Can I watch ZDF and ARD Mediathek abroad with a VPN?

Free; most programmes play worldwide but sport and licensed films are blocked outside Germany. A VPN with a server in Germany gives you a Germany IP; whether the service accepts it depends on the provider's IP ranges.

Which VPNs have servers in Germany?

NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, Proton VPN, Mullvad, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost, Windscribe (as of 2026-10-12, from each provider's own public list).

Which VPN is best for ZDF and ARD Mediathek?

Best fit: NordVPN ($3.49/mo). Best value: Private Internet Access ($2.03/mo). Most private: Proton VPN ($3.49/mo). Scored on dated facts; the affiliate terms are not an input.

Best VPN for TV

ZDF and ARD Mediathek

Germany's public broadcasters, free, with some content geo-blocked to Germany.

ZDF and ARD Mediathek needs an IP address in Germany. 8 of the 8 VPNs we track have servers there as of 2026-10-12. Our best fit for ZDF and ARD Mediathek is NordVPN at $3.49 a month on its 2 years + 3 months plan, ranked on streaming test results, Germany server depth and price, never on commission. We have not run our own test against this service yet; when our test box runs, the pass or fail per provider and the date will appear here.

Availability checked 2026-10-12 · source · more on VPNs in Germany

You need

A Germany IP address

Any account; the library follows the IP.

What people watch

Bundesliga highlights (Sportschau) · Tatort · DFB-Pokal on ARD/ZDF

Where it’s sold

Free; most programmes play worldwide but sport and licensed films are blocked outside Germany.

Who has servers in Germany

VPN	In Germany	Cities	P2P there	Location	Best price	Fetched
Proton VPN Visit	706 servers · 2 cities	Berlin, Frankfurt	yes	not stated	$3.49/mo then $83.88/yr	2026-10-12 · source
NordVPN Visit	328 servers · 3 cities	Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg	yes	not stated · obfuscated	$3.49/mo then $139.08/yr	2026-10-12 · source
Mullvad Visit	25 servers · 3 cities	Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt	yes	physical	$5.60/mo then $67.20/yr	2026-10-12 · source
Windscribe Visit	12 servers · 2 cities	Berlin, Frankfurt	yes	not stated	$5.75/mo then $69.00/yr	2026-10-12 · source
Private Internet Access Visit	7 WireGuard endpoints · 2 cities	Berlin, Frankfurt	yes · port fwd	physical	$2.03/mo then $26.33/yr	2026-10-12 · source
Surfshark Visit	2 locations · 2 cities	Berlin, Frankfurt am Main	yes	physical	$2.49/mo then $79.00/yr	2026-10-12 · source
ExpressVPN Visit	3 cities	Berlin, Frankfurt, Nuremberg	yes	physical	$2.99/mo then $99.95/yr	2026-10-12 · source
CyberGhost Visit	3 cities	3 (names not published)	not stated	not stated	$2.19/mo then $56.94/yr	2026-10-12 · source

Each provider counts differently: NordVPN, Mullvad and Proton list servers; Surfshark lists locations; PIA lists WireGuard endpoints; ExpressVPN and CyberGhost publish cities only. “Virtual” means the IP is German but the machine is elsewhere, which is fine for streaming and worse for speed.

Our picks for ZDF and ARD Mediathek

Scored for streaming with presence in Germany as a hard filter. Adjust the answers.

Best fit96/100

NordVPN

The fast, well-audited default; renewal price is the catch.

$3.49 a month on the 2 years + 3 months plan ($94.23 up front)

Then $139.08 a year. 30-day refund.

Scores highest on your five answers.

+the strongest Netflix record in 2026 tests
+328 servers in DE
+obfuscated servers in DE

–renews at $139.08 a year, which is $11.59 a month

Visit NordVPNNot an affiliate link. Opens the provider's site.Every fact →

Receipts

Streaming:Netflix 3/3, iPlayer 3/3· checked 2026-10-11source
Price:$3.49/mo, $94.23 for 2 years + 3 months, then $139.08/yr· checked 2026-10-11source
Devices:10 devices· checked 2026-10-11source
Servers in DE:328 servers · 3 cities· checked 2026-10-12source
Refund window:30 days· checked 2026-10-11source

Best value83/100

Private Internet Access

Cheapest long-term, unlimited devices, open source; it's American.

$2.03 a month on the 3 years + 3 months plan ($79.00 up front)

Then $26.33 a year. 30-day refund.

Cheapest of the ones that still fit: $2.03 a month on the 3 years + 3 months plan ($79.00 up front).

+unblocks most Netflix libraries
+no renewal jump
+2 cities in DE

Visit Private Internet AccessNot an affiliate link. Opens the provider's site.Every fact →

Receipts

Streaming:Netflix 2/3, iPlayer 2/3· checked 2026-10-11source
Price:$2.03/mo, $79.00 for 3 years + 3 months, then $26.33/yr· checked 2026-10-11source
Devices:unlimited devices· checked 2026-10-11source
Servers in DE:7 WireGuard endpoints · 2 cities· checked 2026-10-12sourcecounted in wireguard endpoints
Refund window:30 days· checked 2026-10-11source

Most private85/100

Proton VPN

Swiss, open source, audited every year, and the only serious free tier.

$3.49 a month on the 2 years plan ($83.76 up front)

Then $83.88 a year. 30-day refund.

If you'd rather trust less: the strongest audit, ownership and payment story that still fits.

+unblocks most Netflix libraries
+706 servers in DE

–renews at $83.88 a year, which is $6.99 a month

Visit Proton VPNNot an affiliate link. Opens the provider's site.Every fact →

Receipts

Streaming:Netflix 2/3, iPlayer 2/3· checked 2026-10-11source
Price:$3.49/mo, $83.76 for 2 years, then $83.88/yr· checked 2026-10-11source
Devices:10 devices· checked 2026-10-11source
Servers in DE:706 servers · 2 cities· checked 2026-10-12source
Refund window:30 days· checked 2026-10-11source

Our own test

Not yet run. The pass-or-fail dots on this site summarise named 2026 tests by others; our test box will check ZDF and ARD Mediathek through every provider on a schedule and print the result and date here. Until then, treat “works” claims, ours included, as dated and perishable.

Questions people ask

Can I watch ZDF and ARD Mediathek abroad with a VPN?: Free; most programmes play worldwide but sport and licensed films are blocked outside Germany. A VPN with a server in Germany gives you a Germany IP; whether the service accepts it depends on the provider's IP ranges.
Which VPNs have servers in Germany?: NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, Proton VPN, Mullvad, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost, Windscribe (as of 2026-10-12, from each provider's own public list).
Which VPN is best for ZDF and ARD Mediathek?: Best fit: NordVPN ($3.49/mo). Best value: Private Internet Access ($2.03/mo). Most private: Proton VPN ($3.49/mo). Scored on dated facts; the affiliate terms are not an input.

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