Head to head · Updated August 13, 2026
FastestVPN vs Windscribe
Windscribe takes it by 19 points, 67.0 against 48.0. That margin is worth reading past — FastestVPN wins 2 of the seven criteria outright.
FastestVPN
48.0Priced below everything else here, and documented below everything else here. Those two facts are related.
- From
- $1.11/mo
- Based in
- Cayman Islands
- Devices
- 15
- Audits
- None published
We earn a commission if you subscribe through this link. It does not change FastestVPN’s score.
Windscribe
67.0Unusually honest about its own incidents, but Canadian jurisdiction and a three-day refund window are real costs.
- From
- $5.75/mo
- Based in
- Canada
- Devices
- Unlimited
- Audits
- 1
We earn nothing from Windscribe. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.
Criterion by criterion
FastestVPN wins 2, Windscribe wins 4, 1 tied. Each row shows the raw score out of ten and the weighted contribution to the total.
| Criterion | Weight | FastestVPN | Windscribe | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent audit | 20 | 0/10 (0.0) | 6/10 (12.0) | Windscribe |
| Jurisdiction and ownership | 15 | 7/10 (10.5) | 3/10 (4.5) | FastestVPN |
| Protocol and crypto stack | 15 | 8/10 (12.0) | 9/10 (13.5) | Windscribe |
| Leak protection | 15 | 5/10 (7.5) | 8/10 (12.0) | Windscribe |
| Transparency | 15 | 2/10 (3.0) | 8/10 (12.0) | Windscribe |
| Price and refund terms | 10 | 8/10 (8.0) | 6/10 (6.0) | FastestVPN |
| Platform coverage | 10 | 7/10 (7.0) | 7/10 (7.0) | Tied |
| Total | 100 | 48.0 | 67.0 | Windscribe |
Where each one actually wins
FastestVPN is ahead on
- Jurisdiction and ownership. Cayman Islands sits outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement.
- Price and refund terms. $1.11/month is the lowest here, but it requires a five-year prepayment and the refund window is 15 days.
Windscribe is ahead on
- Independent audit. Cure53 audited apps and infrastructure, but no published third-party assurance of the no-logs claim itself.
- Protocol and crypto stack. WireGuard and OpenVPN with configurable ports and a Stunnel obfuscation option.
- Leak protection. Firewall-based kill switch enabled by default on desktop, with the R.O.B.E.R.T. DNS filter layered on top.
- Transparency. Open-source clients, signup possible without an email, and the 2021 server seizure was disclosed publicly by the company itself.
Choose FastestVPN if
Readers whose only constraint is the lowest possible headline price.
Choose Windscribe if
Readers who need a free tier or want to pay only for two or three specific locations.
Reasons to pick neither
Skip FastestVPN if: You need evidence rather than assurances. With no audit and no transparency reporting, every privacy claim here rests on the company’s own word.
Skip Windscribe if: You want a long trial period before committing. Three days and 10 GB is the tightest refund policy in this dataset.
Questions
- Is FastestVPN or Windscribe better?
- Windscribe scores higher overall, 67.0 against 48.0, a gap of 19 points out of 100. Unusually honest about its own incidents, but Canadian jurisdiction and a three-day refund window are real costs.
- Which is cheaper, FastestVPN or Windscribe?
- FastestVPN, at $1.11/mo against $5.75/mo. Both rates require committing to the provider’s longest term; the monthly rates are considerably higher.
- Which one has been audited more recently?
- Windscribe. FastestVPN has published no independent audit at all.
- Does jurisdiction differ between them?
- Yes. FastestVPN operates from Cayman Islands and Windscribe from Canada. FastestVPN is outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement; the other is not.
Related comparisons
Comparison generated from the same dataset as the ranking. Emphasis criterion definitions are on the rubric page. Criterion labels: Independent audit, Jurisdiction and ownership, Protocol and crypto stack, Leak protection, Transparency, Price and refund terms, Platform coverage.