Astrill VPN’s fast factsOur rating: 3 out of 5.
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Astrill is regarded by some as a premium VPN that users can harness to gain a greater degree of online privacy and security. It is priced accordingly. I found it to be more expensive than competitive solutions. The company is registered in the Seychelles, which helps it get around many of the regulatory hurdles that VPN companies encounter when handing data over to government agencies.
Astrill VPN’s pricing
Astrill costs $30 per month which comes down to $15 a month for a one-year subscription and $12.50 monthly for a two-year subscription. There is also a free VPN available for one Android device. Business plans for 10 to 200 accounts range from $8 to $18 per account per month. Astrill VPN allows unlimited devices to connect per subscription but I discovered that only five can do so simultaneously.
Astrill VPN’s key features
Data security
The data security features of Astrill VPN include a kill switch so that if the VPN is disconnected, all web activity is shut down, and all browsers are closed. Further, multi-hop encryption protects data despite going through a large number of servers. The company uses several types of encryption, including OpenWeb, StealthVPN, and Wireguard. Dedicated IP addresses are available when a user wants one to address the fact that some email providers and websites create problems for shared IP addresses.
While security features vary from provider to provider, when I checked into competitors like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and ProtonVPN as part of this Astrill VPN review, I found they generally offered an even wider range of security features.
Anonymity
Astrill VPN’s Seychelles Islands home is well-chosen as it is outside the jurisdiction of nations that demand VPN vendors hand over personal data as per the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and 14 Eyes surveillance alliances (collectively known as the Eyes Alliance). Some other VPNs are situated in jurisdictions that are forced to turn over user data in certain circumstances.
NordVPN and CyberGhost provide a similar level of anonymity to Astrill VPN, whereas Surfshark and Private Internet Access can sometimes be subject to prying eyes. I liked the fact that Astrill VPN has even achieved some success in China, which is better than most other VPNs, though performance and connectivity can be spotty in that region.
SEE: Everything You Need to Know about the Malvertising Cybersecurity Threat (TechRepublic Premium)
Netflix access
Netflix and other streaming services make life hard for VPNs and many don’t work when trying to use Netflix outside their approved geographical zone. VPNs like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark all provide Netflix access, but TunnelBear, Mozilla VPN, and Perfect Privacy don’t. Astrill VPN sometimes provides Netflix access, depending on which server you use. You might get lucky.
Speed
Astrill promised me fast download and upload speeds, and it delivers. Speed tests have it well ahead of ExpressVPN and Surfshark. It even beats NordVPN in some tests, which is the VPN that generally has the speediest reputation. However, speeds vary and the user of a VPN can mean applications operate more slowly than if they ran over the web without a VPN.
SEE: 6 Best Anonymous (No-Log) VPNs for 2024 (TechRepublic)
Astrill VPN pros
- Good range of security and encryption features.
- Beyond the reach of problematic jurisdictions such as Five Eyes.
- Decent upload and download speeds.
- Has some success within China.
Astrill VPN cons
- Astrill VPN is more expensive than most VPNs.
- You can only connect five devices to Astrill VPN at the same time, which may cause problems in some households and in some businesses.
- Astrill VPN users must download apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, Android, and routers as there are no browser extensions.
- Limited server network of around 300 servers compared to thousands among many of its competitors.
Frequently asked questions about Astrill VPN
What is Astrill VPN?
Astrill VPN is a premium VPN that is generally faster than other VPNs and is available at a higher price.
Is Astrill VPN safe to use?
Astrill VPN is based in the Seychelles and lies well outside the Eyes Alliance nations, making it safer to use than VPNs stationed within Eyes Alliance jurisdictions.
SEE: The 6 Best Small Business VPNs for 2024 (TechRepublic)
How fast is Astrill VPN?
Each Astrill VPN server is connected to a 1 gbit or 10 gbit connection using dedicated bandwidth. As a result, the service promotes superfast speeds. Note, though, that I discovered during this Astrill VPN review that these speeds to be highly variable depending on a number of factors, including location, the amount of encryption used, and the application. Sometimes, speeds are close to 300 Mbps, and other times they can be less than 30 Mbps.
What are the pricing plans for Astrill VPN?
Astrill is generally pricier than other VPNs. It costs about $30 per month if paid monthly. That comes down to $15 a month for a one-year subscription and $12.50 monthly for a two-year subscription.
Business plans for 10 to 200 accounts range from $8 to $18 per account per month. Astrill allows unlimited devices to connect simultaneously per subscription.
There is also a free VPN available for one Android device.
How does Astrill VPN compare to other VPN services?
Astrill VPN is as fast or faster than most VPNs and offers a high level of anonymity. It also beats most other VPNs for Chinese access. However, it has a much smaller server network than other VPNs and is pricier.
Alternatives to Astrill VPN
| Astrill VPN | NordVPN | Surfshark | ExpressVPN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our rating (out of 5) | 3.5 | 4 | 3.5 | 4 |
| Starting price | $12.50 per user per month | $11 per user per month | $3.27 per user per month | $5.54 per user per month |
| Anonymity | Excellent | Excellent | Falls within Eyes Alliance territories | Excellent |
| Security | Good | Excellent | Good | Very good |
| Speed | Very fast | Very fast | Fast | Fast |
NordVPN
NordVPN offers high performance, sometimes rivaling Astrill VPN. Its network of thousands of VPNs internationally far exceeds that of Astrill VPN. Both are priced in a similar range, and both offer plenty of security features, though NordVPN has the broadest range of security. While Astrill VPN allows five simultaneous connections, NordVPN offers six. Both are outside the jurisdiction of surveillance alliances.
Surfshark
Surfshark offers many of the features of AstrillVPN at a lower price, and I noticed that it outguns Astrill VPN by 10 to one in the size of its server network. As Surfshark is based in the Netherlands, it can fall victim to the prying eyes of various countries who like to snoop on internet traffic. Surfshark also has a decent range of security features, and it is fast, but not nearly as fast as Astrill VPN. Where Surfshark really shines, though, is on price. For a few dollars per user per month, you can buy a VPN that isn’t that far behind Astrill VPN.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is a lot cheaper than Astrill VPN, though not as cheap as Surfshark. It offers a raft of security features, an extensive server network, and plenty of apps, and works across almost all platforms and devices. Like Astrill VPN, it is not located within any surveillance alliance jurisdiction.
Methodology
I gathered the information in this review of Astrill VPN from analyst reports, TechRepublic, and TechnologyAdvice reviews, and various peer reviews. This included a comprehensive evaluation of its features, cost, and real-world performance. They were also compared against leading alternatives such as ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark.
ExpressVPN and NordVPN received a 4 out of 5 rating due to their wealth of features, having a large number of servers around the world and overall value. Surfshark scored a little below those two due largely to it falling within the Eyes Alliance. Similarly, Astrill VPN scored slightly less than NordVPN and ExpressVPN due to price and the relatively limited number of servers that are available compared to others.
