VPN · Alternatives
What are the best Windscribe alternatives?
Short answer
The cheapest paid alternative in the first year is Private Internet Access ($24.36; Windscribe: $12). 2 have a free plan: Proton VPN, Hotspot Shield.
| Alternative | Best for | Free plan | From | 1st year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proton VPN | Privacy-first VPN with a free tier | Yes | $4.49 / mo | $53.88 |
| Surfshark | Cheap VPN with unlimited devices | No | $2.49 / mo | $29.88 |
| Private Internet Access | VPN with unlimited simultaneous devices | No | $2.03 / mo | $24.36 |
| CyberGhost VPN | VPN with 45-day refund window | No | $2.19 / mo | $26.28 |
| Hotspot Shield | VPN with a limited free plan | Yes | $7.99 / mo | $95.88 |
| NordVPN | Fast VPN with security extras | No | $4.99 / mo | $59.88 |
| ExpressVPN | Premium VPN with identity protection | No | $2.99 / mo | $35.88 |
| IVPN | Audited no-logs VPN with anonymous signup | No | $60 / yr | $60 |
Which Windscribe alternative is cheapest?
Private Internet Access, at $24.36 for the first year (Windscribe: $12).
| Alternative | 1st year |
|---|---|
| Private Internet Access | $24.36 |
| CyberGhost VPN | $26.28 |
| Surfshark | $29.88 |
| ExpressVPN | $35.88 |
| Proton VPN | $53.88 |
| NordVPN | $59.88 |
| IVPN | $60 |
| Hotspot Shield | $95.88 |
Which Windscribe alternatives are free?
2 of 8 have a free plan.
- Proton VPN: unlimited data, limited servers
- Hotspot Shield: 2 Mbps, 500 MB daily, 1 location
The 8 alternatives, one by one
1
Proton VPN
Best for: privacy-first VPN with a free tier
- Free plan
- Yes, unlimited data, limited servers
- From
- $4.49 / mo
- 1st year
- $53.88
2
Surfshark
Best for: cheap VPN with unlimited devices
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $2.49 / mo
- 1st year
- $29.88
3
Private Internet Access
Best for: VPN with unlimited simultaneous devices
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $2.03 / mo
- 1st year
- $24.36
4
CyberGhost VPN
Best for: VPN with 45-day refund window
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $2.19 / mo
- 1st year
- $26.28
5
Hotspot Shield
Best for: VPN with a limited free plan
- Free plan
- Yes, 2 Mbps, 500 MB daily, 1 location
- From
- $7.99 / mo
- 1st year
- $95.88
6
NordVPN
Best for: fast VPN with security extras
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $4.99 / mo
- 1st year
- $59.88
7
ExpressVPN
Best for: premium VPN with identity protection
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $2.99 / mo
- 1st year
- $35.88
8
IVPN
Best for: audited no-logs VPN with anonymous signup
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $60 / yr
- 1st year
- $60
Sources
| Vendor page | URL | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Windscribe pricing | windscribe.com/upgrade | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Proton VPN pricing | protonvpn.com/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Surfshark pricing | surfshark.com/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Private Internet Access pricing | privateinternetaccess.com/buy-vpn-online | 27 Oct 2026 |
| CyberGhost VPN pricing | cyberghostvpn.com/en_US/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Hotspot Shield pricing | hotspotshield.com/select-plan/ | 27 Oct 2026 |
| NordVPN pricing | nordvpn.com/pricing/ | 27 Oct 2026 |
| ExpressVPN pricing | expressvpn.com/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| IVPN pricing | ivpn.net/en/pricing/ | 27 Oct 2026 |
Prices in USD as published by each vendor, billed yearly where offered. How we compare