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Tor Browser

torproject.org

Free plan Open source WindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidAPI
Visit torproject.org
Spec score 9.1 #10 of 154 in Web browsers

What it is

Tor Browser routes its own web traffic through the Tor network to help hide a user's real IP address and resist tracking, surveillance, and censorship. Based on Mozilla Firefox ESR, it adds measures such as letterboxing, user-agent spoofing, and first-party isolation to make browser fingerprinting harder. Connections to different websites use different Tor circuits, while connections to the same website address use the same circuit. HTTPS-Only Mode upgrades connections to HTTPS where possible. Standard, Safer, and Safest security levels restrict browser features to varying degrees, which can cause some pages to work improperly. The browser can access onion services, and users in censored regions can configure bridges during setup. It is free, open-source software for Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows. Only Tor Browser traffic goes through Tor; other applications on the device are not automatically protected. The Tor Project recommends verifying download signatures and strongly discourages extra browser add-ons because they can affect privacy, security, or functionality.

Spec sheet

What it does
Tor Browser routes browsing through the Tor network to hide the user's IP address, resist tracking and help bypass censorship.Read 19 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Purpose
Tor Browser routes web traffic through the Tor network to help hide a user's real IP address and resist tracking, surveillance, and censorship.Read 3 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Supported platforms
bothRead 21 Sep 2026 · torproject.org
Free plan
YesRead 21 Sep 2026 · torproject.org
Support
Tor Project provides a user support team and recommends its public forum for help; its support channels focus on assisting Tor users in censored regions.Read 3 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Founded
2006Read 23 Sep 2026 · torproject.org
Maker
The Tor Project is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2006 to advance human rights and freedoms through free, open anonymity and privacy technologies.Read 3 Oct 2026 · torproject.org
Add-ons
Tor Project strongly discourages installing additional browser add-ons because they can affect privacy, security, or functionality, and says it does not support those configurations.Read 3 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Anonymity limitation
Tor Project says perfect anonymity cannot be guaranteed and warns that logging into accounts or submitting personal information identifies the user to that site.Read 19 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Browser foundation
Tor Browser is a heavily modified Mozilla Firefox Extended Support Release build with Tor-specific privacy and security patches.Read 19 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Censorship circumvention
Bridges and pluggable transports can help connect when direct Tor access is blocked.Read 19 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Chrome OS limitation
There is no dedicated Chrome OS build, and the Android version running on Chrome OS has not been audited for full privacy behavior.Read 19 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Company facts
LinkedIn lists the organization as founded in 2006, headquartered in Winchester, New Hampshire, with 11–50 employees.Read 19 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Company legal name
The maker is The Tor Project, Inc., a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit.Read 19 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Developer protocol
Tor publishes a version 1 control protocol for programs communicating with a local Tor process and recommends using a library instead of implementing the protocol directly.Read 19 Oct 2026 · spec.torproject.org
Documentation
The official manual covers installation, updates, bridges, fingerprinting, identities, onion services, troubleshooting, known issues and security guidance.Read 19 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Documentation depth
Tor's living specifications describe its protocols in enough detail to implement compatible software without reading the Tor source code.Read 19 Oct 2026 · spec.torproject.org
Download verification
Tor Project recommends verifying the download signature, and GetTor can provide the package, signature, signing-key fingerprint, and checksum.Read 3 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Downloads
Tor Browser is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android.Read 3 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Final-site encryption limitation
Tor encrypts traffic inside the Tor network, but encryption to the destination depends on whether that site supports HTTPS.Read 19 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Fingerprint resistance
Tor Browser is designed to make users appear similar by reducing identifying browser and device differences.Read 19 Oct 2026 · torproject.org
Fingerprinting protection
Its defenses include letterboxing, user-agent spoofing, and first-party isolation to make browser fingerprinting harder.Read 3 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
History clearing
The browser normally keeps no browsing history, and session cookies expire when the browser closes or a new identity is requested.Read 19 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
HTTPS
HTTPS-Only Mode upgrades website connections to HTTPS where possible to help prevent eavesdropping and tampering.Read 3 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
HTTPS-Only mode
HTTPS-Only mode upgrades supported connections to HTTPS and warns when only unencrypted HTTP is available.Read 19 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Identity controls
Tor Browser routes connections to different websites through different Tor circuits, while connections to the same website address use the same circuit.Read 3 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
iOS availability
Tor Project does not provide the full Tor Browser on iOS; Privacy Guides identifies Onion Browser as the project's endorsed iOS route but says it lacks all Tor Browser protections.Read 19 Oct 2026 · privacyguides.org
Licence
Tor software is free to redistribute under its licence; Tor Browser bundles Firefox ESR under the Mozilla Public License and NoScript under the GNU GPL.Read 19 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Limit: browsing speed
TechRadar identifies slower website loading as the main downside because traffic passes through multiple relay nodes.Read 19 Oct 2026 · techradar.com
Limit: performance
GetApp reviewers say Tor Browser is slower than ordinary browsers, uses more bandwidth and memory, and is less suitable for general browsing.Read 19 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Limit: reliability and access
Trustpilot complaints include slow operation, bookmark problems, startup failures and difficulty reaching ordinary websites.Read 19 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
Limit: speed
G2 reviewers repeatedly report slow page loads, latency and congestion, sometimes requiring a circuit refresh.Read 19 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Multi-hop encryption
Traffic is sent through three Tor relays and encrypted at each hop across a volunteer-operated network.Read 19 Oct 2026 · torproject.org
NoScript
NoScript is included, while additional extensions are discouraged because they can create a unique fingerprint or weaken security.Read 19 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Onion services
The browser can open .onion services whose locations are hidden and whose Tor connections are end-to-end encrypted.Read 19 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Onion-Location
Sites can advertise an onion counterpart through the Onion-Location header, which Tor Browser presents as a redirect suggestion.Read 19 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Open source
YesRead 21 Sep 2026 · torproject.org
Praise: free privacy tool
Trustpilot reviewers describe Tor as free, useful for anonymous or censorship-free browsing and effective despite slower loading.Read 19 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
Praise: privacy
G2 reviewers repeatedly praise anonymous browsing, layered encryption, censorship access and protection from tracking.Read 19 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Praise: privacy features
GetApp reviewers value anonymity, encryption, tracker and ad blocking, private browsing and hidden IP addresses.Read 19 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Praise: usability
TechRadar calls Tor Browser relatively easy to set up, lightweight and effective at blocking trackers while bypassing network blocks.Read 19 Oct 2026 · techradar.com
Rating on G2
4.4 out of 5 from 43 reviewsRead 19 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on GetApp
4.6 out of 5 from 72 reviewsRead 19 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Rating on Google Play
4.5 out of 5 from 288K reviewsRead 19 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Rating on Trustpilot
2.5 out of 5 from 25 reviewsRead 19 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
Release news
Tor Browser 15.0.21 was released September 1, 2026 with Firefox security updates, NoScript 13.6.32.1984, OpenSSL 3.5.8 and Android GeckoView 140.15.0esr.Read 19 Oct 2026 · blog.torproject.org
Security levels
Standard, Safer and Safest levels trade website functionality for progressively stronger JavaScript and feature restrictions.Read 19 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Security settings
The Standard, Safer, and Safest security levels disable or restrict browser features to varying degrees, which can cause some pages to work improperly.Read 3 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
System requirements
Official desktop support covers Windows 10/11, macOS 10.15 or later and modern Linux; Android requires version 5.0 or newer.Read 19 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Tracker blocking
Each website is isolated so third-party trackers and ads cannot follow the user, and cookies are cleared when the session ends.Read 19 Oct 2026 · torproject.org
Traffic limitation
Tor does not protect applications that are not configured to use Tor, and torrenting can expose a real IP address through direct connections.Read 19 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org
Traffic scope
Only Tor Browser's traffic is routed over the Tor network; other applications on the device are not protected by it automatically.Read 3 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org

Plans and prices

Tor Browser Free Windows 10/11 · macOS 10.15+ · modern Linux · Android 5.0+ Read 19 Oct 2026 · support.torproject.org

Every Tor Browser plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free and open-source.
  • Available for Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows.
  • HTTPS-Only Mode upgrades connections where possible.
  • Can access onion services.
  • Bridge configuration is available during setup.

Limits

  • Other applications on the device are not automatically protected.
  • Some pages may work improperly at stricter security levels.
  • Additional browser add-ons are discouraged and unsupported.

Who it suits

Tor Browser suits people who want to route browser traffic through Tor or access onion services. It also offers bridge setup for users in censored regions.

Verdict

Tor Browser is a free browser with Tor routing, privacy protections, and options for onion services and bridge connections. Remember that its network routing applies to the browser, not other applications on the device.

Where Specifiction places it

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