Security & Cybersecurity · head to head
IVPN vs Windscribe
IVPN
Security & Cybersecurity
Privacy-focused VPN with anonymous account numbers instead of email signup
- From
- $6/month
- Rated
- -
Windscribe
Security & Cybersecurity
VPN and firewall service with a generous free data tier and a customizable Build-A-Plan option
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Windscribe has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: IVPN has no free tier, unlike several consumer VPN competitors with limited free plans.; Windscribe free tier's 10GB cap still requires email confirmation and social sharing to unlock, unlike some no-strings-attached competitors.
- They diverge on capability: IVPN covers Anonymous account numbers, Windscribe covers Firewall / default block.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which IVPN and Windscribe actually diverge.
| Attribute | IVPN | Windscribe |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $6/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | windows, mac, linux, ios, android | windows, mac, linux, ios, android, web |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Security & Cybersecurity).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in IVPN
- Anonymous account numbers
- Multi-hop connections
- Independent audits
- WireGuard and OpenVPN support
- AntiTracker
Only in Windscribe
- Firewall / default block
- Unlimited simultaneous devices
- Build-A-Plan
- R.O.B.E.R.T. content blocker
- Static IP and port forwarding add-ons
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
IVPN
- Signing up for a VPN without providing an email addressnot Windscribe
- Verifying a VPN's no-logs claims via independent auditsnot Windscribe
- Layering multi-hop routing for higher-anonymity browsingnot Windscribe
- Blocking trackers and ads via built-in AntiTrackernot Windscribe
Windscribe
- Running a free VPN across unlimited personal devicesnot IVPN
- Buying access to just a few specific server locations cheaplynot IVPN
- Blocking ads and trackers at the DNS level while browsingnot IVPN
- Preventing IP leaks with a default-block firewall rulenot IVPN
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
IVPN
- Has no free tier, unlike several consumer VPN competitors with limited free plans.
- Standard plan's two-connection limit is lower than many rivals offering five or more devices.
- Smaller server network than large mainstream VPN providers, which can limit streaming unblocking.
- Pricing is higher than budget VPN competitors for comparable simultaneous-connection counts.
Windscribe
- Free tier's 10GB cap still requires email confirmation and social sharing to unlock, unlike some no-strings-attached competitors.
- Build-A-Plan's low cost only covers selected locations, so broad global coverage still requires the full Pro plan.
- Server speeds and streaming reliability are inconsistent compared to larger premium VPN providers.
- Customer support is primarily ticket/community-based rather than live chat for lower tiers.
Pricing, plan by plan
IVPN
$6/month- Standard$6/month
- 2 simultaneous connections
- $60/year billed annually
- WireGuard and OpenVPN support
- Pro$10/month
- 7 simultaneous connections
- Multi-hop connections
- $100/year billed annually
Windscribe
Free- FreeFree
- 10GB of data per month with confirmed email
- 10 server countries
- Unlimited devices
- Build-A-Plan$3/month
- Pay per selected server location ($1/location)
- $3 minimum purchase
- Unlimited data on selected locations
- Pro$9/month
- Unlimited data
- 69+ countries
- $69/year on annual billing
Which should you pick?
Choose IVPN if
- You need anonymous account numbers.
- You work on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
- You also want multi-hop connections.
Choose Windscribe if
- You need firewall / default block.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on windows, mac, linux, ios, android, web.
- You also want unlimited simultaneous devices.
Questions people ask
- Is IVPN or Windscribe better?
- Neither clearly leads. IVPN starts at $6/month and Windscribe at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, IVPN or Windscribe?
- Windscribe has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $6/month for IVPN and Free for Windscribe.
- Does IVPN or Windscribe run on more platforms?
- IVPN runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android. Windscribe runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android, web.
- Can I use Windscribe for free?
- Yes. Windscribe has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. IVPN starts at $6/month.
- What is IVPN best used for?
- IVPN is most often used for signing up for a vpn without providing an email address, verifying a vpn's no-logs claims via independent audits, layering multi-hop routing for higher-anonymity browsing, blocking trackers and ads via built-in antitracker. Of those, signing up for a vpn without providing an email address and verifying a vpn's no-logs claims via independent audits are not what Windscribe is typically brought in for.
- What can IVPN do that Windscribe cannot?
- IVPN covers Anonymous account numbers, Multi-hop connections, Independent audits, WireGuard and OpenVPN support. Windscribe covers Firewall / default block, Unlimited simultaneous devices, Build-A-Plan, R.O.B.E.R.T. content blocker.
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