Okay, so when you're preparing for your trip to Germany to enjoy the 2024 Euros, a VPN might not be at the top of your list of stuff to bring – but it's worth it. A VPN is a handy bit of digital software that you use through an app on your laptop, tablet, or phone, and helps you avoid online threats while checking out the shows, movies, and sites you love from back home.
If you've never used a VPN before, don’t worry. Today's best VPNs are designed to be consumer-friendly and intuitive even if you're not a super tech-savvy person. Plus, you can pick up a subscription for just a few dollars, protect multiple devices, and simply enjoy watching your team sail through to the finals (or battle through penalty shootouts).
Keep reading, and I'll walk through my top reasons why you need a VPN if you're headed to Germany.
Protect yourself, your data, and your device
These days it's a known fact that the internet is crawling with scams, malware, and nosy third parties who want to track your every move. A VPN's main purpose is to shore up your digital security – allowing you to go about your day-to-day browsing with better peace of mind and anonymity.
How? Well, your VPN creates an encrypted tunnel for your internet traffic to pass through. This makes it unreadable to anyone hoping to take a peek, like your workplace or Internet Service Provider (ISP), and can even prevent hackers from using your personal information for their own nefarious ends.
Head on over to our "What is a VPN" guide for all the details. It's nice and easy to follow (and not stuffed with techy jargon).
Hackers are the ultimate opportunists and won't hesitate to take advantage of massive events. With so many people headed to Germany, relying on public Wi-Fi (more on this later), and sharing identifiable information left and right (to sign into hotel Wi-Fi, access banking apps, and send messages back home), you can bet they've got their sights set on the Euros.
Unblock streaming content
You might've heard your favorite YouTuber singing the praises of a VPN, claiming that they're capable of unblocking geo-restricted content libraries from around the world. I'm happy to say that it's true – and the best streaming VPNs can blow past restrictions that'd otherwise keep you from checking out the newest episode of that one show you're really into that you can't otherwise access while abroad.
Geo-restrictions are the bane of many a streaming site. Platforms like Netflix rely on them to enforce licensing agreements that dictate where content can and can't be broadcast. For instance, if you're heading to Germany from the United States, you'll find a lot of US titles just aren't available there.
With your VPN, all you need to do is find a server based in your home country (or the country where the content you want to watch is available), connect to it, and refresh your streaming app.
Stay secure on public Wi-Fi
The free internet connections you find in public places, like airports and cafes, are undeniably handy – especially if you're in a hurry to check the train timetable or the latest score. Unfortunately, because they typically lack the same security measures as your Wi-Fi back home, they're also a hive of hacker activity.
That's where your VPN enters the picture. By encrypting your traffic, the hacker sitting two tables away from you in the cafe won't be able to tap into the connection and see everything you're doing. Some cybercriminals take things a step further and create their own fake hotspots. They'll name it something close to the real deal in the hopes that you join it without thinking and, if you do, all important details (like your name, logins, and financial details) are theirs for the taking.
Save money
Trips are expensive, and whether you're celebrating your team's victory or consoling yourself after their downfall, a trip to the Euros can be especially pricey. With that in mind, who wouldn't want to take advantage of a VPN's money-saving powers?
Train tickets, car rentals, flights, hotel reservations – the prices of these things can vary massively from country to country. Using a VPN, however, you can fool sites into thinking you're somewhere else in the world, and check out international deals that could save you a wad of cash. So, if you're planning to do some day trips while you're in Germany, it's well worth shopping around for the best deals with a VPN.
If you're looking to save money on your VPN itself, you can – and there are services to suit every budget. We've rounded up the best cheap VPNs if you're a bargain hunter, but if you're on the fence about parting with your cash, you'll want to make good use of the 30-day money-back guarantee (which will, as luck has it, get you through the entirety of the 2024 Euros).
Most VPNs offer this guarantee, which allows you to take the service for a month-long test drive, check out its features and unblocking power, and then decide for yourself whether you want to commit to a long-term plan. If you do, great! If you don't, you can claim your money back without hassle or scrutiny.
