Torrenting, otherwise known as P2P (peer-to-peer) file-sharing, is an effective form of file-sharing technology for people who want to gain access to the downloads that they desire without any cost or limits to the size of the file or to the bandwidth. The use of torrents to access data is gaining popularity all the time.
However, Germany is very strict in its stance toward the use of torrents in an attempt to cut down on pirating of content and infringements of copyright law. Many German torrent users have found that they are being monitored online or have even received threats in a warning letter from a lawyer, sometimes with regard to files they have never even attempted to access.
Some torrenters in Germany have even been given huge fines or been threatened with imprisonment. As a result, only just over 1% of German Internet users admit to engaging in torrenting (as compared to well over 25% in neighboring countries).
Luckily there are safe ways to use torrenting sites and to download torrents in a way that ensures that you remain anonymous and won’t have to face any negative consequences for using torrents.
Read on to find the best ways to torrent in safety with the help of a VPN. We will share with you the very best VPNs that you are able to use to get you access to all the content you desire.
In a Hurry? Here’s How to Download Torrents Safely in Germany
Is Torrenting Legal in Germany?
Yes, the actual process of torrenting is entirely legal in Germany and, in fact, in many other countries. What is illegal in Germany is accessing any files that are copyrighted, or many TV series, movies, or sites that contain offensive material (for example, pornography).
“Abmahnung” (Cease and Desist) Notices in Germany
Law firms in Germany regularly issue “Abmahnung” notices to people who torrent. These are, essentially, initial warning /”cease and desist” letters and they almost always require one to pay a fine of anything from a few hundred Euros to upward of €1,000.
Often these are actually scam letters, sent out by law firms in huge numbers, demanding that people pay the fine when the law firms do not actually represent the holders of the copyright.
In many cases, people who did not actually download the copyrighted material are so distressed by the threat of an even larger fine that they just decide to pay the fine.
Unfortunately, the German government appears to be allowing this to happen and, perhaps, to be supporting it as the government permits these fraudulent notices to be issued by the law firms without any negative consequences.
The best way to ensure that you won’t find yourself the recipient of one of these Abmuhnung letters is to protect your online privacy by using a VPN to ensure you never use your actual IP address when you torrent. So, you can choose to pay for your VPN instead of paying the fine.
*VPNbrains does not condone downloading any illegal or copyrighted material online.
How Your Torrent Downloads Are Tracked in Germany
There are two ways that torrent downloads are monitored and/or blocked in Germany:
Using your IP address:
Anyone who is torrenting can view your public IP address because of the design of the BitTorrent protocol that requires all peers who share a file to know the IP address of all other peers.
This means that if you don’t take the necessary steps to disguise your actual IP address while torrenting, like hiding your IP address with a VPN, anyone else who is torrenting can see your torrenting history and, in addition, automated software will be able to log it. Germany is definitely using IP addresses to identify people who torrent.
Using your web history:
Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) automatically has access to a list of all the torrent sites that you have gone onto on the Internet and of everything you have downloaded by torrenting. Unless you use some means of encryption (e.g. with a VPN), this is unavoidable.
How to Prevent ISPs in Germany from Tracking Your Torrent Downloads
If you use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) while torrenting in Germany, your IP address will not be visible to anyone else, even when you torrent, and there is no way that you can find yourself on the wrong side of the law or the recipient of one of the dreaded scam letters.
Once you use a VPN with a zero-log policy, like those discussed below, your ISP will be unable to view or monitor the sites that you have visited on the internet because of the encryption of all the information that passes through its server network.
In addition, because the information that passes through a VPN server is encrypted, it cannot be blocked or throttled, allowing you to experience more effective torrenting.
How to Download Torrents in Germany Anonymously with a VPN (Step-by-Step Guide)
Follow these steps to download torrents in Germany anonymously:
1. Choose a server location that is amenable to torrenting
Your VPN is likely to have many servers in multiple countries around the world. When you want to torrent, it is important to ensure that you choose a server that allows file sharing by torrenting. The countries that we find to be the most torrent-friendly are Canada, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, and Romania.
2. Ensure that DNS Leak Protection and Kill Switch enabled
First, for anyone who wants to torrent, make sure that the VPN has both of these essential features :
DNS Leak Protection — every time you enter a domain name into your browser, Internet providers will be able to intercept this information and get access to your web history on your device. This means that your Internet provider can find out what you have been doing online and this can even happen if you are using some of the VPNs if they leak information. It is important to enabling DNS lead protection in the software of your VPN to ensure your information is safe.
A Kill Switch — If your VPN disconnects at any time, a Kill Switch will sever your connection to the Internet and ensure that your actual IP address is never available to other torrenters. Make sure that you enable the kill-switch in the software of your VPN.
3. Make 100% sure that your actual IP address is not available while you are torrenting
This will give you peace of mind and it isn’t difficult to make sure that your IP address has been changed. You can access a free tool like iplocation.net or use an IP tracking torrent to do this.
4. Go ahead and torrent
Now that you have a VPN and have connected to a server in an area that allows torrenting, you can now download torrents, secure in the knowledge that other users will only be able to see the VPN server’s IP address and that your IP address is protected.
Because your torrents are encrypted, anyone else can only see the server’s IP address, not yours. The law firms will not be able to track you and everything you do is now legal in Germany.
Another benefit is that torrent sites that were unavailable to you will now be easy to access with a VPN. The service provider won’t be able to bypass the VPNs’ powerful encryption technology to prevent you from having access to torrent sites or downloading the TV shows or movies you love.
3 Best VPNs for Torrenting in Germany
Use one of the following VPNs that have been vetted for safety when downloading torrents:
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is the best choice if you are going to a torrent in Germany and don’t want to risk receiving a cease-and-desist letter or having to pay a fine.
With more than 3,000 servers in over 94 locations worldwide, you will never have any issues finding a reliable connection when you want to engage in file sharing.
ExpressVPN offers lightning-fast connection speeds and no limits on its bandwidth, so it’s highly effective when you want to torrent, and it also allows you to access geo-blocked content from all around the world.
Security-wise, ExpressVPN’s encryption is of a military standard (AES 256-bit) and it ensures your security and privacy as it has a no-logs policy, Kill Switch, and DNS leak protection.
Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, PlayStation, Xbox, routers, Smart TVs, and other devices are all compatible with ExpressVPN and as many as 5 devices can be used concurrently with the same plan. Impressively, if you decide that 5 connections aren’t enough, you could use your router to connect ExpressVPN, and then all the devices on your wifi are viewed as being one device.
I have seldom heard of anyone who isn’t satisfied with ExpressVPN, but, if you are, you can use its 30-day money-back guarantee to get a full refund.
Refund requests or any other difficulties are handled efficiently and easily by ExpressVPN’s customer service, available 24 hours a day via a live-chat facility.
Although its monthly cost is slightly higher than average, ExpressVPN regularly offers special deals and I, for one, think that the expense is worthwhile to ensure you are always protected online.
- Broad server network
- Excellent security and privacy
- Very fast streaming speed
- Impressive Internet connectivity
- Simple-to-use apps
- Efficient customer support
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- More expensive than competitors
2. NordVPN
With over 5,200 servers in 60 countries, NordVPN provides quick, effective connections and protection whenever you are downloading torrents.
NordVPN will ensure your online anonymity, allowing you to torrent safely in Germany, but it can also give you access to lots of other geo-restricted content; and it has all the necessary apps to allow you to connect on your Smart TV, router, Mac, Windows, Android, Linux, and iOS, so finding a compatible device is easy.
NordVPN has powerful security features, including military-grade encryption, DNS leak protection, a Kill Switch, and a no-logs policy, ensuring online privacy.
All you have to do is get one subscription and it will allow you to connect to 6 devices at the same time, allowing each family member to stream his favorite show.
With around-the-clock live-chat support and a 30-day money-back guarantee, just do it. There is really no downside to trying out this service today if you want to get quality protection online.
- 5,200 servers in over 60 countries
- Doesn’t log IP addresses
- Excellent streaming speed
- Strong security
- Reasonable price
- Concurrent connection of 6 devices
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Some speed issues on desktop apps
3. Surfshark
Surfshark has 3,200 servers in about 65 countries, which is more than adequate to ensure anonymity when you torrent.
Surfshark’s servers are slower than those of ExpressVPN and NordVPN but are definitely sufficient to allow you to torrent or stream without lag or buffering.
Surfshark will protect you from the fine when you torrent in Germany by disguising your real IP addresses, and it allows you to unblock Netflix in many countries as well as lots of other exciting content.
Its apps work on Xbox, Playstation, Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS, and its major selling point is the ability to connect as many devices as you want concurrently.
Surfshark provides excellent, speedy customer support and a reliable 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Affordable price
- Torrent with ease
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Unlimited device connections
- Kill Switch
- DNS Leak protection
- Ensures privacy and security
- Speeds slower than competitors
FAQs
Obviously, it is illegal to commit fraud or steal copyrighted material, whether or not you use a VPN, so people who utilize a VPN to torrent in Germany must be cautious and prudent.
Conclusion
Whenever you are torrenting in Germany, using any file-sharing technology, keep this article in mind.
Using a VPN and the process explained above, you can gain access to any torrent site, knowing that neither your ISP nor anyone else can view your activity. This will allow you to avoid unpleasant Abmahnung/cease-and-desist notices that could plague you when you torrent in Germany.
