KookVPN vs Astrill VPN
Astrill has been the go-to China VPN since 2009. But 15 years of market dominance have bred complacency: archaic UI, detectable protocols, no refund policy, and speeds that drop 50%. Here is how KookVPN compares.
Quick Verdict
Astrill is the known quantity -- expats have used it for years, it covers every platform, and it has 56 countries of servers. But that familiarity comes with serious drawbacks: StealthVPN is detectable during crackdowns, shared servers mean your IP gets burned by other users, the UI has not been updated since approximately 2015, and there is no refund if it does not work for you. KookVPN trades breadth for depth: one protocol that is genuinely undetectable, a private server that no one else can burn, BBR-optimized speeds, and a 7-day money-back guarantee. If you need multi-platform support and 56 countries, Astrill is the pragmatic choice. If you need reliable, undetectable access from China that actually works during sensitive periods, KookVPN is the better tool.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | KookVPN | Astrill VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol | VLESS+Reality+Vision | StealthVPN / OpenWeb |
| GFW Detection Risk | Undetectable | Detectable during crackdowns |
| Connection Success Rate (China) | ~100% | ~81% |
| Server Infrastructure | Private dedicated | Shared with thousands |
| Speed Loss | 5-15% | 46-50% |
| TUN Mode (OS-level capture) | ||
| Kill Switch | ||
| Split Routing (Chinese apps) | ||
| One-Click Connect | ||
| No Server Selection Needed | ||
| BBR Congestion Control | ||
| Phone Number Required | ||
| Monthly Price | $30/mo | $30/mo |
| Annual Price | $15/mo | $15/mo |
| 2-Year Price | $12.50/mo | $12.50/mo |
| Refund Policy | 7-day money-back | No refunds |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Router |
| Server Locations | Singapore (optimized) | 56 countries, 142 cities |
| Zero-Log Guarantee | Claims no-log | |
| Modern UI |
VLESS+Reality vs StealthVPN: The Core Difference
Astrill's StealthVPN
Astrill offers multiple protocols: OpenWeb (browser-only proxy), StealthVPN (their proprietary obfuscation), WireGuard, and OpenVPN. In China, only StealthVPN and OpenWeb are usable -- WireGuard and OpenVPN get detected and blocked instantly.
StealthVPN works by wrapping traffic in a proprietary obfuscation layer. The problem is that the GFW has had over a decade to study Astrill's traffic patterns. During sensitive periods like the National People's Congress or Tiananmen anniversary, StealthVPN connections are identified and dropped. This is why Astrill's connection success rate sits around 81% -- it fails roughly one in five connection attempts, and fails more often when you need it most.
OpenWeb is a browser-only proxy, meaning it does not capture terminal commands, desktop applications, or any traffic outside the browser. If you use Claude Code, Git, npm, or any CLI tool, OpenWeb is useless.
KookVPN's VLESS+Reality
VLESS+Reality takes a fundamentally different approach. Instead of trying to hide VPN traffic behind proprietary obfuscation, it mimics the TLS handshake of a legitimate website -- microsoft.com. When the GFW inspects your connection, it sees what appears to be a normal HTTPS connection to Microsoft's servers. The TLS certificate, the Server Name Indication, the handshake timing -- all match a real microsoft.com connection.
This is not obfuscation. It is impersonation. And it is why VLESS+Reality has a 98% success rate against the GFW compared to Astrill's 81%.
When the GFW performs active probing -- sending its own connection attempts to suspected VPN servers -- KookVPN's server transparently forwards those probes to the real microsoft.com. The probe gets Microsoft's real response, confirming the server is "legitimate." Astrill's servers have no such defense against active probing.
Private Server vs Shared VPN Farm
KookVPN: Dedicated Private Server
Your connection goes through a private DigitalOcean server in Singapore that is not shared with other VPN customers. The IP belongs to DigitalOcean's standard hosting range -- not a known VPN IP range. No other user can burn your IP by triggering GFW detection. No cross-contamination. No sudden blocks because someone else on your server was doing something suspicious.
Astrill: Shared Server Network
Astrill operates thousands of servers across 56 countries. Each server is shared among hundreds or thousands of simultaneous users. When the GFW detects and blocks one of Astrill's Hong Kong servers, every user on that server loses connection. You then need to switch to Singapore 3, then Tokyo 7, then LA 12 -- the infamous "morning server shuffle" that wastes 10-30 minutes of your day.
Speed and Reliability
Similar Price, Different Value
KookVPN and Astrill have nearly identical pricing: $30/month, $15/month annually, and $12.50/month on a 2-year plan. At the same price point, the comparison becomes purely about value delivered.
Astrill gives you multi-platform support (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, routers), 56 countries of servers, and the StealthVPN/OpenWeb protocols. You also get a phone number requirement for account recovery, an archaic UI that has not changed in approximately a decade, and a strict no-refund policy. If Astrill does not work for you in China, your money is gone.
KookVPN gives you an undetectable protocol, a private dedicated server, BBR-optimized speeds, TUN mode that captures all traffic, split routing for Chinese apps, one-click connect with no server selection, and a 7-day money-back guarantee. The trade-off is a single platform (Windows) and a single optimized server location (Singapore).
The refund policy alone makes KookVPN the lower-risk choice. You can test it for a full week and get your money back if it does not meet your needs. With Astrill, you are committed the moment you pay.
Who Should Choose What
Choose KookVPN If You...
- Need VPN access that works during NPC and sensitive periods
- Use AI CLI tools (Claude Code, Codex, Gemini) and cannot risk IP leaks
- Are tired of the morning server shuffle
- Want 4K streaming without buffering
- Need split routing for WeChat/Alipay
- Prefer a modern, one-click interface
- Want a money-back guarantee
Choose Astrill If You...
- Need Mac, iOS, Android, or Linux support
- Need servers in 56 countries (not just Singapore)
- Want router-level VPN configuration
- Prefer a VPN with 15+ years of track record
- Are comfortable with server-switching when connections drop
- Do not mind providing a phone number
Expats Who Switched from Astrill
Used Astrill for 6 years. It was fine until 2025 when the crackdowns got worse. During NPC it would fail for days. Switched to KookVPN and it worked through the entire NPC period without a single drop.
The morning server shuffle was eating 20 minutes of my day. Hong Kong 3 down, Singapore 7 down, Tokyo 2 slow. KookVPN: one click, connected, done. That alone was worth switching.
Astrill's OpenWeb only covers browser traffic. I needed my terminal commands covered too for Claude Code. KookVPN's TUN mode captures everything at the OS level. No more worrying about API leaks.
See How Other VPNs Compare
Ready to switch from Astrill?
Same price. Better protocol. Private server. 7-day money-back guarantee -- something Astrill has never offered.