Windscribe VPN Review 2021

In this Windscribe VPN review, I will evaluate its free and premium version. Hopefully, it’ll give you an idea of what to expect from this Canada-based provider.

Windscribe VPN is a well-known virtual private network, beloved for its generous free version. It has apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and supports routers, among other devices. However, just how good is this provider in reality?

To answer that, I’ll be looking at some other questions first, such as: is Windscribe VPN safe? Does it unblock Netflix? Can you use Windscribe for torrenting? And finally, does Windscribe keep logs?

Despite Windscribe getting into a minor incident discussed below, I can already tell that this service is reliable and secure. Windscribe VPN uses military-grade encryption and a robust kill switch. What’s more, it has a Stealth protocol that will help you unblock content in countries that restrict internet access.

The best thing about the paid version is the next-gen tunneling protocol named WireGuard. It will make your P2P downloads fast and your HD streaming smooth. Finally, having no simultaneous connection limits lets you share the account with family and friends.

Continue reading to learn whether this VPN is worth not only your time but also money.

Overview

Speed test and performance of Windscribe

According to our in-house speed testing tool, Windscribe provides some of the industry’s best speeds. In fact, you should expect to find among the Top 5 fastest VPN services. Since our tool collects data on a daily basis in different countries, you can rest assured that the average numbers below are not affected by random spikes or slumps.

Our tests have shown that Windscribe should be fast enough for gaming, torrenting, and streaming, assuming that your connection is decent. While the WireGuard protocol has the most impact on performance, Windscribe’s quality servers sure have played their role as well.

Windscribe VPN 14-Day Speed Average

10.07 – 10.21

Windscribe speed test results have shown that the only limiting factor is your internet connection. If it’s fast enough, this VPN won’t slow you down much unless you’re connecting to a really remote server on the other side of the globe.

With Windscribe VPN, you’ll be able to stream 4K (UHD), download large files within minutes, and delve into low-ping gaming.

Having said that, the WireGuard protocol is available to premium users only.

Windscribe servers and location list

Windscribe has 480+ servers in 60+ countries. While the global coverage seems to be good, some may doubt the server fleet size. But there’s no need to do that because all servers are physical and ready to provide maximum performance.

Server locations

The majority of Windscribe servers allow P2P, save for those in India, Russia, and South Africa.

I’ll discuss Netflix in more depth later, but just so you know – Windscribe has four specialized servers for Netflix.

If you want the best possible speeds, you should connect to the closest server.

The list of servers available to free users has only 10 countries:

1. US
2. Canada
3. UK
4. France
5. Germany
6. The Netherlands
7. Norway
8. Switzerland
9. Hong Kong
10. Romania

Security – is Windscribe safe?

Those wondering whether Windscribe is safe can relax – this VPN has enough security and privacy features to be among the most reliable providers. More good news: the free version has almost the same level of protection as the paid version. It also makes sense to combine your client with a browser extension as those add even more helpful features.

Encryption and tunneling protocols of Windscribe

Windscribe VPN uses military-grade encryption, which is near-impossible to break. Even if your connection is intercepted by a third-party, cracking this code would take not millions but billions of years!

The protocols offered by Windscribe VPN are as follows:

• WireGuard
• Open VPN (UDP)
• Open VPN (TCP)
• IKEv2
• Stealth
• Wstunnel

WireGuard is the new state-of-the-art tunneling protocol that every provider is trying to implement right now. Apparently, Windscribe guys have done their homework, allowing you to enjoy top speeds and even greater security.

OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols are a good alternative in case WireGuard becomes unavailable for some reason.

Finally, those residing in countries where internet access is restricted will find Windscribe’s two “stealth protocols” handy. The first one, named Stealth, is essentially OpenVPN via STunnel. Sadly, it doesn’t work on iOS, so iPhone and iPad users are left with Wstunnel, which is OpenVPN via WebSocket.

Does Windscribe have a kill switch?

Asking “is Windscribe safe?” is almost the same as asking whether it has a kill switch. If your VPN doesn’t have one, it means your personal data can easily leak. Windscribe has a kill switch, and they call it a Firewall.

Considered superior to any regular kill switch by its creators, the Windscribe kill switch ensures that not even a single packet leaves your device in the event of a VPN malfunction.

In Preferences, you’ll have the option to allow LAN traffic with the Firewall turned on and also change its modes from Automatic (default) and Manual to Always On. The latter blocks your internet connection until you connect to a Windscribe server.

To sum up, Windscribe’s kill switch is better than most of its competitors. Should this VPN go down, your identity won’t be compromised.

Windscribe VPN split tunneling feature

The great news is that Windscribe has a split tunneling feature. With it, you’re able to choose which apps and websites to protect with a VPN and which ones you’re okay with being visible to your ISP.

That’s quite handy, especially with the apps that won’t work when you’re connected to your VPN.

The bad news is that at the moment, split tunneling is available only to Android users. Hence, those who use other devices miss out. However, Windscribe is working on introducing this feature to its Windows, Mac, and Linux apps.

Hopefully, this update is implemented sooner rather than later.

Does Windscribe VPN leak data?

In short, Windscribe VPN has no DNS, IPv6, or WebRTC leaks at all. To check, I ran some online tests, looking for any kind of leak – my IP address showing, or signs of my computer using the ISP DNS to resolve the query.

The image above shows my test results where I connected to a Windscribe server in the UK and checked for DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leaks. As you can see, I couldn’t find any.

Where is Windscribe based?

Windscribe is based in Canada – one of the Five Eyes countries, where mass-surveillance is prevalent. As a member of this alliance, Canada can share its intelligence data with any other member of the broader Fourteen Eyes alliance.

With that said, Windscribe has a solid privacy policy and is yet to share any data that would allow identifying its client. In fact, there already have been dozens of requests from law enforcement, and all failed to extract any personal data. Therefore, as long as Windscribe keeps its no-logs policy, users should feel safe even under such surveillance-friendly conditions.

Does Windscribe keep logs?

Unlike other competitors, Windscribe doesn’t claim to be a “no logs policy” service. Instead, they make a different promise: no identifying logs. In other words, Windscribe does collect some connection and other user data, but it’s not a big privacy risk.

“We do not store connection logs, IP timestamps, or sites you visit”

You can read the above statement in their Privacy Policy. Whatever data this provider collects and stores are of no use to the authorities to identify you.

I’ve also found some positive transparency data: there have been around 400 thousand DMCA and 34 law enforcement data requests in 2018. Here comes the good news you’ve been waiting to hear:

Windscribe claims to have complied with exactly zero requests “due to lack of relevant data.”

For a more in-depth look at this provider’s logging practices, read Does Windscribe Keep Logs?

Windscribe server incident

In the summer of 2021, Ukrainian authorities seized two Windscribe servers as part of an ongoing investigation. According to the provider’s CEO, they were running on a legacy stack, deprecated back in 2018. This happened after a vulnerability was found that allows the attacker to decrypt information.

To be fair, this scenario is possible only if all other quite specific requirements are met. For instance, a user must be running a legacy DNS resolver and not use any Windscribe apps. Moreover, the attacker needs full control over the user’s network and be able to tamper with unencrypted DNS queries.

We don’t know how many more Windscribe servers were using outdated certificates, but hopefully, all servers have been updated by now.

Anonymous purchase

Windscribe offers anonymous payments using Paymentwall gift cards or Bitcoin. What’s more, you can create an account without using an email, so there’s no need to bother creating a throwaway mailbox.

Naturally, Windscribe doesn’t ask for your name, address, or any other personally identifiable information. So it’s up to you not to include such data in your username and optional email fields.

Other technical features

Windscribe is rich with security and privacy features, especially if you use both the app and the browser extension of your choice.

Here are the most important ones:

• R.O.B.E.R.T. (Remote Omnidirectional Badware Eliminating Robotic Tool). With it, you can choose which IPs and domains (ads) to block on all the devices you use with this VPN. It helps you reduce tracking, see fewer ads, and use fewer data.
• Ad Blocking blocks all the annoying ads that you don’t want to see.
• Secure hotspot lets your computer act as a secure wifi router.
• Double Hop routes your traffic via two servers for an additional layer of protection.
• Time Warp sets your browser’s time zone according to your chosen server location.
• Location Warp sets your browser’s location based on your chosen server location.

And that’s only a few of them. You can easily check out the rest by installing the free Windscribe version.

Does Windscribe support my device?

Windscribe VPN supports your device or OS if it’s on this list: Windows, macOS, Linux (beta), iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV, Kodi, routers, and NAS servers.

You can also download Windscribe VPN for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera. I recommend using a browser extension with the app for that synergy effect. I love that Windscribe VPN added Opera and Edge to their set of add-ins, which is not so common in most providers.

One subscription gives you an unlimited number of simultaneous connections – a rare feat among premium VPNs.

When it comes to usability, all apps are fairly user-friendly, with privacy options that VPN enthusiasts will also appreciate.

You can connect to a recommended location with a single click

Both the desktop apps and browser extensions feature a minimalist design and look slick. However, the updated extensions removed the warmer colors from their palette and went for a more strict look, similar to that of mobile apps.

Windscribe for Windows, macOS, and Linux

The Windows app looks like Windscribe for Mac. The home screen has an “On/Off” button for connecting to a server and a smaller “On” slider below to toggle the firewall.

Pressing the drop-down button will give you a list of all possible locations that can be ordered by geography, alphabet, or latency. Finally, the hamburger menu will lead you to the connection and security settings under Preferences.

Here you can select your connection protocol, firewall mode, DNS servers, and proxy settings.

Windscribe for Linux, still in beta, is console-based. There are clients for Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and CentOS distributions. The website also gives clear instructions on how to install the app on them.

Windscribe for Android and iOS (iPhone & iPad)

Windscribe mobile apps have a different design when compared to their desktop counterparts. They use a different palette and show the extended server list, starting with the best and the most popular ones before switching to the alphabetic order. There are also filters for your Favorites and Windflix streaming servers.

However, the differences between the Windscribe for Android and iOS versions become apparent when we delve deeper into the settings. Not only are there fewer features when compared to the desktop versions – the iOS app barely has any of them!

As you can see on the right, Windscribe iOS users get the Firewall and the option to change the protocol or port. Meanwhile, Android users get the native Always-on VPN feature for a kill switch (instead of a firewall) but are compensated with Split Tunneling and more.

The Android version of Windscribe lacks these features:

• Firewall
• Secure Hotspot (your computer becomes a secure wifi router)
• Proxy Gateway (creating a proxy server on your network)
• WStunnel protocol

Despite lacking some features compared to the desktop versions, Windscribe for Android and iOS is safe to use.

Windscribe for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera web browsers

Windscribe browser extensions have many unique features and should be used together with the app for maximum security and privacy. For example, the browser extension has a Secure.link Generator. You also get the Whitelist feature that disables the VPN on your chosen websites.

The Windscribe browser extension also offers plenty of extra privacy features that other apps don’t have, such as Ad Crusher, Malware Evader, and WebRTC Slayer, to name but a few.

With Ad Crusher, you’ll be able to block all the ads on your device. Using Malware Evader will help you block malicious domains, including malware-spreading or phishing sites. WebRTC Slayer will limit WebRTC requests to make it easier to prevent leaks.

Other platforms for Windscribe VPN

Aside from the major platforms, Windscribe also has apps for Amazon Fire TV & Fire Stick, Nvidia Shield, and Kodi (Android and Linux based).

There are options to manually configure this VPN for routers (DD-WRT, Tomato, Asus-WRT) and NAS (Synology, QNAP). You can even buy a pre-configured Windscribe router.

Since they provide a SOCKS5 proxy, you will find setup guides for uTorrent, Deluge, qBitttorrent, and Vuze torrent clients on the website.

Windscribe for Netflix and other streaming services

Windscribe will cover your basic Netflix streaming needs. It may even offer more, should you decide on getting a static IP address. However, there’s definitely room for improvement, and I hope to see some positive changes sooner rather than later.

Netflix

For those wondering how to pair Windscribe and Netflix, the provider has dedicated servers called WindFlix US, WindFlix Canada, WindFlix Japan, and WindFlix UK.

When you’re connected to these, your internet traffic isn’t encrypted, which gives you better speeds but, of course, less privacy. As a matter of fact, the speeds should be good enough to stream in HD or even Ultra HD. On the other hand, if you’re using WireGuard, even the encrypted connection should handle 4K video quality.

However, while the speeds are good enough for HD across the globe, Windscribe only managed to unblock the Netflix US library for me.

Other streaming platforms

I didn’t have that much success with other streaming platforms either. For example, I had no luck accessing Disney+, BBC iPlayer, or Amazon Prime Video. But if that’s your goal, for a little extra monthly cost, you can purchase a Static IP to avoid blocking and detection.

For BBC iPlayer, a Datacenter Static IP ($2/month) should do. But streaming Amazon Prime Video could be much more expensive as it may require a Residential Static IP ($8/month).

Does Windscribe allow torrenting?

It’s totally possible to use Windscribe VPN for torrenting, but there are a few server locations with a crossed-out P2P icon.

As you can see, Windscribe doesn’t allow using South African, Indian, and Russian servers for torrenting. As a sidenote, be sure to avoid the VPN servers offered to free users. You can imagine how overcrowded and thus unsuitable for large file transfers those are.

Windscribe VPN offers a free SOCKS5 proxy connection, as well as a handy Split Tunneling feature. Unfortunately, the latter is Android-only. You can also get port forwarding, but only if you buy a static IP for $2/month.

With the Always-on Firewall that also acts as a kill switch, you should be safe from your ISP. At the same time, the speeds should be excellent if you use the WireGuard tunneling protocol.

So, is Windscribe good for torrenting? I’d say that it’s better than any VPN that doesn’t offer WireGuard, but clearly, there are better options for P2P.

Note: Before using any VPN for torrenting, consider that copyright infringement may have severe consequences in your country.

Windscribe deals and discounts for 2021

Windscribe premium is available at relatively low prices:

• Free: 10 servers, 10 GB/month
• 1-month plan: $9.00/month
• 1-year plan: $4.08/month
• Build a plan: $1.00/month/location

Payment options include credit cards, Paymentwall gift cards, and Bitcoin. Since Windscribe account creation doesn’t require your email, you can buy and use this service completely anonymously.

All Windscribe deals have the same security features, including military-grade encryption, a kill switch, leak protection, and so on. They also allow an unlimited number of simultaneous connections.

You can test Windscribe premium one day for free. Once you have an account, log in on their website and find the chatbot Garry at the bottom right corner. Ask him for a free trial, and he’ll set you up.

Before you buy, make sure to read the refund policy carefully – your refund is only valid if you:

• Purchase your VPN app directly from Windscribe (no third-party vendors like StackSocial)
• Send your request within three commercial days from your subscription
• Don’t exceed the 10 GB traffic limit

If you meet the following criteria, you can expect a 3-day money-back guarantee.

Is Windscribe free?

Although there are premium plans, the free Windscribe version is also available. As a matter of fact, it’s one of the best free VPNs available today.

With the free Windscribe plan, you get a powerful kill switch, anti-geo-blocking, IP address masking, and nearly everything else that a premium version has. You can also combine your desktop version with a browser extension – this way, your chances of staying private while browsing will increase even more.

However, when you opt for a free Windscribe plan, you can only connect to 10 countries. Moreover, you are limited to 10 GB/month and one device. You can use the free version without registering your email address, but your bandwidth limit will shrink to 2 GB.

Data limits and restricted connections may lead to potential privacy issues. However, just like the premium version, Windscribe free VPN doesn’t log anything that could identify you as their user.

Windscribe support

There are six ways for you to get help from the Windscribe support:

• Submit Ticket
• Talk to Garry
• Setup Guides
• FAQs
• Knowledgebase
• Subreddit

“Talk to Garry” is an English-only chatbot:

Basically, it’s capable of answering less complex queries like displaying the pricing plans or reminding a forgotten password. While chatting with Garry, I found a red Escalate to human! link, which presented me with a ticket submission screen. Nonetheless, despite all the help they try to give, there’s no real live chat support.

Windscribe’s Android client has a live chat support button, but it turns out this is just the same poor bot Garry from the desktop version, which also has trouble fitting in our smartphone screen, making his advice hard to follow.

The setup guides for different devices and OS’ have screenshots and are easy to follow. The FAQ is a bit lackluster. For example, it says nothing about unblocking Netflix and mentions Bitcoin in an answer that’s not directly related to anonymous payments. What’s more, you won’t find a word about WireGuard, which means that this FAQ hasn’t been updated for a while.

The knowledgebase is a more informative version of the FAQ with a helpful search bar, while the active Windscribe subreddit may be your fastest way to get help from a human. At least for me, getting a reply to me took almost one day.

Windscribe VPN video review

Should you get Windscribe?

You should get Windscribe VPN, at least its free version. After all, it’s among the best free VPNs, and it isn’t going anywhere. It’s 10 GB/month data limit is generous, and the server selection is much better than most competitors can offer.

As to whether you should pay for Windscribe, which has only been around for several years, well, I believe it has great potential to climb up the ladder. My only major gripes with this service are the lack of live chat support, the disappointing refund policy, and the somewhat lackluster streaming options.

Here’s what you can expect from the premium Windscribe plan:

• Military-grade encryption
• WireGuard tunneling protocol
• Robust kill switch (Firewall)
• Streaming and P2P support
• Apps for all major platforms
• Unlimited devices

All things considered, I can recommend Windscribe for those who want privacy without sacrificing speed. This VPN can be a great choice for gamers, travelers, and torrenting fans. Most importantly, its free version will let you test almost all features first without committing too early.

FAQ

Does Windscribe VPN work in China?

Windscribe works in China. With this service, your online activities will stay private, which is your main goal when using a virtual private network in this country.

Is Windscribe good for the dark web?

You can use Windscribe VPN for dark web browsing. However, I highly recommend you to do that only if you have a paid subscription.

Not only does it have more security features, but it also allows you to connect to way more countries than a Free plan that offers only ten.

How can I cancel my Windscribe VPN paid subscription?

To cancel your Windscribe subscription, you’ll have to complete 3 easy steps:

1. Log in to your account on the Windscribe website
2. Find the Claim Voucher option
3. Click on Cancel Subscription

How to delete Windscribe account?

You can delete your Windscribe account by following these steps:

1. Log in to your account on the Windscribe website
2. Find the row Member Since and click Delete account under the date
3. In the next screen, enter your password and click Delete account once more

Is Windscribe really free?

Yes, it really is. Even more, it’s among the best free VPNs overall.

Is Windscribe dangerous?

No, Windscribe is not dangerous by any means. Even though it’s located in Canada, a Five Eyes country, this VPN stays true to its no-logs policy. There were numerous data requests from law enforcement throughout the years, but Windscribe had nothing to share.

Does Windscribe hide your IP?

Yes, it does. Even more, Windscribe has a reliable kill switch that protects your IP in case the VPN drops. There’s also protection from IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks.

Does Windscribe keep logs VPN?

Windscribe doesn’t keep any identifying logs. This means that neither your connection logs nor IP address timestamps are stored. Learn more about Windscribe VPN logging policy.