Hotspot Shield allows unlimited data, making it a great choice for surfing .onion sites. Proton VPN is one of the few free VPNs that comes with unlimited data, meaning that you can browse the dark web as much as you want without worrying about hitting any data caps. This is impressive since most free VPNs allow you to use only 2–10 GB per month. The provider’s free plan allows Tor traffic on all servers, though it restricts you to servers in only the US, the Netherlands, Romania, Poland, and Japan and allows just 1 connection.
- To protect your security, always use a VPN like NymVPN, disable tracking features, and follow safe browsing practices.
- At the very least, your VPN should support Tor and allow you to visit .onion websites.
- AES 256-bit encryption, DNS leak protection, Tor network integration, and a kill switch make AirVPN a solid choice for anyone who needs to access the dark web.
- Dark net websites are called “Tor hidden services”, and they can be distinguished from normal websites by their URLs.
Do I Need To Download Tor In Order To Access The Dark Web? 🧅📶
DNS leaks can occur when your VPN connection is not configured properly, which can reveal your true IP address and location. Look for a VPN that offers leak protection to prevent this from happening. A kill switch is another important feature to look for in a VPN for the dark web.
Do I Really Need To Use A VPN With Tor?
Equally as important, the best dark web VPNs also keep you private from your ISP and anyone trying to snoop on you. The VPN should offer strong encryption, preferably military-grade AES 256-bit encryption. This is the standard for the best VPNs, and you shouldn’t pick a VPN offering anything less than that. Since .onion URLs can be complex and random, consider bookmarking reliable sites in Tor for easier access. The dark web is shrouded in mystery, but not every onion website is dangerous. But before we start, install Norton VPN to help protect your digital identity and stay safer online.
Is It Illegal To Visit The Dark Web?
It runs on overlay networks and requires specific programs, configurations, and authorization to access. Over the years, countries worldwide have formed intelligence alliances, including the 5 Eyes, 9 Eyes, and 14 Eyes. These alliances center around sharing and monitoring their citizens’ data for improved national security and law enforcement. The VPNs on our list use 10Gbps servers for maximum speed online. Server speeds often reach 100Mbps and sometimes exceed 200+Mbps in server-concentrated regions like North America and Europe. Proton VPN runs over 13,000 servers in 100+ countries, making it one of the largest VPN providers by the number of servers.
Surfshark — Affordable Dark Web VPN For Unlimited Devices
- Proton offers a set of native Onion over VPN servers that connect you straight to the Tor network without any extra software.
- She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and a triple Master’s degree in Literary and Cultural Studies.
- During my testing, NordVPN dropped just 19.4% from my original connection speed.
- Be very careful about links to dark websites that you find on the clear web.
To use the dark web safely, use as many privacy-enhancing tools or programs as you can, and do not identify yourself in any way to anyone for any reason. While visiting any of the sites you find on those Wiki sites, do not maximize your browser, as it can help identify you by your monitor resolution. Abeerah is a passionate technology blogger and cybersecurity enthusiast.
Surfshark wasn’t too far behind, with Total VPN taking third place. Of course, even PrivateVPN, the slowest service we tested, was still significantly faster than most other providers on the market. However, as there are only around 200 servers in the whole network, there are countries that sometimes become temporarily unavailable. On the plus side, PrivateVPN owns and maintains all of its servers, which reduces the risk of third-party interference. PureVPN is a great choice if you want to save money over the long term. Most VPN providers only offer introductory deals that last two years, so this is unusually long.
Best VPN For The Dark Web: The 5 Safest & Fastest Services
For users who are already part of the Proton ecosystem, such as those using ProtonMail, ProtonVPN offers seamless integration. This integration enhances the user experience by simplifying the protection of all digital communications under one umbrella. Tor Browser prevents someone watching your connection from knowing what websites you visit.
How To Safely Access The Deep Web
The best VPN to use with the Tor browser is Private Internet Access (PIA). The VPN service operates a no-logs policy, uses RAM-only (diskless) servers, and is consistently fast, even when routing data through Tor’s network. Windscribe’s free version offers a generous 10 GB of data per month, which is considerably higher than many other free VPN services. This makes it an appealing option for users who need a VPN occasionally but still require a significant amount of data.
Each node in the chain only knows the identity of the node directly next to it. Tor has an in-build slider which lets you adjust the level of security. This means that the JavaScript will be disabled by default on every website and some symbols and images will not be displayed. As I’ve mentioned, the dark web isn’t just a place of eternal torment, teeming with drug dealers, human traffickers, and a hitman. It’s also used by journalists, advocacy group members, and political refugees in hiding.
It hides your IP address and stops your ISP to throttle your internet connection and lets you enjoy the internet with freedom. With its built-in ad and malware blocker, you don’t need to worry about malware and those pesky ads. Moreover, you don’t have to be frustrated by low speeds and lag, as the service offers exceptional fast upload and download speeds. The deep web makes up about 99% of the entire web, and it comprises unindexed web databases and other content that search engines can’t identify, crawl through, or catalog. In fact, it consists of password-protected (permission-based) pages, such as email accounts and banking websites, which can be accessed with everyday browsers such as Firefox and Chrome.
Anonymizing browsers are banned in some countries like China and Russia. Moreover, given the nefarious nature of the dark web, some government agencies may set up Tor gateways to monitor what’s happening on the dark web. If you’re intrigued and want a firsthand experience, follow this guide to learn how to access the deep web with an anonymizing browser. We’ll use the Tor browser for this guide, but any other browser that supports the Tor protocol will do. The two that we found the most impressive are MultiHop+ and SafeSwap.
She yearns to know everything about the latest technology developments. Specifically, she’s crazy about the three C’s; computing, cybersecurity, and communication. Are Wi-Fi hosts and owners able to see what you’re doing online? Just below the surface is the gigantic “deep web.” Here, you’ll find all things that require a login, like your email, bank account, corporate intranet, government databases, etc.
Though the onion websites you visit don’t receive any details about who you are, the Tor entry node does. If a bad actor or an authority figure is running the entry node, they can easily trace dark web activity back to you. Though CyberGhost is fast, it’s one of the most inconsistent performers. It can reach over 90% of unprotected speeds on near-distance connections, but the speeds can fall below 20% on its slowest days.
The VPN also has excellent security features (including a dark web monitoring tool and malware protection), provides fast speeds, and has easy-to-use apps. NordVPN is one of the best VPNs for browsing the dark web safely. It has powerful security features, a wide server network, and maintains good user privacy. The server connection speeds are great too, meaning you’re less likely to experience problems with loading heavy media content like high-quality videos. User traffic is secured with effectively uncrackable encryption, no matter whether they connect via OpenVPN or WireGuard.
Surfshark — Secure All Devices For Dark Web Browsing With One Purchase
You need tight privacy, strong encryption, and enough server reliability to tunnel through Tor without speed drops or sketchy disconnects. A good VPN wraps your real identity in an extra layer of encryption, so even if someone’s peeking at the final leg of your connection, there’s nothing for them to see. By connecting to a VPN before launching Tor, you effectively hide your use of Tor altogether. The VPN encrypts your traffic and masks your IP before it ever touches the Tor network, so all your ISP sees is a VPN connection, not your next stop on the Silk Road 4.0. This VPN is available on every major operating system and even has its own browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox.
