At a glance

ExpressVPN Windscribe
Best for Users wanting a reliable, fast VPN across all devices Users who want a solid free VPN or a customizable paid plan
Starting price $6.67/mo $5.75/mo
Free tier
Open source
Free tier available
Open source
94 Countries
Ad blocker
Build-a-plan
Fast Speeds
Free tier
MediaStreamer
No-logs
Split Tunneling
VPN

ExpressVPN

Strengths

  • Includes Fast Speeds as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
  • Includes 94 Countries as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
  • Affordable at $6.67/mo — one of the lower-priced options in the vpn category
  • Established product with 17+ years on the market and a mature ecosystem

Weaknesses

  • No free plan — you need to pay $6.67/mo from day one to use it
  • Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
  • Ecosystem of third-party integrations is smaller than the market leaders in vpn
  • Limited team/admin features if your organization eventually scales up

Windscribe

Strengths

  • Generous free tier — 10GB/month with 10+ locations
  • Build-a-plan lets you pay only for locations you need
  • Built-in ad blocker and tracker blocker (R.O.B.E.R.T.)
  • Strong privacy features with no-logs policy

Weaknesses

  • Free tier has 10GB data cap — not enough for streaming
  • Paid plans aren't the cheapest for unlimited use
  • Smaller server network than NordVPN or PIA
  • Speeds can be slower than premium competitors

The bottom line

Pricing: ExpressVPN starts at $6.67/mo. Windscribe starts at $5.75/mo. Windscribe is the more affordable option.

Feature gaps: ExpressVPN offers 94 Countries, Fast Speeds and MediaStreamer that Windscribe lacks. Windscribe brings Ad blocker, Build-a-plan and Free tier that ExpressVPN does not have.

Where each tool shines: ExpressVPN's biggest strengths are: includes fast speeds as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows. includes 94 countries as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows. Windscribe's biggest strengths are: generous free tier — 10gb/month with 10+ locations. build-a-plan lets you pay only for locations you need.

Watch out for: With ExpressVPN, users commonly note that no free plan — you need to pay $6.67/mo from day one to use it. With Windscribe, the main complaint is that free tier has 10gb data cap — not enough for streaming.

Choose ExpressVPN if...

  • You need a tool built for users wanting a reliable, fast vpn across all devices
  • You specifically need 94 Countries and Fast Speeds
  • You care about includes 94 countries as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows

Choose Windscribe if...

  • You need a tool built for users who want a solid free vpn or a customizable paid plan
  • You want to save on per-user costs — Windscribe is $0.92/user/mo cheaper
  • You specifically need Ad blocker and Build-a-plan
  • You care about build-a-plan lets you pay only for locations you need
  • The free tier works for you: free: 10gb/month, 10+ locations

Looking for more options?

Related comparisons

Explore more