Astrill Business VPN | TechRadar
feature
Astrill has excellent leak protection options, with a kill switch being standard among more secure enterprise VPN products. However, they go a step further and offer a feature called App Guard that lets you choose which apps are blocked when the VPN disconnects. The application works with all protocols provided by Astrill (except OpenWeb). You can also test for leaks using the leak testing tool on the company’s website. Additionally, you get protection against IPv6, DNS, and WebRT leaks.
Regarding traffic routing, Astrill offers a “smart mode” that routes all international traffic through the VPN while allowing local traffic to go through the regular network, which is useful if you’re in a restrictive jurisdiction. You can also choose to filter websites, which manually decides which websites go through the VPN and which websites will bypass the VPN. This feature is only available on desktops and routers. As mentioned earlier, you can also extend filtering to applications. To complete traffic routing, you also get a VPN sharing option, which enables you to share your VPN connection with other devices on your network without having to install a VPN on each device.
Multi-hop is another great feature offered by Astrill, which is not common among competitors. Essentially, it combines up to three servers to tunnel your traffic. This increases security, but with Astrill it only flows through VIP servers (you have to pay for traffic over 100GB). If you want to scan ports, perform port forwarding, or adjust other proxy settings, you can do all of these things to further enhance security.
If you choose to use the OpenWeb protocol, you will also have ad blocking capabilities provided by Astrill.
The Astrill VPN app is fully functional and packed with features, but its user interface isn’t the most intuitive. The design is rather small and lacks visual appeal, which suggests the app could benefit from a modern update to enhance usability and aesthetics.
In terms of platform compatibility, Astrill VPN supports a variety of operating system and equipment. These include Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, as well as routers supporting ASUS, Tomato and DD-WRT. This ensures broad accessibility, making it a versatile solution for businesses and individuals using different devices or network setups.
Pricing and plans
If you are a smaller business with a tight budget, you won’t be too happy with pricing plans. That is, if you want to pay monthly and commit to the service for no more than a month, you’ll pay $9 per account per month for a minimum of 10 accounts. Although more expensive than some competitors, Astrill justifies its cost with advanced features like multi-device support, unlimited bandwidth, and customizable connection protocols.
You can also access the Astrill app on all your devices. Companies that need to expand VPN access or require advanced security options may find that the pricing is worth it for the added value and flexibility. Astrill also offers dedicated support to its enterprise customers, providing expert help with VPN setup, management and troubleshooting, ensuring companies can get the most out of their subscriptions. If you need more than 20 accounts, discounts are available, up to a maximum discount of $7.92 per account per month for 200 accounts.
All plans offer 100GB of free data on their VIP servers, but each additional 100GB will cost an additional $10.
Performance
Astrill has always been praised for its excellent speed, which is crucial for businesses that rely on data-intensive tasks such as video conferencing, large file transfers, or accessing cloud-based applications. Even with strong encryption protocols, Astrill VPN provides fast connections on its global server network.
Speed ​​tests conducted across several Astrill VPN server locations using the WireGuard protocol on a Windows PC showed impressive results. The fastest speeds are achieved when connecting to a local server, but performance remains stable even on remote servers. The website loaded almost instantly and streaming HD video ran smoothly with no buffering issues, a testament to Astrill’s ability to maintain high-speed connections across its global network. You can also check the company’s website for speed results for each server; you can find the results here here.
Privacy and security
When it comes to security and privacy, Astrill VPN, like many other providers, promises a strict no-logs policy. Astrill is based in the Seychelles, a region that is not part of the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes and Fourteen Eyes intelligence-sharing alliances, adding credibility to its privacy stance. Although Astrill claims to collect the least data, it collects more data than its competitors. Information collected includes connection time, original IP address, device type and app version, although Astrill says this data is deleted once the user disconnects from the VPN.
However, the collection of real IP addresses and timestamps is concerning because it could be used to link online activity back to the user. In addition, Astrill tracks bandwidth usage and records details of the last 20 connections, including connection time, duration, country of origin, device type and application version. While some of this information is standard for troubleshooting, it goes beyond what many consider strictly necessary for user privacy.
In terms of encryption, industry standard AES-256 encryption exists and provides adequate protection in this regard.
alternative
If you are looking for a more affordable and sophisticated ZTNA oriented product then North floor is a good choice. It offers more features in terms of sophisticated protection (ad blocking, phishing protection, no logging, etc.). The app itself is more user-friendly, the speeds are competitive, and the pricing for the light plan is better, but it will cost more if you upgrade.
ProtonVPN is another great alternative to Astrill, as this product also includes a double jump and safety core, a solution that adds an extra layer of protection. Additionally, you get P2P file sharing, up to 10 simultaneous device connections, and important security features like a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and built-in Tor support for enhanced privacy. In terms of pricing, it is comparable to Astrill but offers a wider server network and additional premium features.
final verdict
Astrill Business VPN is a powerful and flexible solution for companies that require a high level of security and VPN connection speed. While it’s pricier, the features and performance it offers make it a strong contender for businesses with advanced security needs or those operating in high-risk environments. Its customizable protocols, exceptional speeds, and strong encryption make it particularly suitable for businesses in industries that handle sensitive data or require high-performance networks.
If the main feature you need is speed and you don’t mind paying a little extra and not getting the advanced features offered by some competitors, it’s well worth considering Astrill as a potential solution. Overall, Astrill is a good choice, but there are better products on the market.
