VPN advice please

[GasEngineer]

One of the boiler manufacturers has an online tool that is only available in France or Germany for some reason. Just says "not available in your region".

If I buy one one the VPN software offerings, will I be able to set my location as France or Germany?

If so any recommendations for VPN software?

Thanks.

[worsy]

Yes and nordvpn is my go to.

[GlenMH]

worsy said:

Yes and nordvpn is my go to.

Likewise.

[Andeh1]

Winscribe off a freebie one which works well.

[p4cks]

Plenty free ones out there. Many are even browser extensions

[RSTurboPaul]

Protonmail / ProtonVPN is supposed to be decent.


Maybe avoid the ones controlled by Israel

https://www.newstarget.com/2025-04-07-how-israeli-...

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-cybersecurit...

[m3cs]

Another NordVPN vote. Used surfshark in the past, whose client was buggy and their connections were downright awful (constant ‘DNS leaks’ which can reveal who/where you are)

[grumbledoak]

NordVPN is fine.

Their free trial is Android only. But you could probably "30 day money back guarantee" it if you were feeling "a bit whoosh and a bit wheee"

[Wheel Turned Out]

I use the VPN built into the Opera browser, seems to work well enough.

[br d]

I thought Nord got raided and gave up their logs? Exactly what you don't want, although I might be confusing them with someone else.
I use Proton, seem pretty secure and fast.

[grumbledoak]

br d said:

I thought Nord got raided and gave up their logs? Exactly what you don't want, although I might be confusing them with someone else.
I use Proton, seem pretty secure and fast.

@grok says
"Unlike IPVanish (handed over logs in 2016) or PureVPN (FBI cooperation in 2017), NordVPN has a clean record—no scandals or forced disclosures of activity data. Their Panama base avoids data-retention laws in places like the EU or US."

[130R]

I have used NordVPN for years with no issues. They have a lot of servers and features compared to the competition. Surfshark and Nord Security merged under one holding company back in 2022.

[budgie smuggler]

PIA has this feature and works fine.

However a lot of companies block VPNs accessing their services now.

[nvubu]

Alamo's car rental app is only available in the USA (why?). I had to change the location of my Google Play Store to be able to download it as well as VPN. Worked fine after that - including with the reservation I made on the uk site.

[GasEngineer]

Thanks for all the replies and recommendations.

I did try Opera as I already have it but it only seems to allow you to set Europe and not any specific country.

Do the others like Nord allow you to pick Germany specifically?

[Bluevanman]

Try proton free

[Mr-B]

Bluevanman said:

Try proton free

I have used the browser add on, it's quite good. Doesn't allow you to pick a country or region just allocates a random one.

[Bluevanman]

Mr-B said:

I have used the browser add on, it's quite good. Doesn't allow you to pick a country or region just allocates a random one.

Oh right, maybe the OP can keep refreshing until it picks Germany lol.

I've just checked operas vpn and you can get a free trial of the premium version where you can pick any country.....just do that and cancel before payment is due

Edited by Bluevanman on Sunday 16th November 11:31

[alscar]

I have Norton on my laptop and the VPN “ on “ box then allows you to pick any Country named in their drop down box.
Can’t say whether France or Germany are specifically named but there are a lot of countries mentioned.

[Cliftonite]

GasEngineer said:

Thanks for all the replies and recommendations.

I did try Opera as I already have it but it only seems to allow you to set Europe and not any specific country.

Do the others like Nord allow you to pick Germany specifically?

I have USA on Opera's free version of their VPN. Ii is a bit slow, though, presumably as part of their strategy to seek upgrade to the paying version.