Best VPN for Germany: Here’s Our Top 5

Being one of the largest countries in Europe, Germany is known for its vast internet space and a satisfying degree of online freedom. With all social media sites available and online bookmakers in place, you can do whatever you want while residing in Deutschland.

However, everything you do online is under the watchful eye of German ISPs due to the data-retention laws and past cooperation with the NSA. Indeed, this is a country within the 9 Eyes alliance, which means it’s no stranger to surveillance and data collection that will make your privacy quickly melt.

In addition, this country is notorious for stringent P2P file-sharing laws, which might get you in trouble for downloading even non-copyrighted material from torrent sites. Not to mention numerous geo-restrictions on streaming platforms like BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max.

All of this makes residents of this country search for the best VPN for Germany in 2024, to safeguard their privacy and bypass any kind of restrictions. Today, we present you with the 5 best German VPNs, so make sure you stay with us if you’re in dire need of one.

The 5 Best VPN in Germany (2024):

• ExpressVPN
• CyberGhost VPN
• NordVPN
• Surfshark
• ProtonVPN

Best VPN for Germany: Our Top 5 Providers

Having in mind everything I said, it’s clear that you’re going to need the best VPN provider with all of the bells and whistles. In addition, I made sure that these providers are great not only for those living in this country but people abroad as well.

Maybe you want to get a German IP to access German TV abroad or enjoy local online bookies outside of the country. With the providers below, that is entirely possible, so let’s check them out and analyze each of them.

1. ExpressVPN

If you want a VPN for Germany with no compromises, ExpressVPN should be at the top of your list. I mean, you get 3,000+ servers in 105 countries, with servers in 3 locations in this country – two locations in Frankfurt and one in Nuremberg.

We’re talking about high-speed 10 Gbps servers that provide exceptional performance and stability. Besides, ExpressVPN offers Lightway, a VPN protocol that ensures smoothness and security while browsing the web. Speaking of which, this is the most secure provider, as well.

With 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, IP leak protection, and Trusted Server technology, this VPN provider will make sure the watchful eyes of German ISPs can’t see you. In addition, it prides itself on having a certified no-logging policy, which is VERY important for this country.

This means that it stores no logs of your activities, IP address, or DNS requests, making you completely anonymous. As a result, you can use ExpressVPN to download torrents in Germany without problems by concealing your IP and pretending to be someone else entirely.

Streaming-wise, ExpressVPN takes things to another level. It works with 15+ Netflix catalogs including the German one, along with platforms like BBC iPlayer, Disney+, Hotstar, Hulu, and many more. ExpressVPN’s applications are dead simple to use, so beginners are more than welcome.

A crucial improvement for ExpressVPN is the addition of Advanced Protection. This feature can block ads, trackers, and malicious sites to make the internet a safer environment. It’s even useful for children due to Parental Control that can block adult sites.

It works on iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux, and Android, giving you 8 simultaneous connections in addition. Another important thing is that ExpressVPN works with non-conventional devices like PS5, Apple TV, and Fire Stick, which makes it even more useful for daily entertainment.

The only downside – if you can call it like that – is its price. Some say it’s expensive, but if you take into account its 49% discount and 3 free months for the annual plan, it’s actually more affordable. Plus, you get a 30-day unconditional money-back guarantee which makes testing it out risk-free!

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2. CyberGhost

CyberGhost has many reasons to be on the list of the best VPNs for Germany. Not only does it have 9,500 or so servers globally, but around 1,500+ of them enjoy their presence on German soil. In addition, it has 3 server locations here – Frankfurt, Berlin, and Dusseldorf.

All of these servers are blazing-fast, with some special benefits. CyberGhost comes with famous P2P and streaming servers and in this country, you can find both types. P2P servers are here for torrenting while streaming servers in Germany will let you unblock local TV channels and streaming platforms.

The VPN provider has servers in 100 countries, which also lets you unblock popular streaming platforms while residing in Germany. In terms of security, this affordable provider packs a punch – and a strong one at that!

Its 256-bit encryption and a kill switch are a killer combo for security, but I also like NoSpy servers, ad-blocker, split tunneling, and WireGuard support for added privacy. Indeed, CyberGhost stores absolutely no logs and it backs that up with transparency reports published four times a year.

The device compatibility of CyberGhost is excellent. It works with all platforms you can think of, allowing for 7 simultaneous connections on a single subscription. Truth be told, its desktop app can be confusing at times but its iOS and Android apps are as minimalistic as possible. In fact, its application does very well in our ranking of the best VPNs for Android.

CyberGhost offers bonus security features like antivirus and Security Updater, and although they’re paid additionally, I found them cheap and useful. This provider is really cheap overall and its 2-year plan is the one I recommend, given its sub-three-dollar monthly price.

A great addition is a 45-day money-back guarantee for all long-term plans, allowing you to test it out without risks for 45 days. If you’re dissatisfied, a refund is always an option but I think you’ll want to keep it for yourself because it’s affordable and reliable.

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3. NordVPN

With 5,500+ servers in above 60 countries around the world, NordVPN is surely among the largest providers. As a great VPN for Germany, it has 240+ servers in Berlin and Frankfurt, which people outside of this country will find useful.

Those in Germany will be happy that NordVPN’s main focus is privacy. Aside from a no-logging policy audited by PwC and Deloitte, NordVPN has tons of security features for you to enjoy. You get AES-256 encryption as well as IP/DNS leak protection, an automatic kill switch, and NordLynx, an in-house protocol.

NordVPN goes out of its way to include Threat Protection. It consists of malware protection, antivirus, and CyberSec, an ad-blocker, meaning it’s safe to browse the web without the danger of hackers. Even better is the fact that it has specialty servers.

I like its Double VPN server that will double your encryption but also P2P servers for torrenting anonymously in Germany. Streaming is also possible here, as NordVPN can unblock all popular platforms abroad, including German TV channels outside of Germany.

NordVPN has something called obfuscated servers, too. They’re here for bypassing censorship in certain countries. It offers 24/7 live chat support plus excellent device support with 6 simultaneous connections – a bit more than ExpressVPN.

Needless to say, you can use it for any purpose thanks to its wide variety of features and functionalities. Users on Windows reported a few connection issues from time to time which isn’t a big deal. Although, if you live in Germany, beware that this provider will be a bit more expensive than usual.

That is because it has VAT which is 19% in Germany, resulting in a 19% more expensive price. Even in this case, its 2-year plan is pretty affordable for what you get and it comes with a 30-day refund period, which is another great incentive. Read our NordVPN review for more details.

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4. Surfshark

Surfshark is among the youngest providers on this list, but rest assured it’s far from being bad. Its server fleet of 3,200+ servers in 100 countries is rather impressive, and here, servers in Germany are based in Frankfurt am Main and Berlin, although we don’t know their exact number.

Nevertheless, those who live in this country won’t care about that as much given its broad network around the globe. On top of that, the provider offers special incentives such as unlimited simultaneous connections, which will protect all your devices at no additional cost.

Compared to ExpressVPN or CyberGhost, Surfshark is a tad slower. However, I found it very useful for changing countries on Netflix or downloading torrents without noticeable speed losses. In addition, it offers MultiHop servers which is another name for NordVPN’s Double VPN.

Despite being very affordable, Surfshark didn’t skimp on security. Apart from bank-grade encryption, it offers full WireGuard support and a NoBorders mode for bypassing censorship. Users in Germany will like its kill switch plus IPv6 leak protection for added privacy.

Based in the British Virgin Islands, Surfshark’s jurisdiction is privacy-friendly as well. This spawns a no-logs policy with an external audit by Cure53 and Deloitte. One of its biggest qualities is the app – or apps for all devices. It’s very intuitive and smooth regardless of the platform.

If we factor in 24/7 support through live chat and the ability to buy Surfshark One – a subscription plan with an antivirus and a few other tidbits – we get a pretty impressive VPN for Germany in 2024. Impressive is its price as well, at around $2.5 a month for its 2-year plan.

On top of that, its 30-day money-back guarantee for all plans has no conditions, which once again, lets you test it out without the risk of losing money. More information can be found in our Surfshark review.

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5. ProtonVPN

My #5 best VPN for Germany in 2024 is ProtonVPN. This provider has impenetrable security and privacy that many premium providers fail to deliver. Granted, its server list isn’t impressive and you get around 3,000 of them in 65+ countries, which is a far cry from other VPNs on the list.

In Germany, there are nearly 110 servers in Berlin and Frankfurt, which should be enough for the majority of users. In spite of an average server fleet, ProtonVPN is surprisingly versatile and useful. Its servers are optimized for P2P and they’re streaming-friendly.

I never had any issues unblocking Netflix US or BBC iPlayer with it, all while being able to enjoy German TV channels live abroad. P2P file sharing is surprisingly fast with ProtonVPN as well and thanks to a feature called VPN Accelerator, you shouldn’t have any issues.

Now, when it comes to security, this VPN provider is more than great. You get Secure Core servers for tripling your encryption and there’s an ad-blocker called NetShield that I use often. Additionally, the service supports OpenVPN and WireGuard which gives you more choices.

Other useful features include port forwarding, military-grade encryption, split tunneling, and even IP leak protection. ProtonVPN has 10 simultaneous connections too and it can be used on the majority of systems, although its device compatibility isn’t the best out there.

Another thing worth pointing out is its free plan with unlimited bandwidth that is also secure. However, its best version is the premium one, which, unfortunately, isn’t exactly the cheapest. Its 2-year plan is the most affordable deal, yet, it costs around five bucks a month.

Compared to CyberGhost, NordVPN, or Surfshark, you can see that ProtonVPN is quite expensive. At least you get a 30-day money-back guarantee, but that doesn’t mean much when the price is high, to begin with. Yet, ProtonVPN still hasn’t figured out how to add 24/7 live chat support… Find our full review of ProtonVPN here.

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Which Germany VPN Should I Avoid?

As much as we value and appreciate what VPNs do for us each day, we must be honest and mention that there are bad ones. The 5 providers that we presented are great choices in and out of Germany, but given this country’s data retention laws and the lack of privacy, some providers are out of the picture.

We’re most likely referring to free VPN providers that have outdated security protocols, intrusive logging practices, and limited monthly bandwidth. However, even some premium providers are known for their lack of security and privacy, so let’s address a few free and paid options that aren’t good.

ZenMate VPN

ZenMate VPN is a provider under the umbrella of Kape Technologies. In other words, it’s a sister company of ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and PIA, but an inferior one. ZenMate saw no bigger improvements since its inception and offers average speeds and streaming performance.

In addition, the provider relies only on OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols, with no WireGuard support for better speeds. The worst thing is that it has no advanced security features and is based in one privacy-unfriendly jurisdiction.

I’ll let you guess which one… Germany! Having in mind data retention laws and its 9 Eyes partnership, having a VPN based in Germany isn’t such a great idea. Plus, its privacy policy is vague, which could indicate that this provider still stores logs of some of your vital data.

Recently, ZenMate actually joined forces with CyberGhost VPN, so the service doesn’t exist anymore. That said, CyberGhost is now a replacement for this provider, which ended up being a good thing. Besides, CyberGhost was always a superior VPN in every regard while offering its plans for cheap.

Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield is a US-based VPN provider, which makes things even worse if you ask me. Yes, Private Internet Access is also based in the US but so far, it proved its no-logging practices at least two times. Hotspot Shield, on the other hand, is a provider you want to avoid at ALL costs.

It offers paid and free versions, none of which are safe from a logging standpoint. Its parent company AURA shows us that the provider will store logs of your data, which includes info like device name, approximate location, and used bandwidth.

Also, the US is a founding member of the 5 Eyes alliance, whose backbone is data collection and sharing between the countries in that alliance. Hotspot Shield will also display ads in its free version and it’ll sell your data to third parties if you opt for its free plan.

All of this makes Hotspot Shield a poor option for surveillance-ridden Germany where you want no risks regarding your privacy.

PureVPN

PureVPN is far from the best VPN for Germany. Despite changing its jurisdiction to the British Virgin Islands, its shady past still looms over its head. The company behind PureVPN, Gaditek, is known for deceptive business practices such as buying VPN review sites and placing its products at the top unjustifiably.

Not to mention their involvement with the FBI, where PureVPN helped the authorities to arrest a suspect by giving out his IP address, despite claiming to have a no-logging policy. Other than that, PureVPN isn’t great in terms of performance, torrenting, and streaming.

This means that it won’t work with Netflix reliably, and despite having servers in Germany, its unblocking capabilities won’t get you very far. As you can guess, its biggest red flag is the fact that it’s untrustworthy and shady, which is enough for us to not recommend it. Read our PureVPN review to find out more about this service.

Some Free VPNs for Germany to Try

While we recommend strictly premium providers for a country like this, that’s not to say that there aren’t some great free VPNs for Germany – with a few limits here and there.

Atlas VPN

Atlas VPN comes with some awesome free features. It supports WireGuard and by extension, offers particularly great speeds for a free service. German VPN users won’t like that it has no servers in Deutschland but at least, you get 3 locations in the US and the Netherlands.

Another point is that Atlas VPN, despite being free, works with Netflix US and offers torrenting capabilities. This comes in handy when you have a simple-to-use application with 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and excellent IP/DNS leak protection.

Atlas VPN keeps no logs either and you can be sure your browsing history is never logged. After all, this is a fully audited VPN with the highest level of trustworthiness. It’s a shame that it’s limited to 5 GB of monthly bandwidth and offers no simultaneous connections in the free version.

Its paid version changes this to an extent and offers unlimited connections instead. But then again, you can get Surfshark for a similar price and enjoy the experience much more. Read our in-depth Atlas VPN review for more information about its free and paid versions.

PrivadoVPN

PrivadoVPN Is a free VPN with servers in Germany and 11 other locations. It’s fast, reliable, and capable of unblocking several Netflix libraries. PrivadoVPN offers 10 Gbps servers even in the free version, also supporting WireGuard, AES-256 encryption, and IPv6 leak prevention.

The VPN is simple to set up and requires no previous payments. Torrenting is allowed on all servers as well, on top of which, it stores no logs, as it’s based in Switzerland like ProtonVPN. The downside? Well, you get 10 GB of monthly traffic, no simultaneous connections, and no support for Linux.

PrivadoVPN also has no third-party audits, which is a shame considering that ALL other VPNs on this list have at least one. In the end, its limited traffic is going to ruin the experience no matter how good it is outside of it. That’s the painful truth for 99% of the free German VPNs.

ProtonVPN

As said, ProtonVPN has a free plan that offers unlimited bandwidth with the majority of security features. Its free version also supports WireGuard and offers a kill switch, split tunneling, and VPN Accelerator.

Unfortunately, this version doesn’t support Secure Core or NetShield, and you don’t get P2P and streaming support. Also, it comes with 3 server locations in the Netherlands, the USA, and Japan, which is a lot less than the 60+ countries you get otherwise.

As a free VPN for Germany, you can expect it to be significantly slower, with just one connection per account and no advanced features.

Hide.me

Hide.me is a bit faster than ProtonVPN and its free version packs the necessary security features. Although it doesn’t support WireGuard, OpenVPN is still decent for a free provider, especially if we have in mind its 24/7 live chat support and the ability to download torrents.

Unfortunately, you won’t get very far with it due to the 10 GB monthly bandwidth cap that will quickly run out. After all, Hide.me has no streaming support either and it offers just 5 server locations, out of which 2 are in the US, and one is in Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Much like ProtonVPN, it also limits you to one connection per account, so you can’t protect multiple devices simultaneously.

Summary

As you can see, finding a good VPN for Germany isn’t very hard in 2024. With providers like ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and others, it’s easy to get unlimited bandwidth, rock-solid security, impenetrable privacy, and streaming/torrenting capabilities.

All providers from my list are known to be safe and secure, with a few differences in pricing, performance, and other minor characteristics. Now that you know what is the best VPN for Germany, it’s up to you to decide – which one are you going to get? Let us know!

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Germany VPN – FAQ

In the end, let me sprinkle things up with a few frequently asked questions and answers about VPNs in Germany.

Is it legal to use a VPN in Germany?

Yes, of course. Using a VPN in Germany is 100% legal and you won’t get in trouble for using it for changing your IP and preserving your online privacy. Using it for illegal activities such as downloading copyrighted materials or selling drugs is not recommended and violates the true purpose of a VPN.

Worst of all, you can get in trouble if you’re caught, which can result in jail time or a pretty hefty fine. As long as you’re on the legal side of the law, you should have zero worries.

How safe is Germany in terms of online privacy?

Well, not much. The ISPs in this country are obligated to store user information on their servers, which is further exacerbated by its 9 Eyes membership. In other words, Germany cooperates with Western countries like the US and the UK in surveillance efforts and data collection.

5, 9, and 14 Eyes countries are known for these practices, as well as for sharing the collected information. This is a big red flag that should make you question your privacy while browsing the web in this country – or at least prompt you to get a VPN.

Can I watch German TV channels abroad?

Yes, but only if you get a German IP address with a VPN. German TV channels like ZDF and ARD are geo-restricted in other countries, so you need a VPN to unblock them. Thankfully, all VPN services from the list have servers in Germany, allowing you to do that.