4 Best VPNs for Turkey That Work on Mobile and PC in 2024
- Best VPNs for Turkey — Full Analysis (Updated in 2024)
- ExpressVPN — Obfuscated Global Network For Safe Access to Apps and Online Services in Turkey
- Private Internet Access — Highly Customizable for Optimal Online Security and Performance in Turkey
- PrivateVPN — Access Top Streaming Platforms Without Interruptions in and Outside Turkey
- Astrill VPN — Specifically Designed To Work in Restricted Regions like Turkey
- Quick Comparison Table: Turkey VPN Features
- Quick Guide: How to Set Up a VPN for Turkey in 3 Easy Steps
- Tips on How to Choose the Best VPN for Turkey
- FAQs on Using a VPN for Turkey
- The Bottom Line
Turkey has some of the strictest internet restrictions and surveillance, making it difficult to find a VPN that keeps you safe. Some VPNs are even restricted there as a way to enforce blocks on social media and other sites (like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp).
My team and I tested 78 VPNs for Turkey and found only a few that still reliably work in the country. Each protects your online data with advanced security and privacy features. Plus, these VPNs offer reliable Turkish and international servers to safely access local banking apps, government services, and e-commerce platforms. They’re also capable of accessing the top streaming platforms from anywhere without long load times or quality dips.
My top pick for Turkey is ExpressVPN. It has military-grade encryption and a strict no-logs policy that safeguards your sensitive information. The VPN also offers excellent speeds for uninterrupted browsing and gaming. You can try ExpressVPN for Turkey risk-free since it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. Editor's Note: Transparency is one of our core values at vpnMentor, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process.
In addition, Turkey has recently blocked many online services, and more could be restricted at any time. This makes it even more important to have a VPN ready for safe access. However, there’s a chance you may need to test several VPNs in our list. Although they’re the best options for Turkey, their success might vary depending on your ISP.
Short on Time? Here Are the Best VPNs for Turkey in 2024
- Editor's ChoiceExpressVPN
Top Turkey VPN—robust security, 30-day money-back guarantee.70% of our readers choose ExpressVPN - Private Internet Access
Customizable app for speed/security balance in Turkey. - PrivateVPN
Great streaming quality on servers in and nearby Turkey. - Astrill VPN
Long, consistent history of working in restricted countries like Turkey.
Editor's Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: Intego, Cyberghost, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
Best VPNs for Turkey — Full Analysis (Updated in 2024)
1. ExpressVPN — Obfuscated Global Network For Safe Access to Apps and Online Services in Turkey
Tested October 2024 Try Risk-Free for 30 Days
Best feature | Fast obfuscated serves for secure & lag-free internet access in Turkey and worldwide |
Server network | 3,000 servers in 105 countries, including Turkey and nearby countries like Greece, Cyprus, Armenia, Georgia, and Bulgaria |
Speeds | 81.09Mpbs (13% slower than my usual connection) |
Works with | Netflix, BluTV free trial, ATV, TV8, Kanal D, TRT1, Disney+, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, WhatsApp, Skype, Zoom, TikTok, Snapchat, and more |
ExpressVPN’s network of obfuscated servers worked flawlessly in Turkey. Thanks to its obfuscated servers, I could visit my favorite local news sites and e-commerce platforms as if I were in my home country. Whether you’re a Turkish ex-pat or a tourist, you can safely use your usual banking apps and other financial services. They also make it possible to safely access the top streaming platforms from anywhere.
Additionally, ExpressVPN is the fastest VPN I tested, with unlimited bandwidth for uninterrupted viewing. My speeds were fast enough for 4K streaming while testing local servers. I averaged 81Mbps when connected to the nearby Turkish server (only a little slower than my base speeds of 93Mbps). Plus, military-grade encryption prevents ISPs from throttling your internet connection.
ExpressVPN is based in the privacy-friendly British Virgin Islands, which is outside of any intelligence-sharing networks. Also, it has a strict no-logs policy that has been independently audited by PwC, so you can be sure it doesn’t keep any personal or usage data.
Its only minor con is that it’s not the cheapest VPN. However, its long-term plans are significantly discounted, starting at just $6.67/month, and it’s well worth it when considering the quality of its service. You can try ExpressVPN out completely risk-free since it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. And you can pay anonymously using various cryptocurrencies via Bitpay.
Useful Features
- TrustedServer technology. ExpressVPN's servers are diskless, RAM-only, frequently rebooted, wiped at the OS level, and updated to ensure no data survives. It was tested when Turkish authorities seized one server but found no data in December 2022.
- Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS). This generates a new private key each time you connect, preventing hackers from accessing data from other sessions. This is especially relevant in Turkey, where your online activity can result in persecution.
- Lightway protocol. ExpressVPN's Lightway protocol, based on wolfSSL, is optimized for speed and security and has been independently assessed by Cure53. It obfuscates traffic by default, making it difficult to detect and censor VPN use in Turkey.
- Threat Manager. This feature blocks communication with malicious sites on ExpressVPN's blocklist, limiting data collection by unknown parties, regardless of whether you’re in Turkey or abroad.
2. Private Internet Access — Highly Customizable for Optimal Online Security and Performance in Turkey
Best feature | Customizable encryption (128 or 256-bit AES) to fine-tune your privacy in Turkey |
Server network | 29,650 servers in 91 countries, including Turkey |
Speeds | 70.69Mpbs (25% slower than my usual connection) |
Works with | Netflix, BluTV free trial, ATV, TV8, Kanal D, TRT1, Disney+, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, WhatsApp, Skype, Zoom, TikTok, Snapchat, and more |
PIA gives you full control over performance and security by letting you customize everything, like the encryption level, packet sizes, DNS settings, and the kill switch. Even the split tunneling feature works on either apps or IP addresses. For example, it’s possible to safely access ATV from anywhere while playing online games with a regular low-latency internet connection (since VPNs increase ping).
PIA’s interface and settings may feel overwhelming at first. However, you can get along by mostly using the automatic server suggestion and the default settings. It also has some convenient features, like displaying the ping of each server. While testing PIA, this helped me find the best server near Turkey quickly without having to test different options.
You can try PIA risk-free thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee. It’s one of the VPNs with the most affordable long-term plan. All plans include a free email breach monitor and affordable add-ons for anti-virus and dedicated IPs. It accepts Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, making it convenient for crypto users. This is useful as PayPal has suspended operations in Turkey.
Useful Features
- MACE. MACE blocks malware, ads, and trackers with one click, removing pop-up ads from YouTube and torrenting software both in Turkey and internationally.
- Shadowsocks and SOCKS5. Multi-hop and Obfuscation add an extra privacy layer by routing traffic through an additional server. Due to encryption, Shadowsocks is more secure than SOCKS5, making it a better choice for private browsing in Turkey.
- Unlimited simultaneous connections. PIA allows unlimited device connections. As I only usually use 2–3 devices at a time, my family members could use it on their devices while I was in Turkey.
- No-logs policy. Despite being based in the US (part of the 5 Eyes Alliance), PIA's strict no-logs policy means user data is not stored or shared. PIA does not comply with data requests and has a solid record in court.
3. PrivateVPN — Access Top Streaming Platforms Without Interruptions in and Outside Turkey
Best Feature | Well-optimized for securely accessing popular streaming services |
Server Network | 200 servers in 63 countries, including Turkey |
Speeds | 58.28 Mbps (38% slower than our usual connection) |
Works With | Netflix, BluTV free trial, ATV, TV8, Kanal D, TRT1, Hulu, Skype, and more |
PrivateVPN can safely access the biggest streaming platforms like Netflix and BluTV from anywhere. My international team and I could watch Netflix Turkey in great quality. During our tests, Netflix videos loaded nearly instantly, and we didn’t encounter additional buffering.
It comes with top-notch security features, including a kill switch and multiple safe protocols. There’s also an obfuscation feature (called “Stealth”) you can use with OpenVPN to hide your VPN use. Unfortunately, it doesn’t offer split tunneling like PIA or ExpressVPN.
Speeds aren’t always its strong suit since its network tends to get overcrowded. But, I never faced significant speed losses with the OpenVPN UDP protocol.
The long-term plan is a great deal at only $2/month. It comes with a reliable 30-day money-back guarantee; I easily got a full refund after 5 days.
Useful Features
- 24/7 live chat. You can quickly access knowledgeable agents if you ever face issues with restricted sites in or outside of Turkey
- Default port forwarding. This is a feature that can greatly increase torrenting speeds. Many VPNs charge extra for this and restrict its use, but PrivateVPN has it activated by default on all its servers, making it quite fast during P2P.
- Private DNS servers. It owns its DNS servers, which cuts down on a middleman that could access your data, improving your security.
4. Astrill VPN — Specifically Designed To Work in Restricted Regions like Turkey
Best Feature | Multiple protocols that can access vital services in Turkey |
Server Network | 142 servers in 56 countries, including Turkey |
Speeds | 50.76Mbps (46% slower than our usual connection) |
Works With | Netflix, BluTV free trial, ATV, TV8, Kanal D, TRT1, WhatsApp, TikTok, and more |
AstrillVPN’s main selling point is that it generally works in any region, especially with its StealthVPN protocol. I like that it offers a variety of protocols that can easily be changed on the VPN’s “front page”. OpenVPN and WireGuard also provided reliable connections in our tests.
The main drawback is that it’s quite expensive. Its cheapest plans are still $12.50/month. However, if other VPNs aren’t working, the price is worth it to use the unrestricted internet in Turkey.
Unlike PrivateVPN and most other top providers, Astrill doesn’t come with a money-back guarantee. With that said, you can use Astrill VPN for one free month if you refer a friend who signs up.
Useful Features
- Backup proxies. Astrill VPN also offers 5 proxies. I only recommend using these as a last resort since they don’t offer encryption, but they’re one more option for connecting in Turkey.
- Kill switch. While its app is fairly barebones, I’m glad Astrill offers this essential feature which keeps you safe even if the VPN suddenly disconnects.
Quick Comparison Table: Turkey VPN Features
Editor's Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: Intego, Cyberghost, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
Quick Guide: How to Set Up a VPN for Turkey in 3 Easy Steps
- Download a VPN. I recommend ExpressVPN, with its exceptional security and privacy features, for safe web browsing in Turkey and worldwide.
- Connect to a local server. Choose a nearby server to get the fastest possible connection
- Start browsing. You’re ready to safely browse Turkish and international sites without interruptions.
Editor's Note: Transparency is one of our core values at vpnMentor, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process.
Tips on How to Choose the Best VPN for Turkey
All the listed VPNs are reliable and highly secure. They let you surf the web without annoying lags or privacy risks. You can use the below tips to make an educated decision about the best VPN for you:
- Strong security and privacy features — A VPN for Turkey requires AES 256-bit encryption, a no-logs policy, obfuscated servers, and a kill switch for security and privacy against attacks or surveillance.
- Global server network (including Turkey) — Pick a VPN with worldwide servers to safely access social media in Turkey without issues.
- Fast speeds — Check if the speeds are fast enough for UHD streaming, torrenting without delays, and lag-free gaming.
- Easy to use apps — Make sure the VPN of your choice has user-friendly apps, reliable customer support, is compatible with various operating systems, and has a Turkish language option (if needed).
- Trustworthy money-back guarantee — Choose a service that offers a fast and easy refund if you’re not satisfied, so you can test it risk-free.
- Reliable customer support — In Turkey, VPNs may get blocked, requiring fast and helpful support. 24/7 live chat is the standard among top VPNs and is preferred by most users.
FAQs on Using a VPN for Turkey
Can I use a Turkey VPN on Chrome, PC, or iPhone?
Yes, you can. The best VPNs offer native apps for all major platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS (iPhone and iPad), and Android. They can also be installed or configured on other devices, like Raspberry Pis, smart TVs, routers, Kindle Fire, or gaming consoles like PlayStation and Xbox. Some even have browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Opera.
What if my VPN isn’t working in Turkey?
If your VPN fails, try changing servers and ports and enabling a proxy protocol, like SOCKS5. If issues persist, contact your VPN’s support team. Turkish ISPs may block VPNs by targeting specific ports and using deep packet inspection. VPNs that have obfuscated servers, like ExpressVPN, are able to hide their traffic from ISPs.
In 2016, Turkey’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) ordered ISPs to ban more than 10 VPN services, plus Tor. Restricted VPNs today may include NordVPN, Surfshark, IPVanish, TunnelBear, and more.
Are VPNs legal in Turkey?
Yes, VPNs are legal in Turkey, but VPN users may face difficulties accessing services due to blocks or deep packet inspections. However, these shortlisted VPNs are all confirmed to still work in Turkey.
The vpnMentor team doesn’t condone using VPNs to break local laws, and you should inform yourself about their legal use in Turkey. Using a VPN to bypass censorship, access banned websites, or insult Turkey can lead to prosecution with jail terms of up to 2 years.
Is Netflix available in Turkey without a VPN?
Yes, Netflix is available in Turkey. You don't need a VPN to watch the local Turkish library. However, you can use a VPN to prevent ISPs from throttling your speeds and streaming platforms from spying on you. The right VPNs can also securely access platforms like BluTV, ATV, and Hulu from anywhere.
Why should I use a VPN for Turkey?
Turkey has limited internet freedom according to Freedom House, with the government regularly blocking social media and news sites. For example, after facing criticism over its response to the earthquake in February 2023, the government blocked Twitter and Ekşi Sözlük, leading to communication difficulties. Twenty people were arrested for "provocative posts," and social apps like Instagram are intermittently blocked.
That’s why a reliable and secure VPN is essential to have free and fair internet access in Turkey. Besides, Turkey blocks Booking.com, so if you’re a tourist who booked a hotel through this service, a VPN is a must.
Is it safe to use a free VPN in Turkey?
Using a free VPN for Turkey isn’t recommended as it may not be safe. They often lack advanced security features and have poor privacy policies. Others make money by selling your information or bundling ransomware/malware into their apps. Also, they usually have very limited server networks and slow speeds. It’s a better option to use a tried-and-tested VPN with a money-back guarantee.
Can I use a VPN alternative for Turkey?
I don’t recommend it because none of the alternatives are safer than a VPN. Services like Tor, Smart DNS, and proxies might unblock sites while you're in Turkey, but they lack the high-end encryption, a kill switch, security protocols, and fast and reliable connections a VPN has. A VPN also protects your connection without noticeably reducing your speeds and offers more servers to connect to.
The Bottom Line
A decent VPN keeps your internet connection private in and outside Turkey, thanks to high-end encryption, a kill switch, and a no-logs policy. Plus, a global network lets you route your traffic via a secure server with minimal slowdowns.
My best choice for Turkey is ExpressVPN. It has top-notch security features to safeguard your personal information and excellent speed for uninterrupted browsing. You can even try ExpressVPN without any risk (it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee).
To summarize, here are the best VPNs for Turkey
Editor's Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: Intego, Cyberghost, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
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