While I was doing some research about quality and free VPN service providers, I came across Windscribe. This company is located in Canada and it has super clean terms telling you what you can do with their service and what not. It is what requires when established in Canada, I guess.
Other than the terms, Windscribe outperforms some of the big guys in the market. As always, we need analytic and proof -you will find them all in this detailed and unbiased Windscribe review.
Country, server coverage, and performance test
Currently, Windscribe covers 55 countries along with 100 locations. You can make use of all locations only if you are a paid user. If you are a free user, only ten locations will be available for you.
While some locations have so many servers, some were kept limited to few. At this point, the company has to strive and add more servers, especially to United Kindom as all of the servers were blocked by the BBC iPlayer. On the other hand, the coverage is great and except for South Africa, the whole world is covered.
Speaking of the servers, I ran so many stress tests all over the world and the results were promising. Let’s take a close look at the results.
Windscribe speed test results
It is almost impossible to get a reliable speed performance from each VPN server. Either it fails in one country or another. The very reason for these problems is that it is super hard to manage hundreds of servers at the same time. However, rare companies like Windscribe handles the management professionally and give us great speed performance as well as firm connectivity.
| Region | Download (Mbps) | Upload (Mbps) | Ping (Ms) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile - Wi-fi | 8.04 | 5.02 | 85 |
| Mobile - 4G | 15.65 | 5.03 | 77 |
| North America | |||
| New York | 6.02 | 2.5 | 290 |
| Chicago | 5.85 | 4.25 | 339 |
| Dallas | 2.02 | 3.14 | 358 |
| San Francisco | 2.38 | 0.22 | 445 |
| Los Angeles | 4.54 | 2.6 | 460 |
| Canada - Montreal | 6.78 | 3.85 | 4.65 |
| Canada - Toronto | 5.98 | 4.62 | 327 |
| South America | |||
| Brazil | 3.02 | 2.08 | 621 |
| Mexica | 4.99 | 2.96 | 410 |
| Europe | |||
| England | 12.38 | 4.53 | 143 |
| Germany | 13.55 | 4.32 | 139 |
| France | 8.58 | 4.59 | 131 |
| Spain | 11.6 | 4.28 | 173 |
| Netherlands | 3.22 | 4.19 | 130 |
| Ukraine | 11.95 | 4.56 | 163 |
| Poland | 11.16 | 4.87 | 179 |
| Asia | |||
| Hong Kong | 2.27 | 2.31 | 526 |
| Japan | Failed | Failed | Failed |
| Others | |||
| Israel | 7.92 | 4.75 | 206 |
| Australia | 0.3 | 1.04 | 892 |
I ran the test from Europe with 50 Mbit download and 10 Mbit upload fiber connection. After connected to the servers in the list above, I pinged back to my own ISP.
USA speed performance was just as I expected. Moreover, the Europe test ended in such great results yet, the Netherland server was a great deal of disappointment as it is the most common P2P location for Europeans.
Last but not least, Windscribe upload performance was remarkably great when compared to other VPN service providers. All Europe and almost all USA servers were fast enough to enjoy the utmost upload speed already provided by your ISP.
Windscribe excelled the speed test with rating 90 out of 100.
Windscribe torrenting performance
Here comes the uncanny yet expected part. As seen above, the Netherland server is the one with the least performance. As always I run the torrent speed test in the Netherland servers to create a fair comparison condition.
At some point, the download speed may look great. However, there were so many ups and downs while downloading the torrent file that it took so much time to download 600 MB file.
Unfortunately, Windscribe could not provide solid performance and could not pass the torrenting test because of so many ups and downs.
Windscribe Popcorn time experience
Nobody likes to wait. If a P2P or streaming server is not well optimized, waiting is inevitable. Because of the latest server improvements, Windscribe improved server performance a lot.
We tried to download a 720P movie when connected to the P2P server and you can see the result below.
At first, I did not have a great expectation while downloading Popcorn time show. At the very beginning, collecting download seeds took around 40 seconds -way more than the expected period. However, later on, the download speed peaked up to 2 MB/sec. Then it stabilized around 1 MB/sec.
On one hand, sudden changes of download speed may be a bit annoying. On the other hand, the background download process was good enough to have a smooth streaming experience.
Windscribe passes our Popcorn time test but we will not increase its “Performance” point till the servers provide a stable download experience.
Windscribe Netflix and BBC iPlayer experience
Windscribe was lacking an important service till 2018: dedicated streaming servers! The company took it seriously and introduced new server type: “Windflix”
Windflix is a dedicated server compilation focusing on streaming blocked content abroad. Currently, Windscribe has two different Windflix servers. One for Netflix USA and the other one is BBC iPlayer.
All you need it to connect to a proper server and you will be able to watch your favorite USA shows abroad.
Our Netflix experience was pretty amazing. In the beginning, the video quality was super low. However, if you stop the show and let the stream on for a while, you will get Full HD quality within few seconds.
So! Windscribe passed the Netflix USA test safely.
Windscribe BBC iPlayer
Earlier, Windscribe had several problems and they were blocked by BBC iPlayer so many times. Just like Windflix Netflix servers, the company deployed 3 dedicated servers just for BBC iPlayer.
I connected to Windflix UK server and you can see my experience below.
Not as good as US server but I was able to get HD quality with Windflix UK server. There was no restriction or buffering issues at all.
Overall, Windscribe did a great joy by deploying dedicated “Windflix” servers. They all work fine and provide at least HD quality streaming when you are abroad.
Pricing and refund policy
Windscribe has 3 different plans: 1 Month, 1 year, and custom plan.
Both for 1 month and 1 year, you get the all same features. As for the custom plan, you can build it manually. For each server, you pay 1$. Actually, it makes a lot of sense, if you just want to bypass restriction or watch geo-blocked content abroad. For as low as 2$, you can get unlimited bandwidth and a dedicated server to your liking.
Windscribe refund policy
Each user can use the VPN service for free and check if it is working properly or not. However, keep this in mind the free version has both bandwidth and server limitation.
If you do not want to cope with any limitations, you can always go for paid plans.
In case you are not fully satisfied with the service, you can ask for a refund within 3 days. This is a super limited period!
Desktop software and mobile apps
Windscribe has an easy to use, yet, too tiny desktop software.
Navigations in the menu are super fast and with a single click, you are connected to the VPN server.
The software allows you to:
- select a desired server in the main menu,
- enable firewall for better protection (it behaves like a “Kill Switch” feature)
- switch between UDP, TCP or Stealth mode.
Moreover, in the general settings, you can play around with software references.
According to my one-month software experience, there are a few things that I do not like:
- There is no search bar for easier access to servers
- Stealth protocol crashes software from time to time
- While many companies have already gone minimalist, there are plenty of unnecessary features in the software. Hoping the same for the Windscribe as well.
Other than this, the software is compact and functions pretty fast.
Windscribe for mobile devices
Windscribe has a user-friendly yet, not feature-rich mobile app. It is simple and it just works great.
Just like the desktop software, it does not have any search bar -which makes the server navigation really hard. The power button at the top will get you connected to your desired location and you are all set.
Furthermore, Windscribe has three additional features:
- You can choose between UDP and TCP,
- Change the port, and
- Switch to “Battery Saver” mode. This feature will stop the continuous VPN connection when your phone is in the sleep mode. This can also save some bandwidth of your metered connection.
My overall mobile app experience was okay but it has to be improved with some more features.
Besides PC and mobile apps, Windscribe can be a great option for Chromebook users as you can use your 10 GB free bandwidth without downloading software. Surprisingly, they also offer browser extension for the Opera as well.
As for your routers, you have to set them up manually.
Last but not least, if you do dislike ads, brought about a new feature “R.O.B.E.R.T”. This feature will keep you safe away from ads and pishing/malware sites. You can adjust the security level of this feature on the website. Once it is done, you have to reconnect to the desired server.
At one point this new feature may appear alluring. However, it almost kills your web browsing experience. It slows down the websites contrary to promised faster online experience and it does not block ads at all. Tried and approved this failure on Youtube. Intro ads cannot be blocked.
Security protocols
Windscribe has a single protocol: OpenVPN. However, you can pick different types of network operator according to your connection type.
Normal, the program itself will automatically try to give you the fastest speed performance with UDP. If it does not work with it and you have a bad connection, you can always go for TCP. Moreover, Stealth mode is another handy feature. If you are located in China, Russian, Iran or Turkey, stealth mode will act as a normal internet connection when connected to a VPN server.
Is WindScribe working properly?
Yes, it is!
We have tested Windscribe on as many devices as possible and it just works fine. If you like to use it on your PC, smartphone, browser, Chromebook, Kodi, router, Windscribe will give what you actually need.
No matter you are free or paid user, you will also enjoy uncapped speed performance. 10 GB free bandwidth per month! That is a big steal! Just you have to bear with the connection speed as a free user.
Customer support
I sent an email to the customer support related to the BBC iPlayer issue (before Windflix feature) and got the answered in few hours.
Interestingly, they told me that they had fixed the iPlayer issue and the London server was working fine.
Ticket support is quite fast.
On the other hand, Windscribe added a live chat button on their website. There is no real person talking to you. But as the chatbot is configured very well, it will give you accurate answers to your question.
Log policy! Does Windscribe keep logs?
Windscribe does not keep any activity logs. Other than activities, some usage logs are being kept for service improvement and bandwidth usage calculation purposes.
Check the date being collected below…
Simply, the company does not care about the websites or the activities. Yet, your username, VPN servers, time of connection and amount of data you use are being temporarily kept.
Furthermore, Windscribe has a clear transparency page where you can check DMCA and Law enforcement requests. The company states “Exactly zero requests were complied with due to lack of relevant data.”
Summing up!
Windscribe is a Canada based VPN service provider. It is secure, fast and reliable. While the VPN app works great for Netflix, daily usage; it lacks at unblocking BBC iPlayer, gives slower download performance for the torrents and Popcorn time shows. Furthermore, it is stringently prohibited to do any kind of nasty stuff when you are connected to Windscribe VPN servers.
The company provides different types of encryption alternating from 256 bit to 1024 bit. While the OpenVPN is the main protocol, you can also make use of the Stealth Mode and double hop to enhance your online privacy.
Last but not least, Windscribe is one of the fastest VPN services when the USA and Europe server performance is taken into performance consideration.
Give it a try! If you do not like it, ask for a refund withing 3 days.
I am a privacy advocate excelling in cybersecurity and VPN services. Along with my 8 years of experience, I will teach you how to enhance your online privacy and enjoy the ultimate freedom anywhere in the world. On VPNxD, I am responsible for privacy guides, and how-to-do articles.
Windscribe is just awesome. been suing it for 6 months and it’s great to see that the service is always evolving. There are new features being added almost every month. Im really liking their “proxy gateway” which was added recently. Now I can connect my PS4 to the VPN which is awesome.
I’m not the type of person to leave reviews, but Windscribe deserves my time lol. Just downloaded it 2 months ago, and it’s been great! Windscribe is easy to use and I’ve found it lives up to its name. Also really impressed with the updates and constant work Windscribe does to ensure everything runs smoothly. Overall i’m impressed.
If you’re looking for a VPN that you can 100% rely on, Windscribe is the one. It’s been working great for me and there are so many other good reviews to back it up. It recently launched windscribe for Android which a lot of people had been waiting for, i myself was one of those people. So far the Android app works fine. Being able to use it on multiple devices is great too!
To date Windscribe has been working fine. I’ve been using it for just over 2 months now and use it around 3-4 times a week. The reliable speeds are what stands out the most for me, and just like many other users, this is one of the most important things one seeks when using a VPN.
The best VPN by far. Can you get anything better than Windscribe? I don’t think so! This is a must have, no delays, real time speedy connections and a variety of extra safety and general features not many VPN providers have, even the popular and pioneer ones!
Easy to use, user-friendly, great speeds, and a selection of features that not all VPN providers have. Thank you Windscribe from a very happy customer.
You can never complain when it unblocks US Netflix and geo-restricted sites! A must have. Cheers Windscribe.
A personal favorite! And a VPN I see myself using for life. Windscribe is one of a kind. It’s the full package and something everyone should at least give a go. I’m a strong believer in using VPN’s to protect yourself when surfing the internet, something that Windscribe does perfectly, but I’m also really impressed with the extra features such as ad and track blocks, unlocking geo-restricted sites and even US Netflix! It’s simply fantastic and a worthwhile investment.
I’ve enjoyed using Windscribe so far and am looking forward to seeing it grow. So far, and to date, Windscribe seems to be among my top 3 favorites.
Very happy to see that windscribe has taken into account the request many have asked for, live customer support! Great update to their awesome service and connection around the world.
I love windscribe. Before using it I was always annoyed by those ad pop ups everytime I’m browsing, but with windscribes help NO more annoying ad’s pop us, and i’m safely able to surf the net without being tracked! Love it..
Since I started using Windscribe I can now browse sites stress free without worrying about ads and trackers. If your looking for a free app but will not limit you to their great features then you should give Windscribe a go. Great free plan and excellent pro plan! Also worth the upgrade.
Overall Windscribe is a really easy to use VPN. The website gives you a good idea of what features they have, which is great for those that are new to using VPNs. The selection of features are great and the speeds are fantastic. The only negative I can say, and while it’s not that negative, just needs a bit of improvement, is the customer service. Would be nice if they were able to get back to you quicker, however, they did solve my problem once we got in contact.
A vpn that’s worth having, if not a must to have. Very happy with how windscribe has fulfilled their vpn duties. Excellent connections, superb features that work well and a variety of choices to pay. Bitcoin option is great!!
The best way to describe windscribe’s vpn is RELIABLE. The speeds are very reliable despite the server you connect to. Especially love the extra features that are include. Strong encryption too, it uses theES-256 cipher with SHA512 auth and a 4096-bit RSA key.
Windscribe is one of a kind. It’s a vpn that has one of the best systems in place compared to any other vpn that i’ve used. The server choices are great and the connections are very reliable, especially when you compare it to other vpns that are more expensive. It also uses theES-256 cipher with SHA512 auth and a 4096-bit RSA key which is also better than many other vpns if you check the details. I’d highly recommend you check out the site as you’ll find a lot of information there.