Astrill Review
The VPN that actually works in China.
Astrill occupies a specific niche: if you live in or travel to countries with aggressive VPN blocking — China, Russia, Iran, UAE, Belarus — it is the most reliable solution available. The proprietary StealthVPN and OpenWeb protocols are engineered specifically to bypass deep packet inspection that defeats WireGuard and OpenVPN connections. We've tested it from inside China multiple times. Most VPNs fail within days of a GFW update. Astrill keeps working.
Our scores
Astrill
Overall score — April 2026
Astrill is the only VPN we've tested that works consistently in China, Russia, and the UAE. The proprietary StealthVPN and OpenWeb protocols bypass deep packet inspection that defeats standard WireGuard/OpenVPN connections. The price — now $30/month, or $180/year — reflects this specialized capability.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- StealthVPN protocol works reliably in China — tested from Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen
- OpenWeb protocol is the fastest obfuscated protocol we've tested — negligible overhead
- App-Specific VPN lets you route individual apps, not just system-wide
- Multi-hop routing available as standard feature
- Premium server infrastructure — among the fastest speeds in our database
Cons
- $30/month is the most expensive mainstream VPN — even the 2-year plan ($12.50/month) is steep
- UAE-registered company — jurisdiction is less transparent than Switzerland or Panama
- No-logs policy is not independently audited
- Only 5 simultaneous connections on standard plan
- Overkill and overpriced if you don't need censorship bypass
Speed
685 Mbps
Download
455 Mbps
Upload
8 ms
Latency
90%
Speed kept
685 Mbps average — 90% speed retention with OpenWeb protocol. Among the fastest obfuscated connections we've measured. Standard WireGuard is available when obfuscation isn't needed and is slightly faster. Latency overhead of 8ms on nearby servers is exceptional.
Tested: . 1 Gbps base connection.
Privacy & Security
UAE registration is less transparent than Switzerland or Panama, but Astrill has operated since 2009 without a documented data breach or court compliance case. No-logs policy is not independently audited, which matters less if you're prioritizing censorship bypass over privacy-from-government use cases.
Streaming
Netflix US, UK, and Japan unblock reliably. BBC iPlayer works consistently. Disney+ and Hulu were reliable in testing. The streaming performance benefits from Astrill's premium server infrastructure — the price difference from mid-range VPNs goes into server quality.
Pricing
$30/mo
Monthly
$15/mo
Annual plan
billed annually
$12.5/mo
2-year plan
billed every 2 years
At $30/month ($180/year, or $12.50/month on the 2-year plan), Astrill is expensive — and got more expensive in 2026. The 7-day free trial is available but there's no money-back guarantee. If you need a VPN for China, Russia, or the UAE, the pricing reflects specialized capability that no cheaper alternative reliably delivers. For everywhere else, NordVPN or Surfshark are better value.
Cancellation & Refund
Astrill doesn't offer a traditional money-back guarantee, but you can cancel at any time and won't be billed again once your current billing period ends.
How to cancel Astrill
- Log in to your account on the Astrill website (not just the app) with the email you signed up with.
- Open your account or subscription/billing settings.
- Select “Cancel subscription” (or “Manage plan” → “Cancel”) and confirm.
Subscribed through the Apple App Store or Google Play instead? Cancel there — deleting the app alone won't stop billing.
User Ratings
4.7/5
Trustpilot
3k reviews
4.3/5
Google Play
12k ratings
4.5/5
App Store
8k ratings
72%
Community
Reddit sentiment
Ratings sourced from Trustpilot, Google Play Store, and Apple App Store. Community score is derived from Reddit/r/VPN sentiment analysis. Scores are aggregated periodically and may not reflect real-time data.
Verdict
Astrill is the right choice if and only if you need reliable VPN access from a censored network. It's the best product for that specific requirement by a significant margin. For all other use cases, the price premium is not justified — NordVPN, ProtonVPN, or Mullvad serve everyday needs better at lower cost.
Frequently asked questions
Is Astrill safe to use?
Astrill claims a no-logs policy but has not been independently audited. It uses StealthVPN, OpenWeb, WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 protocols and includes a kill switch to protect your IP if the connection drops. Privacy score: 8.3/10.
How much does Astrill cost per month?
Astrill costs $30/month on a monthly plan and $15/month on an annual plan, or $12.5/month on a 2-year plan. All plans include a 0-day money-back guarantee.
How many devices can I use with Astrill?
Astrill allows up to 5 simultaneous connections. It has native apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, plus Linux and router support.
Does Astrill work with Netflix?
Yes. Astrill reliably unblocks Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and other major streaming services. Streaming score: 8.1/10.
How do I cancel Astrill and get a refund?
Astrill doesn't offer a money-back guarantee, but you can cancel anytime from your account's subscription settings on its website and won't be billed again after the current period ends. If you subscribed through the Apple App Store or Google Play, cancel there instead — deleting the app alone won't stop billing.
Astrill vs. Alternatives
| Feature | Astrill8.3/10 | NordVPN9.2/10 | ExpressVPN8.6/10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our Score | 8.3 | 9.2 | 8.6 |
| Monthly Price | $12.50/mo | $3.09/mo | $2.79/mo |
| Servers | 300+ | 9,300+ | 3,000+ |
| Countries | 57 | 137 | 105 |
| Simultaneous Devices | 5 | 10 | 10 |
| Speed (tested) | 685 Mbps (90%) | 730 Mbps (96%) | 755 Mbps (98%) |
| No-Logs Policy | |||
| Independently Audited | |||
| Kill Switch | |||
| Ad Blocker | |||
| Streaming | |||
| Torrenting / P2P | |||
| Port Forwarding | |||
| Obfuscation | |||
| Double VPN | |||
| RAM-Only Servers | |||
| Jurisdiction | UAE / Seychelles (outside 5/9/14 Eyes) | Panama (outside 5/9/14 Eyes) | British Virgin Islands |
| Money-Back Guarantee | None | 30 days | 30 days |
All data verified September 2026.