Windscribe
Free (10GB/mo) / from ~$5.75 per mo
Proton VPN
Free / from ~$3.99 per mo (1-yr)
Windscribe offers a flexible VPN with a generous free tier and build-a-plan pricing. Proton VPN is a privacy-first, open-source VPN with a genuinely unlimited free tier. Windscribe wins on flexible plans; Proton VPN wins on privacy ethos and unlimited free data.
Pick Windscribe if you want a flexible VPN with a generous free tier and customizable build-a-plan pricing.
Pick Proton VPN if privacy matters most and you want an open-source, audited VPN with unlimited free data.
Windscribe and Proton VPN are both known for strong free tiers, but they differ in emphasis. Windscribe offers a flexible service with a generous free allowance (around 10GB a month) and unusual "build-a-plan" pricing that lets you pay only for the locations and features you want. Proton VPN, from the maker of Proton Mail, is privacy-first and open-source, audited, Swiss-based, and notably offers a free tier with unlimited data on a limited set of servers.
On price, Windscribe is free up to 10GB a month with paid plans from around $5.75, while Proton VPN has an unlimited free tier and paid plans from around $3.99 a month. The choice is mostly flexible, customizable plans (Windscribe) versus privacy ethos and unlimited free data (Proton VPN).
We compare free tiers, privacy, price, flexibility, and features.
| Quick facts | Windscribe | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 10GB/mo | Unlimited data |
| Cheapest paid | From ~$5.75/mo | From ~$3.99/mo (1-yr) |
| Open source | Limited | Yes |
| Plan flexibility | Best-in-class (build-a-plan) | Tiered |
| Best for | Flexible plans | Privacy + unlimited free |
Each row reflects the feature on each product's current public release.
| Feature | W Windscribe | P Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Audited no-logs policy | Strong | Best-in-class |
| Generous free tier | Strong (10GB) | Best-in-class (unlimited) |
| Open-source apps | Limited | Yes |
| Build-a-plan / flexible pricing | Best-in-class | Limited |
| Privacy-first reputation | Strong | Best-in-class |
| Ad / tracker blocking | Best-in-class (R.O.B.E.R.T.) | Good (NetShield) |
| Streaming unblocking | Strong | Strong |
| Lower price | No | Yes |
Pricing and features change often. Always verify the current details on each product's official site. Last reviewed 2026-06-26.
Things neither product's marketing page leads with.
Windscribe is flexible with a good free tier and tracker blocking, but it is less of a pure privacy-first brand than Proton.
Proton VPN offers unlimited free data and the strongest privacy ethos, but its plans are less customizable than Windscribe's.
For flexible plans Windscribe wins; for privacy and free data Proton VPN wins.
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