About Windscribe
Windscribe is the most feature-packed free option here. It is a Canadian VPN whose extension acts as a browser proxy and bundles extras most VPN extensions leave out: an ad and tracker blocker, cookie-banner blocking, WebRTC, location and time-zone spoofing, a link cleaner that strips tracking parameters, and anti-fingerprinting. It is listed for Chrome, Edge and Firefox.
The free plan gives 10 GB of data a month once you confirm your email, and Pro plans lift the cap. The extension's source is public on GitHub. Windscribe says it stores no browsing history, DNS queries or connection timestamps. It also says Packetlabs reviewed its server infrastructure in June 2024, including about 80,000 lines of code and penetration testing, and found no intentional subversion of the no-logs policy. Leviathan Security Group audited its apps in 2021 and 2022.
Be clear about the evidence. This is a security audit and code review commissioned by Windscribe, not a formal no-logs assurance report like Proton's, and the page we read is the company's own. The extension also asks for access to all websites so it can block and spoof, and 10 GB goes fast if you stream. If you want a free tier with real tools, it is the best alternative to Proton.
Pros and cons
- Free tier of 10 GB a month with email confirmation
- Bundles an ad blocker, cookie-banner blocking and anti-fingerprinting
- Extension source code is public
- Server infrastructure audited by Packetlabs in 2024
- The free data cap runs out quickly for streaming
- Audit evidence is not a formal no-logs assurance report
- Asks for access to all websites
Permissions
It requests access to all websites, proxy control, web requests, cookies, privacy settings and navigation, which it needs to route traffic through the proxy and to run its blocking and spoofing features. The permission list is from the Firefox version.
