Tor Browser review (2026): is it any good?
Free browser that routes traffic through the Tor network
Tor Browser report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for browsing without being tracked across sites
Tor Browser sends your traffic through three Tor relays and isolates each website, so someone watching your connection sees only that you use Tor. Pages load more slowly that way, the project says not to add extensions or a separate VPN, and there's no iPhone version.
Who Tor Browser is for
- Fits if you want your traffic routed so a network watcher can't see which sites you visit
- Works for reaching sites that a government, ISP or home network blocks
Who Tor Browser is not for
- Not for you if you want fast browsing, as traffic passes through three relays
- Skip it if you want extensions: the download page says not to add plugins or add-ons
- Not for you if you use an iPhone, as there's no iOS version
- Watch out: the project's own Tor VPN for Android is labeled beta
Why Tor Browser gets a 3.4
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree, from a nonprofit that says it doesn't sell user data. A program anyone can download and run.
- AFree plan and trialThe whole browser is free, with no account or paid tier.
- BFeaturesThree-hop routing, site isolation, automatic clean-up and .onion sites cover its job. The listing's limits are plain: no extra plugins, no separate VPN and no torrenting over Tor.
- BEase of useNo store rating on record. You install it and browse, though traffic goes through three relays.
- BPlatforms and integrationsWindows, Mac, Linux and Android. There's no iOS version on the download page.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Tor Browser's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/tor-browser#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/tor-browser.svg" alt="Tor Browser: 3.4 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Tor Browser stands among browsers
Tor Browser's GPA of 3.4 is higher than 18 of the 25 other browsers we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 10 of 25) and worst on ease of use (B, above 8).
Tor Browser has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 26 browsers we grade, cut by the letter each got. Tor Browser’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 10 of 25, level with 15
- AFree plan and trialAbove 8 of 25, level with 17
- BFeaturesAbove 14 of 25, level with 7
- BEase of useAbove 8 of 25, level with 11
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 13 of 25, level with 9
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 24 browsers. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep Tor Browser, or make your own?
Keep it
Tor Browser is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.4 is higher than 18 of the 25 other browsers we grade.
What you could not
- A web browser.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux and Android that stay in step with each other.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Tor Browser’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Tor Browser?
Tor Browser is a free browser from the Tor Project, a nonprofit. It sends traffic through three locations on the Tor network, isolates each site you visit, and clears cookies and history when you finish. It also opens .onion sites and is used to get around blocked sites. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and Android.
Worth knowing
- The download page says not to use a separate VPN, install extra plugins or add-ons, or torrent over Tor.
- There is no iOS version on the download page; the Android app is listed separately.
- Traffic passes through three relays, so pages are not routed the way a regular browser sends them.
- The Tor Project's own Tor VPN for Android is labeled beta.
Key features
- Three-hop routing
- Tor Browser encrypts traffic and routes it through three locations, so someone watching your connection sees only that you are using Tor.
- Site isolation and automatic clean-up
- Each website is isolated so third-party trackers and ads cannot follow you across sites, and cookies and browsing history are cleared when you finish.
- Onion sites
- It opens .onion domains, which some publishers run only on Tor and which the project says are harder to shut down or censor.
- Censorship circumvention
- The project says it can reach sites that a government, ISP or home network has blocked.
- Related Tor apps
- The Tor Project also offers Tor VPN for Android (labeled beta) and Tails, a portable operating system, alongside the browser.
Tor Browser pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, Tor Browser is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Tor Browser is free. The Tor Project is a nonprofit and asks for donations; it says it does not sell user data to make money.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Tor Browser for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android, with no account and no paid tier. |
Read from torproject.org on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Tor Browser before you buy.
Tor Browser alternatives
- Tor Browser vs Brave
Free plan · from $3.00/mo
- Tor Browser vs DuckDuckGo Browser
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Common questions
Does Tor Browser have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Tor Browser is listed for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android.
Is Tor Browser open source?
Yes. Tor Browser is open source, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.