Avira Phantom VPN Free 2024 Review: 4 Cons and 2 Pros

by Vít Nováček
updated January 1, 2024 (Report a bug)

1. Avira Phantom VPN Free Doesn’t Allow You to Choose Your Location, Only 0.5 GB per month Can Be Transferred

   • Data transfer limit is only 0.5 GB per month
   • The kill switch function is missing
   • Cannot select the connection location
   • The app is only available for basic platforms

   • VPN can be used without a user account
   • Can connect from 999 devices simultaneously

   Avira Phantom VPN Free is a free VPN operated by the German company Avira Operations GmbH. It is an alternative to the paid Avira Phantom VPN service. In our test, Avira Phantom VPN Free scored an overall score of 7.2/10, ranking it #36 out of 90 reviewed VPNs.

   Free VPNs usually serve as an advertisement for the paid version of the service, compared to which they have a number of limitations. It’s no different with Avira Phantom VPN Free, as you can’t choose a specific connection location. The app itself selects the geographically closest one, so it is not suitable for unblocking content from a specific country.

   In addition, Avira Phantom VPN Free users can only transfer 0.5 GB per month, once this quota is exhausted the connection will stop working. In our measurements, the free VPN variant achieved significantly lower speeds than the paid version, but was still sufficient for high-definition video playback.

   The Avira Phantom VPN Free app is only available for the core Windows, Mac OS, Android and iOS platforms. A major drawback is the lack of a kill switch feature.

   Avira Phantom VPN Free can be used for free for an unlimited period of time, and you can connect even without an active user account.

2. Avira Phantom VPN Free Subscription: Discount Code, Free Trial, Money Back Guarantee…

   • Your Price:  Free (999 devices)

   

   7.2

   ★★★☆

   Transfer speed of this free VPN is good enough for regular internet use and doesn’t require a user account. Downside is the low data transfer limit.

   Free  

   Download For Free

   Avira Phantom VPN Free is free for an unlimited time, you don’t need to register anywhere to use the VPN. No credit card number is given anywhere.

   The same company also offers a paid service, Avira Phantom VPN, starting at $4.26 per month. Its advantages are unlimited data transfers, 1,400 available servers in 35 countries and higher transfer speeds.

   The trial version of Avira Phantom VPN is available for free for a period of 7 days. A money-back guarantee is available within 60 days of ordering.

3. Avira Phantom VPN Free and Supported Devices: Android, iOS, macOS…

   • Device limit: Unlimited

   Platforms supported

   • Android:
     Yes

     Android is supported by 98 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Android TV:
     No

     Android TV is supported by 36 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Apple TV:
     No

     Apple TV is supported by 18 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Fire TV:
     No

     Fire TV is supported by 43 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Chromebook:
     No

     Chromebook is supported by 20 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Chromecast:
     No

     Chromecast is supported by 16 % of reviewed VPNs
   • iOS:
     Yes

     iOS is supported by 99 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Kodi:
     No

     Kodi is supported by 21 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Linux:
     No

     Linux is supported by 61 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Mac:
     Yes

     Mac is supported by 98 % of reviewed VPNs
   • NAS:
     No

     NAS is supported by 24 % of reviewed VPNs
   • nVidia Shield:
     No

     nVidia Shield is supported by 14 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Playstation:
     No

     Playstation is supported by 20 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Raspberry Pi:
     No

     Raspberry Pi is supported by 17 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Roku:
     No

     Roku is supported by 16 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Router:
     No

     Router is supported by 53 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Windows:
     Yes

     Windows is supported by 100 % of reviewed VPNs
   • xBox:
     No

     xBox is supported by 20 % of reviewed VPNs

   Browser Extensions

   • Brave :
     No

     The Brave browser add-on is offered by 43 % of reviewed VPNs.
   • Chrome :
     No

     The Chrome browser add-on is offered by 43 % of reviewed VPNs.
   • Edge :
     No

     The Edge browser add-on is offered by 21 % of reviewed VPNs.
   • Firefox :
     No

     The Firefox browser add-on is offered by 34 % of reviewed VPNs.
   • Opera :
     No

     The Opera browser add-on is offered by 43 % of reviewed VPNs.
   • Safari :
     No

     The Safari browser add-on is offered by 0 % of reviewed VPNs.
   • Vivaldi :
     No

     The Vivaldi browser add-on is offered by 43 % of reviewed VPNs.

   Avira Phantom VPN Free does not require registration, so it can be used on 999 devices simultaneously.

   The Avira Phantom VPN Free app is only available for basic platforms and can be installed on Windows and Mac OS computers and Android and iOS mobile phones. Avira Phantom VPN Free cannot be used on Playstation and Xbox gaming consoles, Android TV, Apple TV or Fire TV smart TVs, or on alternative Linux and Raspberry Pi platforms.

   Since it’s a free service, it’s no surprise that Avira Phantom VPN Free lacks support for router traffic. A VPN installed on a router provides protection for all devices connected to the same network, even if there is no native app for them.

   Using Avira Phantom VPN Free via browser extensions is not possible.

4. Avira Phantom VPN Free App: User-Friendliness, Whitelist, Server Selection…

   • App Languages: 🇺🇸 English +10 more🇩🇪 German 🇪🇸 Spanish 🇫🇷 French 🇵🇹 Portuguese 🇮🇹 Italian 🇨🇳 Chinese 🇷🇺 Russian 🇯🇵 Japanese 🇹🇷 Turkish 🇳🇱 Dutch
   • Whitelisting:
     No

     Whitelisting is supported by 52 % of reviewed VPNs

   Installing the app is quick and easy, download links are available on the Avira Phantom VPN Free website. The environment is simple and straightforward, no complicated settings are required after launch. An account can be set up via a classic email and password, and the option to log in via Google, Facebook and Apple is also offered. The free VPN option can also be used without logging into an account.

   The look and feel of the mobile and desktop apps is identical. The interface has a modern look and feel, plus you can customize it with the choice of dark or light mode. Since the app offers a lot of features, the different options are divided into categories. The entire app works smoothly and without any stuttering.

   The option to automatically launch the app when the device boots up is supported, but the VPN connection does not establish itself. Servers cannot be added to your favorites, the app only offers a connection to the closest server at the time. Avira Phantom VPN Free also includes an antivirus, password and update manager, a file deletion tool and several optimization tools.

   Among the missing features of Avira Phantom VPN Free is a whitelist, which allows you to select applications that will connect directly to the Internet even when VPN protection is activated.

   The Avira Phantom VPN Free app is translated into 11 languages.

5. Avira Phantom VPN Free Connection Speed: Upload, Download & Latency

   • Traffic limit: 0.5 GB per month

   Download speed

   Higher is better. The average download of all tested VPNs is 115 Mb/s.

   Upload speed

   Higher is better. The average upload of all tested VPNs is 81 Mb/s.

   Server latency

   A lower value is better. The average response rate of all tested VPNs is 48 ms.

   Avira Phantom VPN Free users can transfer a maximum of 0.5 GB per month, after exceeding the limit the VPN stops working. A data limit is a common form of restriction among free VPNs.

   With Avira Phantom VPN Free, you can only connect to the nearest server, users cannot choose the location. Connecting to the server took a longer time compared to other VPNs.

   With Avira Phantom VPN Free, we measured an average download speed of 44 Mb/s, which is only sufficient for full HD video playback. For streaming 4k video, a speed of at least 50 Mbps is generally required. We measured an average download of 112 Mb/s for the paid variant of Avira Phantom VPN.

   The upload speed reached an average of 34 Mb/s in repeated measurements. For normal internet surfing, the speed is sufficient. With the fee-based Avira Phantom VPN, we measured an average upload of 140 Mb/s.

   The average response time was 28 ms, which is sufficient for video calls and online gaming. For response speeds, lower is always better.

6. Avira Phantom VPN Free Server Locations

   • Number of servers:
     1,400

     The average number of servers for the reviewed VPNs is 1699.
   • Number of countries:
     36

     The average number of countries available for the reviewed VPNs is 41.

   Europe	🇧🇪 Belgium 🇧🇬 Bulgaria 🇨🇿 Czech Republic 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇫🇮 Finland 🇫🇷 France 🇮🇪 Ireland 🇮🇸 Iceland 🇮🇹 Italy 🇭🇺 Hungary 🇲🇩 Moldova 🇩🇪 Germany 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇴 Norway 🇮🇲 Isle of Man 🇵🇱 Poland 🇦🇹 Austria 🇷🇴 Romania 🇬🇷 Greece 🇸🇮 Slovenia 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 🇷🇸 Serbia 🇪🇸 Spain 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇨🇭 Switzerland
   North America	🇨🇦 Canada 🇲🇽 Mexico 🇺🇸 USA
   South America	🇧🇷 Brazil 🇨🇱 Chile
   Asia	🇭🇰 Hong Kong 🇮🇱 Israel 🇯🇵 Japan 🇸🇬 Singapore
   Africa
   Oceania	🇦🇺 Australia 🇳🇿 New Zealand

   While Avira Phantom VPN Free includes 1,400 servers in 36 countries, users cannot choose the specific connection location. The app itself chooses the one closest to them. Country selection is only possible with the paid version of Avira Phantom VPN.

   Most of the Avira Phantom VPN Free servers are located in Europe, but every continent is represented except Africa. Servers are operated in Bulgaria, Finland, Iceland, the Isle of Man, Greece, Brazil, Chile, Hong Kong or New Zealand, among others. Avira Phantom VPN Free also offers servers in the USA, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

   In countries with censored internet, such as Russia, China or Turkey, Avira Phantom VPN Free has no servers.

   Nowhere in the app does Avira Phantom VPN Free indicate which servers are physical and which are only virtual. The disadvantage of virtual servers is that all the hardware is physically located in another country. Some websites detect the location of the physical server instead of the virtual location, which can cause problems when bypassing the geo-block.

   All features and protocols offered are available on all servers.

7. Avira Phantom VPN Free Security Features: DNS Leak Protection, Kill Switch…

   • DNS leak protection :
     Yes

     DNS leak protection is offered by 92% of the reviewed VPNs.
   • Kill Switch:
     No

     Kill Switch is supported by 87% of the reviewed VPNs.
   • Multi-Hop:
     No

     Multi-Hop connection is offered by 20 % of the VPNs reviewed.
   • Tor:
     No

     Tor support is offered by 19 % of the reviewed VPNs.

   In terms of available security features, Avira Phantom VPN Free ranks among the worst services available. Of the basic features, the app only has DNS leak protection implemented, which hides the user’s real IP address. In our testing, no IP address or DNS queries were leaked.

   Avira Phantom VPN Free lacks a kill switch, which disconnects the device from the internet when the connection to the VPN server fails. This prevents the possible disclosure of the user’s location and his real IP address.

   Avira Phantom VPN Free only supports the IKEv2/IPSec and OpenVPN protocols, the choice is made automatically and cannot be influenced by the user. The transmitted data is protected by secure and reliable 256-bit AES encryption.

   The superior multi-hop connection is not available with Avira Phantom VPN Free. Its principle is to connect via two different VPN servers simultaneously, which increases the level of security. The disadvantages can be lower transfer speeds and higher response times. The feature is usually only offered by the better paid VPNs.

   Connecting servers via Tor is also not supported by Avira Phantom VPN Free. The user account can be secured with two-factor password verification.

8. Avira Phantom VPN Free & Streaming: Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime…

   • Amazon Prime:
     No

     Amazon Prime streaming is supported by 52 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Disney+:
     Yes

     Disney+ streaming is supported by 53 % of reviewed VPNs
   • HBO:
     No

     HBO streaming is supported by 57 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Hulu:
     No

     Hulu streaming is supported by 49 % of reviewed VPNs
   • Netflix:
     Yes

     Netflix streaming is supported by 67 % of reviewed VPNs
   • YouTube:
     Yes

     YouTube streaming is supported by 97 % of reviewed VPNs

   Avira Phantom VPN Free is completely unsuitable for the purpose of unblocking streaming video. The free variant can only connect to the nearest server and users are further limited by a low data transfer limit of 0.5 GB per month. This would only be enough to play one movie or episode of a series in medium image quality.

   Nevertheless, we tested the VPN on streaming platforms. Once connected to the nearest server, we were able to play video on Netflix, YouTube, and Disney Plus. The remaining streaming services Amazon Prime Video, HBO and Hulu recognized the active VPN and blocked access. Given the low data transfer limit, 4K viewing is not appropriate.

   For regular viewing of blocked movies and series, a paid VPN is needed that guarantees sufficient bandwidth and can unblock all streaming platforms. In our test, NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost VPNs fared best, which also add superior security features.

9. Features of Avira Phantom VPN Free: AdBlock, Static IP…

   • Blocks Ads:
     No

     Ad blocking is offered by 44 % of the VPNs reviewed.
   • Blocks Malware:
     Yes

     Malware blocking is offered by 33 % of the VPNs reviewed.
   • Blocks Trackers:
     Yes

     Trackers blocking is offered by 38 % of the VPNs reviewed.

   Among the extra features, malware protection is available in Avira Phantom VPN Free, and a browser extension can be installed to ensure tracker blocking. Ad blocking is not supported.

   Avira Phantom VPN Free is not just an ordinary VPN client, there is a wide range of tools available in the app, including an update and password manager, an antivirus and tools for optimizing device performance.

   Among the missing features is a camouflage mode that can mask VPN connections from website operators and ISPs. Camouflage mode is used, for example, in countries where using a VPN could cause unnecessary problems.

   Static IP addresses are not offered on Avira Phantom VPN Free servers.

10. Avira Phantom VPN Free‘s CPU usage and App Performance

    The Avira Phantom VPN Free computer app did not have a negative impact on the performance of the device during use. The same is true for most VPN applications.

    After closing the app with a cross, it still runs in the background, although it only uses RAM at that moment. To quit it completely, you need to head to the Task Manager, and the same goes for the mobile version of the app.

11. Avira Phantom VPN Free Torrenting Servers

    • Torrenting servers:
      Yes

      Torrenting support is offered by 89 % of the reviewed VPNs.

    Avira Phantom VPN Free is unsuitable for torrenting and P2P file sharing.

    It restricts the user with a very low data transfer limit and does not support the basic security feature of the kill switch, which disconnects the device from the internet in the event of a connection failure with the VPN server. This prevents the user’s real IP address from being discovered.

    Nevertheless, Avira Phantom VPN Free does not block P2P traffic, and during our testing we managed to download legal torrents. The download (44 Mb/s) and upload (34 Mb/s) speeds we achieved are rather insufficient for sharing bulky files. Servers with static IP addresses are not available with this VPN.

    For secure torrenting, we recommend preferring services that achieve higher transfer speeds and guarantee better security. We can recommend CyberGhost VPN or NordVPN.

12. What Is the Country of Origin Of Avira Phantom VPN Free?

    • VPN Provider: Gen Digital Inc.
    • Country of origin: 🇩🇪 Germany

    Avira Phantom VPN Free is operated by the German company Avira Operations GmbH, which was founded in 2006. Since its inception, it has focused on the development of security software, which together with VPNs include antivirus, update manager, password manager or a computer speed-up tool. Users can also download the Avira Secure Browser or use the paid private network Avira Phantom VPN.

    The parent company of Avira Operations GmbH is the Gen Digital group, which is headquartered in the USA. Gen Digital also owns other VPN service brands, including Avast SecureLine VPN, AVG Secure VPN, HMA VPN, Norton Secure VPN and SurfEasy.

    Avira Phantom VPN Free‘s location in Germany may pose some risk to some users. The country is a member of the 14 Eyes alliance, whose secret services monitor internet traffic. If they suspect a violation of the law, they can request information about specific users, and VPN operators are obliged to hand it over. The information obtained is routinely shared between alliance members.

13. Avira Phantom VPN Free and Privacy: Logging Policy, Security Issues…

    • No-Logs Policy:
      Yes

      The No-Logs Policy is followed by 78% of reviewed VPNs.

    The operator of Avira Phantom VPN Free states that no logs with sensitive data are generated when using the app. Thus, no history of visited websites, user IP addresses, device identifiers or DNS queries should be stored. Optionally, the sending of optional diagnostic data can be turned off in the application settings to continuously improve the service.

    The user information collected is limited to data required for account management. This includes the email address and name, and in case of logging in via a social network account, the latter as well. However, Avira Phantom VPN Free has not been independently verified by a third party, so the information should be taken with a grain of salt.

    For the time being, there is no evidence or suspicion that Avira Phantom VPN Free is selling user data, handing it over to the police or the courts, or that it has been leaked.

    Avira Phantom VPN Free servers use hard drives that allow for long-term data storage. From a security point of view, servers equipped only with RAM memory are a better choice, which by their very nature do not allow data storage.

14. Avira Phantom VPN Free Support: Chat, e-mail…

    Although Avira Phantom VPN Free offers support in the form of chat, the user only communicates with an automated robot that sends links to websites instead of replies.

    The option to communicate with a real person does not exist, nor did we discover any contact email address. The only alternative is a discussion forum, where users advise themselves.

    Avira Phantom VPN subscribers can contact customer support directly from the app, where a real person will answer them.

    The Avira Phantom VPN Free website has a section with FAQs and useful tips regarding VPNs and other Avira Operations software. A guide is also available to help groping users install and set up VPNs on various devices.

15. Avira Phantom VPN Free FAQ

    Is Avira Phantom VPN Free?

    Yes, Avira Phantom VPN Free is free to use for an unlimited period of time. The downside is a few limitations, probably the biggest one is the data transfer volume of only 0.5 GB per month. In addition, the app only connects to the geographically closest server, selecting a specific location is not possible.

    Most of the advanced features are available in the paid version of Avira Phantom VPN. Its users can choose the country of connection, have the important security feature of a kill switch and the transfer speeds are orders of magnitude higher. The price of the most affordable Avira Phantom VPN subscription variant starts at Free per month.

    What makes Avira Phantom VPN Free?

    Avira Phantom VPN Free establishes an encrypted connection between the user’s device and the internet, using a network of secure servers to do so. These are the ones that can hide the user’s real IP address and allow them to browse the internet anonymously and securely.

    Is Avira Phantom VPN Free good?

    In terms of features and their parameters, Avira Phantom VPN Free loses out to some other free VPNs, but in the overall context it is a rather average service. Its biggest limitations are the 0.5 GB per month data transfer limit, the fixed location of the connection and the reduced transfer speeds.

    A major drawback is the lack of a kill switch feature, which protects users from possible disclosure of the actual location and IP address in the event of a connection failure to the server.