We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
Advertising Disclosure

vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

ExpressVPN vs Avira Phantom VPN 2024

Table of Contents
    Our Score: 9.9/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Our Score: 5.9/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Editor's Note: Transparency and impartiality are important to us when bringing you our best selection of VPNs. Some of the industry-leading products on our list, including Intego, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost, and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company. The VPNs we choose are derived from a thorough testing process.

    Which VPN is better?

    Author Image Kristina Perunicic
    Kristina Perunicic

    Former Managing Editor

    ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs in the market with its blazing fast and amazing 24/7 technical support. Avira Phantom VPN also comes highly rated as it is backed by one of the most reputable internet security providers in the market. Both VPNs clearly have privacy and security as a top priority as they have a strict no logging policy and use a AES 256-bit encryption system in securing your data.

    ExpressVPN provides users with access to over 1500 servers in 94 countries while Avira Phantom VPN (including Pro version) has 36 servers in 25 countries including the US. Both VPNs are ideal for streaming from services like Netflix and Hulu on their dedicated US servers.

    Avira’s standout feature is that it permits an unlimited amount of simultaneous connections whereas ExpressVPN only accepts 5 at a time. Avira Phantom VPN also offers a Free version which has a 500MB to 1GB bandwidth alongside it’s Pro version which is reasonably priced. Meanwhile, ExpressVPN is solely a Premium VPN although it offers a 7-day free trial and has a 30-day money back guarantee just like Avira. Read on to find out which VPN is better.

    Our Score

    Features 9.9/10
    Pricing 9.4/10
    Ease of Use 10.0/10
    Reliability & Support 10.0/10
    Features 5.9/10
    Pricing 6.6/10
    Ease of Use 6.6/10
    Reliability & Support 4.0/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image James Everard
    James Everard

    Senior Writer

    Our Score: 9.9/10

    ExpressVPN is one of the most popular and trusted names in the industry. It’s known for being one of the safest, fastest VPNs around, so I wanted to see if it can live up to these claims. It’s not the cheapest VPN, but it often offers discounts that make it a better value for the money. Other decent VPNs offer similar features for less in the long term. So, do you really need to pay that much...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    D
    Dijana
    10.0/10
    Amazing quality

    ExpressVPN is fantastic! It offers blazing fast speeds, strong security features, and a user-friendly ... interface. Perfect for streaming, browsing, and protecting your online privacy. Highly recommended!More

    Latest negative user review
    C
    Charli
    6.0/10
    Ok, but expensive

    Seems ok, but I wouldn't say it's worth $20AUD a month. That's steep if you live in a backwater like A... ustralia, where the currency is not valuable. Easy enough to set up - you don't need to be Einstein - but unless you're a tech nerd who can take a look under the bonnet, you'll just have to trust what they say about their product. It frequently drops out without the slightest warning, often when it's the only thing online at the time - despite fast and flawless fiber internet, rendering expression entirely useless UNLESS you have it sitting on your desktop where you can keep an eagle eye on it to actually see it when it drops out so you can kick it back into service again (it doesn't do it by itself), which seems to defeat its purpose, so I'm taking away 2 stars for that. Support is good and they do get back to you as fast as they can.More

    Read the full review
    Review by our expert
    Author Image Doris Muthuri
    Doris Muthuri

    Senior Writer

    Our Score: 5.9/10

    Avira has an extremely popular free antivirus software and offers both free and premium VPNs. However, just because the company has one renowned security option doesn't mean it makes one of the best VPNs. Can the free Avira VPN really keep you safe, and is it worth trying the premium version? To find out, I ran extensive tests on everything both versions of Avira Phantom VPN provide. That meant...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    A
    Anonymously
    10.0/10
    No issues

    I 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.More

    Latest negative user review
    J
    Joe
    6.0/10
    The only problem i have had is disconnects

    Easy to install, speed is good and many servers to choose from. However if I understood the author cor... rectly, there is not an unlimited number of devices you can connect. The first level is only five devices and then the next level is 25 devices. I now have 7 devices with Avira mounted. The problem I have had is that it randomly disconnects. It doesn't seem to happen often, perhaps once a day, but it is disconcerting. Checking with the help desk via email, I was advised to completely uninstall and reinstall, Unfortunately, that has not helped. The other issue is that a site called subscribe star seems to block it sometimes after you have logged in. That is, suddenly you get the "FORBIDDEN" window popping up and you cannot click on anything on the site's screen. I am guessing that the site has some sort of VPN restrictions but I am not sure. I am trying to contact them about the issue. It only seems to happen when I am running VPN.More

    Read the full review

    Pricing

    Starting price $4.99/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license 8 devices
    Starting price $5/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 60 Days
    Number of devices per license 5 devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall

    ExpressVPN has a reputation for being very reliable with so many servers. Meanwhile Avira Phantom VPN (Free and Pro) places security as a top priority with a strict no logs policy.

    Best VPN for Torrents

    ExpressVPN has blazing fast servers with unlimited bandwidth which is essential for smooth torrenting. Avira has fast servers ideal for streaming Netflix and Hulu, but does not allow torrenting.

    Best VPN for Windows

    ExpressVPN has a Windows app which is really user friendly and gives access to it ver 1500 servers. Avira also has a dedicated Windows app with a best-in-class 256-bit AES encryption.

    Best VPN for Android

    Avira Phantom VPN has a very user friendly Android app which provides access to its fast servers from your mobile devices. Meanwhile, ExpressVPN is very easy to install and set up on Android devices, and it’s quite user-friendly.

    Best VPN for Mac

    ExpressVPN allows you easily integrate the VPN to your Mac using its dedicated application. Avira Phantom VPN is also compatible with the Mac and has a DNS leak protection.

    Best VPN for iOS

    Avira allows an unlimited amount of simultaneous connection which is ideal if you have several iOS devices. ExpressVPN allows 5 simultaneous connections to its ultrafast servers, and its iOS app is easy to use.

    Best VPN for USA

    ExpressVPN has a lot of US dedicated VPN servers and allows you access US content from China. Avira VPN also has dedicated US servers which are great for bypassing geoblocks on services like Netflix and Hulu.

    The Bottom Line

    See Plans & Pricing

    Both VPNs are very similar in terms of their features but ExpressVPN provides a better service because of its overall reliability, availability of servers, and its platform coverage. ExpressVPN is also available on every major platform including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Smart TVs and even Routers.

    If you want a decent free VPN, Avira is a good choice. But if you’re already paying for a premium service, ExpressVPN in the way to go.

    Time to decide which one is best for you

    Go with ExpressVPN
    Go with Avira Phantom VPN
    Or click here to check best VPNs, rated by {{review_count}} users

    FAQ

    Is ExpressVPN better than Avira Phantom VPN?

    Yes, ExpressVPN is better overall than Avira Phantom VPN. It has 3000 servers in 105 countries, fast speeds, and impressive security features.

    Best of all, you can take advantage of its latest discount and get it for only $4.99 a month.

    What should I keep in mind when choosing between ExpressVPN and Avira Phantom VPN?

    When choosing a VPN, you want to pay close attention to its number of servers, overall speed score, pricing, and the number of simultaneous device connections it offers. While some VPNs provide a flawless online experience, others will really slow you down.

    If you’re ready to commit, then ExpressVPN may be perfect for you due to its performance during the tests .

    Is ExpressVPN faster than Avira Phantom VPN?

    Yes, ExpressVPN is faster than Avira Phantom VPN. Since your VPN is your computer’s main connection to the internet, you need to use a service that won’t slow you down by more than 20%.

    If speeds are important to you, then I recommend you take a look at ExpressVPN. It’s the fastest service out there, provides unlimited bandwidth, and you won’t experience any slowdowns even when you connect to the other side of the planet. You can try it out risk-free. It’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can get a full refund if you don’t like it.

    Do ExpressVPN or Avira Phantom VPN offer any deals?

    Both ExpressVPN and Avira Phantom VPN offer deals on occasion. You can check out the current coupons and discounts here. However, ExpressVPN has the best deals. Right now, you can get a 82% discount and up to 3 months for free with a new subscription.

    We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
    Learn more
    vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

    About the Author

    Kristina Perunicic is a former editor for vpnMentor. She’s a cybersecurity expert with an interest in VPNs and their importance in the digital privacy landscape.