If you’re looking for a way to protect your online privacy and keep your data safe from prying
eyes, then using a VPN in Germany is a great idea. Advertisers, government agencies, and even hackers
are constantly trying to collect data about your online activities, and a VPN can help stop them from
snooping on you.
By encrypting your internet traffic and hiding your IP address, a VPN provides a barrier
between you and anyone who wants to spy on your activity. And since German laws offer some of the
strongest data protection in the world, using a VPN in Germany can help ensure that your privacy is
always respected.
Are VPNs legal in Germany?
Are VPNs legal in Germany? The answer is a resounding yes! That means whether you’re a German user, an
international student, or a tourist from another country, you can use a VPN without worrying about the
law.
Of course, just because VPNs are legal in Germany doesn’t mean that you can use them to do illegal
activities. Streaming content from another country without the copyright holder’s permission is still
illegal. And if you’re caught doing it, you could be prosecuted.
Fortunately, the chances of being caught and punished for streaming or torrenting copyrighted material
are pretty low. So a VPN is a great option if you want to access geo-restricted content or protect your
privacy while online. Just be sure to choose a reputable provider with solid security features.
Still, we, the editors of Time4VPN, advise against any illegal activities. VPNs are meant to
protect you from criminal activities, not make you commit ones.
Perks of using a VPN in Germany
Paying for a VPN is not a choice today. It’s more like a necessity, as your online data can be used
against you which is bad.
Against public Wi-Fi security threats
Most people rely on public Wi-Fi, whether at the local coffee shop or the airport, for their
internet needs. However, many of them don’t realize that when they connect to a public Wi-Fi
network, they’re exposing themselves to man-in-the-middle attacks. This is where someone can
intercept your data and eavesdrop on your activities.
A VPN can protect you from this by encrypting your data and ensuring that only the
intended recipient can access it. This is especially important for remote workers or people who
browse on their smartphones, as they’re more likely to be connecting to public Wi-Fi.
Streaming geo-restricted content
If you’re living in or traveling to Germany, you may wonder how to stream geo-restricted
content from your favorite streaming services. The good news is that it’s possible to do so with a
VPN, allowing you to watch Amazon Prime Video, Sky, Netflix, and other popular services.
To get started, simply connect to a VPN server in the country of your choice and then
visit the streaming service’s website or app. You’ll be able to stream geo-restricted content as if
you were in the country.
Escaping Germany’s very stringent privacy laws
Your ISP is required to store your metadata for 10 weeks, which they can hand over to law
enforcement upon interrogation. Furthermore, Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND) has a
history of closely monitoring the country’s Internet activity.
No matter if you’re a tourist or a citizen, you want your privacy to be protected when
you’re in Germany. A top-tier VPN will encrypt your personal
data and mask your actual IP address so that you can use the Internet privately and anonymously.
How did we filter our results?
To come up with this list of VPNs, we took into account several factors – price, features,
supported devices, speed, and security. In particular, we focused on those that had good support for
Linux devices.
The 9 best VPN apps on the German market
PrivateVPN outperforms its competition with a kit that will surprise even the most skeptical
users. 4.9/5 stars on Trustpilot is a sign of quality service.
We were quite amazed by its security – it’s close to ExpressVPN, the benchmark in this area. The
military-grade AES-256-bit encryption, paired with IPv6 leak protection, a kill switch, etc., meant this
PrivateVPN passed our IP leak test successfully, and it even works in China thanks to its obfuscation
function.
While the servers are only 200-ish, we don’t believe that will cause you any issues when
browsing at high speeds or streaming 4K content. There’s pretty good network coverage in Germany, and
overall – in Europe, so you’ll rarely feel “out of pace”.
Speaking of streaming, we have to admit that PrivateVPN is arguably the best VPN for
streaming geo-restricted content. It does an exceptional job with Amazon Prime Video, Sky, Disney+,
Netflix, and other platforms. It’s also great that all servers support streaming and P2P activities. For
what you pay, you can hardly get more value for the money.
Surfshark breaks the rule that great services cost a fortune. The Dutch provider offers an
outstanding, affordable package to the general user.
You can use it on as many devices as you wish, and security-wise you can enjoy different perks
like multi-hop servers, rotating IPs, 256-bit encryption, and others. Needless to say – this VPN passes
our DNS leak test successfully.
It’s also among the fastest VPNs in Germany, as it supports WireGuard protocol. Streaming and
browsing at high speeds are easily achievable.
It’s also suitable for streaming, so you won’t miss out on any important TV series if
you’re abroad for work or a holiday. We highly praise Surfshark and we believe it has its place among
the best VPNs in Germany.
NordVPN is a leading VPN service that provides encrypted access to the internet from anywhere in
the world. Based in Panama, it offers a strict no-logs policy, which protects your privacy and
anonymity.
Security-wise, this VPN is rock-solid and offers all the perks one may need to browse safely –
starting from AES-256-bit encryption, IPv6 leak protection, and others. For those who wonder – it also
passed our DNS leak test without any worries.
With access to more than 5,000 servers, you’ll be able to enjoy the best speeds online. Plus,
the presence in many countries will ensure that you can connect to 4K streaming servers, great for
gaming and watching videos on the web.
With access to more than 5,000 servers, you’ll be able to enjoy the best speeds online.
Plus, the presence in many countries will ensure that you can connect to 4K streaming servers, great for
gaming and watching videos on the web.
ExpressVPN is an excellent VPN, securing your connection with a variety of military-grade
encryption and other privacy tools. It is based in the British Virgin Islands, so you can rest assured
that your data will be safe.
The virtual private network consists of more than 3,000 servers across 90+ countries, and the
supported speeds are more than amazing, thanks to the native protocol – Lightway.
Security-wise, we cannot be prouder than that – SHA512 and the RSA-4096 key are the industry’s
highest, and if you value your privacy, then ExpressVPN will meet your expectations.
With ExpressVPN, you can also safely stream geo-restricted content at 4K and enjoy your
favorite TV series on Sky, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Netflix, and other platforms. The only drawbacks
are that the maximum number of devices per account is 5, and the price is a bit steep compared to other
members of this list.
Private Internet Access is one of the best VPNs for Germany. Founded in The United States, PIA’s
in-depth understanding of internet safety has made it a favorite among Germans.
The security of PIA is top-notch. It uses 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, IPv6 IP masking
capability, and DNS leak protection. Many other features make this software stand out among the rest.
PIA is a VPN service that is available on multiple platforms. It’s one of the top providers for
P2P torrenting, and it’s popular among VPN users worldwide. They have more than 30,000 servers located
all around the globe, so if you’re traveling in Germany or working around Europe, it’s an excellent
option for you.
While the internet speeds are incredible, we think they could be even better. That way, it
would be even more enjoyable to use with video streaming content platforms.
Switzerland is known for its strong privacy laws and is home to ProtonVPN’s headquarters. The
company behind ProtonVPN is also the team that created ProtonMail, one of the world’s most famous email
services with encryption.
ProtonVPN provides the most up-to-date security protocols, including AES-256-bit encryption and
Switzerland server locations that adhere to strict privacy laws. Not to mention, the many security
features will be perfect for safe online browsing.
ProtonVPN has high-speed servers with unlimited bandwidth, so you can download as much as you
need. It also supports P2P traffic, making it an excellent choice for streaming or torrenting.
ProtonVPN offers a free version with an unlimited data cap, and it also remains fast.
However, you cannot use them for P2P activities and streaming.
AtlasVPN was brought to users in 2019, but it has already won many hearts and is quite popular
in German with its fantastic value proposition.
We were positively surprised that it has a free version that lets you test how the VPN works.
However, it has a daily data cap, and cannot open streaming apps.
The premium plan is amazing, whatsoever. You have plenty of good features, like double VPN,
rotating IP addresses, a kill switch, AES-256 and so more. You can also enjoy good speeds across all
devices.
Though it doesn’t have an app for Linux and the UI has some problems, AtlasVPN still stands
out from its competitors in many ways. One great feature is the ability to stream content on multiple
platforms, making your entertainment options endless. You can connect as many devices as you wish.
CyberGhost is a popular VPN provider, and with good reason. They provide an all-in-one package
with a VPN service, antivirus software, and an adblocker. Not many providers offer such comprehensive
protection.
As a German customer, the Romanian provider is great for you because it provides anonymous
browsing through RAM-based servers and strong 256-bit AES encryption. Plus, our DNS leak tests were all
completed successfully.
With tons of servers around the world and blazing-fast speeds, you’ll be able to count on an
excellent performance. Not only is the price point low, but there are plenty of great features for those
who need something more than the basics.
Keep in mind that it’s not the best option for stream watchers. However, nothing prevents
you from testing it out first with its generous 45-day money-back guarantee.
TunnelBear is a VPN with some great features for German users. Based in Canada, it provides a
lot of value for money and might be worth considering for your business or if you’re an individual
user.
One of the most important things for businesses is protection. TunnelBear has all the security
features you need, and it even lets you bypass the Great Firewall of China. It’s also committed to a
strict no-logging policy, 256-bit AES encryption, and DNS leak protection, which means it gets our
approval.
While the server count is undisclosed, TunnelBear has a presence in 48 countries. We expected a
bit faster speeds. If you want to stream content from Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus, and Sky, you might
be better off with another VPN, as TunnelBear doesn’t boast great capabilities in that department.
Still, the free version, plus the strong focus on businesses, makes it an attractive choice
that is worth your attention.
German VPNs FAQs
- Download a VPN app
- Install the application
- Sign into your account
- Go through the list of countries on your VPN
- Find Germany, and then tap connect.