TOR Alternatives: Their Pros & Cons

There are a number of privacy and security-focused options that serve as TOR alternatives, this is especially important now, due to the recent event in September 2024 as we explained on TOR Network: It Is Still Reliable As Of 2024?.

So let’s check these alternatives as each offers a range of unique features and functions. Here are some choices that stand out:

The Invisible Internet Project (I2P)

I2P is a decentralized, private network that lets people send texts and use services without giving out their IP addresses. It has its own special way of moving traffic called “garlic,” which makes it harder to analyze traffic than Tor.

What’s Important:

• One-way Connections: I2P uses one-way tunnels instead of Tor’s two-way links, which makes it safer against some types of attacks.
• There Are No Exit Nodes: Because I2P doesn’t need them, which lowers the risk of data being snooped.
• Pay Attention To Hidden Services: Built mainly for peer-to-peer communications and getting hidden services, not for browsing the internet.

Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs

In short: VPNs encrypt user traffic and send it through a server in a different place to make the connection to the internet safe and private.

What’s Important:

• Service From One Place: VPNs are run by companies that have computers all over the world, while Tor is decentralized.
• More Speed: VPNs usually have faster connection speeds than Tor because they don’t send data through as many relays.
• Several Possible Uses: VPNs can help protect your privacy, but users have to trust the service source with their data, and for people looking to protect their privacy at all costs, this may not be the best option, since it’s complicated to know whether they store users data or not.

Some VPNs are advertised saying that they don’t store user data, but who could guarantee that? Companies are often requested by law enforcement agencies for data, in order to track cyber criminals.

For this reason, we recommend checking our recommended VPNs in the article: IVPN vs Mullvad vs Proton VPN: Features, Pricing, Pros And Cons.

Freenet

In short, Freenet is a decentralized tool for communicating and sharing files anonymously. It is hard to control because it is built on a peer-to-peer network.

What’s Important:

• Strong Encryption: All information is protected, which makes it hard for people outside the network to watch what’s going on.
• Not Easily Censored: Because Freenet is decentralized, it is less likely to be censored by outside powers.
• Pay Attention To Sharing Content: Mostly used to share files and run websites that can only be reached through Freenet.

ZeroNet

In Short: ZeroNet is a decentralized network for storing websites built on BitTorrent technology and blockchain ideas.

What’s important:

• Websites that can’t be censored: Because ZeroNet is decentralized, it is hard to shut down websites that are housed on it.
• Cryptographic security: uses cryptography to protect user identities and keep data safe.
• Needs BitTorrent Client: To view ZeroNet content, users need a BitTorrent client.

In Conclusion

Many people still use Tor to browse the web anonymously, but I2P, VPNs, Freenet, and ZeroNet are also good options that offer different levels of privacy and features. Each tool has pros and cons, so users should think about what they need, like speed, ease of use, or a focus on hidden services, when picking an option.

As often the more the privacy, the less the speed of connections, and more complicated processes are involved in order to safeguard your privacy.