5 Best VPNs for Europe in 2022 for Privacy, Streaming & Speed
With the increase in mandatory data retention laws and the introduction of state-led surveillance programs, the online privacy of European users is hanging by a thin thread. Therefore, the need to know the absolute best VPN for Europe touches a new high.
Many countries in Europe are now members of notorious treaties like the 14 Eyes Treaty, which means only the best VPN can allow users to ensure their safety online and put this invasion to a halt.
For finding the best VPN in Europe, our comprehensive review contains top paid VPN providers, VPN legality, and answers to other frequently asked questions.
Are you short on time? In 2022, these are the best VPNs for Europe
- ExpressVPN – Recommended VPN for Europe: With over 160 server locations in 94 countries, ExpressVPN stays our top pick for European users. Feature-packed with fast servers to access geo-blocked content worldwide. Try it absolutely free with its 30-day money-back guarantee.
- NordVPN – Double Encryption for Extra Security in Europe: Another VPN provider with decent speeds and premium security features. Its application might ruin the experience for some users.
- Surfshark – European VPN with Reliable Security Features: Comes with unlimited simultaneous device connection making it great for households with multiple devices but not many global server networks.
- CyberGhost – Beginner-Friendly VPN for Europe: Extremely strong server network with an ad-blocking feature but doesn’t have an official no-logging policy.
- PureVPN – Most Affordable European VPN with Double VPN Protection: Swift connection speed, but doesn’t offer a free trial and logs some user activity.
The Best VPNs for Europe — Full Analysis (Updated in 2022)
Despite many privacy-friendly European countries, several are included in 5/9/14-Eyes Alliance; therefore, it becomes even more important to know the best VPNs for Europe.
The biggest difference between data privacy in Europe and other regions is that here, it’s the authorities and not the hackers that pose the biggest threat to sabotage and undue use of user data.
Therefore, the best VPN for Europe needs to be extremely sophisticated in terms of its features to ward off these powerful threats and ultra-sensitive surveillance programs.
Here, we have compiled a curated list for exactly this purpose, consisting of the best VPNs for Europe in 2022 that can provide the extra security cover needed to keep you secure from unwarranted government surveillance programs.
Provider |
Subscription Cost |
Discount |
ExpressVPN |
49% |
|
NordVPN |
51% |
|
Surfshark |
81% |
|
CyberGhost |
67% |
|
PureVPN |
82% |
1. ExpressVPN – Never Turns your Log to Authorities as a VPN for Europe
When the Turkish authorities wanted ExpressVPN to turn over their logs, in a well-documented case, the provider refused to divulge, denying that it ever keeps data logs. No other thing could better justify it as the best all-around Europe VPN to defer government surveillance programs in Europe.
But that’s not it; Express VPN can popular streaming services like Netflix US and Disney Plus with a server network of 3000+ servers in 94+ countries. ExpressVPN ensures privacy with AES-256 grade military encryption and provides split tunneling for selective data protection.
The price tag for getting an ExpressVPN subscription for $6.67/mo might seem a bit high to some users, but considering its robustness and compatibility for devices, the high cost seems duly justified. ExpressVPN has dedicated applications for Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux, and even routers which is usually overlooked by other VPNs.
Plus, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 7-day free trial (for Android and iOS subscribers), so you can make the right decision after testing it.
We have also done a full review on ExpressVPN so if there’s more you are looking for, read our detailed ExpressVPN Review.
- Best all-round provider as a VPN for Europe
- Dedicated apps and extensions for browsers
- Tough, military-grade encryption
- Multiple protocol support
- Zero logs policy
- No dedicated P2P servers
- Plans are slightly expensive
2. NordVPN – Double Encryption for Extra Security in Europe
NordVPN takes the second spot among the best VPNs for Europe because of its doubled encryption policies.
Aside from its rock-solid security policies, the specialty servers and server network of 5600+ servers in 59+ countries add to its reputation as a high-quality VPN. NordVPN ensures privacy and security by a strict no-logs policy and has a breeze-like process of connecting to a server.
Although not the fastest, NordVPN performed well in our rigorous speed test. This VPN has no speed limits and easily unblocks all the major streaming platforms within seconds. It’s ranked as one of the best VPNs to stream anything and everything without much lag.
If there’s more you are concerned about, read our detailed NordVPN review and make an informed decision!
- Exceptional encryption tools
- Audited no-logging policy
- Rapid speeds
- Average application
3. Surfshark – European VPN with Reliable Security Features
Surfshark is another VPN that works seamlessly in Europe with ultra-fast streaming speeds and great subscription plans. It has a limited server network of 3200+ servers in 65+ countries.
That doesn’t mean that its privacy-oriented features are any less. Surfshark is a feature-packed VPN including multihop VPN connections that route your traffic through two different locations, hiding your real IP in a true sense.
A subscription to Surfshark will cost you $2.49/mo . You can rely on Surfshark to easily bypass nation-led surveillance programs. Though it offers great speeds mostly, there are other rivals who’re way faster than Surfshark.
Think this isn’t enough? Discover more about Surfshark’s speed, servers, pricing plans, and more in our in-depth review!
- Unlimited simultaneous device connections
- DNS leak protection
- Static/dedicated IP addresses
- Kill switch
- Not a large global server network
4. CyberGhost – Beginner-Friendly VPN for Europe
CyberGhost is definitely one of the best VPNs for Europe because it offers beginner-friendly applications for most operating platforms. More than that, CyberGhost uses three encryption protocols (WireGuard, IKEv2, and OpenVPN) that smoothly work for torrenting.
With strengthened 6000+ in 88 countries worldwide, CyberGhost remains an excellent option for European users.
The speed tests we run on CyberGhost showed that it’s a great pick for streaming and downloading. This VPN allows up to 7 simultaneous connections, but the biggest drawback is that it doesn’t have an official no-logging policy in place.
Are some questions still unanswered? This detailed review of CyberGhost on speed, pricing plans, and a lot more will help!
- Strong server presence worldwide
- Adblocking feature
- Limited methods of payment
- Lacks no-logs policy
5. PureVPN – Most Affordable European VPN with Double VPN Protection
PureVPN is the most affordable European VPN offering Double VPN protection at just $1.99/mo .
Despite getting some bad press recently, PureVPN offers advanced features that solidify your security like Onion over VPN, DNS leak protection, DDoS protection, and more to ensure that you have the means to neutralize even the biggest of threats.
You can expect to unblock Netflix and other geo-restricted streaming services with PureVPN. Although it is not the fastest VPN, you still get decent connection speeds with most of its servers.
With a PureVPN subscription, you get 6500+ servers in a whopping 78 countries, device-compatible apps, military-grade encryption. PureVPN has several other inexpensive subscription plans making it one of the cheapest VPNs.
Want to know more before making a decision? Fair enough. Redirect yourself to our detailed review on PureVPN!
- A high number of server locations
- DDoS protection
- Dedicated streaming support
- P2P and torrent servers
- 750+servers in 141 countries
- VPN hotspot
- Nat firewall
- Multiple protocol support, including OpenVPN and L2Tp
- Allows split tunneling
- Logs some user activity but restrictively
- Free trial not available
Best VPN Europe Countries and Regions Overview
The countries with the biggest troves of data are the ones that get targeted the most by hackers and malware attackers alike. Notable European countries experience more than their fair share of hacking attempts each year, so it’s imperative to provide them with recommendations for extra secure VPNs for best native performance.
Here is a country-wise breakdown of the best VPN providers for individual European countries.
Best VPN for Germany
There are many reasons for you to start using a VPN in Germany as soon as possible. Germany is a member of the 14 Eyes treaty and also allows its authorities and intelligence agencies to sweep control over data retention of users. On the other hand, much of the content on YouTube is censored in Germany, so it’s high time that you consider deploying the best VPN in Germany for your online safety and get a German IP to keep your online activities hidden.
Here are the top 3 VPNs for Germany by BestVPN.co:
- ExpressVPN – offers top-grade features and helps in unblocking geo-restricted content in Germany
- NordVPN – has Double Encryption for extra security as a VPN for Germany
- PureVPN – provides affordable plans with Onion over VPN feature as Best VPN for Germany
Best VPN for France
A UN committee labeled France’s data retention and surveillance laws “overly broad for Intrusive surveillance,” underlining the stifling online environment for users in the country.
Apart from this, France is a member of the 14 Eyes Treat, just like Germany, making it a highly precarious country for users to go unprotected online.
Below is the list of our best recommendations for VPNs for France:
- ExpressVPN – high Encryption standards and content unblocking services as a VPN for France
- PureVPN – incredible P2P and torrenting support as a VPN for France
- NordVPN – provides enhanced security control features as a VPN for France
Best VPN for Europe FAQs
What’s the best VPN for Europe right now?
Without a doubt, ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Europe at the moment because of its top-tier features, user-friendly applications, and swift unblocking powers.
Why do I need a VPN in Europe?
Most European nations are included in the 5/9/14-Eyes Alliance that monitors users’ online activity, plus cybercrime is rising in the entire continent, so using a VPN in Europe is important. There are more reasons to use a VPN in Europe, such as:
- Encrypt your data to surf securely on the internet.
- Access geo-blocked content from your favorite streaming platforms.
- Stay anonymous over the internet.
Is VPN legal in Europe?
Yes, using a VPN is legal in most European countries. However, restrictions are imposed by some countries on the purpose of using a VPN.
Can you block a VPN in the Nordic region?
You can legally use VPNs in Norway and Sweden without worrying about government laws on online censorship and restrictions.
Is it legal and safe to use VPN in France?
It is entirely safe and legal to deploy, use and recommend a VPN in France to ensure your and others’ online anonymity.
Is it legal and safe to use VPN in Germany?
The German government and local polity are open enough to legalize the use of VPNs. Considering the high number of surveillance programs being run in the current era, it’s high time that you should start using the best European VPN for Germany to protect yourself online.
Can I change my static IP address (located in Europe) to an international IP (in the US) without using a VPN?
Other than a VPN, you can use proxies to hide your European IP address and change it to an international IP of your choice.
How do I change VPN to Europe?
To change your VPN location to Europe, do this:
- Subscribe to a premium VPN (Recommended: ExpressVPN).
- Download the VPN app.
- Open the app and select a European server.
- You’ve successfully changed your VPN location to Europe.
Wrapping Up
Despite the new legion of laws being passed by European authorities to protect user privacy after the Facebook Cambridge Analytica scandal emerged, there still needs much to be done to fully secure the online domain from data pilferage of all kinds.
Users are still left vulnerable to private firms and government organizations trying to store excessive amounts of user data. Our best bet yet remains using the best VPN for Europe (ExpressVPN recommended) and safe internet practices, without which the chances of your data being used against your will are likely to remain very high.