Ariel Hochstadt
Ex-Google, International tech speaker
CyberGhost and Avira Phantom Pro are two reliable VPN services — but one is much more versatile than the other.
Avira’s VPN is the definition of a baseline product. It has one main strength — simple OpenVPN and IPSec encryption. It’s available for free, but if you want tech support and a kill switch, you’ll have to upgrade to the Pro version. With close to 40 servers in 25 locations, you won’t be unblocking Netflix (but Hulu and BBC work). Other notable features include DNS leak protection and autoconnect.
CyberGhost has all of the above-mentioned features, and much more. You get over 2,200 servers in 60+ countries, “stealth” settings for bypassing censorship in China and elsewhere, and a heap of other useful extras. Privacy is also spotless with this VPN — it’s based in Romania and operates under a strict zero-logs policy. Avira Phantom admits to storing bandwidth logs, which isn’t ideal.
Features
7.0
Pricing
6.1
Ease of Use
8.6
Reliability & Support
9.0
Features
9.4
Pricing
9.0
Ease of Use
9.6
Reliability & Support
9.2
Rating
Features
7.0
9.4
0.0
Pricing
6.1
9.0
0.0
Ease of Use
8.6
9.6
0.0
Reliability & Support
9.0
9.2
0.0
Reviews
Review by our expert
Ariel Hochstadt
Ex-Google, International tech speaker
7.8
Avira’s Phantom VPN comes from one of the more famous antivirus companies around. But making a high-quality VPN is a very different game.
Phantom VPN offers a modest network of 50 servers in 36 countries. With AES-256 encryption, OpenVPN support, and essential features like a kill switch, this service looks compact and secure.
However, looks can be deceiving. There’s much more you need ...
No issuesI have no issues with this VPN (although I admit that it is from my favorite security company). Those who write about garbled text, for example, probably have their own operating system issues with which they should be concerned; I do not experience this or any other issue—not even after a clean install of Windows 10.
Latest negative user review
Bbenkeenan
2.0
Atrocious, avoid!!Avira comes with various tools, including a start-up optimizer. As soon as I ran this tool, my hard drive crashed and the computer wouldn't turn on. I immediately called Avira's helpdesk, and they were either unable or unwilling to help. So I had no choice but to get an IT engineer to rebuild my machine, at a cost of £160. Avira refused to reimburse me this amount, only offering to refund my subscription and cancel my service. Really shoddy service and an unreliable product.
When I read that CyberGhost had been bought out by Kape — a company that used to be infamous for bundling adware into its downloads — alarm bells started ringing. I’ve recommended CyberGhost in the past as a trustworthy and easy-to-use VPN that suits beginners. But with its new ownership, I wondered if CyberGhost is even safe to use anymore
I did a deep dive into CyberGhost’s ownership...
Love it. Everything is covered!I have been using CyberGhost for over a year. I have Even referred friends because of the great safety features. The program is Small, works with Linux, does not slow my phone down, and the icon is cool too.
Latest negative user review
Norman
2.0
They tell me it is impossible for me to connect to UK Netflix!I've just been trying CyberGhost and had problems connecting to UK Netflix from where I am in South America. It just kept connecting to a different country, probably the US. When I asked their Support about it, I was told (and I have it in writing from a Chat) that to access UK Netflix from outside the UK, you MUST have a UK Netflix account! Can that possibly be true? I have never heard of that from any other VPN and I know NordVPN (so far) connects fine to UK Netflix with my local Netflix account.
Avira’s Phantom VPN comes from one of the more famous antivirus companies around. But making a high-quality VPN is a very different game.
Phantom VPN offers a modest network of 50 servers in 36 countries. With AES-256 encryption, OpenVPN support, and essential features like a kill switch, this service looks compact and secure.
However, looks can be deceiving. There’s much more you need ...
When I read that CyberGhost had been bought out by Kape — a company that used to be infamous for bundling adware into its downloads — alarm bells started ringing. I’ve recommended CyberGhost in the past as a trustworthy and easy-to-use VPN that suits beginners. But with its new ownership, I wondered if CyberGhost is even safe to use anymore
I did a deep dive into CyberGhost’s ownership...
No issuesI have no issues with this VPN (although I admit that it is from my favorite security company). Those who write about garbled text, for example, probably have their own operating system issues with which they should be concerned; I do not experience this or any other issue—not even after a clean install of Windows 10.
Les Astjak
10.0
Love it. Everything is covered!I have been using CyberGhost for over a year. I have Even referred friends because of the great safety features. The program is Small, works with Linux, does not slow my phone down, and the icon is cool too.
Latest negative user review
Bbenkeenan
2.0
Atrocious, avoid!!Avira comes with various tools, including a start-up optimizer. As soon as I ran this tool, my hard drive crashed and the computer wouldn't turn on. I immediately called Avira's helpdesk, and they were either unable or unwilling to help. So I had no choice but to get an IT engineer to rebuild my machine, at a cost of £160. Avira refused to reimburse me this amount, only offering to refund my subscription and cancel my service. Really shoddy service and an unreliable product.
Norman
2.0
They tell me it is impossible for me to connect to UK Netflix!I've just been trying CyberGhost and had problems connecting to UK Netflix from where I am in South America. It just kept connecting to a different country, probably the US. When I asked their Support about it, I was told (and I have it in writing from a Chat) that to access UK Netflix from outside the UK, you MUST have a UK Netflix account! Can that possibly be true? I have never heard of that from any other VPN and I know NordVPN (so far) connects fine to UK Netflix with my local Netflix account.
CyberGhost is feature-packed, but also incredibly easy to use — all thanks to the premade profiles for all purposes. There’s nothing difficult about Avira Phantom, but the excellent encryption and uptime are offset by a limited server roster and a shaky privacy policy.
CyberGhost is feature-packed, but also incredibly easy to use — all thanks to the premade profiles for all purposes. There’s nothing difficult about Avira Phantom, but the excellent encryption and uptime are offset by a limited server roster and a shaky privacy policy.
Avira Phantom doesn’t explicitly forbid P2P, but its stance on torrents is definitely ambiguous. CyberGhost is the ideal choice for torrenting, as it has plenty of P2P servers.
Avira Phantom doesn’t explicitly forbid P2P, but its stance on torrents is definitely ambiguous. CyberGhost is the ideal choice for torrenting, as it has plenty of P2P servers.
CyberGhost is a joy to use on any platform, but its Windows client really shines. The profile-based interface and arsenal of great features are the major highlights. Avira Phantom Pro is straightforward and has a kill switch and DNS leak protection, but not much else.
CyberGhost is a joy to use on any platform, but its Windows client really shines. The profile-based interface and arsenal of great features are the major highlights. Avira Phantom Pro is straightforward and has a kill switch and DNS leak protection, but not much else.
CyberGhost’s Android app offers the same exquisite experience on mobile like on desktop — it’s quite simple, yet packed with neat features. Avira Phantom offers one-tap protection and autoconnect on mobile, which is enough for many.
CyberGhost’s Android app offers the same exquisite experience on mobile like on desktop — it’s quite simple, yet packed with neat features. Avira Phantom offers one-tap protection and autoconnect on mobile, which is enough for many.
On Mac, CyberGhost retains the amazing profiles for easy protection or unblocking, along with the kill switch, DNS leak protection, and a plethora of useful settings. Avira Phantom also performs well on Mac, but doesn’t stand out with any special functionality.
On Mac, CyberGhost retains the amazing profiles for easy protection or unblocking, along with the kill switch, DNS leak protection, and a plethora of useful settings. Avira Phantom also performs well on Mac, but doesn’t stand out with any special functionality.
CyberGhost’s updated iOS app now packs as many features as its other native clients, and the seven simultaneous connections can be very useful for equipping multiple devices with a VPN. Avira Phantom Pro is a great VPN for iOS if you’re looking for just the basics, and it supports up to 5 devices at the same time.
CyberGhost’s updated iOS app now packs as many features as its other native clients, and the seven simultaneous connections can be very useful for equipping multiple devices with a VPN. Avira Phantom Pro is a great VPN for iOS if you’re looking for just the basics, and it supports up to 5 devices at the same time.
Owing to the huge server network and the extra focus on unblocking with the streaming profile, CyberGhost is an absolute favorite for bypassing US geoblocks and accessing tricky platforms like Netflix reliably. Avira Phantom’s 36+ servers are a bit modest, and advanced unblocking isn’t guaranteed.
Owing to the huge server network and the extra focus on unblocking with the streaming profile, CyberGhost is an absolute favorite for bypassing US geoblocks and accessing tricky platforms like Netflix reliably. Avira Phantom’s 36+ servers are a bit modest, and advanced unblocking isn’t guaranteed.
So, who’s the winner in this comparison? The answer is obvious — CyberGhost. Does that make Avira Phantom a bad VPN? Not at all. The two VPNs simply serve different needs. CyberGhost is an excellent all-purpose VPN, and nothing is out of reach for it. Avira Phantom focuses on the very basics: effortless use and solid encryption. It all depends on what you want out of your VPN — and if it involves anything other than baseline protection, CyberGhost is the better choice.
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