Proton VPN vs Windscribe
Two of the top three VPN services, compared rule by rule on published facts.
In short
- Proton VPN has 81 points and Windscribe 79, 2 apart on our VPN services rules.
- Proton VPN earns more on price; Windscribe earns more on apps.
- Price on a one-year plan: Proton VPN $6.99/mo, Windscribe $5.75/mo.
- Only Proton VPN meets: app security audit since 2024 and free plan with no data cap.
- Only Windscribe meets: RAM-only servers and price on a one-year plan.
Points by group
| Group | Proton VPN | Windscribe |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy and audits of 35 | 30 | 30 |
| Security features of 20 | 15 | 15 |
| Apps of 15 | 14 | 15 |
| Everyday use of 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Price of 20 | 12 | 9 |
| Total | 81 | 79 |
Rule by rule
What each vendor publishes, and the points it earns. Sources are on each product page.
| Rule (points) | Proton VPN | Windscribe |
|---|---|---|
| No-logs audit since 2024 (10) | Yes 10 | Yes 10 |
| App security audit since 2024 (5) | Yes 5 | No 0 |
| RAM-only servers (5) | No 0 | Yes 5 |
| Open-source apps (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| Anonymous sign-up (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| Transparency report (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| WireGuard (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| Kill switch (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| Post-quantum encryption (5) | No 0 | Not published 0 |
| Multi-hop (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| Apps (10) | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android 10 | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android 10 |
| Browser extensions (3) | Chrome, Firefox 2 | Chrome, Firefox, Edge 3 |
| Router setup (2) | Yes 2 | Yes 2 |
| Devices at once (5) | 10 5 | Unlimited 5 |
| Split tunnelling (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| Free plan with no data cap (5) | Yes 5 | No 0 |
| Price on a one-year plan (8) | $6.99/mo 0 | $5.75/mo 2 |
| Same price on renewal (7) | Yes 7 | Yes 7 |
Proton VPN
Proton VPN is the pick for people who want a free plan without a data cap. Paid plans add Secure Core double-hop routing and 10 devices, and Securitum audits the no-logs policy every year. The catch: post-quantum encryption is still only planned, and the servers use encrypted disks rather than running from memory alone.
Windscribe
Windscribe suits people who want to start free without an email address and use it on every device. Its apps are open source, its servers run from RAM, and Packetlabs audited the server stack in June 2024. The catch: the free plan is capped at 10 GB a month, and the latest app audits date from 2021 and 2022.
Both products are scored by the same rules: how we score VPN services.