Avira is already well-known as an antivirus company, but they offer VPN service as well.Unlike other antivirus companies, Avira has built its own service instead of relying on services from a third-party. And while you can access it for free if you already pay for the Avira Prime service, is it worth it or should you try another service? Let’s see what reviewers think.
As noted above, if you already subscribe to Avira Prime, you can access the Avira VPN for free. They also offer a free option that provides up to 500MB of service per month without asking for an email and for an unlimited number of devices.
If you need more bandwidth, they offer an option for mobile devices and another either a month-to-month or yearly subscription for all devices.
Avira Phantom VPN supports Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. If you’re using a computer where you can’t download apps, then you can take advantage of the Chrome extensions. Unfortunately, you can’t use it on routers, smart TVs or game consoles
Overall, the interface is basic, making it easy to use. With that said, experts note it could be confusing figuring out how to select country locations. When you connect to the VPN, it will choose the server closest to you. However, if you want to use a server from a different country, you will need to find the link at the bottom of the dashboard that says “Nearest location.”
Otherwise, everything is straightforward. This is because the service doesn’t offer a ton of features anyway. For those who want something that’s quick and simple, it’s perfect. However, if you want more customizability, you’re better off looking elsewhere.
You can connect an unlimited amount of devices to the service even with the free version! If you sign up for a paid service tier, the mobile-only payment plan will only cover your mobile devices. So if you want protection all around, it’s best to pay for the full plan.
Avira Phantom VPN doesn’t offer a ton of standout features but it checks most of the boxes for protection.
Features include:
The browser safety add-on further increases your overall safety as it blocks ads, protects against unwanted programs during downloads, checks for malicious sites, and offers tracker protection.
On the surface, the service appears to offer good privacy. It does not require email registration for the free tier and accepts PayPal. Still, there’s no Bitcoin payment option for those who want true anonymity online.
In terms of logging, their privacy policy states they do not track your real IP address or track browsing activity. Still, the policy admits they log the amount of data you use and whether you’re a free or paid user.
Overall, TechRadar states, “... None of that constitutes any significant privacy risk, and many commercial VPNs record similar details, often even more.”
Perhaps the biggest hurdle in terms of privacy is its location. Avira is in Germany, which means they must comply with data retention laws. As of 2016, the company may be required to hold on to identifiable data to comply with local law. Still, any data they track is anonymous. This means they would have nothing to share if called upon by the government to turn over information.
While Avira Phantom delivers on many fronts, it sadly falls flat on performance. Its unimpressive speeds disappointed reviewers. When they tested across different locations around the world, they could only reach roughly 14% of their base transfer speed.
Still, many reviewers found speeds fast in the US, UK and Germany. And considering most of its 100 servers are located in the US and Europe, that’s a relatively good sign. It just means you shouldn’t connect to the Asia or Mexico servers if speed is important.
If you pay for a monthly or yearly subscription, you have access to 24/7 telephone support. There’s also a support forum you can search to see if anyone has encountered the problem you’re facing before. There are also knowledge base articles but reviewers found they don’t provide a lot of detail.
Avira Phantom VPN doesn’t offer the most features and isn’t the fastest VPN on the block, but it provides a generous set of features for a free option and good privacy. With that said, it doesn’t offer too much in the way of customization and its lack of server locations and mediocre speeds make it hard for experts to recommend paying for the service.
PC Mag notes, “... Avira offers much of what we’re looking for in a VPN, at a reasonable price… That said, the app is in need of a visual overhaul, and its server offering is far from robust.”
PC World adds, “... You can definitely find VPNs with faster speeds. What you get with Avira, however, is the comfort of knowing who’s behind your VPN, the knowledge its run by security experts, and a very liberal simultaneous use policy.”
- Mike Williams, TechRadarAvira's VPN offering is easy-to-use and a reliable performer, albeit a little overpriced for what you get.
- Guy Fawkes, vpnMentorAvira VPN is a smart download for a basic VPN, especially on the cancel-anytime plan. However, the lack of customization in technical details excludes it from being a top-tier VPN service and leaves it behind the competition when stacked up against similarly-priced alternatives. With its ease of use...
- Simon Migliano, Top10VPNAvira offers fast, consistent speeds across its global network, which goes some way to reducing the negative impact of having such a limited number of server locations. Privacy-wise it’s nothing spectacular, but features a high enough level of encryption to ensure your personal information is protec...
- Brian Nadel, Tom's GuideOccasional VPN users, or those who want to protect only their email, will love the free monthly gigabyte of Phantom VPN service. But Phantom VPN would be vastly improved by better reliability, and the paid service doesn't offer enough features to make it competitive with full-featured VPN services.
- Brad Smith, TheBestVPN.comWe liked that they offered a free plan right out of the gate. That way, you could test drive their service before upgrading. Their logging policy was refreshingly transparent (and fair), too. But unfortunately, their awful speed performance, combined with frustrating service, and lack of features li...
Overview | |
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Headquarters | Germany |
Pricing/Sign Up | |
Starting Price (per Month) | $4.99 |
Plans and Pricing | Visit Site |
Free Trial | No |
Money Back Guarantee | 30 Days |
Payment Options | Credit Cards, PayPal, Bitcoin |
ID Required | Valid email address |
Features | |
Server Locations (# of Countries) | 25 |
Number of Servers | 36 + |
Devices Per License | 5 |
Simultaneous Connections | 5 |
Unlimited Bandwidth | Yes |
Double-Hop / Double VPN | No |
Accesses Netflix | Yes |
P2P / Torrenting Allowed | Yes |
Accepts Bitcoin | Yes |
Non-US Company | Yes |
Protected | |
Protocols | IPSec, IKEv2, L2TP, OpenVPN |
Encryption | AES-256 |
No Logs / No Tracking | Yes |
Dedicated IP Available | No |
VPN Over Tor | No |
Wi-Fi Leak Protection | No |
Private DNS Server | No |
DNS Leak Protection | Yes |
IP Leak Protection | Yes |
WebRTC Leak Protection | Yes |
IPv6 Leak Protection | Yes |
Kill Switch | Yes |
Supported Platforms | |
Operating Systems | Windows, Mac OSX, iOS, Android |
Mobile App | Yes |
Router | No |
Browser Extension | Yes |
Customer Support | |
24/7 Support | Yes |
Live Chat Support | No |
Telephone Support | No |
Email Support | Yes |
More | |
Additional comments | |
Terms & Conditions | Official Terms & Conditions |
Suggest a correction |
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