That is a crucial question you have to ask yourself before choosing a VPN provider. It becomes even more important when you are considering downloading a free app. After all, is Turbo VPN safe to use or not? Unfortunately, the short answer is “no.” It’s pretty much the same with the vast majority of free VPNs out there.
As an alternative, ProtonVPN offers a reliable and genuinely free account. But it has its limitations, as one might expect, and will not be suitable for all needs.
If you’re willing to go serious about your VPN and want to take full advantage of it, you should get a premium VPN. When governments, organizations, and online services want to avoid VPN use, the free ones are usually the first to be blocked.
But if pricing is your primary concern, you can grab an excellent deal for a premium VPN by opting in for a long-term subscription:
Users' Rating 🛈
Based on Trustpilot, Amazon, Apple App Store, and Google Play Store data available online.
Users' Rating 🛈
Based on Trustpilot, Amazon, Apple App Store, and Google Play Store data available online.
Users' Rating 🛈
Based on Trustpilot, Amazon, Apple App Store, and Google Play Store data available online.
Can Turbo VPN be trusted?
Turbo VPN is by no means what we could call a safe VPN provider. Not to mention all the service’s flaws (and they are plenty) and the serious limitations in terms of features, the service raises major privacy concerns. Trustworthiness is one of the most critical aspects you should consider for VPNs.
Definitely, Turbo VPN’s trustworthiness is not something you can take for granted. And they know it. Recently (in September 2020), Turbo VPN updated its privacy policy to show its potential clients a less concerning version of the document. At least, apparently. The company now states that data collection is strictly limited to the bare essential or something like that:
“We limit the collection of your data. We only collect data that is required to maintain the services by Turbo VPN.”
Although that might seem quite an improvement, there is no data to support the company’s statements. Their apps haven’t been through any independent audits yet. Neither Turbo VPN has made its source code available for public inspection. So, at this moment, their claims can not be verified. Actually, there is very little information available on their website.
Either way, their new policy doesn’t solve their privacy problems, although it has been clear the company put some effort into making them more difficult to notice.
As you can see in the highlighted excerpts below, they mention that third-party corporations might track your activity. Turbo VPN not only limits its own liability but also makes crystal clear that reading the advertisers’ privacy policies (God knows how many!) is your exclusive responsibility.
“We shall not be held responsible for the privacy policies and/or practices of these third-party services. You are encouraged to carefully review their privacy policies.”
So, is Turbo VPN trustworthy? Make your own judgment. But the problems with this VPN go far beyond its features and policies.
In which country is Turbo VPN based?
Turbo VPN’s mother company, Innovative Connecting, is officially in Singapore. Sadly, that is a rare case in which being outside the Fourteen Eyes alliance territory is not quite an advantage. Even if the company is subject to the Republic of Singapore laws, the country is a Five Eyes alliance partner.
Although that fact alone is enough to fire the alarm, there’s more to worry about this VPN. Another change in Turbo VPN’s privacy policy drove attention to another key point. The policy stated that the app’s data could be transmitted to the People’s Republic of China. Strangely, after some buzz in the online community, the new document only mentions they “may process your data to any countries in which (they) engage service providers” or “may be compelled to disclose your data” by law.
“We are committed to safeguarding your data. Nonetheless, we may be compelled to disclose your data where we are served with a valid court order that is enforceable in Singapore, an order from law enforcement agencies, or where we are legally obligated to disclose your data.”
First of all, we must be realistic about China’s political and economic influence in the region. Furthermore, it’s a huge market to be explored. Turbo VPN likely keeps at least part of its server network within China territory (something the old version of its privacy policy made clear). And China is well-known for its harsh censorship and internet control. That being said, the country is not even close to the concept of a “privacy-friendly jurisdiction.”
According to Chinese law, only government-approved VPNs can operate in the country. That is not the problem, as it’s also very likely that Turbo VPN has the government’s approval to engage servers in China.
Here comes the caveat: as rumors in the cybersecurity community pointed out, this official seal usually means that a company, in fact, provides government access to its user’s data (usually through a system vulnerability called “backdoor”). In Turbo VPN’s case, we cannot be sure of that, but certainly, data can also be gathered through third-party ads, as I mentioned earlier.
Even if the rumors are not proven accurate, would you feel comfortable in this situation?
If you are ok with that or consider it an issue of minor concern, then there’s only one question left to answer: Does turbo VPN work? But don’t expect too much in that regard either.
Does Turbo VPN work?
Considering its free version alone, it has serious problems and doesn’t deliver its promises. Their service level is way below the average, offering slow speeds and limited features. Apps like that have become increasingly popular due to users looking for a free solution. All taken into consideration, Turbo VPN definitely doesn’t worth it.
Even though the company offers a better service for paying members, it makes absolutely no sense to pay for it. You can get more reliable and complete VPNs for similar or lower prices. If you want a VPN that really works, you should look at the market’s top services to find a viable alternative with proven efficacy. All of them offer trial periods with a 100% money-back guarantee.
