FastestVPN is a newer VPN service that provides a simple and easy way to stay safe online. Already, the provider boasts over one million users, and they’re quickly gaining ground on their more established competitors.
But FastestVPN offers more than just simplicity.
They promise to help you “reclaim your internet freedom” and make a bold statement about the speed with their brand name.
Is it truly the fastest? Or is this just another advertising gimmick?
In this FastestVPN review, I’ll take a look at the good and the bad, and give you my honest opinion.
| vpnAlert rating: | 8.2 of 10 ⭐ |
| Discount: | Exclusive FastestVPN Offer |
| Jurisdiction: | Cayman Islands |
| Encryption: | AES-256 |
| Servers & Locations: | 350 servers, 31 countries |
| Logging policy: | No logs |
| Protocols: | OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP, PPTP, SSTP |
| Live chat: | Yes |
| P2P & Torrenting: | Allowed |
| Platforms: | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS |
| Simultaneous Connections: | 10 devices |
| Refund policy: | 15-day money-back guarantee |
| Payment methods: | PayPal, Bitcoin, Credit Card |
Overview of FastestVPN
FastestVPN is a relatively young VPN service that was launched in 2016.
The company is based in the Cayman Islands, which is an excellent jurisdiction for privacy.
In addition, they also have a North American regional office in Los Angeles, US, and their CEO is Azneem Bilwani.
With the VPN, you can connect to over 350 servers in 31 countries across the Americas, Europe, the Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East.
Impressive, right?
But, one of the foremost appeals of FastestVPN is how seriously they take your online safety. On their website, they claim the following:
"Our team at FastestVPN seriously commits to cater to its customers. We prioritize our customers’ privacy and security and make sure to protect their rights to uniqueness. FastestVPN aims to assist you to a secure internet experience without leaking your data to third parties."
In terms of compatibility, the VPN is one of the most versatile in the market, and you can install it on almost every device.
Pros
- Excellent connections speeds
- Robust security and privacy features
- Does not keep logs
- Supports P2P file sharing (Torrenting)
- User-friendly apps
- 15-day money-back guarantee
- 24/7 live chat support
Cons
- Has a small number of servers
Privacy & Jurisdiction
As I mentioned, FastestVPN promises to help you reclaim your internet freedom, and they deliver.
Are There Any Signs That FastestVPN Keeps Logs?
The provider keeps neither activity nor connection logs.
I was impressed by the transparency of their privacy policy, and as you can see in the screenshot below, there are no doubts as to what they collect and what they don’t.
Like most VPNs, FastestVPN collects some information during sign up.
But, they limit this to your email address only.
They do not keep your credit card information, and all your information is wiped once you deactivate your account.
The Cayman Islands Jurisdiction & Applicable Laws
FastestVPN enjoys some of the best privacy laws anywhere.
The Cayman Islands does not have mandatory data retention laws and is not a part of the 14-eyes alliance or any other international surveillance network.
That means the government cannot compel the VPN provider to monitor and record your browsing history.
Security
Regardless of your intended use, you should make sure your VPN has the right credentials when it comes to security.
You never know, it might come in handy down the road.
FastestVPN is well-encrypted and comes with multiple advanced security features built-in.
Tunneling Protocols & Encryption
FastestVPN uses AES 256-bit as its sole encryption cipher.
The algorithm is impenetrable and remains the gold standard in the VPN industry.
AES 256-bit is also widely used in the banking sector as well as by government organizations, including the National Security Agency (NSA).
In regards to tunneling protocols, FastestVPN provides multiple options to choose from:
- OpenVPN (TCP/UDP)
- IKEv2/IPsec
- L2TP/IPsec
- PPTP
- SSTP
Other Great Security Features
Beyond robust encryption, FastestVPN also offers the following:
- NAT Firewall: Keeps you safe by blocking all unsolicited incoming traffic.
- DNS leak protection: Prevents your internet requests from traveling outside the VPN tunnel and exposing your IP.
- Automatic kill switch: Blocks all network traffic if your VPN connection is interrupted, preventing your real IP address from being exposed.
- Tor compatibility: Gives you an extra layer of privacy by routing your traffic through a Tor server.
- Anti-malware: Runs by default when connected to a server and guards against malicious attacks.
Leak Tests
Connection leaks can cause any VPN, even the best and well-equipped, to be useless. So, regardless of how secure a VPN may appear to be, I always put it to the test to see if it exposes my real IP information.
I did the same with FastestVPN, and I was pleased with the results.
There were no IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks whatsoever.
I conducted each test separately, and I’ve included screenshots of the results below.
Note: In this particular test, I was connected to the New York, US server, and my public IP address was 38.132.102.107.
IP Leak Test – IPLeak.Org
DNS Leak Test – IP8.Com
DNS Leak Test – IP8.Com
Virus & Malware Test
I also ran the installation files through VirusTotal.com to check if they contain any malware. FastestVPN got an all ‘green,’ meaning it was squeaky clean.
Server Locations
FastestVPN has around 350 servers while this isn’t much, the provider deserves credit for their server distribution.
You can connect to 38 server locations across 31 countries in six continents – North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Africa.
Does FastestVPN Work in China?
FastestVPN works in China but not straight out of the box.
All their native apps are ineffective against the Great Firewall, and you have to configure the VPN manually or via Apps like OpenConnect or Anyconnect.
Speed & Performance
FastestVPN’s name may draw people to the service, but is its performance good enough to keep you subscribed?
I conducted several tests to find out.
How Fast Is FastestVPN?
True to their claims, FastestVPN delivered fast connections during my tests.
The speed reduction was subtle across the board with the nearest server locations (Europe) having the fastest connections.
I will be honest with you; I didn’t expect FastestVPN to perform this well.
I’ve outlined some of the speed test results below so you can get a clear picture of the VPN’s performance.
Note: When conducting the speed tests, my baseline speed was 96.94 Mbps download, 47.01 Mbps upload, and a ping of 10 ms.
| Location | Ping (ms) | Download (Mbps) | Upload (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| US (New York) | 59 | 78.74 | 33.52 |
| UK (London) | 27 | 85.01 | 44.19 |
| AU (Sydney) | 189 | 66.93 | 21.77 |
| AU (Sydney) | 173 | 61.42 | 23.45 |
Is it the fastest?
No.
But I was more than satisfied with the VPN’s performance.
Overall, it reduced my download speeds by 25% on average.
Price & Value
FastestVPN is one of the most affordable VPNs that I’ve reviewed.
Their cheapest plan costs $1.11 per month and the fact that you can use the VPN on 10 devices at a go improves the value further.
How Much Does FastestVPN Cost?
Currently, the provider is offering three subscription options – 1-month, 1-year, and 3-year plans.
All come with the same features, but you get significant discounts with the two long-term subscriptions.
Payment Methods
- PayPal
- Credit Card
They do not support Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency.
Does FastestVPN Have a Free Trial?
The provider does not offer a free trial, but they do have a no-questions-asked money-back guarantee which allows you to try the service risk-free.
Refund Policy
All FastestVPN pricing plans are backed by a 15-day money-back guarantee.
The refund policy covers all purchases including those made via Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Streaming
On-demand streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video have changed the way we watch entertainment and for the better.
But while incredible, all these services severely restrict their content based on geographical location. With a VPN you can circumvent that, but unfortunately, FastestVPN does not offer universal access.
It works with some but it also fails to unblock others.
| Platform | Status |
|---|---|
| Netflix | ✅ |
| Hulu | ✅ |
| BBC iPlayer | ❌ |
| Amazon Prime Video | ✅ |
Does FastestVPN Unblock Netflix?
Netflix does not mess around when it comes to VPNs and geo-restrictions.
The service is effective at detecting VPN IPs and will block access if they suspect you of using a VPN.
As to whether FastestVPN unblocks the streaming site, the answer is YES.
The VPN has a dedicated Netflix server that reliably works with Netflix.
You can also access Netflix with some of their other servers but you’ll go through some ‘trial and error’ before you find a compatible one.
In total, I tested 14 servers in 5 Netflix regions – US, UK, CA, AU, DE – and only four worked.
Torrenting (P2P)
Contrary to popular notion, torrenting itself is not illegal.
However, if you download any copyrighted content, you may find yourself in some serious trouble. As such, it makes sense to use a VPN when visiting torrent sites.
Is FastestVPN Good for Torrenting?
The answer is clear: Yes!
FastestVPN is an excellent VPN for torrenting.
They allow P2P traffic on all their servers and do not impose bandwidth restrictions.
Platforms & Devices
- Windows
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
- Linux
- Android TV
- Firestick / FireTV
They also support Apple TV, Roku, PS4, Xbox, and Kodi.
Additionally, you can set up the VPN on your router and smart TV.
There are also browser extensions for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.
For a three-year-old service, FastestVPN definitely outdoes itself in this category.
How Many Devices Does FastestVPN Allow at a Go?
The provider allows up to 10 simultaneous connections on a single license.
If you are looking to protect multiple devices, then this VPN might do the trick.
Read Also: Best VPNs for Multiple Devices
Customer Support
FastestVPN offers excellent customer service.
Their support agents are friendly and quite responsive.
I was particularly impressed by their live chat support which is available 24/7. Generally, responses take less than a minute.
Besides live chat, you can contact FastestVPN via email.
They also have a knowledge base section on their website where you can find FAQs and set up tutorials.
User Experience
FastestVPN is quite easy to use and set up.
The apps are well designed and offer a decent level of configuration.
From the settings screen, you can configure the protocols and features such as the internet kill switch, auto-connect, and automatic redial.
FastestVPN’s simplicity makes it an excellent option for beginners, but its level of customizability may not be enough to please seasoned users.
FAQs
Is FastestVPN a Scam?
FastestVPN is a reliable and trustworthy service.
It’s been around since 2017 and so far, they haven’t engaged in any underhand behavior.
Does FastestVPN Steal Your Data?
FastestVPN’s maintain a log-less service which means they do not store your data and as such can’t steal it or sell it to third parties.
How Much Does FastestVPN Cost per Month?
FastesVPN costs $10/mo on a month to basis.
If you opt for a long-term plan, you can reduce the cost significantly.
The 1-year plan is billed at $2.29/mo while the 3-year plan is priced at $1.11/mo.
Is It Safe to Use FastestVPN?
FastestVPN is safe and secure to use.
It is well-encrypted and does not monitor or record your browsing activity.
Final Word
Yes, I recommend FastestVPN.
The VPN delivers fast connections, and I was impressed by its reliability.
Privacy-wise, there isn’t much you can fault FastestVPN with either.
I was also impressed by their customer support.
Everything considered, the VPN offers good value for money.
Try it out and let me know what you think in the comment section below.
Protect private web traffic from snooping, interference, and censorship. All plans are covered by a no-hassle 100% money-back guarantee for your first 30 days of service.
