Best VPN for Germany
For those who might have the opportunity to live, work, or even vacation in Germany for an extended period of time, it really is quite easy to get to appreciate the German data protection laws that exist to ensure your privacy online. The German Republic also has a low level of internet censorship. Nonetheless, there are various mechanisms unique to Germany alone that form very compelling reasons for you to sign up with a top VPN service provider.
The German Need for a VPN
For Germans living abroad, a VPN allows them to get a German IP address. This helps you unblock and watch any German TV channels regardless of where you currently live. As for Germans who are actually living in Germany, a VPN enables them to access any region-restricted websites that may not be available in their home country. You can also use a VPN in order to browse the web anonymously without having to worry that your ISP or some government agency is spying on you. With all that in mind, I’ll be discussing some of the best VPNs for Germany below:
Best VPN for Germany – Summary
In case you already know what VPN is and how it works, you probably don’t want to waste too much time reading stuff that you are already aware of. With that in mind, here are the top VPN service providers you can sign up while in Germany.
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Best VPN for Germany Review
All of these issues can be addressed through the use of a VPN service. The only problem that might come about is how to pick one since a lot of providers exist in the market. To help you out, we’re going to look at 5 top providers who we’re sure are reliable, and have the means to provide a high quality of service. Here’s the range of benefits we’ll be looking out for:
- Fast internet connections.
- Affordable subscription fee.
- Strong encryption & privacy policies.
- Wide range of servers in Germany and beyond.
- Reputation as a reliable service provider with a proven track record.
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is one of the few VPN companies that has managed to build and sustain a good reputation over a very long period of time. They assure their customers of an SSL secured connection, coupled with a 256-bit encryption for maximum security. Being based in the British Virgin Islands means there are no laws that force them to retain their users’ data, so no browsing records are kept.
With more than 1500 servers to tend to their customers, ExpressVPN maintains a super fast connection, no matter which server you establish a connection to. The servers are present in more than 145 locations and based in slightly above 90 countries.
2. NordVPN
At a price point of $3.29, NordVPN is easily among the most affordable service providers in the market. They assure their customers of top-notch encryption levels with 256-bit encryption on their OpenVPN security measure.
Like ExpressVPN, they also have their headquarters in a country that does not require them to retain any customer data, so their users don’t get to worry over whether their browsing history is kept. Their network of servers is also impressive, with over 1000 servers located in 59 countries all over the world. In Germany, they’re about 74, which is more than enough to ensure that no particular server gets overly relied upon.
As added features, customers will be able to add on another VPN connection under the same account, have VPN over Tor, and also the option to enlist specific Anti-DDOS VPNs. Many would agree that one of their most acclaimed features would be their SmartPlay technology that’s offered on all their connections. The service allows customers to bypass all restrictions, even from content sources that claim to block VPNs such as Netflix; a feature I’m sure most VPN users would love to enjoy.
3. IPVanish
Coming in third is another reputable service, well known for the level of quality in service. IPVanish offers top-level encryption with protocols such as L2TP and OpenVPN, that both rely on 256-bit encryption.
ExpressVPN and NordVPN have a bit of an advantage over IPVanish in regard to data retention policies. They have their base in the US, meaning they don’t have that much leeway against data retention laws. Despite this, the service promises super-fast speeds. Their vast server network of over 850 spread across 60 countries ensures that everyone stays connected.
4. StrongVPN
Although not as popular as the other contenders on this list, StrongVPN makes a strong argument as one of the most reliable VPN providers that the German people can turn to. They also own all of their servers. This eliminates any opportunity for third-party handlers to mess with their connections.
Like IPVanish, StrongVPN is also based in the US, but they still uphold a no logs policy. There have also been no records as yet of instances where a customer’s browsing history was accessed and used against him/her. Their server network is significantly smaller than others, with 475 servers available over 24 countries. This, however, does not bring down their quality of service.
5. VyprVPN
Winding up our list we have VyprVPN, another provider that’s keen on ensuring their customers get the best in terms of service. The only issue prospective customers might have is that VyprVPN keeps logs of their user activity. The service retains the connections start & stop time, user’s home IP address and the VyprVPN IP address.
That issue alone will keep a number of VPN users away. As for those that still choose to subscribe with the service, the connections are relatively fast so they should not expect any delays or interference. With a growing server network of 700+, the $5 price tag on their basic package sounds a lot fairer than what other more established VPN providers charge for a subscription.
German Data Protection Laws
In Germany, an organization known as the Federal Intelligence Service (Bundesnachrichtendienst) works closely with NSA in the US, and the GCHQ in the UK to gather user data from everywhere in the world in a bid to share intelligence that might help in subverting global disasters or catching dangerous criminals. You don’t want to have the government spying on your activities online.
Aside from that, there’s a recent data retention bill that got signed into law in 2015 where the German government made it mandatory for data to be retained by ISPs for up to 10 weeks. Although this is a far cry from the 12 months that countries such as the UK are forced to comply with, it still remains a major security concern since if such data does get into the wrong hands, a lot of bad things could happen.
There’s also a very stringent enforcement of copyright enforcement laws in Germany. This poses a big issue for a large number of Internet users. Those of them who stream or download online content that goes against such laws face the risk of apprehension by law.
Lastly, because of the geo-restrictions that apply both within Germany and also in other countries, accessing content becomes very difficult. German residents cannot access English-language movies that are popular in Germany. That’s mainly because of the geo-restrictions applied by countries such as the US and the UK. Similarly, Germans living abroad cannot access their native content as it is not available online outside the country.
Best VPN for Germany – Conclusion
Now you have a good idea of the kind of providers to turn to if you’re in the market searching for a reliable VPN connection. If you still prefer to be cocksure about the services that each of these companies provides, then we’d advise that you sign up for either their free trial programs or try them out under their 30-day money-back guarantee. We also welcome your comments on how your experience was with any of these providers if you happen to try them out. We’ll be glad to respond to any questions you might have.
The Best VPN for Germany
Name: ExpressVPN
Description: There's no doubt that ExpressVPN is the best VPN you can use both in Germany or abroad.
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About Author
Charles
Streaming gadgets geek. Interested in every little thing there is to know about bypassing regional restrictions. An avid believer in the right to protect online privacy. Charles has also reviewed plenty of VPN service providers and knows how to separate the good apples from the bad ones.