SetupVPN vs Windscribe (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, SetupVPN grades higher than Windscribe: 3.0 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
SetupVPN grades higher on value for money and the free plan. Windscribe grades higher on features and ease of use. They get the same grade on platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Windscribe
VPN with a 10GB free plan and pay-per-location pricing
Which one is for you
Pick SetupVPN if
- Fits if you need a free VPN extension for occasional use
- Works for getting around a school or workplace firewall
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to know what Premium costs, as no price or feature list is published
- Not for you if you send mail over SMTP, since ports 25 and 465 are blocked
- Watch out: Linux, Opera and ChromeOS versions are marked coming soon
- Watch out: televisions and routers are not supported
Pick Windscribe if
- Fits if you want a free VPN for light use where you still pick the country
- Works for paying $1 a month per country when you only need a few
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stream on the free plan, which stops at 10GB a month, with most locations Pro only
- Too light for heavy use on Build A Plan, where each location adds only 10GB
- Skip it if you want to share your account with friends, as the terms forbid it
- Watch out: static IPs and team accounts are sold separately, with no price on the plans page
- Pricey if you pay monthly for Pro, at $9 a month against $69 a year
How we grade them
| 3.0GPASetupVPNVery good | 2.6GPAWindscribeGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree with no bandwidth restrictions on the vendor's home page. The Premium price is not published, so there is no paid cost to compare. | CPro is $69 a year and stays at that price, so two years cost $138, about $5.75 a month, above the middle of the pack. Build A Plan starts at $3 a month for 3 locations, but each adds only 10GB of data. |
| Free plan and trial | AA lifetime free account with no bandwidth restrictions and unlimited server changes. | C10GB a month free once you confirm an email, with servers in 10 countries including the US, UK and Germany. Enough for café Wi-Fi, but streaming will burn through it, and most locations are Pro only. |
| Features | CFree account, 100+ locations, malware filtering and Wi-Fi protection. Mail ports 25 and 465 are blocked, and TVs and routers are not supported. | BUnlimited devices, the R.O.B.E.R.T blocker for ads, trackers and malware, double hop, split tunneling, a firewall and config generators for routers, across 69+ countries on Pro. It covers the whole job. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record, and the site asks you to register. | BNo App Store rating on record, but you install the app, confirm an email and connect, with nothing else to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | BExtension, Windows, Mac, iOS and Android; Linux, Opera and ChromeOS are coming soon. | BMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android and browser extensions, plus config files for routers. There's no integration list or API on record, so it stops at B. |
| Best for | an occasional free VPN extension | a free VPN you can pay for by location |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: SetupVPN and Windscribe. How we grade
Where they differ
- Windscribe is open source, according to its own site.
- SetupVPN also covers malware protection.
- Windscribe also covers ad and tracker blocking.
At a glance
| SetupVPN | Windscribe | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | $3 per month for 3 locations (Build A Plan) |
| Free plan | Free account with no bandwidth restrictions and 100+ locations, per the vendor's home page. | 10GB of data a month once you confirm an email address, with servers in 10 countries including the US, Canada, the UK and Germany. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | SetupVPN Inc | Windscribe Limited |
| Price read from | setupvpn.com | windscribe.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Worth knowing
SetupVPN
- A Premium account is mentioned on the home page and FAQ, but no price or feature list is published on the pages read.
- Ports such as 25 and 465 are blocked to limit spam, including SMTP.
- Linux, Opera and ChromeOS versions are marked as coming soon.
- The FAQ says televisions and routers are not supported.
Windscribe
- The free plan stops at 10GB a month and needs a confirmed email; most locations are Pro only.
- Build A Plan locations each add only 10GB a month rather than unlimited data.
- Static IPs and team accounts are sold separately, and their prices are not on the plans page.
- Account sharing is prohibited by the plan terms.
Key features
SetupVPN
- Free account
- The home page promises a lifetime free account with no bandwidth restrictions and no hidden charges.
- 100+ locations
- The site says it has over 100 locations around the world and is adding more.
- Virus and malware filtering
- The FAQ says SetupVPN filters viruses from browsing and shields you from malware on the sites you visit.
- Unlimited server changes
- You can switch servers as often as you like, with no stated limit.
- Public Wi-Fi protection
- Traffic is encrypted with SSL, which the vendor positions as protection on cafe and restaurant networks.
- Extensions and apps
- Downloads are listed for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Android, Windows, macOS and iOS.
Windscribe
- Free plan
- 10GB a month once your email is confirmed, with servers in 10 countries. Pro locations stay locked.
- Build A Plan
- Pay $1 a month per Pro location you want, from a $3 minimum and up to 7 locations, each adding 10GB of data.
- R.O.B.E.R.T
- A customizable server-side blocker for ads, trackers and malware, included with Pro.
- Unlimited connections
- Use one account on as many devices at once as you like, with apps and browser extensions for each platform.
- Config generators
- Generate OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard configurations for routers and devices without an app.
- Double hop, split tunneling and firewall
- Route through two servers, choose which apps skip the VPN, and block traffic outside the tunnel.
Plans
SetupVPN
Free$0
Lifetime free account with no bandwidth restrictions, unlimited server changes and SSL-based encryption.
Windscribe
Free$0
10GB a month with a confirmed email, and servers in 10 countries: the US, Canada, UK, Hong Kong, France, Germany and four more.
Build A Plan$3
per month for 3 locations, then $1 per extra location
$1 per Pro location per month, from 3 up to 7 locations; each adds 10GB to your monthly data. For more, the page points to Pro.
Pro Yearly$69
per year
$5.75 a month. Unlimited data, every location in 69+ countries, R.O.B.E.R.T and config generators.
Pro Monthly$9
per month
The same Pro features as yearly, billed $9 every month.
Ways to pay less
SetupVPN
No public discounts listed.
Windscribe
- Annual discount
About 36% off with yearly billing
Pro Yearly costs $69 a year, against $108 for twelve months of Pro Monthly at $9.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, SetupVPN or Windscribe?
As of Nov 13, 2026, SetupVPN publishes no starting price, and Windscribe starts at $3 per month for 3 locations (Build A Plan).
Which has a free plan, SetupVPN or Windscribe?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both SetupVPN and Windscribe have a free plan.
Which platforms do SetupVPN and Windscribe run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Windscribe lists a Linux app. Both list macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps and a browser extension. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.