In the Windscribe vs. ProtonVPN debate, ProtonVPN is the ultimate choice as it guarantees online security, is in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction, has a wider server network, offers faster speeds, and is reliable when it comes to content access. But still, you can rule out Windscribe as it is also a robust VPN, is way cheaper than ProtonVPN, and allows for unlimited simultaneous connections.
Windscribe and ProtonVPN are trusted VPNs that are quite similar. They offer excellent security and privacy and have free versions. The duo comes in handy for many users who don’t want to spend on a VPN. Windscribe and ProtonVPN also have paid plans. But then, there are differences that should inform your decision.
The main difference between Windscribe and ProtonVPN is the privacy, server network, speed, and content access. Windscribe is in Canada, which is not a privacy-friendly jurisdiction, has a smaller server network, offers slower speeds, and is unreliable for streaming and torrenting. On the other hand, ProtonVPN is in Switzerland, a privacy-friendly jurisdiction, has a bigger server network, offers faster speeds, and is reliable in unblocking streaming sites and P2P activity.
Of course, there are other differences. For more, keep it right here.
Windscribe is not a new name in the VPN industry, having been founded in 2016 by 3 cybersecurity experts; Yegor Sak, Mark Ulicki, and Alex Paguis. Windscribe was, however, acquired by Gape Technologies™ for a whopping $696,969,420 in 2022.
Today, Windscribe is popular for its free VPN service and has earned the recognition of top cybersecurity experts and publications.
Most consumers also laud it for its reliability, except for a few isolated cases of complaints. At the time of writing, Windscribe has a Trustpilot Trustscore of 4.8/5 after over 9,500 reviews.
ProtonVPN has also been around for some time. The company, owned by Proton AG, was launched in 2017 and remains a crowdfunded project.
Like the founding project Proton Mail, ProtonVPN has quickly risen the ranks in the VPN market and is one of the best free VPNs today. Proton VPN boasts over 70 million users worldwide and has been hyped by cybersecurity experts and featured in TED Talks.
Most consumer reviews are good, save for the several bad ratings attributed to billing issues. At the time of writing, ProtonVPN has a poor Trustpilot Trustscore of 2.5/5 after around 330 reviews.
Windscribe is a versatile VPN with apps for all PCs, regardless of the platform. Whether Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome, or Firefox, Windscribe has got you covered.
There are also mobile apps for Android and iOS. Windscribe also works with routers and other devices, including streaming devices, consoles, etc.
One of the reasons we like Windscribe is that it allows for unlimited simultaneous connections, thus offering the best value for money.
ProtonVPN, too, excels when it comes to supported devices, but there’s a catch. There are apps for all PCs, Windows, macOS, and Linux, alongside Chrome and Firefox extensions.
The VPN also works with mobile devices, routers, Android TVs, streaming devices, consoles, etc. On the downside, you can connect a maximum of 10 devices simultaneously on a single subscription.
But there’s always a way to get around this limitation – adding more devices via a router that is already protected.
Windscribe is a user-friendly VPN. You can take charge of your digital footprint in just a few minutes. First, sign up for an account and get a subscription.
Just to mention, you can get started without a subscription by just signing up and confirming your email. Now that you have an account or a paid subscription, the next step is downloading and installing the client software.
Launch it after installation, sign in, and you are good to go. Not much configuration is required. The apps are intuitive and have straightforward navigation.
ProtonVPN is also a great deal when it comes to usability. The setup process is quite similar to Windscribe’s now that you also need to create an account to get started.
After creating an account and confirming your email, download the app, install, and launch it. Log in with your details, choose a server, and you are all set.
The ProtonVPN apps are also very intuitive, with straightforward navigation and menu.
Windscribe is a trusted and secure VPN that encrypts data using Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256-bit encryption. This is the encryption technology adopted by top government and banking institutions, so you can ensure your security is not compromised with Windscribe.
It would take millions of years to perform a successful brute-force attack. AES 256-bit is complemented by SHA512 authentication and 4096-bit RSA keys.
The browser extensions use AES 128-bit GCM cipher / TLS 1.2 ECDHE RSA for authentication and P-256 as the key.
ProtonVPN is also a highly rated VPN in terms of security. It also leverages Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256-bit key.
As mentioned earlier, AES 256-bit systems are so secure that it would take millions of years and the world’s fastest supercomputers to perform brute-force attacks successfully.
HMAC backs up the AES 256-bit key encryption with SHA-384 for authentication and TLS (Transport Layer Security) encryption. Also worth mentioning is Perfect Forward Secrecy, which is an extra layer of security.
Windscribe is a great deal in terms of supported protocols, as it works with 5. First is IKEv2, which is the default protocol. IKEv2 is fast, but the fact that you are using a VPN is easy to detect.
The VPN also works with OpenVPN on both TCP and UDP. The former is fast and hard to block, while the latter offers fast speeds but is susceptible to blocks.
WireGuard, known for striking a balance between security and speed, is also supported. The other 2 are Stealth and Websocket Stealth, which are highly secure but slow.
ProtonVPN supports 4 protocols; IKEv2, OpenVPN, WireGuard, and Stealth. IKEv2 is great when it comes to speeds, but your VPN activity can be detected easily.
Proton also works with OpenVPN, which is considered the industry standard, and WireGuard, which offers ultrafast speeds and security.
WireGuard is versatile as it works across different platforms, is fast, and can bypass firewalls. Stealth, as the name suggests, is a camouflage protocol that enables users to bypass internet firewalls.
Just to mention, ProtonVPN has a cool feature dubbed Smart Protocol that conducts checks in the background and suggests the best protocol to use.
Windscribe is well-endowed when it comes to security extras. To start, it has a functioning IP and DNS Leak Protection. Also worth mentioning is the WebRTC Slayer, which protects your IP further by disabling WebRTC in your browser.
Unfortunately, there is no kill switch. Instead, Windscribe offers Windscribe Firewall. Split Tunneling is also available so you can decide which apps to connect to the internet via the VPN and which apps can connect directly without the VPN bridge.
When it comes to IP addresses, Windscribe has static IP addresses only; there are no dedicated IPSs for security reasons. Port Forwarding is also available to facilitate remote PC or home network access.
Other security extras include a server-side domain dubbed ROBERT, proxy gateway, Double VPN servers (Double Hop), Split Personality, IP blocking tool, and Time Warp.
ProtonVPN also excels when it comes to security extras. To start, it comes with IP and DNS Leak Prevention which prevents IP leaks and DNS query leaks.
We are glad there is a network kill switch, so immediately after your VPN connection drops, your internet connection is cut, preventing traffic from leaking. You can also separate your traffic with the Split Tunneling feature.
Regarding advanced features, ProtonVPN boasts Secure Core architecture which defends the system from network-based attacks, and NetShield, a DNS filter that protects you from malware.
Last is Forward Secrecy, which generates new keys frequently, and Tor over VPN facilitates traffic routing via the Tor Anonymity Network so you can safely visit Onion sites.
Unfortunately, Windscribe is based in Canada, a not-so-friendly jurisdiction that is actually part of the 5 Eyes alliance.
This means the Canadian government can collaborate with other member states by forcing the provider to provide users’ data if required.
To make matters worse, there are mandatory data retention laws. ISPs are required to store data for 6 months and up to 12 months if a court proceeding is underway.
One of the advantages of ProtonVPN is its location. The provider is based in Switzerland, a privacy-friendly jurisdiction, not part of any surveillance organizations.
But just to let you know, always play safe, as Swiss authorities often collaborate with international security agencies, including Europol and Interpol.
Windscribe may be in Canada, which is part of the 5 Eyes alliance, but the good thing is that it does not log any personally identifiable information.
It only logs basic data that can’t be traced back to you. This includes the last time you used the service and bandwidth consumed in 30 days.
Interestingly, the VPN deploys RAM-only servers that delete all data after every reboot, so you can rest assured that your activity is safe.
ProtonVPN is also a no-log VPN that doesn’t store any personally identifiable information.
In the privacy policy, the company clearly states that it doesn’t keep PII such as your original and assigned IP address, browsing history, bandwidth, timestamps, etc. One thing we like about VPN is the transparency.
The company doesn’t just claim it is a no-log VPN. The logging policy has been independently audited.
One of the disadvantages of Windscribe is the small servers network. While the best VPNs have thousands of servers, Windscribe has around 600 servers in over 63 countries and 110 locations.
But we like the fact that all servers are RAM-only servers with top-of-the-line hardware for reliability and privacy. Besides, they are all physical servers; there are no virtual servers.
Another shortcoming, there are no specific specialized servers for streaming or torrenting, but with the Autopilot feature, you can land on a favorable server.
ProtonVPN is the best choice when it comes to server network and distribution. At the time of writing, the company has expanded to over 2,900 servers in 68 countries.
These are highly specialized servers that guarantee reliability. They may not be RAM-only servers but boast full disk encryption.
Proton also has ultrafast servers with 2Gbps ports and select servers that can hit 10Gbps. Worth mentioning are Secure Core servers, available for Plus users.
They route traffic in select, privacy-friendly jurisdictions. You can use the Quick Country Selector to find the best-performance servers depending on your location.
Windscribe is not the best VPN for streaming. We tried unblocking several Netflix libraries but with no success.
Whenever the streaming site started playing a movie, the IP was banned. The only Netflix library it managed to unblock reliably was Netflix Japan. We are glad it also unblocked YouTube and Sky GO, but for the likes of Hulu, DAZN, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime, it was an exercise in futility.
Next, we tried torrenting. While it was possible to download torrents, the slow speeds were such a put-off.
Last, on gaming, Windscribe can protect gamers from DDoS attacks and other threats and allow gamers to access geo-restricted content such as new heroes, maps, and discounts. However, it is not up to the mark in terms of performance because of the slow speeds and high latency.
As far as streaming is concerned, ProtonVPN is the best choice. In our tests, it unblocked all the Netflix libraries reliably, from Netflix UK to Canada and Japan. The VPN also unblocked Amazon Prime, HBO Max, YouTube, Sky GO, DAZN, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer, among other streaming sites.
We also like its torrenting capabilities. In all our P2P sessions, we got out files in record time, and at no time did we get blocked or experience bandwidth throttling.
ProtonVPN is also a good VPN for gaming that can keep DDoS attacks at bay and facilitate safe and smooth gaming. It’s also possible to access geo-restricted gaming content and discounts.
Windscribe understands the essence of having reliable customer support. While there is no live chat, a friendly bot dubbed Garry can help you with the most basic issues around accounts, sales, and technical.
You will have to submit a ticket for human assistance, but unfortunately, feedback is not immediate.
Besides the bot, you can take advantage of the company’s Subreddit or refer to the tutorials, guides, FAQs, and knowledgebase.
ProtonVPN also has excellent support. The live chat function is the best, but unfortunately, it is only available for paid plans.
There’s also an open form ticket you can fill out or use email. Besides these channels, you can find solutions on the many guides and tutorials on the company website.
Windscribe has a free plan, but there is no free trial. Paid plans are 2; a monthly plan for $9 billed monthly and $5.75 monthly billed once annually.
Just to mention, there’s a custom plan which lets you build a plan depending on your needs. A 3-day money-back guarantee covers all paid plans.
The payment methods available include PayPal, AMEX, Visa, Mastercard, and even Bitcoin for those who want to make under-the-radar payments.
ProtonVPN also has a free plan, but there is no free trial. When it comes to paid plans, you will have to fork out more for ProtonVPN.
There are 3 plans: a monthly plan for $11.49 per month billed monthly, a yearly plan for $5.99 a month billed yearly, and a 2-year plan for $4.99 a month billed biannually. If you are dissatisfied with the service, you can get back your money courtesy of the 30-day money-back guarantee.
The payment methods include Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, Bank Transfer, and even Bitcoin for anonymous payments.
That’s the end of this Windscribe vs. ProtonVPN comparison review. So, what’s the best bang for the buck? The two excel in terms of security and pricing, especially now that both have free plans. However, ProtonVPN is the best overall, with excellent security features and a wider server network. ProtonVPN also offers faster speeds and is more reliable when it comes to unblocking streaming sites and torrenting.
But still, you can’t run away from the fact that Windscribe is still a choice, especially if you are on a budget, as its plans are cheaper. Check out all the latest VPN deals and discounts.
