FastestVPN Review

Daniel Rosehill

In a Nutshell

FastestVPN makes bold advertising promises about being the “world’s fastest and best VPN”—so I was curious to see how it actually performed on a test. I installed its Windows client and ran it through some endpoints.

pros

  • Multiple clients
  • Can be installed on compatible routers
  • No logs provider

cons

  • Small pool of connection servers
  • No GUI for Linux

Fastestvpn Fastestvpn Compare All

FastestVPN at a Glance

Best for: Users that want a VPN with diverse installation options

Price (or price range): Just $1.11 per month (on 3 year plan)

Location: 46 server locations

Netflix: Unblocks Netflix US

Torrenting: FastestVPN supports torrenting

Logging: No logs

Number of Devices: 10 simultaneous connections

Operating Systems: Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android Box, Amazon Firestick, Kodi, Roki, PS4, Xbox, Chromecast, SmartTV

Browser Extensions: Chrome and Firefox

Privacy

FastestVPN contains a very clear and explicit user policy in which it states that it “does not store any logs, period.” Just in case that wasn’t 100% clear it continues, “The websites you visit, the content you download or stream, your traffic destinations, or your DNS queries - stays with you and you alone.” The company says that it is based in the Cayman Islands so it should be a safe choice for those worried about law enforcement and intelligence agencies’ ability to intercept their traffic. 

Features

Protocol Selection

FastestVPN allows users to connect through a variety of connection protocols.

Included are:

  • IKEV2

  • L2TP

  • PPTP

  • TCP

  • UDP

The inclusion of L2TP and PPTP are great for customers running legacy hardware. OpenVPN can also be used for platforms that support it, including VPN-compatible routers and Ubuntu. 

Kill Switch

Fastest VPN features a kill switch that automatically disconnects the VPN in the case that a connection to a server is lost. The client can also automatically connect after launch 

Speed

I tested out FastestVPN’s connection speeds from an asymmetrical internet connection with a 90 Mbps downlink. The best speed I achieved was a 40 Mbps downlink through the US Chicago server. In London, my speed was 35 Mbps and it was 21 Mbps in Sydney, Australia. 

Server
Download speed (Mbps)

Baseline 

95

Australia (Sydney)

21 

USA (Chicago)

40

UK (London)

35

While these connections were certainly usable, FastestVPN’s marketing claim about being the “world’s best and fastest VPN” was starting to ring a little hollow.

The company doesn’t state how many servers it operates, but I was able to count 46 different connection locations on its server list. This is a relatively small network by comparison to many VPN companies, although all the major connection geographies were present.

Pricing and Deals

FastestVPN is available for $10 a month if you subscribe month to month. But the price plummets to just $1.11 per month when users sign up to the 3 year plan (resulting in a cost saving of $320!). All plans include a 15-day money back guarantee so users are encouraged to try out the service before deciding to commit to the service over the long term.

Plan
Price

Monthly 

$10

3 year plan

$1.11 per month

1 year plan

$2.49 per month

Torrents

FastestVPN advertises its ability to be used in conjunction with torrenting services. As the company’s blog page states, torrenting is usually not illegal per-se—it’s just that peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, and torrent technology, are often used to distribute pirated content. I was able to download a test torrent while connected to one of the company’s VPN servers. And the company has not enforced a torrenting restriction on any particular endpoint in its network. 

Netflix

FastestVPN’s US servers succeed in allowing users to spoof their geolocation for the purpose of watching Netflix’s US content library. Given that I actually achieved my highest connection speed through the US it was easy to stream at HD resolution without any appreciable buffering.

Client Setup

In order to download the right client, users have to sign in to the Fastest VPN website after purchasing a license. Then, it’s simply a case of choosing the right client for the operating system.

In addition to smartphone applications, FastestVPN supports:

  • Windows

  • MacOS

  • Amazon Firestick

  • Android Box

  • Kodi

  • Roku

  • PS4

  • Linux (via connection configuration scripts - no GUI)

  • Apple TV

  • Xbox

There are also extensions for Chrome and Firefox and FastestVPN can be installed on any router with firmware that allows it.

For the evaluation process, I used the Windows client. Installing this was as simple as following the usual system prompts.

The Windows client is a little basic. For one, I wasn’t able to resize the window as I wanted to. The list of settings is also relatively sparse and can all be contained on one page. Nevertheless, the client was functional and prominently displayed my public IP so that I could verify that I had successfully connected to the VPN servers. 

Apps

FastestVPN offers apps for both Android and iOS. The Android app can be downloaded both as an APK through the downloads area or via the Google Play store. The iOS app can also be installed directly through iTunes. 

How Does FastestVPN Compare?


FastestVPN
ExpressVPN
NordVPN

FastestVPN

ExpressVPN

NordVPN

Price

$1.11 per month over 3 years

$8.32 per month over 12 months

$3.49 per month on 3 year plan 

Number of Devices

10

6

6

Number of Servers

46 server locations

3,000+ servers in 160 server locations

5,106 servers in 59 countries

Best for

Those looking for a basic functional tool

Those looking for a huge server network

Those that want specialty servers

P2P or Bittorrent (Yes/No)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Customer Support

FastestVPN offers a full online support center and knowledge base with FAQs, tutorials, and a full server list. The tutorials section includes guides for setup on platforms such as Kodi and routers. Users that require personalized support can contact the team via email and live chat. 

Ease of Use

Fastest VPN can be set up by simply downloading the client and selecting a connection server. All menu options, on Windows, were contained in one Window. It’s an easy and beginner-friendly tool

FAQs

How many servers are there?

Users can connect to 46 server locations at the time of writing?

Can you use this tool on a router?

Yes, you can. 

How many devices can be used?

The tool supports up to 10 simultaneous connections per user

Bottom Line

FastestVPN is a perfectly adequate VPN for those looking for a basic connection tool without too much in the way of bells and whistles. Its connection speeds were underwhelming although its server network contained all the endpoints that I needed.

Daniel Rosehill is a technology writer and reviewer whose experience includes leading marketing communications strategies at 2 SaaS companies. His interests include backups and disaster recovery, Linux and open source, and cloud computing.
Fastestvpn