Originally launched in 2013 and rebranded in 2018, it facilitates the sale of malware, stolen databases, and unauthorized access credentials. Dark web forums play a pivotal role in the cybercrime ecosystem, enabling the exchange of stolen data, hacking tools, and illicit services. Riseup is an exclusive email and communications service accessible only through an invitation and requires an onion link to use. Archive.today stores snapshots of web pages for later access, much like The Wayback Machine. The New York Times hosts its content on the dark web too, making it possible to access their articles anonymously, especially in places where the site is censored. The service scrambles your Bitcoin with that of other crypto users, affording you complete anonymity.
Also, some people claim that the dark web requires an invitation by a person in order to access it. You need to access the dark web using anonymous tools such as the Tor browser or I2P. Then, a part of the deep web is the dark web which is only accessible through special software and tools.
Vortex Market
While they might sound the same, these websites are fundamentally different. For these reasons, it’s a good idea to safeguard your online activities with NordVPN while using the dark web. A VPN is a highly recommended online security software tool, as it can always keep your IP address and traffic safe and private. 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.
The BBC's international edition Tor version is available on the dark web, giving access to unbiased news in regions where the BBC is blocked or censored. Vorm Web focuses on quality over quantity and splits findable results into three security categories, from secure to risky. The Dutch national police have made their onion site function as a billboard, warning all would-be criminals on darknet marketplaces to think twice about their actions.
DuckDuckGo's regular site can take you to the dark web, as it brings up onion sites and dark web links when searched. The hidden wiki is an encyclopedia like Wikipedia, which is in the deep web, is one of the most complete guides to access the pages with onion links. This virtual bookstore is one of the oldest search engines on the internet. These sites aren’t accessible via standard web browsers or search engines. Search engines and corporate websites might be OK, but even a popular Tor website like Hidden Wiki can show illegal deep web links that jeopardize your online safety. The New York Times operates one of the biggest news sites on the Tor network, letting users access its regular news coverage with increased privacy and security.
Dangerous Software
Onion links and Tor relays offer enhanced anonymity and online privacy, which unfortunately attracts cybercriminals. Tor websites are a great way to surf the internet free from trackers, government snoopers, and censorship. Onion links are primarily used for accessing anonymous services, markets, and forums on the dark web. This network provides a layered encryption system that helps in anonymizing users’ identities, making it difficult to track their online activities.
How Do I Access Onion Sites?
Nevertheless, the dark web is home to certain disturbing and illegal content you’ll never find on the surface web. As long as you are not looking for anything illegal in the real world, it’s perfectly legitimate to use the dark web to find whatever you need. For the record, there are more scam sites for every genuine one, and it’s good to have a discussion forum about this.
- If you are familiar with Quora and Reddit, Hidden Answers is the dark web’s version for its users.
- The dark web is a hidden network, which means anything you post or say on it always stays secret for open internet users.
- This entire process ensures that the Tor network itself does not need a central directory of .onion sites.
- These platforms offer a wide range of products and services, both legal and illicit.
Best Tor Websites In 2025
A VPN also masks your online behavior from ISPs, which could flag you as suspicious for accessing the dark web. VpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Tech researcher and writer with a passion for cybersecurity. After more than a year of no updates, the site admin shut it down, reasoning that he couldn’t keep the list of onion links up-to-date. It hosted over 7,000 .onion categorized links to make surfing the web easier. Do you want to access the Onion sites with multiple devices?
Marketplace Commercial Services
Since regular search engines don’t index .onion sites, finding what you need on the dark web can be tricky. This website used to host over 7,000 onion sites, giving users access to many dark web links. With DuckDuckGo, you can view dark web websites because, unlike regular search engines, it can index .onion websites.
We’ve compiled an up-to-date list of the best onion sites so you can get a taste of what’s out there. Dark.fail helps users avoid dark web dangers by providing verified links, which reduces exposure to hackers, malware, and unregulated content. Their website is accessible on the clear web, but it also has a .onion site, allowing visitors to browse it anonymously, especially those living under oppressive regimes. Daniel regularly crawls the dark web searching for new websites or checking the status(es) of other websites. In case you overlooked this aspect, dark web websites can’t be accessed through ‘regular’ URLs. So, without delay, let’s step into the onion patch aka the best 20 dark web websites.
Exploring The Best Onion Links
It offers a sleek interface, a zero-logging policy, and an enormous, frequently updated index of “.onion” sites. If you’re looking for a fast, privacy-focused search engine, Torgol is one of the best Hidden Wiki alternatives in 2026. It’s often referred to as the “Google of the dark web,” thanks to its vast index of “.onion” sites. In fact, relying solely on Hidden Wiki can limit your access and even the curiosity of finding actual valuable content on the dark web. UK Guns and Ammo Store tuu66yxvrnn3of7l.onion
I2P, though less popular, offers similar peer-to-peer anonymity with a focus on internal network services. The Hidden Wiki is accessible primarily through specialized anonymity networks like Tor and, to some extent, I2P (Invisible Internet Project). By contrast, accessing the Hidden Wiki through the Tor Browser offers anonymity and minimal data exposure.
During our tests for the research, we were able to register with a bogus email and a random username. Below are the best marketplaces on the dark net that we hand-picked after going through multiple shops and doing extensive research. Since the dark web can be accessed through the Tor browser, use a VPN with the Tor browser to ensure increased protection. We recommend using NordVPN as it offers top-notch security features, including dark web threat protection. It also masks your IP address, making it difficult for government agencies to monitor or track your activities. A VPN encrypts the data traffic and keeps your activities private on the dark web.
It’s a hidden collective of sites that you could only access through a special browser. Because of its anonymity, the dark web is filled with illegal services and is used by numerous criminal groups, including ransomware gangs. The encryption technology routes users’ data through a large number of intermediate servers, which protects the users’ identity and guarantees anonymity. The dark web contains content that’s only accessible through networks like Tor.
“ They’re often used to buy and sell goods and services anonymously. However, some significant security risks still remain because the dark web is not regulated.
