Astrill VPN Review 2026
By ChrisFounder & Lead AnalystThe #1 VPN for China
Astrill VPN is the most reliable VPN for bypassing the Great Firewall of China. Its StealthVPN and OpenWeb protocols have a decade-plus track record of working in China when other VPNs fail. Seychelles jurisdiction adds a layer of privacy protection.
The major downside is cost: $12.50/month on an annual plan with no refund policy, making it one of the most expensive VPNs available. Outside of China and other censorship-heavy countries, the value proposition diminishes significantly.
- Users in China or traveling to China
- Users in other censorship-heavy countries (Iran, Russia, etc.)
- Users who need the most reliable Great Firewall bypass
Performance Scores
Privacy & Security
Security and Protocols
Astrill's protocol list is unusual because it is built around getting through blocks rather than around raw throughput. StealthVPN is Astrill's own obfuscation protocol, written for restrictive networks. OpenWeb is a second in-house option that works at the application layer. WireGuard is offered alongside them, and OpenVPN configurations are available for third-party clients.
Two of those four protocols are proprietary, which means the parts of the stack doing the hardest work are the parts nobody outside Astrill has reviewed. Astrill has been running since 2009 and its reputation in censored countries is earned rather than marketed, but reputation is not the same thing as an audit.
Astrill does not publish an independent no-logs audit. For how audit evidence weighs against jurisdiction and features in the numbers above, see our scoring methodology.
Why Astrill Works in China
The Great Firewall does not just block IP addresses, it fingerprints traffic. A standard OpenVPN or WireGuard handshake has a recognisable shape, which is why providers that work everywhere else stop working the moment you land in Shanghai. StealthVPN exists to remove that shape, and Astrill markets it explicitly for networks that interfere with VPN traffic.
This is the whole argument for paying Astrill's prices. If you are living in or travelling to a country that actively filters VPN traffic, a provider that keeps working is worth more than a provider that is faster and cheaper on paper. Our best VPNs for China guide covers the alternatives worth keeping as a backup, because no single provider survives every crackdown.
Outside that context the argument thins out fast. For ordinary use at home there is nothing here that the higher-ranked providers in our full VPN rankings do not also do, usually for less.
Price and the Refund Policy
Astrill sells personal plans on monthly, annual and two-year terms, and it is one of the most expensive providers we score at every term length. Prices have moved since our last full pricing pass, so check the current figures on Astrill's own site before you commit rather than relying on the table above.
The refund policy deserves more attention than the price. Astrill states that all sales on its website are final and that refunds are not possible once a purchase is made, and it suggests buying the shortest plan if you want to try the service. Refunds are also declined when the service is blocked by your ISP or when your operating system turns out to be incompatible.
That is a genuinely different risk profile from the 30-day guarantees most providers offer. You are paying a premium price with no way to walk away, which is why the shortest term is the sensible way in even though it costs the most per month.
Server Network and Devices
Astrill advertises coverage in more than 140 cities worldwide, which is a respectable spread rather than a headline-grabbing one. The network is built for reliability in specific hard places rather than for breadth, and that shows in the country list.
Personal plans cover up to five devices in a household at once. Five is below the ten that has become the norm at this price level, and well below the unlimited allowances several cheaper providers offer, so a household running phones, laptops and a TV box will feel the ceiling.
Who Astrill VPN Is For
Astrill is for people whose VPN has to work in a place that is trying to stop it. Journalists, expatriates, business travellers and anyone spending real time behind the Great Firewall are paying for reliability under hostile conditions, and on that specific job Astrill has a longer track record than almost anyone.
For everyone else it is hard to justify. There is no refund if it disappoints, no published audit, and a five-device limit. If your interest is privacy rather than censorship, our best VPNs for privacy guide covers audited providers at a fraction of the cost.
Pricing & Plans
Pros & Cons
- Most reliable China VPN
- StealthVPN and OpenWeb protocols
- Seychelles jurisdiction
- Decade+ track record in China
- Works in Iran, Russia, etc.
- $12.50/month (very expensive)
- Only 5 simultaneous devices
- No independent audit
- No refund policy
- Limited value outside restrictive countries
Bottom Line
If you need a VPN that works in China, Astrill is the gold standard. For everyone else, it's overpriced and under-featured compared to the top 10.
Astrill VPN FAQ
Does Astrill VPN work in China?
Astrill is one of the few providers with a long, consistent record of working from inside China, using its StealthVPN and OpenWeb protocols. No provider guarantees this permanently, since the filtering changes, so treat any China VPN as something to test on arrival and keep a backup for.
What is StealthVPN?
StealthVPN is Astrill's own obfuscation protocol, designed to disguise VPN traffic so it is not recognised and blocked on restrictive networks. It is proprietary, so it has not been reviewed outside Astrill.
Does Astrill VPN offer refunds?
No. Astrill's refund policy states that all sales on its website are final and refunds are not possible once a purchase is made. It suggests buying the shortest plan if you want to try the service first.
How many devices does Astrill VPN cover?
Personal plans cover up to five devices in a household at the same time, which is below the ten that most providers at this price offer.
How much does Astrill VPN cost?
Astrill sells monthly, annual and two-year personal plans and is among the most expensive providers we score. Its pricing has changed since our last full pricing pass, so check Astrill's own site for current figures.
Has Astrill VPN been independently audited?
No independent no-logs audit is published. Two of its four protocols are proprietary as well, so a larger share of the stack rests on trust than with providers running standard protocols.
Is Astrill VPN worth it outside China?
Usually not. Outside censorship-heavy countries you are paying a premium for obfuscation you will not use, with a five-device limit and no refund route. See the full VPN rankings for providers that cover ordinary use better.
Where to Go Next
Builder, tinkerer, privacy advocate. I believe privacy is a right, not a product feature.