Result: A big win for Tor, which cloaks your IP address and doesn’t require any personal data. These days, many VPN providers operate a “no logs” policy and submit themselves for auditing, so users can be sure this is the case. You can also use a new email address and password to register with the VPN service.Įven if you do this, anyone with access to your VPNs connection records will be able to see the IP address from which you’re connecting. This makes your purchase harder to trace. You can reduce these risks firstly by choosing a VPN provider such as ExpressVPN or NordVPN that accept anonymous payment methods like Bitcoin. And, as you're always using VPN servers run by the same company, it's easy for your browsing history to be connected to your account. Whenever you connect, the app logs in with your account details, ensuring the provider knows precisely who you are. Connect to Tor and your traffic is routed through at least three three servers or ‘relays’, randomly chosen from thousands around the world, making it almost impossible to log your activities.Įven if anyone tried, only the first Tor server has your IP address, and otherwise it has no idea who you are, as each packet of data is encrypted three times.Ĭonversely, if you sign up for most VPNs you'll typically have to create an account, provide your email and maybe make a payment. No need to register, hand over your email address, payment details or anything else.

Which is best? We're about to pit Tor against VPNs, not just on value for money but by homing in on the most important privacy factors you should consider. Tor (which stands for ‘The Onion Router’) can be a great option too, but comes with the definite bonus of being free, open-source software. However, they are well worth paying for over some of the best free VPNs to get added security features. The likes of ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, IPVanish and NordVPN along with other key players frequently come out on top for VPN needs, but there’s invariably a subscription cost involved.

Tor vpn router