Pricing and DealsĪt $3.72 a month, Avira Phantom VPN’s price definitely falls within the below average range, especially when you consider that all plans include 5 simultaneous devices and a 30-day money-back guarantee.Īvira’s website specifically lists PNP file sharing and torrenting capabilities. There is also no speed throttling, meaning you won’t be penalized with slower speeds if you’re a heavy user. Also, just 2 years ago Avira only had servers in 13 countries, so as you can see, Avira is continuously expanding its service. While Phantom VPN has a relatively low number of servers (over 34 countries) and IP addresses (only about 1,000), it still boasts 99.9% uptime, unlimited bandwidth and excellent speeds - all on an unlimited amount of simultaneous connections. OpenVPN protocol (for Windows/Android), IPSec (for Mac and iOS).You’ll also get access to free antivirus software and Avira’s free Scout browser, which blocks unwanted scripts, prevents third party tracking and ensures you always browse the web using a secure connection. More importantly, Avira has a firm no logging policy and is a member of the ITSMIG (Teletrust IT Security Association Germany), a voluntary association committed to producing software that’s free of hidden backdoors. Plans include an antivirus feature that helps to protect security by fighting off malicious software (malware) such as spyware and adware.Īll users are guaranteed end-to-end 256-bit AES encryption and a beautifully-designed app that’s simple and intuitive to use - even if you’ve never tried a VPN before. The “select virtual location” at the top of the app suggested that the answer was no.Avira’s Phantom VPN doesn’t have much in the way of advanced features, but its focus on privacy, security and access is evident. When it came down to it, I didn’t even have any idea if Avira operated its own physical servers. I’m not saying you need a CIA-type dashboard like TorGuard’s, but just a little info, such as connection durations and latencies (lags in connection), would have been nice. There was no way to save favorite servers either, and no connection data. I didn’t find any dedicated video or gaming servers like I found when I tested NordVPN or any rocket-fueled 10 Gbps servers for handling rush-hour streaming traffic like the servers you’ll find in my Surfshark review. Server selection was basic with Phantom VPN. Maybe the company saves that for its Prime package. I was expecting something sophisticated given Avira’s antivirus background, but this was a complete black box with zero customization. Under that, I switched on Avira’s malware blocker. Inside the display settings, I could toggle on dark or light mode. The gear at the top of the Avira Phantom app, next to where my paid subscription should have been, opened up my settings panel. Phantom VPN’s settings are about as bare-bones as you can get. Is the VPN worth considering by itself? I spent a week testing Avira Phantom VPN - features, customer support, security, and privacy - so I’ll shed some light on whether it’s worth your time. Its all-in-one plans go for an affordable $80 per year, but it also sells a stand-alone VPN for about six bucks a month. But there are others.Īvira is primarily in the antivirus business. Norton LifeLock plans are probably the most well known, offering the whole kit and caboodle - from ID theft and malware protection to a VPN and secure cloud storage. Many now offer security bundles: one subscription with all the tools you need to stay safe online. The good news is that digital security providers have gotten that memo. The problem is juggling 10 different subscriptions from as many companies. The problem for all of us security-minded folks isn’t taking precautions. Judging from the most recent trends in online fraud, 1 we need a lot more than we’re getting. There are a lot of products and services that claim you won’t survive a day on the open web without them. Ad blockers, antivirus protection, virtual private networks - the list goes on.
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