⚡ Quick Verdict:
- Pricing: PureVPN starts at $2.15/per month. Windscribe starts at $5.75/month, plus a free plan.
- Best for: PureVPN for a big server list and identity tools. Windscribe for a free plan and unlimited simultaneous connections.
- Key difference: PureVPN bundles a password manager and dark web monitoring. Windscribe bundles R.O.B.E.R.T., its DNS-level ad blocker.
- Our pick: Windscribe, by a small margin. You can test the real product before you pay a cent.
The cheaper VPN here is not the one with the free plan.
PureVPN undercuts Windscribe on paid pricing by a wide margin.
Yet Windscribe still wins for most people reading this.
The reason comes down to what you can verify before paying.
One vpn provider hands you a working free version. The other asks for your card first.
Overview
This PureVPN vs Windscribe comparison covers pricing, speed, privacy, and daily use.
Our writers spent hands-on time with both vpn services.
Those notes sit in the “What Our Team Noticed” sections below.
Everything else comes from published specs, audits, and G2 reviews.
What is PureVPN?
PureVPN is a virtual private network that has been running since 2007.
It encrypts your internet traffic and swaps your real ip address for a shared one.
The network spans more than 6,500 vpn servers across 140+ countries.
That mix includes physical servers and virtual locations, so check the server list before buying.
PureVPN is incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, which has privacy-friendly data retention laws.
Here is a walkthrough of the app before we get into pricing.
PureVPN
One of the oldest vpn providers still standing. Covers 10 devices, adds a password manager, and holds a 31-day money back guarantee.
PureVPN Pricing
Here is what a PureVPN subscription costs in 2026.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Max | $3.55/per month | Users who want every add-on bundled |
| Plus | $3.15/per month | Mid-tier buyers who want extra security features |
| Standard | $2.15/per month | Basic privacy on a tight budget |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: No open free tier. PureVPN offers a trial period for seven days at a cost of $0.99.
Money-back guarantee: 31 days. That is one of the longer refund windows in this category.
📌 Note: PureVPN accepts payments by credit card, Bitcoin, and PayPal. Some landing pages hide the crypto option, so check at checkout. Add-ons cost extra: a dedicated ip runs $2.49 per month and port forwarding runs $1.49 per month.
⚠️ Pricing conflict flagged: Our CSV lists Standard at $2.15/per month. Public PureVPN pricing pages have shown $10.95–$12.95 for month-to-month billing, with an annual plan at $44.95 that renews at $54.95. The table above uses our canonical figures. Confirm the renewal rate on the checkout page before you purchase PureVPN.
Key Benefits of PureVPN
Here is what you actually get:
- Ten devices at once: One account covers ten simultaneous connections. That is enough for a family plus a router.
- Audited no-logs policy: KPMG and Altius IT have both verified the no-logs claims. An always-on audit lets KPMG run surprise checks.
- Quantum-resistant servers: Some PureVPN servers use encryption keys built through a verifiable quantum process.
- Identity tools bundled: Dark web monitoring, a password manager, and data broker removal sit inside the same app.
- Transparency report: PureVPN publishes how many information requests it receives from government agencies.
- P2P-friendly network: Dedicated P2P vpn servers run in several countries, with an Apple TV app for the living room.
What Our Team Noticed
Our writer installed PureVPN on Windows, Android, and macOS and ran it for daily browsing. Here is what stood out:
PureVPN Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Ten simultaneous connections on a single account
- No-logs policy audited by KPMG with surprise always-on checks
- 31-day money back guarantee, longer than most rivals
- Password manager and dark web monitoring included
❌ Cons
- Speeds swing hard on distant servers, with drops reported as steep as 99%
- The interface pushes upsell ads for paid add-ons
- The Windows app is criticised for feeling clunky and can crash
What is Windscribe?
Windscribe is a Canadian vpn service launched in 2016.
It encrypts your internet connection and hides your ip address behind its own.
The network covers 110+ cities across 66 countries.
Windscribe servers number around 500, which is small next to the biggest vpn companies.
What sets it apart is the free version and the built-in ad blocker.
This video shows the app in normal daily use.
🏆 Winner: Windscribe
Start free with 10GB a month, then upgrade only if you need unlimited data. Every plan allows unlimited simultaneous connections.
Windscribe Pricing
Here are the Windscribe subscription options in 2026.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Build A Plan | Custom | People who need only two or three server locations |
| Yearly Plan | $5.75/month | Regular users who want Windscribe Pro at the lowest rate |
| Monthly Plan | $9.00/month | Short-term use with no annual commitment |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: No trial needed. The free service gives you 10gb of data each month once you confirm an email, or 2GB without one.
Money-back guarantee: Three days only, and only if you have used under 10GB.
📌 Note: Build A Plan lets you pay $1 per location with a two-location minimum. Each location you add lifts your monthly allowance by another 10GB. Windscribe also takes credit cards, PayPal, Bitcoin, other cryptocurrencies, and gift cards.
⚠️ Warning: Windscribe’s money back guarantee is far shorter than PureVPN’s 31-day window. Three days is barely enough to run proper speed tests, so lean on the free plan first instead of the refund policy.
Key Benefits of Windscribe
Here is what you actually get:
- A genuinely generous free plan: 10GB a month with an email, and no forced upgrade. Most free vpn tiers cap you at 500MB.
- Unlimited simultaneous connections: Free and paid accounts both allow unlimited simultaneous device connections. No seat counting.
- R.O.B.E.R.T. ad blocker: A customisable DNS and IP level filter that will block ads, trackers, and malware across every device.
- Fast WireGuard connection speeds: OpenVPN measured 270–330Mbps in testing, while WireGuard pushed past 950Mbps.
- Static ip addresses: Datacenter and residential static IP options are available, plus config generators for routers and Amazon Fire TV.
- Minimal data collection: Bandwidth totals and a last-activity timestamp are held in RAM and wiped after the session ends.
What Our Team Noticed
Our writer ran Windscribe across a Windows laptop, an Android phone, a Mac, and a Fire TV. Here is what stood out:
Windscribe Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Free plan gives 10GB of data per month with a confirmed email
- Unlimited simultaneous connections on free and paid accounts
- R.O.B.E.R.T. blocks ads, trackers, and malware at DNS level
- WireGuard speeds measured above 950Mbps in testing
❌ Cons
- Around 500 servers, far fewer than NordVPN’s 8,800+
- Refund window lasts only three days and under 10GB of use
- No live chat support, so replies arrive by email ticket
Feature Comparison
Ten categories decide this one. Here is the short version before we get into detail.
| Feature | PureVPN | Windscribe |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $2.15/per month | $5.75/month |
| Free Plan | ❌ | ✅ |
| Simultaneous Connections | 10 | Unlimited |
| Server Locations | 140+ countries | 66 countries |
| Built-in Ad Blocker | ❌ | ✅ |
| Password Manager | ✅ | ❌ |
| Port Forwarding | ✅ (paid add-on) | ✅ (via config) |
| Live Chat Support | ✅ | ❌ |
| Money Back Guarantee | 31 days | 3 days |
| Best For | Big server list, identity tools | Free plan, unlimited devices |
1. Speed & Connection Performance
PureVPN: Results are inconsistent. Independent speed tests recorded a download drop of just 7.61% and an upload drop of 3.51% on nearby servers, with latency up 18.2%. Distant hops tell a worse story, where drops as steep as 99% have been logged.
Protocol choice matters here. On WireGuard, PureVPN held roughly 67% of baseline connection speeds on average.
Windscribe: OpenVPN measured 270–330Mbps. Switching the vpn protocol to WireGuard pushed download speeds past 950Mbps, effectively maxing the test line. Losses ran 19% on nearby servers and 31% on distant ones.
⚠️ Warning: PureVPN’s ping climbed sharply in testing, which makes it a poor fit for competitive gaming. Its upload speed also fell 11% on Windows and 48% on Mac, so your internet speeds will depend heavily on which machine you use.
2. Streaming & Unblocking
PureVPN: It streams Netflix across multiple countries and has reportedly opened Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video. Coverage is patchy though. Some reviewers could not reach the French or German Netflix libraries, and buffering shows up on certain streaming sites.
Windscribe: Every Netflix library tested opened, covering the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan. It scored full marks unblocking BBC iPlayer, ITV, and Channel 4. Unblocking Netflix on the free tier works too, though the data limit caps you near seven hours of viewing.
3. Encryption, Protocols & Password Tools
PureVPN: AES-256 encryption with OpenVPN and IKEv2 among the supported vpn protocols. The extra piece here is a bundled password manager, which no rival at this price tends to include. Quantum-resistant servers are also live for anyone planning years ahead.
Windscribe: Also AES-256. The vpn supports WireGuard, IKEv2, and OpenVPN, and you can pick OpenVPN UDP when you want maximum compatibility. Its no-logs policy has been audited with no major issues found.
4. Kill Switch & Dropped Connections
PureVPN: An internet kill switch cuts all traffic the moment the tunnel fails. PureVPN’s kill switch prevents IP leaks during reconnects, and a built-in troubleshooting tool sits inside the app for when something misbehaves.
Windscribe: Same idea, different name. Windscribe calls its kill switch “Firewall,” and it blocks internet access if the vpn connection drops. You can also allow or block local network traffic while connected, which keeps printers reachable on a wi fi hotspot.
5. DNS & IP Leak Protection
PureVPN: DNS leak protection is on by default, so your dns queries stay inside the tunnel. A separate IP leak prevention layer keeps your real ip address hidden if the connection stutters.
PureVPN handles these as two distinct controls rather than one toggle.
Windscribe: Leak tests came back clean, with exactly zero requests escaping the tunnel. You can also define which DNS resolver to use when the VPN is connected and when it is off. That control stops dns leaks from exposing your browsing history to your ISP.
6. Ad Blocking & Identity Protection
PureVPN: There is no ad blocker here. Instead the extra PureVPN features lean toward identity work, starting with dark web monitoring that watches for your credentials in leaked databases.
The second half of that toolkit chases data brokers who resell your personal details.
Windscribe: R.O.B.E.R.T. is a customisable DNS and IP level blocker for ads, trackers, and malware. You can block ads network-wide from your account page and set custom domain rules. No identity monitoring, though.
7. Split Tunneling & Port Forwarding
PureVPN: Split tunneling lets you route some apps through the tunnel and leave the rest on your normal internet connection. Port forwarding works, but it is a paid add-on at $1.49 per month rather than a bundled feature.
Windscribe: Split tunneling is available on the windows client, android app, and Mac app. It is handy for banking, where you want browser traffic protected but your bank app on your real location.
Port forwarding runs through Windscribe’s config generators, which also produce files for routers and other unsupported hardware.
8. Dedicated IP & Static IP Addresses
PureVPN: Dedicated ips cost $2.49 per month on top of your plan. You get the same ip address every session, which cuts down on CAPTCHAs and login checks. Available locations include the US, UK, and Hong Kong.
Windscribe: Static ip addresses come in datacenter and residential flavours. Every static IP you add to Build A Plan also raises your monthly allowance by 10GB, so the cost buys you two things at once.
9. Apps, Browser Extensions & Support
PureVPN: Desktop apps and mobile apps share one design, plus a Chrome extension and an Apple TV app. PureVPN’s Android app is the most feature-rich of the set, while PureVPN’s Windows app draws the most complaints for crashes. Live chat runs 24/7, and you can file a support ticket from inside the app.
Windscribe: The desktop app covers Windows, Mac, and Linux, and Windscribe’s browser extensions run in Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. Those extensions spoof your user agent and can act as a proxy server that only proxies browser traffic. The gap is support: there is no live chat support, only email tickets.
💡 Pro Tip: Windscribe apps connect in a few seconds, usually one to two. If a Windows version stalls, resetting the network adapter clears it faster than reinstalling.
10. Pricing & Cost
| Plan Tier | PureVPN | Windscribe |
|---|---|---|
| Free | ❌ | Free plan, 10GB/month |
| Entry paid | Standard — $2.15/per month | Yearly Plan — $5.75/month |
| Mid tier | Plus — $3.15/per month | Monthly Plan — $9.00/month |
| Top tier | Max — $3.55/per month | Build A Plan — Custom |
PureVPN: PureVPN pricing undercuts Windscribe at every paid tier, and the 31 day money back guarantee gives you real room to test. The catch is add-ons: dedicated IPs and port forwarding are billed separately, so the headline rate is not the final rate.
Windscribe: You pay more per month, but nothing is held back behind an add-on. Windscribe Pro includes unlimited data, every location, and unlimited devices. Watch for Windscribe deals around Black Friday, when discounts get steep.
Different Scenarios
| If You Need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest paid price | PureVPN | $2.15 vs $5.75 entry rate |
| A real free option | Windscribe | 10GB a month, no card |
| Devices beyond ten | Windscribe | No connection limit at all |
| The widest server list | PureVPN | 140+ countries covered |
| Reliable streaming | Windscribe | Every Netflix library opened |
| Instant help | PureVPN | 24/7 live chat available |
💰 Your Budget
PureVPN is cheaper on paper at every tier. Windscribe costs nothing at all if 10GB a month covers your browsing.
🔌 Your Devices
Ten simultaneous connections suit a household. Beyond that, Windscribe’s unlimited policy removes the maths entirely.
📺 Your Streaming Habits
Windscribe opened every library tested, including BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime Video. PureVPN works, but results shift by server location.
🎓 Your Experience Level
Both apps are approachable for new vpn users. PureVPN’s upsell prompts clutter the screen more than most people expect.
🆓 Free Trials and Demos
Windscribe’s free tier runs forever with a data limit. PureVPN offers a seven-day trial for $0.99 instead.
🛟 Support Options
PureVPN wins on paper with round-the-clock chat. Customer support quality is mixed though, especially on refund requests.
Switching Guide
Already paying for one of them? Here is what changes.
🔄 Switching from PureVPN to Windscribe?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Unlimited devices instead of a ten-connection ceiling
- R.O.B.E.R.T. ad blocking at DNS level on every device
- A free tier you can fall back on between paid months
❌ What you’ll lose:
- The password manager and dark web monitoring bundle
- 140+ countries drops to 66, including some virtual servers you may rely on
- 24/7 live chat and the 31-day refund window
📋 How to switch:
- Cancel auto-renewal inside your PureVPN account before the next billing date
- Create a free Windscribe account and confirm your email for the 10GB allowance
- Install the apps, enable Firewall, then upgrade once you are satisfied
🔄 Switching from Windscribe to PureVPN?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- A far larger network of PureVPN servers across 140+ countries
- Live chat that answers within minutes rather than a day
- Identity security features: password vault, breach alerts, broker removal
❌ What you’ll lose:
- Unlimited connections, replaced by a hard limit of ten
- The built-in ad blocker, which has no PureVPN equivalent
- Free access altogether, since there is no permanent free plan
📋 How to switch:
- Note which Windscribe locations you actually use, then match them on the PureVPN server list
- Start the $0.99 seven-day trial rather than paying for a year up front
- Turn on the kill switch and re-check for dns leaks before you cancel Windscribe
What Our Review Didn’t Cover
We focused on individual and household use. Business plans, router-level deployments, and Android TV setups sit outside this comparison, and we did not measure obfuscation against national firewalls. Our figures reflect the September 2026 versions of both apps. If you need a VPN for a team of fifty, your priorities will look nothing like ours.
Final Verdict
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| 💰 Pricing | PureVPN |
| ⚡ Speed & Performance | Windscribe |
| 📺 Streaming | Windscribe |
| 🔐 Encryption & Protocols | PureVPN |
| 🛑 Kill Switch & Leaks | Windscribe |
| 🚫 Ad Blocking & Identity | PureVPN |
| 🔀 Split Tunneling & Ports | Windscribe |
| 📍 Dedicated & Static IP | Windscribe |
| 📱 Apps & Support | PureVPN |
| 🔌 Devices & Value | Windscribe |
| 🏆 Overall Winner | Windscribe |
🏆 WINNER: WINDSCRIBE
Windscribe wins 6 out of 10 categories.
Best for: Streaming, households with many devices, and anyone who wants to try a premium vpn before paying.
These two products chase different buyers. PureVPN sells reach and identity tools at a low sticker price. Windscribe sells transparency and a free tier that is not a bait-and-switch.
We recommend PureVPN if you want the widest country coverage, a password vault in the same app, and 24/7 chat when something breaks. It remains a quality vpn with an audited privacy record.
For everyone else, we recommend Windscribe. Faster WireGuard speeds, better streaming results, and unlimited devices matter more day to day than a few dollars on the invoice.
More of PureVPN Compared
If you are still weighing PureVPN alternatives, these matchups come up most often:
PureVPN vs NordVPN
PureVPN wins on: country count at 140+, a bundled password manager, and a 31-day refund window
NordVPN wins on: sustained speed on long-distance hops, threat protection tooling, and a larger physical server footprint
PureVPN vs Surfshark VPN
PureVPN wins on: dark web monitoring, data broker removal, and a longer money-back period
Surfshark wins on: unlimited device connections, cleaner apps without upsell prompts, and steadier Netflix results
PureVPN vs Private Internet Access
PureVPN wins on: quantum-resistant servers, an Apple TV app, and simpler setup for beginners
Private Internet Access wins on: open-source clients, deeper per-protocol tuning, and included port forwarding at no extra cost
More of Windscribe Compared
Here is how Windscribe holds up against its closest rivals:
Windscribe vs ProtonVPN
Windscribe wins on: unlimited connections on the free tier, R.O.B.E.R.T. filtering, and per-location Build A Plan pricing
ProtonVPN wins on: Swiss jurisdiction outside Five Eyes, open-source audited clients, and unlimited free bandwidth
Windscribe vs PrivadoVPN
Windscribe wins on: browser extensions with user-agent spoofing, config generators for routers, and a wider city list
PrivadoVPN wins on: a simpler first-run setup, Swiss-based ownership, and free-tier streaming that needs no configuration
Windscribe vs CyberGhost
Windscribe wins on: the free plan, DNS-level ad blocking, and control over local network traffic
CyberGhost wins on: a much larger server pool, purpose-built streaming servers, and a 45-day refund policy
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to use PureVPN?
Yes. It uses AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, and a no-logs policy verified by KPMG and Altius IT. Always-on audits let KPMG check without warning.
Is Windscribe VPN really free?
Yes. Confirm an email and you get 10GB of data monthly, ten countries, and unlimited devices. Skip the email and the allowance drops to 2GB.
How much does Windscribe cost?
The yearly plan works out to $5.75 a month. Month-to-month billing is $9.00. Build A Plan is custom priced at $1 per location, minimum two.
What is the controversy with PureVPN?
In 2017 it handed logs to the FBI, which contradicted its marketing. The privacy policy was rewritten afterwards and independent audits now back the no-logs claim.
Which is better, NordVPN or PureVPN?
NordVPN is faster and holds a bigger network. PureVPN covers more countries and bundles identity tools. Pick on speed versus breadth, not brand size.
English 
Spanish 
Chinese 
German 
French 
Arabic 
Russian 
Portuguese 
Japanese 
Korean 
Italian 
Turkish 
Dutch 
Polish 
Indonesian 
Thai 
Vietnamese 