Windscribe vs X-VPN (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, X-VPN grades higher than Windscribe: 3.0 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
X-VPN grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and 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
X-VPN
VPN with an unlimited-data free plan and discounted first terms
Which one is for you
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
Pick X-VPN if
- Fits if you want a free VPN with no data cap and can live with 26 regions
- Works for households with phones, TVs and consoles
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free: kill switch, split tunnelling and the full server network are Premium
- Pricey if you pay monthly, at $11.99
- Watch out: the 12 and 24-month prices are first-term only and renew at $71.99 a year
- Watch out: crypto, gift card and phone-credit payments are non-refundable
- Not for you if you need more than 5 devices at once
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAWindscribeGood | 3.0GPAX-VPNVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | BFree with unlimited data, and Premium is $2.99 a month on the 24-month term. But it renews at $71.99 a year, about $6 a month, and monthly is $11.99. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | BBasic needs no account, has unlimited data and speed, and offers 26 regions. The global network, kill switch and split tunnelling need Premium. |
| Features | 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. | BSeveral protocols, AES-256, kill switch, split tunnelling, static IP, ad blocker, 10,000 servers claimed in 80+ countries. No core gap is named in the listing. |
| Ease of use | BNo App Store rating on record, but you install the app, confirm an email and connect, with nothing else to set up. | BNo store rating on record. Install and connect, no email needed for Basic. |
| Platforms and integrations | 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. | BWindows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, a Chrome extension, TVs, routers and consoles. Phones and computers, no API. |
| Best for | a free VPN you can pay for by location | a free VPN with no data cap |
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: Windscribe and X-VPN. How we grade
Price against what you get
Windscribe starts at $3 a month and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. X-VPN starts at $6 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.0.
They score the same, and Windscribe starts $3 a month lower. Of the other VPNs on the chart, none scores higher than Windscribe for less, and 1 scores higher than X-VPN for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Windscribe is open source, according to its own site.
At a glance
| Windscribe | X-VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $3 per month for 3 locations (Build A Plan) | $71.99 per year at renewal, after a first 24 months for $69.99 |
| Free plan | 10GB of data a month once you confirm an email address, with servers in 10 countries including the US, Canada, the UK and Germany. | Basic is free with no sign-up, unlimited data and speed, and a choice of 26 regions. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Windscribe Limited | LightningLink Networks Pte. Ltd. |
| Price read from | windscribe.com | xvpn.io |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
X-VPN
- Free users choose from 26 regions; the global network, kill switch and split tunneling need Premium.
- Premium's advertised prices are first-term prices: the 12-month and 24-month plans renew at $71.99 every 12 months.
- Payments made with cryptocurrency, gift cards or phone credit are non-refundable, and app-store purchases follow the store's refund rules.
- One subscription covers up to 5 devices at the same time.
Key features
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.
X-VPN
- Free VPN without limits on data
- Basic needs no email or payment details and has no data cap; free users pick from 26 regions, including the UK, Canada, Australia and 13 US cities.
- Large server network
- The site claims over 10,000 servers in 80+ countries, with the 24/7 live support the vendor advertises.
- Protocols
- A self-developed protocol, plus OpenVPN and WireGuard, with AES-256 encryption and post-quantum cryptography per the home page.
- Premium extras
- Kill switch, split tunneling, static IP, an ad blocker, a tracker blocker, search protection, a PC cleaner and dark web monitoring, per the pricing page.
- Many device types
- Apps for desktop, phones, TVs, routers, game consoles and a Chrome extension, with up to 5 devices connected at once.
Plans
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.
X-VPN
Basic$0
Free VPN with unlimited data and speed, AES-256 encryption, a kill switch and RAM-only servers per the home page; the pricing comparison limits it to free locations.
Premium, 1 month$11.99
per month
Unlimited VPN, global servers, advanced functions, ad and tracker blocker, search protection and PC Cleaner. Renews monthly.
Premium, 12 months$71.99
per year at renewal, after a first term of 12 months
The first 12 months cost $47.99, then it auto-renews at $71.99 every 12 months.
Premium, 24 months$71.99
per year at renewal, after a first term of 24 months
The first 24 months cost $69.99 (advertised as $2.99 a month and 76% off), then it auto-renews at $71.99 every 12 months.
Ways to pay less
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.
X-VPN
- Other savings
First-term pricing on 12 and 24 months
The first 12 months are $47.99, or the first 24 months are $69.99; both then renew at $71.99 every 12 months. The page shows 76% off the monthly price.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Windscribe or X-VPN?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Windscribe is cheaper to start with: $3 a month, against $6 a month when paid by the year for X-VPN. Windscribe starts at $3 per month for 3 locations (Build A Plan), and X-VPN starts at $71.99 per year at renewal, after a first 24 months for $69.99.
Which has a free plan, Windscribe or X-VPN?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Windscribe and X-VPN have a free plan.
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.