Features
Speed & Performance
Ease of Use
Mobile App
Customer Support
Pricing
Inside This Article...
Astrill VPN Pros:
- Servers optimised for P2P & torrent use
- Works with Netflix
- Good for highly regulated countries
Astrill VPN Cons:
- Fairly expensive
- No VPN browser extensions
There is no denying that Astrill VPN is one of the most expensive VPN providers out there, and so I was certainly interested to find out whether the service is worth the cost.
For casual users, you’re probably going to find Astrill VPN a bit too expensive for your needs. Yet, if you’re looking to bypass the Great Wall of China or you’re interested in VPN use for any other censored country, Astrill VPN could be just the thing you’re looking for.
Overview
Astrill VPN may not be the first provider that springs to mind when looking for a VPN, but this does not mean you should not consider it. Astrill VPN is one of the most secure and advanced VPN providers on the market.
Astrill VPN was launched back in 2009 and is based in the Seychelles. The company currently has more than 300 servers, which are spread across 50 different countries. They use a range of VPN technologies too, including Cisco IPSec, SSTP, PPTP, L2TP/IPSec, RouterPro VPN, OpenVPN, OpenWeb, and StealthVPN.
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Speeds
In terms of speed, Astrill VPN is not the fastest. It is certainly fast enough, but I have found there to be faster VPNs out there.
I was impressed with the long-distance speeds, though. It’s actually same-country speeds where Astrill could do better!
There are little fluctuations and barely any connection drops when using Astrill, so I would definitely say it is one of the more reliable options out there.
Where are Astrill’s servers located?
In terms of server locations, I’d say Astrill has a medium-sized server network. They have servers in 114 cities across 62 countries, yet there are only 355 IP addresses available. The most popular locations across North America and Europe are covered.
However, if you’re looking to connect to more obscure locations, you may need a VPN with more of a comprehensive list of servers.
For instance, in Africa, Egypt and South Africa are the sole representations for the continent.
There are plenty of high-performance servers in the Asia Pacific region, Europe, and the United States.
There are some limitations in regards to Canada and Australia. Vancouver is notably missing in Canada. In Australia, only the South West of the country is represented, with Perth a notable absentee.
I would definitely recommend taking a look at the server list before you make your decision on whether Astrill VPN is the right choice for you. NordVPN and ExpressVPN are known for their big server networks.
I would also like to see Astrill expand the number of IP addresses they have available. At the moment, there are 355 IP addresses to choose from. When you consider that a lot of other VPNs have thousands of VPN addresses, this is a small number, which means a higher risk of traffic congestion. However, I must admit that this is not something I experienced when using Astrill VPN myself.
Security
If security is one of the most important elements for you, then Astrill is an exceptional choice.
Before I discuss the great privacy features, I must touch upon the logging policy. While a lot of VPN providers, like AirVPN, offer a no-logging policy, this is not the case with Astrill VPN. The company have stated that they do collect and log some VPN connection data, including:
- Device type
- IP address
- Connection time
- VPN app version
This data is only available during your VPN session and then it will be deleted permanently once you have disconnected. The purpose of this is so high performance levels can be maintained and the number of devices on a simultaneous connection can be limited.
I know that a lot of people prefer no-log VPNs, yet I am pleased to tell you that the data logs collected by Astrill are not personally identifiable and you can delete them whenever you wish. If you don’t, they will be wiped automatically after 30 days.
In terms of security, Astrill VPN is definitely one of the best options out there. It uses AES-256 encryption, which is a cipher that is pretty much deemed unbreakable, as well as the most secure protocol; OpenVPN.
I was very happy to note the inclusion of WireGuard, which is a rare addition. This is a protocol that delivers optimal performance.
WebRTC leak protection, IPv6, and DNS are included, as well as a VPN kill switch, which is critical in terms of preventing your real IP address from being leaked.
The split tunnelling feature is another favourite of mine. This ensures your browsing is protected without you losing access to local network devices, such as a smart TV or your printer.
There is also no chance that your traffic is going to be routed via a less secure third-party server, as Astrill ensures all of your traffic goes through the company’s own DNS servers.
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Ease of use
I wouldn’t call Astrill the most exciting app to use! However, it is very straightforward and the functionality is great. I like that you can easily view real-time information about your connection.
Behind the three horizontal lines (i.e. the burger menu), you can find some extra settings. This includes a long list of DNS servers for you to select from and leak blocking.
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Torrenting
If you are looking for a VPN for torrenting, Astrill VPN is a suitable choice. Full support for torrenting is available via designated P2P servers. When you choose a location, these servers will be marked with a star so you can easily identify which are going to be appropriate for torrenting.
I was also pleased to see that port forwarding is enabled on these servers for faster speeds.
Astrill VPN also delivers compatibility with P2P sharing networks, including the likes of LimeWire, uTorrent, and BitTorrent.
The company promises that your torrent downloads will remain 100 per cent private and that they will prevent your government authorities and ISP from detecting your activity. This is because your data will be encrypted and your IP address masked, so this can give you great peace of mind when torrenting.
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Unblock streaming services
When I tested Astrill VPN’s ability to get past geo-restrictions when streaming content, I was certainly impressed. I had no problem unblocking popular streaming services in the US when choosing one of their US servers. I was able to get into Amazon Video, Hulu, and Netflix without them detecting that I was using a VPN.
I also connected to a UK server and was able to access BBC iPlayer and the UK Netflix catalog with ease. So, if you are looking for a VPN for streaming purposes, Astrill VPN won’t let you down in my opinion.
Can Astrill VPN be used in China?
Yes, Astrill is a popular choice for users located in countries with high censorship. I often recommend it for people in China, as well as those in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran, and Turkey.
There are stealth VPN protocols that offer an added obfuscation layer, which can help you to beat the Great Firewall of China and get online.
One of the great benefits associated with Astrill in this regard is that there are a number of city-level servers situated in Taiwan. As these servers are close to China, it helps those in China to achieve those quicker speeds.
There are also VPN servers that have been optimised specifically for those connecting out from China, and so this is definitely one of the best VPNs to consider if you’re looking for something for China specifically.
One thing that I do need to make you aware of is the fact that the seven-day free trial is not available for anyone signing up from China.
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Compatibility
Astrill works on a varied range of custom apps for platforms such as:
- iOS
- MacOS
- Microsoft Windows
- Linux
- Android
Astrill VPN also operates effectively with a number of different devices. You can use this VPN with your BlackBerry, Windows Phone, or Amazon Kindle Fire. There are also guides and instructions on how your existing router can be manually configured to support the software.
You can check out my “reviews by device” if you would like more information on the best VPN for a specific device.
In terms of simultaneous VPN connections, Astrill follows the standard approach of enabling you to connect with five devices at any one time.
Games consoles and streaming devices
If you’re looking for a VPN for gaming purposes, I would recommend considering one of the other VPNs that I have reviewed. This is because of the less than impressive latency, which is typically 10ms. This won’t suffice for a lot of gamers.
On the positive, though, you should have no trouble connecting Astrill VPN with your PlayStation, Xbox, or any other game console.
One thing that Astrill VPN is missing, though, is a custom app for Amazon Fire TV Stick. This is something a lot of other VPN providers offer, including IPVanish. You can read my reviews on the best VPNs for Amazon Fire Stick as well for some more suggestions.
Customer support
The customer support is good, but not great! Let’s get the bad stuff out of the way; the live chat is a disappointment! It’s not very helpful at all. You will have much more success emailing your question to the support team. Well, I certainly did! I find the email option to be way more efficient, which is a bit disappointing considering it should be the other way round.
On the plus side, though, the support team that I contacted via email was very helpful. Also, I really like all of the on-site help. From video tutorials to comprehensive FAQ sections, there are lots of places for you to find useful guides and content.
The Astrill Wiki page features a lot of manual set-up guides as well, which is something most other providers don’t have.
Pricing
Astrill VPN is certainly one of the more expensive plans on the market today. There are three plans for you to choose from, which differ based on contract length.
The most expensive, yet most flexible, plan is the one-month contract, which is $20 per month. You then have the option of paying for six months at once, which will cost $90, i.e. $15 per month. The longest and cheapest contract is the one-year option, which costs $10 per month, requiring an upfront payment of $120 per year.
Things can get a bit more expensive if you need any of the add-ons. An Astrill VPN router will set you back at least $50.
You can also add a private IP address for a specific server. This will only be used by you and no one else for the duration of your membership, and it will remain the same throughout. This costs $5 per private IP address.
Finally, there is a VIP add-on, which is an extra $10 per month. This reduces latency and optimizes speed for gamers and clients based in Asia. It enables prioritised traffic across all servers, as well as increasing anonymity thanks to a multi-hop VPN.
Summary
All in all, there is a lot to like about Astrill VPN! However, it’s not going to be the right solution for everyone.
I certainly advise this VPN if you are looking for an appropriate solution for highly censored locations such as China. If you want a VPN that puts your privacy first, this is also a good solution to consider.
I would recommend looking at some of the other VPNs that I have reviewed if you’re looking for a basic VPN in some of the most popular locations or if you want a good app for gaming purposes.
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