Avira Phantom VPN Vs Hotspot Shield 2023: They Both Suck (or Rock) - Our Review!

When it comes to VPNs, you have two major choices. CyberGhost and Avira Phantom. The latter is a popular choice, as it promises great speeds and privacy. On the other hand, the former is considered to be a little less reliable. However, it's worth checking out both options, as they can provide you with excellent services.

CyberGhost VPN

If you're looking for a VPN that can help you out with accessing tricky platforms like Netflix or Hulu, CyberGhost is probably your best bet. This service has a strong set of features and the ability to bypass US geoblocks. However, it's also a bit pricey, especially if you opt for the pricier monthly package.

Luckily, you can try out CyberGhost's VPN service for free. Its official website offers a free trial that lasts up to 24 hours. You'll be able to test out all of its premium features. After that, you can either subscribe to the service, or you can use a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Although the features on offer at CyberGhost are impressive, its privacy policy could be a bit more transparent. The company does not monitor DNS requests, and does not keep data about browsing habits.

However, it does have a solid firewall and split tunneling system to help keep your information safe. Another nice touch is a kill switch.

CyberGhost's server network is also huge, at more than 2,200 servers in 60+ countries. These are all equipped with the AES 256-bit encryption standard.

The company offers a number of useful extras, including a handy antivirus option, a live chat feature, and an optional "stealth" setting to help you bypass censorship in China. But if you're concerned about your privacy, you might want to look elsewhere.

One thing to note is that CyberGhost only lets you connect seven devices to its VPN at a time. While this is a pretty good number, it might be a little disappointing if you're a heavy Netflix or Hulu user.

On the positive side, CyberGhost is one of the few services that accepts Bitcoin. In addition, its official website has a nice-looking design and lots of information about the company.

However, it also lacks independent security audits. That's not to say that it's untrustworthy, however.

Despite its flaws, CyberGhost VPN still has a strong place in the market. Its large user base and dedicated apps for all major platforms make it a worthy competitor.

Avira Phantom VPN

Avira Phantom VPN is a free, secure VPN service with solid speeds and security. It is available through the company's website or an app. In addition, it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Unlike other services, Avira doesn't track what you do online. That's because it uses cloud-based antivirus scanners to identify suspicious sites and block them. They also don't keep logs of websites you visit, and they don't track your IP address.

If you're looking for privacy, Avira Phantom VPN has a good track record, though it can still have some pitfalls. For instance, it isn't as transparent as other companies, and it lacks a knowledge section. And it doesn't have the widest tunneling protocol selection.

Avira Phantom VPN's free tier is limited to 500 MB of traffic. You can upgrade to a paid plan for longer browsing. But that plan is also limited to three simultaneous connections.

The app is easy to install, and it automatically launches when Windows starts. You can switch it to "light" or "dark" mode. You can configure it to launch when Windows boots, or you can set it to automatically connect on certain Wi-Fi networks.

If you're looking for a more robust security solution, you might want to consider Hotspot Shield. This VPN service has a lot of servers in a wide range of countries. Plus, its extension works with a variety of devices, and it uses military-grade encryption to hide your IP.

Avira doesn't have as many servers as some of its competitors. But its server speed is excellent. Avira's VPN can deliver a download speed of 5.71 Mbit/s, and a upload speed of 1.92 Mbit/s.

However, it is important to keep in mind that TCP is generally slower than UDP, so your speed might be reduced. Even so, it's probably sufficient for most online activities.

There are a few extra features in the paid version of the VPN, such as a kill switch. You can also opt for a smart monitor, which activates the VPN when you're connected to an untrustworthy network.

Avira also accepts credit cards, PayPal, and Bitcoin Cash.

Speeds

If you're looking for a VPN service, there are many options available. The best option for you depends on how you want to use the Internet. You can use it to secure your browsing and data, or simply to bypass geo-restrictions.

Avira Phantom VPN is a solid PC security tool. It supports a wide variety of devices, including Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. Although it has limited features, it is still a good option for casual users.

Avira offers a 30-day money back guarantee. While this isn't a common feature in the VPN software industry, it does give you peace of mind.

Avira does not collect information about its free users. That means it doesn't track your IP address, websites you visit, or other data. However, it does log your bandwidth usage.

When using Avira's free version, you're limited to five simultaneous connections. Some paid VPNs, on the other hand, only allow three. This can be a problem if you're planning to stream Netflix or download large files.

However, it's possible to avoid this by signing up for a monthly plan. As with other services, you'll get access to a number of servers. They range from the US to countries in Asia and Europe.

Avira's VPN is a decent option for both casual and more serious users. In addition to the standard protections, you'll have a built-in kill switch, which helps prevent a connection from being cut off if a certain condition arises.

However, while it's easy to find a server in your country, it's not as straightforward to locate the nearest one. Also, it's important to keep in mind that some of the cheapest plans don't offer any additional benefits.

Using a VPN can also protect you from political retribution. Unlike the popular Onion Router, which only reroutes traffic signals across several points around the world, a VPN can block the government from monitoring your Internet activity.

If you're looking for a VPN with great security and an affordable price, Avira is a great choice. With its transparent logging policy and excellent encryption, it's a great way to keep your data safe.

Privacy

Avira Phantom VPN promises to keep your data safe. Using 256-bit encryption, the VPN service offers secure internet surfing and anonymity. However, it does not have the largest server fleet. Moreover, it doesn't support Linux and SmartTVs.

In addition, Avira Phantom VPN has a 30-day refund policy. You can also contact Avira through email, phone, and message boards. It's worth mentioning that the free version only supports a limited amount of data. The paid plan allows unlimited data.

When you first sign up with Avira, you have to fill in your name, ZIP code, and country location. After that, you're asked to choose a virtual location. That's a bit confusing. Most VPN services have this feature.

Besides that, you'll need to enter a credit card, PayPal, or SEPA direct debit. If you're using a cryptocurrency, you won't be able to use the VPN.

Unlike other VPNs, Avira Phantom VPN doesn't log information about websites you visit. However, it does track how much data you use.

The company's website states that it uses 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard, which is the same as what most banking and password managers use. This encryption is uncrackable, so it isn't too easy to brute-force.

Despite its promise of a solid privacy policy, Avira Phantom VPN does collect some information. Avira doesn't explicitly state how credentials are hashed, but it is likely that they are based on a complex algorithm. As a result, the company must adhere to data retention laws.

On the other hand, Hotspot Shield does not collect any of this information. Additionally, it offers military-grade encryption, which is useful for securing your connection.

Compared to Avira Phantom, Hotspot Shield is a better choice for privacy. The freemium security tool only connects to a single location, but it uses military-grade encryption and WebRTC technologies to keep your IP from being logged.

While Avira is a reliable VPN, its free version doesn't have the features and options of Hotspot Shield. Nevertheless, it offers solid download and upload speeds. Furthermore, it has a kill switch, which is useful for preventing your Internet connection from being terminated.