Compare Instapaper and Turbo VPN: Which App is the Best?
Turbo VPN is a popular free VPN service with 100M+ downloads, offering fast connections and unlimited bandwidth, though it comes with significant advertising that impacts the user experience. | Instapaper is a simple, no-fuss app for saving and reading articles offline. It's easy to use, looks clean, and helps you keep your reading organized. | |
| Key Features A summary of the most important features offered by each app. |
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| Our Rating Prod Apps's expert review score for each app, based on hands-on testing and research. | 5.3 | 7.6 Winner in this category |
| Total users Total active users across all major browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. | 0 | 0 |
| Total ratings Total number of user ratings received across all supported browsers. | 0 | 0 |
| Average rating Average user rating across all browsers, calculated from available store ratings. | — ⭐ | — ⭐ |
| Entry Level Price The minimum price required to start using the app. "Free" means a free tier is available. | Free | Free |
| Android User rating and stats for the app on Android browser. |  Downloads | Downloads |
| iOS User rating and stats for the app on iOS browser. |  | |
| Features Prod Apps's expert score for the 'Features' aspect of each app. | 6.0 Turbo VPN delivers a solid foundation of core VPN features that meet the basic needs of most users. The app's feature set is straightforward and focused on simplicity rather than advanced functionality, which aligns well with its target audience of casual VPN users. Key features we found most valuable include:
However, Turbo VPN lacks many advanced features that users expect from premium VPN services. There's no kill switch to protect against connection drops, no split tunneling to route specific apps through the VPN, and no specialized servers for streaming or torrenting. The server selection is limited compared to premium alternatives, and there's no way to manually choose specific server locations in the free version. While the core features work well for basic privacy and geo-unblocking needs, power users will find the feature set limiting. For users who need advanced features like kill switches, split tunneling, or specialized servers, alternatives like Proton VPN offer more comprehensive free tiers, while NordVPN provides extensive advanced features for premium users. We rate features at 6.0 out of 10—good for basic VPN needs but lacking the depth and reliability that serious users require. | 7.5 Instapaper does what you need: save articles, read them offline, and organize with folders and tags. You can pay for extras like searching your saved stuff or adding more notes, but most people won't need that. Some things are missing or work better on iPhone than Android, and sometimes syncing is slow. But overall, it covers the basics really well. Winner in this category |
| Performance Prod Apps's expert score for the 'Performance' aspect of each app. | 5.5 Turbo VPN's performance presents a mixed picture that reflects the challenges of maintaining a free VPN service with heavy advertising monetization. While the app can deliver fast connections when working properly, reliability issues and the advertising model significantly impact the overall performance experience. Performance strengths include:
However, significant performance issues undermine the user experience:
User reviews reveal a pattern of performance degradation, with newer reviews showing more complaints about connection stability and speed issues. The app's heavy reliance on advertising revenue may be impacting server quality and maintenance, leading to the performance decline observed in recent reviews. For users seeking reliable performance, alternatives like Proton VPN offer more consistent free performance with better server maintenance, while NordVPN provides premium performance with dedicated servers and better reliability guarantees. We rate performance at 5.5 out of 10—good speeds when working but undermined by frequent connection drops and advertising interruptions that create an inconsistent and frustrating user experience. | 7.5 Instapaper is fast and works well most of the time. We didn't have crashes, and reading is smooth. Sometimes syncing is slow or articles take a while to show up, especially on Android. But for everyday use, it's reliable. Winner in this category |
| Design Prod Apps's expert score for the 'Design' aspect of each app. | 5.5 Turbo VPN's design philosophy centers on simplicity and accessibility, which works well for its target audience of casual VPN users. The interface is clean and uncluttered, with a prominent connect button that makes the core functionality immediately obvious to new users. Design strengths we observed include:
However, the design experience is significantly compromised by the advertising model. The requirement to watch 4 ads to connect and 4 more to disconnect creates a jarring user experience that breaks the otherwise clean interface. Users frequently mention that the ads feel intrusive and disrupt the app's flow, making what should be a simple action feel cumbersome. Additionally, the ads themselves are often inappropriate or malicious, with users reporting redirects to scam websites and inappropriate content. This undermines the otherwise user-friendly design and makes the app feel more like an advertising platform than a privacy tool. While the core interface design is solid, the advertising intrusions significantly impact the overall design experience. For users who value a clean, uninterrupted interface, alternatives like Proton VPN offer a more polished design without advertising interruptions, while Windscribe VPN provides a cleaner free experience with less aggressive monetization. We rate design at 5.5 out of 10—good core design principles undermined by intrusive advertising that compromises the user experience. | 8.0 We like how Instapaper looks. It's clean and simple, so you can just read without distractions. You can change the font or switch to dark mode if you want. The Android app could look a bit more modern, but it's still nice to use. Winner in this category |
| Value for Money Prod Apps's expert score for the 'Value for Money' aspect of each app. | 5.5 Turbo VPN's value proposition is fundamentally compromised by its advertising model and billing practices, creating a confusing experience where the free tier's value is undermined by its own monetization strategy. Value strengths include:
However, the free tier's value is significantly compromised by the advertising model:
The premium pricing is more reasonable than Now VPN ($0.99-$69.99), but the billing issues and poor customer support undermine confidence in the service. Premium VPN services like NordVPN and Surfshark VPN offer more comprehensive features, better privacy protection, and more transparent pricing for similar or lower costs. For users seeking genuine value, alternatives like Proton VPN offer a more generous free tier with better privacy protection and fewer restrictions, while Windscribe VPN provides a more respectful free experience with clearer upgrade paths. We rate value for money at 5.5 out of 10—good value in theory but severely undermined by advertising and billing issues that make the free experience feel more like a trial than a genuine free service. | 7.0 The free version is great—you get all the basics and no ads. The paid plan costs more now and doesn't add a lot unless you really need the extra features. If you just want to save and read, stick with the free version. If you want more, think about if it's worth it for you. Winner in this category |
| Ease of Use Prod Apps's expert score for the 'Ease of Use' aspect of each app. | 4.5 Turbo VPN's ease of use is fundamentally compromised by its advertising model, despite having a simple core interface. While the app's basic functionality is straightforward, the requirement to watch multiple ads for basic actions creates a frustrating user experience. Usability strengths include:
However, the ease of use is severely undermined by the advertising model and forced interactions. The requirement to watch 4 ads to connect and 4 more to disconnect transforms what should be a simple one-tap action into a frustrating experience. Users consistently report that these ads make the app feel "pushy" and interrupt their workflow. Additionally, the ads themselves are often inappropriate or malicious, with users reporting redirects to scam websites and inappropriate content. This creates a poor user experience that goes beyond simple inconvenience and into potentially harmful territory. While the core interface is genuinely easy to use, the advertising interruptions and forced interactions significantly compromise the overall user experience. For users seeking a truly hassle-free VPN experience, alternatives like Proton VPN offer a cleaner free tier without forced interactions, while Windscribe VPN provides a more respectful free experience with fewer interruptions. We rate ease of use at 4.5 out of 10—excellent core usability severely undermined by advertising interruptions that make simple actions unnecessarily complex and potentially harmful. | 8.0 It's really easy to get started with Instapaper. Saving and reading is simple, and you don't have to mess with a lot of settings. Sometimes it's hard to find certain features on Android, and syncing can be a bit slow, but most of the time it just works. Winner in this category |
| Security & Privacy Prod Apps's expert score for the 'Security & Privacy' aspect of each app. | 5.0 Turbo VPN's security and privacy practices present significant concerns that raise legitimate questions about the service's trustworthiness. While the app claims to offer secure connections and privacy protection, several factors undermine confidence in its privacy commitments. Security strengths include:
However, significant privacy concerns emerge from the business model and operational practices:
User reviews reveal additional concerns about the authenticity of the service, with reports of unauthorized charges and poor customer support. This lack of transparency about the service's legitimacy further undermines trust in its privacy practices. For users who prioritize privacy and security, alternatives like Proton VPN offer Swiss-based privacy protection with independent audits and transparency reports, while Windscribe VPN provides Canadian privacy protection with more transparent data handling practices. We rate security and privacy at 5.0 out of 10—basic security features present but significant concerns about data handling, jurisdiction, and transparency that compromise trust in the service. | 7.5 Instapaper doesn't show ads or track you much, which we like. You do need an account to sync your articles, but we didn't see any big privacy problems. It's not the most private app ever, but it feels safe enough for everyday use. Winner in this category |
| Conclusion A summary of our findings and final thoughts for each app. | Turbo VPN represents a cautionary tale of how a promising free service can be undermined by its own monetization strategy and business practices. While the app delivers on its core promise of free, unlimited VPN access with simple one-tap connection, the aggressive advertising model and billing issues create a frustrating user experience that often feels more like a trial than a genuine free service. The app's massive popularity (100M+ downloads, 4.7-star rating) reflects genuine demand for free VPN services, and many users do find value in its basic functionality. However, the recent rating decline (4.7 to 4.5 in last 100 reviews) and increasing complaints about connection stability, malicious ads, and unauthorized charges suggest that the advertising model may be impacting the service quality. For users who can tolerate the ads and billing issues, Turbo VPN provides a functional free VPN, but the experience comes with significant trade-offs. For users seeking a more respectful free VPN experience, Proton VPN offers better privacy protection and fewer restrictions, while Windscribe VPN provides a cleaner free tier with more transparent monetization. For those willing to pay for premium features, NordVPN and Surfshark VPN offer more comprehensive solutions with better reliability and privacy guarantees. | If you want an app that just lets you save and read articles without any hassle, Instapaper is a great pick. It's not perfect—sometimes things are a bit slow or missing on Android, and the premium plan costs more now. But for most people, the free version is more than enough. We use it all the time and think you might like it too. |
| Our Recommendation | ||
