Turbo VPN Review 2024: Before You Buy, Is It Worth It?

Mediocre & Very Inconsistent VPN Speeds

Turbo VPN’s connection speeds are not particularly impressive across all servers. I tested servers in several countries and found that the company’s claim of lightning-fast speeds was false. I tried both the free and paid versions of Turbo VPN, and found no noticeable difference in speed between the two.

The Turbo VPN app has a speed testing tool that’s supposedly more accurate than online tools. It shows the ping and download speed for each server in real time, so you can pick the best one near you. You may also opt to utilize the ‘Optimal Location’ functionality to allow the application to automatically select the fastest server available.

Speed Test Results

I tried using Turbo VPN and found that it worked okay for servers near me, but not so well for ones far away. Prior to using Turbo VPN, my home network in the United States registered download speeds of 15.71 Mbps and upload speeds of 9.00 Mbps.

After using Turbo VPN, my download speed decreased by around 65% for servers located close to me. The download speed was 63% slower for a server in the United Kingdom and 82% slower for a server in Australia, which is quite far from my location. The best performance I experienced was when I connected to a server in Canada, where the speed was only 43% slower than my original network speed.

Despite Turbo VPN’s logo depicting a hare to symbolize speed, the results of the test reveal that the VPN does not live up to this representation. Based on my extensive analysis of various VPNs, I highly recommend ExpressVPN as the best choice for speeds, as it consistently exhibits exceptional performance on both local and distant servers.

Is Turbo VPN Fast Enough for Gaming? No!

Turbo VPN demonstrated a significant decrease of nearly 65% in download speed, which led to issues during my online gaming. And with the lowest ping on all servers being 160 ms, a smooth gaming experience was out of the question.

People who love playing video games know how frustrating it can be to have a slow or unreliable internet connection. This can cause delays and disconnections, making it hard or even impossible to play games online. I personally experienced these frustrations when attempting to play PUBG Mobile on my iOS device using Turbo VPN.

Server Network — Limited Network Infrastructure

On its website, Turbo VPN advertises that it offers a vast network with over 21,000 servers spread across more than 50 locations. This number is impressive, though, as the majority of reliable VPNs only provide 5,000+ servers.

Frustratingly, the list of VPN servers available changes depending on what platform, device, and protocol you are using. For instance, Turbo VPN’s Windows version presents 26 V2Ray protocol servers spanning 21 countries, 21 IPSec protocol servers in 18 countries, and a mere seven OpenVPN protocol servers across seven countries. The Android version, in contrast, provides access to more than eighty VIP servers.

The free version of Turbo VPN offers limited server access for Windows and Android users, with servers only available in Germany, Singapore, and the United States. However, customers using macOS and iOS can access all servers in the premium version without any charge. Another notable advantage of Turbo VPN is its use of physical servers rather than virtual ones, which means you won’t be routed to incorrect locations.

If you need a better option, CyberGhost has a comprehensive server infrastructure with an impressive count of over 11,800 servers spread across 100 countries. What’s more, this VPN supports a nice extra feature that indicates which server is the best fit for your requirements.

Security — Basic Security Features

The Turbo VPN offers basic capabilities that are standard in VPN services. However, it’s important to note that it doesn’t provide advanced attributes such as anti-malware, stealth servers, or ad-blocking.

The security features offered include:

• Military-grade encryption – Turbo VPN relies on AES-256 encryption, widely regarded as the strongest encryption, but it falls short of providing the same level of security that top-tier providers can offer.
• Multiple protocol options – Turbo VPN boasts support for a plethora of tunneling protocols, including IPSec, OpenVPN, Wireguard, and V2Ray. It’s worth mentioning, however, that certain protocol options aren’t compatible across different platforms. Specifically, iOS users are constrained to IPSec only, while Android users can choose from IPSec, WireGuard, or OpenVPN protocols. For Windows users, Turbo VPN offers a selection of OpenVPN, IKEv2, and V2ray protocols.
• Kill switch – the kill switch feature functions as a safety measure to prevent data leakage in case of a connection drop. It is rather disappointing to observe that Turbo VPN is promoting the kill switch feature as an exclusive premium offering for only Windows and Android users, despite its availability in the free version of the application for iOS and macOS customers.
• Split tunneling – the split tunneling functionality provides you with the option to selectively route certain applications through the VPN connection while leaving others without the added protection. Notably, this feature is currently exclusive to users of the Windows and Android operating system.

It is generally agreed upon that smaller VPNs have a tendency to expose your data even when utilizing advanced encryption and tunneling protocols. As part of my evaluation process, I initiated a connection to a server situated within the United States with the aim of scrutinizing the efficacy of Turbo VPN’s data protection measures against leakage. Based on my assessment, Turbo VPN demonstrated no instances of DNS, IP addresses, or WebRTC data leakage.

Privacy — Untrustworthy and Potentially Dangerous

Although several VPNs offer privacy protection, Turbo VPN seems to prioritize other factors over privacy. While most VPNs gather some data, the data collected is usually inadequate to identify the user. Turbo VPN’s policy pushes the boundaries of what constitutes a “strict no-logs policy.”

Turbo VPN’s website details the VPN service’s privacy policy, commencing by specifying what it does not collect, such as IP addresses, connection timestamps, and browsing history. However, further on, the policy outlines data collection practices that contradict the earlier statements.

Turbo VPN collects anonymous information, such as the status of VPN connections, the VPN location you’re connected to, your country, and your ISP. Turbo VPN’s logging doesn’t stop at just IP addresses. It will also log where you are coming from, what sites you are visiting, and who is facilitating this connection.

The free version of Turbo VPN presents additional privacy concerns. Though the service does not utilize personal information to personalize ads, it allows ad partners to insert and access their own cookies, pixel tags, and other similar technologies to gather and retrieve user data.

Turbo VPN asserts that all data amassed during the company’s operations is stored in Singapore. However, this information may be transmitted to China. Moreover, Turbo VPN is owned by Innovative Connecting Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based corporation recognized for working together with the Five Eyes nations where it also operates. The CEO of Innovative Connecting is a Chinese businessperson, and there are hearsays that data gathered by the company may be shared with mainland China.

Turbo VPN’s obscure logging policy raises concerns about its suitability for those seeking to safeguard their online privacy and anonymity. It is not advisable to entrust one’s personal information to this service. An excellent privacy-focused alternative would be ExpressVPN, which offers a zero-logging VPN service and has undergone independent audits, with impressive privacy and security policies.

Torrenting — Complete Lack of a Torrenting Policy

Turbo VPN is entirely unclear about whether or not it supports torrents. Nonetheless, after talking to their customer service department, I was able to confirm that the premium plan’s exclusive access to special servers does indeed permit torrenting.

Be aware that Turbo VPN’s speeds are below average, which means that using it for torrenting will be slow. Moreover, I strongly discourage the use of Turbo VPN for P2P file-sharing activities as there is insufficient evidence regarding its capability to ensure the security of your personal information.

Please be aware that my team and I do not endorse illegal torrenting, so you should be mindful of the rules and regulations in your country before downloading copyrighted materials. If you are uncertain, be sure to only download files that are available in the public domain.

Does Turbo VPN Work in China? No!

Turbo VPN makes it explicitly clear that its application is not compatible with China’s policies and restrictions. Moreover, the app falls short of the technological advancements required to navigate through the Great Firewall. Assuming that Turbo VPN could surpass China’s limitations, I still advise against utilizing their services due to their unsafe privacy policy.

If you are in search of a reliable VPN to use during your travels in China, ExpressVPN is the top choice. Its unwavering and durable capacity to bypass China’s imposing firewall, which undergoes frequent and significant updates, makes it the optimal option.

The use of VPNs not approved by the government is considered unlawful in China. However, there is no recorded instance of tourists being punished by the Chinese government for using such VPNs. The typical approach taken by China to tackle the issue of VPNs involves implementing technological restrictions to block their usage, rather than actively pursuing individuals who use them.

Editors' Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.

Turbo VPN has a support system that’s about average. If you need help, you have a few options: you can reach out through live chat, submit a ticket through the app, or email their support team directly for more urgent matters.

During my evaluations, I reached out to Turbo VPN’s customer service multiple times through email and live chat. While most of my queries were addressed to my satisfaction, a few remained unresolved. Unfortunately, some of the emails I sent to Turbo VPN’s support were left unanswered, and the live chat function was intermittently unavailable. However, when the live chat feature was operational, the response time was impressive, with an agent responding within minutes.

It also has an FAQ section that seems to be lacking in information. When you ask the chatbot a question, it looks for an answer within its limited FAQ database. But if that doesn’t suffice, you can quickly be connected to a live support agent. The FAQ page mainly covers account and subscription details and provides general answers about Turbo VPN. Unfortunately, Turbo VPN doesn’t have a substantial knowledge base to address most customer concerns. Instead, they only offer a vague blog section with generic articles highlighting VPN benefits.