If you live in Turkey and you're struggling with online censorship and privacy, then you should consider using a VPN. In this guide, we should you the best VPNs to use in Turkey and why.
The best VPNs for Turkey at a glance
Here's a quick rundown of our top VPN picks for Turkey. For more information, check out our in-depth analysis.
- ExpressVPN - The best VPN for Turkey. This premium VPN doesn't scrimp on encryption, security tools or speed.
- NordVPN - A large brand with very good value, but also affordable. Unblocks all major streaming platforms. Privacy features to match.
- Surfshark - A geat value-for-money VPN, with cutting-edge privacy features. You get unlimited connections, a no-logs policy and excellent encryption options.
- Private Internet Access - A secure VPN for Turkey. It has well implemented encryption and has proven in court that it keeps no logs.
- CyberGhost VPN - A huge network of servers and slick apps for Android, iOS and other major platforms.
Website censorship is a massive problem in Turkey. The government forces Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to use keywords to blacklist websites that criticize AKP. The military coup in 2016 made things worse, leading the government to blackout even more websites. In addition, new laws were passed allowing Turkey's media watchdog RTUK to censor even more content. Now, reports are emerging about an increase of censorship and social media blocks in the country.
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) for Turkey is the best solution. A VPN unblocks websites and provides privacy to let anybody access blocked sites without fear of being tracked. Using a VPN, Turkish citizens can pretend to be in a different country. This lets them bypass all government censorship and access restricted messengers and social media sites.
A reliable VPN also provides encryption so that no one can tell what you're doing online. Freedom and digital privacy: the perfect combination!
All of our choices are quick and come with an arsenal of privacy and security features to keep you safe during a tumultuous political climate.
The Best Turkey VPNs | In-depth Analysis
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for Turkey – its super-fast servers and wealth of security tools mean you can unblock content securely & stream in 4K. ExpressVPN Demo ExpressVPN is a perfect pick for Turkey, being an industry-leading provider since 2009. There are servers in 94 countries, and they all provide lightning-fast connection speeds, unlimited bandwidth and the ability to bypass ISP throttling. The VPN software is fully featured, with a kill switch, Domain Name System (DNS) leak protection, and stealth mode. Encryption is very strong OpenVPN and no usage logs are ever kept. In addition, the few connection logs that are kept are always aggregated (and can therefore never be tied to any one particular user). This VPN is a pleasure to use, thanks to a 24/7 live chat support team available to give advice at any time of the day or night - which is particularly handy for those times when you need to unblock a site and are finding it tricky. ExpressVPN can be used on five devices simultaneously and is perfect for staying secure on pubic Wi-Fi. Finally, ExpressVPN gives users a 30-day money-back guarantee to test the service. NordVPN is one of the most popular services for Turkey. It has excellent apps for all OS, it's consistently fast and unblocks nearly anything. Strong encryption and WireGuard protocol. Nord Demo NordVPN is a great choice for people who want more than just a VPN. It comes with an entire security suite, including ad and malware blocking, VPN over Tor, obfuscation (stealth mode), double-hop encryption, shared Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, kill-switch and DNS leak protection. Furthermore, it is a zero-logs VPN with strong encryption. Servers are fast and are located everywhere you might need them. The software is extremely well designed and can be used on three devices simultaneously. Best of all, it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can put it to the test and see how it compares to our other recommendations. Surfshark is a cheap VPN for Turkey. It combines tough encryption and protocols with unblocking functionality in a cost-effective package. Surfshark Demo Surfshark boasts a huge network of servers – with more than 1,700 across 63 countries – and it's not a case of quantity over quality. The service is consistently quick, making it ideal for downloading, streaming and other data-intensive tasks. Chrome and Firefox browser extensions are handy in a pinch, and otherwise, Surfshark can be installed on most devices. iOS, Android, Windows, Mac and Linux included. More impressive than that is the fact that you have unlimited connections with Surfshark. You can keep all your devices, and all your family's devices, secure with just one subscription. As well as dedicated obfuscation servers that are particularly useful for Turkish users, Surfshark makes use of strong AES-256 encryption and OpenVPN protocol. This sturdy combination is the industry standard and means your personal information will stay personal and private. And being based in the British Virgin Islands means that Surfshark can deliver a no-logs service. Surfshark's CleanWeb feature banishes malicious ads, pop-ups and malware from your browsing sessions, meaning you'll never accidentally click a shifty link again. Additionally, Surfshark can be used to unblock the most in-demand streaming services – Netflix included. There's even a free 7-day trial for iOS and Android. A 30-day money-back guarantee is a good reason to check Surfshark out for yourself, and an expert team available 24/7 ensures that if you have any questions, that you won't need to wait long for an answer. Private Internet Access is a secure VPN for Turkey, providing strong encryption, excellent privacy features and a proven no-logs policy – all at a low price! PIA Demo Thousands of PIA's servers in 84 countries are quick and ideal for streaming - doubly so, thanks to the absence of any bandwidth caps or data limits. PIA is compatible with all your devices, and there's 24/7 help at hand if you need it. What's more, PIA allows you up to 10 simultaneous connections - ideal for the family or a collection of devices. Thanks to a recent acquisition by cybersec firm Kape Technologies, PIA has been able to provide an improved security service with a premium-feel for a fraction of the price. A favorite of Reddit’s online privacy community, PIA features industry-standard encryption and a host of protocols, allowing you to create a bespoke security setup. WireGuard, PPTP, OpenVPN and L2TP/IPsec are all available - though we’d recommend sticking to OpenVPN for an optimized experience. P2P support is enabled, and you won’t need to worry about ads or trackers in your browsing session. PIA also comes with a kill switch for extra peace of mind. Adding to this, PIA’s no-logs policy has been proven in court. PIA is simple to install and easy to use, even if you're a VPN novice, and a 30-day money-back guarantee is included as standard when you subscribe. CyberGhost is another budget-friendly mid-range VPN for Turkey. You get access to an expansive network of servers, a no-logs policy and slick apps on all platforms, including Android and iOS. CyberGhost Demo Another top pick for Turkey, CyberGhost has an exceptionally deep pool of servers to connect to - there's 6,200 servers in more than 88 countries, in fact. And regardless of which one you connect to, you'll be able to enjoy unlimited bandwidth and no pesky ISP throttling. In terms of security, CyberGhost opts for strong AES 256-bit encryption and a variety of protocols. Whilst we'd recommend using the super-secure OpenVPN protocol, IKEv2 and WireGuard are also available. What's more, you can add an additional layer of safety to your connections with DNS and IP leak protection, and automatic kill switch and P2P support. There's no need to worry about logs with CyberGhost - the provider doesn't keep any, abiding by a no-logs policy. With CyberGhost, you can enjoy up to 7 simultaneous connections, meaning your family can keep their devices safe at home and when using public WiFi hotspots. CyberGhost is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android devices, and there are even Chrome and Firefox browser extensions available for those who'd like to make use of them. Overall, CyberGhost is a well-rounded provider that ticks every box when it comes to a Turkish VPN; you'll be able to check out the most in-demand streaming sites, watch in HD, benefit from staunch encryption and get in touch with a 24/7 customer service team if you get stuck. And if that's not enough, CyberGhost's generous 45-day money-back guarantee allows you to put the provider through its paces before you commit to a subscription. 1. ExpressVPN
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The fastest VPNs for Turkey
If you intend on torrenting, streaming or gaming while connected to your VPN, then speed is going to be an important deciding factor. Fortunately all the services we recommend offer speeds good enough to handle data-intensive tasks such as these.
To help you understand the types of speeds you can expect from each of the services we recommend, we run regular speed tests on them and display the results in the table below.
| ExpressVPN | NordVPN | Private Internet Access | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reliability | 9 | 8 | 8 |
| Performance | 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Speed | 100 | 568.0 | 254.93 |
| ProPrivacy.com SpeedTest (average) | 100 | 85.9 | 62.2 |
Why Do I Need a VPN in Turkey?
The political situation in Turkey is very tense. The government goes to great lengths to censor websites that it feels are anti-regime, anti-religion, and/or immoral. For citizens, journalists, political dissenters, and others who wish to access unbiased news, websites, and online services from outside the bubble created by Erdoğan's strict regime, a Turkish VPN is the perfect solution.
Using a VPN for Turkey to conceal your real IP address (location) - and making use of strong military grade encryption - means that all the data coming and going from your protected devices is inaccessible. As such, a VPN provides unrivaled levels of digital privacy. With that privacy, and the ability to geo-spoof, it is possible to access any website that the Turkish government has blocked without fear of being watched.
A Quick Look at Turkish Laws
In Turkey, the internet is under strict control thanks to a couple of invasive laws: the Electronic Communications Law (ECL) and the Internet Act. The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) and the Presidency of Telecommunication and Communication (PTC) enforce that legislation.
New laws were passed that gave Turkey's media watchdog, RTUK, even more power to censor online content without the need for oversight.
Organizations like Human Rights Watch have severely criticized Erdoğan’s iron-fisted control over the nation. Since the failed military coup, surveillance and censorship have both increased drastically. The authorities have imprisoned huge numbers of anti-Erdoğan police, as well as journalists who dare to speak out against the regime's conduct.
For Turkish citizens who disagree with these extreme and restrictive policies - and want to read news that isn’t tainted by propaganda - the internet is a useful tool. However, the Turkish government has gone to great lengths to close down access to material that it deems problematic.
A VPN for Turkey is a perfect solution because of the encryption it provides. This means that you can do whatever you need to do on the internet, without your ISP or government knowing what you're doing.
Since the coup, Turkey has censored many websites like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. With a VPN for Turkey, if these websites or any others are blocked again in the future, you'll be able to continue accessing them!
What Can I Do with a VPN in Turkey?
Even if you aren’t particularly interested in reading news that is banned in Turkey, there are many things that you can do with a VPN. A VPN for Turkey is your passport to the entire world’s internet. Geo-restrictions are frustrating, no matter where you live, but with a VPN you won't ever have to hunt through pages of Google search results to find a working link to what you need.
The VPNs we've recommended have huge networks of servers located all over the world. Those networks allow you to connect to whichever country you want in order to access geo-restricted websites.
Furthermore, sports fans love VPNs because they can watch geo-restricted competitions from all over the world.
Censorship in Turkey: Which Websites are Blocked?
Turkey tends to restrict access to websites for a short period. For example, it has been known to block Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube (among many other sites) during times of political upheaval. Furthermore, the government resorts to bandwidth throttling during times of political crisis, such as during protests.
Following the last military coup, the Turkish government blocked access to many websites. Since then, it has restored access to multiple sites. However, the situation is very fluid and Erdoğan is likely to again block websites during times when his government feels there is a need to do so.
Some permanently blocked sites include:
- YouPorn
- Mrstiff
- Deezer
- Tagged
- Slide
- ShoutCast
On occasions, all of Google's websites have also been blocked, including: Google Docs, Google Translate, Google Books, Google Analytics, and Google Tools.
Other sites that have been blocked at times include Google Drive, GitHub, Dropbox, and Microsoft’s OneDrive. In fact, according to Engelliweb.com, Erdogan's government has blocked more than 114,000 sites.
With a VPN, you can negate this severe Turkish censorship and regain access to all of these blocked websites.
Are VPNs Legal in Turkey?
Using a VPN isn't illegal in Turkey. However, unblocking content and hiding what you're doing from the government could land you in trouble. The problem with the current government is that it verges on being a quasi-dictatorship. The police and the legal system are very much under Erdoğan's thumb. Thus, if the government decides you're a person of interest, it could arrest you - even if you haven't really done anything wrong.
Following the military coup, thousands of citizens (including police officers, government workers, journalists, teachers, and many others) were jailed for supporting the coup. However, it seems that many of those people were never proven guilty. Instead, the government incarcerated them for using private messengers with end-to-end encryption.
As such, the legal use of a VPN in Turkey is a gray area. With that in mind, citizens are advised not only to use highly secure VPNs but also to be careful about where they get those VPNs from. Searching for VPNs from your home IP address might flag you up as a person of interest. Thus it may be worthwhile using public WiFi to get the VPN in the first place, rather than your home's internet connection. This may seem a little paranoid but, in my opinion, it might be worthwhile.
In addition, VPN users should make use of the very best encryption available (OpenVPN) and VPN stealth mode (VPN obfuscation technology) to conceal VPN use and get around VPN blocks.
Turkish VPN Blocks
Turkish ISPs block VPN IP addresses on behalf of the government. This can make using a VPN tough within Turkey. However, the VPNs in our review have thousands of IP addresses. They also add new ones all the time. This means that there will always be IPs available to you. If your VPN isn't working, you may need to use port forwarding or stealth mode to get around the ISP VPN firewall.
Getting Around the VPN Block: Port selection
ISPs can scan traffic for VPN use. If it detects the use of a VPN, the ISP can simply firewall your internet connection until you switch the VPN off. Thankfully, you can use VPN stealth mode or port selection to stop the ISP from detecting the VPN. Port selection of OpenVPN Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) over port 443 - disguises OpenVPN traffic as regular HTTPS.
For more information, check out our how to hide VPN traffic guide.
HTTPS is the standard internet encryption protocol that is used to keep web browsing traffic (passwords, logins, and so forth) secure. Because nearly all websites and online services use HTTPS, ISPs can't block it. Thus, when a VPN disguises OpenVPN as HTTPS, this ISP can't recognize that a VPN is being used, and you won't be firewalled as a result.
Another method for evading ISP VPN firewalling is to use a VPN with selection "stealth mode." Stealth mode (also known as obfuscation technology) disguises VPN traffic so that ISPs can't detect it and subsequently block your VPN. Common forms of stealth mode include Stunnel and Obfsproxy, and some VPNs also have proprietary stealth technology that works successfully.
Due to the political situation in Turkey, it's worth using VPN obfuscation technology even if your VPN isn't being blocked. Doing so will stop your ISP from flagging you up as a VPN user (and therefore a person of interest).
Important VPN features for Turkey
Given. the laws and government attitude towards online censorship and VPNs, that we discussed above, it's important to pick the right VPN to avoid landing yourself in hot water.
First and foremost, any VPN you purchase should be extremely trustworthy. Most are not, unfortunately, and have poor privacy policies that allow them to store data about you. The problem with this is that if a government asks the VPN to hand over data, it has the ability to comply with an investigation.
The VPNs in this guide keep no usage logs, and no connection logs that could be used to ascertain what you did online. This means that even if a government agency asks for records about what you've done online, the VPN has none to hand over.
People looking for a VPN for Turkey need a VPN with a strong privacy policy, robust encryption, and important features such as a kill switch, leak protection, and stealth mode or port forwarding. All the VPNs in our guide have these important features.
A good VPN also needs plenty of server locations. The more server locations a VPN has, the more places you can pretend to be in. This gives you a lot more freedom and choice.
How to set up a Turkey VPN
As luck would have it, setting up a VPN for Turkey is not particularly difficult. We've outlined some simple steps to follow:
- Select one of the Turkey VPNs from this guide. For use in Turkey, we'd recommend ExpressVPN - a top-of-the-line provider. Its privacy and encryption are superb, and the VPN has super-fast servers located across the globe.
- Navigate to your favorite VPN by clicking on the link. Subscribing for a longer period will lower the cost of the VPN subscription, so be sure to make use of the discount if you intend to use your VPN all year.
- Download and install the VPN software. VPN software (known as a VPN client) is available for multiple platforms, so make sure you get the right one for your device(s). ExpressVPN permits five simultaneous connections, so you can use the VPN on your laptop, tablet, and smartphone.
- Now that the VPN is installed, should select the features you need. In Turkey, we recommend OpenVPN encryption, the kill switch, auto-connect, NAT firewall, leak protection, and stealth mode. These features will make sure your VPN is performing at optimum privacy levels.
- Select a server from the list and click Connect.
- As soon as your VPN connects, its encryption protocol secures your data. In addition, your true IP address is concealed and you appear to be in the remote location that you selected.
- Enjoy unrestricted access to the internet in complete privacy thanks to your new VPN!
With your VPN connection and the unrivaled digital privacy it provides, you'll be able to stream, engage in P2P torrenting or unblock any content you'd like!
Test your VPN
Here at ProPrivacy.com, our team of experts regularly tests and reviews VPN services so you don't have to. We have the world's most advanced VPN speed testing infrastructure and methodology, allowing us to provide accurate information about VPN connection speeds - something that none of our competitors can do.
We understand that you may want to test your VPN yourself, however. You can do this with online speed tests, but please remember that these are not foolproof and won't give you accurate results like our purposefully set up test servers.
In addition to speed, we also make sure that none of our suggested VPNs leak your real data. Again, don't just take our word for it, use ProPrivacy's leak testing tool to check if your VPN is working properly. To use ProPrivacy's leak testing tool, disconnect from your VPN and follow the instructions on screen. When prompted to connect to the VPN, make sure to choose a server in a different location to where you're based for the most accurate results.
Free VPNs for Turkey
As a general rule, we don't recommend free VPN services. This is mostly because the service they offer often isn't robust enough for streaming, downloading and other data-intensive tasks and some service providers sell your data to the highest bidder. However, if you are sure you want to take a free VPN for a trial run, check out our free VPN page, where all the providers have been vetted and can be trusted.
Getting a Turkish IP Address
Many people also want to use a VPN's privacy when they access Turkish websites. For people who want a Turkish IP address, the VPNs in this guide all have servers within Turkey. Connecting to a Turkish VPN server conceals your real IP address (location) but allows you to continue using the internet as if you were in Turkey. This stops your ISP and the government from seeing your web browsing traffic.
Proxies Vs. VPNs
You can use a proxy website or a browser extension proxy to overcome censorship in Turkey. However, while a proxy will unblock websites, it won't give you the high levels of privacy that a VPN service will. If unblocking content with a browser extension is what you want, then several VPNs provide browser proxies as part of their service. However, we strongly recommend sticking to VPN software that uses OpenVPN to encrypt your traffic - that's the only way to get the highest levels of digital privacy.
VPN for Mobile
If you're looking for a Turkey VPN for Android tablet or smartphone, or a VPN for iPhone (iPad or iPhone), then the VPNs in this guide are perfect. All the VPNs for Turkey that we've recommended have VPN software for mobile devices. To install the mobile VPN client, simply download the file from the VPN's download page. The app will work just like any other app on your mobile device. To launch it, select whichever security settings you want to use and connect to a server.
Remember to use your VPN whenever you use a public WiFi hotspot. The VPN will protect your data from cybercriminals and hackers using the same WiFi. The VPN's encryption will stop hackers from being able to steal your logins, passwords, and credit card details.
Conclusion
Turkey is blocking more websites than ever before in the run-up to the elections - and more social media blackouts are expected. For the people who want online privacy, and who want to be ready for the next time Turkey's restrictive government imposes these blocks, a trustworthy and established VPN is the ideal solution.
The VPNs we've highlighted in this article are safe to use and will allow you to securely unblock any websites you like. What's more, all of our recommended VPN services for Turkey come with strong encryption that'll keep you secure at home and when using public WiFi.
With everything you need to know clearly laid out in this article, you're in a strong position to select a VPN for Turkey. All the VPNs in this list are highly trustworthy, but all differ ever so slightly, so please be sure to look at the options carefully. Doing so will allow you to subscribe to the perfect VPN for you.
- ExpressVPN - The best VPN for Turkey. This premium VPN doesn't scrimp on encryption, security tools or speed.
- NordVPN - A large brand with very good value, but also affordable. Unblocks all major streaming platforms. Privacy features to match.
- Surfshark - A geat value-for-money VPN, with cutting-edge privacy features. You get unlimited connections, a no-logs policy and excellent encryption options.
- Private Internet Access - A secure VPN for Turkey. It has well implemented encryption and has proven in court that it keeps no logs.
- CyberGhost VPN - A huge network of servers and slick apps for Android, iOS and other major platforms.