Countries like China, Russia, and Iran get all the bad press when it comes to internet freedom and access. However, several others, Turkey included, aren’t far behind. With so many strict regulations in place, it’s no wonder many residents are on the lookout for the best free VPN for Turkey.
Beyond content blocking and government monitoring concerns, there are several compelling reasons to consider embracing a virtual private network. For instance, accessing foreign streaming libraries from Turkey is very challenging without a VPN. And when you travel abroad, it can prevent your banking service from flagging your transactions.
Admittedly, free VPNs have limitations, and we generally lean towards premium Turkey VPNs for a more robust experience. That said, we’ve done the legwork to identify some genuinely free VPN services for Turkey.
Best Free VPNs for Turkey for 30 or 45 Days
Before moving on to the really free VPNs for Turkey, we want to touch on a couple of risk-free options.
They are two of the best VPN providers on the market — and you guessed it, they are actually paid VPN services. That said, it’s possible to use these premium options for free for a limited period, as we’re about to show you.
ExpressVPN: The Best Free VPN for Turkey for 30 Days
ExpressVPN tops this list of the best free VPN services to use in Turkey. If you know anything about VPNs, that shouldn’t be a surprise. After all, it’s arguably the best VPN service around. As the name suggests, you’ll enjoy blazing-fast connection speeds, but there’s much more in the package.
Speaking of packages, it’s not the cheapest provider around by any chance. That said, you get a nice little incentive for buying a subscription plan for this VPN. By that, we mean a whopping 49% off its annual plan and three months extra.
Try ExpressVPN free of charge for 30 days
The discount significantly drops the price, and you get to go on the internet knowing that your anonymity is all but guaranteed and your data protected.
While we’re on guarantees, ExpressVPN has one that would let you use the service completely free. This Turkey VPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on each subscription plan, so you can try it out risk-free.
In essence, you have up to a full month to test its features for yourself and request a complete refund afterward. That said, we have a feeling that you’ll prefer to let it run. Here’s why.
Why Use ExpressVPN?
If you’re looking for the best combination of performance, unblocking capabilities, server spread, and privacy functionality, ExpressVPN is a no-brainer.
The provider comes with 3,000+ servers in its collection, with a presence in 105 countries around the world. While it doesn’t have the sheer size a few competitors offer, that’s comfortably the most expansive network of any VPN we have tested. It’s no surprise you can get a Turkish IP address with ExpressVPN, which is not the case with most totally free VPNs, as they don’t have servers in Turkey.
The VPN’s broad distribution of servers ties in with another area where it excels: bypassing geo-restrictions. ExpressVPN effortlessly unblocks exclusive content on websites and online services, whether local or international.
Consequently, you can explore foreign libraries to enjoy your favorite movies and TV shows on Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and more — all while in Turkey. Plus, taking a trip abroad no longer has to mean restricted access to local content back home.
Thanks to 10 Gbps server infrastructure and its custom Lightway protocol, you can expect buffer-free connections for browsing, downloading, gaming, and streaming.
ExpressVPN’s security and privacy functionality is impeccable. The provider safeguards your online traffic with the AES 256-bit encryption. That’s the cipher American security agencies favor and is virtually uncrackable.
It operates from the British Virgin Islands, a privacy-friendly jurisdiction. Building on that, ExpressVPN stores no user or connection logs — a claim verified by third-party auditors. Its TrustedServer technology completely wipes servers after they are shut down, ensuring you’re not leaving any trackable information behind after your online sessions.
ExpressVPN supports a wide variety of platforms and offers protection to up to eight of your devices on a single plan.
To try the best free VPN in Turkey, click here:
Get ExpressVPN risk-free for 30 days
CyberGhost VPN: A 45-Day Free Alternative for Turkey
So, you think 30 days isn’t quite enough time to make up your mind about a top-notch VPN service? In that case, CyberGhost does it even better by offering 15 extra days on its refund policy.
Essentially, you have up to 45 days to test the VPN service completely risk-free. If you cancel your subscription within that time, you can request a refund from the provider, and you’ll receive your money the same day. To be clear, this policy only applies to subscription plans six months and above. A two-week-long money-back guarantee applies to its monthly plan.
To sweeten the deal, the VPN offers an exclusive discount for our readers, which you can access below.
Why Use CyberGhost?
CyberGhost doesn’t just have a longer test time than ExpressVPN; it’s also significantly more affordable. But there’s much more going for it.
For instance, this free VPN for Turkey offers a massive network of servers — more than 10,200 spanning 100 countries.
That completely blows most other premium rivals out of the water, never mind free Turkey VPNs. And because the country is one of its locations, you can connect to secure Turkish servers for privacy and access unlocking purposes.
You’re in luck if you’re into torrenting, as CyberGhost offers specially optimized servers for the activity. You’ll also find dedicated servers for online gaming and streaming.
Get CyberGhost Risk-free for 45 Days
CyberGhost, one of the best VPNs for streaming, makes it easy to access diverse content wherever you are. It can unblock Netflix, Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and a host of others on its regular servers, but switching to an optimized version makes it hassle-free.
CyberGhost has undergone independent auditing to verify its logless policy, following up with quarterly transparency reports. It also uses RAM-based servers, so you can be sure you’re not leaving digital footprints.
In addition, it comes with military-grade encryption to keep hackers and other shady operators from your data. An automatic kill switch prevents exposure when the VPN connection drops, and the provider ensures airtight DNS leak protection as well.
CyberGhost is compatible with many platforms and devices, including computers, smartphones, and streaming devices. It permits up to seven simultaneous device connections.
Best REALLY Free VPNs for Turkey for 2024 – Detailed List
The VPN providers for Turkey discussed previously are free for limited periods. While that’s the approach we recommend, we understand that some users prefer completely free VPNs for various reasons.
You don’t need to pay any subscription fees for the free Turkey VPNs below. They are not on the same level as ExpressVPN or CyberGhost, so you’ll have to make compromises. That said, they are the best of the bunch. Let’s get down to it.
1. Atlas VPN
Atlas VPN only launched in 2019 but has risen to the top of the freemium VPN pile. And for our experts, in 2024, it’s the best free VPN running in Turkey.
The provider offers 1,000+ servers across 49 countries, including a Turkey location. That said, free users are only allowed access to three of those servers. No surprise there. They are based in New York, Los Angeles, and The Netherlands.
We especially like that Atlas VPN is optimized for streaming and torrenting, which is pretty rare among free VPN services for Turkey. Expect limited unblocking capabilities, though. While you can stream some Netflix libraries, the geo-blocks on many other streaming services are too tough to overcome. Still, we’re impressed by the connection speeds — Atlas VPN is faster than many premium providers.
However, performance isn’t everything. You only get 5 GB of data monthly, which is barely enough to stream more than a couple of movies.
Atlas VPN offers high-level security and privacy functionality: military-grade encryption, a kill switch, leak protection, and a strict no-logs policy. We would have liked to see an independent audit of that policy, considering the provider operates out of the US. However, an audit of its iOS app suggests one is on the way. The VPN also offers a data breach monitor and an ad/malware blocker.
While there’s a 24/7 live chat for premium subscribers, you can contact support via email or request form on the free plan. And if you ever decide to upgrade, the VPN’s pricing is almost too good to be true.
To find out more, check out our Atlas VPN review.
2. ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN is another freemium VPN that can be used in Turkey. Free subscribers can use up to 153 servers from that collection in the Netherlands, Japan, and the US.
This provider really stands out with its free plan. For one, there’s no bandwidth limit, which is almost unheard of for free users. What’s more, it doesn’t restrict your data, generously allowing you to stay connected all the time.
On top of that, ProtonVPN doesn’t skimp on speed. While it’s not as fast as Atlas VPN, performance is at the level of many paid services and allows you to watch online content buffer-free.
There’s no peer-to-peer support, however. If you’re into the activity, you’ll have to look for a torrenting VPN elsewhere.
Proton VPN’s claim that it has no intention of collecting or storing logs has undergone independent verification. Building on a commitment to privacy, all its apps are open-source, which means anyone with the know-how can audit them for vulnerabilities.
Plus, the VPN uses AES 256-bit encryption to protect your data from prying eyes. It offers a kill switch, split tunneling, and several tunneling protocols. If you need help while using the service, you can check out its robust knowledge base or reach a representative via email.
For more information, read our detailed review of ProtonVPN.
3. PrivadoVPN
The third-best free VPN for Turkey operates out of Switzerland. It comes with hundreds (it doesn’t say how many) of servers across 48 countries. Turkey doesn’t make the list, unfortunately.
Free users have access to 12 servers and can even enjoy torrenting on some of them. You also get twice as much data as Atlas VPN (10 GB monthly). Even better, the VPN won’t just cut you off as soon as you breach that limit. Instead, you’ll be restricted to a significantly slower server in the Netherlands.
We’re impressed by PrivadoVPN’s competence when it comes to streaming. Unlike most free VPNs in Turkey, it bypasses geo-restrictions to unblock Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+. Thanks to its decent connection speeds, you can browse and stream with little to no interruptions.
Speaking of which, a kill switch is available to prevent data exposure when the VPN connection breaks. PrivadoVPN also offers bank-level encryption, WebRTC leak protection, and split tunneling. The VPN has a strict no-logs policy, which has not been audited by a third-party firm so far.
PrivadoVPN has a robust knowledge base with answers to most questions. If that’s insufficient, you can reach the support team via email.
For more details, read our PrivadoVPN review.
Free VPNs for Turkey to Avoid in 2024
Those well-versed in online security generally recommend avoiding free VPNs. While some free VPN providers for Turkey can make a compelling case for themselves, the majority underscore the importance of exercising caution.
Here are some free VPN providers you should avoid, whether you’re in Turkey or elsewhere:
Hola VPN
Hola VPN operates a potentially dangerous “community-powered” model that involves sharing your bandwidth, IP address, browsing history(!), and other information with other users.
The provider is a logging nightmare. It collects all the information it can about your online sessions, locations, and devices, storing everything it can get hold of. That completely defeats the purpose of using a VPN for privacy.
Urban VPN
As we pointed out in our Urban VPN review, this service is snail-slow, unreliable, lacking in support, and offers few features, all of which are pretty common for free VPNs. Even worse, it does everything wrong in terms of security and privacy.
Urban VPN lacks standard privacy features like a kill switch and leak protection — and it logs heavily. And, like Hola VPN, it operates a P2P model, sharing collective resources. Avoid.
Betternet VPN
We found several issues with this VPN when we tested it. Sure, it offers easy-to-use apps for various devices, bank-level encryption, and a kill switch.
However, Betternet VPN is guilty of extensive logging. Combine that with its US jurisdiction, and you have a provider you should not be considering for Turkey.
Summary
Using a free VPN for Turkey makes sense from a financial point of view. However, we recommend ExpressVPN and CyberGhost due to the many drawbacks free providers face. After all, you wouldn’t have to deal with limited server networks, snail-slow speeds, and security and privacy vulnerabilities.
Still, if you have no choice, Atlas VPN, ProtonVPN, and PrivadoVPN are the best free options for Turkey. They each provide decent connection speeds and are backed by industry-standard features to safeguard your data.
