Avira Phantom VPN[1] is developed by Avira Operations GmbH & Co which was established in 1986 in Germany. Today Avira Operations is one of the largest multinational cybersecurity companies and develops software for individuals, businesses and government institutions around the world.[2] Avira specializes in antivirus, Internet Security, Privacy, Identity and Performance tools for all the major operating systems, servers and networks.[3] Reviewed by Pro has already tested and reviewed the company’s security and antivirus software for Windows PCs, Avira Antivirus for Mac and Avira Mobile Security & Antivirus for Android. Avira Phantom VPN is created for those who want to increase their security and privacy while browsing the web. The VPN service is an ideal tool for hiding online activities and surfing the Internet anonymously, as it builds an encrypted virtual tunnel that connects a device to the internet, disguise users’ locations and prevents tracking.
| PROS | CONS | VERDICT |
| Offering Free data | Connection interruptions and drops | Easy to use VPN service for occasional users |
| Pleasant interface | Not many location servers | |
| Offers Kill Switch | Not many settings to customized |
The review of Avira Phantom VPN
Avira Phantom VPN is available as a part of its’ security suite or can be used as a stand-alone service. The software is easy and quick to set up as it took only five minutes to start using it. It is compatible with Windows devices (Windows 7 or later), Android devices (Android 4.0.3 or later), macOS computers and laptops (Mac OS X 11.11(El Capital) or later) and iOS (iOS 8 or later), and has a VPN browser extension for Google Chrome. Avira Phantom VPN can be run simultaneously on all of the devices. However, it is not possible to manually connect devices such as Linux or open-source routers to the Avira Phantom VPN service. 
Avira Phantom VPN offers pricing packages staring at $8.00 per month
Avira Phantom VPN offers users 500MB of VPN per month for free for multiple devices across all platforms. In addition, those who provide an email address get 1GB of VPN service for free. The monthly payment for 5 devices starts at $8.00 per month, users also can get a yearly subscription for $62.00 or 2-year subscription for $94.00. Yearly and 2-year subscriptions include 30-day money-back guarantee for those who are not satisfied with the service. Users can pay using credit cards or PayPal. In addition, the Bitcoin payment option was added in June 2018.
Avira's VPN service provides not bad set of features
Avira Phantom VPN offers 82 VPN servers in 25 countries, which is not many compared to other VPN service providers that offer hundreds or even thousands of servers around the world. By default, Avira Phantom VPN chooses the nearest server, which varies from Europe, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the US, and others. Avira Phantom VPN also offers users the following:
- Unlimited data
- Highest encryption standard
- Customer service
- Streaming
- Multiple devices and simultaneously sessions
- No logs (even though it says no logs, Avira keep tracking the diagnostic data and how much data users consume on its free version).
- Kill Switch which terminates users’ internet activity once the connection to the VPN service is lost.
Avira VPN can encrypt your data with OpenVPN and AES 256-BIT protocol
Avira Phantom VPN, similarly like other VPN services, uses the AES-256 protocol in order to encrypt data transmissions. In addition, it applies the OpenVPN protocol for Windows and Android devices, while for iOS and Mac operating systems it applies the IPSec networking protocol. However, full-featured VPN services allow users to choose among VPN protocols, while Avira Phantom VPN does not offer this functionality.
PhantoVPN has shown an average speed results and performance
While we were using Avira Phantom VPN we needed to reconnect it for four times, which is not the best score in comparison to other services. The overall performance is also average as it took us about 7 seconds to connect to an external server. It also decreased the connection by approximately 36% compares to the non-VPN score. The data was uploaded at a rate of about 20 megabits per second, which is better than the market average.
Avira knows how to deal with Customers and provides high-quality support
Avira Phantom VPN Free does not offer customer support via the interface or website. Only the paying customers can reach Avira’s technicians for help. It includes 24-hour phone support. Avira also offers users the support webpage with FAQs, community forums and other important product-related information for those who want to look for answers themselves. The support includes license-related issues, video tutorials and educational videos, free downloads, and virus lab which provides users with the latest information about viruses and malware.
User interface looks fine, nothing bad to say
Avira Phantom VPN has a very pleasant to use interface. It is well designed, with a modern look. It has a small window which cannot be resized but can be moved around. There are not many options to customize.
An excellent choice for lightweight use and travelers
Avira Phantom VPN is a good choice for travelers and occasional VPN users as the software is easy to use, has a pleasant interface, offers free data and simultaneous connections. However, for heavy users we recommend full-features VPN, as Avira Phantom VPN does not provide any service without client software, users cannot pay anonymously and the connections sometimes drop. The paid Avira Phantom VPN version cannot compete with fully-featured VPN services.
Julie Splinters is a VPN service analyst at Reviewedbypro.com, who specializes in VPN services and anti-spyware applications. Her major of English Philology and her passion for IT helped her choose the path of an IT writer.
- ^ Avira Phantom VPN. Avira.
- ^ Avira. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
- ^ About Avira. Avira.
