Well-known news websites, such as ProPublica, have launched deep websites. Users who wish to gain access to such information are protected by the same anonymity the publishers of the content enjoy. As mentioned before, your ISP and government institutions are not able to see what sites you visit on the Tor network, but they can probably see that you use Tor. You can look for information on /r/deepweb, /r/TOR, or /r/onions, of which the latter is useful to find hidden wikis and more. Be warned that this may cause some websites to not work properly. (And hackers are a big problem, especially on Dark Web websites. Read more about this in the “Words of Caution” section.)
Tor stands for “The Onion Router,” while sites hosted on the service carry the “.onion” top-level domain suffix. The Tor network is a series of interconnected nodes that allow anonymous internet use. As noted by Andy Greenberg at Wired, while the deep web makes up approximately 90% of the internet, the dark web makes up only around 0.1% and is designed to provide anonymity for users and site owners. The dark web is content that exists on dark nets, which require specialized software (like the Tor Browser), configurations and authorization to access. This can include medical records, research papers, private forums, and networks.
Detailed Overview Of Each Search Engine
These typically come with “.onion” after them, rather than something like “.com” as on the standard web. Cybersecurity has to also cover everything physically on your computer too—which law enforcement or government authorities might have the right to seize if they come calling. Bear in mind too, that your internet provider will be able to see you connecting to Tor nodes, even if it doesn’t know exactly what you’re doing. Even with Tor and onion routing in place though, you’re not suddenly completely invisible and free to do whatever you want, without repercussions. It blocks trackers, prevents user fingerprinting, encrypts data, and reroutes your browsing so no one can see where in the world you are. Tor is a browser engineered for extra security and privacy, and can be used to navigate the normal, surface web as well as the dark web.
OnionName — Buy Readable Onion Domains

The deep web represents a portion of the Internet you can’t access using a regular search engine. This platform’s library of websites currently totals 50, which may not sound impressive until you consider that all the links are active and popular. The Torch platform is among the most popular and long-standing dark web search engines, raking in over 80,000 daily search requests. Ahmia is a safe alternative search engine for users who prefer the dark web.

Use The Tor Browser

Review the info and hit Create when you’re done. For this tutorial, I’ve used Universal. It’s like in those movies where the doctors are experimenting on deadly viral strains from behind the safety of a glass enclosure. Because it’s easier to contain malware in a virtual environment, which can be fully controlled. If the signal goes through the Tor network first, your ISP will be able to see that you are attempting to connect to a Tor node.

Microsoft Might Be Raising Xbox Prices For A Third Time
TorDex links catalog was founded in mid-2019 as an innovative Rust project aimed at creating a search engine specifically for the dark web. For those looking for visual content, we offer IMGDex, a dedicated search engine for images on the dark web—think of it as the Google Images of Tor. Tor websites may provide secure access to cryptocurrency wallets and anonymous email clients, and they’re also used to access black market sites. Onion sites are websites on the dark web that use the “.onion” top-level domain instead of “.com,” “.net,” “.gov,” etc.
🛡️ How To Access Trusted Dark Web Sites Safely In 2025
- People in these countries potentially face political imprisonment, and freedom of speech is not absolute, such as in Iran, where users who express opposition to the mullahs running the country are harassed and/or jailed.
- The dark web is an encrypted part of the internet you can only access with a special web browser (Tor Browser).
- But if you cannot access onion sites using your regular browser, how do you find active onion sites?
- It’s a bit of a contradiction to talk about search engines for dark web sites because, by definition, these are not sites that get indexed by traditional search engines.
- Business operational data, such as operational data, financial data, intellectual property, and trade secrets can be found on the dark web.
- No, you need a special Tor search engine instead.
That way, you get a fair idea of whether it’s safe to visit. Dread went offline for several months due to DDoS attacks in 2022 but it’s back up and running now. A good service protects your identity by encrypting your data. We don’t store or share any of your information.
The BBC Tor Mirror is an international version of the BBC that focuses on world affairs, and it’s extremely useful for those who live under strict censorship laws. But people can still access independent media via BBC Tor Mirror and similar dark web news portals. The BBC and other well-known news services are blocked in some parts of the world. So Facebook’s onion portal is a valuable tool for people living under repressive regimes. Impreza rents servers, registers domains, and hosts email similar to sites like GoDaddy.
With a variety of server locations around the world to choose from, you’ll be able to navigate the web more privately and access the content you want. Near total anonymity and a complete lack of regulation can easily attract criminality, and onion sites can harbor malware such as ransomware or spyware. Decrypting the data involves peeling back layer upon layer of encryption, hence the “onion” analogy. Onion sites are dark web sites that can only be reached through online routing via Tor, in which encrypted data passes through multiple nodes before reaching its destination. Some, such as Wasabi Wallet, provide an extra layer of security by using onion routing to pass crypto activity through multiple nodes, none of which know the sending and receiving IP addresses.
Best Onion Sites On The Dark Web
Here are some of the common dark web dangers that users can face. It’s important to note that although the dark web has many valuable services, it is also a hangout for cybercriminals. Because of this, some people use it to get around government restrictions, while others use it for illegal activities like smuggling drugs and weapons. For example, perpetrators of trafficking and cyber attacks use the dark web to disguise their actions.
Does The CIA Have An Onion Site?
Impreza provides an affordable hidden space for black websites to base their operations. Deep web websites have to be hosted somewhere, and Impreza Hosting is one of those anonymous dark web hosting services. The Tor Project’s .onion site provides access to resources for downloading and using the Tor network, which facilitates anonymous communication and browsing. It is a popular tool for journalists, researchers, and users who need to document online content. It filters out harmful and illegal content, focusing on legitimate resources and services.

So take this guide as you explore where to go on the Tor Browser without risking your online security. Navigating the dark web is like starting an epic quest — it’s dangerous to go alone. Make Tech Easier provides tech tutorials, reviews, tips and tricks to help you navigate the complicated world of technology. Our latest tutorials delivered straight to your inbox It will display a message, Onion available, if onions are available for the website.

Many are scams designed to steal money, while others are honeypots monitored by law enforcement. Many fake platforms exist purely to steal funds, so only a few services are still active in 2025. To grasp what these terms mean, it’s important to distinguish between the surface web, the deep web, and the dark web. If you need a great Tor VPN, I recommend ExpressVPN — all its servers allow Tor traffic, it has excellent security and privacy features, and it provides fast browsing speeds.
Thus, staying connected to a VPN when you access these sites is vital. The deep web is not a series of sites but a storehouse of records, including email accounts, medical records, private messages, and more. While they might sound the same, these websites are fundamentally different. If you need a listing of currently active websites, contact their support, and they will provide you with that. It is a good website for finding out which websites are currently working. If you want to access this site, do it only for fair purposes and with proper security measures.
There are some websites you can absolutely get in legal trouble for even visiting, so proceed with the utmost caution. Be aware, however, that there are sites for absolutely everything, from the benign to the very illegal. Take a look at the sites that these directories have collected and see what topics interest you. Only visit trusted websites with URLs that are maintained by a trusted source.