When most folks think of the dark web, their mind will immediately go to its sketchiest uses: the exchange of drugs, weapons and other illegal services. However, what many do not know is that there are a range of legitimate reasons to log on to this hidden underground internet.
From free textbooks, fiction and PDFs on all kinds of resources, to unbiased news sources reporting away from the rules of the government, lots of the people you’ll find with the Tor browser installed aren’t actually planning on breaking the law.
Unfortunately, neither your internet service provider or the government will care about the reasons for you doing so, nor will they stop to ask why.
Even something as innocent as downloading Tor and preparing to browse - without even clicking on anything - can be enough for them to raise a red flag or send a report.
Likewise, other countries choose to block use of the Tor browser completely, so it’s impossible to access via the usual channels, without your IP address hidden, because you’re still visible as trying to log in from that location.
Therefore, using a VPN or Virtual Private Network is heavily encouraged to those thinking of surfing the darknet, both as a means to access it and also to protect your browsing from prying eyes - not just those of the authorities, but also hackers and cyber thieves who spend their time lurking for victims via Tor.
Finding a decent VPN that actually works and doesn’t leave you vulnerable to data mining or other online crimes can prove tricky. There are many services out there that claim to protect your browsing, but actually make it easier for you to be targeted.
Today, we’ll be taking you through ten of the best VPNs on the web, specifically considering whether they’d be useful for the dark web.
OUR TOP PICK
Offering unlimited bandwidth in 160 different locations and serving over 94 countries, ExpressVPN is one of the most popular choices for Tor browsing and internet use generally.
If you’ve ever been on Youtube, you’ve probably heard your favorite influencers offering a 3-month subscription for a discounted price!
One of the latest updates to their services is the launch of their ‘.onion’ website variant, which allows users to log in or make an account anonymously. They never log your data - besides some non-identifying information like data transfer, server location and dates, but that’s all.
Fast, well-reviewed and incredibly user friendly, you’ll be able to access this VPN whatever software you use, as it’s compatible with Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS and Android. Protect all of your devices, from phone to PC, with one easy subscription.
Should you prefer to use Bitcoin rather than link to your bank account, they’re one of the only companies to accept this virtual currency as payment, so if that’s a priority then you know this is the virtual network for you!
Backed by a 30 day money back guarantee, ExpressVPN will refund your entire payment if you're not pleased with your experience. It’s a totally risk free experience from a financial perspective.
They also have 24/7 real-time customer service from actual human beings, ready to help via email or live chat should you run into any trouble.
At its cheapest, you can get 15 months of ExpressVPN for the price of 12, billed annually at just under a hundred bucks - otherwise, it’s $12.95 a month.
Sure, you can use free VPNs, but they’re unreliable and offer far less protection - if you want to browse with Tor and be completely invisible, you need to pay for the best.
EDITORS CHOICE
Affordable, anonymous and armored, IPVanish is a budget-friendly VPN that costs a lot less than its competitors but packs quite a mighty punch, protection-wise.
Just one tap and you’re protected, with one of more than 40,000 IPs with over 1,600 servers in more than 75 locations. That’s a lot of shielding!
Supporting all major platforms, from Windows and Mac to Android and iOS, you can have an unlimited number of devices hooked up to your IPVanish VPN, for the price of one subscription, and there’s also zero data transfer caps or VPN logs - just permanent protection from the dangers lurking online.
They also offer a secure cloud backup space for a little extra cash per month, so you can store a whopping 500GB of data securely without the use of a physical hard drive, meaning you can access it anywhere, anytime.
If you opt for this slightly more expensive subscription, you’ll also be able to sync multiple folders, remotely wipe any of your devices should they be lost or stolen, as well as having additional protection from ransomware.
IPVanish have been offering reputable, reliable VPN services for almost a decade now, demonstrating their commitment to protecting you, the customer. Their free and friendly customer support team are ready 24/7, contactable via phone, email or live chat - whatever your preferences.
BEST VALUE
Dubbed as the “high-speed Swiss VPN that safeguards your online privacy,” ProtonVPN is another virtual private network service you may have seen advertised by tech influencers or Youtubers more generally.
For browsing the dark web, Proton seems an obvious choice: they are directly integrated with Tor’s anonymity network, so with just one click, all of your traffic will be routed through those private servers, so you can access Onion sites to your hearts’ content.
One of the best things about Proton is their Secure Core network, which bypasses the issue of VPN services being compromised after surveillance, as all user traffic is first routed through privacy-promoting countries such as Switzerland.
Therefore, even if the server was compromised, your genuine IP address will never be revealed to anybody.
Plus, their patented Perfect Forward Secrecy ciphers mean that should your encrypted data get stolen or compromised at any point, it cannot be decrypted in the future, even if the encryption key is accessed too.
Being outside of the US and EU’s more rigorous internet laws, as well as the fourteen eyes surveillance network, your surfing is shielded by some of the strongest privacy laws in the world, thanks to their Swiss HQ.
Boasting unlimited bandwidth, P2P support, customer services run by tech professionals and powerful 10GBIT servers, it’s surprising that Proton offers a free VPN service, though your speed is somewhat limited if you’re not utilizing the paid version.
Otherwise, they charge a couple of bucks per month for the basic plan, which instantly upgrades you to a high speed, and even their more expensive plan isn’t that much of an increase, but the features you’ll access as a result are well worth the extra dollars.
RUNNER UP
Aiming to make VPN use as accessible and simple as possible, Private Internet Access is one of the most user-friendly services available, with seamless set up: all you need to do is pick a price plan, create an account and you’re ready to start taking advantage of their impressive protection.
Though it’s a little smaller than some of its competitors, PIA doesn’t shrink in comparison: they still offer over 20,000 server locations in 29 different countries, which might not be as big as the likes of Express or Nord, but it’s certainly up there, especially at this price point!
If you opt for the two-year plan, then you’re paying a measly $2.69 a month for some serious protection - though it requires registering for a longer time, you can cancel at any point and it’s well worth the lengthier contract for such amazing savings.
Plus, they also offer a thirty day money back guarantee, which for a smaller company is surprising.
One small downside is that you can only use the VPN on 10 devices, rather than an unlimited number, but this shouldn’t prove too much of an issue unless you’re utilizing it for a business or happen to have a ridiculous amount of tech.
RUNNER UP
Beating out ExpressVPN, NordVPN, CyberGhost and Private Internet Access on monthly costs, whilst still offering the same great service, Surfshark is quickly becoming one of the most popular virtual private networks on the internet at just $2.49 a month.
Their industry leading AES 256 encryption shields absolutely everything you do, whilst a Kill Switch instantly disables your internet connection should the VPN drop, so you’re constantly shielded 100% of the time. Plus, with zero logs or monitoring of your internet adventures, their strict policies keep you doubly protected.
With SurfShark you’ll be able to hide that you’re even using a VPN in the first palace thanks to a patented traffic obfuscation code that hides you entirely.
If leaving no trace is important to you, then you can also pay via Ripple, Etherium or Bitcoin for their services, using a disposable email for registration that leaves the process near totally anonymous.
The VPN is available to use on all the usual platforms: PC and Mac, Linux and mobile devices. One subscription gets you unlimited usage, so your entire family is protected, with access to over 3200 servers in more than 65 different countries, from Australia to the United Kingdom.
A handy thirty-day money back guarantee ensures that if you find their services unsuitable for your needs, you haven’t lost out on any of your cash investment. But at these prices, it wouldn’t matter if you did anyway!
RUNNER UP