Avira is known for its anti-virus software, but Avira entered the VPN world in 2016 with the introduction of Phantom VPN.
Avira Phantom VPN claims to be “ultra secure” on its website. We will also examine whether this is the case.
Avira Phantom Summary
Daily Policy | Anonymous Server Usage Data |
IP, DNS, or WebRTC Leaks | No |
Countries | 38 |
Servers | Unexplained |
IP Addresses | Unexplained |
Support | 24/7 Live Chat |
Simultaneous Connection | No |
Cheapest Price | $ 6.50 / month on a 12-month plan |
Official Website | Avira.com |
Avira Phantom Pros
- Average VPN speeds
- Many servers are allowed on torrent
- Protection against DNS leaks
- Simple, modern VPN applications
- Connect securely to 25 countries
Avira Phantom Cons
- Small VPN server network
- Very limited customer support
- Applications lack advanced settings
Ease of Use
The Avira Phantom has a very simple VPN application that is almost the same on both the desktop and mobile phone. Avira’s home screen shows only the power button and your current virtual location.
Avira is incomplete when it comes to advanced features.
With the exception of a VPN kill key and the option to automatically protect untrusted WiFi networks, there are no advanced settings for Avira configurable options. This leaves Avira Phantom far behind its competitors.
If you are looking for a VPN with tidy and accessible software, Avira is the perfect choice. However, if you like VPN services with many advanced features to choose from, you can look at other VPNs.
Server Locations
Avira VPN has a limited server network covering only 38 countries.
In addition, we have not been able to find out exactly how many individual servers and IP addresses Avira has. We asked Avira for more information, but they refused to disclose any private information. This probably means that the total number of servers and IP addresses is small, which can lead to slower speeds during peak times.
The server coverage of Avira VPN is the best in Europe, which accounts for 24 of their total locations. There are four server locations in Asia (Hong Kong, India, Japan and Singapore), but only one in South America (Chile) and none in Africa.
Only two countries at the city level are Australia (Melbourne and Sydney) and the USA. US-based users can choose from Avira Phantom servers in 12 different cities, including the following.
Speed and Reliability
Avira Phantom’s speeds have really improved in recent months, especially if you plan to connect to a server in the same country as your physical location.
Although Avira VPN cannot compete with our fastest VPN services in connections to the US and Asia, it is still not very good over longer distances. However, even if you plan to use VPN on multiple devices at the same time, it will be fast enough for most everyday users.
Before using the Avira Phantom:
When connected to the Avira Phantom:
The lag time of the Avira VPN was surprisingly low, making it a solid choice for sharp gamers. We have recorded a 4ms latency connecting to the UK server. Good loading speeds in the same country are not bad for torrents.
Platforms and Devices
Avira Phantom provides the usual range of custom VPN applications for various devices, including:
- Microsoft Windows
- MacOS
- iOS
- Android
Unlike most other VPN services, Avira is not compatible with any router; this means that you must download the VPN software to each device. Fortunately, Avira allows you to use VPN on an unlimited number of devices at the same time.
It is not possible to use the Avira Phantom on game consoles or streaming devices because it is not compatible with any router model. If your Smart TV is running on an Android operating system, you can try downloading Avira’s Android app, but there is no guarantee that it will work.
Pricing and Opportunities
1 Year
€47,95
yearly
1 Month
€5,95
monthly
Avira Phantom only offers two different pricing plans and both offer the same features, but if you become a long-term member, you pay less each month.
Avira offers a 30-day refund for those who are not satisfied with their purchase or a 14-day warranty for monthly subscribers.
If you don’t want to make a paid plan right away, Avira Phantom offers a free trial that you can use as many times as you want. This gives you an idea of what Avira looks like, but is limited to a monthly data limit of 500 MB and you will miss some important privacy features.
Encryption and Security
While Avira Phantom does not offer the same amount of advanced privacy settings as some of our top-level VPN services, it keeps you safe online.
All Avira Phantom’s proprietary VPN applications run on OpenVPN, the most secure connection protocol, except for iOS devices that use IKEv2 (still very secure). Encryption in all Avira applications is accomplished with the ‘unbreakable’ password AES-256.
Avira Phantom’s VPN kill key is useful because it protects your IP address if the VPN connection is disconnected for any reason. Instead of leasing from third parties, Avira operates its own DNS servers and protects you against DNS leaks.
Customer Support
Unfortunately, Avira Phantom limits personalized customer support to paying users only; this means that free users or potential customers will not be able to take advantage of it. Fortunately, email responses were fast and professional, but it’s clear that corporate policy is not to reveal too much detail about Avira’s VPN server network.
The knowledge base on Avira’s website is very limited and the main feature is a list of a few simple FAQs. However, when a product is that simple, we have to accept that there is a limit to the amount of resources that can be created.
Do you recommend?
Avira Phantom is recommended for beginner users.