Astrill VPN Review 2024 — Is it actually any good? (September 2024)

Astrill VPN Review — Quick Summary Quick Summary

Astrill VPN is one of the best VPNs out there for accessing the web in restrictive countries, including China. It is currently working in China and I highly recommend it. I have been using it while traveling over the past 5+ years, and it always allowed me to access the free web when I was traveling through a restrictive region. For this review, I relied on my previous experience with the VPN, and I also ran additional tests covering streaming, torrenting, gaming, and more. 

All in all, Astrill VPN is great for users in restrictive countries and people who are focused on security. The provider can access the web in places like China, Russia, and the UAE without any issues. Plus, it also provides access to strong security features, like full leak protection, PFS, and RAM-only servers. 

In addition, Astrill VPN also comes with other perks — it maintains fast speeds across all servers, it’s great for gaming, it works with most top streaming sites, and it provides good customer support. 

However, there are some drawbacks I need to mention — it only allows torrenting on servers in 30+ countries, its apps look a bit outdated, the mobile apps lack a kill switch, the pricing is very steep, and there’s no money-back guarantee. It’s still overall a good VPN, but if you want more value, check the other providers on my list of the best VPNs on the market.

Astrill VPN Security Features Security Features

Astrill VPN has the following industry-standard security features: 

• 256-bit AES encryption — The VPN provider secures your traffic with the same level of encryption that the military uses. This ensures nobody can spy on your data. 
• Kill switch — This is a security feature that disables all internet access if the VPN disconnects to protect you from traffic leaks. Astrill VPN has a kill switch on its Windows, macOS, and Linux apps, but it sadly lacks a kill switch on its mobile apps. On top of a standard kill switch, there’s also an app-based kill switch that shuts down selected apps if the VPN disconnects.
• No-logs policy — Astrill VPN has a strict no-logs policy, which means it doesn’t collect your IP address or browsing traffic. 
• DNS leak protection — The provider runs its own encrypted DNS servers to protect users from DNS leaks. If it didn’t do that, your DNS queries could leak outside of the VPN tunnel, which would allow your ISP to see your browsing traffic. 

Astrill VPN provides access to the following protocols: WireGuard, OpenVPN, OpenWeb, and StealthVPN. WireGuad and OpenVPN are both really secure, but WireGuard is much faster. OpenWeb is the provider’s proprietary protocol, which is designed to be lightweight and resist network changes (so your VPN doesn’t disconnect if you switch from mobile data to a WiFi network) — and it also works well in restrictive countries. And StealthVPN is also a proprietary protocol, which is configured to provide obfuscation. Also, here’s a quick table showing the platform availability for each protocol:

I also like that, on top of DNS leak protection, the VPN provider also prevents IPv6 and WebRTC leaks. This is great to see since some top competitors (like Surfshark, for example), don’t provide full leak protection. I tested the provider’s full leak protection to see how good it is, and I was happy with the results — I ran 15+ leak tests while connected to servers in 10+ countries, and I never experienced any leaks. 

And the provider also has advanced security features, like perfect forward secrecy (PFS) and RAM-only servers. PFS changes the encryption key for each VPN session, and RAM-only servers ensure all data is wiped on each server reset.

Astrill VPN Privacy Features Privacy Features

Astrill VPN comes with a strict no-logs policy — it doesn’t collect your IP address (which reveals your real location) and your browsing traffic, such as the websites you visit and the files you download. It also doesn’t log bandwidth usage. The VPN only collects your email address to communicate with you and set up your account, payment data to process payments, and connection timestamps. 

Still, I think it’s a shame the provider’s no-logs policy hasn’t been independently audited yet. Most top competitors (like ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access) have no-logs policies that have undergone independent security audits. I just think that an audit would make it easier to trust this provider with my privacy. 

Astrill VPN is located in Seychelles, which is a privacy-friendly location. That’s because it’s not a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances, which are a group of countries that share surveillance data with each other. 

Astrill VPN Additional Features Additional Features

Astrill VPN has the following extra features:

• Split-tunneling. 
• Ad Blocker. 
• Multi-hop VPN. 
• Obfuscation. 
• Onion over VPN.
• Built-in Speed Test. 
• Dedicated IP Addresses.

Split-Tunneling

Astrill VPN has split-tunneling — this tool lets you pick which apps or sites use the VPN and which don’t. Split-tunneling is really helpful, as it has many use cases. For example, you can use it to only send traffic from a P2P app through the VPN, which might increase your P2P speeds. 

The provider has split-tunneling on Windows and Android — on Windows, you can split-tunnel both apps and sites, while you can only split-tunnel apps on Android. If you are interested in using split-tunneling on macOS as well, I recommend trying out ExpressVPN since it comes with split-tunneling on Windows, macOS, and Android. 

I tested Astrill VPN’s split-tunneling with both sites and apps, and it works very well — all traffic was routed correctly, and I never experienced any random crashes or bugs. 

Ad Blocker

Astrill VPN has a feature that blocks ads — however, it’s not a dedicated in-app feature, but a simple setting in the main menu that you enable or disable with 1 click. The ad blocker is available on Astrill VPN’s Windows, macOS, and Linux apps. 

The ad blocker is pretty good, though it doesn’t always perform 100% well. In my tests, it got rid of ads on search engines and media outlets 60% of the time. I also tested the ad blocking tool with YouTube videos, but it unfortunately wasn’t able to block those kinds of ads. 

Another drawback is that Astrill VPN’s ad blocker doesn’t also protect you from shady sites — most top competitors that provide access to an in-app ad blocker are able to block both ads and connections to malicious websites. 

To be honest, I think Private Internet Access’ MACE feature is much better. It gets rid of ads 100% of the time (yes, even YouTube ads), and it’s also able to stop you from visiting shady websites. 

Multi-Hop VPN

Astrill VPN provides access to multihop VPN connections for an additional cost. Multihop connections provide extra security, as they send your data through multiple VPN servers (in this case, up to 3 different servers). The provider supports multihop connections on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android — but only via the OpenWeb protocol. 

I like how customizable the provider’s multihop connections are — you can pick whichever servers you want to use from the provider’s server list. 

That said, I don’t really think this paid add-on is worth the steep price — it’s only worth it if you insist on sending your data through up to 3 VPN servers. If you’re okay with just a double VPN connection (which is still very secure), I recommend picking Surfshark instead. It has Dynamic MultiHop, which lets you set up customized double VPN connections. Plus, it includes that feature for free with each subscription. 

Obfuscation

Astrill VPN provides access to obfuscation via its proprietary StealthVPN and OpenWeb protocols, which are available on pretty much all of its apps (only the iOS app is missing StealthVPN). Obfuscation hides your VPN connection by making it look like a regular internet connection. 

The provider’s obfuscation is really good, as it works without issues in restrictive countries. This has been confirmed to me by 5+ customer support reps. And I can also confirm that this VPN service works well in China, as I was always able to use it to freely access the web in that region during my travels. 

In addition, obfuscation is also good for added privacy. Since it hides your VPN connection, third parties like your ISP and government won’t know you’re using a VPN to access the web. 

Just keep in mind that obfuscation might cause some noticeable slowdowns — this is due to the extra layer of encryption added by obfuscation. In my tests, my obfuscated connections were usually 20% slower than my regular VPN connections. 

Onion over VPN

All Astrill VPN servers come with Onion over VPN, which routes your data through the Tor network. This means you don’t need the Tor browser to access .onion links — once you connect to one of Astrill VPN’s servers, you can start surfing dark web sites in regular browsers like Chrome and Firefox. Onion over VPN works with all protocols, but the provider’s customer support reps recommend using the OpenWeb or StealthVPN protocols. 

Even better, you get to enjoy additional security and privacy. That’s because your data is first encrypted by the VPN before it reaches the Tor network — so if Tor somehow suffers a leak or you accidentally use a Tor server that’s run by a malicious actor, your real IP address will still be safe since only Astrill VPN’s IP address will be exposed.

The provider’s Onion over VPN feature works well, and also provides good speeds, which is really surprising. That’s because Tor over VPN connections are usually noticeably slow, as the Tor network itself is pretty sluggish. But when I accessed .onion links with Astrill VPN, it usually took about 6–7 seconds for dark web sites to fully load. 

This feature is similar to what NordVPN and Proton VPN offer, as both providers have servers that automatically send your data through the Tor network. That said, Astrill VPN’s Onion over VPN feature is much more convenient, as it’s supported on all of the provider’s servers.

Built-in Speed Test

The VPN service comes with a built-in speed test, which lets you test the ping (how long it takes for your device to communicate with a VPN server) and download speeds of all servers. The speed test is available on Astrill VPN’s Windows, macOS, and Linux apps. 

I think having a built-in speed test is really convenient. You can just use it to quickly see which servers would provide you with the best speeds, which is better than having to run individual speed tests on each server you want to use with a third-party speed test. 

Based on my tests, the provider’s built-in speed test is accurate. I had it test the speeds of all servers 3 times, and it always accurately recommended the fastest servers for my location. 

Dedicated IP Addresses

For an additional cost, you can get access to a dedicated IP address. This is an IP address that is only assigned to you, so you don’t share it with other VPN users. 

A dedicated IP address has several good use cases. For example, you can use it to avoid reCAPTCHAs on search engines and various sites. On top of that, you can also use a dedicated IP to access websites that block shared VPN IP addresses, such as some bank websites.

Astrill VPN provides excellent variety with its dedicated IPs. That’s because you can get a dedicated IP from up to 20+ countries. Other top competitors (like Private Internet Access and CyberGhost VPN) also come with dedicated IPs, but they don’t provide the same variety as Astrill VPN.

Astrill VPN Streaming Support Streaming Support 

Astrill VPN is good for streaming, as it works with top streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, and Hulu. The only platforms it doesn’t work with are BBC iPlayer and Disney+. If that’s a deal-breaker, consider getting ExpressVPN instead since it works with 100+ streaming services (including the ones Astrill VPN can’t access).

Unfortunately, the provider is missing a smart DNS. This is a useful tool that allows you to access streaming services on devices that don’t work with VPN apps, like certain smart TV models and gaming consoles. If you want to use a smart DNS, try CyberGhost VPN or NordVPN instead.

And while Astrill VPN works with Netflix, it’s not the best option for this streaming platform. The VPN claims to access up to 10 Netflix libraries, but it really only works with Netflix US and Netflix Canada (it’s not compatible with other popular libraries, like Netflix Japan and Netflix UK). If you’re solely looking to use a VPN for Netflix, there are much better options out there — like Surfshark, which works with 15+ Netflix libraries.

Astrill VPN Torrenting Support Torrenting Support

Astrill VPN has decent P2P support, as it allows torrenting on servers in 30+ countries. This might be enough for some users, but I still think the P2P support is pretty limited. To be honest, I think there are much better torrenting VPNs out there — like ExpressVPN, which allows P2P traffic on servers in 100+ countries.

The provider also has good download speeds. In my tests, it took around 1 hour to torrent a 13 GB file. This is acceptable, though other top competitors provide even faster downloads. Still, I like how you can use split-tunneling to route only P2P traffic through the VPN to increase your speeds.

Also, the VPN comes with port forwarding, which allows you to connect to more peers to get faster speeds. I tested this feature, and it successfully increased my P2P speeds by about 5–10%. 

Astrill VPN also provides good security and privacy for torrenting. It comes with a kill switch, a strict no-logs policy, and good leak protection. There’s also an app-based kill switch — so you can use it to shut down your P2P app if the VPN disconnects. 

Astrill VPN Gaming Support Gaming Support

I used Astrill VPN to play Counter-Strike: Global Offensive for 2 hours, and I had a smooth experience. I always had low ping on nearby servers, and maintained average, stable ping on distant servers. Plus, my connections to the game’s servers never dropped, and I never experienced any lag. Also, if you get the VIP add-on, you get access to even faster servers for gaming.

I also like how the VPN protects you against DDoS attacks, as it hides your IP address. On top of that, the provider also has anti-DDoS protection on all of its servers — so nobody can DDoS your connection to the servers to disconnect you from them.

It’s also great that the VPN has router support, as this allows you to securely game online on devices that don’t support VPN apps (like gaming consoles, for example). The provider also has a router app, but it’s not as easy to install or as intuitive as ExpressVPN’s router app.

Finally, I also like that Astrill VPN guarantees cloud gaming support, so you can use it to access online services that stream games to portable devices (like laptops and phones). I tested the provider’s cloud gaming support, and was able to access GeForce Now without any issues.

Astrill VPN Server Network Server Network

Astrill VPN has servers in 55+ countries, but it doesn’t disclose its total number of servers. Its number of countries should be enough for most users, but if you think you’d need more locations, try other top competitors — for example, ExpressVPN has servers in 100+ countries, and Surfshark has servers in 95+ countries. Still, I like how Astrill VPN has servers in locations where other VPNs don’t, like Russia and India. 

The provider also allows torrenting on servers in 30+ countries — this is decent, but I honestly think other top VPNs have much better P2P support. For instance, Private Internet Access supports torrenting on servers in 90+ countries. 

If you buy the VPN’s VIP add-on, you also get access to other servers — multihop VPN servers for added security, and additional servers in Taiwan, Hong Kong, the US, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, and China that are optimized for faster speeds and lower latency.

For an extra cost, you also get access to dedicated IPs. I’m confident in saying that Astrill VPN has the best variety when it comes to dedicated IPs — you can get a dedicated IP from 20+ countries. 

Astrill VPN Speed Tests Speed Tests

I travel a lot, so I can’t really run speed tests for my reviews — that’s because my original speeds fluctuate a lot, and this directly impacts my VPN speed test results. 

Due to that, I asked my friend from Romania to handle the speed tests for me. He doesn’t travel like I do, so his original speeds don’t change as often. That allows him to provide you with consistent VPN speed test results. For these tests, he told me he used the provider’s WireGuard protocol. 

First, he started with a test of his baseline internet connection speeds. So he ran a speed test without being connected to the VPN — these were his results:

After that, he ran a speed test on a nearby server in Hungary. He was happy to report that he barely noticed any slowdowns — in fact, his VPN speeds were just as fast as his baseline speeds. All the sites he browsed loaded instantly, and so did HD and 4K videos. 

Next, he connected to a distant server in the US. He experienced some slowdowns, but they were really minor — websites continued to load instantly, HD videos loaded instantly, and 4K videos took just 2 seconds to load (but they didn’t buffer when skipping through them). 

For his last test, he connected to a distant server in Australia. The slowdowns were slightly more noticeable this time around, but they still weren’t a big issue. The sites my friend connected to loaded in 2 seconds, HD videos took around 3 seconds to load, and 4K videos loaded in 5 seconds and there was minor buffering at the start.

On my end, I can confirm a similar experience whenever I used Astrill VPN while traveling abroad. I had the fastest speeds while connected to a nearby server, but I was able to maintain fast speeds for browsing, gaming, torrenting, and streaming on distant servers too.

Astrill VPN Censorship Bypassing Censorship Bypassing

Astrill VPN is a great pick for users in restrictive countries. That’s because the provider works without issues in places like China, Egypt, and Russia. This has been confirmed to me by the VPN’s support reps, and I can also personally confirm that this VPN works very well in restrictive regions — it’s actually one of the best VPNs for China on the market.

The VPN is able to access the web in restrictive countries via its StealthVPN and OpenWeb protocols. These are its proprietary protocols that provide obfuscation to hide your VPN traffic, which allows you to bypass VPN connection blocks. 

Astrill VPN Apps and Ease of Use Apps and Ease of Use

Astrill VPN has apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. In addition, it supports manual setups on routers. Unfortunately, it’s missing apps for smart TVs and browser extensions — if that’s a deal-breaker, check out ExpressVPN instead.

Installing Astrill VPN on desktop and mobile is pretty simple. On average, it only took me up to 2 minutes to do it — just follow the instructions in the installation wizards, and you’re good to go. 

Astrill VPN only allows 5 simultaneous connections, which is on the lower end of the industry average of 5–10 connections. If you want to connect more devices, I recommend trying Private Internet Access or Surfshark instead, as they both allow unlimited simultaneous connections.

Android & iOS 

The provider’s mobile apps are decent, but they’re not as good as its desktop apps. The design looks a bit outdated, but they’re still pretty easy to navigate — but I still think it's a shame that there’s no quick-connect feature to automatically connect you to the fastest server for your location. 

I also don’t like how both the iOS and Android apps don’t come with a kill switch — this is an essential VPN security feature that protects you from traffic leaks. And the apps also have less features that the desktop apps, as they don’t come with the built-in speed test and the ad blocker. On the plus side, the Android app does come with split-tunneling. 

To be honest, there are much better iOS and Android VPNs out there — for example, ExpressVPN has mobile apps that come with a kill switch, have much more intuitive designs, and are also more feature-rich.

Windows & macOS

The VPN service has pretty good Windows and macOS apps, though the interface could do with a refresh. While the interface is minimalistic and relatively easy to navigate, I don’t like how the design looks like something straight out of the 2000s. Also, not all settings and features come with quick explanations, so some users might be confused. There are honestly better VPNs for Windows and macOS on the market, like ExpressVPN for example.

Both the Windows and macOS apps are secure, as they have a kill switch. They also provide access to secure protocols and the ad blocker. In addition, they both have the built-in speed test. But only Astrill VPN’s Windows app comes with split-tunneling. 

Linux

The VPN service has a good Linux app, as it comes with a GUI (Graphical User Interface), making it an ideal choice for both beginners and advanced users. It’s a shame that the interface looks outdated, but this is still better than having to use command lines.

And the Linux app is both secure and feature-rich — it comes with a kill switch, and it provides access to all of the provider’s VPN protocols. What’s more, it also comes with the ad blocker and the built-in speed test. 

Router Support

Astrill VPN supports manual configurations on several router models and firmwares, such as DD-WRT, Tomato, and Asuswrt-Merlin. If you’d like a VPN that is compatible with more types of routers, check out Private Internet Access or NordVPN. 

The provider also has step-by-step guides for the router setups, which is great. They’re pretty easy to follow, and I like that they include screenshots. On average, it won’t take you more than 15 minutes to configure Astrill VPN on your router. 

Astrill VPN also has a router app, but it’s not as easy to install and use as ExpressVPN’s router app. With ExpressVPN, you get access to a router app that shares a similar design to the provider’s other apps, so it’s very intuitive — in addition, it also provides access to a split-tunneling tool, which you don’t get with Astrill VPN’s app.

Astrill VPN Pricing and Refund Policy Pricing and Refund Policy

Astrill VPN Pricing
Starting Price	$12.50/month
Free Plan
Money-Back Guarantee
Coupons	Astrill VPN Coupon 58% OFF

Astrill VPN is one of the most expensive VPN providers on the market, as its plans start at $12.50/month. It has a 1-month, a 1-year, and a 2-year plan, with the longest plan providing the “best” savings. To be honest, most top competitors (such as ExpressVPN, CyberGhost VPN, and NordVPN) are much more affordable and actually provide better value. 

There’s also a VIP add-on you can buy, which provides access to extra servers. You get multihop VPN servers and additional servers in Asia and the US that provide much faster speeds than the provider’s regular servers. I can understand offering this add-on for access to faster servers, but it’s really weird that you need to pay to access the multihop VPN feature (most top VPNs provide free access to double or multihop VPN connections).

The VPN accepts multiple payment methods, such as credit/debit cards, PayPal, and cryptocurrencies. I’m happy to see that it accepts crypto payments, as they provide better privacy than standard payment methods. 

Unfortunately, the provider doesn’t come with a money-back guarantee. This is a pretty big downside, as pretty much all top competitors have a refund policy (the industry average is a 30-day refund). 

Astrill VPN Customer Support Customer Support

The VPN provides access to various support channels, such as 24/7 live chat, email support, and a good support library that comes with FAQs and setup guides.

I tested the provider’s live chat support multiple times, and I generally had a good experience. It usually took less than 20 seconds to be connected to a support rep, and pretty much all of the live chat reps I talked with were able to answer all of my questions. Still, I need to note that for more advanced questions, the live chat reps will redirect you to the provider’s email support. 

I also tested the provider’s email support, and it’s pretty good. It usually took around 1–2 days to get a reply, which is slightly longer than most top VPNs that usually reply in less than 24 hours (like ExpressVPN, for example). Still, the email support reps always provided me with accurate answers. 

Finally, the VPN’s support library is pretty helpful — it provides access to many useful FAQs, it includes setup guides (most of them have screenshots), and it even has video guides. The only thing I’d like to see the provider add is a few troubleshooting articles. 

Astrill VPN Review 2023 — Final Words Final Words

Astrill VPN is great for people in restrictive countries and for strong security. It works without any issues in places like China, Turkey, and Russia, and it also comes with high-end security features, such as full leak protection, RAM-only servers, and PFS. In addition, it also provides fast speeds on all servers, good streaming and gaming support, and great customer support. 

Still, there are some drawbacks I need to highlight — the provider only allows torrenting on servers in 30+ countries, its apps have a slightly outdated design, its mobile apps don’t have a kill switch, its prices are really expensive, and there’s no refund policy.