Best VPN in Istanbul

NordVPN and Surfshark are the top recommendations for the best VPN in Istanbul. We strongly recommend using a VPN in Turkey, whether you live or are only visiting Turkey.

 

 

Turkey is not known for allowing users free access to the Internet. Time and time again, Turkey has used censorship to block users’ access to certain content, particularly during times of hardship and government crisis. Certain services and websites being blocked during election season is a common occurrence. Twitter was once blocked for two weeks during election season because the government wanted to prevent users from accessing leaked wiretapped recordings of senior officials. In addition to this, many users are also under surveillance, with their Internet activities being monitored. This is especially the case with users in certain professions like journalism.

VPNs are great tools that allow users to escape censorship and surveillance. They are currently legal in Turkey so there will be no issues with using one. However, finding the best VPN in Istanbul may be difficult because there are so many VPNs to choose from. To help make the decision easier, we have two recommendations for the best VPN in Istanbul. However, before we proceed, it’s necessary to talk about a free Istanbul VPN.

Can I use a free Istanbul VPN?

Free VPNs are not recommended in general, a free Istanbul VPN is an even worse idea. Understandably, many users want to use a free VPN because subscriptions can be expensive. However, there are several issues with free VPNs. First of all, free VPNs often lack essential features, especially regarding security. Developing and maintaining a VPN is expensive and requires many resources, which free VPNs do not have. Using an underdeveloped VPN that lacks features can be dangerous, particularly when users are located in countries where users’ Internet activities are monitored.

Another issue with free VPNs is how they generate revenue. In addition to making money by showing users ads, many free VPNs also keep logs of users’ online activities to sell for revenue. This is problematic on many levels. Users use VPNs to get privacy when online, a VPN that keeps logs would do the opposite. What’s worse is that many free VPNs claim to not keep logs despite actively collecting sensitive data. Furthermore, users have no way of checking whether a VPN collects their browsing data.

For users who do not care about their browsing data being collected/sold and just want to spoof their locations, a free VPN is somewhat acceptable. However, a free Istanbul VPN is not a good choice.

Surfshark and NordVPN – two of the best VPN services in Istanbul

When it comes to the best VPN in Istanbul, there is no better option than Surfshark or NordVPN. Both VPNs are equally excellent at ensuring security and giving users privacy. NordVPN is a better choice for users who need additional features, while Surfshark is more suitable for users looking for a cheaper option.

Surfshark

• Number of servers: 3,200+
• Server locations: 100+ countries
• Devices supported: Unlimited
• Free trial: 7-day free trial for Android and iOS users

Surfshark is a great choice for the best VPN in Istanbul. It’s a fully-fledged VPN that does not cost a fortune. In fact, it’s one of the most affordable VPNs in the market. Despite this, it does not cut any corners when it comes to security and features. When users connect to one of its servers, Surfshark encrypts traffic using AES-256, military-grade encryption known for being practically indecipherable. Users have a wide server choice as Surfshark has 3,200+ servers in 100+ countries.

Surfshark offers obfuscated servers as well. When users connect to regular servers, VPN usage is visible even if the Internet Service Provider (ISP) cannot see traffic. In countries where VPNs have been blocked, VPN traffic would not get past the blocks. For users in such countries, obfuscated servers are a necessity. When users connect to an obfuscated server, the VPN removes all traces of itself from users’ data, allowing traffic to get past blocks. VPNs are currently legal in Turkey but that may change in the near future, which is why we think this feature may be necessary for the best VPN in Istanbul.

Surfshark also has optimized servers for streaming. The VPN can unblock streaming services currently not available in Turkey, as well as geo-blocked streaming service libraries. It works with all popular streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Disney+. It also has servers in Turkey, in case users need a Turkey IP address. All users need to do is connect to a VPN Istanbul server, and they will be able to access content only available in Turkey.

Surfshark has a strict zero-logs policy, which means it does not collect any browsing data. This is backed up by audits performed by independent parties. The only data it collects is what’s necessary to maintain an account. It’s also a fast Istanbul VPN. VPNs do have an effect on Internet speed but Surfshark has minimal effect. Unless users have very slow Internet to begin with, they should not notice a big slowdown.

Surfshark does not have many additional features, and that is reflected in its subscription prices. It’s one of the most affordable VPNs if you can subscribe long-term. A 24-month long subscription costs only $59.76, which is a great price. All subscriptions allow an unlimited number of simultaneous connections. Included in the cheapest subscription is an adblocker, pop-up blocker, as well as a masked email generator.

NordVPN

• Number of servers: 6,100
• Server locations: 74 countries
• Devices supported: 6
• Free trial: 7-day free trial (has to be initiated on an Android device)

NordVPN is another excellent VPN. It can easily be called the best VPN in Istanbul due to its security, server network, additional features, and speed.

NordVPN has over 6,100 servers in 74 countries, with optimized as well as obfuscated servers available. Turkey servers are also available in case users need a Turkey IP address. If users are overseas or simply want to encrypt their traffic while in Turkey, they can connect to a VPN Istanbul server. NordVPN can unblock all popular streaming services as well as give users access to geo-restricted content. For example, if users in Turkey want to access US Netflix, they simply need to connect to a US server.

NordVPN encrypts traffic using a combination of AES-256 and ChaCha20. This type of encryption is practically indecipherable. The encrypted traffic becomes unreadable to all parties, including the Internet Service Provider. NordVPN can technically see users’ traffic but it does not keep any logs. It has a strict zero-logs policy, which has been audited by an independent party several times.

NordVPN is a very fast VPN in Istanbul. As we already mentioned, VPNs do affect Internet speed but with NordVPN, the slowdown is minimal. How a VPN will affect Internet speed can depend on the encryption protocol. While NordVPN allows users to switch encryption protocols, it’s recommended to use NordLynx because it’s why NordVPN is such a fast VPN in Istanbul.

NordVPN offers great additional features. The following features are included in subscriptions: adblocking, protection against malware, a password manager, a data breach scanner, and 1TB of cloud storage. NordVPN does not offer a free Istanbul VPN so a subscription is necessary. While NordVPN is affordable in general, it has excellent discounts to make it even more so.

NordVPN offers a 7-day free trial but it has to be initiated on an Android device. A 30-day money-back guarantee is also available.