Best VPNs for Germany: Stay Secure & Anonymous (2026)

NordVPN - Top Choice for Germany

Ease of Use

When I installed NordVPN on my Windows desktop and my iPhone, I found it quite easy to use which saved me a lot of time.

If I just wanted safe browsing and decent speed, all I had to do was click “Quick Connect”, and the service connected me to the best server.

So, if you’re new to VPN, NordVPN’s straightforward interface and functions would be a great introduction.

The website is also very easy to navigate – the search button and the Live Chat feature that can pull up answers to FAQs meant I didn’t have to spend hours searching for answers. And a lot of pages on the website are available in German, if you’re struggling to make sense of the English-language features.

NordVPN Speed

I also tested the provider’s speed. Before I turned on NordVPN, my desktop speed was like this:

Using NordVPN’s QuickConnect tool, it changed to this:

And when I connected to a German server, it changed to this:

The higher the Ping figure and the lower the Download figure, the worse the speed is. 

From what you can see in the screenshots, in both cases, the speed reduction is slight and nothing I couldn’t cope with. But depending how far away your location is from your required server, the speed can vary.

If you’re looking to stream video content, I suggest using the Best Server tool for better speed – but some reduction in streaming speed should be expected. 

I also recommend NordLynx protocol if you really need a quick and secure connection. This innovation of NordVPN is based on WireGuard. NordVPN has developed a double Network Address Translation system which generates unique IP addresses for each user’s tunnel.

That means that users of NordVPN in Germany can enjoy their favorite streaming service at a decent speed whilst their actual IP is hidden.

Security And Additional Features

I was also happy to see that NordVPN doesn’t compromise on security. It uses the AES-256 bit encryption and protocols of the highest standard. This means your traffic in Germany is encrypted with a cipher that would take billions of years to crack. 

According to its policy, NordVPN doesn’t keep logs either, and Panama, where the company is based, doesn’t have data retention laws. That means that NordVPN won’t be forced to turn over any data. Not that there is much data to turn over – an audit conducted last year by PwC (available to users only) confirmed that NordVPN doesn’t keep logs. 

NordVPN also has other cool features like Double VPN, and dedicated servers. A useful tool on their website lets the user know the best way to access what they need. For instance, if I want to secure my P2P file sharing, I choose “Secure P2P traffic” and that I want to connect from Germany. The tool used to point me to a P2P server under Specialty Servers, but NordVPN has since removed that category because P2P now works on all of its standard servers, so any German server will do.

You can also use NordVPN to connect to the Tor network via their Onion Over VPN tool. The Tor network allows you to access websites your network might have blocked without your ISP seeing that you’ve accessed them.

A few days after using NordVPN, I was pleased to see they’ve released an update, which popped up on my desktop. I was happy to do it because I know how important the updates are to data’s security.

Streaming

NordVPN works with Netflix. If you’re traveling outside Germany but want to enjoy your favorite German shows, you can connect to any of NordVPN’s German servers to do so. Chances are that you’ll find one that works – NordVPN has over 340 German servers.

If you’re in Germany and want to watch US Netflix’s content, connect to any servers outside the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Canada and Japan.

NordVPN’s obfuscated servers make any traffic of yours look like regular traffic which isn’t encrypted by VPN. If you encounter problems with Netflix or other streaming services like Hulu or BBC iPlayer whilst connected to a regular NordVPN server, connecting to these obfuscated servers can help.

Price

Those features of NordVPN start at $3.49 per month on the 2-year plan (for the first 27 months), and every plan, including the monthly one, covers up to 10 devices. Germany is one of the 15 countries where NordVPN offers a 7-day free trial on its website, and every plan also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

These prices are slightly steeper than other providers’. However, NordVPN’s security features and the fact that they allow me to bypass geographical restrictions on streaming and allow P2P on all standard servers whilst keeping my data secure and have many servers which ensure decent speed are what I’m willing to pay more for.

So, for me NordVPN ticked all the boxes as the best VPN for Germany. I note its speed and availability of servers, security and additional features as factors that make them stand out.

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Surfshark – Best Value For Money

Speed, Streaming And UX

Surfshark finished second in my Germany tests because it covers the three things readers here ask me about most – a German IP address, a complete set of security tools, and a plan that never counts devices – and charges less for them than NordVPN or ExpressVPN.

Its server list currently shows two German locations, Berlin and Frankfurt am Main, and both are marked for P2P traffic, static IP addresses, and Dynamic MultiHop, with a dedicated IP add-on available in Frankfurt. Frankfurt sits next to DE-CIX, one of the largest internet exchanges in the world, which is as good a place as any to put a VPN server. Outside Germany, you get 4,500+ servers in 100 countries.

Connected to a Berlin server, I measured 57 Mbps down and 68 Mbps up with a 55 ms ping. NordVPN’s German server downloaded faster at 70 Mbps, but Surfshark’s upload result was the better of the two by a wide margin, which you’ll notice if you back up files or sit in video calls from Germany.

A German IP address is also what ARD Mediathek, ZDF, and DAZN’s German catalog look for before they play. ZDF streamed straight away for me over the Germany server, and Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer worked through Surfshark’s other countries when I wanted content from abroad.

The apps are as easy as NordVPN’s: a search box, a favorites list, and a Fastest Location button that picks a server for you. I’d also switch on the option to auto-connect on any Wi-Fi network you haven’t marked as trusted, which covers the cafés, ICE trains, and hotel lobbies where a stranger shares your network.

Privacy and Security

Surfshark has moved its headquarters to the Netherlands, a Nine Eyes country, so I looked harder at its logging than at its address. Its no-logs policy has been independently audited by Deloitte, and every server runs on RAM only, so nothing survives a reboot, let alone a seizure. That matters in Germany, where politicians keep reviving plans to store everyone’s IP addresses and where copyright law firms send Abmahnungen to whoever’s name is on the internet contract.

On the technical side, you get AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, and the WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 protocols. Its browser extensions were also put through an independent Cure53 audit, which found them “not exposed to any issues, neither in the privacy nor in the more general security realms”. When I asked support whether the virtual locations are RAM-only too, the answer was yes:

Additional Features

Two Surfshark tools earn their keep in Germany. Bypasser, its split tunneling, lets you route your browser through a US server for American Netflix while your banking app keeps using your real German connection, so your Sparkasse or N26 login doesn’t get flagged as a foreign sign-in. And CleanWeb stops ads, trackers, and known malware hosts from loading at all, which also trims the data you burn on a mobile plan.

Camouflage Mode hides the fact that you’re using a VPN from your ISP, and NoBorders mode switches itself on when a network blocks VPN traffic. You’re unlikely to need either at home in Germany, but both travel well. Dynamic MultiHop routes you through two servers at once at the cost of some speed, and the static IP servers in Berlin and Frankfurt hand you the same address on every connection, which stops sites from asking you to re-verify each time.

Value For Money

One Surfshark subscription runs on every device you own at the same time. NordVPN and ExpressVPN’s Basic plan both cap you at ten connections, so a family or a shared flat gets far more out of Surfshark for less money.

The two-year plan comes in below both NordVPN’s and ExpressVPN’s, and a 30-day money-back guarantee covers you if the German servers disappoint. Grab the current Surfshark deal to test Berlin and Frankfurt yourself.

NordVPN still takes first place because it offers 340+ German servers to Surfshark’s two locations, downloaded faster in my test, and sits in Panama, where no data retention law applies. If you need to cover more than ten devices or simply want to spend less, Surfshark is the one I’d pick.

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ExpressVPN – Strong Security

ExpressVPN Security

ExpressVPN is based in BVI – a jurisdiction with some of the best privacy laws. Like NordVPN, they also had their procedures audited. According to PwC’s audit, they truly don’t keep any logs.

The provider uses AES-256 bit encryption and a variety of VPN protocols. ExpressVPN also built their own protocol called Lightway. Watch a video below for the introduction.

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Its essence is that it maintains an “always-on” connection. So, whenever you switch Wi-Fi networks or your connection breaks, your connection to that ExpressVPN server doesn’t terminate and you stay connected to it the second you’re back online.

I can easily see the value of that protocol, in addition to ExpressVPN’s kill switch. It saves time when I’m switching between Wi-Fi and data on my phone and don’t have to go back to the app and re-connect. I’ve also noticed that using Lightway has a very slight effect on my battery.

ExpressVPN also doesn’t use hard drives. Instead, it uses RAM-only servers wiped after each reboot, for extra privacy. That way, your data can’t be seized from any hardware as it’s erased whenever the power is turned off. The only other provider on this list who also uses that technology is Surfshark.

Security Drawbacks

Unlike other providers, however, ExpressVPN’s desktop version doesn’t update automatically or notifies you of an available update. It’s your responsibility to ensure you’ve downloaded the latest version.

That could be an issue for people who don’t have time to keep track of updates. And updating apps – desktop or mobile – is crucial for security. For each update, developers do a lot of work to patch security holes. If you miss out on an update, you’re potentially putting your device and data at risk.

Speed

Express VPN has servers in 113 countries around the world. However, only 4 of those servers are in Germany.

I connected to one of the Berlin servers to test the speed.

Original speed:

When connected to a Berlin server (Deutsche Telekom):

So, the reduction is considerable, but it also depends on your Internet speed. ExpressVPN’s Smart Location tool can help you choose the best server for you with the optimal speed. But the further away you are from Germany, the slower your speed is likely to be.

Extra Features

ExpressVPN works with Netflix. For example, to watch US Netflix from Germany, you’d have to connect to a US server and log in to your Netflix account. ExpressVPN doesn’t offer dedicated streaming servers. 

There is, however, a Desktop option to run a Speed Test which rates the servers by speed index. You can run the test whilst you’re disconnected from the VPN and choose the fastest server to connect to.

ExpressVPN also offers split tunneling. It’s a feature that allows you to keep the traffic you choose private. You might need it to access foreign and local websites from different devices simultaneously, for instance, or when you only need to keep sensitive data transfers private.

Value For Money

ExpressVPN is currently available for $2.99 per month on the Basic plan for 2 years plus 4 extra months, or $4.99 per month for a 12-month subscription (checked September 2026). If you use this link, you get a big discount on the 12-month deal and 3 additional months for free. 

You can also get the $14.99 offer for one month. All packages have a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

Overall, ExpressVPN has excellent security which includes bespoke additional features like split tunneling and Lightway protocol. However, I have concerns about remembering to check for updates, which I don’t have to do with NordVPN. ExpressVPN also offers only 4 German servers to NordVPN’s 340+, and ten connections on its Basic plan, where Surfshark sets no limit. 

Therefore, I would use ExpressVPN in Germany, but only to protect sensitive data on occasions. And I would take advantage of their money-back guarantee.

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CyberGhost – Best For Dedicated Streaming Servers

CyberGhost Privacy and Security

Like many VPN providers, CyberGhost offers AES-256 bit encryption. It’s located in Romania which is a privacy-friendly jurisdiction, and claims that it has a no-log policy. However, to date, their policies haven’t been audited by an independent provider.

Moreover, even though its parent company CyberGhost S.R.L. is located in Romania, it’s in turn owned by Kape Technologies, formerly known as Crossrider plc. That company has a history of creating malware products and hijacking browsers. It continued to do so even after CyberGhost was acquired in 2017. In fact, it changed its name to distance itself from such practices after it allegedly decided to focus on cybersecurity. However, Kape’s malware has been cropping up as recently as 2019.

CyberGhost S.R.L. might be a separate legal person and might not have ever been involved with these practices. However, the VPN service’s Terms and Conditions still make references to Crossrider Sports Limited in certain contexts as a third-party provider. That company is also owned by Kape Technologies plc.

In addition to these privacy concerns, Crossrider Sports Limited and Kape are all located in the UK – a 5/9/14 eyes jurisdiction. And it’s clear from CyberGhost’s policy that it shares at least some data with them and other stakeholders:

Knowing Kape’s history, I don’t feel comfortable with CyberGhost sharing my personal data with them. Which is why I don’t recommend CyberGhost in terms of security and privacy.

Speed and Streaming

CyberGhost currently has 1,300+ servers in Germany. This is much higher compared to other providers and means much better speed – provided your own Internet’s speed is decent.

CyberGhost offers servers optimized for streaming. It unblocks Netflix (including Netflix DE), Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, Hulu and other services, including German TV channels such as ZDF and ARD.

Read Also: VPN Provider Reviews

Price

CyberGhost has 3 plans on offer. The cheapest one is $2.19 per month ($56.94) and covers 2 years and 2 additional months. You can also get:

• The 6-month deal for $6.99 per month.
• The 1-month deal for $12.99 per month.

CyberGhost’s prices are lower than NordVPN’s and ExpressVPN’s prices.

Getting CyberGhost is alright if you’re only looking to unblock Netflix and other streaming services. However, it doesn’t offer much else, apart from strong encryption, kill switch and modern protocols like OpenVPN and WireGuard. Other providers like NordVPN and ExpressVPN offer many extra security features and are only slightly more expensive.

That, along with the privacy concerns , leads me to conclude that I don’t recommend CyberGhost as a VPN for Germany.

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IPVanish – Best For Multiple Connections

Streaming and Privacy

The US-based IPVanish offers 62 German servers to date – all located in Frankfurt.

However, as I learned from their customer support, they don’t work with Netflix outside the United States.

In addition, they’re located in a country which is a 5/9/14 eyes jurisdiction with mandatory data retention laws.

IPVanish’s privacy policy also raises some questions. Last updated in October 2020, it refers to a third-party provider Sift Science Inc., with which it shares “specific information about visitors” to prevent fraud. 

The policy also specifies that this company is certified for the EU-US privacy shield. This shield has been invalidated since July 2020. That means that the US’ privacy standards are not compliant with the European data protection legislation by default. Certain legal measures must be taken on a case-by-case basis, about which I haven’t seen any information on IPVanish’s website.

Security

IPVanish’s protocols on offer are IKEv2, OpenVPN, IPSec, L2TP and PPTP. The latter is not secure, and many providers no longer offer it. Although IPVanish warns that it should only be used as the last resort, it also states that it’s the one most likely to work when others are failing. 

A VPN provider must put their users’ security above all else. It shouldn’t offer such vulnerable services in the first place to users in Germany or anywhere– even as the last resort.

Price

IPVanish offers two VPN plans, Essential and Advanced (checked September 2026).

• Essential costs $14.99 a month on the monthly plan.
• Essential’s 2-year plan costs $2.39 per month ($57.36) for the first 2 years and $99.99 for each year to follow.
• Advanced costs $17.99 a month on the monthly plan.
• Advanced’s 2-year plan costs $3.59 per month ($86.16) for the first 2 years and $129.99 for each year to follow.

IPVanish can be used on an unlimited number of devices simultaneously. However, considering the lack of access to must streaming services, which other providers offer for a similar price, it’s not the best value for money.

Overall, IPVanish’s lack of clarity about privacy and its inability to unblock Netflix and other services outside the USA are what has made me conclude that there are better VPN providers for Germany.

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