The Best Free & Premium VPNs for Germany

Analysis of the Best Free VPN for Germany

1. 1. Windscribe Free: The Best Free VPN for Germany Overall

   Windscribe Free has two servers in Frankfurt, which can access all major German streaming sites and also permit torrenting activity.

   Ranked #1 Free VPN for Germany

   

    Rated 5 out of 5 

   3 reviews

   Visit Windscribe

   Add to compare

   Pros

   • Two free servers inside Germany
   • Access to German Netflix & five more libraries
   • Unblocks DAZN, ProSieben & RTL+
   • Fastest free VPN for US to Germany connections
   • AES-256, kill switch & leak protection
   • Free extension for Chrome & Firefox browsers

   Cons

   • 10GB per month data cap
   • Restricted to one German city
   • Doesn’t unblock US Netflix from Germany
   • Not as fast as Windscribe Pro
   • No human live chat
   • Logs haven’t been audited

   Overall Germany Rating: 6.0/10

   This rating is calculated based on the following subcategory ratings. To learn more, read our Germany VPN testing methodology.

   • Germany Server Locations:
     44.0/10
   • Germany Streaming:
     9.59.5/10
   • International Streaming:
     8.58.5/10
   • Speed:
     8.88.8/10
   • Privacy & Logging Policy:
     8.98.9/10

   Windscribe Free is the best free VPN for Germany. It comes with two servers in Frankfurt and works to unblock German websites and streaming services when you’re outside of the country.

   If you’re in Germany, it works to protect your privacy with the secure AES-256 encryption cipher and a private logging policy. However, it cannot unblock US Netflix from inside of Germany and it has a 10GB monthly data cap, which will restrict you to casual use only.

   Data Cap	10GB
   Free Germany Servers	2
   Germany Server Locations	Frankfurt
   German Netflix	Yes
   See all features
   US Netflix	No
   Logging Policy	No Identifying Data
   Jurisdiction	Canada (Five Eyes Member)
   Torrenting	Partially
   Support	Email & Online Resources Only

   Two Frankfurt Servers for Streaming

   You can get a German IP address by connecting to either of Windscribe Free’s two German servers. The ‘Frankfurt – Wurstchen’ server is a 10Gbps server, resulting in more bandwidth, greater server capacity, and faster speeds.

   

   Windscribe Free comes with two servers in Germany that offer Frankfurt IP addresses.

   Windscribe Free’s Germany speeds are the best we’ve seen from a free VPN. We recorded an average download speed of 80Mbps connecting into Germany from the US. This is a 20% speed loss from our normal internet connection and 10% better than the second fastest free VPN, PrivadoVPN.

   Our streaming tests show that Windscribe Free unblocks all geo-restricted German streaming sites, including German Netflix, ProSieben, RTL+, and DAZN Germany. You can use it to watch German movies, local TV, and sports like Bundesliga without even being in the country.

   If you’re in Germany and looking for international content, you can also use Windscribe Free’s global server network to unblock HBO Max, Hulu, and stream British TV on BBC iPlayer and Channel 4. It doesn’t unblock US Netflix from Germany, though.

   

   Windscribe Free unblocks German streaming sites like ProSieben outside the country.

   The problem remains Windscribe Free’s 10GB monthly data limit. This heavily restricts your streaming hours and file-sharing capacity.

   EXPERT ADVICE: German TV and radio sites ARD, ZDF (Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen), NDR (Norddeutscher Rundfunk), and MDR (Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk) do not enforce geo-restrictions and do not require you to use a VPN to watch outside of Germany.

   Free Privacy Protection Across Devices

   We’ve examined Windscribe’s privacy policy and can confirm that it only collects a minimal amount of data, none of which can be used to identify you personally. That means your browsing activity is protected from monitoring by German ISPs.

   However, Windscribe hasn’t commissioned a logging audit to prove its privacy claims. Many VPNs have done this, and Windscribe should do the same.

   Thanks to its strong privacy credentials and trustworthiness, Windscribe Free is also the best free VPN for torrenting. It has reliable P2P speeds (our torrent tests record an 7.2MiB/s average bitrate), a kill switch, and extra protection against IP address leaks.

   

   Windscribe encrypts your data – we tested it ourselves through Wireshark.

   Windscribe’s feature-rich and intuitive apps make it the best free VPN for Germany on all devices, including macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS, and Fire TV Stick.

   For macOS and iOS users, Windscribe Free is compatible with Yosemite 10.10 and later, and it can even encrypt the traffic from your Apple Watch. Windows users will appreciate that Windscribe consumes less RAM than any other free VPN, and its Android app is efficient and compact, too.

   You can also get a German IP address by installing Windscribe’s completely free Chrome and Firefox extensions. They’re not fully-encrypted VPNs, but they let you get a German IP address quickly and include blocking technology for malware, ads, and phishing attacks.

   Visit Windscribe

   or read our full Windscribe VPN Review.

   
   

In-depth Look at the Best Premium VPNs for Germany

1. 1. NordVPN: The Best VPN for Germany Overall

   NordVPN offers the most reliable access to Netflix Germany and German TV, as well as international streaming sites.

   Ranked #1 out of 55 VPNs for Germany

   

    Rated 4.7 out of 5 

   246 reviews

   Visit NordVPN

   Add to compare

   Pros

   • Over 240 servers in Germany
   • Unblocks German Netflix, ProSieben, RTL+ & DAZN
   • Accesses US Netflix, HBO Max & Hulu
   • Fastest US to Germany speeds
   • No identifying data logged & advanced security
   • Browser extensions for Chrome & Firefox

   Cons

   • Renews at more expensive price
   • Cannot pay with PayPal
   • Historic server breach
   • Apps cannot be manually resized
   • No Linux GUI

   Overall Germany Rating: 9.3/10

   This rating is calculated based on the following subcategory ratings. To learn more, read our Germany VPN testing methodology.

   • Germany Server Locations:
     8.58.5/10
   • Germany Streaming :
     9.99.9/10
   • International Streaming:
     9.89.8/10
   • Speed:
     9.79.7/10
   • Privacy & Logging Policy:
     8.88.8/10

   NordVPN is the best VPN for Germany overall. It offers hundreds of German IP addresses, fast long-distance speeds, and a private logging policy. It works unblock all major German sites from overseas, as well as major international streaming sites from within Germany.

   For $3.29 per month on its best price deal, NordVPN is affordable, privacy-friendly, and comes with useful browser extensions alongside an advanced security suite for macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. However, it renews at the more expensive price of $8.29 per month.

   Cheapest Price	$3.29/mo over 2 years See all plans
   Germany Servers	240
   Germany Server Locations	Berlin, Frankfurt
   German Netflix	Yes
   See all features
   US Netflix	Yes
   Logging Policy	No Identifying Data
   Torrenting	Partially
   Jurisdiction	Panama (Privacy Haven)
   Support	24/7 Live Chat

   240 Servers Unblock German Sites

   NordVPN has one of the largest German server networks of any VPN. Only CyberGhost and PIA have more, but we’ve never experienced unstable connections resulting from server overload.

   Our tests show that all of NordVPN’s German servers reliably unblock ProSieben, DMAX, and RTL+. It is the best VPN for German Netflix, and sports fans can also use NordVPN to watch Bundesliga football on DAZN Germany. Only the German, Swiss, and Austrian DAZN libraries stream the Bundesliga.

   

   NordVPN enables you to stream Bundesliga and more sports on DAZN Germany.

   NordVPN wouldn’t disclose exactly how many IP addresses it maintains in Germany, but we know they are spread over two German city options: Berlin and Frankfurt.

   If you’re inside Germany, NordVPN’s US servers are useful for accessing streaming services like US Netflix, HBO Max, or Hulu. You can also take advantage of this extensive global network to access free international streaming sites like SBS On Demand (Australia), Hotstar (India), or BBC iPlayer (UK).

   Torrenting isn’t permitted on some of NordVPN’s global server network, but all of its German servers are P2P-friendly, and you’ll enjoy a fast bitrate of 9.8MiB/s when using them – faster than most other VPNs.

   The Fastest & Most Secure VPN for Germany

   NordVPN is the fastest VPN for Germany, with average speeds of 92Mbps when connecting from the US to Berlin. This is only 8% slower than our normal internet speed — the lowest speed loss of any VPN we tested connecting into Germany.

   If you’re concerned about privacy, NordVPN’s logging policy has been verified to collect no data about its users at all. In terms of security, NordVPN’s in-house protocol NordLynx is built on top of the trailblazing WireGuard protocol, and it uses the best-in-class AES-256 cipher for encryption.

   Users of NordVPN on Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS share the same advanced security features, such as Double VPN and Onion over VPN, making it ideal for any device.

   

   NordVPN’s browser extensions makes getting a German IP address simple.

   You can also get a German IP address via browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox, which have the same German servers as the VPN apps and one of the most effective VPN ad blockers built-in, making accessing and browsing German sites even easier.

   At $3.29, NordVPN is one of the best value VPNs on the market, and you can even trial it for 30-days.

   Visit NordVPN

   or read our full NordVPN Review.

   
   

2. 2. CyberGhost: The Cheapest VPN for Germany

   CyberGhost has the largest German server network of any VPN and a budget-friendly price tag of $2.19 per month.

   

    Rated 4.7 out of 5 

   343 reviews

   Visit CyberGhost

   Add to compare

   Pros

   • 1,300+ servers in Germany
   • Three German city servers available
   • Only $2.19 per month
   • Unblocks ProSieben from abroad
   • Accesses US Netflix from Germany
   • Supports traffic and P2P traffic

   Cons

   • Doesn’t unblock Netflix Germany
   • No access to DAZN or RTL+
   • Disappointing long-distance speeds
   • Dated browser extensions with few locations
   • Doesn’t always work with IPv6 connections

   Overall Germany Rating: 8.6/10

   This rating is calculated based on the following subcategory ratings. To learn more, read our Germany VPN testing methodology.

   • Germany Server Locations:
     9.99.9/10
   • Germany Streaming:
     5.55.5/10
   • International Streaming:
     9.79.7/10
   • Speed:
     8.58.5/10
   • Privacy & Logging Policy:
     8.68.6/10

   CyberGhost is a budget alternative to NordVPN for Germany. It only costs $2.19 per month, which is $1.30 per month cheaper (37%).

   Its German streaming and speed test results are mixed, but CyberGhost has the largest German server network of any VPN. It maintains over 1,300 servers in the country, enabling you to use thousands of German IP addresses across Berlin, Dusseldrof, and Frankfurt.

   Cheapest Price	$2.19/mo over 26 months See all plans
   Germany Servers	1,300
   Germany Server Locations	Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt
   German Netflix	No
   See all features
   US Netflix	Yes
   Logging Policy	No Identifying Data
   Torrenting	Partially
   Jurisdiction	Romania (EU Member)
   Support	24/7 Live Chat

   The Largest German Server Network

   CyberGhost has the largest German server network of any VPN and the most city-level options too, with over 1,300 individual servers across three cities (Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt).

   This is three times more than the second largest, PIA, which has 530 servers in Germany, and over seven times larger than NordVPN.

   

   CyberGhost has over 1,500 servers across three German cities.

   With so many servers, it’s rare to see CyberGhost’s Germany servers congested above 50%.

   However, CyberGhost’s international speeds are slower than competitors. Connecting into Germany from the US, we picked up an average download speed of 85Mbps – a 15% speed loss and substantially worse than NordVPN.

   Its bitrate speeds are also disappointing, reaching only 3.9MiB/s in our torrent tests. It’s safe for torrenting, but NordVPN is a faster VPN for the job.

   Excellent Value But Mixed Streaming Results

   CyberGhost is one of the best value-for-money VPNs. It only costs $2.19 on its best price deal, which is an excellent price for a VPN as good as CyberGhost.

   It has an audited minimal logs policy and offers both WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols to encrypt your data and protect against ISP snooping.

   Despite its security credentials, CyberGhost does not reliably unblock DAZN Germany, RTL+, or German Netflix. If you want to watch German content abroad, you’ll be disappointed.

   

   CyberGhost’s browser extensions unblock US Netflix from Germany

   Connecting to streaming sites outside of Germany, CyberGhost works with US Netflix and it has lots of French VPN servers that access French streaming sites, but will not unblock British TV or HBO Max. Compared to NordVPN and Windscribe, which easily access US streaming sites, CyberGhost’s streaming results are mixed.

   We also wish CyberGhost would update its browser extensions, which only have a few server locations and look dated compared to NordVPN and Windscribe. However, they do include German servers, which makes getting a German IP address quick and easy, and they unblock US Netflix.

   Visit CyberGhost

   or read our full CyberGhost VPN Review.

   
   

Other VPNs We Tested: Avoid These VPNs for Germany

We’ve been testing VPNs in-depth since 2016. That means we don’t just know which VPNs to recommend for Germany, we also know which VPNs to avoid.

Below are some popular VPNs that we tested for Germany but didn’t make the list. Whether you want a free or premium VPN for Germany, you should avoid these services:

Atlas VPN Free

What we don’t like: Atlas VPN is one of the best free VPNs, but it doesn’t include a free German server. Users outside of Germany won’t be able to get a German IP address. It also doesn’t work with most streaming sites.

Proton VPN Free

What we don’t like: Proton VPN Free is another excellent free service, primarily because it doesn’t have a data cap. But we don’t recommend it for Germany as it doesn’t have any servers in the country.

IPVanish

What we don’t like: IPVanish is a top VPN service, but it only has 56 German servers and it’s let down by its streaming performance. We tested it and found it couldn’t unblock geo-restricted German streaming sites like RTL+, ProSieben, DAZN and Netflix. It’s equally disappointing when it comes to streaming US content from Germany.

Private Internet Access

What we don’t like: Private Internet Access very nearly made our list. We still think it’s an excellent VPN for Germany due to its large German server network (over 500 servers). However, it just wasn’t as effective when it came to unblocking streaming sites.

Surfshark

What we don’t like: Surfshark delivers when it comes to unblocking German and US streaming sites, but it doesn’t disclose the number of Germany servers it has and it’s slower than the competition.

How to Get a German IP Address Using a VPN

To get a German IP address you need a VPN with servers in Germany. Fortunately, most premium VPNs include German IP addresses as part of their server network.

Follow the instructions below to change your VPN location and get a German IP address. We use NordVPN in this example, but most VPNs follow the same basic principles.

Here’s how to get a German IP address using a VPN:

1. Choose a VPN service, subscribe, and download the application for your device. For Germany, we recommend NordVPN.
2. Launch the VPN application and open the VPN’s server menu. Scroll through the list of countries until you find Germany, or use the search bar and type in ‘Germany’.
   

   Scroll the server list or use the search bar tool to find the VPN’s Germany servers.

3. You can select ‘Germany’ and the VPN will assign you a randomly-selected German server. Alternatively, you can choose a specific city-level server like Berlin or Frankfurt. Using NordVPN, you can find the city options by clicking on the three dots.


Select ‘Germany’ for a random Germany IP address, or select the three dots to access city-level server options.

4. Select the server you prefer and NordVPN will assign you an IP address that’s registered there.


You can manually select any of NordVPN’s 200 German servers.


5. Once you’ve connected to the German VPN server, you can now browse the internet with a German IP address.

In the video below, we demonstrate how easy it is to get a German IP address using a VPN:

Play

You can change your IP address to a German one in a matter of seconds.

Why You May Need a VPN for Germany

Germany is a democratic nation with free speech, but you still may need a VPN to protect your internet privacy if you’re based there.

For more information, read our full breakdown of what a VPN can do.

Below we briefly explain a few reasons for using a VPN in Germany:

1. German Surveillance and Data Gathering

Germany has relatively good privacy protection laws, which are enforced by the German Bundesdatenschutzgesetz (BDSG) and the Federal Data Protection Act.

German firms are not required to install a backdoor into their software, and the country is not part of the Five Eyes surveillance alliance.

However, German ISPs like Deutsche Telekom, 1&1, and Telefonica are legally obliged to store your browsing data, and they have been known to threaten legal action against users caught torrenting copyrighted material.

Furthermore, the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) is known to record metadata and has cooperated with the American NSA.

A VPN protects your privacy online by spoofing your real location and encrypting your internet traffic, preventing some third parties from seeing what you’re doing online.

VPN software connects your device to a remote server through an encrypted tunnel.

2. Traveling or Living Outside of Germany

Some apps and services are not available in certain countries. If you’re traveling and you want to retain access to geo-restricted German websites from abroad, you’ll need a VPN to spoof your location.

Similarly, a VPN enables you to access websites from your home country if you’re only visiting Germany for a short period of time. Simply connect to a VPN server in your country and navigate to the sites you need.

3. Streaming Movies & TV Shows

VPNs are excellent tools for accessing geo-restricted streaming services. With a German IP address, you can unblock German Netflix and other local services from anywhere in the world.

If you live in Germany, you can use a VPN to access US Netflix, HBO Max, and hundreds of movies that aren’t typically available in your location.

We test each VPN every week with multiple streaming services, including RTL+, ProSieben, Netflix Germany, and DAZN Germany.

How We Test the Best VPNs for Germany

We use a rigorous Germany-specific testing process to evaluate the best free and premium VPNs for Germany. Below you can see how we calculate each VPN’s rating:

1. Germany Server Locations: 30%

The most important thing for a Germany VPN is a network of German servers that enable you to get a German IP address in multiple cities.

You also need lots of servers in different countries to get international IP addresses.

The more servers the better, because it avoids congestion and maintains reliable speeds.

2. Germany Streaming: 20%

Most people want a VPN for Germany to stream geo-blocked content.

That’s why we regularly test each VPN’s ability to unblock popular German streaming sites outside the country, including RTL+, ProSieben, DAZN Germany, and Netflix Germany.

We’ve tested all 55 VPNs with German streaming sites, including German Netflix.

3. International Streaming: 20%

We also test each VPN’s ability to unblock international streaming sites from inside Germany.

We test each VPN with 12 popular streaming services from across the globe, including US Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, Amazon Prime Video, and more.

4. Speed: 20%

The faster the speeds when connecting into and out of Germany, the better. We perform regular speed tests for each VPN connecting into Germany, from New York to Frankfurt.

We work out the average US to Germany speed performance and give the best rating to the fastest VPN.

5. Privacy & Logging Policy: 10%

Like many European countries, German ISPs monitor and record the browsing activity of their users. Put simply, it’s not a privacy-friendly nation.

For this reason, privacy protections are a big part of our VPN analysis. We examine each VPN’s logging policy to ensure it doesn’t log more of your data than necessary, and we assess its ability to encrypt and protect your sensitive data.

This informs our analysis of a VPN’s ability to keep you safe when sharing files. We look for the presence of a kill switch, a fast average bitrate, a private logging policy, and advanced tools like port forwarding.

Data Cap Reduction: Up to 50%

Although free services can perform well in our tests, data caps limit your VPNs overall performance.

To reflect this, we’ve apply a penalty to a free VPN’s overall rating based on how harsh its data cap is. It works like this:

• 10GB per month: -20% to the overall rating
• 500MB per day: -25% to the overall rating
• 5GB per month: -30% to the overall rating
• 1GB per month: -35% to the overall rating
• 200MB per day: -40% to the overall rating
• 500MB per month: -50% to the overall rating

With only 10GB of data available per month, we’ve docked 20% off Windscribe Free’s overall score.