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The Best VPN for Dark Web 2023

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Written by, Nikola Dimovski

Updated July, 13, 2023

Protecting your online data is important, especially when you’re using the dark web, because you need Tor to enter it, and Tor nodes are public.

So, what is the best VPN for dark web that the market has to offer?

Here are our top 8 picks.

VPNs for Dark Web: At a Glance

  1. Cyberghost: Best for privacy – Link
  2. NordVPN: Best Overall – Link
  3. Surfshark: Best for security – Link
  4. ExpressVPN: Best for Speed – Link 
  5. IPVanish: Best for Number of Servers – Link
  6. PrivateVPN: Best for Ease of Use – Link
  7. Hotspot Shield:  Best Free VPN – Link
  8. TunnelBear: Best budget VPN – Link

Best VPN for Dark Web

CyberGhost

CyberGhost -Best for Number of Servers

Starting at - £10.89/mo
Pros
  • Self-maintained servers  
  • Strong privacy policy 
  • More than 7,000 servers
Cons
  • Limited payment options
  • Rating: 9.8/10
  • Price: £10.89/mo
  • Number of servers: 6,000+ in 88 countries
  • Free version: N/A 
  • Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, Fire TV, Android, Firefox, Chrome.

Like NordVPN, CyberGhost has security features that can ensure your IP stays anonymous and secure while browsing the dark web. 

The VPN has a kill switch, Wi-Fi network management, and malicious content blocker.

It also has open-source tunnelling protocols, including IKEv2, WireGuard, OpenVPN, in addition to L2TP/IPsec, alongside AES 256-bit encryption technology.

Its best feature is its NoSpy Servers with extended bandwidth, which helps keep you safe from third parties and surveillance.

NordVPN

NordVPN -Best Overall

Starting at - £9.99
Pros
  • Excellent performance and speed
  • Independently audited security features
  • Double VPN feature
Cons
  • Not user-friendly
  • Rating: 9.9/10
  • Price range: £9.99 – £11.69/mo
  • Number of servers: 5,000+ in 50 countries
  • Free version: No
  • Free trial: Yes (30 days)
  • Supported platforms: Android, macOS, iOS, Android TV, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, and many more 

NordVPN is not only the best VPN to use for the dark web but has been on top of the list of best VPNs for years.

It’s a popular choice among many who are accessing the deep web because it has plenty of safety features and is fast. 

NordVPN comes with a no-logging policy, a DNS leak protection that will disconnect you if your VPN drops, as well as Double VPN, a feature that routes your traffic through two VPN servers. 

Want to learn more about this VPN? Read our full NordVPN review here.

Surfshark

Surfshark -Best for Security

Starting at - £10.39/mo
Pros
  • Multi-hop connections
  • RAM-only servers
  • Obfuscated VPN servers
Cons
  • Less than ideal torrent speed
  • Rating: 9.7/10
  • Price: £10.39/mo
  • Number of servers: 3,200 in 99 countries
  • Free version: No
  • Free trial: 7 days
  • Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Fire TV, and Android.

Since its launch – which was not that long ago– Surfshark has grown into one of the best VPNs on the market and one of the top VPNs for Android TVs.

The VPN has military-grade encryption, kill switch, split tunnelling, and malware blocker, in addition to DNS leak protection.

What makes it a ‘best VPN service for the dark web’ is that Surfshark offers a double VPN feature, Camouflage mode (also called Obfuscation), and NoBorder mode, which can help hide your use of a VPN.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN -Best for Speed

Starting at - £11.49/mo
Pros
  • Large network
  • Fast speed       
  • Manage locations on a per-app basis   
Cons
  • Steep pricing plans
  • Rating: 9.5/10
  • Price: £11.49/mo
  • Number of servers: 3,000+ in 90 countries
  • Free trial: 7 days 
  • Supported platforms: macOS, Windows, Android, iOS, Linux, Amazon Fire TV. 

ExpressVPN is one of the fastest VPNs that you can buy.

It has more than 3,000 servers around the globe and runs its own DNS across the network. 

ExpressVPN is great for the dark web because it offers 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, a split tunnelling feature, as well as open-source protocols like OpenVPN, Lightway, IKEv2, and L2TP/IPSec VPN.

Still, its biggest advantage is that it does not keep any data logs and has unrivalled device compatibility.  

IPVanish

IPVanish -Best for Privacy

Starting at - $10.99/mo
Pros
  • High speed
  • Zero-logs policy
  • Great for torrenting
Cons
  • No Linux app
  • Rating: 9.2/10
  • Price: $10.99/mo
  • Number of servers: 1,900+ in 75+ countries
  • Free version: No
  • Free trial: No
  • Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Fire TV, and Android.

IPVanish operates on a global scale and has a long list of servers, server locations, and IP addresses to choose from, which makes it an excellent pick for a dark web VPN.

One of IPVanish’s biggest perks is that it’s an easy-to-use VPN. It doesn’t put a cap on the number of simultaneous connections you can have and it works with most devices– you can even use the VPN with Kodi.

On top of that, the VPN is fast, has a no-logging policy, and has solid security features like traffic obfuscation, a kill switch, and DNS and IPv6 leak protection.

Want to learn more about this VPN? Read our full IPVanish review.

PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN -Best for Ease of Use

Starting at - £8.50
Pros
  • Customisable
  • Advanced torrenting features
  • No IP address leaks 
Cons
  • No Smart DNS feature
  • Rating: 9/10
  • Price: £8.50
  • Number of servers: 200+ in 60+ countries
  • Free version: No
  • Free trial: 7 days
  • Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, Fire TV, and Android.

PrivateVPN’s strengths include torrenting support, robust security, and a no-logs policy.

One of its best assets is its Stealth VPN mode that’s great for bypassing geo-blocking and hiding VPN traffic.

What makes it stand out is the user-friendly interface and an overwhelming number of customisation options– this can especially come in handy if you’re trying to access the dark web.

The VPN has a smaller server network than its competition, but it makes up for it with reliable connections and good speed.

TunnelBear

TunnelBear -Best Budget VPN

Starting at - $3.33- $5.75/mo
Pros
  • Budget-friendly pricing plans
  • Easy to use
  • Free version includes access to all servers
Cons
  • No money-back guarantee
  • Rating: 8.6/10
  • Price range: $3.33- $5.75/mo
  • Number of servers: 3,000+ in 50+ countries
  • Free version: Yes (500MB/mo) 
  • Supported platforms: iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, with limited support for Linux.

TunnelBear is a budget-friendly VPN that does not offer the most generous free package but it has one of the cheapest offers on the market.

With the free version, you’ll get only 500MB a month (mostly for testing purposes) and if you decide to subscribe, TunnelBear will give you full access to its split tunnelling and kill switch features, which are essential when accessing the dark web.

Like most secure VPNs, TunnelBear does not keep logs and allows for VPN obfuscation. What’s more, all of its features work on every device, making it the best Android VPN for dark web access.

Buyer’s Guide

The dark web makes up around 5% of the internet, but it’s seen activity level rise by 300% in the last couple of years. This is one of the main reasons why it’s crucial to get yourself a good VPN to ensure your data stays safe and protected. 

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On that note, here’s what to look for when shopping for the best VPN for accessing the dark web:

IP address masking

If you’re looking to connect to the darkest corners of the web, where you could fall victim to fraudsters and hackers who can steal your data, you must stay anonymous at all costs. 

To do that, you should opt for a VPN, like NordVPN and Surfshark, that has a multi-hop feature, to hide your use of VPN, and DNS leak protection.

An Onion over VPN setup works similarly as it encrypts the data on the VPN client on Tor.

Hiding Tor or I2P Usage

Your provider shouldn’t be able to see your dark web activity but it can tell when you’re using Tor and it might even be able to detect I2P connectivity.

Accessing the dark web isn’t illegal but your ISP can report you to authorities and put you on their radar or it can throttle your speed to discourage further browsing.

This is why you need a VPN – to obscure the Tor or I2P usage from your ISP, which can be done by VPNs like CyberGhost and IPVanish.

Make encrypted traffic look regular

A good VPN for dark web browsing should be able to mask your use of VPN and make it so that your encrypted data looks more like regular data.

This type of feature is offered by TunnelBear (called GhostBear), but it’s not available on iOS devices.

Related:

Bottom Line 

A tried-and-true VPN service is a must for anyone that wants to access the dark web. A good VPN will help you hide your IP address, protect your data, and make sure that your ISP won’t be flagged by any deep web activity.

FAQ

Does a VPN protect you on the dark web?

A good VPN can hide your IP address and help you hide your dark web activity.

What is the best free VPN for the dark web?

Although there are great free VPNs for Mac and Windows computers, it’s not advisable to use a free VPN to access the dark web. The free versions are usually limited and don’t provide the same level of security as the paid ones.

Is Surfshark good for the dark web?

Surfshark is in our top 3 choices for the best VPN for dark web.  It has excellent security protocols like Double VPN servers and Camouflage mode.