This is the English help section of vpntester.org. Our reader forum with more than 330 answered questions runs in German at vpntester.org/hilfe; below you find the questions we are asked most often, answered in English, plus the guides that go deeper.
Frequently asked questions
Is using a VPN legal?
Yes. In Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the EU, the UK and North America a VPN is a normal privacy tool. A few countries restrict or block VPN use – China, Russia, Iran, Turkmenistan and the UAE among them. What you do through the VPN stays subject to the law of the country you are in: a VPN does not make copyright infringement or fraud legal.
Which VPN do you recommend?
For most people one of three: NordVPN (fastest in our tests, biggest network), Surfshark (unlimited devices, best value) or Proton VPN (Swiss privacy, open source, the only free plan without a data cap). Our full list by purpose – streaming, torrents, routers, phones – is in Best VPN.
Is there a free VPN worth using?
Only a few. Proton VPN’s free plan has no data cap and no ads but limits you to a handful of countries and one device. Windscribe and hide.me give 10 GB a month. Everything else in the app stores either sells your data or throttles you to unusable speeds. We compare every free plan we know in Free VPN.
Does a VPN slow down my connection?
A little, always – encryption and the detour through the VPN server cost something. With a good provider and the WireGuard protocol (NordLynx at NordVPN) the loss on a 100 Mbit/s line is usually under 10 per cent. Pick a server close to you, avoid double-hop unless you need it, and test with our speed test before and after.
Can I watch German TV abroad with a VPN?
Yes. ARD and ZDF Mediathek, RTL+, Joyn and Sky/WOW check your IP address; connect to a German server and they work as at home. Some services fight VPNs harder than others – which provider currently works with which service is in our streaming section.
How do I check that my VPN is not leaking?
Connect, then open our WebRTC leak test and the IP check. If either shows your real IP or your provider’s DNS servers, switch on the kill switch and DNS-leak protection in the app, or change the protocol. Browser WebRTC leaks are fixed by the provider’s browser extension or by disabling WebRTC.
Can I run a VPN on my router?
Yes, and it protects every device in the house, including smart TVs and consoles that have no VPN app. Fritzbox supports WireGuard since FritzOS 7.50; GL.iNet travel routers and ASUS routers with Merlin firmware are the easiest way. Our router guides are mostly in German: VPN router.
What if I don’t like the service I paid for?
NordVPN, Surfshark and Proton VPN refund within 30 days, no questions asked – cancel through the account page or support chat, not through the app store. Subscriptions bought through Apple or Google follow the store’s refund rules instead.
Which VPN works in China or Russia?
Only providers with obfuscated protocols: NordVPN’s obfuscated servers, Surfshark’s Camouflage/NoBorders mode and Proton VPN’s Stealth protocol. Install and set up the app before you travel – the providers’ websites are blocked there. Availability changes week by week; check the provider’s own status page shortly before you leave.
Still stuck?
Write to us through the contact page – in English or German. If you read German, the forum may already have your answer; it is searchable and every question is answered by our editors.