We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
Advertising Disclosure

vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

ibVPN vs Astrill VPN 2024

Table of Contents

    Which VPN is better?

    Author Image Kristina Perunicic
    Kristina Perunicic

    Managing Editor

    Update: ibVPN has recently merged with StrongVPN and is no longer operating independently.

    Best alternative to StrongVPN

    Our Score: 9.9

    With a larger global server network and its proprietary Lightway protocol, ExpressVPN offers access to more streaming platforms, plus improved speeds for buffer-free streaming. It’s the better overall service, as our testing showed, and comes with wider OS support, reliable 24/7 support, and headquarters in a privacy-friendly location.

    Although Astrill and ibVPN are very different service providers, both are trusted by millions of users worldwide. While Astrill supports up to five simultaneous device connections per account, ibVPN only allows a single connection per subscription. However, Astrill offers only a 7-day money-back guarantee, whereas ibVPN offers a 15-day refund policy. While Astrill offers a very secure VPN, ibVPN combines a VPN and Smart DNS into one compact service. On the other hand, you can expect to find advanced features like a NAT firewall and Onion over VPN with Astrill. Astrill also boasts the larger network, with ibVPN offering over 130 servers in 47 countries, compared to Astrill’s 118 servers in 58 countries. Nevertheless, these two VPNs are similar in several areas. They both use strong encryption and offer dedicated apps for macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android devices. If you encounter any issues while using either of these two VPNs, you can rely on their 24/7 live chat support channels to rescue you. Below, we’ll walk you through a more detailed comparison so you can choose which VPN is truly better for you.

    Our Score

    Features 7.5/10
    Pricing 7.8/10
    Ease of Use 8.4/10
    Reliability & Support 8.2/10
    Features 5.3/10
    Pricing 3.6/10
    Ease of Use 5.0/10
    Reliability & Support 7.4/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Doris Muthuri
    Doris Muthuri

    Senior Writer

    Our Score: 7.5/10

    Update: Recently, ibVPN merged with StrongVPN. We did indepth testing on StrongVPN, and you can find all the details in our review. ibVPN is a relatively small VPN, with a network of 180+ servers in 50+ countries. The name stands for "invisible browsing" VPN, and true to its name, ibVPN has a strong focus on security and privacy. This provider claims to be a great VPN for many different purposes, ...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    A
    Anonymously
    10.0/10
    Very stable, full option, the top if you look for a good privacy protection option!

    I am using ibVPN for about 5 years, and I never had an issue. It perfectly works with many protocols a... llowing me to use the VPN at home (with my DD-WRT router) and in many public places, like airports, even when some port usage is restricted --> Just switching the protocol! The 24h free trial is perfect for checking if the service fits your needs. I highly recommended it!More

    Latest negative user review
    D
    Daltonic
    6.0/10
    Some great features but a lot of drops

    I'm a customer since almost 2 years, paying 2.41$ / month. Choose them for the price, no-log policy a... nd because they support upnp/port forwarding (no NAT firewall + dynamic IP on 4 servers in the Netherlands). I always had a big problem with their server: connection drops.. If I use too much bandwidth, I loose the connection and the VPN client is not able to reconnect to the server by itself (I need to reconnect it manually). Same thing happens always with torrent clients and Socks proxy: tried with different clients but after some days or a week (if I'm lucky) their servers kick me out, and a restart of the torrent client is not enough. No!! I need to change manually the server to re-start to torrenting! No problem if we are slow, for that price I'm more than happy.. but all these disconnections are very, very boring. I will stay with them till I will not find something suitable for my needs, but there's too much work from my side to stay with them forever.More

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Matthew Amos
    Matthew Amos

    Senior Editor

    Our Score: 5.3/10

    Astrill VPN is one of the most popular VPNs to use in China. But it's also one of the most expensive VPNs available and doesn't have a money-back guarantee. With such a big investment, is it still the best VPN for China, and should you try it if you're located elsewhere? After my tests, I can confirm it's an excellent VPN for China but falls short in other areas. It offers slow speeds and clunky a...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    N
    Nestor
    10.0/10
    Been using it for a long time.. but have to go

    I have been using Astrill for more than 10 years. Never had a problem. A couple of times I used the ch... at for support and it was excellent. However this is probably going to be my last year. Reason .... price. With the virus crisis I am unemployed and can not afford it. They do not give any kind of discount and keep raising the price year after year. I am not in China so I suspend it, I do not need all those features.More

    Latest negative user review
    J
    Jim
    2.0/10
    Don’t even think of it if you own Apple products

    Worst VPN ever. Unreliable, unstable. It’s utterly expensive. Forget about streaming. Apple products a... re almost useless with it. Technical support team answers are pretty much like “Why don’t you turn it off and on?”. Please don’t waste your money as I did. They don’t even have a refund policy!More

    Pricing

    Starting price $4.95/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 15 Days
    Number of devices per license 25 devices
    Starting price $12.5/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 0 Days
    Number of devices per license 5 devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall

    By combining the essential security benefits of a VPN with the capabilities of a Smart DNS, ibVPN provides a very reliable service for streaming. Astrill also offers a solid VPN service with many advanced features and a fairly large server network.

    Best VPN for Torrents

    You can download torrents on ibVPN’s network without any traffic or speed restrictions whatsoever. Astrill also allows torrenting on its servers, but it’s worth noting that certain conditions in Astrill’s terms of service may not be favorable to P2P activity.

    Best VPN for Windows

    If you’re looking for a dedicated Windows VPN app that includes a built-in Smart DNS and a neatly designed user interface, ibVPN might be a great option for you. The most attractive features of Astrill’s VPN service for Windows include DNS leak protection and the availability of a Stealth VPN protocol.

    Best VPN for Android

    With ibVPN, you can expect an Android app that’s easy to install and set up and includes a kill switch, strong encryption, and a handy dedicated streaming feature. Astrill also provides a dedicated Android app with support for many VPN protocols, including OpenVPN, Stealth VPN, OpenWeb, L2TP, IPSec, and SSTP.

    Best VPN for Mac

    There’s a lot to like in ibVPN’s dedicated macOS app, which includes the provider’s built-in Smart DNS, strong encryption, and a kill switch. Meanwhile, Astrill VPN for macOS is a very powerful service that features Smart Mode, which allows you to specify which apps and traffic should go through the VPN tunnel.

    Best VPN for iOS

    Whether you’re a VPN newbie or an expert, you’ll enjoy using ibVPN’s dedicated iOS app, with its very smooth user interface and automatic kill switch. Meanwhile, the best features of Astrill’s iOS app include split tunneling and support for a variety of encryption protocols, such as OpenVPN, Stealth VPN, OpenWeb, L2TP, IPSec, and SSTP.

    Best VPN for USA

    If you need very fast US server connections for watching Netflix US and similar American sites, ibVPN might be an ideal provider for you. However, it’s worth noting that ibVPN can only unblock US Netflix when you access the website via your browser, and not when you use the Netflix app.

    The Bottom Line

    By combining a Smart DNS and VPN into one service, ibVPN has the edge over Astrill at this time. It’s not only great for accessing content with ease but it's also good for torrenting. The best thing is that it provides budget-friendly subscription prices and robust 24/7 support.

    Time to decide which one is best for you

    FAQ

    Is ibVPN better than Astrill VPN?

    Yes, ibVPN is better overall than Astrill VPN. It has 130 servers in 47 countries, fast speeds, and impressive security features.

    Best of all, you can take advantage of its latest discount and get it for only $4.95 a month.

    What should I keep in mind when choosing between ibVPN and Astrill VPN?

    When choosing a VPN, you want to pay close attention to its number of servers, overall speed score, pricing, and the number of simultaneous device connections it offers. While some VPNs provide a flawless online experience, others will really slow you down.

    If you’re ready to commit, then ibVPN may be perfect for you due to its performance during the tests .

    Is ibVPN faster than Astrill VPN?

    Yes, ibVPN is faster than Astrill VPN. Since your VPN is your computer’s main connection to the internet, you need to use a service that won’t slow you down by more than 20%.

    If speeds are important to you, then I recommend you take a look at ExpressVPN. It’s the fastest service out there, provides unlimited bandwidth, and you won’t experience any slowdowns even when you connect to the other side of the planet. You can try it out risk-free. It’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can get a full refund if you don’t like it.

    Do ibVPN or Astrill VPN offer any deals?

    Both ibVPN and Astrill VPN offer deals on occasion. You can check out the current coupons and discounts here. However, ExpressVPN has the best deals. Right now, you can get a 49% discount and up to 3 months for free with a new subscription.

    We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
    Learn more
    vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

    About the Author

    Kristina Perunicic is a former editor for vpnMentor. She’s a cybersecurity expert with an interest in VPNs and their importance in the digital privacy landscape.