Windscribe Review
How does Windscribe VPN perform against more established services? A thorough review of the service.
Introduction
Overview
Windscribe is a great VPN for daily use, with excellent streaming and torrenting capabilities.
This review of Windscribe contains the results of tests between 3 September 2020 and 4 November 2020.
This document is a continuously being updated with fresh data each month in order to be accurate and consistent.
Is Windscribe a good VPN? Is it worth getting?
Privacy & Anonymity Summary
It is a no-logs VPN, and the fact that it is possible to open an account without providing an email address is quite appealing.
Speed & Performance Summary
The browsing speeds are good and reliable, but the downloading speeds are below average.
Functionality & Application Summary
Windscribe’s Windows and Android clients are minimal and very easy to configure, and the complex functionalities have not affected the ease of use even a little bit.
Reputation & Support Summary
The company had a good reputation but they have faced some issues recently. However, Windscribe has responded to those issues very quickly.
Their browser extensions were found to leak IP addresses through WebRTC, but they fixed it in the next update with an option to block WebRTC connections. Also, they were using a few servers provided by Micfo. When Micfo’s shady business practices came out, Windscribe responded to it positively by removing the servers associated with Micfo.
Windscribe doesn’t have live chat support, and the email support is very slow to respond by VPN standards. Customers complain that the support is not much of a help with technical issues and takes two days to respond.
Price & Value Summary
At $49/year, Windscribe is a solid, no-headaches VPN considering the streaming compatibility, privacy and speeds offered.
Proof
How Was Windscribe Rated?
Review Criteria
I've rated Windscribe on multiple elements across five categories, and analysed the results to give you a good understanding of the service.
Privacy & Anonymity
Does Windscribe leak any data while in use? Do they collect or store logs? Do they allow you to anonymously purchase the service? Do they employ a variety of security protocols to keep you anonymous online?
Speed & Performance
Does Windscribe offer fast speeds (on par with browsing without a VPN connection)? Are these speeds consistent? Or do they drop off or fluctuate too much?
Functionality & Application
Does Windscribe work well? Is it easy to install and use? Does it unblock geo-restricted content? Can it unblock Netflix and BBC iPlayer?
Reputation & Support
Is Windscribe a reputable seller with a strong track record of happy customers and good reviews? Does it provide outstanding customer and tech support? Does Windscribe and their parent company have a track record of honesty, transparency, and its customers' best interests at heart?
Price & Value
Does the price of the service match (or exceed) the quality of experience? Does Windscribe represent value for money?
Privacy & Anonymity
Does Windscribe have a logging policy?
Windscribe is a no-logs VPN, and their logging policy seems trustable since providing an email address is not a necessity to use their services.
Does Windscribe have a kill switch?
Windows and Android clients don’t have an app kill switch.
Windows and Android clients have an internet kill switch, although it is named differently. On Windows, it is named ‘Firewall’, and on Android, it is called ‘Always on VPN’. Their basic function is to prevent the device from accessing the internet when VPN is disconnected.
What security protocols does Windscribe use?
Windscribe uses iKEv2, UDP, TCP, and Stealth protocols on Windows and Android apps. Additionally, on Windows, they support WStunnel which encapsulates OpenVPN in a WebSocket. It is handy in countries like China to access blocked websites.
Speed & Performance
Is Windscribe fast?
Windscribe provides good browsing speeds, but when downloading large files, speeds are lower than average.
Does Windscribe provide consistent speeds?
Yes, the speeds offered are consistent.
Functionality & Application
Is Windscribe easy to use?
The installation was very easy on Windows. There were only a couple of checkboxes and the app was ready to use in around 15 seconds.
The interface is very simple and intuitive, even those who are not used to technology will find it very easy to use. It does not have a search bar to search for our preferred server locations, so finding out some servers were a little time-consuming at first.
The settings screen is fairly simple and intuitive, and there are several customization options like manual IP, proxy, port selection, etc.
Does Windscribe support split tunneling?
The Android client supports split tunneling, but the Windows client does not.
Is Windscribe good for torrenting? Do they approve of using P2P technology?
Most of the Windscribe servers support torrenting and offer above-average speeds.
Is Windscribe good for Netflix?
Windscribe was able to successfully unblocked geo-restricted Netflix content in 12 out of 15 countries. I could watch Netflix content exclusive to Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, United Kingdom and USA.
Is Private Internet Access good for BBC iPlayer?
Is Windscribe good for streaming?
Windscribe is great for streaming Netflix shows and movies.
What are some good features of Windscribe?
- Great for streaming and torrenting
- Can be used in unlimited devices
- A trustable no-logs policy
- Supports split tunneling on Android
Reputation & Support
Is Windscribe trustworthy?
Considering their business practices, privacy policy, and logging policy, Windscribe is a trustworthy VPN service.
Does Windscribe have live chat support? Are they responsive?
Where are they based? What jurisdiction are they under?
Windscribe is based in Canada.
Who is the parent company?
Windscribe VPN is owned by Windscribe Limited, and their office is located at 9251 Yonge St. #8901, Richmond Hill, ON L4C 9T3, Canada.
Have Windscribe or their parent company been involved in any controversies or scandals?
Back in 2018, Windscribe’s browser extensions were found to leak IP addresses through WebRTC, but the company quickly updated the browser extensions with an option to block WebRTC connections.
In some locations, mostly in the US, Windscribe was using servers provided by Micfo, a company that hijacked IP addresses for spamming. When Micfo’s shady business practices came out, Windscribe announced that they will be distancing themselves from the company, and as a result, some Windscribe servers were completely removed.
What do most customers say they like about the service?
Users appreciate their transparent privacy policy and the option to build a plan according to the user’s needs. This option is very handy considering that they have designated servers for streaming, called Windflix servers.
What do customers most dislike about the service?
Many customers complain that customer support is slow and not so helpful.
Price & Value
How much does Windscribe cost per month?
Windscribe is one of the few VPN providers to offer plan customizations. Their monthly plan costs $9/month, and the yearly plan costs $49 at $4.08/month. If you want only a few server locations, you can choose them at $1/location/month.
Is Windscribe worth the money?
Considering the speeds, streaming compatibility, and P2P support, Windscribe is well worth the money at $49/year. Their ‘build a plan’ option is great for those who want to use VPN only for streaming and P2P.
What payment forms do they accept?
Windscribe accepts Bitcoins, PayPal, Paymentwall, and Visa and MasterCard credit cards.
Do they have a trial or a money-back guarantee? What is their refund policy?
Windscribe offers its basic services with limited locations for free. They don’t have a trial for the paid service since it is simply the free version with some extra servers and features. They offer refunds for payments if requested within 3 days of subscription.
Conclusion
Who is Windscribe good for?
Windscribe is a great VPN for those who want to use it for streaming, especially Netflix since the servers are not blocked by major streaming websites. Apart from that, they offer better anonymity than other VPNs, and providing an email address is not necessary to open an account. Hence Windscribe is great for those who have privacy concerns.
Who is it not suitable for?
Windscribe is based in Canada, which is a member of the 5/9/14 eyes alliance. So it is not a good option for journalists and those who share sensitive data through the internet. Besides, their downloading speeds are below average, hence it is not suitable for those who download large files quite often.
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