Tor is the gateway to the dark web—a part of the internet that offers anonymous access to hidden websites, commonly known as Tor websites, which are not indexed by regular search engines. The dark web is often associated with illegal activity. However, many people use Tor for legitimate reasons, such as accessing uncensored news, secure communication tools, and academic resources.
Here’s what you’ll take away from this guide to Tor websites:
- A curated look at popular and legal Tor websites (.onion sites)—including search engines, news outlets, social networks, and academic libraries.
- Simple steps for safely accessing deep web content using tools like the Tor Browser.
- Tips on protecting your privacy and avoiding common risks, including why a VPN like IPVanish is essential.
Why use the dark web?
The dark web is a privacy-focused part of the internet, accessible only through specialized software, such as the Tor Browser. It runs on an encrypted, decentralized network that standard browsers can’t access.
Whistleblowers, journalists, and citizens in restrictive countries utilize the dark web to access uncensored news, conduct research, and obtain secure tools. They do so to avoid the usual tracking and surveillance found on the regular internet.
This guide highlights some of the safest and most useful Tor websites — .onion sites — to help you explore securely.
To access Tor from your computer, download the Tor Browser at TorProject.org/download/. Once installed, finding Tor websites works like any other site—you can use a direct link or search with keywords. Tor sites end in a .onion URL instead of the more traditional endings we use, like .com or .net.
To access Tor, download the Tor Browser from TorProject.org/download/. Tor websites use .onion URLs (as opposed to .com, .net .org, etc.) and can be reached directly or found via keyword searches on dark web search engines, just like regular sites.
Now for the fun part: Let’s explore a few popular Tor websites.
Top Tor websites (that are safe and legal)
Community directories
The Hidden Wiki
The Hidden Wiki is a great way to explore the dark web. It is a community-edited directory of links to popular Tor websites, organized by category and updated frequently.
Here, you will find a list of .onion links providing comprehensive access to the dark web’s resources and services, including news stories, guides, and conspiracy theories.
However, people can still tamper with community-edited sources. When navigating the dark web, you may encounter links that lead to dead ends, scams, or even illicit activities. You should always be cautious online.
The Hidden Wiki Tor website URL: http://zqktlwiuavvvqqt4ybvgvi7tyo4hjl5xgfuvpdf6otjiycgwqbym2qad.onion/wiki/
Daniel
Another dark web staple, Daniel, categorizes over 7000 of the top .onion links to make navigating Tor websites a bit easier. Daniel offers a unique set of features, one of which indicates whether a particular Tor website is online or not at a glance.
This means you don’t have to waste time checking if links are active before clicking, something especially useful on Tor, where the private browser often loads much more slowly than the regular web.
Here is the Daniel Tor website URL: http://danschat356lctri3zavzh6fbxg2a7lo6z3etgkctzzpspewu7zdsaqd.onion/
Search engines
Ahmia
Search engines on the dark web are a bit of an anomaly because they don’t follow the same rules and methods traditional search engines use to index websites. But Ahmia is not your average search engine.
Ahmia indexes hidden sites, but only when the site owners choose to make them searchable. Security researcher Juha Nurmi founded the search engine to help people access those sites without facing monitoring.
Tor websites are added to the list of Ahmia results if they do not have a robots.txt file telling search engines not to visit, and if they are not on the blacklist of sites with abusive material. Site operators can also submit their own onion site to Ahmia for inclusion.
This is the Tor website URL for Ahmia: http://juhanurmihxlp77nkq76byazcldy2hlmovfu2epvl5ankdibsot4csyd.onion/
Haystak
Haystak, like Ahmia, uses a custom dark web crawler to identify and index Tor websites. This means a website can signal to Haystak that it wants to appear in search results. A site can also indicate that it does not want to be indexed by using robots.txt rules.
Just like Ahmia, Haystak also filters out and blacklists dangerous content before it reaches the public.
In its premium edition, Haystak offers advanced search capabilities and email alerts along with access to historical content.
Haystak Tor site URL: http://haystak5njsmn2hqkewecpaxetahtwhsbsa64jom2k22z5afxhnpxfid.onion/
Torch
Torch is a dark web search engine that has been around for years, with a loyal fan base. Serving over 80,000 daily search requests, Torch is one of the most popular search engines for onion sites. The platform is funded through Bitcoin (naturally) through a mix of direct donations and display advertising. This is why Torch, with its old-school banner ads reminiscent of the early 2000s, looks like a blast from the past.
The Torch Tor website URL: http://xmh57jrknzkhv6y3ls3ubitzfqnkrwxhopf5aygthi7d6rplyvk3noyd.onion/
DuckDuckGo
That’s right — people widely use this popular privacy search engine on Tor. In fact, it’s Tor’s default search engine. DuckDuckGo makes for a reliable Google alternative, letting you search the surface web with additional privacy.
However, DuckDuckGo doesn’t search .onion sites. So, if you’re looking for hidden websites, you’ll have to use another search engine.
The DuckDuckGo Tor website URL: https://duckduckgogg42xjoc72x3sjasowoarfbgcmvfimaftt6twagswzczad.onion/
Social networking
Dread
Although many use the dark web for privacy, some Tor websites also let people connect with others. One such method is Dread – a forum that allows users to share and discuss topics, as well as read news from other onion users.
It’s essentially Reddit for dark web users. You can find memes, read stories, and discover the latest musings of fellow onion users. Just don’t enter any private information over Dread, though.
This is the onion URL for Dread: http://dreadytofatroptsdj6io7l3xptbet6onoyno2yv7jicoxknyazubrad.onion/
Why would a website built around connection, sharing, and personal information sharing use the dark web? One case is that many countries block users from accessing Facebook. By having a dark web version of the site, Facebook gives its users other ways to access the social network, no matter their country.
Facebook’s onion URL: https://www.facebookwkhpilnemxj7asaniu7vnjjbiltxjqhye3mhbshg7kx5tfyd.onion/
X
That’s right, X (Twitter) is another popular social media website with a mirrored version on the dark web. X is a major source of news. For people living in countries that don’t allow X, this Tor website version gives people access to the social media channel.
The Tor site URL for X (Twitter): https://twitter3e4tixl4xyajtrzo62zg5vztmjuricljdp2c5kshju4avyoid.onion/
News sites: ProPublica, New York Times, BBC, and The Guardian
Many popular news organizations have Tor website mirrors. Here, Tor users can read the news, but also submit anonymous tips to journalists with less fear of being traced.
You can access ProPublica using this Tor URL: https://p53lf57qovyuvwsc6xnrppyply3vtqm7l6pcobkmyqsiofyeznfu5uqd.onion/
You can access The New York Times using this .onion site: https://www.nytimesn7cgmftshazwhfgzm37qxb44r64ytbb2dj3x62d2lljsciiyd.onion/
You can access the BBC’s .onion site with this URL: https://www.bbcnewsd73hkzno2ini43t4gblxvycyac5aw4gnv7t2rccijh7745uqd.onion/
You can access The Guardian using this Tor site: https://www.guardian2zotagl6tmjucg3lrhxdk4dw3lhbqnkvvkywawy3oqfoprid.onion/
You can access The Intercept using this onion URL: https://27m3p2uv7igmj6kvd4ql3cct5h3sdwrsajovkkndeufumzyfhlfev4qd.onion/
Sci-Hub
Similar to the dark web’s version of LexisNexis, Sci-Hub is an online database website that provides access to academic knowledge from all corners of the globe. It offers millions of scientific articles and research for free, providing a treasure trove of information for those who wish to learn more about their field or simply enjoy reading about science.
The site is only accessible through Tor, with the aim of liberating academic information and sharing it openly with the world, even in nations where this research may be censored otherwise. Volunteers and supporters of Sci-Hub hope that by providing access to all unbiased publications, this site will advance the research required to eradicate major illnesses and other devastating diseases.
Here’s the Sci-Hub Tor website URL: https://scihub22266oqcxt.onion
Imperial Library
While Sci-Hub is mostly useful for researchers, websites such as the Imperial Library of Trantor store general works that are more interesting to the broader public and casual readers.
Imperial Library is an open-source, not-for-profit repository of scanned books for the public. Similar to Project Gutenberg and the New York Public Library’s online access initiatives, the Imperial Library Tor website offers free reading access to a wide range of materials, including classic novels and computer manuals, that are in the public domain.
People have uploaded nearly 400,000 books to the Imperial Library of Trantor so far.
The Imperial Library .onion URL: http://xfmro77i3lixucja.onion
ZeroBin
If you regularly use the Tor network, you may want to share files with other Tor-enabled and privacy-minded friends. ZeroBin allows you to do that safely without a trace.
ZeroBin is a pastebin service that uses client-side encryption to protect your data. That means ZeroBin doesn’t know what you posted, because the encryption occurs on your computer before the data is sent to the server.
You can share your pastes by setting a password for them. And when you delete a paste, it will disappear for good.
Here’s the .onion URL for ZeroBin: http://zerobinqmdqd236y.onion
Riseup
Riseup is a nonprofit, volunteer-run email provider for activists around the world. Activists in Seattle founded it in the late 1990s to keep their communications safe. Now Riseup has grown to over six million users worldwide.
The volunteer email provider has a newsletter in multiple languages and runs Onion services for its website, email, and chat services.
This is the Riseup Tor website URL: http://vww6ybal4bd7szmgncyruucpgfkqahzddi37ktceo3ah7ngmcopnpyyd.onion
Mailpile
Mailpile is an open-source email service that puts you back in control of your email. It uses encryption to protect your emails, but it also allows you to store them in an offline environment. This means you can keep your email safe without having to rely on a cloud service. Also, because Mailpile is open source, anyone can access the code and help find vulnerabilities before malicious actors exploit them.
Mailpile can download information from any server or web service anonymously. It also lets users send and download emails without exit nodes monitoring them.
Here is the Mailpile Tor website URL: http://clgs64523yi2bkhz.onion/
How to stay secure on Tor websites
Yes, you can access interesting websites through the Tor network. Yet the dark web differs from the surface web, as it lacks both a security wall and regulation between users and malicious actors. If you want to access the dark web through Tor, it’s best to start by learning some cybersecurity best practices.
By following this handful of principles, you’ll be among the most secure and anonymous people on the dark web. Here are the best practices:
- Browse, don’t shop: Shopping on the dark web is an easy way to have your identity or money stolen. Best to keep your online shopping to the standard web. If you must purchase something, never use a credit card. The most secure way to purchase anything on the dark web is through Bitcoin.
- Beware of Tor websites you don’t know: For your own safety and to protect yourself from viewing images or videos you don’t want to see, avoid visiting .onion sites that aren’t listed on trusted sources like The Hidden Wiki, Daniel, or other community-verified directories, it’s best to stay away. You risk encountering harmful or disturbing content.
- Don’t reveal personal information to anyone: The dark web has many scammers and malicious actors. It’s a place containing very minimal security or oversight. Never reveal your name, financial details, location, or any other personal information.
- Don’t download apps or files: Downloading anything from Tor websites is a risky activity. You could easily put your device at risk of various viruses and malware.
If you want to learn more about Tor and the dark web, read our Beginners’ guide to the dark web.
Security risks don’t stop on the dark web
Many people approach the dark web with caution, and rightly so. But the truth is that the surface web can be just as dangerous. Cyberattacks are rising every year, affecting individuals and organizations alike. That’s why it’s essential to stay protected no matter where you browse.
It’s best to maintain a healthy understanding of online security best practices, regardless of how you access the web. Here are two powerful ways IPVanish can help safeguard your online life:
Here are two digital protection tools from IPVanish to help protect your privacy and security:
- VPN Encryption
Hide your IP address, encrypt your traffic, and shield your activity from prying eyes. Whether you’re on public Wi-Fi or just browsing at home, IPVanish VPN keeps hackers, trackers, and snoops locked out.
See also – Tor and VPN: everything you need to know
- Secure Browser
The browser tool that goes beyond incognito mode—running entirely in the cloud to isolate all web activity from your device. Malware, viruses, and fingerprinting attempts stay contained within the session and never touch your system.
The evolution of the dark web
Over the years, the dark web has evolved to become more than just a hidden part of the internet. Governments, corporations, and individuals all have an interest in it for different reasons. Some use it for secure communication, while others use Tor websites it for market research or investigative journalism. The demand for privacy-focused online experiences has contributed to the continued growth and relevance of the dark web.
Final thoughts on the dark web
While the dark web can be a risky place, it remains an essential part of the internet for those seeking true digital privacy. Whether you are looking up Tor websites for uncensored news, research databases, or secure communication platforms, the dark web offers valuable resources.
However, staying safe on the dark web depends on you – use the right tools, stay alert, and always put security first.
