Turbo VPN Review: Is It Any Good?

Today we are reviewing Turbo VPN, a VPN service that started as an Android-only project. But first, we must talk a bit about what a VPN is. As most of our readers know, VPNs or virtual private networks allow users to connect to the internet remotely and communicate privately without sharing IP addresses or any other data. Hence, it is a sought-after technology, especially in these trying times when internet privacy is more of a myth. Users can rely on it to keep their digital lives private and secure without worrying about potential threats. Turbo VPN is one such service provider that claims to fulfill all these responsibilities, but whether that’s enough is what you will find out in our review.

Disclaimer – The following article is a subjective representation. We are not biased, one way or another, towards any particular service. Readers who want to know more about the subject in question can visit the official Turbo VPN website for further details.

Overview of Turbo VPN

Turbo VPN has quite a bit of history as it was launched a decade ago. But at that time, it was a relatively unsafe product. Before we pronounce the service safe for use today, we should stress that the VPN has nothing to advocate on its behalf. Even today, this Singapore-based VPN isn’t exactly the epitome of safety. It has a lot of issues that have been carried forward all these years. However, it also has tried to make certain things better, taking the no logging policy, for example. Yes, it is a freemium product that lacks basic and advanced security features.

It is riddled with third-party adverts and leaks DNS. Still, it is a popular choice among many, although we would strictly recommend against it. Even if we don’t obsess over security and privacy, which is the whole purpose of a VPN, Turbo VPN fails to stand out from any other peripheral activities. There is no streaming, no torrenting, and it can’t even bypass blocks. It also has a different scheme for a separate platform, where the number of VPN servers in the network varies accordingly. When we take all of it into account, it surely paints a depressing picture. But honestly, we have to do a more detailed analysis before we can safely assume stuff about this service.

Specs of Turbo VPN

Key specifications	Turbo VPN
Bandwidth	Unlimited
VPN speed	45 Mbps
Logging policy	Logs data, but improved recently
IP address and DNS leaks	Infrequent DNS leaks
Jurisdiction	Singapore
VPN servers	21000 (Claimed, unconfirmed)
IP addresses	Undisclosed
Server locations	Variable
Streaming	No
Torrenting	No
Obfuscation	No
Customer Support	24/7 Live Chat

Features of Turbo VPN

Continuing our Turbo VPN review, let’s look at some features:

Privacy and logging policy

The service no longer imposes an abysmal logging policy. Yes, it still collects data but tries to keep the logs minimal, without any PII (Personally Identifiable Information), which is a welcome change, given how its logging policy used to be. Nowadays, it only collects information regarding your VPN connection status and outgoing IP address. But the service originates from Singapore, and it can concern some users. Having said this, we also have to stress the fact that these claims have yet to be substantiated. Since there have been zero independent audits, we only have the provider’s words to fall back to. Given its history, this certainly raises a few flags.

Security

When we talk about Turbo VPN, we expected some kind of effort. But the service was, then and now, the same without even the basics done right. The VPN, seldom, but leaks DNS, allows some malware, and is, in general, an unsafe and insecure product. Moreover, it uses third-party sources for obtaining sensitive data. The service is even incapable of protecting your PII, even if it doesn’t log it. It lacks an exclusive DNS server, meaning your data will move across third-party networks, even with a VPN. Here’s what the VPN has:

• VPN protocols – IKEv2/IPsec, L2TP/IPsec, OpenVPN (TCP/UDP), Proprietary
• Encryption – AES 256
• Security – VPN kill switch
• Advanced features – None

Server locations

While the VPN claims to offer over 21000 VPN servers, we do not believe it to be the realistic number. However, courtesy of the paywall, we do know that the number varies for different platforms. For example, macOS and iOS users can only select the nearest available server. On Windows, you have 3 choices unless you purchase a subscription. Android allows four locations. In total, the lack of diversity suggests a smaller network.

Connectivity

Similarly, the VPN connectivity and speed also vary as per the different platforms. While Windows allows for a seamless experience, Android is dead set at throttling speed. However, even with greater speed, we do not recommend using this VPN daily.

Server Location	Baseline Download Speed (Mbps)	VPN Download Speed (Mbps)	Download Speed Decrease (%)	Baseline Upload Speed (Mbps)	VPN Upload Speed (Mbps)	Upload Speed Decrease (%)
New York	100	50	50%	50	25	50%
London	150	70	53.3%	60	30	50%
Tokyo	200	80	60%	70	35	50%
Sydney	120	60	50%	45	20	55.6%
Frankfurt	180	75	58.3%	55	28	49.1%
Singapore	130	65	50%	48	24	50%
Toronto	160	70	56.3%	52	26	50%

Streaming

Sadly, the VPN isn’t capable enough to bypass geo-blocks and allow users to enjoy borderless media content. If you are lucky, it may bypass the block on some obscure streaming platform, but that’s it.

Obfuscation and torrenting

Since the VPN lacks any advanced obfuscation tech, there is no chance it will work in a highly censored region. Thus, you can forget bypassing VPN blocks. The VPN doesn’t support torrenting on any servers. The P2P traffic is blocked and still attempting to bypass the restriction might get your account banned.

Customer Care

The VPN at least offers some decent after-sales service. There is a live chat, email support, and ticket service with somewhat basic online resources also available. This is one of the biggest advantages for newcomers.

Turbo VPN platform support

The VPN started its journey being an Android-only product. It has diversified nowadays and is available on popular ones like Windows, Mac, and iOS. There are all free apps that do not differ largely from each other. Every VPN client appears basic as it lacks any features. However, all these apps have different servers that a user can connect to.

Pricing and subscription plans for Turbo VPN

Although most users prefer the service because it is free, it has long since adopted the freemium approach and has a premium version with more VPN servers and better speed. The VPN offers four subscriptions which are as follows:

• 24-month plan – $4.17 per month
• Yearly plan – $5 monthly
• 6-month plan – $6.67 per month
• 1-month plan – $11.99 per month

Verdict

In conclusion, we can never, in good faith, recommend a paid version of Turbo VPN after our review. Forget advanced stuff or entertainment value, it fails to get the basics done. The service is highly inconsistent, unreliable, and lacks added protection measures. Although it offers a few more features on the premium plan, that is too costly and certainly not value for money. Even as a free VPN service, we have too many doubts, and it has too many drawbacks. Hence, our readers are better off with another freemium VPN service like Windscribe or Proton VPN.