 35 mbps download. That 35 mbps became a maximum of 2.5 using TCP and various ports and US locations. Obviously not enough for my purpose. Constructively, may I suggest that consideration be given to the fact that users choose a vpn not only for security and it may not be the best alternative for avoiding content restrictions.
Robert
Seems good
I’m also a Windscribe user and agree the data cap was a bit of a turn off however, seeing as it is free you can’t really complain. I did end up investing in the pro plan and it’s been great so far and in my opinion worth the upgrade. I’m now on my second month as a pro plan user.
Can’t complain.
victim #1000
scammers
I tried this VPN 6 moths ago and was not happy with the extremely slow performance.
After uninstalling / cancelling my account I am still being billed 6 months later.
My refund requests to support are replied with advice on using the app which I don’t even use anymore.
The account section of the site has no cancel button either. Major red flag!
Owl
Very slow..
Ok. This VPN slow. Really slow, even though I had a Pro plan a while ago. I could hardly stream Netflix, which is one of the main reasons I got it. The desktop application was eh. I wish it could have had more proxies. I ended up switching to Psiphon and it was a lot faster, and free.