Astrill is a great VPN for china but is a bit expensive. It works with some streaming services, torrenting is permitted, the service is based in a location that respects privacy, and it has top-notch customer service too.
Users in repressive nations like China, Russia, Iran, and others are likely to find it most appealing. Astrill has a large number of servers in Asia and is one of the best at getting past strong firewalls.
Pros and Cons
Astrill VPN is fast and reliable. However, beginners may find it complex. But it is a good choice for the professionals. Check out the pros and cons to learn more about it.
Pros
- Opens US Netflix and is incredibly customizable.
- Works in China and other authoritarian nations like Turkey.
- For online access in China, use a VPN with personalized Smart Mode or Stealth.
- Works in China and other authoritarian nations like Turkey.
Cons
- They are incredibly expensive.
- The kill switch fails every once in a while.
- Does not unblock Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, or BBC iPlayer.
- Inadequate mobile applications.
Astrill features overview
Astrill offers a lot more specialized and advanced technical features.
- Smart Mode: It enables Chinese users to access blocked websites while avoiding VPN detection.
- Support for port forwarding: It facilitates safe access to your home network and speeds up torrenting.
- Multi-hop VPN: It allows other devices on your network to use your Astrill connection by routing your traffic through an additional VPN location, which makes it even harder for snoopers to track you.
Additionally, the Astrill website boasts that the service enables you to “connect unlimited devices,”. This is a good thing right?
Astrill VPN can be installed on as many devices as you like, but, like almost everyone else, it only supports connecting five of them at once.
Astrill Security Features
The core Astrill security features are:
- Kill Switch: Astrill VPN provides additional crucial privacy advantages like Kill Switch features. Your IP address could be revealed to your local ISP if your VPN connection is lost.
Astrill offers a Kill Switch feature to stop this from happening. When you lose your VPN connection, this feature turns off your internet. Go to the privacy section of the settings tab to toggle this feature.
- Private IP: Users of the Astrill standard plan receive shared IP addresses. However, if you prefer to have a single IP address that is solely yours for your VPN sessions, you can also purchase dedicated (Private) IPs.
- Add-on: This add-on offers a faster speed. If you are an Asian gamer, you will enjoy it a lot. Additionally, it offers multi-hop anonymization features.
Astrill VPN Specifications
| Operating systems | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux |
| Connections | 5 |
| Torrents | Allowed |
| Protocols | OpenVPN, WireGuard |
| Payment methods | PayPal, Other and Credit Card |
VPN protocols
OpenVPN and WireGuard, two very secure protocols, are available from Astrill. Along with these, it provides OpenWeb and StealthVPN, two proprietary protocols created by Astrill.
Most people recommend using OpenVPN, the current industry-standard protocol because it provides a balance between security and speed. With P2P clients like BitTorrent, OpenVPN on Astrill functions, but it is not accessible for connections in China.
Additionally, the StealthVPN protocol adds an additional layer of obfuscation on top of OpenVPN to mask your VPN traffic, making Astrill particularly effective against censorship. Deep packet inspection (DPI) and firewall blocks, the two main censorship techniques employed by China’s “Great Firewall,” are specifically designed to avoid it.
Supported Platforms
In addition to supporting P2P in some regions and providing Onion over VPN support for additional privacy, Astrill substitutes dedicated servers for underpowered VPS.
With apps available for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and routers, broad platform coverage is another benefit.
Pricing
Even without the $5/month addition of Private IPs for specific servers, Astrill VPN is one of the most expensive VPN services available, but features are worth the price.
There is no free trial, but you do get 5 simultaneous connections. Furthermore, there is no guarantee of a refund (money-back guarantee). Although it is unlikely to provide the full picture, a very basic Android version is available for free in the Google Play store.
Credit cards and PayPal, for example, call to confirm the transaction, which is unusual for cybersecurity tools. It also accepts Bitcoin, WebMoney, Perfect Money, Union Pay, AliPay, and AliPay. So, while there are methods for making anonymous payments, telephone verification should be phased out.
VIP package
If you want to treat yourself, you can choose the exclusive VIP data package. It enables connections to exclusive VIP servers in the USA, Korea, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, and China. Their connection to exclusive networks with direct routes to Asia is what makes them most remarkable.
In addition, only VIP users can use the Multi-hop (chaining VPN servers) feature. However, because this option is more expensive, the multi-hop you receive is enhanced. Up to three multi-hop server combinations can be configured, with the required countries that are chosen by you. It will deeply bury your real IP – making it non-trackable.
However, since this option is priced according to data packages, you will have to pay an extra $10 per month if you require an additional 100 GB of VIP server traffic on top of your regular subscription. As the total increases with each upgrade level, it is possible to obtain 1,000 GB of VIP server traffic for an additional $100 per month over and above your regular subscription.
Wrap Up – Final Verdict
Well, to conclude, we would say that there are good things and bad points about the VPN. Some users find it to be too expensive and complicated.
Furthermore, there are no optimized or clearly designated servers for streaming, the speeds are inconsistent, and it is difficult to access geo-restricted services like Netflix.
On the bright side, Astrill VPN supports torrenting well and has many cutting-edge security features that make it a good option in places with strict censorship, like China.
Finally, as long as it works for you, it is a great choice.
