Top German websites every expat should know

Learn all about Germany's digital landscape to find the best websites to meet your needs in Germany

Bas

3 minute read

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Updated on 19 Mar 2024

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Living

Learning about the most popular German websites is a useful way to get acclimated to your new life in Germany! We’ve used both data and the recommendations of German locals to compile a list of the best German websites expats should bookmark.

Staying on top of the news is a good way to make a connection with your new German hometown and learn about what is going on in the country over the internet.

• Thelocal.de - A website dedicated to providing German news in English.
• ZDF.de - One Germany’s public broadcasters, posting videos and live streams surrounding daily news.
• Spiegel.de - A popular weekly magazine featuring news and topics of interest.
• Zeit.de - A large, relatively liberal newspaper that likes to tackle the tough topics in the news, often highlighting various and sometimes conflicting opinions on these topics.

Top Local news websites

If you’re looking for news with a more local perspective, then check out some of these locally available newspapers and their websites. This will help you keep track of all the local happenings and events that you might be interested in.

• Berlin - ITB Berlin - itb-berlin.com
• Munich - Münchner Merkur - merkur-online.de
• Frankfurt - Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung - faz.net
• Hamburg - Hamburger Morgenpost - mopo.de
• Cologne - Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger - ksta.de
• Stuttgart - Stuttgarter Zeitung - stuttgarter-zeitung.de

No matter where you’re from, you’ll be very happy to know that Germany has an excellent and efficient online shopping landscape. The list includes a number of well-known classics as well as a number of hidden gems to satisfy all your online shopping needs.

• Amazon.de - A staple for any online shopping you need to do while you're in Germany. Electronics, home office supplies or a 6 bottles of laundry detergent? Amazon has your back.
• Otto.de - Otto is a large online retailer, offering a wide variety of fashion and lifestyle products.
• Zalando.de - One of the most popular online fashion stores available right now. If you need new shoes or any other part of your wardrobe upgraded, then Zalando has options for pretty much any style.
• Shop-apotheke.com - One of Germany’s most popular online pharmacies. Great if you need to restock on any of the medicine, band-aids or anything else you need without prescription.

Best secondhand marketplaces in Germany

Don’t worry, you’re not the only one who thinks anything from clothes to furniture deserve a second life. Germany has a number of popular second hand shopping sites that will help you keep quality products from an early trip to the trash can. You’re dealing with actual people, though, so remember there’s no warranty and keep a sharp eye out for any scammers.

• Gebraucht Kaufen - Gebraught-kaufen.de
• Ebay - Ebay-kleinanzeigen.de

When you’ve finally figured out which product is right for you, you’ll want to look for the best deal! Whether it’s a product or service, Germany has some useful price comparison websites that will help you save a few Euros along the way!

• Check24.de - If you’re in the market for insurance, utility contracts or a new plan for your mobile phone, Check24 is the place for you. They compare offers from a variety of sources and take all the discounts and bonuses into account to find you the lowest overall price.
• Idealo.de - Idealo is your German companion for scoring a good deal on gadgets, kitchen appliances and other knick knacks that you’d like to supplement your furnished apartment with.
• Guenstiger.de - Another great price comparison allrounder that will help you score a deal on anything from a laptop to a coffee machine. Guestiger has a bigger focus on reviews for both products and the webshops you’ll be actually making your purchase!

The best website for maintenance services

Even if you’re careful, something will break. In some cases, you might not be able to rely on your landlord to carry out the maintenance for you. In that case, you’ll be the one to select a good handyman, plumber or electrician for yourself. Thankfully, Germany has a website for that too!

• My-hammer.de - Whether it’s outside, inside or involves something highly technical, My Hammer will help you find the right professional for you. You simply publish your job and the professionals will reach out to you instead!

I don’t know about you, but all this talk about comparing prices has made me hungry! So let’s dive into Germany’s best food related websites. Whether you’re cooking yourself, or looking to have some takeout delivered to you, here are Germany’s most popular food websites.

• Chefkoch.de - Looking to try your hand at some of Germany’s best cuisine? Chefkoch.de will set you up with recipes that will satisfy any kind of craving you might have! They have anything from light dishes to the snackhalla recipes that will leave you in a glorious food coma.
• Lecker.de - Similarly, Lecker.de bundles various yummy recipes, including those from their active community. If you want to try something new regularly, be sure to sign up to their delicious newsletter.
• Lieferando.de - Hungry, but don’t feel like cooking? Lieferando will connect you with your local restaurants, snackbars and fast food places.
• Flaschenpost.de - Sometimes there’s nothing better than a nice drink. And Flaschenpost.de will deliver it right to your door!

So, with this collection of websites you should be able to make your new life in Germany a little easier!

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