6 Best VPN For Germany (Updated 2023) – Secure And Fast

Germany has some of the greatest data privacy regulations in the world, but the 2013 Snowden leaks highlighted numerous reasons why German people may wish to consider using the best VPN for Germany to access the internet. The country’s primary foreign intelligence agency has previously collaborated with the NSA, and the government has attempted to impose data retention regulations.

Germany has clear restrictions that make copyrighted material P2P filesharing unlawful. For example, Internet service providers in the whole country will collaborate with legal firms to try torrents. The country’s fair use rule, which would enable limited educational or creative use of copyrighted content without permission, is less clear. This is another incentive to use a reliable VPN.

We go into detail about each of our suggestions below, but if you simply want a quick overview, here’s our list of the top VPN services for Germany:

Quick Comparison Table: The Best Germany VPN

Here is a quick comparison of the top six best VPN for Germany Reddit to use in 2023:

VPNs
Rank	1	2	3	4	5	6
Worldwide Servers	3000+ servers in 94 countries	3200+ servers in 100 countries	5500+ servers in 60 countries	+ servers in 91 countries	2000+ servers in 75+ countries	35000+ servers in 84 countries
Servers in Germany	3 server locations	2 server locations	240+ servers	1638 servers	50+ servers	2 server locations
Avg. Speed	89.42 Mbps	81.32 Mbps	83.82 Mbps	75.47 Mbps	86.75 Mbps	65.78 Mbps
Multi-Logins	5	Unlimited	6	7	Unlimited	Unlimited
Unblocks	HBO Max, Netflix, ZDF, ARD Mediathek, and more	HBO Max, Netflix, ZDF, ARD Mediathek, and more	HBO Max, Netflix, ZDF, ARD Mediathek, and more	HBO Max, Netflix, ZDF, ARD Mediathek, and more	HBO Max, Netflix, ZDF, ARD Mediathek, and more	HBO Max, Netflix, ZDF, ARD Mediathek, and more
Compatibility	Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, routers	Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, routers	Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, routers	Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, routers	Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, routers	Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, routers
Best For	Overall Best VPN	Budget-friendly VPN	Largest Sever Network VPN	User-friendly VPN	Fast-speed VPN	Torrenting VPN
Pricing	EUR 6.26/mo (US$ 6.67/mo) (Get 49% Off + 3 Months FREE on its 12-Month Plan)	EUR 2.16/mo (US$ 2.30/mo) (Get 84% + 2 Months FREE on 2-Year Plan)	EUR 3.75/mo (US$ 3.99/mo) (Get 57% Off + 3 Months FREE on 2-Year Plan)	EUR 1.98/mo (US$ 2.11/mo)	EUR 3.13/mo (US$ 3.33/mo)	EUR 1.98/mo (US$ 2.11/mo)

6 Best VPN Providers for Germany (In-Depth Analysis 2023)

Choosing the best VPN for Germany free isn’t an easy job, so for your convenience, we’ve done it for you. After testing 150+ VPNs based on their unblocking capabilities, server network, connection speeds, and other factors, we’ve curated this list. Let’s have a look:

1. ExpressVPN – The Best Secure and Super-fast VPN for Germany

ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Germany for iPhone simply because it checks out all our boxes. It is an excellent option for geo-unblocking, offers dedicated apps for most operating systems, and provides the fastest speeds among all the VPNs we’ve considered.

ExpressVPN’s server list consists of 3000+ servers in 94 countries, several of which are housed in Germany, including Frankfurt and Nuremberg. These servers are highly efficient for torrenting, gaming, streaming, and unblocking any websites unavailable in Germany due to geo-restrictions.

ExpressVPN offers 3 server locations in Germany.

With ExpressVPN, you can watch local German channels too from abroad, including Das Erste, Bayerischer Rundfunk, ZDF, and BT Sport in Germany. You can also unblock foreign streaming services like US Netflix with ExpressVPN, HBO Max, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, NBC, and many more services in Germany. That’s why it is the best VPN for Netflix Germany.

ExpressVPN’s German servers unblocked Zattoo for us within seconds.

On our ExpressVPN speed tests, we received a download speed of 89.42 Mbps and an upload speed of 84.64 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection to users.

ExpressVPN servers delivered speeds worthy of smooth streaming.

The provider is situated in the British Virgin Islands, so it is pretty good at ensuring no customer logs are stored, and users’ privacy is maintained. Still, we thought it would be good to run a few DNS and IP leak tests with ExpressVPN.

ExpressVPN allows 8 simultaneous connections on a single account. It is compatible with most operating systems like Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, and more. We had no issues setting up ExpressVPN on FireStick, Roku, smart TVs, and multiple other devices.

In addition, our ExpressVPN review highlights that the VPN offers excellent connectivity and features such as split-tunneling, internet kill switch, and obfuscated servers to give German citizens that extra bit of privacy. You can also find the procedure for Germany VPN free download in the review.

However, the service is more expensive than the standard rates of most other VPNs. ExpressVPN costs only EUR 6.26/mo (US$ 6.67/mo) (Get 49% Off + 3 Months FREE on its 12-Month Plan). Nonetheless, you can claim a refund within 30 days if the service is not up to the mark for any reason. You can also get ExpressVPN free trial for iOS and Android devices to test the services before getting a subscription.

2. Surfshark – Budget-friendly VPN for Germany

Surfshark is a budget-friendly VPN for Germany as it just costs EUR 2.16/mo (US$ 2.30/mo) (Get 84% + 2 Months FREE on 2-Year Plan). It offers multiple cost-effective subscription plans that have made it popular among internet users looking for an affordable VPN.

Surfshark’s server list shows that it offers 3200+ servers extending to 100 countries, including Berlin and Frankfurt.

Surfshark offers 2 server locations in Germany.

The German servers are highly efficient for accessing local streaming channels like Zatto , ZDF, ARD, and 7TV, which are geo-restricted abroad.

Surfshark offered budget-friendly plans for us to unblock German TV in the US.

We had no issues streaming international sites like HBO Max with Surfshark, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Hayu, and many more. It is easily the best VPN to use for Netflix in Germany.

So, if you’re traveling away from Germany for a while, Surfshark can be incredibly helpful. Based on our Surfshark speed tests, we recorded a download speed of 81.32 Mbps and an upload speed of 76.12 Mbps on our 100 Mbps internet connection.

Surfshark servers were able to bypass geo-restrictions within seconds.

With support for unlimited simultaneous connections, you can stream your favorite content on multiple devices at the same time.

Surfshark offers native apps for iOS, Android, Windows, and other OS. As a result, we didn’t face any issues installing and setting up Surfshark on Roku, FireStick, PlayStation, and more devices.

Furthermore, the provider is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, a country where laws support individual privacy. For people in Germany, this is a really positive thing for their privacy, considering that local ISPs in Germany retain logs of users for 10 weeks.

But a VPN is considered secure if it successfully passes the DNS and IP leak test. In our Surfshark review, the VPN cleared our DNS and IP leak test with flying colors. We did not doubt this provider from the start, but it was good to see some reassurance.

Surfshark comes packed with privacy-enhancing features such as CleanWeb and MultiHop to protect Germans from cybercriminals and online snooping from any third parties.

Despite Surfshark’s price, the provider is a very desirable option with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Be sure to test Surfshark’s free trial for mobile users as well to get an idea about its services.

3. NordVPN – Most Secure VPN for Germany

NordVPN is the most secure VPN for Germany as it checks all our boxes thanks to its excellent support for OpenVPN protocol and zero-logs privacy policy. NordVPN’s server list consists of 5500+ servers in 60 countries, including 240+ of these within Berlin and Frankfurt.

NordVPN offers 240+ servers in Germany.

In addition, it provides excellent features such as Onion over VPN, CyberSec, Double VPN, optimized servers for HD streaming, and anti-DDoS servers to consolidate your privacy if you want to stay protected from any form of surveillance.

Therefore, people in Germany can benefit from this vast network to evade any geo-restrictions on websites both within and outside the country. Using NordVPN’s Germany servers, we were able to unblock ProSieben without any issues:

NordVPN servers unblocked ProSieben within seconds and allowed us to watch Scrubs without any buffering.

You can also easily access global streaming platforms like Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, HBO Now, and Sky Go in Germany. Based on our experience, it is the best VPN for watching DirecTV in Germany. So whether you’re a German resident or traveling outside, NordVPN is efficient for both.

When testing NordVPN for speed, it recorded an average speed of 83.82 Mbps and an upload speed of 44.64 Mbps on our 100 Mbps connection.

We experienced only a 17% drop in its servers.

The provider is based in Panama, and thus this VPN promises a log-less service by taking advantage of the lack of data logging regulations in Panama. This makes it very appealing for privacy-seeking users in Germany.

Since this VPN allows 6 simultaneous connections, you can set up NordVPN on FireStick, smart TVs, Roku, PlayStation, and multiple other devices.

In our NordVPN review, when we tested this service for any DNS and IP leak vulnerabilities, we found nothing out of the ordinary. NordVPN was able to hide our actual German IP completely.

NordVPN costs EUR 3.75/mo (US$ 3.99/mo) (Get 57% Off + 3 Months FREE on 2-Year Plan), but all those features, along with a 30-day refund policy make this VPN an excellent choice to use in Germany. You can also check out NordVPN’s free trial to try its features on mobile.

4. CyberGhost – User-friendly VPN for Germany

CyberGhost is a user-friendly VPN for Germany. The provider offers customized modes for streaming, torrenting, and online gaming in all of its applications to provide the most optimized user-friendly experience.

CyberGhost has 9700+ servers in 91 countries, and 1638 of these are in Berlin, Frankfurt, and Dusseldorf. Most of these servers are optimized for torrenting, so if you need to download some torrents without German agencies spying on you, this service is quite reliable.

CyberGhost offers 1343 servers in Germany.

With around a thousand servers in Germany alone, our international readers or German expatriates will be able to easily watch popular German channels such as RTL (German TV channel), ProSieben, VOX, and Kabel Eins from abroad. It is the best VPN for Germany to watch HBO.

You can also unblock other international streaming sites like Netflix with CyberGhost, Hulu, Hayu, BBC iPlayer, and more.

We were able to watch plenty of shows and movies on American Netflix using CyberGhost servers.

On our CyberGhost speed tests, we received a download speed of 75.47 Mbps and a 69.34 Mbps of upload speed.

CyberGhost provided excellent speeds for streaming and browsing through most websites.

The provider is based in Romania, which is free from any kind of data retention laws. So it is a safe choice for users that want to stay away from any data logging that German ISPs are involved in. We tested CyberGhost’s DNS and IP leak protection mechanism and found it quite efficient. Our actual IP was completely masked.

CyberGhost also offers 7 simultaneous connections, and you can avail of a 45-day refund period, which is more than what the other providers on this list offer. We were able to successfully set up CyberGhost on Kodi, Roku, FireStick, and multiple other devices.

In our CyberGhost review, we found it to be a decent VPN for German users who want to enhance their privacy online. Price-wise CyberGhost only costs EUR 1.98/mo (US$ 2.11/mo) . Feel free to opt for CyberGhost free trial available for 7 days on iOS and Android devices.

5. IPVanish – Fastest VPN for Germany

IPVanish is the fastest VPN for Germany. During our testing, it constantly offered lightning-fast speeds to help you browse the web safely and download anything without any delay.

IPVanish’s server list shows 2000+ servers in 75+ locations, including 50+ in Frankfurt. If you are in Germany and cannot access some streaming websites because of geo-restrictions, this VPN can effectively grant you access with an overall speed of 85 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection.

In our IPVanish speed test, on average, we received a download speed of 86.75 Mbps and an upload speed of 73.67 Mbps, and there were no buffering issues.

No significant speed drop was recorded during IPVanish speed testing.

In contrast, the impressive network of local German servers is useful for expatriates that want access to websites back home, such as their bank. You can also utilize the German servers to access channels like ZDF and 7TV abroad with zero buffering at 4K Ultra-HD picture quality.

You can also use IPVanish with Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, Paramount+, and multiple other streaming services while you reside in Germany.

We successfully unblocked HBO Max using IPVanish servers.

IPVanish is headquartered in the United States. While many users may get worried about their online privacy due to this fact, rest assured, IPVanish’s zero-log policy guarantees that there isn’t any data stored about you or your online activities.

Considering that there are data retention laws in Germany and the country is also a part of the 14 Eyes Alliance, a no-logging policy is essential for Germans who want to stay invisible to intelligence agencies’ surveillance.

We also tested IPVanish for any potential DNS and IP leaks, we were glad to see that there wasn’t any leak, and our online identity and privacy were completely hidden.

Based on our IPVanish review, the provider also offers privacy-boosting features such as a built-in ad-blocker, an internet kill switch, and split tunneling. German users can keep their online activities well hidden with this VPN.

In terms of devices, IPVanish is compatible with macOS, Android, iOS, Windows, and other operating systems. There were no issues setting up IPVanish on Roku, FireStick, smart TVs, and more.

At the cost of EUR 3.13/mo (US$ 3.33/mo) , IPVanish becomes the 2nd least expensive VPN after Surfshark. It offers unlimited simultaneous connections and a 30-day refund policy with every premium subscription. You can also get your hands on IPVanish free trial to test the services before getting a subscription.

6. Private Internet Access – Best VPN for torrenting in Germany

PIA VPN is the best VPN for torrenting in Germany. Port forwarding, strict zero-log policy, and SOCKS5 compatibility make this provider an ideal choice for safe, secure, and anonymous torrenting in Germany. Private Internet Access server list offers 35000+ servers across 84+ countries, including 2 server locations in Germany.

Private Internet Access also offers 2 server locations in Germany.

These servers help you unblock popular German channels like NDR, ZDF, Das Erste, and others from abroad. You can also access international geo-restricted services, be it Netflix with PIA, Hulu, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer in Germany, and so on. Based on our experience, Private Internet Access is the best VPN for Pandora in Germany. You can easily unblock German TV in USA, UK, Australia and other countries using PIA.

Unblocking BBC iPlayer in Germany was a piece of cake using PIA servers!

On our PIA speed tests, the servers provided us with a download speed of 65.78 Mbps and an upload speed of 57.16 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection.

PIA servers provided adequate speeds for streaming and browsing.

Despite being a USA-based VPN service, PIA provides a zero-logging feature that lets German user preserve their identity from government surveillance in the right way.

It’s also quite compatible with various platforms like Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux, and you can even configure PIA on routers.

Likewise, our PIA VPN review highlights that you can use other enticing privacy features like an internet kill switch, split tunneling, Port Forwarding, and dedicated IP to provide you with optimized torrenting in Germany. PIA is also very good at ensuring that your online identity isn’t exposed online. As expected, our actual location was completely hidden in the DNS & IP leak test we performed with PIA.

PIA’s torrenting is amazing because it encrypts all your internet traffic with AES-256-Bit military-grade encryption and allows you to use a SOCKS5 proxy to enhance your torrent speeds.

This VPN Germany costs just EUR 1.98/mo (US$ 2.11/mo) along with other benefits like unlimited simultaneous connections and 30 days refund. You may also opt for PIA’s free trial to check out its services on iOS and Android devices.

Test Methodology: How we tested the best VPN for Germany

Not all VPNs are recommended to be used in Germany because they don’t offer strong encryption and security protocols. Therefore, to choose the best VPN for Germany from the 150+ VPNs we tested, we have made sure that each VPN provider met the following criteria:

• Servers in Germany: A Germany VPN ought to have a large server network within Germany so that you can switch from one server to another if you’re facing connectivity issues.
• Ability to bypass geo-restrictions: The VPN consistently unblocks geo-restricted sites and bypasses firewalls to provide unrestricted access to the internet. So regardless of where you are or which streaming site you want to access, these VPNs can do the job.
• Fast Speeds: Fast-speed connections provide HD streaming in Germany so that you can avoid issues like buffering and lagging.
• Security and Privacy: The VPNs we’ve suggested offer a reliable kill switch, AES 256-bit encryption, no-logs policy, IP/DNS leak protection, and more.
• Compatibility: Supports a variety of platforms and operating systems. Our recommended VPNs offer native apps for most operating systems like Windows, macOS, iOS, and more.
• Money-back guarantee: A reliable VPN doesn’t restrict you in terms of canceling its services and demanding a refund. If you’d like to go the other way, these VPNs offer a minimum 30-day money-back guarantee without any questions asked.
• Customer support: A reliable VPN offers customer support through email, live chat, and more. It ensures your queries are resolved ASAP. You can rely on our recommended VPNs to provide help whenever you encounter an issue.
• Value for money: Often VPNs advertise themselves as far too good and justify their outrageous prices one way or another. Our recommended VPNs don’t do such a thing. They ensure you get value for money through their numerous features.

Why do you need a VPN in Germany?

If you reside in Germany, frequently travel, and connect to numerous public wifi networks, your security and personal information are at risk and accessible to cybercriminals. This applies to all public Wi-Fi networks, including those in hotels, airports, coffee shops, aircraft, and restaurants. When traveling abroad, it is essential to connect your devices to a VPN to secure your personal information.

• Privacy and security concerns: Even though Germany is subject to GDPR laws for ensuring the anonymity and privacy of citizens, agencies still have the power to snoop on you. Your online activities might be under the agency’s radar. However, using a Germany VPN server address can add an extra line of defense through IP masking and military-grade encryption.
• Bypass geo-restrictions: If you’re living in Germany, you may want to watch international geo-restricted streaming channels like Hulu, Netflix ES, HBO Max, and others. Similarly, you may also want to access local channels while traveling abroad. A German VPN online needs to work quite well in both cases.
• Torrenting: Since torrenting is completely banned in Germany, a VPN can help you bypass the ban with ease. It’ll even help you avoid ISP throttling as well while P2P filesharing.
• Be Anonymous: Using a VPN, you can hide your activities across the web from your ISP. Even if your ISP shares your data with third parties, they won’t be able to garner any useful information since your internet traffic will be completely masked.

What if you use a free VPN in Germany?

You can use a free VPN in Germany, but it will come with its consequences. The thing is that you get what you pay for. Slow speeds, questionable security, and blacklisted IP addresses for streaming geo-blocked material are all features of the extra cheap or free services. Expect a lot of popups, sluggish service, and no assurance of privacy while using a free VPN service.

Free VPNs are undoubtedly tempting, so you can download a free VPN for Germany, but you should know that almost 40% of free VPNs leak user data to third-party advertisers. The information includes the sites you visit, the ads you have clicked on, and more.

Furthermore, these services have severe limitations, which make them almost unusable. A small bandwidth allowance, for instance, means that you can hardly use the VPN without running out of the limit pretty soon.

Most free VPNs make money using intrusive ads, meaning you will see various advertisements on different platforms if you continue to use a free VPN. Similarly, free VPNs offer a limited number of congested servers, offering prolonged speeds.

Therefore, a free VPN for Germany won’t be of much use, even assuming that it is safe to use. That is why a better option is to invest in ExpressVPN, which will protect your privacy, identity, and data in Germany.

However, if you still want to use a free VPN in Germany, there are a few reliable services available for free:

• TunnelBear review
• Windscribe review
• Hotspot Shield review

For more information about free VPNs, check out our detailed article on the best free VPN in 2023.

VPNs to Avoid in Germany – Do Not Waste Your Money

Not all VPN services are secure and offer the protection that they claim. On that note, here are some VPNs that you should avoid using in Germany:

Hide My Ass

HideMyAss is a UK-based VPN service with a bad history of logging user data and helping authorities make arrests using data from HideMyAss. Therefore, we don’t recommend that users in Germany use this VPN service as it can threaten the user’s right to privacy. You can learn more about the HideMyAss review.

Hide.me

Hide.me is a free VPN service that limits data to 2GB/mo and speeds to only 3Mbits/second. It also offers only 3 server locations to its users, and the speeds are terrible. However, Hide.me lures users to subscribe to their paid versions. That is why we don’t recommend it. It does have a paid version. You can check out the details in our Hide.me review.

Hola VPN

Another VPN to avoid in Germany is Hola. Hola has been involved in an event for selling user information to third parties. It also distributes the idle bandwidth of its free VPN users to other services. Therefore, we wouldn’t recommend using Hola VPN in Germany to protect your online privacy and security. Refer to our Hola VPN review for more details.

VPN Guide for other countries

You are welcome to consult our VPN guides for additional countries too.

• Best VPN for Canada
• Best VPN for Taiwan
• Best VPN for Australia
• Best VPN for China
• Best VPN for South Africa
• Best VPN for Finland
• Best VPN for Austria
• Best VPN for Portugal
• Best VPN for Poland

FAQs – Best VPN for Germany

Final Thoughts

To counter domestic surveillance and unblock the streaming and torrenting world with anonymity, you’d need nothing less than one of the best VPNs for Germany. However, the verdict for the best VPN for Germany on Reddit varies.

So while all of our recommendations are fully capable of serving your every online requirement, we suggest using ExpressVPN if you wish to get an unmatched, unparalleled, and most optimized VPN experience ever.

The service comes with 3000 servers in 94 countries designed to give you the ultimate VPN experience for only EUR 6.26/mo (US$ 6.67/mo) (Get 49% Off + 3 Months FREE on its 12-Month Plan), along with a 30-day money-back guarantee.