Being the largest country in the EU, Germany is home to a vast internet space with lots of interesting content. TV channels like ZDF and Das Erste (ARD) are very popular, as well as Netflix Germany, which houses a plethora of shows and movies to be excited about.
Unfortunately, people located outside of this country won’t be able to enjoy this content, as they’ll need a German IP address. An IP address located in this country will let you access local TV channels, and streaming platforms…
With it, you can also access banking services restricted to German residents and bet on betting sites no matter your location. But how do you even get a German IP? Well, you’ll need the help of a VPN, which I’m going to talk about in the following article. I promise to keep things short and to the point, so don’t run away just yet.
How Do I Get a German IP: All You Need To Know
As said, you’ll need to use a VPN to get a German IP, but first, you should know what it is. VPN is an abbreviation for Virtual Private Network, a service that lets you hide your original IP and replace it with an IP from another country.
In doing so, it encrypts your connection and routes it through a VPN tunnel, which grants several benefits. For one, encrypted traffic cannot be intercepted and read by your ISP, so you get the highest level of privacy.
Second, by changing your IP to another country, you can bypass geo-restrictions and unblock restricted sites legally. Best of all is that VPNs work on all devices and platforms, meaning that you can get a German IP on any of your devices by following the steps below.
1. Subscribe to a VPN for Germany
When I say a VPN for Germany, I think about a service that actually has servers in this country. For me, the best provider for this country is ExpressVPN because it offers 3,000+ high-speed servers in 105 countries and 160+ worldwide locations.
Needless to say, server coverage in this country is pretty impressive, with servers in 3 locations. We’re talking about 2 locations in Frankfurt and 1 location in Nuremberg. This is enough to unblock German Netflix or enjoy ZDF and Das Erste abroad.
Being the fastest and most secure VPN with unlimited bandwidth, this is the #1 choice. Besides, it offers a 49% discount and 3 months free for its 1-year plan, so you can save a LOT of money by getting its cheapest deal below.
Get a German IP With ExpressVPN
All of its plans are backed up by a 30-day money-back guarantee with no conditions, meaning that you don’t need to lose any money when testing this solution. Thus, just choose a plan, follow the steps, and subscribe.
2. Install a VPN on Your Device
Next, you want to download a VPN app on your device. This is possible only after subscribing, after which, you can choose which app you want. For this guide, I’m using my Windows PC, so I downloaded the setup file, installed it, and opened ExpressVPN’s application.
However, you should know that ExpressVPN offers one of the best VPNs for Amazon Fire TV Stick, iOS, Android, or even macOS.
Here, you’ll need to sign in by using the credentials you provided when purchasing the VPN. Once you do that, ExpressVPN will open up with a dashboard that looks like this:
3. Connect to a Server in Germany
From here, everything is simple. You need to open the server list by clicking on the three horizontal dots, choose All Locations, and select Europe from the server list. Once you do that, you’ll find Germany, so double-click on it to connect to a server.
ExpressVPN will turn green, indicating that the connection is successful and that you have a German IP address.
Conversely, you can get a German IP from particular locations. The only difference is in the last step, where you need to click on the arrow next to the name of the country. Then, you’ll see all locations that ExpressVPN offers, and by double-clicking on one of them, you can connect to a server.
4. Enjoy the Benefits of a German IP Address
Now that you know how to get a German IP address, it’s easy to tune in to ZDF live or watch Netflix abroad. You’ll feel like a proper resident, despite being located somewhere in Europe, Asia, Australia, or even America.
Alternative: Get a German IP Address With CyberGhost
While I prefer ExpressVPN due to its 160+ worldwide locations, CyberGhost is another awesome provider to get a German IP. Besides, it’s cheaper than ExpressVPN, so you can use it to achieve the same effect.
This provider has 1,500+ servers in this country, in 3 cities – Berlin, Dusseldorf, and Frankfurt. Coupled with solid security, dedicated streaming servers, and applications for all platforms, CyberGhost is another VPN worth considering.
It works the same way, though. You need to subscribe to it first, and I recommend using the button above to get a HUGE discount on its 2-year plan, which will drop the price to below $2.2 a month, offering a 45-day money-back guarantee in addition.
Immediately after subscribing, you’ll be able to use CyberGhost, so open its app, click on All Servers, and double-click on Germany. In a few seconds, you’ll have a German IP address the same way, making it easy to enjoy its numerous benefits.
NordVPN Also Offers a German IP: Check It Out
Aside from being safe, secure, and reliable, NordVPN has a huge server park. In Germany alone, the VPN has 240+ servers in Frankfurt and Berlin, making it ideal to get a German IP. NordVPN sports fast speeds thanks to its NordLynx protocol, which is handy for streaming and torrenting.
Besides, the VPN also has features like AES-256 encryption, Meshnet, and even a kill switch to prevent IP leaks. Users who decide on NordVPN can enjoy Double VPN servers for added encryption but above all, we’re talking about very affordable prices for a service like this.
Much like CyberGhost, the VPN has an exclusive discount that our readers can claim. The discount is tied to the 2-year plan, where you can get NordVPN for as low as under $3 a month – quite an attractive price. That’s not all, as there’s a 30-day refund policy to back up every purchase.
NordVPN is easy to use. Just subscribe to it, install the VPN, and connect to a server in Germany. Thanks to its snappy apps and fast connection speeds, the German IP will be yours in a second. Now, you can watch the Netflix catalog from this country, enjoy its TV channels, or be anonymous online.
Can I Get a German IP With Free VPNs or Proxies?
Right off the bat, I’ll tell you to avoid free proxies when wanting to change your IP or enjoy additional online security. They don’t have additional encryption and they lack the security features of ExpressVPN or CyberGhost, so they’re not safe to use.
One free proxy you can try is Hide.me Proxy, which lets you change your proxy location to Germany. However, even in this case, the solution is inferior, as it won’t let you unblock geo-restricted platforms like Netflix or Das Erste.
As for other unverified proxies, it’s easy to see that their background is unknown, so in most cases, you’re dealing with malicious services looking to steal your data. Free VPNs aren’t the same but they’re very similar in terms of security and privacy.
They also lack certain security features, on top of which, they limit your monthly bandwidth, provide slow speeds, and fail to unblock restricted content. Not to mention that free VPNs won’t offer any German servers, so you can’t get an IP from there at ALL!
All of this means that you should discard free providers and proxies and perform the steps using a bullet-proof VPN instead. ExpressVPN and CyberGhost are great choices to begin with.
Conclusion
With that said, you’ve learned how to get a German IP address with a VPN. Simply use ExpressVPN or CyberGhost, connect to a server in this country, and you’ll get a new IP address ready for use.
Don’t forget that you can change your IP address to any other country on the list, so don’t limit yourself to this one only. For example, you can get a US IP to watch Netflix US abroad or change your IP to the UK and access BBC iPlayer – it’s all up to you.
FAQ
To top it all up, let me answer a few more important questions.
Is getting a German IP legal?
Yes, it is. Using a VPN itself is already legal, so you can get any IP address you want with no legal repercussions. Of course, that is if you don’t plan on distributing copyrighted content, selling drugs, or performing any other illegal activities on the internet.
Can I get a German IP address on my mobile phone?
Yes, you can. As said, these VPNs work on every device, so the steps I presented are the same on your mobile phone. The difference is that you’ll download a VPN from Google Play or Apple Store, while the applications look and function pretty much the same.
How to watch German TV live abroad?
With a German IP address! Follow the steps listed in our article, change your IP, and visit any local channel you want. You’ll be able to tune in to the live stream even when located on the other side of the globe – that’s how powerful VPNs are.
More details can be found in our article explaining how to watch German TV channels from abroad.
Do I need a German IP in this country?
If you live in Germany, you won’t need this IP because connecting to any network there will automatically assign you a German IP – logically. However, that doesn’t mean you don’t need a VPN – you do, in fact.
Remember that Germany is part of the 9 Eyes alliance and a country in the EU. This means government surveillance is active, which means your privacy isn’t the most respected. Let’s also mention that the authorities frown upon torrenting, which can be masked with a VPN.
In short, you DO need a VPN in Germany but you don’t need to get this IP.
