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.
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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.

PrivateVPN vs Astrill VPN 2024

Table of Contents
    Editors' Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, Cyberghost and Expressvpn are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company.

    Which VPN is better?

    Author Image Kristina Perunicic
    Kristina Perunicic

    Managing Editor

    Astrill VPN and PrivateVPN are two very popular VPN providers known for their emphasis on innovative security features and ease of use. Both providers offer dedicated apps for MacOS, Windows, iOS, and Android and use strong 256-bit encryption across all platforms. Astrill and PrivateVPN also both have 24/7 live chat support in place in case you ever hit a snag. While PrivateVPN provides around 100 servers in 56 countries, Astrill offers 326 in 63 countries. However, PrivateVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, compared to Astrill’s restricted 7-day refund policy. PrivateVPN also offers very fast server connections that Astrill can’t quite match. Furthermore, PrivateVPN allows up to six simultaneous device connections per account, whereas Astrill allows only five. In terms of keeping you completely anonymous, it’s important to know that Astrill may store some use logs, whereas PrivateVPN maintains a strict no-logs policy. This might be starting to sound like a one-sided contest. But Astrill battles back with features like split tunneling and Onion over VPN protocol, which are absent in PrivateVPN. Read on to see more details and find out which provider eventually wins the contest.

    Our Score

    Features 9.2/10
    Pricing 9.2/10
    Ease of Use 8.8/10
    Reliability & Support 9.2/10
    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 Matthew Amos
    Matthew Amos

    Senior Editor

    Our Score: 9.2/10

    PrivateVPN advertises itself as one of the best VPNs for streaming at a low price. It also claims to have great torrenting support, strong security features, and a true no-logs policy. But PrivateVPN is a small company, so can it compete with the biggest VPNs? To learn the answer, I tested out everything it offers. My global team and I found out if it really lets you stream securely in the bes...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    D
    Daniel Andersson
    10.0/10
    Works Great for many years.

    I've been using their service for a great many years, and I'm very pleased indeed. Great service and s... upport, and more than enough speed for covering my needs. As long as they have coverage in countries I need to connect to, the number of servers in total is less relevant, as long as the servers they Do have provide enough speeds. They also support Wireguard, which is seldom mentioned in these reviews, probably since they don't have it in their native app, but they do and it's rock solid using that with their provided config files, and that in and of itself also increases the connection speeds, at least for me. All in all, they provide anything and all I want from a VPN provider. What others see as a downside, split tunneling and such, I see as a strength. I want my VPN provider to stick their nose in my business as little as possible, but rather provide a "clean VPN line" and then let Me decide what to do with my routing table. In short, they're Great, for my needs, but others will have to test and make up their own minds. :-DMore

    Latest negative user review
    E
    Emil
    2.0/10
    Been There

    I've been using PrivateVPN for a year. The main reason was due to good price. It's slow, on certain ho... urs of the day you can't watch video smoothly. They have down time or some other problem frequently and it take ages to fix it. Customer support are so poor that my mum without IT knowledge could probably do a better job. Now I switched to another one and feelings for PrivateVPN is much worse because I have something to compare withMore

    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 $2/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license 10 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

    PrivateVPN’s emphasis on speed and security makes it one of the most reliable VPN services available today. Its generous refund policy and strict no-logs policy are additional reasons why we consider it a better VPN overall. Nevertheless, Astrill has made many improvements over the years and now includes numerous advanced security features. It’s also a reliable service for bypassing geo-restrictions worldwide.

    Best VPN for Torrents

    PrivateVPN is our ideal choice for torrenting, as it offers dedicated, high-speed P2P servers and favorable terms of service for complete anonymity. Astrill also supports P2P on its servers, but has a less favorable privacy policy for torrenting.

    Best VPN for Windows

    Access to high-speed servers and features like Stealth VPN and 2048-bit encryption are some of the ways that PrivateVPN’s dedicated app provides a truly reliable VPN for Windows. Astrill competes with an attractive, feature-packed service for Windows that also includes a Stealth VPN protocol, along with split tunneling.

    Best VPN for Android

    PrivateVPN’s dedicated app for Android uses OpenVPN as the default protocol and includes robust features like protection from leaks and tracking. With Astrill VPN’s service for Android, you get an intuitive app and features like Onion over VPN. A dedicated streaming feature with optimized servers gives you easy access to geoblocked content worldwide.

    Best VPN for Mac

    PrivateVPN provides an excellent service for MacOS that features advanced leak protection, strong encryption, and a Stealth VPN protocol for seamlessly bypassing tough geoblocks. Astrill competes with an app that’s easy to learn and use. The app features split tunneling and leak protection.

    Best VPN for iOS

    By providing leak protection, Stealth VPN, and access to very fast servers suitable for streaming HD content, PrivateVPN has become an ideal VPN choice for iOS users. Astrill competes closely with its own iOS app that features a Smart Mode, which allows you choose which apps on your device should connect via the VPN.

    Best VPN for USA

    For its connection speeds and overall reliability for unblocking streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu, we recommend PrivateVPN as an excellent VPN for accessing American content from any location worldwide. Meanwhile, Astrill also provides a reliable US service that seamlessly unblocks US Netflix. It only comes up short against PrivateVPN in speed.

    The Bottom Line

    This is a pretty close contest in terms of feature availability, but PrivateVPN wins it by providing a faster and more secure service. a strict no-logs policy, ultra-secure apps, and outstanding customer support. While both VPNs offer 24/7 support via live chat, PrivateVPN takes things a step higher by providing free remote help when you install the VPN app. Only the most elite VPNs, like ExpressVPN and NordVPN, can truly threaten PrivateVPN in a comparison.

    Time to decide which one is best for you

    FAQ

    Is PrivateVPN better than Astrill VPN?

    Yes, PrivateVPN is better overall than Astrill VPN. It has 200 servers in 63 countries, fast speeds, and impressive security features.

    Best of all, you can take advantage of its latest discount and get it for only $2 a month.

    What should I keep in mind when choosing between PrivateVPN 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 PrivateVPN may be perfect for you due to its performance during the tests .

    Is PrivateVPN faster than Astrill VPN?

    Yes, PrivateVPN 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 PrivateVPN or Astrill VPN offer any deals?

    Both PrivateVPN 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.