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 Phantom VPN is a basic VPN available on its own or as part of a security suite. It masks your IP address and keeps you private online, with good short-distance speeds. It has very few advanced features, though, and only unblocks US netflix on mobile.
Ranked #36 out of 56 VPNs
Avira Phantom VPN Category Ratings
44.0/10
7.87.8/10
99.0/10
66.0/10
88.0/10
4.34.3/10
7.27.2/10
7.47.4/10
77.0/10
66.0/10
Avira Phantom VPN Pros & Cons
Moderately fast same-country speeds
Fast torrenting on free & paid plans
Protection against DNS leaks
Simple, streamlined VPN apps
Connect securely to 36 countries
No access to Netflix or BBC iPlayer
Small VPN server network
Very limited customer support
Apps lack advanced settings
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 is well-known for its antivirus software, and in 2016 it ventured into the world of VPNs with the introduction of Avira Phantom VPN.
This self-proclaimed ‘ultra-secure’ VPN service has received mixed reviews, like many other VPNs launched by antivirus companies.
Overall, Avira Phantom VPN Pro (the premium version) is average. It’s a basic service, which offers security and is okay for torrenting but not much else. It does unblock US netflix, though.
Avira also offers a more limited free VPN service with a 500MB monthly data cap (1GB if you create an Avira account). You can read our review of Avira Free VPN here.
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 has a minimal loggig policy, which only collects anonymised performance data. It's not easy to find on the website, though.
Ranked #23 out of 56 VPNs for Privacy & Logging Policy
Avira was founded in 2006, but its anti-virus software was developed back in 1986 by its predecessor, H+BEDV Datentechnik GmbH. Avira launched Avira Phantom VPN in 2016.
It isn’t the only security software company to create a VPN product: McAfee, Kaspersky VPN and other antivirus services have launched their own VPNs.
Avira’s headquarters are located in Tettnang, Germany. It also has offices in China, the Netherlands, Romania, and the US.
Germany isn’t the ideal jurisdiction for a VPN service. It falls under EU data retention laws and is also part of the 14 Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance. However, Avira Phantom’s very minimal logging policy means this isn’t too much of a concern.
Avira also states in its privacy policy that it will comply with data requests from public authorities, but it can’t hand over any personally-identifiable information as it doesn’t store any.
In December 2020 NortonLifeLock, which operates Norton VPN, acquired Avira.
Logging Policy
Avira Phantom logs the bare minimum of connection metadata in order to ensure the service operates as well as it possibly can. Annoyingly, however, there is no link to the privacy policy on the homepage of Avira’s website.
We eventually found it after some digging. The only information Avira Phantom collects is:
Total amount of bandwidth consumed
Amount of time a user is online
Whether the account is Free or Premium
Avira Phantom VPN does not log or monitor your browsing activity, IP address, or the VPN server you connect to, meaning there’s no way of it tracking your online activity back to you.
Avira has a privacy-friendly logging policy.
You can also choose to send Avira your diagnostic data to help with product improvements, however this is totally optional and can be switched off in the settings menu of the VPN app.
Speed
Pretty quick on same-country connections
66.0/10
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 Phantom’s speeds have really improved in recent months, especially if you’re planning on connecting to a server in the same country as your physical location. However, Avira VPN is still struggling over longer distances. It's simply unable to compete with our fastest VPN services on connections from the UK to the US and Asia.
Ranked #41 out of 56 VPNs for Speed
Despite some inconsistent results, Avira is still more than quick enough for most everyday users, even if you’re planning on using the VPN on multiple devices at the same time.
Local Speed Test results before using Avira Phantom VPN:
Download Speed: 97.18Mbps
Upload Speed: 99.3Mbps
Ping: 2ms
Local Speed Test results with Avira Phantom VPN:
Download Speed: 73.13Mbps
Upload Speed: 84.95Mbps
Ping: 4ms
Download speed loss when Avira Phantom VPN is running: 25%
Avira VPN’s latency was surprisingly low, making it a solid choice for keen gamers – we recorded around 4ms latency connecting to its UK server (we test from London). Good same-country upload speeds mean it’s not too bad for torrenting either.
Avira isn’t the most reliable VPN service we’ve seen – we still experienced very few connection drops and speeds did vary more between tests.
Connecting out to various worldwide locations from the UK, these are the average speeds we experienced:
USA: 19Mbps (download) & 32Mbps (upload)
Germany: 64Mbps (download) & 33Mbps (upload)
Singapore: 11Mbps (download) & 10Mbps (upload)
Australia: 9Mbps (download) & 11Mbps (upload)
Server Locations
49 city locations over 36 countries
88.0/10
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.
Avira Phantom has good server coverage for a VPN of its size. Its servers are mostly concentrated in Europe and the US, though.
Avira VPN has a mid-sized server network covering 36 countries.
We were unable to find out exactly how many individual servers and IP addresses Avira maintains. We asked Avira for more information, but they refused to disclose any specific details. This likely means the overall number of servers and IP addresses is small, which can lead to slower speeds at busy times.
Avira VPN’s server coverage is best in Europe, which accounts for 24 of its total locations. There’s four server locations in Asia (Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore), but only one in South America (Chile), and none at all in Africa.
The only two countries with city-level choice are Australia (Melbourne and Sydney) and the US. US-based users can choose from Avira Phantom servers in 12 different cities, including:
Atlanta
Chicago
Dallas
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
Miami
New York City
Newark
Phoenix
San Francisco
Seattle
Washington DC
12 US cities is impressive considering Avira’s small server network. However, we would have traded this to see Avira Phantom Pro serve a wider range of countries.
Streaming
Avira works with US Netflix on mobile only
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 unlocks Netflix US on iOS and Android, but no other platforms. We havn't been able to get any other streaming services working through the service.
Ranked #30 out of 56 VPNs for Streaming
If you’re looking for quick, one-click access to major streaming services, Avira Phantom isn’t the right VPN for you.
The VPN service seems to only be capable of streaming the US Netflix library, and then only from iOS and Android devices (this works in the free mobile apps too). It’s a big one, and we’re glad that it can at least do that, but we want to see more.
Unfortunately Avira’s sole UK VPN server has never unblocked BBC iPlayer, either.
Torrenting
Supports P2P traffic
7.87.8/10
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.
Avira allows P2P traffic on its network. While it might not be the fastest VPN for torrenting, its minimal logging policy and reliable VPN kill switch make Avira a safe choice for torrenting.
Ranked #23 out of 56 VPNs for Torrenting
Avira Phantom VPN Pro is a decent choice for torrenting and P2P file sharing.
While Avira’s website confirms that its VPN can be used for torrenting, there’s no additional information about this.
Nevertheless, Avira’s minimal logging policy, decent same-country speeds, and its VPN kill switch are good features for anonymous P2P activity.
Avira VPN supports P2P traffic on all of its servers.
Avira has done well in our torrenting benchmark tests, too, but it isn’t the fastest available. For a faster and more secure file-sharing experience, use one of these VPNs for torrenting, instead.
Avira Free on the other hand is by far the fastest free VPN we’ve tested for torrenting, although its 500MB data cap will hold you back significantly.
Bypassing Web Censorship
Won’t work in China or Turkey
4.34.3/10
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.
We've not been able to get Avira Phantom working from our Shanghai server, and have no reason to beleive it will work in other highly censored regions.
Ranked #34 out of 56 VPNs for Bypassing Web Censorship
We also can’t recommend Avira Phantom for use in Turkey, Russia, the UAE or Iran.
The service doesn’t have any obfuscation tools to hide your VPN connection. Also, the apps use the OpenVPN protocol, which is very easy for censors to detect and block.
Security & Technical Features
Secure VPN but lacks advanced settings
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 VPN is a safe VPN service with a basic set of security features. It includes industry-standard AES-256 Encryption, first-party DNS servers, and a functional VPN kill switch. However, Avira VPN lacks advanced features and its iOS app uses the IKEv2 protocol, which isn’t as secure as OpenVPN or WireGuard.
Ranked #28 out of 56 VPNs for Security & Technical Features
Protocols
Available in Avira Phantom VPN
IKEv2/IPSec
Yes
OpenVPN (TCP/UDP)
Yes
SSL VPN
Yes
TLS VPN
Yes
WireGuard
No
Encryption
Available in Avira Phantom VPN
AES-128
No
AES-192
No
AES-256
Yes
Blowfish
No
ChaCha20
No
Security
Available in Avira Phantom VPN
DNS Leak Blocking
Yes
First-party DNS
Yes
IPv6 Leak Blocking
No
Supports TCP Port 443
No
VPN Kill Switch
Yes
WebRTC Leak Blocking
No
Advanced Features
Available in Avira Phantom 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
Although Avira Phantom doesn’t have as many advanced privacy settings as other top-tier services, it will keep you safe online.
All the native VPN software runs on OpenVPN, the most secure connection protocol, apart from the iOS app, which uses IKEv2. Encryption is ensured via the ‘unhackable’ cipher AES-256.
The VPN kill switch is a very useful feature, as it protects your IP address in the event of a sudden VPN connection drop.
The VPN service also operates its own DNS servers rather than renting them from third parties, and protects you against DNS leaks, too.
Results from browserleaks.com when connected to one of Avira’s US servers
If you still want more advanced settings to play with, head over to our IPVanish VPN review.
Device & OS Compatibility
Works with major platforms, 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 Phantom has apps for major platforms (Android, iOS, Mac and PC), but won’t work with Linux or routers.
Apps
Windows
Mac
iOS
Android
Avira Phantom provides the usual range of custom VPN apps for various devices, including Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.
Unlike many other VPN services, Avira isn’t compatible with any routers, meaning you have to download the VPN software onto each of your devices.
At least, Avira allows you to use the VPN on an unlimited number of devices at the same time.
No Firestick App and No Smart DNS
Avira VPN doesn’t offer any dedicated app for Fire TV devices.
It also doesn’t have a Smart DNS solution. Combined with the lack of router support, this means you can’t easily use Avira VPN on devices that don’t support native VPN apps.
Avira Phantom has recently introduced a browser extension for Google Chrome.
Unlike the proxy extensions many other VPN services provide, this is a true VPN extension that uses the same level of encryption (AES-256) as the desktop client.
It’s great for masking your IP address but it’s not a complete substitute for the desktop VPN app, as it only secures your browser connections.
There is no Firefox add-on, sadly. If you’re a Firefox user, consider using one of these recommended VPN addons, instead.
Ease of Use
Cluttered apps with some usability flaws
7.47.4/10
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.
Avira's apps are pretty good, but are let down by the total lack of additional features or customization
Ranked #34 out of 56 VPNs for Ease of Use
How to Install & Set Up Avira Phantom VPN
You can download Avira Phantom by logging into your account and clicking the install button.
While the software is downloading, Avira provides a helpful reminder that you can install it on multiple devices.
You can open the Avira app to view the progress of your installation.
Once the installation is complete, simply click the button to open the Avira app and you're ready to go.
The Avira Phantom main window is super simple and small. The data cap applied for free accounts only, paid is unlimited.
The connected view on Phantom is also very simple with the logo becoming green on connection.
Avira Phantom VPN settings are very basic with the killswitch the only item of note.
Avira Phantom VPN is part of a suite of products including a great free antivirus, all managed via the Avira Connect interface.
Avira Phantom is a very simple one-button VPN that’s almost identical on both desktop and mobile. Avira’s main screen only displays an on/off button and your current virtual location – we would like to see some more connection information here.
Avira really falls down when it comes to advanced features – or rather its lack of them.
Aside from a VPN kill switch and the option to automatically secure untrusted WiFi networks, there are no advanced settings at all, putting Avira well behind its rivals in terms of configurable options.
The Avira Phantom apps also lack any protocol options, and even fails to inform you what protocol you are using. If we didn’t know that Phantom was based on OpenVPN, which Avira confirmed to us, we wouldn’t feel very confident in its security.
If you’re looking for a VPN with uncluttered and accessible software, Avira is a great choice. However if you like having lots of advanced features to choose from, you’re better off looking elsewhere.
Customer Support
24/7 live chat makes up for limited resources
77.0/10
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.
Avira's chatbot isn't much help but it's email support has always been quick and professional. It also offers online FAQs for free customers.
Ranked #34 out of 56 VPNs for Customer Support
Customer Support
Available in Avira Phantom VPN
24/7 Live Chat Support
No
24/7 Email Support
No
Chatbot
No
Live Chat Support
No
Email
Yes
Email Support via Online Form
No
Tutorial Videos
No
Online Resources
Yes
Sadly, Avira Phantom limits personalized customer support to paying users only, meaning free users or potential customers won’t be able to take advantage.
Thankfully email responses were quick and professional, although clearly it’s company policy not to reveal too many details about Avira’s VPN server network.
The knowledge base on Avira’s website is pretty limited, with the main feature being a list of a few simple FAQs.
However we have to admit that when a product is this simple, there’s a limit to the amount of resources that can be created.
The company has recently introduced a handful of video tutorials to the site, which are very helpful and informative.
The ‘chat bot’ is another recent addition by Avira, but all it ever seemed to do was redirect us to the FAQs or prompt us to leave a message for the customer support team.
Price & Value
The longest plan is decent value
66.0/10
How is this calculated?
Price & Value for Money receives a rating, but is not factored into our Overall Rating. We believe the reader should decide what is or isn’t a reasonable price.
A good rating here isn’t just based on how cheap the VPN is, but for the value it offers overall.
Avira Phantom has a simple set of subscription options, on either a one or twelve month contract. Of course, you can get the VPN bundled in with Avira's other security products, too, if you want.
Ranked #30 out of 56 VPNs for Price & Value
Avira Phantom offers three different pricing plans. They all offer the same features, but the longer you sign up for, the less you pay each month.
A single month is the most expensive option at $10 and is reduced by 35% to a reasonable $6.50 if you commit to a 12-month plan. That will cost you $78.00 upfront.
Additionally, you can opt for a mobile-only plan, which costs $5.99 per month, but you’ll be limited to VPN access only on your smartphone.
For a free service, it offers a reliable service and a strong privacy policy (just like the paid version). It isn’t great for streaming, comes with a 1GB monthly data cap, and is restricted to one server only. But it does allow P2P traffic.
It offers a good service for privacy oriented users who don’t use too much data. Because of this it holds a place in our top five free VPN services.
Avira offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for those who aren’t satisfied with their purchase, or 14 days for monthly subscribers. This is a genuine ‘no questions asked’ guarantee with no restrictions or fair usage policies, simply contact cleverbridge (Avira’s billing partner) and it will process your refund.
If you don’t want to commit to a paid plan right away, Avira Phantom also offers a free trial that you can use for as long as you like. This does give you an idea of what Avira is like, but you are limited to a monthly data limit of 500MB and miss out on some key privacy features.
We love that you don’t have to provide any personal details to access the free service, however Avira offers to double your monthly data allowance if you provide your email address.
Avira Phantom doesn’t offer a very large range of payment options, particularly in comparison to top-tier VPN providers. It does accept most major credit and debit cards, as well as PayPal, but there is no option to pay using cryptocurrencies or international methods.
It certainly beats out most other “antivirus VPNs”, but that’s more or less all it has going for it.
Its speeds are only ‘ok’ and it won’t unblock niche Netflix libraries or BBC iPlayer. It also won’t work in high censorship nations like China or Turkey.
Overall, Avira VPN is an ok VPN, built for beginners keen to protect their online privacy. It is also a decent choice for torrenting.
But, it’s certainly not a good VPN for streaming, though, and it’s more expensive than we would expect for a VPN with its limitations.
Alternatives to Avira Phantom VPN
Private Internet Access
9.39.3/10
PIA VPN is an extremely fast VPN. If speed is important to you, then this VPN is for you. It's cheaper than Avira, but it works with Netflix and BBC iPlayer, and it's one of the best VPNs for torrenting. Read Private Internet Access review
NordVPN
9.59.5/10
NordVPN is also a very good alternative to Avira VPN. It's one of the best VPNs for streaming, with access to Netflix and Disney+. It allows torrenting on most servers, and it generally bypasses the strictest of web blocks. Read NordVPN review