NordVPN vs. Windscribe 2024: A Battle Based on Budget

If you compare NordVPN and Windscribe, price is the biggest difference between the two. NordVPN is more expensive, but it includes bonus features like an ad blocker and 24/7 support. Windscribe is cheaper, offering a free plan and a Build-a-Plan option, but its regular pricing is more than Nord.

Overall, Windscribe is the better choice for more budget-conscious users who don’t mind a couple of flaws (but not dealbreakers). On the other hand, NordVPN is outstanding for those who don’t mind paying a bit more for a more complete product.

NordVPN vs. Windscribe at a glance

NordVPN is a premium VPN provider that makes your subscription worthwhile. It includes plenty of features to make this price worth it, like specialty servers, an ad blocker, and dark web monitoring.

Windscribe offers a lot of bang for the buck — solid performance and compatibility, plenty of streaming options, and a no-logs policy. However, it’s not without compromises, including a headquarters in Canada – a Five Eyes alliance country — and a lack of 24/7 human customer service.

• NordVPN: Best for performance and privacy
• Windscribe: Best for your budget

How do NordVPN and Windscribe compare?

Price	$2.99–$17.99/mo	$1.00–$9.00/mo
Max # of connected devices	10	Unlimited
24/7 customer support
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and more	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and more
# of servers	6,800+ servers in 111 countries	Unlisted in 69+ countries
VPN protocol	OpenVPN, NordLynx (WireGuard), IKEv2/IPsec	OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2, Stealth, Websocket Stealth
No-logs policy	No logs	No logs
Unblocks Netflix?
Learn more	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review	Get Windscribe Read Windscribe Review

NordVPN pros and cons

NordVPN is one of the top providers for a number of reasons. It has an extensive server network with 6,800+ servers in 111 countries. These include specialty servers for obfuscation, Onion over VPN, and more. 

Nord is also one of the fastest VPNs on the market. During our testing, it increased our download speeds with every server location we tested. We were easily able to browse the web and stream Netflix with no buffering or lag.  

Nord  has an audited no-logs policy, which was most recently reviewed by Deloitte at the end of 2023. Plus it's headquartered in Panama, which is a significant boost for privacy because it is not part of the Eyes alliances.

Windscribe pros and cons

Windscribe packs a lot of value into its plans. All of its plan options allow for unlimited simultaneous connections, so you can cover all the devices in your home. 

Windscribe offers a free version with 10 GB of free data, servers in 10 countries, and all the same features as the paid plans. It also lets you build your own plan, where you pay $1.00/mo per server location. 

Despite its budget-friendly options, Windscribe provides the standard features you need from a VPN, like a kill switch and split tunneling. It also comes with proxy settings and content blocking filters for more tech-savvy users.

NordVPN vs. Windscribe: prices

		Our Pick
Price range	$2.99–$17.99/mo	$1.00–$9.00/mo
Best value plan	2-year Basic plan for $3.59/mo (billed every two years)	Build-a-Plan for $1.00/mo per location
Money-back guarantee	Yes — 30 days	Yes — 3 days
Learn more	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review	Get Windscribe Read Windscribe Review

Of the two providers, Windscribe is certainly the more affordable — it even offers a free version (with a 10 GB monthly data limit). That said, NordVPN isn’t too expensive, and it can get close to Windscribe’s prices if you’re willing to sign up for a two-year plan instead of a monthly plan.

Something interesting about Windscribe is that you can build your own subscription. The Build-A-Plan option lets you select the server locations you want at a price of $1.00/mo per location. Each location also provides 10 GB of data, but you can then add unlimited data for an extra $1.00/mo. 

The plan has a minimum cost of $3.00/mo, which will get you either three locations and 30 GB of data or two locations and unlimited data. This can be a great way to save some money on your VPN.

Nord does win out for the best money-back guarantee. You can try the service for a full 30 days risk-free, while Windscribe only offers seven days. That’s better than nothing, but 30 days is the standard.

NordVPN vs. Windscribe: payment options

Since VPNs are all about privacy, the payment method you use is important. For that reason, both providers offer a variety of payment options, ranging from credit cards and prepaid debit to cryptocurrency and even cash (for NordVPN). Generally, cash is going to provide the most privacy since it can’t really be traced back to you.

NordVPN payment options

• Credit card
• PayPal
• Google Pay
  
• Cryptocurrencies (bitcoin, ethereum, and more)

Windscribe payment options

• Credit card
• PayPal
• PayPal
• Apple Pay
• Google Pay
• Amazon Pay
• Cryptocurrency (bitcoin)
• Paymentwall

Which VPN is faster?

When using a VPN, there is typically a hit to internet performance. These services work by routing your traffic through potentially distant servers en route to their destination. 

However, some VPNs do a better job than others at preserving speed. To test, we took an internet speed test with our plain internet connection (based in the U.S.) and then again by using the VPN through servers in various locations. The results below indicate how much NordVPN and Windscribe were impacted by each server location.

	Our Pick
US	45% faster	4% slower
Canada	41% faster	5% slower
UK	31% faster	20% slower
AU	12% faster	65% slower
Learn more	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review	Get Windscribe Read Windscribe Review

Although we expect VPNs to decrease our speeds, that's not always the case. NordVPN impressed us because it sped up our internet connection with nearly every server location. The U.S. and Canadian servers almost doubled our speeds. 

Windscribe slowed our speeds, but it wasn't noticeable until we connected to servers across the pond. While the U.S. and Canadian servers only negligibly slowed our connection, the Australian server decreased our connection significantly by 65%. 

Be sure to consider your physical location when selecting a server. Since Australia is on the other side of the world from our physical location, it naturally led to slower speeds. 

Which VPN is more secure?

Feature	Our Pick
Number of servers	6,800+ servers in 111 countries	Unlisted in 69+ countries
No-logs policy	No logs	No logs
VPN headquarters	Panama	Canada
Encryption	AES-256-GCM	AES-256-GCM
VPN protocol	OpenVPN, NordLynx (WireGuard), IKEv2/IPsec	OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard, Stealth, Websocket Stealth
Kill switch
Split tunneling
DNS leak protection
Ad blocker
Learn more	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review	Get Windscribe Read Windscribe Review

Running through the basic features of each VPN, you can see that the two have a lot in common. Windstream and NordVPN both support AES-256-GCM encryption and the WireGuard protocol, which help provide strong data privacy without losing too much speed.

However, Windscribe is missing a couple of notable things. First, although it does have a no-logs policy, the provider hasn’t had an independent audit done. Having a no-logs policy audited by an unbiased third party helps verify those claims. Nord’s no-logs policy was last audited by Deloitte in late 2023.

Second, Windscribe is headquartered in Canada, which is a Five Eyes alliance member. In theory, this means your data could be less private since the Eyes alliances are intelligence-sharing agreements. In practice, if the no-logs policy is legit, there would be nothing to show the government, but again, since there’s no independent audit, we can’t be 100% positive.

Finally, each provider offers its own array of special features. Windscribe has a number of advanced settings in its apps, including proxy settings and the R.O.B.E.R.T. tool for blocking domains and IP addresses on the network. This tool is actually pretty impressive — particularly the prebuilt category lists that let you block ads, trackers, gambling sites, and more across your entire network.

NordVPN offers its own slew of features. Threat Protection helps keep you safe from malware, ads, and trackers in real time. Meshnet lets you connect your devices together in a sort of local network so you can access all of them from a single device. For example, you can transfer files among different computers or remotely access a device at home from your office.

NordVPN vs. Windscribe: compatibility and ease of use

	Our Pick
Windows
macOS
Android
iOS
Linux
Router
Smart devices
24/7 customer support
Customer support options	Live chat, email, online guides	Email, online guides
Browser extensions	Yes — Chrome, Firefox, Edge	Yes — Chrome, Firefox, Edge
	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review	Get Windscribe Read Windscribe Review

NordVPN and Windscribe both offer excellent compatibility with desktop apps for Windows, macOS, and Linux, mobile apps for Android and iOS, and even browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. Neither really has an advantage over the other here.

The two also have comparable user interfaces — neither is really difficult to use, in our opinion. We did find that NordVPN has a bit more of a modern look, while Windscribe feels a little dated. However, for the amount of time that you spend in the interface (not much), this isn’t a dealbreaker.

The only real difficulty we ran into was with Windscribe using an excessive amount of CPU resources. This problem cropped up during our Windscribe review. We were able to solve it by disabling a feature and restarting the computer, but the fact that it’s a problem at all could be an issue for less tech-savvy users.

Both Windscribe and NordVPN offer useful support websites, email support, and a 24/7 chatbot that can do a decent job of answering basic questions. However, NordVPN offers 24/7 live chat with a real person — and Windscribe lacks this option. As cool as chatbots are, they aren't a substitute for actual people, so it’s a little disappointing not having this avenue available.

On a similar note, neither provider offers any sort of telephone support. We get that it’s 2024 and phones are old-fashioned, but some people prefer this avenue, so we’d really like to see it offered.

FAQs

Is NordVPN or Windscribe better?

NordVPN and Windscribe each have a lot to offer. Nord is only marginally more expensive and is the more complete service, covering most of Windscribe’s shortcomings and also offering dramatically reduced latency, which can have a big impact on performance.

Windscribe is the overall more affordable option, has faster speeds, and covers the basics extremely well. However, it does have several small pieces missing, such as 24/7 support and an independent audit of privacy practices.

Ultimately, we think NordVPN is the better overall product, but if you want to save a few bucks, Windscribe will serve you well.

NordVPN vs. Windscribe alternatives

NordVPN and Windscribe are two very different services, but there are plenty of options in between with strengths in speed, streaming, security, and more. Here are some recommendations if you're not sold on NordVPN or Windscribe: