Tor Browser

Advanced

Tor Browser is a solid Google Chrome alternative. The browser for total anonymity. Your traffic passes through three encrypted relays.

Information verified on July 22, 2026

Free and open source. Migration difficulty : Moderate (3/5)

Description

Tor Browser routes your traffic through three encrypted relays before reaching the site you visit. Nobody can trace it back to you: not your ISP, not the site, not the relays themselves. It's the reference tool for online anonymity, used by journalists, activists and whistleblowers. Browsing is slower than a regular browser, and some sites block Tor.

Key features

  • Onion routing (3 nodes)
  • Anti-fingerprinting
  • Access to .onion sites
  • Based on Firefox ESR
  • Open source
  • Free

Strengths

  • + Maximum anonymity
  • + Bypasses censorship
  • + Supported by a nonprofit foundation

Weaknesses

  • − Slow browsing (multi-node routing)
  • − Some sites block Tor
  • − Not suitable for daily use

Recommended for

  • Need for strong anonymity
  • Journalists and whistleblowers
  • Sensitive browsing

Tor Browser vs Google Chrome: the comparison

Comparison between Tor Browser and Google Chrome
Criterion Tor Browser Google Chrome
Price Free and open source. Free
Targeted ads on your data No Yes (feeds Google ad targeting)
Source code Open (auditable) Proprietary
Migration difficulty Moderate (3/5) —

Comparison

Tor Browser offers maximum anonymity at the cost of speed. Firefox with uBlock Origin covers 90% of privacy needs. Brave blocks trackers without slowing browsing.

This topic is chapter 2 of my book

It answers these questions, among others:

  • which settings actually make a difference once the browser is installed?
  • how do you handle the work computer where Chrome is required?
  • and how do Safari and Edge hold up, the ones nobody ever compares?

Forthcoming 22/10/2026 from Éditions Eyrolles

Discover the book

Frequently asked questions

How much does Tor Browser cost?

Free and open source.

How do you switch from Google Chrome to Tor Browser?

Estimated difficulty: Moderate (3/5). Not a main browser. Complementary use for anonymous browsing. Slowness and incompatible sites to expect.

Who is Tor Browser for?

Advanced users needing online anonymity, journalists, activists, whistleblowers.

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Similar alternatives

Brave

Beginner

Chrome without the trackers. Ads blocked by default, switching takes two minutes.

Firefox

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The open source browser that doesn't track you. Twenty years strong, millions of extensions.

Mullvad Browser

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Anti-fingerprinting browser developed with the Tor Project, designed to minimize tracking without using Tor.
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