Best VPN for Germany: Here’s Our Top 5

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

However, German ISPs monitor everything you do online due to data retention laws and past cooperation with the NSA. Indeed, this country is part of the 9 Eyes alliance, which means it’s no stranger to surveillance and data collection that will quickly destroy your privacy.

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. There are also numerous geo-restrictions on streaming platforms like BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, and Max.

This makes residents of this country search for the best VPN for Germany in 2025, to safeguard their privacy and bypass any restrictions. Today, we present you with the five best German VPNs, so stay with us if you need one.

The 5 Best VPN in Germany (2025):

• NordVPN
• ExpressVPN
• CyberGhost VPN
• Surfshark
• Proton VPN

Best VPN for Germany: Our Top 5 Providers

Considering everything we said, it’s clear that you’ll need the best VPN provider with all the bells and whistles. We also ensured that these providers are great for those in this country and for people abroad.

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

1. NordVPN

With 8,100+ servers in more than 125 countries worldwide, NordVPN is among the largest providers. We can tell you one thing: it’s the best overall VPN for Germany, with 240+ servers in Berlin and Frankfurt, which people outside of this country will find helpful.

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 many security features. You get AES-256 encryption, IP/DNS leak protection, an automatic kill switch, and NordLynx, an in-house protocol.

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

We like its Double VPN servers, which will double your encryption, and its 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 Germany.

NordVPN also has obfuscated servers, which are used to bypass censorship in certain countries. It offers 24/7 live chat support plus excellent device support with ten simultaneous connections—much more than ExpressVPN and CyberGhost. NordVPN also includes the NordWhisper protocol for fighting network filtering.

Thanks to its wide variety of features and functionalities, NordVPN can be used for any purpose. Users on Windows reported occasional connection issues, which aren’t a big deal. NordVPN is inexpensive, especially if you look at its biennial plans.

The Basic plan starts at just above $3.00 monthly, but the Plus plan, which is around $4.00 monthly, offers malware protection, ad-blocking, and more. Read our NordVPN review for more details, or immediately click below to get the best VPN for Germany in 2025.

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2. ExpressVPN

If you want a VPN for Germany with few compromises, ExpressVPN should be on your list. It offers 3,000+ servers in 105 countries, with servers in three locations in Germany—two in Frankfurt and one in Nuremberg.

We’re talking about high-speed 10 Gbps servers that provide exceptional performance and stability. ExpressVPN offers Lightway Turbo, a VPN protocol that ensures smoothness and security while browsing the web. This is also the most secure provider.

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

This means 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, and 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 safer. It’s even useful for children because parental control can block adult sites.

ExpressVPN works on iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux, and Android and offers eight simultaneous connections. It also works with non-conventional devices like PS5, Apple TV, and Fire TV Stick, making it even more helpful for daily entertainment.

The only downside—if you can call it that—is its price. Some say it’s expensive, but considering its 61% discount and four free months for the biennial plan, it’s more affordable. Plus, you get a 30-day unconditional money-back guarantee, making testing it risk-free!

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3. CyberGhost

CyberGhost has many reasons for being on the list of the best VPNs for Germany. Not only does it have 12,000 or so servers globally, but around 1,500+ of them enjoy their presence on German soil. In addition, it has three server locations here—Frankfurt, Berlin, and Düsseldorf.

All of these servers are blazing-fast and offer some special benefits. CyberGhost has famous P2P and streaming servers; you can find both types in this country. 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 lets you unblock popular streaming platforms while living in Germany. In terms of security, this affordable provider packs a punch—and a strong one!

256-bit encryption and a kill switch are killer security combos, but we also like NoSpy servers, an 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.

CyberGhost’s device compatibility is excellent. It works with all platforms, allowing seven simultaneous connections on a single subscription. Truthfully, its desktop app can be confusing at times, but its iOS and Android apps are as minimalistic as possible.

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 for additionally, we found them cheap and helpful. This provider is cheap overall, and its 2-year plan is the one we 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 without risk for 45 days. If you’re dissatisfied, a refund is always an option, but we think you’ll want to keep it for yourself because it’s affordable and reliable.

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4. Surfshark

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

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

Compared to NordVPN or ExpressVPN, Surfshark is a tad slower. However, changing countries on Netflix or downloading torrents without noticeable speed losses was possible. 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. In addition to 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 also privacy-friendly. 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 2025. Its price is also remarkable, at around $2.00 monthly for its 2-year Starter plan.

In addition, 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. Proton VPN

Our #5 best VPN for Germany in 2025 is Proton VPN. This provider has impenetrable security and privacy that many premium providers fail to deliver. More impressively, its server list is enormous, and you get around 14,000+ of them in 120+ countries, which trumps most other German VPNs.

Germany has over 100 servers in Berlin and Frankfurt, which should be enough for most users. Despite an average server fleet, Proton VPN is surprisingly versatile and helpful. Its servers are optimized for P2P, and they’re streaming-friendly.

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

Now, regarding security, this VPN provider is more than great. You get Secure Core servers for doubling your encryption, and we often use an ad-blocker called NetShield. The service also supports OpenVPN and WireGuard, giving you more choices.

Other useful features include port forwarding, military-grade encryption, split tunneling, and IP leak protection. Proton VPN has ten simultaneous connections, too, and it can be used on most systems, although its device compatibility isn’t the best.

Another thing worth pointing out is its free plan with unlimited bandwidth, which is also secure. However, its best version is the premium one, which isn’t the cheapest. Its 2-year plan is the most affordable, yet it costs around five bucks a month with no free months.

Compared to NordVPN or CyberGhost, Proton VPN is quite expensive. At least you get a 30-day money-back guarantee and a free plan to test the service without risk. Find our full review of Proton VPN here.

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Which Germany VPN Should I Avoid?

As much as we value and appreciate what VPNs do for us daily, we must be honest and mention that there are bad ones. The five providers 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 with outdated security protocols, intrusive logging practices, and limited monthly bandwidth. However, even some premium providers are known for lacking security and privacy, so let’s address a few bad free and paid options.

ZenMate VPN (Discontinued) ❌

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 has seen no significant 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 a privacy-unfriendly jurisdiction.

I’ll let you guess which one—Germany! Considering 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 joined forces with CyberGhost VPN, so the service no longer exists. CyberGhost is now a replacement for this provider, which is a good thing. Besides, CyberGhost has always been a superior VPN in every regard while offering cheap plans.

Hotspot Shield ❌

If you ask us, Hotspot Shield is a US-based VPN provider, making things worse. Yes, Private Internet Access is also based in the US, but it has proven its no-logging practices at least twice. On the other hand, Hotspot Shield is a provider you want to avoid at all costs.

It offers paid and free versions, neither of which is safe from a logging standpoint. Its parent company, AURA, shows us that the provider will store your data logs, including info like device name, approximate location, and used bandwidth.

The US is also a founding member of the 5 Eyes alliance, whose backbone is data collection and sharing among its members. Hotspot Shield will also display ads in its free version and sell your data to third parties if you opt for its free plan.

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 unjustifiably placing its products at the top.

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

This means that it won’t reliably work with Netflix, and despite having servers in Germany, its unblocking capabilities won’t get you very far. As you can guess, its most enormous red flag is that it’s untrustworthy and shady, which is enough for us not to 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 limitations.

Proton VPN ✅

As said, Proton VPN offers a free plan with unlimited bandwidth and most 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 five server locations in the Netherlands, the USA, Poland, Romania, and Japan, which is much less than the 120+ 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.

PrivadoVPN ✅

PrivadoVPN is a free VPN with servers in Germany and 12 other locations. It’s fast, reliable, and capable of unblocking several Netflix libraries. Even in the free version, PrivadoVPN offers 10 Gbps servers and supports WireGuard, AES-256 encryption, and IPv6 leak prevention.

The VPN is simple to set up and requires no previous payments. Torrenting is also allowed on all servers. Like Proton VPN, it stores no logs and is based in Switzerland. The downside? You get 10 GB of monthly traffic, no simultaneous connections, and no support for Linux.

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

Hide.me ✅

Hide.me is a bit faster than Proton VPN, and its free version packs the necessary security features. Although it doesn’t support ad-blocking, it supports WireGuard and OpenVPN, which is still decent for a free provider, especially considering its 24/7 live chat support and the ability to download torrents.

Unfortunately, you won’t get far with it due to the torrenting block because of its unlimited bandwidth. After all, Hide.me has no streaming support either, and it offers just eight server locations, two of which are in the US and one in Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, etc.

Like Proton VPN, it 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 2025. With providers like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and others, it’s easy to get unlimited bandwidth, rock-solid security, impenetrable privacy, and streaming/torrenting capabilities.

All providers on our list are safe and secure, with minor differences in pricing, performance, and other characteristics. Now that you know what the best VPN for Germany is, it’s up to you to decide—which one are you going to get? Let us know (or don’t, your choice!).

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FAQ

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 changing your IP and preserving your online privacy. However, 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. You should have zero worries as long as you’re on the right side of the law.

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, further exacerbated by their 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 and 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.