Best VPN in Germany

If you’re after the best VPN in Germany, we recommend NordVPN or Surfshark. A VPN in Germany is not essential but you will find it to be very useful.

 

 

Should I use a VPN in Germany?

Germany, like most European countries, has decent privacy laws, which means users have privacy when online. Websites and services are also not censored by the government. While it’s not essential to use a VPN, once you start using it, you will find it to be very useful.

A VPN’s main feature is traffic encryption, which is what gives users privacy when online. Encrypted traffic becomes unreadable to all parties, including the Internet Service Provider. Encrypted traffic is also protected from malicious actors lurking on the network.

 

In countries with privacy laws, VPNs are mostly used for location spoofing, in particular for unblocking streaming services and their geo-restricted content libraries. It’s no secret that streaming services give users access to content based on their locations. This is due to licensing agreements. For example, users in Germany have a much smaller Netflix content library than users in the US or Canada. To access other countries’ libraries, users use VPNs to spoof their locations.

If you’ve decided to use a VPN, you will come across many options. To help you choose the best VPN in Germany, we have narrowed down the list to two VPNs. However, before we proceed, we should briefly discuss free VPNs and why a free VPN in Germany is not a good idea.

Can I use a free Germany VPN?

Users in countries like Germany have more leeway when it comes to free VPNs because they do not need to worry too much about privacy. However, they are still not recommended for several reasons.

The biggest issue with free VPNs is their logkeeping. Technically, all VPNs can see users’ traffic but logkeeping would be a breach of privacy. Premium VPNs do not keep logs. They are also audited by independent parties to validate their privacy policies. Free VPNs, on the other hand, not only keep logs but also sell them for revenue. What’s worse is free VPNs often do not inform users of logkeeping, which is very problematic.

Another issue with free VPNs is their lack of important security features. It costs a lot of money and requires many resources to develop fully-fledged VPNs, and developers of free VPNs often have neither the money nor the resources. Thus, their VPNs often lack some essential security features.

If you cannot or do not want to pay for a premium VPN, a good option is a premium VPN’s free version. In most cases, the free versions have a data cap or limit the number of servers but they are still a better option than a completely free Germany VPN. But the best VPN in Germany will be a premium one.

The best VPN in Germany

Our two choices for the best VPN in Germany are NordVPN and Surfshark.

NordVPN

• Number of servers: 6,100
• Server locations: 74 countries
• Devices supported: 6
• Free trial: 7-day free trial (has to be initiated on an Android device)

NordVPN is one of the most popular VPNs in the market and is used by millions of users worldwide. It’s an excellent VPN overall, which is why we have chosen it as one of our recommended options for the best VPN in Germany.

NordVPN has a network of 6,100 servers in 74 countries. It also offers VPN servers in Germany if you need to have a Germany IP address. It uses AES-256 and ChaCha20 military-grade encryption algorithms to encrypt traffic. NordVPN has a very strict zero-logs policy and does not keep logs of users’ online activities. The only data it keeps is what it needs to maintain an account. Its data collection practices have been validated by independent-party audits.

NordVPN is a fast VPN in Germany, and that is one of its biggest strengths. When connected to a VPN, Internet speed goes down. However, the extent of the slowdown depends on many factors, such as the encryption protocol the VPN uses. NordVPN has an incredibly fast NordLynx protocol. This protocol is bound to provide the best speeds, and it does not compromise security. You can switch protocols but NordLynx is why NordVPN is such a fast VPN in Germany. The NordLynx encryption protocol is one of the reasons why NordVPN is considered to be the best VPN in Germany.

NordVPN is a good choice for users who want to unblock streaming services because it works with all major services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, etc. Simply connect to your desired country’s server, and that country’s streaming content will become available. For example, if you need a Germany IP address to access Germany’s streaming services, connect to a VPN Germany server.

NordVPN offers a wide range of additional features. You can pick which subscription plan to get based on which features you need. Additional features include an adblocker, a password manager, protection against malware, a data breach scanner, and 1TB of cloud storage. You can also choose subscription length. The monthly plan will be the most expensive one because it does not have discounts. If you plan to use a VPN for more than 7-8 months, getting a 12-month or 24-month subscription would be the best value for money because they have excellent discounts.

NordVPN does not have a free Germany VPN version. However, there is a 7-day free trial. The 30-day money-back guarantee can also be used as a longer free trial. The trial needs to be initiated on Android devices but it can be used on all devices regardless of the OS they are running.

Surfshark

• Number of servers: 3,200+
• Server locations: 100+ countries
• Devices supported: Unlimited
• Free trial: 7-day free trial for Android and iOS users

Surfshark is another excellent choice for the best VPN in Germany. It’s a good choice for users who want a very affordable subscription. Despite having some of the cheapest VPN plans, Surfshark cuts no corners when it comes to security.

Surfshark has a network of 3,200 servers in 100 countries, including VPN servers in Germany if you need to have a Germany IP address. When connected to it, Surfshark encrypts traffic using AES-256 military-grade encryption. It has a strict zero-logs policy and does not collect any unnecessary information, including anything related to browsing. Surfshark has been audited by independent parties to confirm that it does not collect browsing data.

Surfshark can unblock all popular streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, etc. To get the best streaming experience, we recommend using streaming-optimized servers. It also has many great additional features.

To use Surfshark, you will need to buy a subscription. You can currently choose from three plans, all offering different additional features. Long-term subscription plans have excellent discounts so they are a good choice if you intend to use a VPN for a while. Overall, Surfshark is very affordable. This affordability is one of the reasons why it’s considered the best VPN in Germany.

 

Lastly, Surfshark does not have a free Germany VPN version. But there is a 7-day free trial. It also has a 30-day money-back guarantee, which you can technically use as a longer free trial as long as you request a refund within 30 days of the purchase.