Windscribe VPN Review

Virtual private networks (VPNs) give you more privacy and security when using the internet. But every VPN provider has pros and cons that can impact performance, security and customizability. That makes it important to research the best VPN services before committing to a long-term plan.

Windscribe is one such option you may be considering. This Windscribe VPN review covers everything you need to know about the company, its plans and other details that could influence whether it’s the right fit for you. Read on to learn more.

Best VPN with a customizable plan option

Windscribe’s standout feature is its customizable plan tier, the Build A Plan. So long as you meet the minimum purchase requirement of $3, the company lets you add access to all of its premium data centers in a specific country for $1 per month USD. Using a customized plan could save you money, since you would pay only for the VPN access you need.

Windscribe VPN pros and cons

Pros explained

Customizable plans

Windscribe has a build-your-own-plan tool that lets you choose the VPN server locations which you want to access. This can drastically reduce the VPN’s monthly price when compared to the company’s full plan.

Forever-free option

If you don’t want to pay for a VPN plan, you can use Windscribe for free. The company has a forever-free option that allows users a data allowance of 10GB per month and is available for as long as you want to use it.

Ad, malware and tracker blocker

Paid monthly and annual Windscribe subscriptions include the company’s integrated ad, malware and tracker blocker, which is called R.O.B.E.R.T. This feature is customizable so you can fine-tune the websites and services it blocks on an as-needed basis.

Note that customized plans do not come with R.O.B.E.R.T. If this is a feature you want, you’ll need to pay for it as an add-on or purchase a monthly or annual subscription. Moreover, for users of Windscribe’s free VPN plan, R.O.B.E.R.T. will only block malware and ads.

Supports multiple VPN protocols

Windscribe gives you the option of changing your VPN protocol whenever you want between OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard. Each of these protocols has pros and cons that can impact browsing and download speeds, security and VPN detectability. Changing your VPN protocol can help you adjust your web-browsing experience to meet more unique and advanced needs.

Cons explained

Bandwidth limitations

Build A Plan customers only get access to 10GB of data per month for each server location they select. For example, if you build a plan with server access in three countries, you would have 32GB of data per month in total because each custom plan starts with 2GB of data. Compare this to other paid VPN solutions, most of which boast unlimited bandwidth.

No real-time support options

Windscribe doesn’t provide a way to contact customer service for real-time support. It has a support form you can fill out to send the company an email and an AI-powered chatbot, which may be able to answer basic questions. However, there are no guarantees for how quickly you should expect to hear back from Windscribe.

Windscribe VPN plans

Windscribe offers four plans to choose from, which will appeal to different types of users. We look at each option below.

Windscribe Free

Windscribe Free VPN gives users 10GB of browsing data per month without a financial commitment. That’s enough to watch about 10 hours of Netflix through your VPN on “high” settings. You can use the free version of Windscribe for as long as you want, but you’ll lose access to the VPN’s servers once you reach your monthly data limit.

Windscribe Pro

Windscribe Pro is the company’s flagship offering. It’s available as a monthly subscription or as an annual plan. This option comes with:

• The full functionality of R.O.B.E.R.T., Windscribe’s integrated ad, tracker and malware blocker

• VPN protocol configuration that lets you switch between options like OpenVPN and IKEv2

• Unlimited bandwidth

• Access to VPN servers in 69 countries and 112 cities

• Build A Plan

Another option is to build your own Windscribe plan. These customized plans only include access to the servers you decide to pay for, but you have to choose at least three. This means your monthly minimum payment will be $3.

Keep in mind the Build A Plan product doesn’t come with R.O.B.E.R.T. or unlimited data. You can pay for Windscribe’s integrated blocking tool as an add on, but your data will always be limited based on the number of server locations you choose to pay for.

ScribeForce

ScribeForce is what Windscribe calls its team-focused VPN plan. It offers the advantage of centralized billing and connected accounts for improved organizational oversight. The company also says that ScribeForce is cheaper for teams than its regular individual accounts, but we couldn’t verify this because ScribeForce’s pricing isn’t publicly available.

Windscribe VPN pricing

The price of your Windscribe VPN will depend on the plan you choose and how you decide to pay for it. Here’s a quick overview.

One of the main things to note about the company’s offerings is that you only get unlimited data if you get Windscribe Pro. All other plans have data caps that could disrupt your VPN usage.

Additionally, it only makes sense to use the company’s build-a-plan tool if you want to access between three and eight servers. This is because, for $9 per month, you can get unlimited access to all of Windscribe’s servers.

Windscribe VPN financial stability

Windscribe was founded in 2016. The company is 100% owned by the company’s founders and employees. Windscribe doesn’t make its financial statements publicly available, which makes it difficult to analyze the company’s long-term financial stability.

Windscribe VPN accessibility

This section takes a closer look at Windscribe’s accessibility across platforms.

Availability

Windscribe VPN is available across all major platforms and devices. This includes:

• Windscribe VPN for PC
• Windscribe VPN for Mac
• Windscribe VPN for Android
• Windscribe VPN for iPhone
• Windscribe VPN for Chrome
• Windscribe VPN for FireTV

The company’s app is also available for routers that support VPN connections. This can provide VPN access to all devices that connect to your home internet without logging into your account on each of them.

Contact information

Customer support is one of Windscribe’s biggest weaknesses. The company doesn’t offer live chat or phone-based service. The only way to ask a question is to use Windscribe’s integrated AI chatbot or send the company an email via the form on its website.

User experience

Windscribe has dedicated applications for all major devices and enough VPN protocol customization options to keep advanced users happy. It also comes with an integrated tool for blocking ads, malware and trackers. These features help deliver a solid user experience that can appeal to different types of consumers.

That being said, user experience is a subjective metric. If you’re interested in Windscribe, consider trying the free version. You can download it for free on any device to see what Windscribe is like before committing to a paid plan.

Windscribe VPN customer satisfaction

Windscribe has a 4 out of 5-star rating on the Google Play Store and a 4.5 out of 5-star rating on the Apple App Store. Some negative reviews mention frequent app disconnections, while positive reviews tend to highlight the company’s integrated ad blocker, R.O.B.E.R.T.

How we evaluated Windscribe VPN

While creating this Windscribe VPN review, we evaluated each of the following factors:

• Pricing: We evaluated Windscribe’s plans and payment options to assess their value.

• Data limits: We looked at data limits for Windscribe’s plans and considered whether they would work for the average user.

• Plan customizability: We considered Windscribe’s customizable plan and compared them to the company’s pre-built options.

• User-submitted reviews: We looked at verified user reviews to assess the general sentiment regarding Windscribe from those who have direct experience with the VPN.

• Company trustworthiness: We researched Windscribe’s history as a VPN provider to assess its trustworthiness and financial stability moving forward.

Summary of Money’s Windscribe VPN review

Windscribe is a VPN provider with customizable plans that you can use on an unlimited number of devices. It’s available on all major platforms and offers a forever-free option if you have limited VPN needs.

The company’s track record as a custodian of user data is less than perfect, as Windscribe’s servers were breached by the Ukrainian government in 2021. There have been no reported issues since, but it’s something to consider — especially if data privacy is a priority.

If you’re still deciding whether you need a VPN, take a look at this guide to learn more about how they can enhance your web browsing experience, whether you pay for Windscribe or another provider.