FastestVPN is a cost-effective VPN solution based in the Cayman Islands, which makes it a solid choice for privacy-conscious users. However, in our testing, we found that while the service offers decent functionality and has come a long way in terms of privacy, features, and app usability, it still underperforms when compared to today's best VPNs.
That’s not to say FastestVPN isn’t worth considering, though. In addition to its sub-$1 two-year introductory plan, its lifetime VPN plan at just $40 is something you’ll rarely find elsewhere. It also boasts an audited no-logs policy and apps for all device types, and unblocks most popular streaming platforms with ease. Read on to see whether FastestVPN is worth your time.
Features
FastestVPN offers a standard suite of VPN features, along with a few less-common extras.
Even though it has a relatively small pool of servers, it’s impressive that FastestVPN offers P2P-optimized servers, allowing you to download and upload P2P files with increased security. Combined with its port forwarding feature – which can further boost download and upload speeds – FastestVPN is a solid option if you’re looking for a torrenting VPN.
Other than that, there’s also an ad blocker that enhances your online experience by ensuring you’re not bombarded with frustrating and potentially malicious ads. FastestVPN is also one of the very few VPNs to offer extra device logins for an additional fee. While it comes with 10 simultaneous connections by default, you can add more devices for $4 per device if you want to share the love.
Other add-on options include a dedicated IP and port forwarding, both of which are extremely reasonably priced. Admittedly, most VPNs don't provide port-forwarding, but some generous services (like Private Internet Access) offer it for free.
Plus, regardless of the plan you choose – monthly, yearly, or the exclusive lifetime plan – you’ll also get two years of free access to the FastestPass password manager, which helps improve the security of your online accounts and reduce the risk of identity theft by creating and safely storing highly secure passwords.
Features score: 5/10
Server network
FastestVPN has over 800 servers spread across 49 countries, with over 100 locations to choose from. While there are plenty of servers across Europe, as well as access to the US, Japan, Australia, and Canada, it's not particularly comprehensive across the Middle East, Africa, or Asia.
So, while it might not be the first choice for users in some of these countries, the good news is that all the popular streaming locations you’d expect are easily accessible.
The provider also recently rolled out a double VPN feature, which, as the name suggests, routes your internet traffic through two servers instead of one, adding an extra layer of encryption and security to your data.
Admittedly, FastestVPN is nowhere close to the thousands of servers offered by industry leaders like NordVPN, Surfshark, or ProtonVPN. However, it’s also worth considering that FastestVPN doesn’t have the same volume of users as these top providers. Still, I’d like to see the service add more servers and locations.
Server network score: 6/10
Apps
When you jump into the FastestVPN downloads page, you're immediately presented with nearly twenty different platforms to choose from. FastestVPN supports fully-fledged apps on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, as well as browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox.
For everything else like routers and TVs, there are setup guides available on the support site. There's a download link for Linux, too, but it just takes you to the features page. You'll have to read the support blog and use a third-party client – which can be tricky if you're not a tech-savvy Linux user.
Apps score: 8/10
Ease of use
For me, this is where FastestVPN disappoints. When you boot up the VPN, you're immediately presented with the full app. However, trying to actually use it bounces you over to the login screen.
It's slightly confusing, but once you're through it only takes one click to connect to your nearest server. Even though it's easy enough to read and navigate, the actual app looks a little rough compared to some of its closest competitors.
Unfortunately, trying to use FastestVPN for the first time on a Mac testing machine brought up some issues with the app. After trying to connect to the DVPN servers for testing, the app shut down and wouldn't restart even after a reboot. I couldn't replicate this issue on any other platform, but if you're hunting for a bulletproof Mac VPN app, you might need to look elsewhere.
Ease of use score: 6/10
Speed and performance
Despite its name, FastestVPN doesn't quite live up to the "fastest VPN" claim.
Using a 100 Mbps connection with Ookla Speedtest for monitoring, I recorded an average download speed of 58.25 Mbps and 14.82 Mbps upload on my nearby server. Connecting to US East dropped those speeds down to 37.94 Mbps download and 11.89 Mbps upload.
During my tests, I found that download and upload speeds were inconsistent, especially over long distances. While nearby servers in the U.S. and Europe provided solid speeds that easily let me stream shows with no buffering, I found that connecting to servers in Asia and South America delivered significantly lower performance.
These speeds don’t match up to our top VPNs, but they'll still suffice for most activities. If you need a VPN for gaming, torrenting, or HD streaming, then FastestVPN isn't a bad choice.
Speed and performance score: 7/10
Unblocking
FastestVPN might not be the fastest, but it's fast enough to stream high-quality video. That's great because there's plenty you can unblock with its help.
To test a VPN's unblocking claims, we skip all of the marketing material and go straight to testing the top streaming sites. We check out multiple different Netflix regions (the US, Canada, UK, Japan, and Australia) as well as Amazon Prime and Disney+. We even check out some regional providers, like BBC iPlayer and ITV, too.
Everything we threw at FastestVPN worked. Not only did FastestVPN pass all of the usual tests, but it even picked up Hulu and HBO. I didn't encounter any lag or buffering while loading up any of the streams I tried out, which makes FastestVPN an all-around great option as a streaming VPN.
The only downside is that FastestVPN has a smaller location pool, meaning you might be out of luck if you're looking to unblock more obscure streaming providers.
Torrenting also works pretty well on FastestVPN's dedicated P2P servers, and the inclusion of port forwarding means you'll be able to connect to the full swarm whenever you're torrenting.
Unblocking score: 9/10
Privacy and security
FastestVPN doesn't have the extensive suite of security tools you'd see from a provider like NordVPN or Surfshark, but it does cover the basics.
It offers all the VPN protocols you’d expect from a top service, including OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2, allowing you to choose the best option for your specific use case. On top of that, all FastestVPN apps have been audited and use the highly secure, industry-standard AES-256 encryption.
That said, it has yet to announce support for post-quantum encryption, which is becoming increasingly important as it protects your data against the threat of quantum computers and Q-Day.
Digging into FastestVPN's privacy policy revealed that the VPN commissioned its first no-logs audit in 2023 from Altius IT, a California-based auditing company with over 30 years of experience. The full report makes for illuminating reading. You can check it out yourself via the provider's site and the link included at the bottom of the page.
The only information FastestVPN logs is the date you connect to the VPN service and your email address. While this is certainly excellent and in line with what we expect from a private VPN, the provider hasn’t undergone another audit since. Ideally, a VPN should regularly submit its no-logs policy for independent verification.
Even if law enforcement does come asking for the little information that FastestVPN holds onto, it's headquartered in the Cayman Islands. This puts it far outside of the jurisdiction of Five Eyes nations while retaining strict data laws with a national data privacy policy comparable to GDPR.
Privacy and security score: 8/10
Customer support
FastestVPN offers 24/7 live chat support as the first port of call for any technical issues. All of the support staff I contacted via live chat were supportive and helpful, although I was sometimes left waiting around a while for a response. Email support is available, though slower than live chat, typically responding within 24-48 hours.
The knowledge hub is well-organized, containing useful tutorials and FAQs for common issues. There's also a pretty comprehensive set of manual setup guides if you're trying to get FastestVPN working on a router or Linux.
The only issue here is that the site itself looks slightly archaic, and some of the articles mentioning older protocols are clearly outdated.
Customer support score: 8/10
Track record
For a vendor with nearly a decade of experience, FastestVPN has a relatively uneventful history.
No traffic breaches, no huge exploits, no scandalous lawsuits. Instead, it's a VPN that has been slowly but steadily reinventing itself over and over into what is now a decent service. Maybe it isn’t at parity with top-tier VPNs, but WireGuard integration and a no-logs audit put it above a big chunk of the industry.
However, FastestVPN's reviews don't quite paint the same story. Some of the reviews I read complain about the lifetime plan running out or having other subscription issues, although it seems like the support team is pretty good at catching these complaints and rectifying them.
Track record score: 8/10
Pricing and plans
At $5 per month, the monthly plan is more affordable than most discounted VPNs. But the annual plan – which is really a two-year plan, since it gives you one year free with your first annual purchase – brings the price down even further to $0.83 a month. It then renews at $19.95 every two years.
This is absolutely fantastic value for a VPN that covers the basics. That said, FastestVPN goes one step further by offering a unique lifetime plan, which seems to be truly unlimited.
There are also plenty of payment options, from PayPal and debit/credit cards to crypto – the latter allows you to sign up for FastestVPN completely anonymously, which can be especially handy for users in regions where VPN usage isn’t well received.
Pricing and plans score: 9/10
Should you use FastestVPN?
FastestVPN is a strong budget option for those looking for basic security, privacy, and content unblocking without breaking the bank. It's not the fastest VPN, despite its name, and it doesn't have the largest server network. That said, its affordability and core privacy features make it a solid choice for if you're a casual VPN user who's willing to compromise on some performance for a significantly lower price point.
However, if you require a VPN with high-speed performance, global streaming access, or advanced security tools, premium services like ExpressVPN or NordVPN may be better options.
FastestVPN alternatives
FastestVPN FAQs
Are all VPNs required to have a no-logs audit?
No, most VPNs do not provide proof of a no-logs audit. FastestVPN is one of the few VPNs on the market to have contracted a third party to audit its privacy policy.
