Several VPNs are available in the market claiming that they can deliver outstanding quality in Tor. However, in reality, there are only a small number of VPNs that can protect you from malicious Onion exit nodes while masking your Tor activities from your local internet service provider (ISP).
Here are some of the best VPNs for Tor that our team at TechNinjaPRO has researched, just to list down the cream of VPNs for your Tor needs.
Best VPN for Tor in 2022
NordVPN
NordVPN is one of the most accessible VPNs out there. It will allow you to access all kinds of streaming sites.
Get NordVPN Read The ReviewSurfsharkVPN
Its apps are easy to use, and it will block almost everything with its Shadowsocks technology.
Get Surfshark Read The ReviewExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is the most reliable, easiest, and fastest VPN for streaming videos and Disney Plus Original Films/Movies.
Get ExpressVPN Read The ReviewCyberGhost
With CyberGhost VPN, you can stay untraceable and anonymous online.
Get CyberGhost Read The ReviewPrivateVPN
It is a very user-friendly VPN and has almost 200 servers worldwide. It provides security, streaming, and privacy all-in-one.
Get PrivateVPN Read The ReviewIPVanish
IPVanish offers its users access to advanced security features that allow them to browse the internet in complete Anonymity.
Get IPVanish Read The ReviewOur top choice is NordVPN for the best VPN for Tor because it provides top-notch security features and has an Onion over VPN feature, which allows you to connect to any type of Onion network via all kinds of browsers. It is fast, has one of the best no-logging policies, and does not cause any delays one might face over the Tor network.
How to Use Tor Browser with VPN?
Here’s how you can use your Tor browser with a VPN of your choice:
- Get a VPN with a built-in Onion over VPN.
- Install your chosen VPN.
- Connect to the server of that country, which you are targeting.
- Once your VPN connection is established, connect to your Tor Browser.
- Start browsing securely.
How does Tor VPN work?
When you use a Tor VPN or VPN for Tor, initially, your internet traffic gets routed via the VPN server, and afterward, it passes through the Tor network. What does this mean?
Well, this means that firstly your internet traffic gets heavily encrypted by the VPN (or virtual private network). Then there is another layer of encryption done by the Tor network before the data leaves your device. In some cases, the Tor network encrypts first, and the VPN encrypts later. This process hides your browsing activity from your local ISP (internet service provider), thus making you invisible. Also, your ISP would not know that you are using a Tor network.
Sometimes your VPN does not work with your Tor network. How can you resolve that issue? The solution is pretty straightforward. You just need to connect to a different server and try again. Sometimes the server to whom you are connected does not work with your respective Tor network, so once you successfully reconnect to a different server, your Tor browser will be up and running.
What is a Tor Network?
The purpose of the Tor network is to allow a person to browse and surf over the internet with complete Anonymity and access region-locked restricted sites which are otherwise locked in your region.
Further, Tor (network) will encrypt your device’s traffic in such a manner that it will be almost impossible for any hacker, tracker, and third party to decipher your data traffic.
Even though it all sounds great, your local ISP (internet service provider) and the government (especially in the USA) can see that you are using a Tor Browser and thus can hold you responsible for acts you haven’t committed. This is because the Tor network is also used for several illegal purposes. It may give authorities a doubt that you are using the Tor network for some unlawful activities. That’s the reason why several countries of the world have blocked Tor traffic completely.
However, if you are looking to use the Tor network for simple & clean Anonymity, you can use a VPN to hide the fact of using Tor from all the third parties that might be otherwise interested.
A VPN will encrypt your internet traffic and route it via another server in a different location. Only your VPN provider will be able to see that you are using Tor. Still, if that VPN provider offers complete Anonymity (i.e., stringent no-logging policy), then there will be no trace over the surface of this Earth about you using a Tor Network.
To put it simply:
- VPN delivers Privacy.
- Tor delivers Anonymity.
User's Guide to Buy the Best Tor VPN
If you are in the market for a Tor VPN, then here are the following set of characteristics or features you should look for before making a long-term commitment with one of the VPNs in this list:
- A list of comprehensive features dedicated to the Tor network.
- Swift connections.
- AES-256 bit encryption.
- Robust no-logging policy.
- Unblocks geo-restricted content efficiently.
Now let’s get into the details of one of the best VPNs for Tor, and see what they have to offer.
1. NordVPN
Overview
NordVPN offers a vast network of servers with dedicated VPN servers for Tor usage. It has the most vital no-logging policy and has a massive list of security features.
Specifications
- Onion over VPN
- IP servers (dedicated)
- Kill Switch
- Obfuscated Servers
- Double VPN
- No-Logs
- CyberSec
- Server filters
Free Trail?
Generally No!
NordVPN does not have a FREE Trial.
Benefits
- Fast, quick, & swift connections.
- Offers dedicated Onion servers.
- Strong no-logging policy.
- Budget friendly.
- Advanced security features work in coherence.
Drawbacks
- A few servers might cause lagging sometimes.
NordVPN is one of the most used VPN services in the world right now. Its primary competitors are ExpressVPN & Surfshark VPN. It has 5,400+ servers in 62+ countries, which means that it has an enormous inventory of servers spread worldwide to help the users gain access to all types & kinds of restricted content.
Currently, NordVPN is offering pre-configured specialized Tor over VPN servers, whose primary purpose is to direct the entire user’s traffic via the encrypted VPN tunnel and then redirect it through the Tor Network for complete Anonymity and hiding from your local ISP and government.
Additionally, NordVPN comes with a very distinctive feature called “DoubleVPN.” The double VPN feature makes your traffic jump over two VPN servers at once. This means that if anyone were in pursuit of tailing your activity over the internet, they’d lose your trail since you keep on jumping over various servers. However, the usage of double VPN might slow down your internet speed.
Furthermore, NordVPN has a complete no-logging policy. Their privacy policy can be easily read by the average joe, and they made its comprehension understandable. The only information the NordVPN company collects is about your billing information, while your total internet traffic is never kept, collected, or stored by this VPN giant.
NordVPN offers applications on all the major platforms like Mac, iOS, Android, Windows, and Linux. You can also set up your NordVPN with your router or your browser extension on Chrome or Firefox.
2. Surfshark VPN
Overview
Surfshark VPN offers unlimited simultaneous connections, which you can use to protect your entire home or business environment. It provides a massive list of excellent online Privacy & security, all available at an affordable rate.
Specifications
- Beats ISP Throttling
- Zero-logging policy
- Unlimited Simultaneous Connections.
- DNS and IP leak protection
- CleanWeb
- OpenVPN & IKEv2 security protocol
- WireGuard protocol
- AES-256 bit encryption
Free Trail?
Benefits
- Complete anonymity.
- Massive list of security & privacy features.
- Unlimited simultaneous connections.
- Multi-hop features work great.
- Fast
- Cheap (affordable).
Drawbacks
- Some servers can deliver slow performance
Surfshark VPN has an excellent inventory of 3,200+ servers in 65+ countries, ensuring that their users can make fast & reliable connections over the internet while remaining under the umbrella of a VPN. Also, the servers are spread strategically, so no matter from what corner of the world a user is trying to log on over the internet with a VPN, Surfshark VPN will deliver uninterrupted services.
Surfshark VPN has a strict no-logging policy, where none of its users’ data are kept, stored, or collected by the VPN company. This means that even if authorities come knocking down at the doors of Surfshark and ask for a specific user’s data, they will have nothing to give them as there was no data collected, to begin with.
Moreover, Surfshark VPN has integrated its VPN product with AES-256 bit encryption. This encryption is military-grade encryption used by giant banks, financial institutions, governments agencies, and corporate level businesses to secure their data and sensitive information from hackers. Also, if you are connected to public WiFi, you will be protected as your total internet traffic will be ciphered, and no one will know what you are doing or accessing.
It also has a Kill Switch, and Surfshark VPN’s kill switch is the best in the market (performance-wise). The function of a kill switch is to kill your internet connection once your VPN connection gets disrupted or gets disconnected for some reason, thus cutting you off from any uninvited hackers, malicious software, and malware.
The multi-hop feature allows your internet traffic to hop from one server to another while you are browsing online over the internet. So, if anyone is in pursuit of finding out who you are or what you are doing, they will lose your trail once you hop from one VPN server to another.
In addition, the split-tunneling feature gives you the liberty to choose which apps should use the VPN and what apps should not use a VPN. This division helps the user maintain a reliable internet speed while performing other activities like gaming or sending SMS texts.
Lastly, Surfshark VPN combines all of the above features (along with several other top-of-the-line features) with DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leak protection and makes their VPN service a top choice for Tor browsers VPN.
Surfshark VPN is available on all the major platforms like iOS, Linux, Android, Mac, and Windows.
3. ExpressVPN
Overview
ExpressVPN has its Onion site, which delivers strong encryptions, Anonymity, fast connectivity, unblocking abilities, and several other great privacy features.
Specifications
- Defeat ISP Throttling
- Lower Pings Levels
- Lagging Prevention
- Split Tunneling
- TrustedServer Technology
- Kill Switch (Network Locked)
- Private DNS
- AES-256 bit Encryption
- Zero-Logs Policy
- Public WiFi Safety
- Unlimited Bandwidth
- Network Lock Kill Switch
- Advanced Leak Protection
Free Trail?
Yes!
Start your ExpressVPN journey with a 30-Day money-back Guarantee. Start your ExpressVPN journey with a 30-Day money-back Guarantee.
Benefits
- Reliable connections.
- Unblocks geo-restricted content with ease.
- Own Onion Site.
- Security & privacy features are robust
Drawbacks
- It’s a bit costly.
App Available on
ExpressVPN is one of the most marketed VPNs we have seen so far, and it comes highly recommended by VPN experts from all over the world. The company is based in The British Virgin Islands and has almost 3,000+ servers in 94+ countries worldwide.
Since ExpressVPN has its jurisdictions set in The British Virgin Islands, it has a stringent no-logging policy and is bound by strict internet laws of the local government. Thus, it does not keep, store, and collect any form/type of data of its users to be sold to third parties.
Moreover, ExpressVPN uses 256-bit AES encryption to cipher users’ internet traffic, SHA512 for authentication purposes, and 4,096-bit DHE-RSA keys for perfect forward secrecy.
ExpressVPN has now launched its very own onion site where users can make anonymous accounts and browse over the internet via those accounts. You will get not only the benefits of Privacy & security but also complete Anonymity.
The speed and performance of ExpressVPN in unblocking streaming sites are also remarkable, as it delivers flawless streaming (without any lags) and accesses all types of region-locked content.
ExpressVPN is available on all major platforms like Linux, Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.
4. CyberGhost
Overview
CyberGhost helps you kill two birds with one stone, i.e., you’ll get speed along with a secure & private connection.
Specifications
- OpenVPN
- WireGuard
- Seven (7) Devices Simultaneous Connections.
- No-Logs Policy.
- AES-256 Encryption.
- IP Leak Protection.
- DNS Leak Protection.
- Unlimited Bandwidth and Traffic.
- Kill Switch (Automatic).
Free Trail?
Benefits
- Speedy
- Advanced security features.
- Keeps zero-logs.
- Unblocks geo-restricted content efficiently.
- Romanian VPN
Drawbacks
- Pricey
- Tor-specific features are not there.
App Available on
Even though CyberGhost does not have any Tor features, it is one of those VPNs integrated with the most challenging security features one can go for in this day and age. Those state-of-the-art security features work well with Tor Browser and are compatible with the overall Tor technology.
When you sign up on CyberGhost, it encrypts your Email ID and gives each user a unique anonymous ID. The process of encrypting its users’ Emails makes it impossible for any interested third parties to connect and extract anyone’s information. Also, CyberGhost has a rigorous no-logging policy, and thus it does not keep, collect, and store any type of user’s data to be sold to third parties.
Moreover, CyberGhost is based in Romania and has its jurisdiction based there. The country has no data retention laws. Most countries in the world have data retention laws, which means that the internet service provider must hold/retain the data for at least 12 months of every user. However, the Romanian rules are pretty straightforward in this regard, and they have taken online Privacy and security to the next level by introducing a complete no data retention policy.
If we look at the features offered by CyberGhost, it comes integrated with AES-256 bit encryption, which is military-grade encryption. Not even supercomputers placed in Google and NASA can decipher a 256-bit encryption cipher. In addition to this, CyberGhost provides leak protection and allows forward secrecy on all of its applications.
Another fantastic feature that CyberGhost offers is the Kill Switch feature. Suppose you are connected to a public WiFi, and you are thinking to yourself that you are protected because you have your CyberGhost VPN turned ON, but in the next instant, the VPN turns OFF, and your online protective shield is down. What will happen next? Well, the hacker waiting for a loophole will jump on that opportunity, and hence you’ll be exposed. This is where the Kill Switch comes in. The Kill Switch will cut off your internet connection instantly, as soon as the VPN gets disconnected. Also, CyberGhost’s Kill Switch feature works effectively, and its performance is pretty impressive.
CyberGhost is available on all the major platforms ranging from Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android.
5. PrivateVPN
Overview
PrivateVPN protects users from DNS & IP leaks, is P2P friendly, allows port forwarding, and comes integrated with a Kill Switch. It is a complete VPN for your total Privacy & security needs.
Specifications
- AES-256 bit encryption (2048-bit).
- Zero Data Logging Policy.
- IPv6 Leak Protection.
- Kill Switch
- Unlimited Bandwidth.
- P2P friendly.
- Port forwarding.
- OpenVPN Protocol
- IKEv2 Protocol
- L2TP Protocol
- PPTP Protocol
- IPsec Protocol
Free Trail?
Benefits
- Supports Tor over VPN.
- Fast, quick, & swift connectivity.
- Zero-logging policy.
- Sweden based.
Drawbacks
- The server network is small and needs improvement
PrivateVPN has a relatively small network of servers and does not have a wide variety of servers in its inventory. However, they have spread their 200+ servers in 64+ countries strategically to give their users the browsing experience of their life by unblocking all types of region-locked content safely and securely. They prefer the quality of servers over the number of servers.
Go onto PrivateVPN’s support site. You’ll find that they have set their complete guides on how to use their OpenVPN protocol’s files and configure them in such a manner that all outgoing traffic initially passes through the Tor Network and then goes through the VPN server. This setup is called VPN over Tor.
The VPN shield will hide you from your local ISP, and they will not be able to know that you are using a Tor Network. PrivateVPNs advanced security features make sure that you remain hidden, and they offer a really strict no-logging policy in addition to those security features as a cherry on top.
PrivateVPN offers applications on Android, iOS, Mac, Linux, and Windows.
6. IPVanish
Overview
IPVanish allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices for added protection and offers a set of one of the most powerful security features one can ask for. Secure, fast, and keeps no logs.
Specifications
- Safe WiFi Access
- Anonymous Internet Browsing
- Location & IP Address Privacy
- Advanced Network Encryption
- Ad Tracking Protection
- Encrypted Cloud Backup
- Automatic Syncing
- Remote Data Wiping
- Full Sharing Controls
- In-app File Editing
Benefits
- It's fast and offers swift connections.
- Has a rock solid no-logs policy.
- Unblocks region-locked content
Drawbacks
- Unblocking of sites is limited (like BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime Video cannot be accessed).
- Not compatible for Chinese clients.
Most of the free VPNs are fast, but one thing you are not primarily aware of is that they compromise on several factors of security & Privacy before delivering their services.
IPVanish offers speedy connections with swiftness by not settling for a low-security grade. It offers:
- Leak protection (both DNS & IP address)
- Strong encryption
- Rock-solid no-logs policy
One factor in which IPVanish even surpasses NordVPN is the offering of 10 simultaneous connections you can make at one given time. This way, you can protect your entire home or business environment (up to 10 devices simultaneously).
The feature that aligns with boosting your tor requirements is the obfuscation feature, where your regular internet traffic is masked as encrypted VPN traffic, which passes through a cipher tunnel. Also, it gives its users the liberty to change their IP addresses from time to time to make it impossible for any hacker to track your digital footprint.
IPVanish is currently available on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux.
Final Say
Undoubtedly Tor has its weaknesses and is vulnerable to attacks from third parties where Tor users can get tracked and taken advantage of as per their online browsing. The target for hackers is the exit node which is the last server relay in the sequence.
This is the primary reason why Tor VPN got into demand where people got added security for their online surfing to protect their personal information, devices, and the files that they transfer online. There are many factors you have to keep in mind before using the Tor network. However, shielding your Tor network with a VPN can help you in carefree browsing over the internet and roam freely.
Comparison Chart - The Best VPN Services
Servers | Location of Servers (Countries) | No-logs | Kill Switch | Unlimited Bandwidth | Jurisdiction | Simultaneous Connections | Encryption | Free Trial | Pricing | |
NordVPN | 5,400 | 62 | Panama | 6 | AES-256-GCM | $4.92/month (1-Year) | ||||
ExpressVPN | 3,000+ | 94 | The British Virgin Islands | 5 | AES-256 | $4.92/month (1-Year) | ||||
SurfSharkVPN | 3200 | 65+ | The British Virgin Islands | Unlimited | AES-256 | $2.49/month (1-year) | ||||
PureVPN | 6,500 | 140 | Hong Kong | 10 | AES-256 | $4.00/month to $24.00/month(1-Year) | ||||
AtlasVPN | 700+ | 27+ | Delaware, USA | Unlimited | AES-256 | Free Version | $4.99/month(1-Year) | |||
ProtonVPN | 1,246 | 55 | Switzerland | 4-10 | AES-256 | Free Version | $4.00/month to $24.00/month(1-Year) | |||
VPNUnlimited | 500+ | 80 | NewYork, USA | 5-10 | AES-256 | $4.99/month(1-Year) | ||||
CyberGhost | 6,000 | 88 | Romania | 1-7 | AES-256 | $3.99/month(1-Year) | ||||
HotspotShield | 1,800 | 80 | United States | 5 | AES-256 | $7.99/month to $11.99/month(1-Year) |