The Best VPNs for the Dark Web 2025

Looking for a secure way to explore the dark web using a VPN? Utilizing a VPN that encrypts your information and ensures your anonymity is critical for venturing into the dark web. 

The dark web itself isn't illegal, although a lot of bad actors use the dark web to set up nefarious marketplaces. That's why it's important to protect yourself. Think of a virtual private network (VPN) as your friend who helps you stay under the radar while protecting your privacy and identity.

Based on our independent testing, we think NordVPN, Proton VPN, and PureVPN are the best VPNs to consider if you want to go to the dark side. We name NordVPN the best overall due to its air-tight security, advanced privacy features, and price point. Plus, NordVPN boasts features you'd need to stay safe on the dark web, like Onion over VPN, double VPN, a kill switch, and much more. 

Learn more about VPNs for the dark web in our in-depth roundup.

The best VPNs for the dark web

At minimum, the best VPNs for the dark web offer enhanced security features, a promise not to log your internet activities, and a specialty server for Onion over VPN (or Tor over VPN). Our top picks boast an array of proprietary security protocols and features in addition to must-have VPN features for the dark web. 

• NordVPN: Best overall
• Proton VPN: Best for anonymity
• PureVPN: Best for dark web monitoring

Top 3 VPN services for the dark web compared

VPN	Our Pick
Star rating	5.0 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	5.0 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	4.8 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Starting price	Starts at $3.09/mo (billed every two years)	Starts at $4.49/mo (billed every two years)	Starts at $2.14/mo (billed every two years)
Free plan
Onion over VPN/Tor over VPN	Yes, Onion over VPN	Yes, Tor over VPN	Yes, Onion over VPN
Headquarters	Panama	Switzerland	British Virgin Islands
Audited no-logs policy?
Learn more	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review	Get Proton VPN Read Proton VPN Review	Get PureVPN Read PureVPN Review

NordVPN: Best overall

Who it's best for

NordVPN is the best VPN provider we've tested, and we think it's perfect for anyone who wants unmatched security and privacy when browsing the dark web. NordVPN offers robust security features such as military-grade encryption, a kill switch, split tunneling, and, more importantly, lots of optimized servers that allow you to access the dark web securely. Plus, NordVPN is based in Panama, which means it doesn't log your internet activity, IP address, or other private information. 

What we liked

Specialty servers: NordVPN is the most secure VPN we've tested. It offers advanced security features and specialty servers that help keep your dark web activities secure and private, including:

• Onion over VPN: Routes your internet traffic through a secure VPN before accessing Tor.
• NordVPN Threat Protection: Integrated cybersecurity software that blocks ads, trackers, and malicious websites. 
• Double VPN: Routes traffic through two VPN servers rather than one.
• Obfuscated servers: Bypass VPN-block firewalls.
• P2P: Optimized servers for torrenting and large file sharing.
• Dedicated IP address: Works like a standard server that only you can use.

Robust encryption protocols: NordVPN offers OpenVPN and WireGuard, the latter of which boasts NordVPN's proprietary NordLynx architecture. NordLynx is designed to enhance your speeds and offer an even more secure connection. Plus, NordVPN uses AES-256-GCM (military-grade encryption protocols) or xChaCha20x (a top-of-the-line stream cipher), depending on your selected protocol. 

What we didn’t like

Specialty servers are slower: NordVPN is a consistently fast provider overall, but the specialty servers can reduce your speeds. Connecting to Onion over Tor and double VPN, which have limited servers to start, can be frustrating due to the lag. 

Limited dark web monitoring: If you're cruising the dark web, it's important to know if your info is leaked. NordVPN does offer dark web monitoring, but unfortunately, it's limited to your NordVPN email account only. 

NordVPN specs

Price range	$3.09–$17.99/mo
Free version	No
Number of servers	7,400+ servers in 118 countries
Number of connected devices	10
VPN protocol	OpenVPN, WireGuard (NordLynx)
No-logs policy	No logs
Port forwarding	No
Torrenting support	Yes
Learn more	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review

ProtonVPN: Best for anonymity

Who it’s best for

ProtonVPN is packed with security and privacy features that help you remain anonymous and safe while browsing the dark web. Whether you are a private investigator, a journalist, or a privacy-conscious internet user, we think Proton VPN may be a great option, especially if you want to purchase and use a VPN without a paper trail. 

What we liked

Anonymity: Proton VPN is one of a few VPN providers that lets you sign up without inputting any personal information. In fact, you can purchase a subscription using cryptocurrency like Bitcoin, ensuring that your purchase is untraceable. 

Privacy: Proton VPN is headquartered in Switzerland, where privacy laws are stringent, and there is no participation in the Five, Nine, or Fourteen Eyes alliances. The added integration of Tor over VPN to facilitate anonymous browsing on the dark web makes it a powerful free VPN for Tor, giving us all the more reasons to appreciate its privacy-focused features.

Security: We were impressed by the powerful privacy and security features that ProtonVPN offers, making it a superb VPN for dark web use. Like NordVPN, Proton VPN implements secure encryption protocols like AES-256 or ChaCha20 to protect your data from prying eyes. but it also offers Secure Core architecture that allows multi-hopping, making it difficult for anyone to trace your web activities, and a strict no-logs policy that a third-party company independently audits on a routine basis. 

What we didn’t like

Limited free plan: ProtonVPN’s free version is a bit limited. For example, it gives you access to fewer servers available in only three countries: the United States, Japan, and the Netherlands. Additionally, its free version only allows you to connect to one device at a time, versus the maximum of ten devices on its paid plans. You'll also need a paid ProtonVPN plan to access Tor over VPN servers and other premium features.

Limited dark web monitoring: Like NordVPN, Proton VPN offers dark web monitoring that is limited to users with a Proton Mail or Proton Pass account. 

ProtonVPN specs

Price range	$4.49–$9.99/mo
Free version	Yes — Unlimited GB data limit
Number of servers	12,000+ servers in 117 countries
Number of connected devices	10
VPN protocol	OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard
No-logs policy	No logs
Port forwarding	Yes
Torrenting support	Yes
Learn more	Get Proton VPN Read Our Proton VPN Review

PureVPN: Best for dark web monitoring

Who it's best for

PureVPN is best for VPN users who want to browse the dark web while monitoring their data for breaches or leaks. 

What we liked

Affordability: PureVPN offers all the standard security features you'd expect in a premium service for dark web use, like Onion over VPN, a kill switch, split tunneling features, and more, but at a budget price. 

Dark web monitoring: While other VPN providers offer dark web monitoring services, PureVPN's add-on feature isn't limited to a proprietary email provider. Whichever email address you used to sign up will be monitored. After signing up, PureVPN will scan the dark web for your sensitive data, including your SSN, email and home addresses, phone number, and more.

What we didn’t like

Dark web monitoring is extra: Like most of the bells and whistles PureVPN offers, you have to pay à la carte for premium add-ons. Other top VPN services include advanced security features like dark web monitoring with all paid plans. 

Decreased server performance: Based on our in-house testing, we found that PureVPN doesn't offer speeds or connections as reliable as NordVPN or Proton VPN. Some PureVPN servers significantly lowered our internet speeds, and a few times, we lost connections and had to switch to different servers.

PureVPN specs

Price range	$2.14-$19.95/mo
Free version	No
Number of servers	6,000+ servers in 65+ countries
Number of connected devices	10
VPN protocol	WireGuard, OpenVPN, IPsec/IKEv2
No-logs policy	No logs
Port forwarding	Yes
Torrenting support	Yes
Learn more	Get PureVPN Read PureVPN Review

Speed tests

We conduct speed tests with all our VPNs by measuring their baseline speed and then measuring the impact while connected to various server locations. It's typical for VPNs to reduce speeds because your traffic is encrypted and routed through security servers. However, both NordVPN and Proton VPN actually increased our download speeds. PureVPN decreased our speeds, but the decrease wasn't worse than most providers. 

	VPN speed to U.S. server	Normal speed	Speed loss
NordVPN	317.52 Mbps	314.19 Mbps	1.06% increase
Proton VPN	391.96 Mbps	389.78 Mbps	0.56% increase
PureVPN	262.38 Mbps	274.53 Mbps	4.43% slower

How do I use a VPN with Tor browser?

The Tor project, commonly called The Onion Router, is a privacy tool that helps keep your online activity anonymous and secure. Using Tor is legal in most countries (excluding China, Iran, Russia, Belarus, and Turkmenistan) as long as you are not engaging in illegal activities. 

To use a VPN with the Tor browser, follow these steps:

1. Download and install a reputable VPN that offers robust features for privacy and security while adhering to a no-logs policy.
2. Fire up your VPN and connect to a server.
3. Once you've got your VPN running, open the Tor browser.
4. Voila! You're now ready to explore the dark web with robust security.

FAQs

Bottom line: The best VPNs for the dark web

If you’re going to dive into the dark web, you want to do so with the best dark web VPN service to keep you secure and anonymous. Our top picks for the best dark web security are NordVPN, Proton VPN, and PureVPN. Each of them offers affordable pricing, Tor over VPN support, multi-platform compatibility, and robust features for security and privacy, like military-grade encryption and secure VPN protocols that aid and assist you in remaining safe on the dark web.

NordVPN, starting at $3.09/mo (billed every two years), is our favorite pick for those needing maximum security on the dark web without breaking the bank. It offers fast speeds, secure specialty servers, and top-of-the-line encryption protocols.

3 best VPNs for the dark web

	Starting price	Best for	Learn more
	Starts at $3.09/mo (billed every two years)	Best overall	Get NordVPN Read NordVPN Review
	Starts at $4.49/mo (billed every two years)	Best for anonymity	Get Proton VPN Read Proton VPN Review
	$2.14/mo (billed every two years)	Best for dark web monitoring	Get PureVPN Read PureVPN Review