AdGuard VPN vs AirVPN
Side-by-side comparison based on Reddit & Twitter discussions
Community Pick
AirVPN
Based on community sentiment and discussions
Approval Rate
53%
16 recommend · 14 warn
Data Quality
High
Reviews
78
Reviewers
71
Best for:
People already using AdGuard who want everything in one ecosystem
Anyone who wants simple ad blocking plus VPN in one switch
Users who like DNS-based filtering and router-level blocking
People who occasionally need help on restrictive networks
AdGuard VPN gets talked about a lot in the same breath as AdGuard’s ad blocker, and that’s really where it shines: it’s easy to turn on and forget, and people like how it pairs with ad blocking and DN...
AirVPN
Winner
Approval Rate
85%
28 recommend · 5 warn
Data Quality
High
Reviews
38
Reviewers
28
Best for:
Torrenters who specifically need port forwarding
Privacy-focused people who want minimal tracking and anonymous payment options
Linux users and home-lab folks using Docker, Gluetun, Sonarr, or similar tools
People who like tweaking settings and having more control
AirVPN has a strong reputation online as a privacy-first VPN that gives you a lot of control. People especially like it for torrenting because it still offers port forwarding, which can help you conne...
Performance by Use Case
| Use Case | AdGuard VPN | Winner | AirVPN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming | 0% (1) | - | 0% (2) |
| Torrenting | -- (1) | → | 90% (12) |
| Privacy | 75% (32) | → | 100% (12) |
| Censorship | 67% (5) | ← | - |
| Gaming | -- (1) | - | - |
| Work | -- (1) | - | - |
| Router | 0% (4) | ← | - |
| Mobile | -- (1) | - | - |
| Price | 100% (2) | - | - |
AdGuard VPN
Strengths
- Easy to use day-to-day
- Pairs well with AdGuard ad blocking
- Strong DNS filtering options
- Useful for censorship-heavy networks
- Works nicely with AdGuard Home/router setups
Weaknesses
- Slow speeds for some people
- Battery drain complaints on iOS
- Crashes and connectivity issues (especially Android)
- Doesn’t play nicely with other VPN apps
- Trust and auditing questions
AirVPN
Strengths
- Port forwarding for torrenting
- Privacy-focused and no trackers
- Anonymous payment options
- Lots of control and advanced settings
- Linux-friendly for tinkerers
Weaknesses
- Can be complicated to set up
- Speeds can feel inconsistent
- Not a simple app experience
- Split tunneling (like excluding Plex) can be a headache