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Neither service wins outright. Surfshark is the better fit if you are ready to commit to a longer paid term and want the extra privacy products it sells alongside its VPN. Windscribe is the one to consider if you want a free tier, prefer flexible short-term pricing, or specifically need ephemeral port forwarding. The evidence here cannot establish either service as the “best” free VPN, but Windscribe is the only one of the two with a documented free plan.
Surfshark’s comparison page is written by Surfshark, so its claims about Windscribe are the company’s own view. Windscribe’s plan details come from Windscribe. Independent performance results come from Security.org. The sections below attribute each figure to its source and date.
Free use and the monthly data cap
Windscribe is the only one of the two with a free plan. Its free-plan page at windscribe.net/features/use-for-free, accessed October 7, 2026, lists the plan at $0 with access in 10 countries. The allowance depends on whether you add an email address:
- No email address: 2 GB per month.
- Email address added: 10 GB per month.
Windscribe’s own wording on the free plan is:
“You need a free account to use Windscribe, but you don’t need to give an email. Create a username and password and you’re on, with 2 GB a month. Add an email later to bump it to 10 GB.”
#1 Best Overall
Sale
TP-Link ER605, Wired Gigabit VPN Router
- 【Five Gigabit Ports】1 Gigabit WAN Port plus 2 Gigabit WAN/LAN Ports plus 2 Gigabit LAN Port. Up to 3 WAN ports optimize bandwidth usage through one device.
- 【One USB WAN Port】Mobile broadband via 4G/3G modem is supported for WAN backup by connecting to the USB port. For complete list of compatible 4G/3G modems, please visit TP-Link website.
- 【Abundant Security Features】Advanced firewall policies, DoS defense, IP/MAC/URL filtering, speed test and more security functions protect your network and data.
- 【Highly Secure VPN】Supports up to 20× LAN-to-LAN IPsec, 16× OpenVPN, 16× L2TP, and 16× PPTP VPN connections.
- Security - SPI Firewall, VPN Pass through, FTP/H.323/PPTP/SIP/IPsec ALG, DoS Defence, Ping of Death and Local Management. Standards and Protocols IEEE 802.3, 802.3u, 802.3ab, IEEE 802.3x, IEEE 802.1q
Windscribe says free traffic is not throttled. It also states that free users share free servers and that the plan has a monthly data ceiling. The sources here do not describe what happens once that ceiling is reached, so check the plan page before relying on the free tier for a heavy month.
What 10 GB means in practice
Ten gigabytes is a small pool for video. Hours of streaming or a few large downloads can use it up quickly, while email, messaging and general browsing use far less. The most reliable way to judge fit is to run the free plan through a normal week of your own activity and note where you stand at the end. The 2 GB no-email allowance is only suitable for light, occasional use.
The Surfshark prices cited in its comparison are all for paid plans. None of the Surfshark figures in this article is a free allowance.
Rank #2
- 【AC1200 Dual-band Wireless Router】Simultaneous dual-band with wireless speed up to 300 Mbps (2.4GHz) + 867 Mbps (5GHz). 2.4GHz band can handles some simple tasks like emails or web browsing while bandwidth intensive tasks such as gaming or 4K video streaming can be handled by the 5GHz band.*Speed tests are conducted on a local network. Real-world speeds may differ depending on your network configuration.*
- 【Easy Setup】Please refer to the User Manual and the Unboxing & Setup video guide on Amazon for detailed setup instructions and methods for connecting to the Internet.
- 【Pocket-friendly】Lightweight design(145g) which designed for your next trip or adventure. Alongside its portable, compact design makes it easy to take with you on the go.
- 【Full Gigabit Ports】Gigabit Wireless Internet Router with 2 Gigabit LAN ports and 1 Gigabit WAN ports, ideal for lots of internet plan and allow you to connect your wired devices directly.
- 【Keep your Internet Safe】IPv6 supported. OpenVPN & WireGuard pre-installed, compatible with 30+ VPN service providers. Cloudflare encryption supported to protect the privacy.
What each option costs
The table below lists the prices quoted in two sources. Surfshark’s figures come from its comparison dated May 7, 2026, which lists Starter pricing and Windscribe Pro pricing. Windscribe’s figures come from its free-plan page, accessed October 7, 2026. Totals are simple multiplication of the quoted rate by the number of months in the term; they are not taken from either source.
| Plan | Quoted rate | Term the rate applies to | Total for that term at the quoted rate | Source and date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surfshark Starter | $2.49/month | Two-year plan | $59.76 over 24 months | Surfshark comparison, May 7, 2026 |
| Surfshark Starter | $3.39/month | One-year plan | $40.68 over 12 months | Surfshark comparison, May 7, 2026 |
| Surfshark Starter | $16.45/month | Monthly | $197.40 over 12 months | Surfshark comparison, May 7, 2026 |
| Windscribe Pro | $5.75/month | Annual | $69 over 12 months | Surfshark comparison, May 7, 2026; Windscribe, October 7, 2026 ($69/year) |
| Windscribe Pro | $9/month | Monthly | $108 over 12 months | Surfshark comparison, May 7, 2026; Windscribe, October 7, 2026 |
| Windscribe Build-A-Plan | $1 per location/month | Monthly, with a $3 minimum | $3 per month minimum, which is a three-location floor | Windscribe, October 7, 2026 |
Two cautions apply. First, the Surfshark figures are a dated snapshot, not a guaranteed checkout price. Second, Surfshark Starter and Windscribe Pro are the pairing used in Surfshark’s comparison, and the two tiers do not necessarily include the same features. Compare what each tier includes at checkout, not just the monthly rate.
Renewal and refund terms
Surfshark’s comparison does not state how its two-year plan is billed, so confirm whether the full term is charged up front. Renewal pricing and refund terms for Surfshark are not stated in the sources reviewed. For Windscribe, Tom’s Guide reports a seven-business-day refund window with conditions, including use of no more than 10 GB, in its Windscribe VPN review. Read the current refund policy at checkout, because the review’s terms may have changed.
Rank #3
- New-Gen WiFi Standard – WiFi 6(802.11ax) standard supporting MU-MIMO and OFDMA technology for better efficiency and throughput.Antenna : External antenna x 4. Processor : Dual-core (4 VPE). Power Supply : AC Input : 110V~240V(50~60Hz), DC Output : 12 V with max. 1.5A current.
- Ultra-fast WiFi Speed – RT-AX1800S supports 1024-QAM for dramatically faster wireless connections
- Increase Capacity and Efficiency – Supporting not only MU-MIMO but also OFDMA technique to efficiently allocate channels, communicate with multiple devices simultaneously
- 5 Gigabit ports – One Gigabit WAN port and four Gigabit LAN ports, 10X faster than 100–Base T Ethernet.
- Commercial-grade Security Anywhere – Protect your home network with AiProtection Classic, powered by Trend Micro. And when away from home, ASUS Instant Guard gives you a one-click secure VPN.
Features: port forwarding, split tunneling and extras
Ephemeral port forwarding opens a temporary inbound port that other machines can reach through the VPN connection. It matters mainly for some torrenting setups and self-hosted services. Most everyday browsing and streaming does not need it. Surfshark’s comparison names it as one of Windscribe’s differentiators; this is the provider’s claim about a competitor, so confirm current availability in Windscribe’s own feature documentation before you buy for it.
| Feature | Surfshark | Windscribe |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Not stated in the sources reviewed; its cited prices are all paid plans | Free plan at $0, with 2 GB or 10 GB per month depending on whether an email is added |
| Ephemeral port forwarding | Not stated in the sources reviewed | Named as a differentiator in Surfshark’s comparison, May 7, 2026 |
| Split tunneling | Not stated in the sources reviewed | Not stated in the sources reviewed |
| Extra privacy products | Emphasised in Surfshark’s comparison; the individual products are not named in the sources reviewed | Not stated in the sources reviewed |
| Longer-term plan emphasis | Two-year and one-year plans carry lower monthly rates than its monthly plan | Annual Pro option at $69 per year, compared with $9 per month |
Audits: what each one covers
Audits are scoped. Each one reviews a defined part of a service on a specific date, so the scope and year matter more than a general “audited” label. The table lists each assessment as reported by the provider or reviewer named in the source column.
| Provider | Assessment | Scope as reported | Date | Where reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surfshark | Cure53 infrastructure and Dausos protocol audit | Infrastructure and protocol | 2026 | Surfshark Trust Center |
| Surfshark | SecuRing infrastructure audit | Infrastructure | Completed December 2025 | Surfshark Trust Center |
| Surfshark | Deloitte no-logs verifications | No-logs claim | 2023 and 2025 | Surfshark Trust Center |
| Surfshark | Cure53 browser-extension and infrastructure audits | Browser extension and infrastructure | 2018 and 2021 | Surfshark comparison, May 7, 2026 |
| Windscribe | Server-stack audit | Server stack | June 2024, the latest at the time of the review | Tom’s Guide Windscribe VPN review |
| Windscribe | App audits | Applications | 2021 and 2022 | Tom’s Guide Windscribe VPN review |
Surfshark’s disclosures are more recent and more numerous in the sources reviewed. Windscribe’s own material on audits should be read against the dated, scoped reviews above, because those are the most specific dates available here. An audit is a snapshot of one scope on one date. It does not prove zero risk, and it does not cover app versions or server changes made afterward.
Rank #4
- 【DUAL BAND WIFI 7 TRAVEL ROUTER】Products with US, UK, EU, AU Plug; Dual band network with wireless speed 688Mbps (2.4G)+2882Mbps (5G); Dual 2.5G Ethernet Ports (1x WAN and 1x LAN Port); USB 3.0 port.
- 【NETWORK CONTROL WITH TOUCHSCREEN SIMPLICITY】Slate 7’s touchscreen interface lets you scan QR codes for quick Wi-Fi, monitor speed in real time, toggle VPN on/off, and switch providers directly on the display. Color-coded indicators provide instant network status updates for Ethernet, Tethering, Repeater, and Cellular modes, offering a seamless, user-friendly experience.
- 【OpenWrt 23.05 FIRMWARE】The Slate 7 (GL-BE3600) is a high-performance Wi-Fi 7 travel router, built with OpenWrt 23.05 (Kernel 5.4.213) for maximum customization and advanced networking capabilities. With 512MB storage, total customization with open-source freedom and flexible installation of OpenWrt plugins.
- 【VPN CLIENT & SERVER】OpenVPN and WireGuard are pre-installed, compatible with 30+ VPN service providers (active subscription required). Simply log in to your existing VPN account with our portable wifi device, and Slate 7 automatically encrypts all network traffic within the connected network. Max. VPN speed of 100 Mbps (OpenVPN); 540 Mbps (WireGuard). *Speed tests are conducted on a local network. Real-world speeds may differ depending on your network configuration.*
- 【PERFECT PORTABLE WIFI ROUTER FOR TRAVEL】The Slate 7 is an ideal portable internet device perfect for international travel. With its mini size and travel-friendly features, the pocket Wi-Fi router is the perfect companion for travelers in need of a secure internet connectivity on the go in which includes hotels or cruise ships.
Transparency reports and legal requests
Surfshark publishes a transparency report. Its April–June 2026 report, at surfshark.com/transparency-report, records:
- 374,719 DMCA requests. These are copyright notices, a separate category from government demands.
- 33 government inquiries.
- Zero national security letters.
- Zero gag orders.
- One government warrant, from the Amsterdam District Court in April 2026.
For that warrant, the data available for disclosure was account-existence confirmation and payment-related information. The company states:
“None of the requests resulted in the disclosure of data related to our users’ online activity.”
Best Value
TP-Link Dual-Band AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Gigabit Internet Router for Home
- Next-Gen Gigabit Wi-Fi 6 Speeds: 2402 Mbps on 5 GHz and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz bands ensure smoother streaming and faster downloads; support VPN server and VPN client¹
- A More Responsive Experience: Enjoy smooth gaming, video streaming, and live feeds simultaneously. OFDMA makes your Wi-Fi stronger by allowing multiple clients to share one band at the same time, cutting latency and jitter.²
- Expanded Wi-Fi Coverage: 4 high-gain external antennas and Beamforming technology combine to extend strong, reliable, Wi-Fi throughout your home.
- Improved Battery Life: Target Wake Time helps your devices to communicate efficiently while consuming less power.
- Improved Cooling Design: No heat ups, no throttles. A larger heat sink and redefined case design cools the WiFi 6 system and enables your network to stay at top speeds in more versatile environments.
Account and billing records are not the same as browsing-activity data, and the report draws that line itself. The sources here include no Windscribe transparency report, so this comparison cannot place the two services side by side on legal requests.
Speed and streaming results
Security.org’s comparison, last updated August 17, 2026, reports speed and privacy results for both services. Those are the publisher’s own tests, not tests run for this article. The publisher reports different performance outcomes on Mac and Windows. The results apply only to the devices and conditions it describes, and they should not be read as a general ranking. Its full comparison is at security.org/vpn/windscribe-vs-surfshark.
Quick Recap
Before you pay
- Confirm the checkout price for the plan you want, including whether a two-year Surfshark plan is billed up front.
- Read the renewal price and refund policy on the provider’s current checkout page, since the sources here do not state Surfshark’s.
- Check that each app supports your operating system and devices. Platform coverage for either service is not established in the sources reviewed.
- If you need port forwarding, confirm the feature in Windscribe’s current documentation before you pay for it.
- If you plan to use Windscribe Free, track your monthly use for a week, and confirm which allowance applies to your account.
- Check Surfshark’s Trust Center and transparency report for the current audit list and report period, since both are updated over time.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
