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The most visible VPNs in Germany, October 2026

October 2026 · 15 questions asked from Germany in German and English · ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Google AI Mode · 60 answers read

AI: how the engines answer the board's questions; Search: Google's top 10 for the questions' demand keywords; All: both combined. How the Heralded Score works.

Most cited source

surfshark.com

7citations

From Gemini, Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT

Where engines disagree most

NordLayer

1/4engines put it in their top three

Top three on ChatGPT, not on Google AI Mode, Gemini and Google AI Overviews

Brands

Rank Brand Rank change Heralded Score Score trend Mentioned Recommended By engine Mentioned by Change
1 Proton VPN CH New entry 51 , range 20–60
51
  • : score 51 · #1
 23% 18% None First reading
2 ExpressVPN VG New entry 48 , range 15–56
48
  • : score 48 · #2
 21% 10% None First reading
3 NordVPN LT New entry 48 , range 21–61
48
  • : score 48 · #3
 25% 17% None First reading
4 CyberGhost RO New entry 48 , range 0–74
48
  • : score 48 · #4
 5% 5% None First reading
5 Surfshark NL New entry 40 , range 21–59
40
  • : score 40 · #5
 21% 16% First reading
6 Mullvad SE New entry 23 , range 2–48
23
  • : score 23 · #6
 7% 7% None First reading
7 NordLayer LT New entry 17 , range 5–37
17
  • : score 17 · #7
 8% 7% None First reading
8 Hotspot Shield US New entry 12 , range 0–71
12
  • : score 12 · #8
 1% 1% None First reading
9 Kaspersky RU New entry 10 , range 2–45
10
  • : score 10 · #9
 7% 1% None First reading
10 Check Point SASE IL New entry 9 , range 0–69
9
  • : score 9 · #10
 3% 1% None First reading

“=” marks brands whose score ranges overlap, so the test cannot separate them. Every brand named in at least three answers is ranked. By engine has one dot per engine (ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Google AI Mode), darker the more often it names the brand.

This month's moves

First reading. No comparable previous month yet.

Biggest risers

No clear rise.

Biggest fallers

No clear fall.

Drop-outs

No drop-outs.

Most cited sources

Rank Source Type Cited in Engines Pages cited Brands its pages mention
1 surfshark.com Brand site 11.7% 3 of 4 5 1
2Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
3Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
4Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
5Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
6Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
7Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
8Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
9Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
10Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.

The questions, and who wins each

QuestionLanguageWins it
Welches VPN eignet sich am besten für Mitarbeitende im Homeoffice? German NordLayer and Tailscale, tied
Welches VPN können Reisende nutzen, um ihre Daten online zu schützen? German Surfshark
Welches VPN eignet sich am besten für kleine Unternehmen mit Mitarbeitenden an verschiedenen Standorten? German NordLayer
Wie können Mitarbeitende im Homeoffice sicher auf das Unternehmensnetzwerk zugreifen? German No brand recommended
Wie kann ich meine Daten in öffentlichen WLANs schützen? German No brand recommended
VPN-Verbindung oder Fernzugriff für kleine Teams? German Tailscale
Welche Alternativen zu öffentlichem WLAN gibt es für Mitarbeitende, die im Café arbeiten? German No brand recommended
Welche Alternativen zum Hotel-WLAN gibt es für Reisende? German No brand recommended
Ich leite ein Unternehmen mit 10 Mitarbeitenden im Homeoffice. Wie kann ich ihre Verbindungen absichern? German No brand recommended
Ich arbeite in der Buchhaltung und greife von zu Hause auf Kundendaten zu. Wie kann ich sie schützen? German No brand recommended

Each engine's top three

Method

For the AI side, each month Heralded asks every engine the same buyer questions, twice each, and reads every answer. An answer counts 0 for a brand it leaves out, 50 for a brand it names and 100 for a brand it recommends, and the Heralded Score is built from those. A brand named in at least three answers gets a score and a place.

How the leaderboards are measured