Windscribe vs Surfshark

by Gralio Mar 13, 2025

Windscribe and Surfshark are both VPN services catering to privacy-conscious users. Windscribe stands out with its customizable plans and robust blocking features, while Surfshark offers a simpler user experience and unlimited connections. Mid-sized businesses focused on value might prefer Windscribe's flexible pricing, whereas those prioritizing ease of use and multi-device access could lean towards Surfshark.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 355 reviews and 60 websites, saving 2 hours, 28 minutes of reading.

Logo of Windscribe
Logo of Surfshark

About

Windscribe is a VPN service that prioritizes online privacy and security. It encrypts your internet connection, making your online activity untraceable by third parties. It also masks your IP address, allowing you to access geo-restricted content and websites. Windscribe offers a free plan with limited data and a premium plan with additional features and data. You can use Windscribe on various devices, including computers and smartphones, making it a versatile tool for protecting your online privacy.
Surfshark is a VPN service that prioritizes online privacy and security. It allows you to connect to the internet through their secure servers, masking your IP address and encrypting your internet traffic. This makes it harder for others to track your online activity or access your data. Surfshark offers apps for all major devices, servers in numerous locations, and the ability to connect an unlimited number of devices simultaneously. They have also undergone independent security audits to verify their safety and effectiveness.

Summary

Main difference
Windscribe offers a more customizable and affordable VPN experience with features like ROBERT, allowing users to block domains and IPs. Surfshark emphasizes ease of use and unlimited simultaneous connections, making it ideal for users who prioritize simplicity and multi-device access.

Relative strengths of Windscribe (compared to Surfshark)

  • More affordable pricing, especially with customizable plans.

  • Customizable domain and IP blocking with R.O.B.E.R.T.

  • Generous free plan with 10GB of data.

Relative weaknesses of Windscribe (compared to Surfshark)

  • Occasional connection speed fluctuations.

  • Limited streaming service access.

  • Some servers easily detected as VPNs.

Who should use Windscribe VS. Surfshark

Windscribe is a VPN service prioritizing online privacy and security, encrypting your connection and masking your IP for access to geo-restricted content. Users love its affordability, user-friendly interface, and strong encryption. However, some find the connection speed fluctuates and streaming service access is limited. A generous free plan is available, along with premium plans for enhanced features.

Surfshark is a VPN service prioritizing online privacy and security. It encrypts internet traffic, masks IP addresses, and offers easy setup across multiple devices. Users praise its speed and customer support but note occasional website loading issues. A 30-day money-back guarantee is included.

  • Best for small businesses (1-100 employees), moderate fit for medium businesses (101-1000).

  • Excellent fit for E-commerce and Software/IT/Telecom companies.

  • Best for small to medium-sized businesses (1-1000 employees).

  • Limited industry-specific information available.

Windscribe and Surfshark features

Supported
Partially supported
Not supported
Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

  • VPN server locations
    Supported

    Windscribe has servers in 69 countries worldwide, including multiple locations within many countries.

    Supported

    Surfshark offers servers in many locations worldwide, enabling connections to various regions.

  • Customizable domain and IP blocking
    Supported

    Windscribe offers customizable domain and IP blocking through its R.O.B.E.R.T. feature.

    Not supported

    Surfshark does not offer customizable domain and IP blocking.

  • Secure VPN
    Supported

    Windscribe offers a secure VPN connection with strong encryption and IP masking.

    Supported

    Surfshark offers secure VPN with strong encryption and extra privacy features.

  • Traffic encryption
    Supported

    Windscribe encrypts VPN traffic with AES-256 and other strong ciphers.

    Supported

    Surfshark encrypts traffic using AES-256 and ChaCha20 protocols for confidentiality.

  • Two-factor authentication
    Not supported

    Windscribe supports two-factor authentication for account login, but not for individual VPN connections.

    Supported

    Surfshark supports two-factor authentication for VPN connections.

  • Country blocking
    Partially supported

    Country blocking is not directly supported, but specific IP addresses can be blocked.

    Not supported

    Surfshark does not support blocking traffic from specific countries.

Qualities

  • Value and Pricing Transparency
    +1
    Strongly positive sentiment
    -0.29
    Neutral sentiment
  • Customer Service
    No data
    +0.64
    Rather positive sentiment
  • Ease of Use
    +0.71
    Strongly positive sentiment
    +0.26
    Neutral sentiment
  • Reliability and Performance
    +0.14
    Neutral sentiment
    -0.07
    Neutral sentiment
  • Ease of Implementation
    +1
    Strongly positive sentiment
    +0
    Neutral sentiment

Windscribe and Surfshark Pricing

Windscribe offers a free plan with limited locations and a Pro plan with unlimited data and access to all locations. Users can also build a custom plan by selecting specific locations for $1.00 per location, per month.
Plans

User sentiment

Strongly positive
+1

See full Pricing page

Surfshark offers three pricing tiers: Starter, One, and One+. All plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Plans

User sentiment

Neutral
-0.29

See full Pricing page

Windscribe and Surfshark review insights

260 reviews analysed from and

Users love

  • Affordable pricing, especially the customizable plans.
  • User-friendly interface and easy setup.
  • Availability on various platforms and devices.
  • Generous free plan with 10GB of data.
  • Strong encryption and security features, including a firewall.
  • Easy-to-use interface and simple setup.
  • Fast connection speeds with minimal lag.
  • Unlimited simultaneous connections on multiple devices.
  • Excellent and responsive customer support.
  • Competitive pricing and affordable subscription options.

Users dislike

  • Occasional fluctuations in connection speed.
  • Limited access to some streaming services.
  • Some servers are easily detected as VPNs.
  • Confusing server load information.
  • Some websites refuse to load while Surfshark is active.
  • The Windows app sometimes doesn't notify users of updates.
  • Servers in some regions are disabled without warning.
  • Torrenting with qBittorrent has issues with IP leaks.
  • The dedicated IP address doesn't always work correctly.

Windscribe and Surfshark Ratings

  • G2
    4.5/5
    (63)
  • Capterra
    4.6/5
    (179)
  • G2
    3.9/5
    (18)
  • Glassdoor
    4.5/5
    (45)

Company health

Employee growth

6% increase in the last year
12% increase in the last year

Web traffic

6% decrease in the last quarter
1% increase in the last quarter

Financing

No data
No data

How reliable is each VPN's connection stability?

Windscribe users report occasional fluctuations in connection speed, and some servers are easily detected as VPNs, suggesting some instability. Surfshark users experience issues with websites not loading while the VPN is active, the Windows app sometimes not notifying about updates, server disables, and IP leaks with torrenting, indicating potential connection stability problems.

Which VPN offers more robust customization using features like R.O.B.E.R.T.?

Windscribe offers more robust customization through its R.O.B.E.R.T. feature, which allows for granular control over domain and IP blocking. Surfshark does not offer a comparable level of customization.

What are the advantages of Windscribe?

Windscribe offers a generous free plan with 10GB of data, making it a cost-effective option for users with limited data needs. Users appreciate Windscribe's customizable plans and affordable pricing. Additionally, Windscribe's customizable domain and IP blocking through its R.O.B.E.R.T. feature provides granular control over online security.

What are the disadvantages of Windscribe?

Windscribe users have reported occasional fluctuations in connection speed, limited access to some streaming services, some servers being easily detected as VPNs, and confusing server load information.

Alternatives to Windscribe and Surfshark

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OpenVPN Access Server
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Logo of NetBird
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Page co-authored by
MK
Michal Kaczor
CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

TT
Tymon Terlikiewicz
CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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