Atom
vs
Astrill
Astrill
Astrill
Comparison · August 2026
Astrill is the name long-stay people still pass around. Atom is the private machine those people buy when they are tired of sharing.
| Atom | Astrill | |
|---|---|---|
| Kind | Dedicated household node | Shared specialist app |
| Month-to-month | $49 | $12.50–$30 |
| Best billed / mo | $29.08 ($349/year) | ~$10–$12.50 (annual) |
| IP | Dedicated. Never shared. | Shared |
| Who is on it | One household | About 5 devices |
| When it is ready | Reserved on pay. Live in ~15 min. | Subscribe and install. |
| China in 2026 roundups | Product: private node, plan-ahead travel | Often the reliability pick for long stays |
Snapshot as of August 2026. Consumer prices move. How we compare.
If there is a “premium China VPN” already on the shelf, it is Astrill. Expats have used the name for years. Public 2026 prices sit roughly $12.50 a month on longer plans, and up to about $30 month-to-month. Some write-ups add extra for specialist modes. Five devices. Still a multi-tenant app.
That is the closest consumer cousin we will admit. It is not the same object. Astrill sells access to their network. Atom sells a node that is only yours. $49 is higher than Astrill’s annual math because the unit is the machine, not a seat on a specialist overlay.
Setup culture is similar in one way: do it before you fly. Astrill wants the app installed. Atom wants the order placed — reservation instant, dedicated box live in about 15 minutes — so the private page is on the phone before hotel Wi‑Fi.
You want the known specialist brand, a store-like client, and you are fine sharing infrastructure with other customers who also paid for “China.”
You want the IP off the public pool. Family only. You will pay for that. Reserve a node.
No. Astrill is a shared specialist network. Atom is a dedicated household node. Same problem space, different product.
Because you are not buying their cheapest year. You are buying a private address. If $10 is the budget, Astrill is the specialist on that shelf.
Also: China travel · Terms