Has Windscribe been independently audited?

Yes. The most recent published audit is by Cure53 in 2022, covering applications and infrastructure. It is the only published audit we found.

Where is Windscribe based, and does it matter?

Windscribe operates from Canada under Windscribe Limited. That jurisdiction participates in the five eyes intelligence-sharing agreement, which is a factor if your threat model includes state legal process.

How much does Windscribe cost?

The lowest effective rate we recorded is $5.75 per month, which requires the annual. Prices were checked on August 13, 2026 and change often, so confirm on the provider’s own page.

How many devices can I use with Windscribe?

One subscription covers an unlimited number of devices. Native apps are available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV and Router.

Rank 10 of 11 · Updated August 13, 2026

Windscribe review: 67.0/100

Canadian provider with a build-your-own plan and a 10 GB free tier, aimed at users who want to pay only for the locations they use.

Rubric total

67.0/100

Adequate

Verdict. Unusually honest about its own incidents, but Canadian jurisdiction and a three-day refund window are real costs.

Best for. Readers who need a free tier or want to pay only for two or three specific locations.

Visit Windscribe

We earn nothing from Windscribe. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.

What holds up and what does not

Holds up

Build-a-plan pricing charges per location rather than per bundle
Free tier with 10 GB per month and no account identity required
Open-source clients across platforms
Publicly disclosed its own 2021 server seizure, including the detail that the seized servers were not properly hardened

Counts against it

Canada is a Five Eyes member state
Refunds are limited to three days and under 10 GB of usage
No independent audit of the no-logs claim itself
The 2021 Ukrainian servers held an OpenVPN certificate and private key on disk, which would have allowed impersonation of those servers

Do not buy this if: You want a long trial period before committing. Three days and 10 GB is the tightest refund policy in this dataset.

How the score was reached

Windscribe scores 67.0 out of 100. The table below shows every criterion, its weight, the raw score and the fact that produced it. Nothing here is adjusted after the fact, and commission is not an input. The full rubric is published.

Rubric total

67.0/100

Adequate

The weighted sum of the seven criteria below. Nothing is adjusted afterwards, and commission is not an input.

Score breakdown for Windscribe
Criterion	Weight	Score	Why
Independent audit	20	12.0 (6/10)	Cure53 audited apps and infrastructure, but no published third-party assurance of the no-logs claim itself.
Jurisdiction and ownership	15	4.5 (3/10)	Canada is a Five Eyes member. In June 2021 two Ukrainian servers were seized with an OpenVPN certificate and private key still on disk.
Protocol and crypto stack	15	13.5 (9/10)	WireGuard and OpenVPN with configurable ports and a Stunnel obfuscation option.
Leak protection	15	12.0 (8/10)	Firewall-based kill switch enabled by default on desktop, with the R.O.B.E.R.T. DNS filter layered on top.
Transparency	15	12.0 (8/10)	Open-source clients, signup possible without an email, and the 2021 server seizure was disclosed publicly by the company itself.
Price and refund terms	10	6.0 (6/10)	Free 10 GB tier and a per-location build-a-plan option, but the refund window is only three days.
Platform coverage	10	7.0 (7/10)	Desktop, mobile, Android TV and router covered, with unlimited connections but no Apple TV app.

The evidence

Each row links to the page the claim was read from and the date it was read. If a source has changed since, tell us and we will re-check it.

Windscribe — sourced facts
Field	Value	Evidence
Headquarters	Canada	Source checked August 13, 2026
Ownership	Windscribe Limited	Source checked August 13, 2026
Server countries	69	Source checked August 13, 2026
Simultaneous devices	Unlimited	Source checked August 13, 2026
Refund window (days)	3 Refunds are limited to three days and require under 10 GB of usage.	Source checked August 13, 2026
Independent audits	Cure53 2022 — Applications and infrastructure	Report
Protocols	WireGuard OpenVPN IKEv2	Provider documentation

Features

✓ Kill switch
✓ RAM-only servers
✓ Open-source apps
✓ Split tunnelling
✓ Port forwarding
✓ Ad and tracker blocking
✓ Dedicated IP available
✓ Signup without email
✗ Accepts cash
✓ Accepts cryptocurrency

Pricing

Windscribe pricing, as published by the provider
Term	Effective monthly	Billed up front	Checked
Monthly	$9.00	—	August 13, 2026
Annual	$5.75	$69.00	August 13, 2026

Refund window: 3 days. Refunds are limited to three days and require under 10 GB of usage.

Lab status

We have not run our own speed or leak tests against Windscribe yet. Rather than print an estimate, this section stays empty until a measurement exists. The method we will use is published in advance.

Common questions

Has Windscribe been independently audited?: Yes. The most recent published audit is by Cure53 in 2022, covering applications and infrastructure. It is the only published audit we found.
Where is Windscribe based, and does it matter?: Windscribe operates from Canada under Windscribe Limited. That jurisdiction participates in the five eyes intelligence-sharing agreement, which is a factor if your threat model includes state legal process.
How much does Windscribe cost?: The lowest effective rate we recorded is $5.75 per month, which requires the annual. Prices were checked on August 13, 2026 and change often, so confirm on the provider’s own page.
How many devices can I use with Windscribe?: One subscription covers an unlimited number of devices. Native apps are available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV and Router.
Who should not buy Windscribe?: You want a long trial period before committing. Three days and 10 GB is the tightest refund policy in this dataset.

Compare Windscribe directly

Audit criterion raw score: 6/10. Transparency: 8/10.