Latest news with #Windscribe
Tom's Guide
20-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
Windscribe VPN review
Windscribe is a Canada-based VPN founded in 2016 by Yegor Sak and Alex Paguis. It's known for its generous free plan, powerful privacy tools, and developer-led approach – but it's also a little opaque in places, with things like server sizes not disclosed. Its monthly plan is relatively cheap at $9, and its unique Build a Plan pricing model means you can spend as little as $2 a month. That undercuts big names like NordVPN or ExpressVPN – but it also lacks some of the polish or extensive global coverage of those services. Still, Windscribe improved in meaningful ways in 2025, from infrastructure changes, to major security audits. At Tom's Guide, we've got hands-on with Windscribe, testing its speeds, unblocking, privacy protections, and apps across Windows, macOS, Android, iOS and more. While it's not flawless – malware blocking is weak and support is lacking – Windscribe is flexible, fast enough for most uses, and more transparent than most. Number of servers Undisclosed Server countries 108 locations in 67 countries Supported platforms Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Amazon Fire TV, Nvidia Shield, Kodi, DD-WRT, Tomato (router) Simultaneous connections Unlimited Protocols supported WireGuard, OpenVPN UDP & TCP, IKEv2 Country of registration Canada Support Articles, ticket system, 24/7 bot support Lowest monthly price $2 (Build-A-Plan) / $5.75 (Pro) For a quick explanation of any VPN-related terminology, check out our VPN glossary. Plan length Overall cost Monthly cost 1 month $108 $9 1 year $69 $5.75 Windscribe's standard monthly plan is $9 – cheaper than most big-name VPNs. More uniquely, Windscribe offers a Build a Plan option, letting you pay $1 per location, plus $1 for unlimited bandwidth. It's a flexible setup that can be pretty cheap, depending on how you configure it. Compared to competitors like NordVPN, Surfshark, or ExpressVPN, Windscribe's pricing is refreshingly customizable. However, when you consider what you actually get – a single location for $1 per month – it seems overpriced. Surfshark, for example, offers an introductory rate that works out at around $2 per month. That gets you everything – not just a limited selection of servers like Windscribe's Build-A-Plan – so there are cheaper deals on offer. However, be aware that these providers often crank up the price upon renewal, which Windscribe doesn't do. Better value can be found if you opt for the one-year plan (which brings the monthly cost down to $5.75), but there aren't any plans longer than a year – many rivals offer two-year plans and beyond. Windscribe's free tier is a good option if you want to try out Windscribe without paying a thing. Check out our Windscribe Free review for more details on the free version. Compared to competitors like NordVPN, Surfshark, or ExpressVPN, Windscribe's pricing is refreshingly customizable However, it's important to note that Windscribe Free is a lot more limited than Windscribe itself, with only 14 servers across 11 countries, and a 10 GB data limit. Still, it's worth using if you want to get a good idea of what Windscribe is like before committing monetarily. Rating: 7.5/10 Windscribe doesn't offer a traditional time-limited free trial. Instead, it has one of the best free VPN plans available. You get 2 GB of data per month (10 Gb if you use an email address, and 5 GB on top of that if you post about Windscribe on X), access to servers in 10 countries, and core features like the kill switch, split tunneling, and even torrenting. That's significantly more than what many premium competitors offer for free, making Windscribe a top choice for casual users and those wanting to test the service before committing. There are limitations, of course. There's the limited data mentioned above, and you don't get access to all server locations or features like port forwarding. But you can use the free tier indefinitely – no time pressure or the faff of providing billing details required. While the free tier won't be enough for serious downloaders and hardcore streamers, it's a great way to explore Windscribe's interface, unblocking power, and performance. For light users, though, it may be all the VPN they need. Windscribe includes all the key tools you'd expect from a modern VPN – but what you get depends on your subscription tier. Free users can connect to servers in 10 countries (including the UK, Canada, U.S., France, Germany, and Hong Kong). Even at this level, you get AES-256 encryption – the industry standard – a kill switch to block traffic if the VPN disconnects (confusingly called Firewall), and DNS leak protection to keep your real IP from leaking. You also get access to split tunneling, most major VPN protocols (including WireGuard and IKEv2), and support for torrenting on many servers. Windscribe's customizable blocking tool, R.O.B.E.R.T., is also included, letting you block ads, trackers, and malware-hosting domains, as well as blocking/unblocking other content including gambling and clickbait. Build-A-Plan users can select individual server locations for $1 per month each, and add unlimited data plus full R.O.B.E.R.T. access for another $1, which includes additional filtering options beyond basic ad blocking – such as trackers, malware, social media, and gambling domains. Custom VPN configurations (for selected locations) are also included, supporting manual setup with OpenVPN or WireGuard. The plan has a $3 per month minimum and can be changed mid-cycle without extra fees, allowing users to rotate locations freely. Static IPs remain a separate add-on, priced at $2 per month for data center IPs or $8 per month for residential. Windscribe includes all the key tools you'd expect from a modern VPN Pro users unlock access to all 69+ server locations, unlimited bandwidth, full feature access, and maximum R.O.B.E.R.T. customization. This includes blocking specific domains or IPs, setting allow-lists, and tailoring filters per-device. Pro also includes obfuscation modes – Stealth and Decoy Mode – which disguise VPN traffic in regions that restrict encrypted connections. All Windscribe users benefit from FreshScribe, a behind-the-scenes overhaul of its infrastructure. This includes RAM-only servers (which wipe themselves on reboot), revamped provisioning systems, and modular micro-services – all aimed at improving reliability, privacy, and performance across the board. One weak spot though, is R.O.B.E.R.T.'s malware and phishing blocking. In our latest tests, it blocked just 18% of malware URLs and 8% of phishing links – a sharp drop from previous results, though this is also due to stricter test methodology which also affected other VPN services we reviewed. Windscribe doesn't offer multi-hop routing like NordVPN or Proton VPN, but its core feature set remains impressively complete – especially considering how much is available for free. Rating: 8.5/10 Windscribe operates servers in 108 locations across 67 countries – significantly more than most VPNs (it's currently 25th in our list of 248). However, the company doesn't disclose how many servers it runs. Around 78 of those locations are in North America and Europe, making Windscribe particularly strong in Western regions. Coverage in Asia is relatively weak, with only 17 locations – behind ProtonVPN (41), ExpressVPN (34), and even smaller providers like Astrill and VyprVPN (21 each). Still, every Windscribe server – except 'Fake Antarctica' – is a true physical location, not a virtual one. Continent Countries Locations Europe 35 (inc. UK) Undisclosed North America 4 Undisclosed South America 6 Undisclosed Asia Pacific 16 Undisclosed Africa 3 Undisclosed That transparency is refreshing – especially compared to incidents like IPVanish using geo-spoofed locations with Saudi Arabia and France without telling users – and adds credibility in a market full of vague server claims. Rating: 7/10 Windscribe performed excellently in our streaming tests, unblocking nearly every major service without issues with performance on par with the best streaming VPNs. I was able to get into Netflix libraries in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and Japan. It also worked with Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, ITV, Channel 4, and even harder-to-access Australian platforms like 9Now and 10 Play. Unlike many services, we didn't need to jump between servers either – most worked on the first try. That makes it a reliable option for streaming fans who don't want to play VPN roulette every time they open a streaming app. Windscribe performed excellently in our streaming tests, unblocking nearly every major service without issues For those looking for the best torrenting VPN, Windscribe has your covered. Torrenting is also supported on most servers, even on the free plan. Combined with port forwarding and decent speeds, Windscribe is a great choice for P2P users. It did fall behind on bypassing VPN-detection tech, with three out of 15 test sites failing to detect it. That's fine for most users, but privacy-focused rivals like NordVPN and PureVPN score much higher. Rating: 9/10 Windscribe's speeds are decent overall – fast enough for most uses, but not quite enough to compete with the fastest VPNs. In our latest tests, it delivered average download speeds of 785 Mbps using the WireGuard protocol. This is more than enough for everyday activities, including browsing, gaming, and even streaming Netflix in 4K, which only needs around 25 Mbps. OpenVPN performance came in at 365 Mbps – a respectable result that still keeps things moving, even if it's not exceptional. However, these numbers are a step down from Windscribe's previous peak speeds of over 950 Mbps, and some competitors have now moved ahead. NordVPN, Surfshark, and Proton VPN all regularly exceed 950 Mbps, making them better picks if absolute top-end speed is your priority. Windscribe's speeds are decent overall – fast enough for most uses, but not quite at the top of the pack Latency was well within acceptable ranges, and we saw no major delays while browsing or loading content. The VPN connected in under two seconds with WireGuard, and server switching was fast and seamless. We didn't encounter any freezes or timeouts during testing. While VPNs can't increase your internet speed – they can only use what your provider gives you – a fast VPN like Windscribe ensures you're getting the most out of your connection without unnecessary slowdowns. That's key for maintaining smooth performance while protected. Speed tests were run using our standard multi-session methodology across multiple servers and time slots. You can read more about our testing process here. For most users, Windscribe's performance will be more than good enough – even if it's not the outright fastest VPN on the market. Rating: 7.5/10 Windscribe puts privacy at the heart of its service. It operates a strict no-logs policy – meaning it doesn't store your browsing history, connection timestamps, or IP address – and that's been independently verified through a 2024 audit of its FreshScribe infrastructure. This overhaul introduced RAM-only servers which wipe all data on reboot and improved internal systems that minimize the risk of user data exposure. The VPN uses top-tier AES-256 encryption with SHA512 authentication and supports modern, quantum-resistant encryption when using WireGuard and TLS 1.3. DNS leak protection and a kill switch – which cuts your internet if the VPN connection drops – are built into all core apps. In our tests, the kill switch worked reliably, and we detected no DNS leaks while switching servers. Windscribe also includes Decoy Mode and Stealth protocols to disguise VPN use, especially on restricted networks. However, it was flagged by three out of 15 VPN detection tests – slightly behind more stealth-focused rivals like NordVPN and Mullvad. The provider is based in Canada, part of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance – a group of countries (including the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand) that can legally share surveillance data. Still, Windscribe's real-time Transparency Report shows it has never complied with a data request – because there's nothing to share. Its privacy policy is short, clear, and refreshingly honest. We also found no tracking cookies loading before consent in its apps or on its website. Elsewhere, Windscribe stumbled in our phishing and malware tests. Its ad-blocking and content filtering (via R.O.B.E.R.T.) blocked just 18% of malware and 8% of phishing links – far lower than the 100% it achieved previously. These results are part of a wider trend, as most VPNs scored lower under our stricter new testing regime – but Windscribe's drop was among the steepest. Rating: 8/10 Windscribe covers a wide range of platforms – but there are a few gaps. There's no native app for Apple TV, Roku, or game consoles, so it's not the best VPN for streaming if you primarily use these platforms to watch content. Advanced features like MAC spoofing are even supported on Linux – a rare perk that many VPN providers don't offer. However, the Linux app lacks a full graphical interface, meaning its not the best VPN for Linux, either. Its browser extensions also haven't seen meaningful updates in some time, and while they still work well, they're starting to feel dated compared to the competition. That said, the service is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Microsoft Edge. It also supports streaming hardware like Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, and Nvidia Shield. On Fire TV, Windscribe's performance measures up to that of the best Fire Stick VPNs, with a simple app that makes use of a remote. Devices without native support – like consoles and smart TVs – can be covered via Windscribe's Secure Hotspot feature or a VPN-configured router. Windscribe gives the best router VPNs a run for their money with clear router setup guides, although it is not as user-friendly as plug-and-play systems from providers like ExpressVPN. Instead, it has manual configuration for routers using DD-WRT, Tomato, or other OpenVPN-compatible firmware. Windscribe's desktop and mobile apps share a consistent, intuitive interface. Key tools like the kill switch, split tunneling, and R.O.B.E.R.T. blocking are available across platforms. This is excellent form considering the fact that many VPN providers leave features like these out of their iOS apps. So, if you're after the best iPhone VPN, you'll be pleased to know you'll have the same features on your phone as your desktop. Overall, Windscribe's apps are reliable and cross-platform, though some elements – like the lack of GUI on Linux and aging browser extensions – could use refinement. Rating: 8/10 Windscribe isn't entirely impenetrable, but its apps certainly cater for a more "expert" user. Installation is easy, but when the apps are opened they feel very cramped compared to the likes of NordVPN, Proton VPN and Surfshark. Combine this with the hefty array of features on offer, and you'll find yourself in a mire of unlabeled menus and drop-downs. Of course, use the apps enough and you'll get used to it, but for people new to VPNs, I'd recommend something simpler like ExpressVPN or Surfshark. That said, the apps are stable in daily use, and it's easy enough to get connected by using the big on/off button. User guides are well-organized by topic and include step-by-step fixes for common problems, though some articles could be more detailed to make them more accessible for less technically-minded users. Support is handled via a 24/7 chatbot which can escalate queries to a human, but only during specific hours. There's no live chat for instant help, which isn't uncommon from VPN providers nowadays, but it's still disappointing that users won't be able to get help from a human agent whenever they need it. Rating: 7.5/10 Windscribe is headquartered in Canada, a country that's part of the Five, Nine, and Fourteen Eyes surveillance alliances. That might raise concerns for privacy purists – but Windscribe's no-logs policy and infrastructure choices significantly limit what could be shared. The company maintains a Transparency Report showing every legal request it's received, along with a tally of how many have been fulfilled – namely, zero. That's because Windscribe doesn't retain identifying user data, so even if authorities come knocking, there's nothing to hand over. While Canada isn't a privacy haven like Panama or the British Virgin Islands, its laws don't require VPNs to log user activity. Windscribe's recent audit and technical setup – like RAM-only servers and anonymous sign-ups – show a clear commitment to protecting user data. It's also worth noting that Windscribe's team spans multiple continents, so while it's Canadian-registered, its operations are decentralized – further potentially reducing jurisdictional risk. Windscribe offers a support center with FAQs and setup guides split by device, issue type, and common problems. The articles are helpful for basic troubleshooting – step-by-step and easy to follow – though they sometimes lack deeper technical guidance. There's no live chat with a human though, and this is something we've grown accustomed to from top providers. Instead, Windscribe relies on Garry, a 24/7 AI-powered chatbot. While Garry can handle simple queries, its responses can generic. You can escalate to human support, but only during certain hours – and outside of those, you'll need to submit an email ticket. In our tests, we asked some simple questions about whether Windscribe would work on our Fire TV Stick, and than asked if it would work on a Philips TV (which lacks an app). The answers were fast and reasonable on both counts. We then asked how Windscribe could be configured at a router level, and received clear instructions (though less technical users may not find the instructions enough). Windscribe also maintains a Discord server and subreddit where users help each other – a useful bonus for community-minded users. Overall, it's adequate support, but far from best-in-class. While you most likely will be able to fix your issue with Windscribe's guides, chatbot help or even guidance from fellow users it's frustrating that users who want human help from Windscribe itself won't always be able to access it. Rating: 7/10 Windscribe has cultivated a strong reputation for transparency and privacy over the years. The company publishes real-time data request logs and underwent a comprehensive audit in 2024, verifying its no-logs policy and infrastructure security. This audit confirmed that Windscribe does not store connection logs, browsing history, or IP addresses, reinforcing its commitment to user privacy. In terms of customer feedback, Windscribe maintains a high rating, with an average Trustpilot score of 4.8 stars based on customer reviews. Users often praise its versatile set of privacy tools, transparency, and flexible pricing model. However, some criticisms have emerged, particularly regarding customer support. Despite these isolated incidents, Windscribe's consistent software updates, responsive development, and absence of known security breaches contribute to its reliability. While its malware blocking results declined in recent tests – likely due to our new stricter testing protocols – this does not necessarily indicate a service downgrade. Overall, Windscribe's track record, privacy-first approach, and willingness to submit to independent audits position it as a trustworthy option for users prioritizing long-term privacy and reliability. Rating: 8.5/10 Windscribe is a smart pick for privacy-minded users and those who want flexibility. It offers good speeds, a wide server network, and some rare tools – like MAC spoofing and Decoy Mode – that go beyond the basics. Its customizable 'Build a Plan' option also makes it one of the most affordable VPNs around. But it's not perfect. Malware and phishing protection is weak, browser extensions haven't been updated in a while, and the lack of live chat support means slower help when things go wrong. Final rating: 77.5/100 Subscribe if: ✅ You want a reliable free VPN or a cheap custom plan✅ You need advanced privacy tools like MAC spoofing✅ You're looking for strong streaming performance and P2P support Don't subscribe if: ❌ You want instant live chat support❌ You rely on strong malware/phishing site protection❌ You need simple apps NordVPN: the best VPN we've testedOverall, NordVPN is the best VPN we've tested. Compared to Windscribe, it delivers faster speeds, has better streaming support, and has broader global coverage in terms of server spread. Its Threat Protection tool blocks trackers and malware more effectively, and it includes extras like Meshnet and dedicated IPs. Prices start from $3.09 per month plus tax for a two-year subscription ($83 plus tax for 27 months' coverage). Take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee to try it out, risk-free. Surfshark: the best cheap VPNSurfshark is a great option for those who want a cheap VPN bust don't want to be restricted by Windscribe's build-a-plan option. It comes with strong unblocking, top-tier speeds, and useful features like Dynamic MultiHop and CleanWeb for ad/malware blocking. Prices start at $1.99 per month plus tax for a two-year subscription ($53 plus tax up for 27 months' service) and there's a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it out, risk-free. ExpressVPN: the best VPN for beginnersExpressVPN offers excellent reliability, especially for users in restrictive regions. It boasts top performance, a wide global server presence, and intuitive apps – though it's pricier than most rivals. However, with prices starting from $4.99 per month for a two year subscription ($139 paid upfront for 28 months service) it's also more expensive than Windscribe. With this being said, it does offer some extra features as part of all its subscriptions, for example a password manager, which Windscribe does not. Canceling Windscribe is straightforward. Log into your account on the website, scroll down to the 'Account Status' section, and click 'Cancel' on the right. That's it – no extra steps or hard-to-find menus. Windscribe itself states that its performance in China is unreliable. It's not listed in our top VPNs for China, and user reports say it doesn't work there consistently. We recommend choosing a more proven VPN for bypassing the Great Firewall – check out our Best VPNs for China feature for one that can. Windscribe was founded in 2016 by Yegor Sak and Alex Paguis. It's developed and operated by Windscribe Limited, a Canada-registered company with a globally distributed team. We have a full explainer on how we test VPNs, but, in short, it goes something like this. Firstly, we test the sign-up process. How easy is it to pay, and what options are there? From there, we install the VPN on a number of devices, make notes on the simplicity of the process, and whether there are any extra steps that introduce complexity. Then comes the fun part. We use all the features, running tests to detect any problems like DNS leaks or faulty kill switches. We'll dive into the code if it's available, and see if there are any anomalies we think you might be interested in reading about. We test the speed – 120 individual tests, daytime and evening – and connect to various servers to get a good idea of how robust the server network is, and what speeds you can expect to get in normal usage. Streaming comes next. We test a wide range of global and regional streaming services to see how well each VPN can unblock content. Customer support is also very important. So, if we have any queries along the way, we'll follow the avenues provided to see how well-prepared the support team is. This includes live chat, email, and ticketed systems. Once we've done all of this, we'll have a good feel for the apps and will have found out if there are any usability quirks, or unique features that we really like. We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
Tom's Guide
09-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
Why Windscribe's court case proves how important VPN no-logging policies are
Case dismissed. These were the welcomed words heard by Windscribe founder Yegor Sak, and ones that marked the end of a challenging, almost two-year-long legal battle. In an uncommon move, Sak himself had been taken to court in Greece and charged with the crime of "illegal access to information system" – despite the alleged offence being committed by a Windscribe user. However, Sak could not provide evidence, because Windscribe had not collected any data on the user. The result is in line with the provider's "no-logs policy," and this was a significant factor in the case's outcome. In turn, it has important ramifications for the VPN industry. It shows authorities can't mindlessly go after VPN providers. But it also shows providers need to ensure they're following their no-logs policies and prepare for them to be examined. Independent audits verify these claims and assess them inline with the provider's privacy policy. Having them proven in court is even better. To be considered as one of the best VPNs, a verified no-logs policy is non-negotiable. The policy is a promise that your browsing history, identifiable personal data, or internet activity is never stored or shared. A no-logs VPN provides maximum privacy and security when surfing the web. Windscribe's recent legal case has highlighted how important a no-logs policy is. Its importance can be felt not just by Windscribe, but the VPN industry as a whole. "A bittersweet experience" is how Yegor Sak described his recent legal case. He shared how being charged for a crime he didn't commit, in a country he'd never visited, was a "stressful and challenging" experience. However, he found the positives, saying Windscribe's no-logs policy was "unequivocally validated" in a way no independent audit ever could. Authorities discovered that an IP address belonging to a Windscribe server in Finland was used to breach a Greek server. However, Windscribe could not hand over any data relating to the alleged crime because it hadn't been collected in the first place. The outcome has unequivocally validated Windscribe's no-logs policy in a manner that no third-party audit ever could In a blog post, Sak stated how the law is "pretty cut and dry" and if you have the data, you must provide it. If you're found withholding data that could be handed over, you're in big trouble. Windscribe's last independent audit was undertaken in 2024, but although audits are an excellent way of adding weight no-logs policies, they aren't 100% foolproof. This is why having a no-logs policy proven in court means so much, and it should reassure all Windscribe users that their data is secure. Sak described a robust no-logs policy as "the cornerstone of any privacy-focused VPN service." He said how "without it, a VPN cannot credibly claim to protect user privacy." Even under legal pressure, your data will not be compromised – and it's not just Windscribe that can prove this. Private Internet Access (PIA) had its no-logs policy examined in court in 2016 and 2018 – in both cases it successfully showed no data collection. In 2023, Swedish police searched Mullvad VPN's offices with the aim of seizing computers containing customer data. This data did not exist and the police left empty-handed. You don't want to go to the trouble of hiding your data from third parties and hackers, only for your VPN provider to store this information instead. Many VPNs claim to never store your data, but how many can actually verify this? Listed below are some reputable providers with proven no-logs policies and when an audit was last completed. This isn't an exhaustive list, but covers most of the major providers. The majority of these providers publish their audits online, but not all of them were easy to find. The audits can be published along with transparency reports. These reports often detail the amount of data requests received by a provider and how much of that data is shared. Spoiler alert: it's almost always zero. It's important to note the difference between no-logs and zero-logs policies. No-logs policies may store the email address you sign up with and the billing information used to pay for the VPN subscription, and often anonymized, aggregated usage data. For example, Windscribe collects usage data over a 30-day period to enforce its Windscribe Free monthly data limit. However, Windscribe doesn't require an email on sign up – neither does Mullvad. Zero-log providers collect and store nothing. NymVPN and Obscura VPN are two newer providers who claim to be zero-logging VPNs, but neither has undergone an independent audit yet. The potential rise in legal cases involving VPNs or privacy activists is a growing concern, and Sak believes it's "highly probable" we will see a further increase in the coming years. In recent months we have seen the French broadcaster Canal+ pursue a number of VPN providers, and changes to Swiss encryption laws have been proposed. Sak said these anti-encryption laws "risk weakening the security infrastructure of the entire internet." "These initiatives often lack input from technical experts, relying instead on policymakers who may not fully grasp the long-term consequences of their proposals," he said. "This growing regulatory push threatens to erode the very protections that users rely on, and we anticipate further challenges as governments seek to balance security with control." A no-logs policy means none of your personal data is collected, stored, sold, or shared. But it's worth understanding what data this is referring to, so here are some examples: Connection Logs: Details of the VPN server you connect to Usage Logs: Your online activity, including browsing history IP address Logs: Your connecting IP address Timestamp Logs: Records of when you connect/disconnect from a VPN server Bandwidth Logs: The amount of data transferred through the VPN Referring to his case in Greece, Sak liked to think it was a "well-meaning attempt to address cybercrime that missed the mark due to a lack of technical understanding" – and this is where problems arise. Both Tom's Guide and Windscribe condemn the use of VPNs for criminal purposes, but we have to accept that some "bad actors" will take advantage of privacy technology. Attacking VPN providers and the technology they provide is not the answer, and doing so puts our right to privacy at risk. "Privacy activists must emphasize that sacrificing anonymity to catch a handful of bad actors would undermine the fundamental protections that millions depend on daily," Sak said. "It is not about enabling wrongdoing but about preserving the right to free expression and access to information in an increasingly surveilled world." However, should there be a rise in legal cases against VPNs and privacy advocates, Sak believes there's a silver lining. Successful defenses, like that seen in Sak's case or that of PIA, "establish critical legal precedents that can deter frivolous or overreaching prosecutions in the future," he said. Predicting the future is impossible, but "each victory strengthens the foundation for protecting user privacy and reinforces the legitimacy of privacy-focused services." Data collection is on the rise. Whether it's from Western governments or big tech companies, your data is sought after and we must prepare for requests to increase. This is why having a VPN with a proven no-logs policy is so vital. The data can't be collected if it isn't there and privacy activists must stand firm in the face of any attacks on our freedoms. Subscribing to a reputable, private, and secure VPN, one with an independently audited no-logs policy, is the best way to protect you and your data. It is the responsibility of VPN providers to regularly complete these audits and be transparent about their data practises. We can then stand firm against unjust overreach and intimidation by authorities and stand firm in our beliefs that online privacy is a right for everyone. We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
The Independent
05-02-2025
- The Independent
Best iPhone VPNs 2025, tested by experts
If you're after a free VPN for your iPhone, Windscribe is our top pick. Based out of Canada, Windscribe offers users a generous 10GB of free data per month, if you sign up with a confirmed email address. Impressively, you can also sign up without providing an email – a rare feature among VPN providers, especially free ones – though you'll be capped at 2GB of data per month, which is still substantial. While some free VPNs offer higher data allowances, finding one that lets you stream while travelling abroad is nearly impossible. The Windscribe iPhone app is a little bit complicated and messy, with lots of text and buttons. The home screen features a prominent 'connect' button for quick access to the nearest or selected server, and there are server locations specifically for streaming. A list of server locations is easily accessible, though it's a bit tricky to tell which ones are free in the 10 available countries. From the home screen, you can customise your experience by selecting from multiple protocols, including WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, Stealth and WStunnel, so you can balance your own needs in terms of speed and security. We really like Windscribe's R.O.B.E.R.T. tool, a domain and IP blocking system that blocks ads, trackers and malware at the DNS level. This tool is customisable, giving you control over your browsing safety while improving speed. All features, including ad-blocking, are available to free users – none of it is locked behind a paywall. During testing, Windscribe's free plan performed OK. Speeds are admittedly not the best, with streams taking a while to load. It was also a bit sluggish browsing the web on Safari, but the fact that we were unable to access local streaming services was a real highlight – BBC iPlayer, ITVX and Channel 4 were all accessible, and that's not something you see from a free VPN. But is it safe? Windscribe has come a long way since the 2021 Ukraine server incident, where two unencrypted servers were seized by authorities. Since then, the company has completely overhauled its infrastructure to ensure something like that doesn't happen again. It's switched to RAM-only servers, meaning no data is ever stored permanently, and adopted perfect forward secrecy, so even if someone got their hands on a private key, they couldn't decrypt past sessions. On top of that, keys are rotated regularly to keep things extra secure. Windscribe has also had its systems independently audited. Its desktop apps were audited by Leviathan Security Group in 2021, its mobile apps in 2022, and its entire new infrastructure by PacketLabs in 2024. Each time, the issues that were found were promptly resolved. While 10GB of data is sufficient for moderate use, it may not stretch far for those who frequently stream or download large files. But if you use it occasionally, Windscribe is a great option, and its flexibility to work without requiring personal information is a big win for privacy-conscious users. If you like Windscribe's independence, not being owned by Kape or Nord Securities, you might enjoy the pro plan, which gives you unlimited access – no data limits and all of its suite of on-location servers.
