Head to head · Updated August 13, 2026
IVPN vs Windscribe
IVPN takes it by 15.5 points, 82.5 against 67.0. That margin is worth reading past — Windscribe wins 2 of the seven criteria outright.
IVPN
82.5A deliberately small, transparent operation that costs more than the market and makes no attempt to hide it.
- From
- $6.00/mo
- Based in
- Gibraltar
- Devices
- 7
- Audits
- 1
We earn nothing from IVPN. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.
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
IVPN wins 4, Windscribe wins 2, 1 tied. Each row shows the raw score out of ten and the weighted contribution to the total.
| Criterion | Weight | IVPN | Windscribe | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent audit | 20 | 8/10 (16.0) | 6/10 (12.0) | IVPN |
| Jurisdiction and ownership | 15 | 9/10 (13.5) | 3/10 (4.5) | IVPN |
| Protocol and crypto stack | 15 | 9/10 (13.5) | 9/10 (13.5) | Tied |
| Leak protection | 15 | 9/10 (13.5) | 8/10 (12.0) | IVPN |
| Transparency | 15 | 10/10 (15.0) | 8/10 (12.0) | IVPN |
| Price and refund terms | 10 | 5/10 (5.0) | 6/10 (6.0) | Windscribe |
| Platform coverage | 10 | 6/10 (6.0) | 7/10 (7.0) | Windscribe |
| Total | 100 | 82.5 | 67.0 | IVPN |
Where each one actually wins
IVPN is ahead on
- Independent audit. Cure53 audited apps, infrastructure and the no-logs claim, though the most recent published report is older than two years.
- Jurisdiction and ownership. Gibraltar sits outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement and the operating company is named publicly.
- Leak protection. Firewall-based kill switch that blocks traffic outside the tunnel by default on desktop.
- Transparency. Open-source apps, anonymous account IDs, cash accepted, and the affiliate programme was closed to remove reviewer incentives.
Windscribe is ahead on
- Price and refund terms. Free 10 GB tier and a per-location build-a-plan option, but the refund window is only three days.
- Platform coverage. Desktop, mobile, Android TV and router covered, with unlimited connections but no Apple TV app.
Choose IVPN if
Readers who value published reasoning and anonymous signup over network size.
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 IVPN if: You want a large server network or the lowest possible price. IVPN is explicitly not competing on either.
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 IVPN or Windscribe better?
- IVPN scores higher overall, 82.5 against 67.0, a gap of 15.5 points out of 100. A deliberately small, transparent operation that costs more than the market and makes no attempt to hide it.
- Which is cheaper, IVPN or Windscribe?
- Windscribe, at $5.75/mo against $6.00/mo. Both rates require committing to the provider’s longest term; the monthly rates are considerably higher.
- Which one has been audited more recently?
- Both published audits in 2022.
- Does jurisdiction differ between them?
- Yes. IVPN operates from Gibraltar and Windscribe from Canada. IVPN 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.