ExpressVPN vs. Astrill VPN 2024 — Which VPN Is Better?

Gjurgjica Panova
Updated on: May 6, 2024

ExpressVPN and Astrill VPN are among the top VPNs on the market. They both have strong security features, user-friendly apps, and responsive customer support.

Both VPNs come with industry-standard VPN security features, such as 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, and a strict no-logs policy. They also have a range of additional and advanced features, like:

• Split-tunneling.
• Perfect forward secrecy.
• RAM-only servers.
• Full leak protection.
• Port forwarding.
• Ad blocker.

However, these VPNs differ in some areas. ExpressVPN has an audited no-logs policy, a large server network in 105 countries, faster speeds, great streaming and gaming support, and apps for more major devices. Plus, its plans offer better value for money. On the other hand, Astrill VPN’s no-logs policy hasn’t been independently audited, and it tracks information like IP addresses during active sessions. It has a smaller server network of servers in 58 countries, slower speeds, and lacks good gaming support. Plus, it has apps for a smaller range of devices, and its plans are a bit pricey.

I spent a few weeks researching and testing both VPNs, and I found a clear winner — in my opinion, ExpressVPN is better than Astrill VPN in pretty much every way. But I recommend that you read the entire comparison to decide which VPN suits your particular needs and budget.

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Editors' Note: Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company

ExpressVPN vs. Astrill VPN — Quick Overview

Security — Both VPNs Are Secure

Both VPNs come with industry-standard security features, including:

• 256-bit AES encryption. Makes all of your online traffic completely unreadable. This is the same type of encryption banks and military institutions use.
• No-logs policy. Prevents the VPN from logging your IP address and your traffic, which includes the sites you visit and the files you download.
• Kill switch. Disables internet access if the VPN connection drops, so that your data doesn’t accidentally leak.

Astrill VPN’s Windows app also comes with an advanced feature called App Guard besides the kill switch. This allows you to choose specific applications to block if you’re disconnected from the VPN.

Both VPNs have RAM-only servers and perfect forward secrecy. RAM-only servers write data on the RAM instead of the hard drive, so every server reset wipes all data. Perfect forward secrecy changes the encryption key for each session to minimize the amount of data potential hackers could access.

I like that both VPNs have full leak protection against IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leaks — I ran leak tests while connected to servers in 10+ countries from each VPN, and I never experienced any leaks.

Both VPNs come with secure and fast protocols. ExpressVPN has its own proprietary protocol called Lightway, which is designed to provide excellent security and speeds. In addition, ExpressVPN uses IKEv2/IPSec. Astrill VPN has developed proprietary protocols called OpenWeb and StealthVPN, which are secure, fast, and designed to work in countries with heavy censorship. Astrill also uses the WireGuard protocol, which is one of the fastest in the market. I like that both VPNs use the OpenVPN protocol, which is quite secure.

However, only ExpressVPN has two-factor authentication, which requires you to authorize each login attempt into your account dashboard with a time-sensitive code generated by an app.

Extra Features — Either VPN Is a Great Choice

Both VPNs give access to tons of extra features. I like that both have split-tunneling so you can choose which apps use or don’t use the VPN. However, Astrill VPN’s split-tunneling feature is better, as it’s more diverse. It can filter websites as well as apps, and it includes a Smart Mode which tunnels international websites through the VPN while local websites are routed through your regular Wi-Fi network

However, Astrill VPN has split tunneling only on desktop and Android devices, while ExpressVPN also allows split-tunneling on macOS and routers (in the form of device groups).

I also like that both VPNs come with obfuscation. This feature makes your VPN traffic look like normal internet traffic. ExpressVPN has obfuscation on all protocols and across all of its servers in 105 countries. Astrill VPN has obfuscation through its OpenWeb and Stealth VPN protocols, but support reps couldn’t provide me with information on whether it supports obfuscation on all of its servers.

Both VPNs come with an ad blocker. ExpressVPN’s Advanced Protection includes ad, tracker, and malicious site blockers and parental controls, while Astrill VPN’s ad blocker is only able to get rid of ads. I tested ExpressVPN’s ad blocker, and it blocked all ads and prevented me from accessing shady sites.

Only ExpressVPN has a smart DNS. ExpressVPN’s smart DNS feature, MediaStreamer, lets you use the VPN on devices that don’t support VPN apps, like gaming consoles and some smart TVs. But both VPNs allow Tor traffic on their networks.

Both providers have port forwarding, which allows you to connect to more peers to get faster speeds for downloads. But I like Astrill VPN’s port forwarding better because it’s available on desktop apps and routers, while ExpressVPN only has port forwarding on its router app.

However, ExpressVPN comes with some extra features that Astrill VPN lacks:

• ExpressVPN Keys. This is the VPN’s password manager, which allows you to secure all of your passwords in a digital vault. It auto-fills your login credentials for 1-click access to sites, includes a password generator, and it also lets you check for weak passwords. It comes free with each ExpressVPN subscription. It’s available in the iOS and Android apps and the Chrome extension on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• Shortcuts. Allows you to create 1-click shortcuts for specific apps and websites, which show up on your screen after you connect to a VPN server. It’s available on Android, Windows, and macOS.
• App Screenshots. Allows you to disable in-app screenshots and prevent app content from showing up on the multitasking pane. This means nobody can compromise the information displayed on the ExpressVPN screen by looking at your screen. However, it’s only available on Android devices.

Astrill VPN has these additional features that ExpressVPN doesn’t have:

• VPN sharing. This feature allows you to share the VPN connection from your desktop device with other devices that use the same network without installing the VPN on every device. The process is a bit technical as it requires you to change the IP, gateway, and DNS settings on the device you want to share to.
• Multi-hop VPN. The Multi-hop VPN tunnels your connection through multiple combined servers, which adds an extra layer of security. However, it costs extra.
• Port scan. Helps reduce the risk of getting hacked by detecting the numbers of open ports. However, it’s not that convenient as you need to manually check the port and there are 65,000 ports.
• Password leak test. Informs you whether a password has been leaked, but it doesn’t specify if the leaked password is connected to your account.

Privacy — ExpressVPN Has Better Privacy

ExpressVPN has better privacy features than Astrill VPN, as it doesn’t log user IP addresses and their traffic. On the other hand, Astrill VPN tracks data about active sessions, like connection time, IP address, and device type, but it says that the data is removed permanently when you disconnect from the VPN. Additionally, it keeps connection logs (time, duration, country, and device type) of your last 20 sessions for customer support reasons.

Plus, only ExpressVPN’s no-logs policy has been independently audited. What’s more, one of its servers was seized by Turkish authorities in 2017, but they weren’t able to find any user data on it. In addition, its TrustedServer technology was audited in 2019 and 2022, and only minor issues were found and fixed immediately.

What’s more, ExpressVPN’s Lightway protocol is open source, which means that anyone can inspect the code for security issues. Moreover, it passed an independent audit in 2021.

ExpressVPN’s apps have also undergone independent security audits. Its Windows app was independently audited in 2021 and in 2022. On both occasions, there were no issues with the apps. In addition, the provider’s iOS, Android, macOS, and Linux apps were audited in 2022, and its Chrome extension was also audited in 2018 and confirmed to be safe.

I like how both VPNs are headquartered in privacy-friendly countries. ExpressVPN is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands and Astrill VPN is in the Seychelles. Both countries aren’t a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances, a group of countries that share surveillance data with each other.

Both VPNs accept cryptocurrency payments, which offer much better privacy than other payment methods.

Servers — ExpressVPN Has a Better Server Network

ExpressVPN has a larger server network than Astrill VPN. Although it doesn’t disclose how many servers it has, ExpressVPN offers many servers in 105 countries, while Astrill VPN has 300+ servers in 58 countries. Although Astrill VPN’s servers are well spread out across the globe, the VPN has only 1 server location in Africa.

Both VPNs have physical servers, which are physically located in the country you connect to. But ExpressVPN also has virtual locations, which means the server provides you with an IP address from the country you connect to, but it’s actually physically located in a different country. I ran a couple of tests when connected to a virtual server location and I was always assigned the correct IP address.

When it comes to torrenting servers, ExpressVPN is better. It allows P2P traffic on all servers in 105 countries, while Astrill VPN only allows torrenting on 200+ servers, which are marked with a star in the server list.

Both VPNs have obfuscation on their servers, but ExpressVPN’s obfuscation is better. ExpressVPN allows obfuscation on all of its servers in 105 countries and consistently works in restrictive countries. On the other hand, Astrill VPN allows obfuscation through its OpenWeb and StealthVPN protocols and also works in restrictive countries.

Astrill VPN also offers dedicated IP addresses for an extra cost. These IP addresses are unique and are only assigned to you, which is quite useful for avoiding reCAPTCHAs. Astrill VPN offers dedicated IP addresses for 5+ countries, including the US, the UK, Canada, and Germany.

Speeds — ExpressVPN Is Faster

Both VPNs have really good speeds, but ExpressVPN is simply much faster, which doesn’t come as a surprise because it’s the fastest VPN on the market.

I tested ExpressVPN first on nearby servers. Websites, HD, and 4K videos loaded instantly, and I was able to download a 20 GB file in 10 minutes. On distant servers I didn’t experience much slowdown — websites loaded instantly, HD videos played in 1–2 seconds, and 4K videos in 2 seconds. I was able to download the same 20 GB file in 14–15 minutes.

I also had fast speeds with Astrill VPN. On nearby servers, websites and HD videos loaded instantly, and 4K videos took 1–2 seconds. I downloaded a 20 GB file in 13 minutes. On distant servers, I experienced some slowdowns — websites still loaded instantly, but HD videos played in 2 seconds with minor interruptions in the beginning and 4K videos in 2–3 seconds. I downloaded the 20 GB file in 20 minutes.

Streaming — ExpressVPN Has Better Streaming Support

ExpressVPN has better streaming support. Its customer support reps confirmed that it works with 100+ streaming sites, while Astrill VPN’s customer support couldn’t provide me with a number of streaming services the VPN works with.

Both VPNs worked with Netflix in my tests. However, only ExpressVPN consistently works with Netflix — Astrill VPN might not work with a streaming service on the first try, so you’ll need to try different servers.

On top of this, both VPNs worked with other streaming sites available in my region, like Amazon Prime, Disney+, and Max. However, Astrill VPN didn’t consistently work with these sites.

Also, only ExpressVPN comes with a smart DNS, which allows you to use a VPN on devices that don’t natively support VPN apps, like gaming consoles.

Torrenting — Both VPNs are Great Picks for Torrenting

Both VPNs have great P2P support. I like how ExpressVPN supports P2P traffic on all servers — with Astrill VPN, you only get 200+ P2P servers. I think ExpressVPN makes it easier to torrent on nearby servers so that you can get fast downloads.

I like that both providers work with top P2P apps, like Vuze, qBittorrent, and uTorrent. I tested both VPNs with these P2P apps and I didn’t experience any issues.

Plus, both VPNs come with port forwarding, which lets you connect to more peers to get faster speeds for torrenting. That said, I prefer Astrill VPN’s port forwarding, as it’s available inside its Windows app. On the other hand, ExpressVPN only allows port forwarding via its router app, which isn’t as convenient as having it in a desktop app.

Either provider has strong security features for torrenting. They both have a kill switch and full leak protection, but only ExpressVPN’s no-logs policy has been independently audited. On top of that, ExpressVPN’s Advanced Protection feature includes an ad, tracker, and malicious site blocker, while Astrill VPN only comes with an ad blocker.

Before torrenting, I ran leak tests in 10+ server locations from each VPN, and I never saw any leaks. Also, I ran torrent IP leaks on 5 torrent clients with both ExpressVPN and Astrill VPN to ensure that the torrent app doesn’t reveal my real IP address to other peers — the results always showed the VPN’s IP address, not my real one.

Gaming — ExpressVPN Wins This Round

ExpressVPN is better for gaming. I used both VPNs to play several rounds of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2, and I had a better experience with ExpressVPN. It consistently maintained a low ping on local servers and an average ping on distant servers. With Astrill VPN, I also enjoyed stable ping on nearby and distant servers, but I experienced minor lag (not game-breaking) while gaming on distant servers.

Only ExpressVPN protects you against Distributed-Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks and comes with anti-DDoS protection on all of its servers. This means that even if someone tries to DDoS the VPN server you’re connected to, they wouldn’t be able to do it.

Both VPNs have router support, but ExpressVPN has a dedicated router app. Astrill VPN has helpful setup tutorials that show you how to manually set up the VPN on your router to use it on devices that don’t support VPNs, like gaming consoles. However, ExpressVPN’s router app is much easier to install and use.

ExpressVPN has cloud gaming support, which means it works with platforms that stream games to portable devices like mobile phones and laptops — I ran tests on GeForce Now and I didn’t have any issues.

Bypassing Censorship — Both VPNs Are a Good Choice

	Obfuscation	Works in China	Works in Russia	Works in Iran	Works in Indonesia	Works in Saudi Arabia
ExpressVPN	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Astrill VPN	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅

Both VPNs are good options for restrictive countries, as their support reps confirm that they both consistently work in places like China, Russia, Iran, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia. ExpressVPN supports obfuscation on all of its servers and protocols, white Astrill VPN only allows obfuscation through its OpenWeb and StealthVPN protocols.

Plus, ExpressVPN has servers in 105 countries, which allows users in restrictive countries to connect to nearby servers to get faster speeds.

Apps & Ease of Use — ExpressVPN Is The Better Choice

ExpressVPN has apps for more platforms than Astrill VPN. It has an app for smart TVs, Chromebook, and Kindle Fire, which Astrill VPN doesn’t. That said, both VPNs come with user-friendly apps for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, and routers.

Both VPNs have intuitive mobile apps. They have a user-friendly interface and are easy to navigate, but Astrill VPN’s mobile apps don’t come with a kill switch. Plus, they are less feature-rich than ExpressVPN’s desktop apps.

I like both provider’s desktop apps. They’re simple to use, feature-rich, and have strong security features to protect your data and device. Moreover, I like how they have split-tunneling on their macOS apps, unlike most competitors.

ExpressVPN is the better choice if you want to use the VPN on a router, as it has a user-friendly VPN app that’s easy to install. With Astrill VPN you need to manually set up the VPN on your router, which is more time-consuming and inconvenient than ExpressVPN’s router app.

Plans & Pricing — ExpressVPN Provides Better Value

ExpressVPN offers better value for money. It has more affordable plans and allows up to 8 simultaneous connections, while Astrill VPN only allows 5. In addition, you can cover an unlimited number of devices with ExpressVPN if you use its router app.

ExpressVPN has a 1-month, a 6-month, and a 12-month plan (that comes with 3 extra months for free). Despite its price, the 12-month plan provides the best value and savings, but with our exclusive 49% discount you can get ExpressVPN for only $6.67 / month.

Astrill VPN has 1-month, 6-month, and 12-month plans starting at $12.50 / month, plus optional add-ons. A VIP upgrade allows prioritized traffic on all servers (meaning you won’t experience slowdowns if the server you’re connected to is overloaded) and includes access to dedicated IP addresses. You also get multi-hop, which lets you route your connection through multiple servers for better security.

Both VPNs accept multiple payment methods. You can pay with credit/debit cards, PayPal, and cryptocurrencies. Astrill VPN also accepts Perfect Money and bank transfers. However, Astrill VPN doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee while ExpressVPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee on all of its plans.

 Customer Support — Both VPNs Have Good Customer Support

Both VPNs have really good support libraries, which are full of helpful frequently asked questions (FAQs), setup tutorials, and troubleshooting guides. ExpressVPN even has video tutorials. ExpressVPN’s support guides answered all of my questions, so I didn’t have to contact its support reps, but with Astrill VPN, I had to reach out a couple of times for clarification.

I like that both VPNs have a 24/7 live chat. It took me less than 5 seconds to connect with a support rep for each VPN, they were always able to answer my questions, and I didn’t have to chat for more than 5 minutes to get an answer.

Both providers have responsive email support. From both VPNs, I received answers in 6–7 hours, which is quite fast. Plus, the answers were always helpful and detailed, so I didn’t have to send a follow-up email.

Overall Winner: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is secure and maintains fast speeds across all servers. What’s more, it consistently works with 100+ streaming sites, supports torrenting on all servers, and works in restrictive countries. It also has some extra features, like Advanced Protection and split-tunneling. On top of this, it has intuitive apps for all devices (including routers), excellent  customer service, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Astrill VPN has solid security features and some additional ones, like multi-hop servers, VPN sharing, port scan, and a password leak test. It has fast speeds for all online activities, allows P2P traffic on 200+ servers, and works in restrictive countries. Moreover, it has user-friendly apps for most major devices and in-depth support libraries.

Both VPNs are great, but I recommend ExpressVPN. It has better privacy, a larger server network, and maintains faster speeds across all servers. Moreover, it has apps for more major devices, including a router app, and offers a better value for money.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ExpressVPN better than Astrill VPN?

Yes, ExpressVPN is better than Astrill VPN. ExpressVPN outperforms Astrill VPN in several metrics, including privacy, servers, speeds, streaming, gaming, apps and ease of use, and plans and pricing. However, I couldn’t pick a winner when I compared security features, extra features, torrenting, bypassing censorship, and customer support, as both VPNs excel in these areas.

Which one is better for streaming — ExpressVPN or Astrill VPN?

ExpressVPN is a better choice for streaming. It reliably works with 100+ streaming sites, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+. It also comes with a MediaStreamer, which is a smart DNS that lets you use a VPN on devices that don’t natively support VPN connections, like gaming consoles.

On the other hand, Astrill VPN works with top streaming sites like Netflix too, but not always on the first try. So, you might need to connect to a different server to watch your favorite site’s content. Moreover, Astrill VPN lacks a smart DNS feature.

Which is better for torrenting — ExpressVPN or Astrill VPN?

Both VPNs have good P2P support, so I couldn’t pick a winner. ExpressVPN allows P2P traffic on all servers in 105 countries and works with top P2P apps. It also supports port forwarding, which lets you connect to more peers for faster speeds via its router app. Plus, it provides excellent security while torrenting.

Astrill VPN allows torrenting on 200+ servers and works with top P2P apps. Moreover, it has port forwarding and strong security features for torrenting, like a kill switch and full leak protection.

Which one is faster — ExpressVPN or Astrill VPN?

ExpressVPN had faster speeds in my tests, which is hardly surprising as it’s the fastest VPN on the market. That said, Astrill VPN also had decent speeds on nearby and distant servers.

During my tests, ExpressVPN always provided me with fast speeds on both nearby and distant servers. This meant I could enjoy browsing, torrenting, streaming, and gaming without any interruptions.

Read more about the best VPNs in 2024