Astrill VPN Review 2024: Is It Worth Its Premium Price?

Astrill VPN is a high-cost virtual private network (VPN) that promises exceptional security and speed with a number of great features. During our tests, we found the speed to be tolerable, but other weird quirks like the UI and site access to be a major downside.

Our review will take a comprehensive look at its pricing, key features, and performance results. We aim to provide a balanced perspective, so you can decide if Astrill VPN is one of the best VPNs for fortifying your online privacy and enhancing your internet experience.

Astrill VPN overview

Price	$12.50–$30.00/mo
Free version	No
Max # of connected devices	5
# of servers	Unlisted in 56 countries
VPN protocol	OpenWeb, StealthVPN, OpenVPN, WireGuard
No-logs policy	No logs
Headquarters	Seychelles
Netflix access	Yes
Learn more	Get Astrill VPN

Our experience

While it does have some strong pros, we did not have the best time with Astrill VPN during our tests.

Getting started was easy, with a straightforward process and servers that are very quick to connect to. But the UI was overall clunky and outdated, and we missed certain features like being able to switch servers while connected.

You can choose which VPN protocols you're connected to via a dropdown at the top of the app, but there was no automatic option that most other VPNs include. This made it hard to decide which one to choose.

The servers were decently fast, but one of the worst offenses when connected to Astrill was our Google would automatically redirect to the Chinese version:

On top of being annoying, since the search results were less relevant for us, it was also just...off putting.

We did like that the app recommends a list of servers for you to choose from, plus allows you to favorite the ones you'll be using most often. This makes it easy for people who like to use certain locations for different activities.

Overall, we felt annoyed with Astrill VPN as it was difficult to navigate, hindered our Google searches, and even blocked some websites we use to test VPNs. Though the speeds were decent, the price and the experience together would lead us not to recommend this VPN to someone.

Top alternatives

If Astrill VPN just isn't hitting all the marks you need, there are many more VPNs on the market to check out.

Here are some of our favorites:

Who is Astrill VPN best for?

• Recommended for remote workers and small businesses looking to keep sensitive data secure and private

Astrill VPN is suitable for individuals who wish to prioritize their digital privacy without compromising speed or accessibility to internet services. This includes anyone who handles sensitive data and requires robust encryption and security features, such as tech-savvy users, privacy advocates, small businesses, and remote workers.

Astrill is able to ensure user data remains private and secure with its strict no-logs policy and advanced security protocols like StealthVPN.

Plus, it does offer plans specifically designed for businesses, making it easier to grab licenses for your whole company.

Astrill VPN prices and subscriptions

Astrill VPN offers three subscription plans: monthly, annual, and biennial. Comparing these prices with other VPN providers, Astrill VPN is one of the priciest on the market. 

The monthly plan is $30.00/mo, which is a lot higher than industry-standard prices. For instance, ExpressVPN’s month-to-month plan is $12.95/mo and NordVPN’s is $12.99/mo.

Plan	1 Month	1 Year	2 Years Best Value
Price per month	$30.00/mo	$15.00/mo (billed annually)	$12.50/mo (billed annually)

On top of this, Astrill VPN offers two add-on services: Private IP (an extra $5/mo) and VIP (an extra $10/mo):

• Private IP is a dedicated IP address on selected servers that is used by you and no one else
• The VIP add-on offers optimized speeds, reduced latency, and a multi-hop VPN for increased anonymity. This is suitable for gamers as well as users in Asia who want to bypass restrictive legislation like the Great Firewall.

Astrill VPN offers a lot of variety in its payment options: It accepts major credit cards, PayPal, bitcoin, and more.

Astrill VPN features

Astrill VPN offers a wide array of features to enhance your online privacy and security. 

If you want to try out Astrill VPN, it offers only a seven-day free trial. Many competitors offer at least a money-back guarantee so that you can try out the service before committing to a subscription, but Astrill doesn’t offer that.

Server count and countries

• Unlisted in 56 countries

Astrill VPN offers servers in 118 cities across 56 countries, providing lots of coverage across the world. Though it's disappointing that Astrill VPN doesn't list an exact number of servers, so we can compare directly with other options, they do cover an array of locations.

When considering a VPN provider, the size of its server network is important. A larger number of servers typically means less load per server, which can result in faster speeds.

Having servers across multiple countries is also important, as this will determine whether the VPN can bypass online geo-restrictions. For example, Astrill VPN’s servers are in countries like the U.S., U.K., Canada, Japan, and Australia, so you can use these server locations to access their regional catalogs of content.

So, although Astrill doesn’t have an industry-high server count, it offers a good balance between quality and quantity with multiple good location options.

No-logs policy and headquarters

• Astrill VPN logs policy: No logs
• Astrill VPN headquarters: Seychelles

Astrill VPN adheres to a strict no-logs policy, providing you with the assurance that your activity will not be stored. It is headquartered in Seychelles, which is a country known for being a privacy-friendly jurisdiction.

A no-logs policy is essential for VPN providers, as it promises that your internet activity will not be recorded. This can include sites you’ve visited, your downloaded and shared content, and your IP address. The best VPNs are typically sought after for their ability to provide anonymity and privacy, and a no-logs policy solidifies this.

A VPN’s headquarters is also important as some countries have very strict data retention laws, which may require your VPN to log your activity and share it when required by government agencies. Astrill is based in Seychelles, which is not part of any international surveillance like the Five Eyes alliance. Therefore, Astrill VPN is not legally obliged to keep or share your data with anyone.

Kill switch

Astrill VPN has an automatic kill switch feature, which adds an extra layer of security to a user’s online activity by maintaining privacy.

A kill switch is designed to instantly disconnect your device from the internet if the VPN connection drops unexpectedly. This helps ensure your device doesn’t naturally revert back to using your regular encrypted internet connection where your data may become exposed.

You can find Astrill VPN's kill switch by going to the hamburger menu and selecting Privacy...

Split tunneling

Astrill VPN also offers split tunneling, which they call "application filtering." This provides you with better control of your internet traffic by allowing you to choose which apps or websites go through the VPN tunnel and which don’t.

This can be useful if you wish to access geo-restricted streaming services from another country while browsing the internet through your local connection.

Without being able to split your traffic, you may experience excessive data usage through the VPN server that may cause your connection to run a lot slower. With Astrill’s split tunneling feature, you can flexibly manage your online activities.

You can find Astrill's split tunneling feature by going to the hamburger menu and selecting Application Filter...

Encryption

Astrill VPN uses industry-standard AES-256 encryption. It's considered to be among the most secure encryption methods available, with government institutions and security organizations across the world using it.

AES-256 encryption offers such a high level of security that it’s almost impossible for attackers to break through. By using Astrill VPN, you can feel safe that your data and online activity are secure.

If a VPN doesn’t offer AES-256 encryption, it may not be able to provide the necessary level of security, which is required to safeguard sensitive information.

VPN protocol

Astrill VPN supports four protocols: two proprietary ones in OpenWeb and StealthVPN, and the popular WireGuard and OpenVPN. Here's an overview of each:

• OpenWeb was designed for swift and secure connections when browsing online.
• StealthVPN was developed to bypass heavy internet restrictions and censorship, along with VPN blocking, as it's undetectable.
• WireGuard is known for its modern cryptographic techniques, as it’s the newest VPN protocol. This general-purpose protocol is suitable for fast speeds and security.
• OpenVPN is often considered the industry standard, offering a balance between security and speed, and it's reliable for bypassing geo-restricted content.

With this diverse protocol offering, Astrill VPN can cater to users with different VPN requirements.

You can choose which VPN protocol you're using by clicking on the dropdown menu at the top of the app, as long as you're not currently connected to a server:

Extra features

On top of the standard features that you're likely to find on popular VPNs, Astrill also offers a variety of more unique features that can help with your day-to-day internet use.

For instance, Smart Mode is a great feature that allows you to use only your VPN when visiting international websites. This keeps the connection fast and secure while letting you access worldwide content without having to constantly switch your VPN protection on and off.

Another example is Onion Over VPN, which adds an extra layer of privacy to your browsing activities by routing your data through a double-layered encryption system, which ensures your anonymity.

Here are a few more examples of some extra features:

• Ad blocker
• Port forwarding
• VPN sharing
• App blocking if the VPN is disconnected

Astrill VPN test results

We tested Astrill VPN’s performance in several key areas to assess its effectiveness.

• Speed: We measured the download and upload speeds (Mbps) on servers located in different countries worldwide.
• Netflix: We tested how well Astrill VPN could access Netflix from various locations, using both mobile devices and computers.
• DNS leaks: We also tested for IP address leaks using dedicated software to detect any potential data leakages.
• WebRTC leaks: We checked for WebRTC leaks during voice and video communication.
• Kill switch: We checked if our real IP addressed showed up when switching servers — or at least tried to.

We test VPNs to ensure that they provide a secure connection and high standards of user privacy. Our test results offer valuable insight into how a particular VPN performs, helping potential customers make an informed decision when selecting a VPN service.

Speed tests

• Speed test results: Passed

We tested Astrill VPN on a Windows laptop to see how it impacted our internet connection. Without the VPN, we had 200 Mbps download speed, 53 Mbps upload speed, and a latency of 28 ms.

After connecting to several different servers across various locations using Astrill VPN, our download speed did drop, but that's to be expected with VPN connections.

On average, our download speed decreased about 48%, which is on par with what we see a lot of VPNs doing these days.

We were pretty impressed with Australia's speed results, since they were actually better than the U.K. results despite being further away.

Astrill VPN speed test results

Test type	No VPN	Canada to Canada	Canada to US	Canada to EU	Canada to AU
Download speed	210 Mbps	130 Mbps	110 Mbps	79 Mbps	120 Mbps
Upload speed	51 Mbps	46 Mbps	42 Mbps	44 Mbps	50 Mbps
Latency (ping)	39 ms	56 ms	275 ms	186 ms	109 ms
Download speed % difference	N/A	-38%	-48%	-62%	-42%
Upload speed % difference	N/A	-10%	-18%	-14%	-2%
Latency % difference	N/A	44%	605%	377%	180%

Astrill VPN Netflix tests

• Netflix test results: Passed

We streamed Netflix with Astrill VPN while using server locations tested across multiple regions. Tests were run in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada. We were able to successfully log on to Netflix and watch shows from all locations except for Australia.

That said, we've been having consistent issues accessing Australian Netflix with pretty much every VPN we test, so this isn't a huge mark against Astrill.

Astrill VPN Netflix test results

	US to US	US to UK	US to Canada	US to AU
Did it work with Netflix?

DNS leak tests

• DNS leak test results: Passed

DNS stands for Domain Name System, which is responsible for converting website names into IP addresses and provides you with access to websites on the internet. In many cases, your identity could be compromised if this information is exposed.

We put Astrill VPN through a DNS leak test to ensure that it provided the leak protection it promised. It passed the test, confirming that Astrill VPN is a reliable choice if you are looking to maintain online privacy and security.

A DNS leak test is an important step in verifying the safety of any VPN service because it shows whether or not your data is exposed when connected to a server. This test also measures the speed at which the connection is established and maintained between your device and servers around the world.

WebRTC leak tests

• WebRTC leak tests: Passed

Web Real-Time Communications, known as WebRTC, is a technology that allows for voice and video communication over the internet. This means that any time you want to communicate with another person using audio or video, you can do it without having to download any extra software. To ensure that your privacy remains intact while using this powerful tool, it's important to make sure your VPN doesn't leak information via WebRTC requests. That's why we tested Astrill VPN for WebRTC leaks in locations worldwide.

Astrill VPN passed our WebRTC leak tests with flying colors. We checked multiple locations and were impressed by its performance in terms of privacy protection against WebRTC requests. Our tests revealed no leaks whatsoever, meaning that your data is safe and secure while using Astrill VPN on any of your devices.

Kill switch test

• Kill switch test: Failed

To test a VPN's kill switch, we usually open up IPleak.net and then switch servers while its running. If your real IP shows up between VPN servers, we know that the kill switch didn't properly limit our data.

Unfortunately, a couple of things worked against us here:

• You can't switch servers seamlessly. You need to disconnect then select a new server to connect to.
• Astrill VPN blocked us from using the IPleaks.net website. 

This ultimately meant that we couldn't adequately test the kill switch. Because of this, we gave it a fail.

Astrill VPN compatibility

Astrill VPN offers support for the following:

• Windows
• macOS
• Linux
• Android
• iOS
• Routers

VPNs should offer a wide array of compatibility options to ensure users have seamless experiences across their favorite devices and platforms. This is an important consideration when selecting a VPN.

Astrill VPN customer support

Customer support can truly make or break a user’s experience with a VPN provider, and Astrill VPN clearly prioritizes this.

Clients get access to 24/7 customer service through live chat and online guides, plus you get the additional option of email communication.

Online guides

When it comes to online literature to help you figure out your new VPN, Astrill offers an extensive collection. This includes:

• Setup manuals for all its supported devices
• FAQs
• Video tutorials

All of these resources are well-written and structured so that anyone can follow the instructions and find solutions.

Live chat

If that doesn’t cut it, Astrill also offers a 24/7 live chat feature for real-time assistance. The live chat support team is responsive, very knowledgeable, and capable of providing clear query solutions.

We reached out because we couldn't figure out how to cancel our auto-renewal. Turns out the Astrill VPN subscriptions don't auto-renew, and the agent was able to clarify this easily.

We were connected quickly and the answer was quick too, albeit obviously templated, so we were overall pleased.

Email

If you don't want to wait around for the live chat connection, you can also send a message in a simple request form and receive an email response within a couple of hours.

Astrill VPN FAQs

Bottom line: Is Astrill VPN good?

Astrill VPN provides a wide range of impressive features that make it a good VPN for individuals and small businesses looking for robust security, high-end encryption, and advanced proprietary protocols that protect users’ data. It also can unblock geo-restricted content so you can access popular streaming sites from all over the world.

However, it has drawbacks. Astrill VPN’s cost is reasonably higher than other VPNs on the market, which can be a massive deterrent if you’re looking to save money on a VPN. We were also not impressed with some issues we saw during tests, like redirecting our Google searches to China.

If you're considering alternatives, check out our Astrill VPN vs. ExpressVPN guide for a full breakdown of differences.