Avira Prime vs. SoftEther VPN

Avira Antivirus has the quality of being multiplatform. It is available for Windows, Linux, and Mac, and in addition to its paid version, there is also a free version. As with most antivirus software, it is able to scan hard and removable drives for viruses, and it also runs as a background process, testing each file (both open and closed).

Incentivized

SoftEther VPN works easily, and extremely well through Azure, client-to-server, and in Layer 3 bridge mode between offices but it is not so easy to use from mobile devices, although we have had success, albeit with difficulty in the configuration.

Incentivized

• It runs in the background so it does not interrupt the actions that are being carried out.
• Work in real time allowing alerts to be issued immediately
• Offers plans with very accessible prices
• Your support team is very attentive, they are always available.
• Offers protection against known and advanced threats

• It just works—I have never had a single call from a client or end-user complaining that their VPN wasn't working.
• It can be configured to be super easy for end-users to use—Nearly transparent to them, in fact.
• It is very lightweight on devices and works extremely fast. So fast, in fact, that about the only issue I ever have with SoftEther VPN are related to users sometimes forgetting they are working remotely.

Incentivized

• Its level of protection in real time could be better when dealing with multiple threats. For example, it does not adequately block files that are auto-downloaded without the user's permission.

Incentivized

• We have has some issues where their default port won't connect through an AT&T wireless AP, but creating an exception for it on the AP or changing the port always gets it working.

Incentivized

Since the product runs really well overall, and I haven't really run into any major issues, I have not had a need to contact the vendor directly for support. I have perused the vendor's site for other support channels, and they do have a number of good support options, such as submitting a request, KB articles, and Community forums. One support option that does not seem to be available (or might be really hard to find) is a direct line to call for phone support. As an individual or business member you can submit a request via a web form, which then will be sent to the tech support team, at which point they will call you.

Incentivized

Bitdefender Antivirus - another product that I have used for a number of years. Avira has some big advantages over other AV products on the market today. One of the big advantages is that in most AV tests of AV products, Avira most often scores at the very top of the list, for both performance and detection rates in discovering viruses/malware. Another big advantage that Avira, compared to some other big-name AV products out there, is that Avira tends to use little system resources when installed/running on a client machine. This is an important aspect when choosing an AV product.

Incentivized

I had experienced several reliability issues soon after Pertino VPN-as-a-Service was acquired by Cradlepoint where the service would go down for a supposed update but would be down for long periods. And that was just one of several issues that caused me grief. I started looking around for a suitable replacement and came across SoftEther VPN, a project by the University of Tsukuba, Japan, quite by accident. I fell in love with its ease of implementation, low device cost, ease of Admin control, and ease of use for end-users, in addition to its near-zero downtime reliability, and the fact that I have total control over its operation and maintenance.

Incentivized

• the main thing is that for some time now my PC has not been infected with any virus, and I have not lost any more information, so I have all the documents and presentations ready to do my classes.

Incentivized

• I went from a Pertino/Cradlepoint VPN-as-a-Service requiring no hardware to a SoftEther VPN Client/Server configuration and that required the purchase of a tiny server to run SEVPN. It could have been a Linux box or Windows and I chose Windows, so there was a minimal cost for the Windows 10 device but it eliminated the monthly service cost and has historically been far more reliable.
• We went from about $12/user/month on Cradlepoint perimeter81 to $0/user/month after about a $500 investment in hardware, so just one of my clients has been saving $300/month after the initial $500 for the "Server" device.

Incentivized