FastestVPN Review

About FastestVPN

Based in the Cayman Islands, FastestVPN has more than 250 super speedy 10 gbps+ servers in 37 countries. Why a headquarters in the Cayman Islands? That doesn’t seem like an easy place to get work done. Well, the Cayman Islands are not part of any international surveillance alliance like the Fourteen Eyes, so governments can’t force them to hand over your data. The islands themselves have no mandatory data retention laws, so basically your secrets are safe with FastestVPN.

Features of FastestVPN

You’re probably wondering how FastestVPN works, how much data it keeps, and if you’ll be able to torrent files and go on Netflix. I’ll answer all those questions and more in just sec.

>> Learn More: Changing the Region Setting on Netflix

Will FastestVPN Log My Data?

The only information that FastestVPN kept was my username, password, email address (for billing purposes), and any login attempts I made. If I ever deactivated my account, FastestVPN would remove my email address from their records. The important thing is that they didn’t log any of my history or session data, which is what you want in a VPN.

Of course, you’ll get an anonymous IP address when you use FastestVPN. Unfortunately, you’ll get the same IP address every time, which makes it a little easier to find you.

Does FastestVPN Have A Kill Switch?

A kill switch, otherwise known as a network lock feature, will “kill” any web pages or apps that you have open if your VPN fails. Think of it like Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak— a nice backup plan that’ll save you in case you need it. Fortunately, FastestVPN comes with a kill switch to ensure your privacy if the VPN disconnects. And it worked just fine.

Does FastestVPN Offer Split Tunneling?

FastestVPN does offer split tunneling, which allowed me to be on a public and private network simultaneously, but it was a little spotty. If I wanted to “split tunnel” my apps, I could only do it on my Android device. They do offer the feature for the latest versions of Windows (I’m on a Mac), but according to the chat I had with customer support, it’s limited to websites only.

Can I Stream Netflix with FastestVPN?

Yes, you can. And plenty of other channels like Disney+, BBC iPlayer, Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu. In fact, on the new FastestVPN app, there’s a dedicated streaming tab so you can get the best connection for your favorite channel with the click of a button.

Will I Be Able To Find a Double VPN feature?

Yes, they just rolled out this feature. If I wanted to completely cover my tracks, the new app funneled my encrypted data to one secure server (protection enough for most folks) and then shuttled it from there to a second server. While we cybersecurity experts never like to tout the words “complete anonymity,” this is pretty close to it.

Can I Save My Favorite Servers?

Yes. If you’re like me, when you find a server you like, you don’t want to have to look for it every time you connect, especially if the VPN you’re using has thousands of the servers, as is the case with many of the top VPNs. So I was happy to see that FastestVPn has added this feature to the updated app. All I had to do was tap on the server I wanted to use again and it automatically went into my favorites list.

FastestVPN Encryption

FastestVPN encrypts your data in the Advantage Encryption Standard of 256-bits, the industry standard. Let’s see how FastestVPN’s encryption actually works.

IP Security works in one of two ways. During transport mode, it encrypts only the data packet’s message itself, while during tunneling mode, it encrypts the entire data packet.

FastestVPN Protocols

Internet protocols determine how data is transmitted through a network. To jump back on the metaphor train, I like to think of the data as mail and the protocols as routes that the mailmen can take. Some are more secure, some are faster, but ultimately, it’s a combo of different protocols that make FastestVPN both secure and fast.

Choosing the best combination can be a bit of a headache, especially if you don’t do much monkeying around under the hood of your VPN. One feature of the updated FastestVPN app I really liked was a brand new Auto Protocol button, which just chooses the fastest protocol for you.

IKEv2

The Internet Key Exchange version 2 is what’s responsible for re-establishing your connection to the VPN after you’ve been disconnected. If you’re someone that likes to flip flop between Wi-Fi and mobile hotspots, it’s the IKEv2 that’ll make your experience seamless.

L2TP

The Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol is responsible for creating the tunnel where your data will be transmitted. Combined with encryption methods, L2TP creates a very secure VPN client.

SSTP

Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol is used on a Windows operating system. It’s known for being super secure and easily bypassing most firewalls.

TCP

Transmission Control Protocol is like a teacher on a field trip. It transports data and makes sure it gets to the right place. First, it ensures the connection between the source and its destination is active. Next, it breaks the data into a smaller packet, then checks to ensure it is in the right order after reaching its destination. After all, there’s nothing worse than sitting on a bus in the Six Flags parking lot, waiting for one kid who’s lost!

UDP

Finally, User Datagram Protocol is responsible for actually sending the data packets. If we’re continuing this school metaphor, then UDP is like the principal who sends the students on the field trip. While he might wave them off, the principal isn’t responsible for checking to make sure everyone gets there in one piece. UDP allows for lower bandwidth and latency, while TCP makes sure all the data is in the right order.

Testing FastestVPN

Before I decide whether a VPN is worthwhile, I put them through three tests- speed tests, DNS leak tests, and WebRTC leak tests. Let’s see if FastestVPN makes the grade.

Speed Test

I test all of my VPNs on two computers, a Macbook Air and a Windows Vivobook, from my apartment in Brooklyn. To make this test as objective as possible, I make sure I’m the only one in the apartment so that no one can affect my connection with Optimum, my Internet service provider.

Upload Speed Tests

First I test the difference in upload speed with and without the VPN on both computers. As you can see, there was hardly any difference in upload speed on the Mac computer, while the Windows computer was slowed down by about 22%— not bad.

Download Speed Tests

As far as download speed goes, both the Windows and the Mac computers were slowed by about 45%. This is pretty average, but not as impressive as the upload speeds.

Ping Speed Tests

Finally, I tested the ping, or latency. There was literally no difference in latency on the Mac, while the Windows only had a difference of about 33%. All in all, FastestVPN definitely lives up to its name, especially on the Mac.

DNS Leak Test

To ensure that no traffic is sent outside of the VPN tunnel, I performed a DNS, or domain name server leak test on FastestVPN. Fortunately, there were no DNS leaks detected, making my tunnel secure.

WebRTC Leak Test

Remember when I talked about IP addresses? Of course, FastestVPN will provide you with an anonymous IP address, but I wanted to make sure this is true. WebRTC, which stands for Real-Time Communication, allows web browsers to communicate directly with each other rather than going through a server. Its benefits? Faster speed and less lag, especially for video chat, livestreaming, and file transfers. That’s why browsers like Firefox, Opera, Chrome, and Microsoft Edge default to WebRTC.

The main negative to using WebRTC is that it requires the users to know each other’s private IP addresses. Therefore, if you’re looking for security, however, you’ll want to make sure there are no WebRTC leaks.

Users will be happy to know that FastestVPN did not have any WebRTC leaks, so my anonymous IP address will remain anonymous— definitely a necessity when it comes to VPNs.

Video Review

It’s 2023, so we’ve redone our testing of FastestVPN. Is it still fast? Watch to find out.

FastestVPN Subscriptions

Now that you know most things about FastestVPN, let’s talk about what you’ve probably been wondering the whole time: pricing. Normally, sifting through VPN plans and tiers can be a hassle. FatestVPN has made it really easy, and I’ve got to say, really tempting.

Options

That lifetime subscription is good for 15 devices at once. You also get 2TB of Internet cloud storage and a PassHulk password manager account on the house. The only thing they haven’t thrown in is a free TV and a vacation in the Cayman Islands. Folks, a $20 lifetime subscription is not a deal you see everyday, but I’ve got the credit card receipt to prove it.

Manual Configurations

FastestVPN is compatible with over 20 devices from brands like Windows, Android, iOS, MAC, Firestick, Xbox, Roku, PS4, Kodi, and Linux.

Browser Extensions

While FastestVPN does not have any browser extensions, the app should work on all browsers, from Chrome to Firefox and everything in between.

Customer Support with FastestVPN

I’ll admit it: I don’t like talking to robots. Me? I’m old-fashioned. I prefer to get my customer support from a real, breathing human. Luckily, FastestVPN is with me on that one.

Features

FastestVPN offers live-chat 24/7 from real people, not robots. This may not sound like a big deal, but most VPN companies seriously skimp out with just an online support center to help customers. I love that FastestVPN has live chat in addition to pretty robust online documentation, and an email address. Granted, my personal support experience wasn’t stellar, but we all have good days and bad days.

Customer Support Ratings

FastestVPN has a perfect five-star rating on Trust Pilot, which is fantastic. When I looked at the reviews mentioning customer support specifically, they were all positive! That’s pretty much unheard of from any company, so FastestVPN seems to really live up to its promises of providing real, responsive, and informed humans to help customers.

“Gave FastestVPN a try after I saw it going for dirt cheap during a sale. Best bang for the buck! I initially had problem connecting to servers. Contacted their customer service and the guy was quick to point out the problem for me. Pretty quick response, totally satisfied now,”

The FastestVPN App

You can use the FastestVPN app on many devices: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Router, Kodi, Fire TV Stick, Smart TV, and Android TV boxes. When I first reviewed Fastest VPN, their app had received a 4.2 on the Apple store and a 3.2 on the Google Play store. This is a pretty significant difference in ratings, so I decided to take a closer look at what those Android users had to say.

It seems like the app worked for about half of the Android users who left reviews. The other half had to keep reinstalling the app and many even had to use other VPN apps to run FastestVPN. Personally, that would drive me crazy. In my experience, the overhauled app, which now comes with live chat support, didn’t have those issues. (I also know for a fact that serial Windows crashes are no longer a problem.) Either way, if you’re on an iPhone, you may want to consider a VPN with better iPhone compatibility.

Recap of FastestVPN

FastestVPN would make a great choice for a lot of folks, but not necessarily for everyone.