Best VPN for Germany in 2021: Fast & Secure Internet

Need the best VPN for Germany? There are still ample reasons for every local or foreigner traveling there, to need one. Keep reading!

It’s one of the most highly visited places in the world by tourists from all across the globe. The picturesque landscapes of far-fetched green, the most thrilling festivities like the Oktoberfest, drinking home-brewed beer, or even just traveling to Germany for the food!

However, amidst all the fun and games, Germany is still a part of the 14-eyes alliance.

Why do you need a VPN in Germany?

There are many reasons why you should use a VPN in Germany, and honestly, there are equally similar reasons why one should use a VPN in general.

However, in terms of Germany, here’s exactly why you need the best VPN service:

Online surveillance

Germany’s government seems to have given its intelligence agency (BND), the upper-hand in making sure they tab into their citizen’s devices. They’ll be able to monitor every text, every call, and every digital footprint you leave behind. Secondly, Germany is indeed a part of the 14-eyes alliance, and can at any given time sell its citizens’ data to other members of the alliance.

Cyberattacks

There can be as much internet freedom in Germany as you dream of, but it’s always wise to be on the safe side. Just because data-protection is practiced, it doesn’t mean hackers are off duty. Someone somewhere is waiting to hack into your device, steal, manipulate, delete, or even sell your data. It’s always wise to take an extra leap towards cybersecurity measures.

Torrenting

Downloading or even uploading torrents is considered a big no-no in many countries including Germany. The downloading of copyrighted content should never be practiced. If however, you still feel like going ahead with it, it should always be done safely with maximum security.

Accessing content worldwide

The German government has held strict rules and has managed to censor multiple content and websites. This includes YouTube in particular. Accessing it along with other majorly restricted websites like the US Netflix, HBO GO, or even Disney Plus, you’re going to need a German VPN for that. It also applies to gain access to local German content when abroad.

The best VPN for Germany in 2021

The VPNs chosen for the best VPNs for Germany list of 2021 have been put through several retests. Most VPN access to numerous websites is regularly blocked. However, these 5 providers are still working to the max and offer the best security, speeds, and more, while traveling to Germany.

1. Surfshark – #1 VPN for Germany

Price	$2.49/mo.
Refund	30-days
Website	Surfshark.com

Surfshark for me is the best VPN for Germany and is quite a popular choice among users. Here’s why it made this list:

• It has around 3200+ servers in 65 countries, with the inclusion of German servers for accessing local content.
• Hailing from a privacy-friendly jurisdiction called the British Virgin Islands, you don’t have to worry about anyone stealing your data or online privacy.
• Coming to security, it runs on military-grade 256-bit AES encryption using multiple protocols like OpenVPN. It also has a Kill Switch by default and other features like GPS Spoofing, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, AdBlocker, a Whitelister, and much more.
• Accessing YouTube and the US Netflix library will never be a problem with Surfshark’s ability to bypass geo-blocks and restricted services worldwide.
• Has P2P optimized servers, making torrenting safe again.
• It also supports a number of devices and apps for Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, Nvidia Shield TV, FireStick, and a lot more.
• Along with its device support, it also allows you unlimited device connections per subscription.

You can also test the VPN just in case you need to see how Surfshark performs. There’s even a 30-day money-back guarantee over each subscription package.

Get Surfshark Now

2. NordVPN – Extremely fast & top-tier security 

Price	$3.71/mo.
Refund	30-days
Website	NordVPN.com

NordVPN is another favorite among users, springing the fastest speeds, great security, and more that make it a tough contender among other VPNs.  It’s also the best for Germany because:

• It has around 5000+ servers in 59 countries. Included in its list it covers around 259 German servers.
• Since privacy and anonymous surfing is what’s needed in Germany, NordVPN originates in one of the most secured jurisdictions called Panama.
• NordVPN follows a strict no-logging policy keeping its user’s data and online activities private.
• When in Germany, you’re probably going to need double the security, not only for all your devices but to secure your data as well. NordVPN runs on 256-bit encryption using the OpenVPN protocol. It also carried a functional Kill Switch, DNS/IPv6 leak protection, a CyberSec feature, and a lot more.
• It’s quite the task to access YouTube in Germany. With NordVPN, you’ll be able to safely unblock it and access other restricted services like Netflix, Hotstar, Hulu, and more.
• Its servers are also optimized for P2P file sharing.
• You can use your Android or your Windows because NordVPN allows up to 6 multi-device connections. It also covers other apps for iOS, macOS, Linux, Android TV, Firestick, and much more.

In the meantime, if you’d like to test the VPN out, Nord provides a 7-day free trial for Android and iOS. Besides that, it also offers a 30-day refund. This provider allows you to cancel your account and avail of a refund period for anyone who’d like to test the VPN a little longer.

Get NordVPN Now

3. ExpressVPN – 4K & UHD speeds & MediaPlayer SmartDNS

Price	$6.67/mo.
Refund	30-days
Website	ExpressVPN.com

I always test and review the ExpressVPN app on a regular to see if it still performs just as well as it did last year. Turns out it does! ExpressVPN is a pricey VPN for Germany, but it will give you the best results, and here’s why:

• It has around 3000+ servers covering a huge platform of 94 countries. Among these, it includes German servers, which you can use to access local German content worldwide.
• Coming to terms with observing privacy, ExpressVPN hails from one of the safest regions called the British Virgin Islands. No more data leakage or monitored internet experiences.
• Discussing its security, ExpressVPN among a tiny portion of VPNs covers up some pretty impressive speeds and security features. It works on 256-bit encryption using the OpenVPN protocol. It also has a functional Kill Switch to preserve your identity and location. Other features include DNS/IPv6 leak protection and more.
• ExpressVPN also has an additional SmartDNS feature called MediaStreamer. This aids in accessing unlimited restricted streaming services like Disney Plus, YouTube, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and a lot more with great ease.
• ExpressVPN delivers some of the best speeds in the industry.
• Supports torrenting with great security and anonymity.
• ExpressVPN helps protect all your devices since it supports multiple devices and client apps. Some of these supported platforms include Windows, iOS, macOS, Android, Firestick, Smart TVs, and a lot more.
• You never have to think twice about protecting all your devices since it supports up-to 5 multi-device connections per subscription.

Either run a few tests using the limited free trial, or head to the 30-day refund period.  You can always ask for a refund and account cancelation if you’re not happy with the service.

Get ExpressVPN Now

4. IPVanish – Unblock US Netflix and more in Germany

Price	$2.62/mo.
Refund	30-days
Website	ipvanish.com

IPVanish is located in the US, however, after testing and reviewing the app, I’ve found that they’re a safe and no-logging provider. It also offers the best features to unblock many US-based streaming services, even in Germany. Here’s why it made this top 5 list:

• IPVanish offers around 1600+ servers in 75 locations with the inclusion of German IP addresses.
• Despite IPVanish being located in the USA, it still abides by a strict no-logging policy.
• Security won’t be an issue with this provider. It doesn’t offer much compared to the other VPNs on the list, but just enough to mask your physical location and secure your data. IPVanish operates using 256-bit encryption and offers a variety of protocols to choose from. It even has a functional Kill Switch, Split-Tunneling, and a unique feature called Scramble OpenVPN Traffic. This feature allows you to use the internet with a VPN without being detected.
• What’s great, is that with IPVanish, you’ll be able to unblock numerous streaming services. A few of them include Popcorn Time, Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, DAZN, and Amazon Prime.
• Supports torrenting.
• Offers apps for Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, Roku, browser extensions, and a lot more.
• What’s more? IPVanish allows unlimited device connections.

IPVanish doesn’t offer a standard free trial, but you can run a few tests using its 30-day money-back guarantee free of charge.

5. CyberGhost – User-friendly and affordable

Price	$2.25/mo.
Refund	45-days
Website	CyberGhost.com

Rumor has it that CyberGhost is one of the best for online privacy and streaming. It comes with ample reviews to support that. This is why CyberGhost, according to me, is the best VPN for online privacy in Germany. Other features include:

• Huge coverage of 6000+ servers in 90 countries. Among this it also covers around 791 German servers, to access local content from abroad.
• Coming to the reason why we trust CyberGhost as one of the best privacy-friendly VPNs, is the fact that it originates from Romania, known for observing strict no-logging policies.
• In its security platform, it encompasses bank-grade 256-bit AES encryption using the OpenVPN protocol. To add to its greatness it also covers a Kill Switch by default. Other added features include a split-tunneling feature called Exceptions, an AdBlocker, Automated HTTPS Redirect, and a lot more.
• During testing, CyberGhost had managed to unblocked multiple services. Some of these include Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, DAZN, and more.
• Supports P2P file sharing.
• In terms of compatibility, CyberGhost supports a number of devices and apps for Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, Android TV, Fire TV, and a lot more.
• To top it off, it offers 7 simultaneous device connections.

I understand that almost everyone is a little unsure when it comes to investing in a VPN they don’t know about. However, CyberGhost offers a 24-hr free trial for Windows and a 7-day free trial for iOS and Android devices for you to test the VPN app.

Along with that it also offers a 45-day refund period in case you need to test the VPN for a longer period.

Get CyberGhost Now

How to choose the best VPN for Germany

If you read further on, you’ll find out exactly why you need not just any VPN but the best VPN for Germany. This is regardless of the fact whether you’re a local or a foreigner traveling to German soil.

But, first, since we’re on the topic of needing a VPN for Germany with the best performance, I wouldn’t ever expect you to pick just any VPN for a quick fix.

Not all VPNs work the same and some even lack specific functionality or steal your data. So what’s the point of that?

Choosing a VPN for Germany requires quite a bit of work and testing, and the ability to be compatible with a number of commonly used devices like iOS or Firestick.

However, I managed to shortlist the 5 VPNs mentioned above based on the following requirements and great testing results:

Server Coverage

These providers were chosen on the basis of offering a wide platform of servers from around the world. They even offer German IP addresses to access local content from anywhere in the world.

Privacy and no-logging policy

Since Germany is part of the 14-eyes and does the occasional online sweeping through your activities, it is necessary you choose a German VPN that has the best privacy and no-data retention policies. It should be able to secure and preserve your anonymity.

Ability to bypass geo-blocked platforms

Another thing, Germany may not restrict the amount of time you spend on the internet, but it does, however, block certain platforms like YouTube.  And by that, I mean completely filtering almost 61% out of the most viewed video categories. The VPN you choose for Germany should be strong enough to bypass heavy Geo-blocks from anywhere in the world.

Best security backing

It doesn’t matter what device you use, the German VPN you choose should have the best security measures like 256-bit encryption and an active Kill Switch. Secondly, since the German government is pretty much tapping into your devices and activities, all the more reason for you to need a VPN that doesn’t leak your data. I tested each provider on this list for IP leaks using several of its servers including the German ones.

Fast streaming speeds

Gaining access to streaming platforms like Netflix or Amazon Prime by either locals or foreigners from Germany can be a big bust. Not every platform you try to access is going able to function smoothly with slow speeds. It could be because of your ISP throttling your connection speeds. For that, you’re going to need a German VPN that stabilizes or heightens your download speeds.

P2P optimized servers

Torrenting is considered a criminal offense in many countries including Germany. Scoring a VPN that has P2P optimized servers will make torrenting more accessible and safer to operate with. Not failing to mention the best download speeds; dodging terrible buffering escapades.

User-friendliness

All the VPNs chosen for Germany have user-friendly apps for multiple devices. This is important as not all users are professionals. A simple and clean client app is the best thing VPN users look for.

Compatibility and multi-device connections

The VPNs selected all support multiple devices and also allows you to connect to multiple devices simultaneously per VPN subscription. You’ll never know which device you’ll need protecting when on holiday.

A competent support chat

In most cases, I’d say it’s better to have a 24/7 support chat, but in actuality what’s the point if the guidance they’re providing isn’t helpful? A competent and reliable support chat is what you need for assistance in Germany.

Best German VPN according to Reddit

I like listing and taking note of what the Reddit family has to say regarding the VPNs they’ve tried and tested in the past or present. Besides my own views on things, it’s always good to take note of other reviews.

By the looks of it, NordVPN seems to trump the rest.

Also, see: Best VPNs for Reddit.

FAQs

Can a free VPN be used in Germany?

No.

Since torrenting and so many other modes of entertainment have been blocked off, it’s always wise to go with those providers which offer the best security features. Using a free VPN in Germany will only weigh in on your burdens.

Are VPNs illegal to use in Germany?

Yes, they’re completely legal.

It’s not mentioned anywhere that VPNs aren’t allowed. In fact, the usage of VPNs in Germany is quite popular. Accessing restricted services like Netflix is what most people in Germany are trying to achieve. For that, only the best VPN for Germany will be able to cater to those requirements. And since there exist no specific laws on the illegality of VPNs, you’re free to use it as you please.

To conclude

It wouldn’t hurt anyone to take precautions are getting themselves the double protection that only the best VPN can provide. However, before picking any, it always wise to go through authentic VPN reviews for double-checking.

All the German VPNs mentioned on my list (Surfshark, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, IPvanish, and CyberGhost), have all ticked the right boxes, showing you exactly what you’re looking for in the best VPN for Germany.

If you’re on a budget, all the VPNs mentioned on the list offer regular discounts. Keep track of them on our VPN deals and discount page.

To Summarize, the Best VPNs for Germany are…..

Rank	Provider	Our Score	User Rating
1	Surfshark	9.6/10	Read Review	Find Out More Get Started >>
2	NordVPN	9.4/10	Read Review	Find Out More Get Started >>
3	ExpressVPN	9.3/10	Read Review	Find Out More Get Started >>
4	Cyberghost	9.0/10	Read Review	Find Out More Get Started >>
5	IPvanish	8.5/10	Read Review	Find Out More Get Started >>