“Avira VPN is created by one of the most well-known antivirus companies. But creating a high-quality VPN is a very different type of game.”
Avira is well-known for its antivirus programs, and it joined the VPN market in 2016 with the launch of Avira VPN. This self-proclaimed ‘ultra-secure VPN service has got mixed reviews, like other VPNs introduced by antivirus companies. Avira VPN offers fast speed, a useful kill switch, military-grade encryption, as well as a free version. The shortcomings of the service include a small server fleet and the absence of WireGuard in the iOS and Windows apps.
So, is this offering an exception to the rule? In this Avira Phantom VPN review, we’ll put it through our typical review process. This will provide information on how the service works and how it compares to other tools on the market.
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Don’t have enough time? Here’s a 1-minute summary:
• Unblocks Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+
It was able to unblock Netflix in various areas, although the stream quality was poor. And yet, this is pretty good, given a lot of VPNs are powerless against the Netflix which detects them and blocks.
• Very slow server network
Local servers had acceptable performance, while distant server performance was poor.
• The server network is small, and the exact number of servers is unclear
The majority of Avira’s servers are in the United States, with only a few in the rest of the world. Considering that Indonesia, India, and Turkey are the countries whose population use the technology more regularly compared to others, servers’ location is a thing requiring significant improvement.
• Apps are simple to install yet difficult to use
Avira’s mobile apps are sleek and modern, but its desktop apps feel forgotten.
• Support is slow and inconvenient
Avira offers service by email and phone, as well as through the website. It should be pointed out that there are a lot of options to find an answer to your question, which are: social media channels, FAQ section on the site or blog. If all the mentioned didn’t help you to address the issue, the support team will come to rescue. But under one condition: if you’re already an Avira user and have left them your email.
Speed and performance: is Avira VPN fast?
VPN speeds are one of the most difficult things to evaluate because they are highly subjective and might vary. The performance of Avira VPN has greatly improved in recent months, especially if you intend to connect to a server in the same country as your physical location. However, Avira VPN continues to struggle across longer distances. On connections from the UK to the US and Asia, it just cannot match with other fastest VPN services. Despite some variations in performance, Avira is still more than fast enough for most general consumers, even if you plan on using the VPN on numerous devices at the same time. Baseline: 300 Mbps download/300 Mbps upload.
Why most speed tests are pointless?
Since speed determines how quickly content uploads if you’re torrenting or streaming, you want the speed to be similar to your usual internet speed. Because a VPN encrypts your data, it normally takes a little longer to transport it back and forth, which can cause your connection to slow down. However, if your ISP deliberately slows down your connection (also known as throttling), a VPN may be able to increase your internet speed. It is fairly meaningless to test a VPN because new servers appear and alter the speed.
Server locations
Avira VPN operates a medium-sized server network that includes 38 countries.
The server coverage of Avira VPN is best in Europe, which accounts for 24 of its total locations. There are four Asian server sites, namely Hong Kong, India, Japan, and Singapore), but only one in South America (Chile), and none in Africa.
Australia (Melbourne and Sydney) and the United States are the only two countries with city-level options. Users in the United States can pick between 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, D. C.
12 US cities are remarkable given Avira’s small server network.
Logging and privacy policy
Avira VPN keeps a minimum of data, which are:
• The total amount of bandwidth consumed while connected.
• The amount of time a user spends on the internet.
• The status of a user’s account, whether it is Free or Premium.
Avira Phantom Free does not track or log any websites you visit, your true IP address, or the VPN server location with which you connect. In other words, Avira has no means of tracking your online activity back to you. There is an optional feature that transmits diagnostic data back to Avira to help in product development; however, you may turn this off at any moment within the VPN app.
Pricing
Free plan – all features are available, excluding a 500Mb/month limit for unregistered users and a 1GB/month limit for registered users. “Registered” implies those users who have signed up for a free Avira account on their website.
Monthly plans start at $10, which is a smidge below average for the industry.
Annual Plans will cost you $78 once a year for a membership, which is an excellent deal.
Avira is also one of the few VPN providers that offer a mobile-specific service, with a monthly fee of $5.99 for a single Android or iOS device.
Is Avira VPN a good choice?
Actually, this 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 while providing fast short-distance speeds. So, if you’re a user who sometimes may want to unblock some sites or browse safely on public Wi-Fi, Avira VPN is handy to have. In case you like having a lot of advanced features to pick from, you may explore another one. The choice is yours.
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Still in search of an excellent VPN? You are lucky! Try out this one for absolutely free!