Simon Migliano is a recognized world expert in VPNs. He's tested hundreds of VPN services and his research has featured on the BBC, The New York Times and more.
Avira’s free VPN is a top-tier free VPN service. It's a simple VPN that uses the OpenVPN protocol, AES-256 encryption, and doesn't store user web logs. It can access US Netflix on mobile but monthly data is limited to just 500MB (or 1GB if you create an Avira account).
Ranked #41 out of 56 VPNs
Avira Phantom Free VPN Category Ratings
44.0/10
44.0/10
99.0/10
4.94.9/10
7.17.1/10
2.82.8/10
7.27.2/10
66.0/10
1.71.7/10
Avira Phantom Free VPN Pros & Cons
Reliable same-country speeds
No payment info required on signup
Minimal logging policy
First-party DNS servers
User-friendly custom apps
Unlimited simultaneous connections
Maximum 1GB monthly data cap
Desktop limited to one server choice
No VPN kill switch
No native Fire Stick app
No live support for free users
Why Trust Our Review?
We’ve spent thousands of hours testing and reviewing 56 VPN services using our impartial review process to recommend you the best VPN software.
Here are some of our key VPN testing statistics:
Total Hours of Testing
30,000+
Weekly Speed Tests
3,000+
VPN Services Reviewed
56
Streaming Platforms Tested Daily
12
IP & DNS Leak Tests Performed
9,500+
How Much We've Spent On Testing
$25,000+
Avira’s free VPN service promises to turn you into an “online phantom,” but is this really possible when you’re not paying a dime for it?
Many free VPNs can actually put your privacy at risk, so we had to put the free version of Avira Phantom VPN to the test. In this review, you’ll find out all there is to know about this VPN including: how safe it is, if it keeps logs and if it works with Netflix.
We dissect the logging and privacy policies of every VPN. A VPN should never log:
Your real IP address
Connection timestamps
DNS requests
A base of operations outside of 14-Eyes or EU jurisdiction is preferable.
Avira's German jurisdiction is less than ideal for privacy, but it's minimal logging policy and strong track record make up for that.
Ranked #23 out of 56 VPNs for Privacy & Logging Policy
Avira launched Avira Phantom VPN in 2016, but the company itself has been around since 2006.
Even before then, Avira’s antivirus software was developed back in 1986 by its predecessor, H+BEDV Datentechnik GmbH, so the company has been around for a long time.
Avira currently has its headquarters “by the shores of Lake Constance” in Tettnang, Germany, but it also has offices in China, the Netherlands, Romania, and the US.
Normally we’d advise steering clear of VPN services based in Germany. It’s part of the 14 Eyes data-sharing alliance, and is also subject to EU data retention laws.
Avira’s minimal logging policy means its jurisdiction isn’t an issue, though.
Even better, Avira states in its privacy policy that although it will comply with data requests from public authorities, it can’t hand over personally-identifiable data as it doesn’t collect any.
Logging Policy
We were a little disappointed at how difficult it was to find Avira Phantom’s privacy policy on its website. We eventually located it after a long period of trial and error.
We discovered that Avira VPN only logs a very minimal amount of anonymous connection metadata.
The only information Avira Phantom Free collects is:
Total amount of bandwidth consumed while connected
Amount of time a user spends online
Whether a user’s account is Free or Premium
We really like that Avira Phantom Free doesn’t log or monitor any websites you visit, your true IP address, or the VPN server location you connect to.
In other words, Avira has no way of tracing your online activity back to you.
There is an optional setting which sends your diagnostic data back to Avira to help with product improvements, however, you can switch this off at any time within the VPN app.
Speed
Same-country speed loss of 47%
4.94.9/10
How is this calculated?
Speed ratings are calculated using upload speeds, download speeds, and ping (latency).
We test average speeds regularly using a dedicated 100Mbps connection in London, UK. Local download speed is considered the most important factor.
Avira's free VPN isn't particularly fast on either local or international connections, although it's faster than many other free services.
Ranked #44 out of 56 VPNs for Speed
Avira Phantom Free is by no means the quickest free VPN we’ve seen.
Connecting to the ‘Nearest location’ server option gave us speeds of just over 50Mbps (on a 100Mbps test line).
Local Speed Test results before using Avira Phantom Free VPN:
Download Speed: 96.63Mbps
Upload Speed: 97.93Mbps
Ping: 2ms
Local Speed Test results with Avira Phantom Free VPN:
Download Speed: 51.03Mbps
Upload Speed: 72.87Mbps
Ping: 19ms
Download speed loss when Avira Phantom Free VPN is running: 47%
A speed percentage loss of 47% may seem a lot, but as far as free VPNs go, it’s not too bad. Avira’s upload speeds were very quick, too, at over 70Mbps.
Avira’s latency isn’t the lowest we’ve seen at just under 20ms, but unless you’re a serious gamer this shouldn’t affect you too much.
Overall, Avira Phantom’s speeds are satisfactory enough for the everyday user. See our review
Server Locations
Lots of server available on mobile but not on desktop
7.17.1/10
How is this calculated?
The global spread and coverage of the VPN server network is the most important factor here.
We also consider the number of city-level servers, plus how many IP addresses are maintained.
This rating does not directly contribute to the Overall Rating, but instead makes up a portion of the Security & Features rating.
For a free VPN service, Avira offers a huge number of locations to connect to - as many as on it's paid premium service. But this is for mobile users only. Desktop users are restricted to the nearest server only.
Ranked #38 out of 56 VPNs for Server Locations
33 Countries
47 Cities
47+ IP Addresses
Avira used to offer as many locations on its free version as it did on its paid version, before removing choice of servers for free users altogether.
However, our recent testing has found that Avira has reverted that decision on mobile. Free iOS and Android users once again have access to the full array of Avira servers – that’s a choice of 33 countries and 47 cities.
While there are premium VPNs which offer a far greater number, this is a terrific choice for a free VPN.
For Windows or macOS users, though, you can only connect to the nearest server.
Streaming
Poor choice for streaming
44.0/10
How is this calculated?
Streaming is rated by the number of different services unlocked, how many regional libraries are viewable, and how consistently the VPN can access them.
Netflix, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video and more are all tested on a weekly basis.
Avira Phantom Free isn't a great VPN for streaming. We were able to access US netflix on mobile, but not desktop. No other streaming services worked.
Ranked #30 out of 56 VPNs for Streaming
The free version of Avira Phantom isn’t brilliant for streaming, however we were able to access US Netflix and the UK’s All4.
We consider that to be the most important streaming library. That does appear to be the limit of its abilities, though, as it wouldn’t work with the Germany, Japan, or France libraries.
This only works on mobile, though, as on Windows and macOS it isn’t possible to select the US server.
Torrenting
Limited data for fast torrenting
44.0/10
How is this calculated?
We calculate the average download bitrate of every VPN using a bespoke torrenting setup.
Testing also factors in the percentage of servers which permit P2P, plus useful features like port forwarding.
If it weren't for Avira Free's strict data cap it would be a good free option for torrenting, but that data cap makes it hard to download more than one or two files a month.
Ranked #37 out of 56 VPNs for Torrenting
There are no clear rules on torrenting with Avira Free, and there’s actually no mention of it on the website.
When we tried using the VPN to torrent, though, it worked really well. It only narrowly misses out on being one of our best free VPNs for torrenting.
We tested Avira Phantom on qBittorrent
The main drawback is the 500MB / 1GB data cap, which is only enough to download one or two files a month.
There’s also no kill switch though, meaning there’s a risk your IP address could be exposed during use.
Bypassing Web Censorship
Not a good VPN service for China
2.82.8/10
How is this calculated?
Our remote-access server in Shanghai, China routinely tests if a VPN can beat restrictions and access a free, open internet. Obfuscation technologies and nearby servers are also a contributing factor.
This rating does not directly contribute to the Overall Rating, but instead makes up a portion of the Security & Features rating.
Neither the free nor premium Avira Phantom apps work in China, or other heavily censored regions.
Ranked #44 out of 56 VPNs for Bypassing Web Censorship
The free version of Avira Phantom is not a good VPN service for users in China, and it looks like that has unfortunately been the case for quite some time now.
One user took to Avira’s customer forums to let others know that they’d tested Avira Phantom with various ISPs such as China Mobile and China Unicom, and the VPN wouldn’t work while connected to any of them.
This is most likely due to the fact that Avira uses OpenVPN, which is very easily detected and blocked by government censors, and it has no additional obfuscation tools to hide your VPN connection in any way.
Take a look at our Best VPN Services for China for a comprehensive overview if you’re planning on connecting out from that country.
Security & Technical Features
Offers a basic level of security with no kill switch
7.27.2/10
How is this calculated?
Top-rated VPNs offer OpenVPN or WireGuard protocols, AES-256 encryption, and a functional kill switch. We also consider additional security features and the global spread of VPN servers.
Avira does enough to ensure your online safety while you’re connected. It uses top-class encryption (AES-256) and the most secure VPN protocol (OpenVPN), but there are no advanced settings at all.
Ranked #28 out of 56 VPNs for Security & Technical Features
Protocols
Available in Avira Phantom Free VPN
IKEv2/IPSec
No
OpenVPN (TCP/UDP)
Yes
WireGuard
No
Encryption
Available in Avira Phantom Free VPN
AES-128
No
AES-192
No
AES-256
Yes
Blowfish
No
ChaCha20
No
Security
Available in Avira Phantom Free VPN
DNS Leak Blocking
Yes
First-party DNS
Yes
IPv6 Leak Blocking
No
Supports TCP Port 443
No
VPN Kill Switch
No
WebRTC Leak Blocking
No
Advanced Features
Available in Avira Phantom Free VPN
Ad Blocker
No
Dedicated IP
No
Double VPN
No
Smart DNS
No
Static IP
No
SOCKS
No
Split Tunneling
No
Tor over VPN Server
No
Tracker Blocker
No
As a bare minimum we’d expect to see a VPN kill switch, but Avira Phantom Free doesn’t even provide one of these. This means that if the VPN connection were to drop without you noticing, your true physical location could be exposed.
One very good feature of Avira Phantom Free is that it operates its own VPN servers, and there’s also built-in protection against DNS leaks, which we found to be 100% effective in our latest tests.
The results we saw while connected to Avira Phantom’s free UK server
If you’re looking for loads of configurable settings to fiddle with, Avira Phantom isn’t for you, but it does a decent job at protecting you online – we really would insist on seeing a kill switch in the future, though. iOS users should also note that the iPhone and iPad app uses IKEv2 rather than OpenVPN.
Device & OS Compatibility
Works with most devices but not routers
How is this rated?
A quality VPN should maintain functional, fully-featured applications and extensions for as many platforms and devices as possible.
This does not directly contribute to the Overall Rating, but instead makes up a portion of the Ease of Use rating.
Avira’s free VPN has a native app for the four major platforms (Windows, Mac, iOS and Android), but not routers.
Apps
Windows
Mac
iOS
Android
There are free Avira Phantom VPN apps for most popular devices, including:
Microsoft Windows
macOS
iOS
Android
Sadly, it isn’t possible to install Avira Phantom at router level, so you the only way to use it is to individually download and install it onto all of the devices you wish to protect.
The good news is that you can use Avira Phantom on as many devices as you want at the same time. Remember, however, that these all use data from the same stingy allowance of just 1GB per month, so be careful.
Browser Extensions
Chrome
Avira Phantom currently provides a free browser extension for Google Chrome users.
It’s really easy to install and add this to your browser, and it works in exactly the same way as the desktop and mobile apps.
Unlike the proxy extensions most VPN services offer, Avira Phantom provides a VPN extension, which encrypts all your browser traffic.
Ease of Use
Simple apps lack advanced features
66.0/10
How is this calculated?
This rating mainly consists of the intuitiveness of setup and everyday use.
Device or platform compatibility and customization options are also a factor.
Like the paid app, Avira Free is easy to use for basic actions, but totally lacks advanced features or options.
Ranked #43 out of 56 VPNs for Ease of Use
How to Install & Set Up Avira Phantom Free VPN
Download the relevant software from Avira’s website.
Follow the simple installation prompts and accept the terms and conditions.
Once the installation is complete click ‘Open Avira’.
When you open the app for the first time you’ll have 500MB to use each month. If you want to double the monthly data cap, click ‘Register’ in the top right and fill in some basic personal details.
The main screen turns green when successfully connected and clearly shows how much data you’ve used.
You can only connect to your nearest location, all other servers are clearly labeled 'Pro'
The minimal settings menu is located behind the cog symbol in the top right. Unfortunately, the VPN kill switch function is blocked as it’s reserved for paying customers.
Avira Phantom’s free VPN apps couldn’t really be any easier to use, regardless of whether you’re on mobile or desktop. Avira’s home screen is limited to an on/off button, your VPN server location, and the amount of data you’ve consumed so far.
You can view Avira Phantom’s full list of VPN server locations by clicking on ‘Nearest location’, but they are all labeled as ‘Pro’ and you won’t be able to connect to them. Clicking the ‘On’ button will connect you to Avira’s closest free VPN server.
Avira’s settings are behind the cog icon in the top right-hand corner. These are very minimal, though, and are pretty much limited to whether or not you consent to sending your diagnostic data to Avira.
Avira Phantom is a great free VPN solution if you’re just looking to click-and-forget, but it’s not a good choice for those who want a ton of configurable settings.
Customer Support
No personalized support for free users
1.71.7/10
How is this calculated?
This rating is based on our assessment of each VPN’s:
Email support
Live chat support
Online resources
Not every VPN offers all of these, and they often vary in quality and response time.
Unfortunately, Avira offers minimal support for free customers. There are some FAQs and video tutorials available, but that's it.
Ranked #49 out of 56 VPNs for Customer Support
Customer Support
Available in Avira Phantom Free VPN
24/7 Live Chat Support
No
24/7 Email Support
No
Chatbot
No
Live Chat Support
No
Email
No
Email Support via Online Form
No
Tutorial Videos
No
Online Resources
Yes
Avira Phantom’s free users are currently unable to access any personalized customer support. This means users with free VPN accounts can’t email or call Avira support agents unless they upgrade to premium subscriptions, which we unfortunately see all too often from free VPN services.
Avira Free users are only able to access the FAQs and ‘Educational Videos’ on the website – thankfully, these are fairly comprehensive and should cover most problems.
You’re also able to view questions and answers on the user forums, although these aren’t updated very frequently.
The Bottom Line
Avira Free is held back by its data cap
Since Avira Phantom Free is a safe and secure VPN, we can recommend it to users who don’t mind the drawbacks and want a free service, but it just doesn’t compare to premium services.
This VPN is especially good for torrenting, but its data cap really restricts how much you can download.
You also can’t do any streaming with this free service.