Proton VPN vs Windscribe: They’re the 2 champions of the free VPN world. Much like ExpressVPN and NordVPN constantly battle it out for the highest spot amongst paid VPNs, Canada-based Windscribe and Switzerland-based Proton VPN combat for the hearts and minds of the budget-conscious VPN person.
Key Takeaways:
- Both Proton VPN and Windscribe are glorious providers. Choosing between them isn’t about discovering the most effective VPN, however about deciding which options are vital to you.
- Windscribe’s paid plans are cheaper and supply entry to extra servers. Its broadly obtainable break up tunneling makes it a better option for torrenting.
- Proton VPN doesn’t cap visitors on its free plan. It’s higher at each accessing streaming providers and providing you with sufficient knowledge to observe content material.
- Both VPNs are personal and safe, however Windscribe has confirmed its safety chops by way of its speedy response to a server seizure in Ukraine.
For those that wish to keep protected and nameless on-line with out paying by way of the nostril, each Proton VPN and Windscribe are two of the most effective VPNs to contemplate — however they’re removed from an identical. When the 2 VPNs face off in the arenas of pace, characteristic high quality, pricing, safety and extra, there’s typically a transparent winner.
If you’ve been wracking your mind attempting to determine which of those free VPNs is higher for you, observe alongside as we pit Proton VPN in opposition to Windscribe in 10 totally different classes. We hope we will help you determine which free VPN will meet your wants.
- Is Windscribe VPN Better Than Proton VPN?
- Is ProtonVPN a Good VPN?
Yes, Proton VPN is a powerful, safe VPN with a free plan that goes far past many of the competitors. It’s the one free VPN that doesn’t restrict how a lot knowledge you need to use.
- Is Windscribe VPN Trusted?
Yes. Windscribe VPN leapt into motion when two of its servers have been seized in Ukraine, closing any safety holes that may have made it doable to spy on person visitors. Also, after years in enterprise, it’s by no means been caught violating its no-logs coverage.
Proton VPN vs Windscribe: Comparison & Tests
Scoring is easy for this free VPN matchup. We’ll examine Proton VPN and Windscribe in 10 areas: pace, options, pricing (together with free plan limitations), safety (safety from third events), on-line privateness (safety from the VPN supplier itself), streaming, torrenting, server areas, user-friendliness and buyer assist.
Each time a VPN service wins or ties in an space, it will get one level. Whichever VPN service ends with probably the most factors is the winner.
We’d wish to warning you, nevertheless, that the winner isn’t essentially the VPN all people ought to use. Some web customers may place a precedence on areas that others ignore. If you don’t torrent, for instance, the most effective VPN for torrenting gained’t provide help to a lot. Here’s a fast rundown of every spherical’s winners.
Round:
Proton VPN
Windscribe
1. Speed
✅ Wins
2. Features
✅ Wins
3. Pricing
✅ Wins
4. Security
✅ Wins
5. Privacy
☑️ Tie
☑️ Tie
6. Streaming
✅ Wins
7. Torrenting
✅ Wins
8. Server areas
✅ Wins
9. User-friendliness
✅ Wins
10. Customer assist
✅ Wins
Overall Points
5 complete factors
6 complete factors
As you possibly can see, it’s a really shut battle. Both VPNs have their glorious factors — we even had one draw in privateness. The proven fact that Windscribe technically “won” is much less vital than figuring out what every VPN service does nicely. The finest VPN is no matter the most effective VPN is for you.
If you’re a brand new VPN person, you wish to watch lots of streaming content material or pace is vital to you, select Proton VPN. If you do lots of torrenting, desire a free model with extra server areas, otherwise you’re on a finances, choose Windscribe.
For extra useful content material on each providers, see our Proton VPN evaluate or our Windscribe evaluate.
1. Speed
Speed is dependent upon whether or not you’ll be utilizing the VPN free of charge or paying for premium service. Both VPNs restrict free customers to sure servers: Proton VPN affords three nation areas and Windscribe affords 10. Because they’re accessible to extra folks, free servers are likely to have increased hundreds and slower speeds.
We examined the free and premium servers on each VPNs, then in contrast their efficiency to our unprotected speeds. The profitable VPN is the one with the quickest speeds and the least lag.
Proton VPN vs Windscribe: Free Server Speed Test
First, let’s take a look at the free servers. Windscribe doesn’t have a free server in Japan, so we used the closest server in Hong Kong as a substitute.
Location
Windscribe latency (ms)
Windscribe obtain (Mbps)
Windscribe add (Mbps)
Proton
VPN latency (ms)
Proton
VPN obtain (Mbps)
Proton
VPN add (Mbps)
Unprotected
18
27.66
5.89
18
27.66
5.89
U.S.
53
15.13
5.20
155
13.99
4.06
Netherlands
345
13.52
4.91
363
9.53
5.39
Japan
—
—
—
257
22.70
5.27
Hong Kong
483
7.45
5.58
—
—
—
The numbers largely favor Windscribe’s free servers, however it’s a small benefit. On the closest servers in the United States, Windscribe elevated latency by an element of three, and dropped obtain pace to about 55% of our unprotected charges. However, in comparison with Proton VPN — which elevated latency 8.5 instances and dropped speeds beneath 50% — Windscribe seems to be higher.
The solely exception is on extraordinarily totally different servers. Proton VPN seemed higher in Japan than it did in the United States, whereas Windscribe’s speeds dropped sharply in Hong Kong.
The proven fact that Proton VPN did worse in the free VPN pace assessments isn’t shocking, because it guarantees solely “medium” speeds on the free servers.
Proton VPN vs Windscribe: Paid Server Speed Tests
On the paid plan servers, it’s a special story.
Locations
Windscribe latency (ms)
Windscribe obtain (Mbps)
Windscribe add (Mbps)
Proton VPN latency (ms)
Proton VPN obtain (Mbps)
Proton VPN add (Mbps)
Unprotected
18
27.66
5.89
18
27.66
5.89
U.S.
41
12.27
5.41
33
23.43
5.39
U.Okay.
322
7.15
2.56
453
27.05
4.23
Brazil
389
5.00
1.95
415
12.45
4.55
South Africa
687
3.69
3.84
628
17.88
1.68
Singapore
491
9.85
2.28
491
20.16
5.58
Australia
390
2.11
2.69
316
16.98
4.96
Proton VPN seems to be sooner in nearly each location. Its speeds nonetheless aren’t unimaginable, particularly in Brazil, Australia and South Africa, however it beats out Windscribe at each flip. Given that the distinction on the free servers wasn’t fairly so stark, we’re ready to name Proton VPN the winner in this class.
2. Features
Both Proton VPN and Windscribe strike an excellent steadiness with their characteristic units, feeling neither bare-bones nor overstuffed.
Proton VPN’s Features
Proton VPN does a superb job of integrating its options into its core performance. Everything is there to make you safer, immediately or not directly. Its Secure Core servers transcend a standard multi-hop VPN connection by making certain that a minimum of one of many knowledge facilities you join by way of is a extremely secured bodily location in Switzerland, Iceland or Sweden.
Other than its limitless free model, Secure Core is Proton VPN’s most important differentiator.
It’s additionally received a malware and advert blocker, NetShield, although it doesn’t use machine studying to foretell assaults — it simply blocks any web site on a database of identified offenders. There’s additionally a kill swap, and Windows and Android customers get entry to separate tunneling.
Windscribe’s Features
Windscribe has a barely totally different characteristic set, however you’ll see a number of the identical hits. There’s a kill swap (known as a “firewall”) and break up tunneling on Windows, macOS and Android. Some extra distinctive options embrace the power to make use of a Windows laptop operating Windscribe as a safe hotspot, and a browser extension that enables anybody to make use of a double-hop connection.
If you run Windows, you need to use Windscribe as a safe hotspot. On macOS, this is all you’ll see.
Other than the VPN, although, Windscribe’s most attribute providing needs to be R.O.B.E.R.T. On the free model, R.O.B.E.R.T. is a customizable blocker of advertisements and malware that allows you to provide you with blocklists and allowlists for particular domains.
Upgrading to Windscribe Pro or utilizing the build-a-plan choice provides lists for social media, porn, playing websites, faux information domains and extra.
So far, so related. However, Proton VPN pulls forward by providing specialty servers, very like those obtainable on NordVPN. These servers are optimized for sure duties, together with P2P file sharing and Tor servers for the favored anonymity community. Windscribe has nothing of the kind, although torrenting and Onion over VPN are allowed on all its servers.
Proton VPN additionally will get a couple of bonus factors for being built-in into the Proton household of privateness instruments, which incorporates Proton Mail (e-mail with robust end-to-end encryption — learn our Proton Mail evaluate). Then there’s the profiles characteristic, which saves configurations for straightforward repeat entry.
All in all, there’s simply extra you are able to do than with Proton VPN, and it’s all executed nicely.
$4.99 / month (All Plans)30-day money-back assure
$5.75 / month (All Plans)3-day money-back assure
ProtonVPN Review
Windscribe Review
General
Payment strategies
PayPal, Credit card, Bitcoin, money
PayPal, Credit card
Accepts cryptocurrency
Simultaneous connections
10
Unlimited
Supports break up tunneling
Windows & Android
Unlimited bandwidth
Free trial obtainable
Refund interval
Worldwide server quantity
1700+
servers in 69 nations
Desktop OSes
Windows, MacOS, Linux
Windows, MacOS, Linux
Mobile OSes
Android, iOS
Android, iOS, BlackBerry
Browser extensions
Chrome, Firefox, Opera
Can be put in on routers
Streaming
Can entry Netflix US
Can entry پروکسی iPlayer
Can entry Hulu
Can entry Amazon Prime Video
Security
Encryption varieties
256-AES, RSA-4096, ChaCha20, HMAC-SHA384
256-AES
VPN protocols obtainable
OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard
OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard
Enabled at gadget startup
Allows torrenting
No-logging coverage
Passed DNS leak take a look at
Killswitch obtainable
Malware/advert blocker included
Support
Live Chat
Email assist
24/7
24/7
Phone assist
User discussion board
Knowledgebase
3. Pricing
We’ll begin this spherical by evaluating the free plans supplied by Windscribe and Proton VPN. Both are identified to be beneficiant free VPNs, and each include limitless bandwidth (although not knowledge). Which one comes with extra?
Proton VPN Free is one of many few free VPNs that doesn’t impose an information cap. You can use it as a lot as you want with out paying. However, you’re restricted to some servers in the United States, Japan and the Netherlands. You can also’t use most of its options; Secure Core, Tor servers and NetShield are all off-limits.
Windscribe’s free VPN takes a special method. It does have an information cap, however it’s one of many highest caps in the enterprise — as much as 15GB in the event you present an e-mail handle and tweet concerning the VPN service. You can use servers in 10 nations and get restricted entry to R.O.B.E.R.T., plus limitless bandwidth.
Windscribe even affords limitless simultaneous connections free of charge (Proton VPN solely provides you one). Many aggressive VPN suppliers solely assist as much as 5 units (Surfshark is a notable exception), so this makes Windscribe very engaging.
Paid Account Options
Proton VPN Plus prices $9.99 monthly, $5.99 monthly for a yr, or $4.99 monthly for 2 years. Paying unlocks 10 simultaneous connections and the whole server community.
In addition to those plans, you will get bundle offers on all of Proton’s merchandise.
Windscribe is cheaper, costing $9 monthly or $5.75 monthly for a yr. There’s no two-year choice, however it can save you much more by constructing your personal plan. This choice prices $1 per server location (with a minimal of $3), plus an extra $1 for limitless knowledge. That’s far cheaper monthly than any Proton VPN plan — and also you solely must commit for a month.
Both of Windscribe’s paid plans value lower than their Proton VPN counterparts, however it lacks a two-year plan.
Windscribe wins out right here for many customers. The solely purpose to desire Proton VPN’s pricing is in the event you do lots of HD streaming and might’t afford a VPN account. In that particular scenario, the shortage of an information restrict on this service will come in helpful.
4. Security
The core VPN safety features of Windscribe and Proton VPN are virtually indistinguishable. Both are constructed across the identical VPN protocols: OpenVPN, WireGuard and IKEv2. All three of those protocols are identified to be safe, that includes the strongest encryption at present obtainable to the general public. Both VPNs handed all our DNS leak assessments.
However, Windscribe is the profitable service for 2 causes: It’s received further protocols for obfuscation, and it’s been examined in the true world.
Windscribe affords Stealth and WStunnel, two protocols that conceal your VPN connection from anybody who blocks or censors all VPNs equally. This robust encryption makes it a fantastic VPN for China in the event you’re planning a go to.
It’s not simple to learn the way to vary protocols on Windscribe. Go to the connection tab, then change the mode from auto to handbook to see the dropdown menu.
Windscribe additionally confronted a real-world safety take a look at in 2021, when police in Ukraine confiscated two of its servers. After realizing that an ideal storm of bugs might need let the police spy on person actions, Windscribe overhauled its certification course of for knowledge facilities to make sure the incident by no means occurred once more.
That response makes us a bit extra assured in Windscribe’s safety than in that of Proton VPN, which has by no means undergone an equal trial by fireplace.
5. Privacy
This spherical is the place we’ve received our first tie, as Proton VPN and Windscribe have functionally an identical privateness insurance policies.
Windscribe claims that it retains the minimal logs doable on person conduct, and deletes all of them as quickly as you disconnect from the server. Its common transparency report tracks requests from regulation enforcement, none of which have been fulfilled.
Windscribe’s privateness coverage makes its pro-user philosophy clear.
Proton VPN claims about the identical — that it doesn’t maintain any knowledge that might be used to incriminate a person on any fees.
Its personal transparency report cites a Swiss authorized case in which Proton VPN couldn’t present proof as a result of its logs didn’t exist (nevertheless, we couldn’t discover a information story that immediately named the case in query). It additionally not too long ago handed an impartial audit of its no-logs coverage.
This assurance opens Proton VPN’s well-written, audit-backed privateness coverage.
Although Windscribe hasn’t been audited not too long ago, its very infrastructure makes it unattainable for it to maintain logs, so we’ve little question it will move any take a look at. Proton VPN is constructed the identical approach, so we’re giving each providers the win.
Round: Privacy
No clear winner, factors for each
6. Streaming
To succeed at streaming, a VPN must examine two containers: the power to bypass firewalls on Netflix and different platforms, and excessive sufficient obtain pace to observe movies with out stuttering.
We examined each VPNs on six streaming platforms: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, پروکسی iPlayer, HBO Max and Disney+.
Proton VPN was in a position to entry all six with nice video high quality, even on the U.Okay. server. Windscribe did as nicely, however we needed to strive extra servers, and the entire course of usually took longer. Therefore, Proton VPN is our winner for streaming.
7. Torrenting
Both Proton VPN and Windscribe are high quality VPNs for torrenting, particularly once you examine their free plans to different free choices. That mentioned, can we crown a winner right here?
To begin, each VPNs enable torrenting. Proton VPN has some specialised servers tailored to encourage torrenting, although they’re solely obtainable on paid plans. Windscribe helps torrenting on any server with out a “no P2P” icon.
Since we already know Proton VPN has higher common obtain speeds, you may ask why we’re giving Windscribe the sting. Two phrases: break up tunneling. Both VPNs provide break up tunneling on all plans, letting you run your torrent shopper by way of the VPN whereas utilizing the web at full pace with out safety. However, Windscribe makes it obtainable on extra platforms.
8. Server Locations
For this class, we’re not simply evaluating the strict sizes of every VPN’s server community, but additionally how well-distributed the server areas are. It’s onerous to get satisfactory efficiency with out a server comparatively near you.
Windscribe has extra server areas in common, with 112 knowledge facilities in 69 nations. Proton VPN lags barely behind with 89 areas in 64 nations. Windscribe additionally affords way more servers on its free plan, with 10 areas, in comparison with Proton VPN’s three.
Proton VPN has loads of server areas in Latin America, and even a couple of in Africa, however not as many as Windscribe.
Both providers have a number of areas in areas that different VPNs typically overlook, reminiscent of Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. Since each networks are equally expansive, Windscribe wins on sheer numbers.
9. User-Friendliness
Downloading each VPNs is simple — it occurs virtually mechanically when you’ve paid for it. It’s once you begin utilizing the apps that they start to diverge.
Proton VPN thoughtfully integrates its options into its desktop interface.
Proton VPN has among the best VPN interfaces. Its visually pleasing, dark-hued apps pack lots of options right into a small area with out ever feeling overstuffed. Using Proton VPN looks like navigating a superbly organized room. It connects shortly, even to slower servers.
Windscribe isn’t almost as well-designed. Its desktop apps are so compressed that they appear to be cellular apps, and even the cellular apps look cluttered. Features are listed haphazardly with out a lot rationalization of what they do. It’s daunting for the non-technical person, and it doesn’t assist that connecting to servers might be inexplicably sluggish.
Windscribe’s UI is a jumbled mess.
However, this class is nearer than it may appear. It’s additionally vital to contemplate what number of units and platforms the VPN works on. Both VPNs work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. Windscribe regains some factors right here by having browser extensions (Google Chrome, Firefox, Edge) and apps for good TVs, neither of which you’ll discover on Proton VPN.
Windscribe additionally sells pre-configured routers. Meanwhile, Proton requires you to arrange a router VPN manually. It’s not fairly sufficient to beat its misguided interface, however Windscribe’s wider number of apps does make up some floor.
10. Customer Support
Neither of those VPNs has nice buyer assist. Windscribe has an honest knowledgebase, however there’s no stay chat; you’ll must make do with an auto-responding bot. The articles are largely helpful, however they regularly attempt to be humorous at inappropriate instances.
At least it’s doable to submit a assist ticket, and response instances are fast.
Proton VPN is worse, although. The knowledgebase is scant, with no clear system for producing useful content material. It appears that new info is added solely when a person reviews a particular bug. Its web site typically appears to be hiding the assist ticket kind on function. At least on Windscribe.com, it’s simple to search out, so Windscribe wins by default.
The Verdict
Deciding the battle of Windscribe vs Proton VPN isn’t simple. Both VPN suppliers are robust, and the competitors has clearly made them each stronger.
In common, Proton VPN is sooner and simpler to make use of. It unblocks streaming platforms extra constantly, and limitless knowledge means you possibly can truly stream greater than an hour of video monthly on its free VPN.
Windscribe, regardless of being more durable to make use of and barely slower than Proton VPN, rises above it in plenty of methods. Its safety is extra battle-tested, its server community extra expansive and its buyer assist extra humanist. It could fall behind in sure particulars, however total Windscribe is the stronger VPN, on each the paid model and the free.
In the Windscribe vs Proton VPN contest, which do you favor? Or do you utilize one other one altogether? Leave a remark together with your opinion. Thanks for studying!
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