Swedish VPN using numbered accounts; accepts cash by post and Monero
Privacy 9.7
Safety 7.6
VPNs Since 2016 Reviewed 22 Oct 2026
Windscribe review
Canadian VPN with open-source apps, a free tier and crypto payment
- Open source
- No-logs policy
- Independent audit
- No email needed
- Company named
- 5+ years operating
No ID mentioned KYC 1 Documentation reviewed
Privacy
6.8/ 10
Fair
Safety
8.1/ 10
Strong
Based on terms and documentation. No test transactions published yet. See the arithmetic
Windscribe review in short
Windscribe is a VPN operating since 2016. Its terms put it at KYC level 1 of 4: no ID mentioned. NoKYC Score grades it 6.8/10 for privacy (fair) and 8.1/10 for safety (strong). In its favour: no email needed, open source and no-logs policy. No incidents are on record.
- Category
- VPNs
- KYC level
- 1 of 4: No ID mentioned
- Grades
- Privacy 6.8/10, Safety 8.1/10
- Sign-up
- Email optional
- Fees
- Monthly plan $9.00 when checked
- Jurisdiction
- Canada
- Incidents on record
- 0
- Last reviewed
- 22 Oct 2026
Cite this review
NoKYC Score, "Windscribe review", reviewed 22 Oct 2026, https://nokycscore.com/service/windscribe
Also available as plain text.
What Windscribe is
Windscribe is a VPN service owned by Windscribe Limited, a company registered in Ontario, Canada. It offers a free tier and paid plans, with cryptocurrency listed as a payment method on the upgrade page alongside cards, PayPal and local payment options; the monthly plan was shown at $9.00 when checked. The site says the apps are open source and points to transparency reports and audits as evidence of its privacy practices, and describes RAM-disk server infrastructure that stores no identifying data. Accounts are created with a username and password, with an email address optional.
What Windscribe offers, and what to watch
6 of 14 privacy and safety features, 0 warnings in its terms.
"Not stated" means its own pages do not say.
Identity
- ID never required Not stated
- No account needed Not stated
- No email needed Yes An email address is not required to sign up or use it.
- No phone number Not stated
Payment
- Accepts Monero Not stated
- Accepts Lightning Not stated
- Accepts cash Not stated
Access
- Tor onion address Not stated
- Works without JavaScript Not stated
Trust
- Open source Yes The code that matters is public and can be inspected.
- No-logs policy Yes States that connection or activity logs are not kept.
- Independent audit Yes A third party audited the code or the no-logs claim, and the report is public.
- Company named Yes The operating company and its jurisdiction are published.
- 5+ years operating Yes Has operated continuously for five years or more.
Warnings
- May ask for ID Not in terms
- Email required Not in terms
- Phone number required Not in terms
- Closed source Not in terms
- Nobody accountable Not in terms
Does Windscribe require KYC?
- 0 Never
- 1 Not mentioned
- 2 Rare
- 3 On risk flag
- 4 Mandatory
KYC level 1: No ID mentioned. No identity requirement appears anywhere in the terms or documentation.
No identity documents are requested; accounts use a username and password and crypto payment is offered.
How the grades add up
Both grades start at 50 points and move by fixed, published amounts. Nothing is adjusted by hand. The total is divided by ten.
Privacy
6.8- Starting points 50
- KYC level 1: No ID mentioned +12
- Open source +2
- Independent audit +2
- No-logs policy +2
- Total, clamped to 0–100 68
Safety
8.1- Starting points 50
- Open source +8
- Independent audit +8
- 5+ years operating +10
- Legal entity disclosed +5
- Total, clamped to 0–100 81
Test ledger
Real transactions run by our editors. A badge without a ledger is an assertion; this is the proof.
No test transactions published yet
The grades above rest on Windscribe’s terms and documentation. Tests will appear here with the date, route, amount band and result as they are run.
Incidents on record
No incidents are on record for Windscribe. If you have a documented case, report it.
User reviews
Reviews never change a grade. Reviews with a transaction reference are marked.
No reviews yet.
Write a review
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Alternatives to Windscribe
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Windscribe: common questions
Does Windscribe require KYC?
Windscribe is rated KYC level 1 of 4 on this site: no ID mentioned. No identity documents are requested; accounts use a username and password and crypto payment is offered.
Is Windscribe safe to use?
Windscribe has a Safety grade of 8.1 out of 10 and a Privacy grade of 6.8 out of 10. No incidents are on record. Evidence level: documentation reviewed.
Is Windscribe legit?
Windscribe is a working VPN that has operated since 2016. It publishes the company that runs it, in Canada. Being real is not the same as being safe: its Safety grade here is 8.1 out of 10, built from custody, liquidity, track record and incidents.
Is Windscribe a scam?
NoKYC Score does not label services as scams; it records documented incidents with their sources and outcomes. No incidents are on record for Windscribe.
Do I need an account or email to use Windscribe?
Email optional.
What fees does Windscribe charge?
Monthly plan $9.00 when checked. Fees were recorded from Windscribe's own pages and can change; check before you send.
Does Windscribe have a Tor onion address?
No official onion address was found on Windscribe's own pages.
Can I use Windscribe over Tor?
Windscribe does not publish an official onion address.
Listing history
- Listing added. Facts and KYC level set from the service's own terms and documentation.