One of my biggest fears a few years back was protecting myself and my activities on the internet, and it happened to most of us. I’m glad for the intervention of VPNs that has given an assurance of privacy and security online.
So many adjustments and improvements have been made to VPN software that have enhanced the user experience. I can remember that there were some locations you couldn’t connect to because some of the software had limited servers. Same as the speed, the bandwidth, torrenting, and lots more.
Astrill, although restrictive to some locations, is one of the VPNs that have evolved. It’s specific to some particular locations, but they have improved to protect the privacy of their users in those regions.
Astrill is known to be a good VPN option, especially when you’re on the move. It is a reliable VPN software that can be used on any device or application software.
Astrill VPN is okay, but with their restrictive regions and the hassle you have to face when using it, I think it’s too pricey. Although there are other amazing perks like privacy and security, speed, customer support, and other features of the VPN company, we’ll review all those things in this article.
About Astrill VPN
Astrill VPN is a registered Liechtenstein company that has a focus on travelers and expats who require a VPN for encryption and unrestricted internet access at any time.
It is owned by Astrill Systems Corp, which is situated in Seychelles, and that serves as a major bonus as data laws are especially lax in the region. Astrill VPN is one of the most efficient VPNs in the competitive market of VPN software.
In the past decade, they have added servers in the US, EU, Middle-East, and Asian markets. They have also improved their encryption to bypass the great firewall in China.
The HQ of Astrill VPN company is situated in Oliaji Trade Center, 1st FL, Victoria, English River, Seychelles. They also named the address the ICJ offshore leaks database that contains information on more than 785000 offshore entities that are parts of the Panama Papers, the offshore leaks, the Bahamas leaks, and the Paradise Papers investigation.
It has offered virtual private connection services since 2009. It was founded back then due to a high demand for personal VPN services for home users, particularly travelers.
From reviews of users like me, it is considered to have expert features and customizability, helping you connect to censored places like China than other VPN software. The speed, performance, and privacy make it stand out amongst other VPNs. The features of this VPN are suitable for anything you need it for.
With forwarding, you can speed up torrenting, and with that, you secure access to your home. You can also direct your traffic through an extra VPN location, making it more difficult for anyone to track you. Another highlight is that you have the option to share your VPN on whatever pricing plan you subscribe to, allowing more devices on your Astrill network
They have a smaller service network than most of the other VPNs, with 300+ servers reaching over 113 cities across 57 countries. Astrill VPN says they have a faster speed than any other VPN with 10Gbps network connections. They also claim to have a speed of 20 Gbps server in some locations.
Like other VPNs, you can use the app on most platforms and devices. The unlimited platform coverage is a plus, with apps for Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, DD-WRT, and Asus Merlin routers. You can also use it directly on browsers such as Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and maybe Mozilla Firefox.
Pros and Cons of Astrill VPN
Astrill VPN is highly recommended as the best VPN for travelers and expats. This implies that it has so many advantages that can make you choose it as your go-to VPN, but at the same time, it still has its downsides that you must look into.
I always emphasize that before choosing a VPN, you need to weigh the pros and cons so that, at the end of the day, you are convinced that your investment is worth it. Here are the pros and cons of Astrill VPN:
Pros
- High Encryption Standards: Astrill VPN uses OpenVPN, StealthVPN, and WoreGuard. These are strong encryption methods that encrypt your web traffic and IP address. These powerful modes of encryption and multiple layers of security guarantee the safety of a user’s data. The encryption standards are so high that even when you’re connected over a WiFi network, your information online is still protected from hackers.
- Anonymous Privacy Protection: One of the things I am so certain about this VPN is that it masks your IP address and your other online activities, making it difficult for third parties, including the government, to track your online activity. Like other VPNs, it makes you anonymous, hence enhancing your privacy and protecting your personal information from being tampered with without your consent.
- Fast and Reliable Connections: Astrill VPN provides a fast and reliable connection to its users. They have high-quality servers and optimized network infrastructure to ensure minimal latency and high-speed internet access. It is a great option for online gaming, streaming HD videos, and video conferencing, where a stable internet connection is essential.
- Top-notch security features: Astrill VPN uses advanced security features such as a kill switch and DNS leak protection. While using the app, I saw that if the VPN connection drops, my internet connection disconnects automatically, preventing my real IP address from being exposed in those few moments of termination. The DNS protection ensures that your DNS requests are routed through a VPN tunnel, still ensuring your anonymity on the internet.
- Multiple Device and Platform Support: the VPN software can be used on different devices and platforms such as computers, smartphone routers, windows, Linux, Mac OS, and others. This versatility allows you to connect and secure many devices at the same time, even on one account.
- Bypassing geo-restriction: this is a very solid green flag for people who use streaming platforms and some geo-restricted websites like me. With an Astrill VPN, you can bypass geo-restrictions imposed on some websites and streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Their servers, present in several different locations, allow you to access content that might be blocked or restricted in your area.
- Reliable customer support: I have also noticed that Astrill VPN has strong customer support. I have had two occasions when I needed to use their live chat feature, and the response was very fast. Having reliable customer support ensures that you resolve whatever issue you might be facing quickly and efficiently.
Cons
- Limited Server Location: Although Astrill VPN has servers across multiple countries, the total number of server locations they have is still limited as compared to other VPN providers. Yes, the VPN gives access to some locations that other VPN companies can’t give you, but I think it’s just not okay to have a few locations you can connect to. This limitation will grossly affect users who need certain geographical locations for activities kike gaming or content unblocking.
- Complex User Interface: As compared to the simple user interfaces of some VPNs, Astrill VPN has a common user interface. Sometimes, I could search and search the app just to find a feature that I need urgently. Navigating the settings and options might be challenging, especially for first-time users of the VPN company.
- Pricey subscription plan: because of the access to restricted locations and other perks that the VPN has, all the subscription plans are pricey. I feel like Astrill VPN is relatively expensive compared to other VPN companies in the market. For a user on a budget that needs some of the features they have, it might be a significant factor, especially when there are cheaper options available.
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Features of Astrill VPN
Astrill VPN has features that differentiate it from other VPNs in the market. These features are what makes it unique, and for a VPN that has a testimony of fast speed and access to restricted locations, it’s really important to check out the features holistically.
These are the features of Astrill VPN:
Smart Mode
This feature allows you to Access regional websites and online services with regional IP addresses without experiencing a slow service connection. Usually, when you use a VPN, you are assigned to a foreign IP address, which tends to slow down your internet exploration.
Sometimes, the government can also find out you’re using a VPN and then shut down those addresses. But this smart mode feature allows you to use a regional IP address, keeping the speed high and not raising any suspicions.
It empowers users with high-end stealth and security that make it very challenging for the authorities to detect. This assures you of peace of mind while surfing the net.
Open VPN
Open VPN is a protocol that is widely accepted across all platforms. It works over UDP and TCP, giving faster speed and higher reliability, creating a great user experience. It is analyzed by security experts from all over the world for exploits and vulnerabilities. It uses a wide range of encryption algorithms such as AES, blowfish, camellia, and others.
Open VPN doesn’t hide traffic, which makes it easily detectable by automated firewall systems. It is also frequently blocked and throttled.
Stealth VPN
This is another fundamental tool of Astrill VPN. It’s inspired by an open VPN and performs personal obfuscation of traffic, which makes it undetectable for automated firewall systems. It works with both UDP and TCP modes.
The data streams of this protocol are protected with AES 256, and all authentications are done with certificates. This makes stealth VPN not only secure but stable as well.
This protocol also helps to keep the connection to Astrol VPN alive through the duration of time you’ll spend on the internet, and all traffic is routed via the VPN. With this, your IP address is anonymous, and there are no IP leaks.
Wire Guard
Wire Guard is an essential protocol that is very simple and modern yet fast: It utilizes strong cryptography. It uses state-of-the-art cryptography like the noise protocol framework, curve 25519, ChaCha20, Poly1305, Blake2, and many more. It uses this medium to secure trusted constructions.
This feature makes the VPN faster, simpler, Leaner, and more useful than IPSec. It is specifically created for Astrill to cater to roaming scenarios. It helps to maintain a permanent connection even when your device transitions between networks, like moving from mobile data to Wi-Fi.
I have seen this feature in other VPNs, but this one on Astrill has to be the best. With Astrill Wire Guard, you have uninterrupted connectivity, allowing you to stay connected continuously.
Kill Switch
As reliable as Astrill’s VPN connection is, you cannot rule out the fact that the connection might get terminated once in a while. Intact, this is common with most VPN companies, but what distinguishes Astrill VPN is the kill switch feature.
This feature helps you protect your online activity and top address when the connection to the VPN server gets terminated. Lack of a kill switch can lead to exposure of your activity to hackers, ISPs, and the Government in that period that you’re not connected.
MultiHop
When using a VPN, you connect to the entry node, and then the traffic is routed to the exit node when there is continuous access to the internet. This is very helpful because anyone trying to track you would assume that your IP address seen when connected to server A is your IP address.
They might suspect you are using a VPN and accessing that IP address. The fact remains that you will remain untraceable because you are ready-connected to the server at the exit node. The risk of access to your act used online is eliminated by this Multihop feature.
The way it works is that after you connect with server A, it doesn’t access the internet directly but passes the requirements through an encrypted tunnel to server B. Server B then executes the request and forwards the answer back to server A, which sends it to you. I realized that this makes it pretty hard for any snooper to track where your traffic goes and from where it returns.
The Onion Router
Tor is the short form for ” The Onion Router.” Tor includes the software you install on your computer to run Tor and the network of computers that manage Tor connections. This feature enables you to route online traffic through several computers in the Tor network. It makes it very impossible to trace the existing traffic back to you.
Tor consists of several layers that conceal your identity from the rest of the world. Tor is available as software on its own, but it’s advisable to use it under a VPN company like Astrill. When you use Tor alone, the government or even spies can easily figure out that you’re accessing the Tor network. Also, it’s a completely decentralized network, so anyone ( government or hackers) can become a node or an editor note, as the case may be.
So, it’s safe to use Tor under a VPN company. Astrill makes accessing Tor on their app easy by enabling access to onion domains on all servers. All you need to do is to open any Onion website in your browser while connecting to the VPN.
The Astrill Tor feature is also available and accessible on any device and platform.
VPN Sharing
Astrill allows you to share the VPN from your PC over an entire network, giving ultimate protection to all your gadgets, such as other PCs, laptops, mobile devices, tablets, and even gaming consoles.
Regardless of what you do on the internet or what devices you use at the time, VPN sharing keeps you, and your data protected from cyber threats and also keeps your IP address anonymous to the outside world.
There’s also an option of using a VPN router for VPN sharing. I discovered that this is also possible with Astrill VPN. You connect the router to the VPN server and all the devices connected to the router use the VPN connection without having to use any other additional VPN software. The router options offer other features such as Website filter, port forwarding, device filter, and others.
Port Forwarding
Post forwarding, also known as port tunneling, is another exciting feature of Astrill VPN. This redirects computer signals, also known as ports, between local area networks and remote computers. It gives you access to internet-enabled devices or services from anywhere in the world.
With Astrill VPN, you can forward the traffic coming to a VPN’s IP and port combination and then redirect it to your connected device on the same port.
It enables you to send requests to your services anywhere across the internet while keeping the original location or IP address of the requests anonymous.
No Log Policy
Astrill is a no logs VPN that is designed to make sure that the server keeps the users anonymous, even to the managers of the VPN software. So, they don’t keep a record of the websites you visit using the VPN. They make sure they don’t hide behind technical language.
Astrill’s privacy policy highlights this particularly. The privacy policy says that connection time, IP address, and device type are only tracked during the session where you’re connected to the VPN.
Once you disconnect from the VPN, this information is permanently on their system, ensuring that you remain anonymous, which is the crux of their service as a company.
Although they also count the amount of data used by the users, it eventually gets off their systems.
Astrill VPN Pricing
Astrill VPN doesn’t have a free version that is accessible to all. All the amazing features I mentioned earlier can only be accessed by subscribing to any of the three payment plans. On each plan, you’ll have access to:
- Unlimited bandwidth and server switch
- 24/7 customer support
- Ultra-fast VPN server in 50+ plus countries
- Connect unlimited devices in your household
- Open VPN, StealthVPN, OpenWeb, and Wireguard
These and many more features are available on each pricing plan. What makes each plan different is the duration and discount you get as you increase the duration.
- One Month Pricing Plan: this is a monthly plan, and it’s $30 per month. It’s quite expensive for regular VPN use, but for those who use it for a lot of things, it might be worth the pay. This man is quite easy to pay, and you can always opt-out if you aren’t enjoying the servers of the VPN, or maybe you have a better option.
- One-Year Pricing Plan: this pricing plan is usually the third pricing plan option in some other VPN options. It can be quite discouraging to see a one-year pricing plan after a one-month pricing plan while trying to decide on what plan to subscribe to. But as discouraging as it might look, it’s still very beneficial. This plan costs $180 every year, which is 50% off the price of the monthly plan. It isn’t a bad idea if you think you can stick with the VPN company for a year.
- Two-Year Pricing Plan: On this plan, you get to pay $300 instead of the actual $720 that is total if you are to pay $30 every month. This plan is a bonus to the users, and I would recommend this plan for someone who travels a lot and needs a VPN to access some restricted firewalls. On the other end, if you just want to test the VPN, this plan isn’t a good invested investment. You can’t also opt out if you want to with this plan.
Aside from these payment plans, there are two options that Astrill has available just in case you can’t afford the pricing plans they have available:
- a private IP for $5 every month/ each
- VIP add-ons from $10 per month.
Ensure that you weigh your options and go with something that suits your budget before choosing a pricing plan.
Astrill VPN Privacy and Security
Astrill VPN protects users’ privacy online through a combination of advanced technology and strong policies. Astrill VPN adheres to a strict no-logs policy, meaning no user activity data is recorded or stored. This includes information about websites visited, files downloaded, or any online activity.
By not keeping records, Astrill ensures that no user data is released, even if requested by the authorities.
Astrill VPN adheres to a strict no-logs policy, meaning no user activity data is recorded or stored.
This includes information about websites visited, files downloaded, or any online activity. By not keeping records, Astrill ensures that no user data is released, even if requested by the authorities.
It uses a strong encryption protocol to protect the data transmitted between your device and its VPN server.
This encryption ensures that even if someone intercepts the data, the illegible criticism is visible without the decryption key, providing a secure way to communicate over the internet VPN uses a strong encryption protocol to protect the data transmitted between your device and their VPN server.
This encryption ensures that even if someone intercepts the data, the illegible criticism is visible without the decryption key, providing a secure way to communicate over the internet.
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Astrill VPN Access to Restricted Locations
Many websites and online forums impose region-based restrictions on their content due to licensing agreements, censorship laws, or other factors.
Astrill VPN enables users to bypass these geo-restrictions by giving the appearance of surfing the internet from authorized locations. For example, if the streaming service is only available in the United States and you’re in another country, Astrill VPN will make it look like you’re browsing from the US, giving you access to the service.
In some countries, the government monitors or blocks certain websites and Internet services. Astrill VPN can help you bypass these censorship policies by routing your Internet traffic through servers located in offline countries, allowing you to access blocked content.
Astrill VPN provides a secure way to connect to the Internet, especially public Wi-Fi networks. Public networks are generally less secure, and there may be restrictions on access to particular websites.
Using Astrill VPN, you can save your internet connection and access any website or online service without any restrictions, ensuring your privacy and security.
Astrill VPN Customer Support
Astrill VPN offers customer support that can help with various issues, questions, and technical problems related to their VPN service.
It offers 24-hour customer support, ensuring that you can get help at any time, regardless of location or time. This 24/7 availability is especially helpful for international use in different parts of the world.
Astrill VPN regularly provides customer support through a variety of channels, including email, live chat, and ticketing systems. You can choose the most appropriate way to contact the support team based on your preferences and the urgency of the issue.
Astrill VPN maintains a comprehensive knowledge and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section on its website. There, you will find answers to frequently asked questions, programming tips, troubleshooting tips, and other helpful resources. This self-service allows you to find solutions to any issues you encounter without having to contact customer support directly.
Astrill VPN’s customer support agents are trained to provide personalized support tailored to individual user needs. Whether you’re experiencing technical issues, need assistance with setup, or have billing questions, the support team aims to address your concerns efficiently.
Typically, the customer support team consists of technical experts with in-depth knowledge of VPN technology. This knowledge enables you to assist users with complex technical issues, ensuring you find successful and reliable solutions to their problems.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Astrill VPN easy to set up and use?
Yes, Astrill VPN offers user-friendly applications for various devices and platforms. The process is generally straightforward, and you can connect to a VPN server with just a few clicks.
Can I use Astrill VPN on multiple devices?
Yes, Astrill VPN usually allows you to use its service on multiple devices at the same time, depending on the subscription plan. You can install Astrill VPN apps on smartphones, tablets, computers, and other supported devices.
Does Astrill VPN work in my country?
Astrill VPN is designed to work in many countries around the world. However, the likelihood of circumventing exploration and geographical limitations may vary depending on the specific country and infrastructure. It’s best to check the service’s website or contact their support team for the most accurate information about your area.
Is Astrill VPN secure for online banking and other sensitive activities?
Astrill VPN offers encryption and security features that make it secure for online banking and other activities. By encrypting your communications, it helps protect your sensitive data from hackers who can eavesdrop on public networks.
Does Astrill VPN keep a record of my internet activities?
Astrill VPN claims to have a strict no-intrusion policy, which means that they do not record or store information about your internet activities while using their service. This system enhances user privacy and security.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, Astrill VPN provides a robust, feature-rich service for users who require granted internet privacy, security, and unrestricted access to the Internet with its strict rules with no logs, advanced encryption protocols, and a sufficient number of servers around the world, offer a reliable solution to protect your data using Astrill VPNs.
Astrill VPN stands out as an excellent option for travelers and expats, providing circumvention of geo-restrictions and effortless access to region-specific content With user-friendly connectivity and availability on multiple devices makes it accessible to beginners and tech-savvy users.
