The Onion Router (TOR) has been one of the most secure and reliable methods that people have been using to access the internet since the early 2000s. The essence of the TOR network is that you can comfortably access the internet as an entirely anonymous entity, overcome all manner of geo-restrictions and even access the content that many search engines do not list in organic searches.
However, a couple of years ago, the FBI managed to hack the TOR network and disrupt the operations of the network. Also, in the recent past, some regimes have managed to block TOR in their countries. However, you can still access the internet with a level of privacy similar to what TOR has been providing.
How Tor Works
TOR works by repeatedly moving your traffic among hundreds of servers across the world. By moving your traffic in quick succession among hundreds of servers across the world, the TOR browser makes it impossible for third parties to track you down by monitoring your IP address. Also, the browser helps you to access all content that the mainstream browsers usually hide. If you use any of the conventional browsers, you may not access some sites that form the dark web. However, the TOR browser helps you to access all the sites that are hidden in the dark web.
Best Alternatives to Tor
Here are some of the best alternatives to TOR. You should note that these alternatives may not offer you the level of performance similar to what you experience when you are using TOR. However, they will provide you the basic level of privacy, anonymity, and access that you may need when browsing the internet. Here are some of the best alternatives to TOR that you can use:
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I2P
I2P stands for the Invisible Internet Project. This is a system that uses complex procedures to encrypt your traffic in layers. The approach that this system uses to encrypt your traffic makes it one of the best alternatives to the TOR browser.
Many people describe this system as ‘the internet within an internet’ because it uses TCP/IP and UDP sessions to make layers of networks that help to hide your identity when you are online. Therefore, the use of strong encryption protocols and the approach of building layers of networks are the two features that make I2P one of the best alternatives to TOR.
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Yandex
Yandex is another important browser that you can use as an alternative to the TOR browser. Several things make Yandex one of the best alternatives to TOR. In the first place, Yandex has unique features that automatically scan the internet for various forms of malware. The browser automatically protects you from any kind of malware, regardless of the websites that you visit.
Also, Yandex prevents third parties from tracking your location and behavior when you are online. TOR was regarded as the best browser that you could use to remain anonymous when browsing the web. However, many people now consider Yandex as another important replacement of TOR regarding the ability to hide your IP address when you are online.
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Whonix
Whonix runs on the Linux OS. The essence of the browser is that it actually hides your IP address when you are online so that no third party can access your identity when you are browsing the internet. Also, Whonix runs on a special network called the Whonix-Workstation. The Whonix-Workstation is so secure that only the connections that you make to it via the TOR that can go through. Therefore, regarding privacy and security, Whonix is an important alternative to TOR.
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Disconnect
The disconnect is dedicated to disconnecting you from websites that attempt to collect information about you or those that try to track down your location. When you are using Disconnect, you will repeatedly receive messages informing you of specific websites that attempt to track your activities. Disconnect will automatically terminate your connection to specific sites that it deems risky for your privacy. However, it is clear that Disconnect lacks the highly advanced security features similar to those of the TOR system. Needless to say, you may find it necessary to use Disconnect as a way of supplementing your online level of privacy and security.
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Globus
Several things make Globus an excellent alternative to the TOR browser. However, two of these features are quite important. First, the browser uses a sophisticated network of VPN servers to keep your communication anonymous. The VPN servers of the service actually hide your traffic and make it impossible for third parties to track you when you are online.
Second, Globus uses the TOR software to protect you against malware. You need to bear in mind that hackers often use malware to access the devices of their victims. Therefore, a good alternative to the TOR browser should protect you against any form of malware. Globus does protect you against malware by relying on the TOR software.
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Freepto
Freepto is a useful alternative to the TOR browser, thanks to the manner in which the software effectively hides your identity when you are online and makes it practically impossible for trackers to monitor and successfully unmask your identity. If you choose to use Freepto, you will have to make sure that you carry it on a special disk.
The software automatically encrypts all the data that you store on the portable disk. Another good thing about this software is that many activists are using it as a way of escaping possible tracking by law enforcement agencies. Therefore, you can rely on Freepto as a worthy alternative to the TOR browser.
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Epic
Epic combines all the strong features that are found in some of the conventional browsers in use today including Firefox and Chrome. You should remember that the TOR browser is based on the Firefox browser. Therefore, the fact that Epic browser contains some of the best features that are found in some of the conventional browsers means that the browser functions in a manner that is similar to that of the TOR browser.
You can use the Epic browser to successfully evade trackers and cyber criminals in general. The browser helps you to remain anonymous when you are online and this is the main feature that makes it a good alternative to the TOR browser.
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Tails
By far, Tails is the closest thing near the TOR system that you shall ever come across. Tails is a sophisticated OS that contains a number of features, applications, and programs similar to what the TOR system use to have.
The Tails OS usually boots from an external drive. Therefore, when you are using this OS, you do not have to worry about the possibility of leaving your documents exposed on various devices. As long as you carry the external drive containing the OS, you can successfully and anonymously use any computer at any time. Once you are through with your work, you can eject the disk and not trace of your activity will be left on the computer at all.
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JonDO Live
JonDo Live is another important alternative to the TOR browser. The OS has various inbuilt features and programs that you can use to stay anonymous when you are online as well as safeguard your online privacy.
More importantly, this OS uses the TOR software as a means of protecting you against malware programs when you are online. One of the most distinctive features of the TOR system relates to its ability to protect users from malware attacks. Therefore, since JonDo Live uses TOR software to protect you against malware, it means that you can comfortably use the OS in the place of the TOR browser.
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Tox
The focus of Tox is on secure instant messages. Initially, the platform was built to provide users with a secure and reliable method of exchanging instant messages and even conferencing online. However, over the course of time, people have started using the platform as an alternative to the TOR browser. You can successfully communicate with your colleagues in a secure manner when using this platform.
Conclusion
In conclusion, these are some of the best alternatives to TOR that you can use. They are important alternatives because they help you to browse the internet as an entirely anonymous entity. Also, they help you to avoid sites that attempt to track your online activities. Lastly, they protect you from various forms of malware when you are online.
