Windscribe VPN Review
Windscribe VPN Review – Top Freemium Service
Short Information | |
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Number of servers | 480+ |
Server locations | 110 |
Maximum devices supported | Unlimited |
Logs | No Logs |
Support | |
Supported Client Software | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Chrome, Mozilla Firefox |
Block Ads | Yes |
Windscribe has become a popular brand for providing top-notch service for those in need of a free VPN the world over. As a freemium service, it means that users get to decide whether to go for a free or paid (premium) option. It is a relatively young, self-funded, and for-profit organization.
Just before you choose a particular VPN, you will certainly be wondering what you stand to gain or lose if you go for it. This free option is very generous as it has a data limit of 10GB every month. But then, you can subscribe to enjoy more data.
Well, its operations office is located in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. It came into existence in 2016, making it relatively new. Additionally, the firm offers most of the features many subscribers look for.
When you subscribe to this service, you will certainly have access to a number of servers, exceptional security, and advanced features. You will also be able to use streaming services and torrenting. In this review, you will get to know how all these features work and whether to select this service or not.
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Key Features of Windscribe VPN
There are certain features you are certainly going to enjoy when you subscribe to this VPN. First and foremost, you will have access to servers that are spread across many cities in 63 countries worldwide. Have you ever heard of R.O.B.E.R.T.? Well, this is a special feature used for blocking domains, malware, and IPs based on instructions from the user.
Also, there is no-logs policy, AES-256 with SHA-512 authentication and a 4096-bit RSA key for keeping your data tamper-proof and encrypted. You will make a pick from the Config Generators, a feature that allows users to configure files and profiles for certain protocols.
Other fascinating and useful features include Time Warp, Cookie Monster, 30-day money-back guarantee, unlimited number of simultaneous connections, WebRTC Slayer, and the list is just endless.
Server Network
Well, Windscribe has just over 480 servers in many strategic locations the world over. With this coverage, users can connect to the internet through the network and make the most of the wide spectrum of services offered.
Sadly, this VPN did not indicate how its server footprint is spread around the world. Nevertheless, Windscribe is physically present in 110 locations worldwide. But for free users, servers are available in only 10 countries and 22 locations.
From the United States to the United Kingdom, Canada to the Netherlands, Switzerland to Australia, South Africa to Hong Kong, and Singapore to Japan, all these locations show that this Canada-based cybersecurity firm is robustly present in many strategic locations.
When we look at the number of servers it has, we must point out that Windscribe has relatively few servers. This is the case because the top-tier companies typically have 3,000 to 5,000 servers just to ensure that they are able to satisfy all their subscribers.
You are probably wondering why it is important that these firms have a vast network of servers. Well, there are two major reasons why it is crucial. First of all, it eliminates congestion. You see, where there are few servers, many subscribers will be making frantic efforts to have access to the network from the available servers. The implication is that the available servers will be congested. When they are congested, users will be struggling to connect.
Consequently, the provider will be compelled to throttle the various users just to accommodate the large volume of traffic on its network. Throttling the users in this instance means that the company will have to slow down users’ speeds. So, when a VPN has lots of servers, congestion will be considerably minimized.
Additionally, a VPN firm that has a vast footprint will have better speeds. However, it does not have anything to do with congestion this time but users’ abilities to access the nearest server.
In other words, people are more likely to have a better internet experience when they connect to the internet through VPN servers close to them. For example, you are likely to enjoy better internet speeds if you are accessing a VPN server in Tokyo when your real location is Tokyo.
Privacy and Security
For a VPN firm to provide excellent service, it must have superb security features. This is particularly true because this is one of the reasons why many users subscribe to a VPN in the first place. Has Windscribe made any serious efforts in that regard? Well, let’s find out together.
- Kill switch
One of the services you will certainly appreciate when you subscribe to this service is access to a kill switch. Indeed, this is that all-important security feature that ensures your data does not leak to prying eyes. Well, a kill switch is a feature that severs your data flow when a VPN connection starts acting up.
Known as Firewall in Windscribe, it ensures your IP address and your online activities are not exposed to your ISP or the government by automatically terminating your traffic when something goes wrong with your VPN connection. Upon activating the kill switch, your traffic will stop, thus preventing your data and IP address from being exposed. Without the firewall feature, your data is at the mercy of the same people you are trying so hard to avoid.
- Split tunneling
Did you know that some banks will not let you access their site if you are connected to a VPN? Yes, that is right. When you find yourself in such a difficult situation, you may be tempted to shut down your VPN just to access your account. Guess what, you do not really have to do that. All you need to do is to activate split tunneling. Sure, it is yet another security feature that you should expect from an effective cybersecurity firm.
Thankfully, Windscribe has split tunneling. In case you do not know what that means, it enables you to route your traffic via either the VPN or ISP communication channel. With this function, you can select what you wish to route via either of the connections.
This way, you do not necessarily have to shut down your VPN just to have access to online banking or any other services for that matter. However, it is only available on Android devices. But then, Windows, macOS, and iOS support for this feature is underway.
- Encryption protocol
Without getting too technical with the encryption protocol you get here, you should keep in mind that Windscribe offers an AES-256 cipher with SHA-512 authentication as well as a 4096-bit RSA key. In addition to those encryption features, users will enjoy perfect forward secrecy.
With respect to the AES 256-bit encryption, it has become the standard in the industry today, thanks to the US intelligence community, which popularized it. In other words, you do not have to keep looking over your shoulder when you use this encryption tool.
With respect to the Windscribe browser extension, this Canada-based company has TLS 1.2 and ECDHE_RSA with P-256 key exchange. However, you get an AES_128_GCM cipher on the browser. In regard to its protocols, you are definitely going to enjoy a lot of them when you subscribe to this service. Lastly, the protocols you make a selection from include IKEv2, OpenVPN (UDP and TCP), Stealth, and Wstunnel.
- Leak protection
One of the perks you enjoy from most of the VPNs out there is leak protection. Well, it ensures that your data is not consciously leaked when you access the internet. It is yet another measure employed in the industry to keep your identity sealed. We put this service to the test to figure out how effective it is regarding leak protection. There are lots of web tools you can use to determine if a site is truly leakproof from your end.
On this network, DNS requests are made over the tunnel, thus ensuring that your traffic is not leaked to the ISP or any other prying eyes for that matter. Yes, this is what we found out. By routing your request through its DNS server, Windscribe ensures that your IP address or any other personal information is not exposed. This is a big plus! We have independently confirmed this function and can say that it is available here. Finally, the function is known as WebRTC Slayer.
- Ad blocker
If you surf the internet all the time, you will often notice some unusual ads popping up every now and then. Sometimes, the ads make too-good-to-be-true promises. As a regular internet surfer, you already know that those could be scams, malware, spyware, etc. Well, this company makes certain that you are not forced to see those annoying ads when you access the internet through their VPN.
Basically, the feature is available in 3 key forms: ad blocking, tracker blocking, and social network blocking. You might not know that Facebook and Twitter collect and share marketing information about you. The good thing is that Windscribe ensures that these social networking sites do not collect such information.
In addition to this, they will not have access to your browsing history. This way, your anonymity and privacy are guaranteed. This is all thanks to R.O.B.E.R.T. as it is the feature you can always rely on to protect you from all these forms of cyber tracking.
- Wi-Fi protection
Nowadays, accessing a free Wi-Fi hotspot is as easy as ABC. You can find them at airports, hotels, restaurants, malls, etc. These hotspots are untrusted networks that often attract lots of people including hackers, advertisers, and criminals. Connecting to public Wi-Fi hotspots is an easy way to become a victim of cybercriminals. They crawl the network in search of victims and attack when they realize that the web surfers are vulnerable. Sometimes, they create fake networks in the hopes that people will connect to them.
Interestingly, they create malicious Wi-Fi networks with network names that use popular brands. For instance, you see names like MacDonald’s and Starbucks. The aim is to use sophisticated phishing tools to steal your login details, thus causing damage to your accounts, smart devices, and data. However, Windscribe is built with Wi-Fi protection that ensures that you are not exposed to such manipulations.
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Logging Policy
A logging policy, which is also known as a privacy policy, spells out what the firm does with its subscribers’ personal information. What such firms do with your personal information should matter to you. You will get to find out why. Moving on, when we discuss logging policies, we often look at it from 3 standpoints.
- Policy details
Under Policy details, we analyze the policies the company has formulated to protect its users from prying eyes. If you have not used a VPN before, what providers do with your personal information should matter to you because some of them are involved in negative activities. No doubt, these unscrupulous behaviors are capable of undermining your personal security. The fact is that some of them sell your personal information to third-party companies.
Well, they usually do this because they use the proceeds of such transactions to foot their bills. Oftentimes, they collect data like your name, email address, physical address, payment details, IP addresses, etc. While a good number of them admit that they collect a user’s personal information, others do not. Here is the catch; every good firm that offers this kind of service must have a zero-logs policy.
- Jurisdiction
Furthermore, you should find out the physical location of your preferred VPN. This is simply because some jurisdictions are unfavorable for hosting such companies. The reason is that there are countries that have online data retention law. On top of that, there is a global alliance known as the 5/9/14-Eye Alliance.
Basically, it is an association whose member nations are mandated to gather intelligence on internet users in its jurisdiction and share it with the rest. The members include the US, the UK, Norway, Spain, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, New Zealand, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, and Sweden. If your VPN is based in any of these countries, the authorities may have access to your data anytime, any day.
- Reputation
We cannot emphasize the importance of reputation in the cybersecurity space enough. For example, if such a cybersecurity firm has been involved in illegal activities or has been working with government authorities to spy on people, then it is not reputable. It means that the privacy of its users can be compromised easily. In fact, nobody should ever consider subscribing to a service that has helped government officials spy on its users.
While that could be a commendable move for improving national security, it is an outright breach of customer trust. Secondly, these cybersecurity firms are increasingly opening their doors to reputable third-party organizations to audit their operations. After such comprehensive audits, the report is made public in order to gain confidence and build trust. This is a hallmark of transparency.
- Getting hands-on with Windscribe
When it comes to policy details and reputation, Windscribe will not disappoint you. The registration process requires that you sign up with your username and password. This is done with your email address. If you do not wish to provide your email address, you will be entitled to 2GB per month as opposed to the normal 10GB. It also collects your time of connection and data expended. For all intents and purposes, this is minimal data logging.
On the positive side, it will interest you to know that this company does not allow or use any third-party analytics or tracking services. This means that your activities with the company stay with them. Also, the company uses a third-party payment processor and keeps your transaction ID for 30 days.
Despite reassurances that it does not give users’ data to the authorities, there is strong evidence that the Canadian intelligence agency secretly collects large pools of data. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has been collecting the data since 2018.
But then, the firm has never been rocked by any data leak scandal. From the preceding, it is safe to say that Windscribe does not implement an entirely zero-log policy, thanks to the jurisdictional legal requirements.
You see, Canada is not really a good location for operating such a firm because it is a member of the 5-Eye Alliance. Windscribe is subject to anti-privacy legislation, which forbids online companies from keeping their data secret. To make a long story short, Windscribe could be retaining your logs in the hopes of sharing them with the Canadian authorities.
Speed of Windscribe VPN
Server Location | Download Speed | Upload Speed |
New York | 21.07 Mbps | 3.49 Mbps |
Amsterdam | 26.9 Mbps | 6.41 Mbps |
London | 29.52 Mbps | 5.2 Mbps |
Hong Kong | 24.7 Mbps | 9.43 Mbps |
Speed is yet another factor you must consider in your ideal VPN because you need it to do virtually everything online. As a result, we performed a series of speed tests on Windscribe using 4 different server locations. These cities are New York, Amsterdam, London, and Hong Kong. Now, we will briefly explain our findings.
In keeping with our tradition, we started the speed test with the server in New York. We were not impressed with its speeds as the download speed sat at 21.07 Mbps while the upload speed was 3.49 Mbps. In truth, these results are nowhere near impressive when you compare them to those of premium service providers in the industry. However, we did not stop there as the tests continued.
The next stop was the European city of Amsterdam. When we gauged the speed of Windscribe on their Amsterdam-based server, the results were not inspiring either. Just before carrying out the test, we ensured that the parameters remained constant.
The startling Amsterdam results revealed a download speed of 26.9 Mbps. On the other hand, its upload speed was much worse as it settled at 6.41 Mbps. Admittedly, these results are better than the results we got earlier. They still leave so much to be desired.
Moving on, we measured the speed at a London server. Just as when we always perform this test, it gives us an idea of what it feels like accessing the internet from yet another European city. Well, the results were poor just like the previous ones.
We recorded 29.52 Mbps and 5.22 Mbps as the download speed and upload speed respectively. Truly, the download speed and upload speed are nothing to write home about. But the truth of the matter is that you can still count on it to enjoy lots of online activities.
Lastly, we did a test on the server in Hong Kong, ensuring that all the parameters remained unchanged. From our previous speed results, the Chinese city always has poor speed performance. So, we were right about Hong Kong as the download speed was 24.70 Mbps and the upload speed dropped to 9.43 Mbps. For some reason, the servers in Hong Kong rarely have breakneck speeds. This is one of the not-so-good results we got when we performed the series of speed tests.
- Speed summary
At this juncture, we have to summarize the tests with a few takeaways. From our speed results, we can categorically state that Windscribe’s speed is below average. Looking at the results closely, one can state that they are inconsistent. Put simply, the speed tests showed some minor variations among the locations when they are juxtaposed.
Besides, we were disappointed with all the results because they were not superb. With respect to the average speed of the four cities we sampled, the average download speed was 25.55 Mbps while the average upload speed was 6.14 Mbps. From these calculations, it is abundantly clear that the speed of Windscribe is only fair.
Despite both download and upload speeds being uninspiring, you will have a good internet experience with this VPN. But then, it cannot be compared to the experience offered by premium services. Like we always note here, it is normal for a VPN to slow down your speed the moment a connection is established.
Aside from this drop, you could observe other factors that may affect your speed like source speed (speed of ISP), user’s location, and the computer’s processing speed. With that being said, you can independently perform the speed test and get an entirely different result because the parameters may not be the same.
Therefore, this encrypted service has a fair speed, which allows users to do a lot with it. How do we rate its speed? Given its lackluster performance, it gets 6/10 from us.
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Customer Service
Customer Service | |
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24-hour support | No |
Type of support | |
Free trial period | Has a free version |
Money-back guarantee | 3-day |
Every good VPN firm must have effective customer care agents to provide both new and existing customers with technical support and answers to their questions. Many VPN providers claim to do this when they actually do not. As a result, we always put them to the test using certain criteria. Let’s discuss these yardsticks briefly.
- Quick response to messages
First of all, every good provider must respond to their messages quickly. Truly, a swift response to messages is very important to VPN users especially in times of emergency. Aside from emergencies, some agents provide remote configuration services. So, it is perfectly fine for newbies to contact the company. They should receive responses in a flash.
Consequently, prospective users can feel comfortable reaching out to agents for technical support every now and then. A good provider must have a help desk that is capable of offering solutions in a split second as it goes to show that they are knowledgeable, helpful, and capable. They should be accessible via 24-hour live chat.
- 24/7 availability
Every good customer care service must be available around the clock. Notice that VPN users are scattered around the world, meaning that the agents must be working all the time to attend to these users. Sure, VPNs are accessed globally.
Because the users have different time zones, the provider must be readily available to support them whenever the users need help. The VPN company should offer real-time online interaction via its live chat support. Then, you can share your technical hitches or questions with them and get responses any time of the day.
- Multiple communication channels
Aside from 24/7 availability, a good VPN firm must be accessible via multiple communication channels. These channels include email, live chat, contact form, social media, etc. Today, VPNs are increasingly embracing telephones and VoIP. We must emphasize that having multiple communication channels is one thing, while being able to respond to messages via those channels early enough is quite another.
- Hands-on with a Windscribe customer representative
We carried out extensive tests on this service to ascertain how effective or otherwise its agents are. While it has become a norm for many companies in this space to have 24-hour live chat, Windscribe does not have it yet. This is really shocking to say the least as the most common method for contacting its team is through email. Well, we sent the team an email just to determine how good the communication channel is.
Note that one of the questions we made inquiries about was the free trial period. Of course, you may be thinking that there would not be any need for that since there is a free version of this service, but we learned that you can get a Pro trial when you submit a ticket to the site. The process is automated as Garry, the automated robot, is always ready to help. It is noteworthy that we got feedback some 2 days later with the details of how the process works.
With regard to their response time, the email response time was not good. The details of the email gave us an overview of their services. Well, it pointed out that while the free plan includes just 22 server locations across 10 countries, the paid version offers 110 server locations in 63 countries. So, the choice is yours.
Furthermore, we have to mention that Windscribe has a FAQ page. Upon visiting the page, you will find out that it answers lots of questions about the company and how its services work. We must commend the detailed knowledge base as it contains most of the questions that many prospective users would want to know about the network. There are answers to “General Questions,” “Desktop Application FAQs,” and “Browser Extension FAQs.”
The fundamental information you should have about the company and its wide spectrum of services is contained on the page. We must not fail to mention that this company has a forum. However, the downside is that it takes a much longer time to get responses from the forum. By and large, we strongly advise that you check the FAQ page for key information about this service. But then, you should use the contact form or email if the information is not readily available.
Supported Client Software
VPN providers develop their software so that it can run on multiple operating systems. When they are able to achieve this, it means compatibility will not be a challenge. Now, let’s find out what operating systems Windscribe supports.
- Windows
If you are a Windows OS user, your operating system is a top priority for this service. For you to join the Windscribe family, you must have Windows 7 or later. We tried the Windscribe client for Windows just to get a feel for how it works. It is easy to navigate, reliable, and easy to connect. You will also enjoy the security that this client gives its users.
Also, you can bypass censorship, gain access to premium content from the United States and elsewhere in the world, and prevent your ISP from being able to find out what you actually do online. Besides, we noticed that the speed was fair when we connected to the internet. Some common Windscribe VPN features include Firewall, Stealth Mode, etc. All these are perks you get to enjoy when you download, install, and sign up for this service.
- Linux
You can always join millions of Windscribe users around the world to improve your online privacy and security by downloading, installing, and configuring this app on your Linux systems. This is a command-line interface program that runs on a number of distros. These distros are Ubuntu 19.04, Debian 10, Fedora 22+, and CentOS 6+.
When you have it running on your computer, you are sure to enjoy lots of perks from the Canadian company. For instance, you will be able to unblock geo-restricted content, hide your browsing history, go beyond the basic protection that you get from similar services, etc. You should note that this app is still in beta, but you will definitely not be exposed to any bugs.
- macOS
Well, the macOS family is not left out as Windscribe is readily available to it. You can get started by visiting the Apple App Store on your computer to download and install this client. You can trust this client to provide top-notch security and privacy on your Mac computer. Just like other users, you get to enjoy 10GB per month and one device in the demo version.
You will bypass censorship, enjoy a stealth mode, have access to blocked content, anonymously browse the internet, and secure your Mac’s Wi-Fi connection. The Windscribe client for Mac ensures that your computer’s connection is encrypted. On the flip side, we found out that its speed is variable and that there are certain locations where this client is slow.
- Android
To get started with the client for Android OS, you will visit the Google Play Store from your device to download and install the app. When you have done that, you will launch the app on your mobile device. To install this app on your device, it has to be running on Android 4.1 or later.
The installation process is straightforward and takes about 6 steps to have it running on your mobile device. You will have access to IKEv2 via the StrongSwan app in order for it to run seamlessly on your smartphone or tablet. Other perks include unlimited bandwidth, unlimited connections, countless servers, etc.
- iOS
Well, you can visit the App Store from your device to download and install the Windscribe client on iPhone and iPad. When you have this client running on your iPhone, you can be sure of privacy protection, Wi-Fi security, and unrestricted access to censored content. You will also browse anonymously and have access to lots of servers.
The Windscribe client for iPhone makes certain that your data is not compromised. It also ensures that your ISP does not have any idea what you do online. You will download the app and set it up with OpenVPN. Lastly, you can either set it up manually or automatically.
- Smart TV
Windscribe for smart TV enables you to seamlessly protect your TV. It is compatible with Amazon FireTV, Nvidia Shield, and KODI. To do this, you have to secure your computer system using the VPN. Afterward, you will turn on your hotspot from your computer and connect any of the smart TVs you wish to protect. Once you do that, you do not have to worry about security, and you can also bypass any geo-blocked sites of your choice.
- Router
There are certain devices that are not compatible with this service. These devices include your game consoles such as Xbox and PlayStation. This means that you cannot connect them directly to a VPN. In that case, you will need a router to connect them.
Just like using your laptop to connect your smart TVs to the VPN, you can also connect them from your router. So, you can configure your router and connect Western Digital Live TV, Google TV, Samsung TV, Apple TV, Kindle tablets, etc.
But then, this is only possible if you have certain routers like DD-WRT, Tomato, and Asus routers. The reason is that these offer the firmware this service is compatible with at this time. The installation and activation processes are straightforward, so it will be done in a couple of minutes.
Also, the installation guidelines are detailed on the website. Similarly, the routers that work with the VPN are listed on the website. You can connect as many devices as you want even as it uses OpenVPN.
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Browser Extensions
Windscribe has browser extensions for the world’s most popular web browsers. These web browsers include Chrome, Opera, and Firefox. Just to find out how effective these browser extensions are, we tested them one after another. Yes, they worked well. With this add-on, you will certainly enjoy an ad blocker that keeps your internet security intact.
In other words, you do not have to worry about ads, trackers, or badges. As we mentioned earlier, ads, trackers, and badges are capable of compromising your online security. Well, a browser extension is a standalone VPN, so you do not necessarily need the app to protect your online activities.
Put simply, the browser proxy encrypts your browser’s traffic, but it does not protect all the apps on your computer. Because these plugins merely protect your online activities on your web browser, you can combine them with your OS client to safeguard your applications.
If you do not extend the protection to your apps, it means that software that does not go through the browser to connect to the internet is exposed to cybercriminals. Other perks you will enjoy include data encryption, a hidden IP address, access to geo-blocked sites, etc.
Unlike the clients that you must pay for, the Windscribe browser extension is free. As a matter of fact, you will have to make a choice between the free or premium service only if you are going for the client. It is great that you get to enjoy this browser extension on a list of web browsers including Chrome, Opera, and Firefox.
Torrenting with Windscribe
Basically, torrenting simply means the download of peer-to-peer (P2P) files via the BitTorrent protocol. These files could be music, movies, TV shows, software, etc. Over time, torrenting has become controversial because most torrenters share copyrighted materials without the consent of their owners.
Today, copyright infringement lawsuits have filled the industry, compelling VPNs to shy away from torrent servers. With that being said, we must establish here that torrenting laws vary from one country to another.
Although a plethora of providers continuously shy away from supporting this capability, Windscribe allows torrenting. Our findings show that this VPN has many different torrent clients. These clients include uTorrent, Deluge, qBittorrent, and VUZE. Just feel free to select from the list of clients depending on the one that works well for you.
The installation steps are detailed on the website, and you do not have to be a techie to install the proxies. It is a good thing that Windscribe does not impose any sort of restrictions when it comes to torrenting. You can download as many files as you want using their servers. While its speed remains a challenge here, you will certainly enjoy torrenting when you subscribe to this service.
To make up for its not-too-good speed, this company has a spectrum of security features that keep you safe when you access forbidden torrent sites. In spite of that, we strongly advise that you find out your local laws on torrenting before you get started. The reason is that various countries have different digital copyright laws.
Earlier, we mentioned that many VPN firms expand their footprints just to improve users’ experiences. So, it is advisable you run through the list of torrenting-friendly servers near you. When you do that, you will have a much better torrenting experience when the server is just in your backyard. There is no doubt that securing a torrenting session with Windscribe is easy.
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Netflix Access with Windscribe
Netflix is the world’s leading streaming site that allows millions of viewers around the world access to its paywalled service on the go. You can access the content of the streaming platform using many different devices including computers, TVs, smartphones, tablets, etc.
Even though the streaming platform can be accessed globally, its content is geo-restricted, meaning that its copyrighted content varies from one country to another. Of all its libraries, the American catalog remains the largest.
In keeping with its rule, non-American residents cannot access the content. This means that if you are living outside of the United States or have just left the country on a trip, you will not be able to watch its rich variety of content to keep up with entertaining flicks and TV shows. But there is a way out of this.
You can bypass the firewalls of the streaming giant to watch American Netflix. When we read that Windscribe is capable of unblocking Netflix, we feared that it was a marketing gimmick. Well, we put the VPN to the test to unravel the truth. The thing is that just any of its servers will not circumvent the firewalls as there are dedicated servers specially meant for that purpose.
These are known as Windflix servers, and you need to connect to them to be able to unblock the streaming site. These servers are located in the United States, Tokyo, and London. Keep in mind, however, that if you use the free plan, streaming Netflix movies and TV shows is not for you because it is only available with the paid version.
As you already know, you cannot access the library of the American streaming giant if you are not based in the United States, but this service is the game changer you need to do this. While Windscribe’s speed is not particularly spectacular, you will still enjoy high-definition films without buffering. So, you can use this service to circumvent the Netflix firewall and have access to its all-important American library.
It is interesting that despite the fact that the American giant continues blocking some VPNs that are capable of circumventing its firewalls, Windscribe is still doing a great job in that space. Lastly, there are other amazing streaming sites you can easily unblock with the aid of Windscribe as well.
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Windscribe Cons
Apparently, we have spent some good time discussing the finer points of this VPN. Now, it is time to walk you through its drawbacks. So, let’s discuss them briefly.
- Jurisdiction
When it comes to Windscribe’s logging policy, it is nowhere close to the best out there because it collects users’ logs. On top of that, it is based in Canada, which is a member of the 5-Eye Alliance. These shortcomings should give you a cause for concern. We cannot completely rule out the possibility that the Canadian authorities have access to Windscribe data.
- Limited server network
Although most premium providers have between 3,000 and 5,000 servers across the globe, Windscribe is still limited with just over 480 servers. By all standards, this is nothing to write home about.
- TOR compatibility
This service did not specify how it clearly supports TOR compatibility to help its users improve their security. Admittedly, it has done so much in the area of security, but TOR/VPN compatibility is one of the features many VPN subscribers always look for because it strengthens online privacy and security.
- Poor speed
For customers to enjoy internet activities, every good VPN firm must have excellent speed. When we tested the speed of this VPN, we were not impressed with the average speeds in all the cities we gauged. No doubt, this company has to up its game on the speed front.
- Customer service
It is shocking that this service has no live chat support yet. Without a doubt, live chat support is one of the selling points of many companies because it helps customers to chat with agents on the go. For this, Windscribe is getting a thumbs down from us.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this company is relatively new, but it has made concerted efforts to improve its services over the time. Just to help you make the right decision, we carried out extensive tests and research concerning it. Truly, every useful guide must be thorough, which is what we achieved in this review. With that being said, we have to do a recap of all the great features it has to offer.
These perks include excellent security, the ability to unblock streaming sites, support for peer-to-peer file sharing, multiple device connection support, ability to block ads and malware, compatibility with different operating systems, etc.
With all these awesome features, there is no doubt that Windscribe remains one of most popular VPNs on the market. More importantly, users can still try its free version and later progress to the premium version if they are impressed with it.
So, do we recommend it? Yes we do but with some reservations. Although it is not typically considered one of the premium services out there, Windscribe has put measures in place to attract many users. One of the appealing things is that you do not have to pay a dime to get started.
On the other hand, you should not use this VPN if privacy means the world to you. Let’s face it; the thought of using a Canada-based service should be enough to give you sleepless nights or cause you to keep looking over your shoulder whenever you are online.
On the flip side, you have absolutely nothing to lose if you want a VPN for torrenting and do not have stringent online copyright laws in your country or just want a VPN for watching streaming sites. Why procrastinate any further? You should sign up now if this service meets your needs! Lastly, do not hesitate to share your experience with us!