Microsoft Edge vs Tor Browser
Microsoft Edge
microsoft.comTor Browser
torproject.orgSide by side
| Figure | Microsoft Edge | Tor Browser |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Web browsers | 9.1 (#9) | 9.1 (#10) |
| Founded | 1975 | 2006 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Supported platforms | both | both |
Plans
In their own words
Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge is a free web browser for desktop and mobile devices, available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and the web. It uses Chromium, supports extensions, and includes ad blocking and tracking prevention with selectable protection levels. Copilot can summarize pages, answer questions, compare options, and help with tasks using open-tab context. Other listed tools include AI-powered tab cleanup, theme creation from words, and a scareware blocker. Security features help block phishing and malware; Password Monitor can alert users if saved passwords appear in an online leak. Sleeping tabs pause inactive pages to reduce CPU and memory use. Energy Saver may provide an average of 25 more minutes of battery life, though results vary with settings and use. Mac features include Spotlight search, Touch ID, trackpad gestures, and macOS visuals. Edge also offers an in-game browser for PC gaming and access to free Microsoft 365 web apps. Feature availability and functionality may vary by device, market, and browser version.
Tor Browser
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.