14 Best Onion Sites on the Dark Web in 2022
1. The Hidden Wiki – Index of the Dark Web
The Hidden Wiki is the Dark Web version of Wikipedia: a directory that indexes links of .onion sites to help you navigate the Tor network. Directories like this are essential because these URLs aren’t as informative as those used on the standard web. For example, the URL for The Hidden Wiki itself is a seemingly random mix of numbers and letters. This makes it difficult to find specific websites on the Dark Web, but The Hidden Wiki makes it easy for you by providing an in-depth directory of sites in different categories.
Keep in mind that since it’s such a popular resource, there are a lot of fake or copycat versions of The Hidden Wiki on the Dark Web. It’s best to stay away from these spin-offs, as they could host links to malicious sites you wouldn’t want to visit.
It’s also important to note that The Hidden Wiki is uncensored, which means it indexes both legal and illegal websites. Not all the links listed may be functional or safe either. It’s known to file legitimate websites, alongside those that cater to pedophiles, scammers, and money launderers. Avoid these illegal categories and keep your private data safe by using a trustworthy VPN.
The Hidden Wiki URL: http://zqktlwi4fecvo6ri.onion/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
2. ProtonMail – Anonymous Email Service
If you want to communicate securely using the Tor network, ProtonMail is ideal. It’s one of the most popular email services available on the Dark Web and even has a surface web version if you prefer. It uses end-to-end encryption to help keep users anonymous while giving them access to quality email. Unlike other services, it even includes an automated login recovery system if you lose your credentials. It’s also much more secure than popular platforms like Gmail and Hotmail.
To keep your communications 100% private, you can access ProtonMail through ExpressVPN’s secure servers. Unlike other email services, you don’t need to provide personal information when signing up, further increasing your anonymity.
ProtonMail link: https://protonirockerxow.onion/
3. DuckDuckGo – A Search Engine That Doesn’t Track You
I was tired of web crawlers logging my searches and sending me targeted ads, so I decided to try DuckDuckGo. This search engine works on the surface web (so it’s a great alternative to Google) and the Dark Web.
Since it doesn’t have anywhere near the same level of resources as Google, I didn’t expect it to work very well. However, I was surprised that DuckDuckGo provided tons of relevant search results during my testing.
Aside from searching different corners of the internet, DuckDuckGo offers great user privacy. It doesn’t log your personal information or search history, and it blocks web trackers and advertisers. You can enjoy further anonymity on the Dark Web when you use DuckDuckGo with a quality VPN like CyberGhost.
DuckDuckGo: http://3g2upl4pq6kufc4m.onion/
4. Library Genesis – Find Free Books on This File-Sharing Website
As a huge reader, I was excited to learn about Library Genesis (Libgen). This platform is one of the world’s largest free virtual libraries on the Tor network, and it’s growing fast. Libgen expands rapidly by integrating other existing library catalogs into its system. The platform holds non-fiction books, magazine issues, academic articles, fiction books, and comics. It even has an active forum to encourage you to interact with other users.
If you want to safely and quickly download files from LibGen, make sure to use a no-logs VPN like ExpressVPN to keep your personal information safe. In addition, be sure you’re only downloading copyright-free material.
Library Genesis: http://genotypeinczgrxr.onion/
5. Sci-Hub – Database of Scientific Research Papers
Sci-Hub is an extensive database full of millions of scientific articles. As an independent researcher myself, I was particularly excited by this .onion site — trying to find enough papers for a review can often take more time than writing it!
Like with the rest of the Dark Web, the Sci-Hub can be filled with malicious links full of web trackers and hackers. To protect yourself, make sure you secure your private data with Private Internet Access while browsing the Sci-Hub.
Sci-Hub: http://scihub22266oqcxt.onion/
6. The Intercept – Publishes Fearless and Unfiltered Political News
The Intercept is a news source that publishes fearless and adversarial journalism. It prides itself on giving journalists the editorial freedom and legal support they need to investigate corruption and other injustices. Many of its articles rely on leaks and secret sources. Its .onion address offers SecureDrop for whistleblowers. This platform lets users submit documents without revealing their identities.
To stay anonymous when reading or contacting a news source like The Intercept, use a VPN with a strict no-logging policy like ExpressVPN before connecting to your Tor browser.
The Intercept: http://xpxduj55x2j27l2qytu2tcetykyfxbjbafin3x4i3ywddzphkbrd3jyd.onion/
7. ProPublica – Pulitzer Prize-Winning News Publication
This Pulitzer Prize-winning news outlet publishes stories in both English and Spanish, and covers a wide range of topics, including politics, health, finance, and the environment. Journalists at ProPublica aim to provide in-depth investigative pieces that are thought-provoking and impactful on multiple subjects.
In 2016, ProPublica launched a .onion domain. Whistleblowers can submit documents on the .onion site, and whether you’re offering a tip or just browsing, you can use IPVanish to stay anonymous while on the site.
ProPublica: https://www.propub3r6espa33w.onion/
8. Wasabi Wallet – Buy Bitcoin Anonymously
Over the past several years, Bitcoin has increased in popularity with the general public and is still the most used cryptocurrency for Dark Web transactions.
Wasabi Wallet is one of the best platforms for buying, selling, and managing your cryptocurrency anonymously. Its unique wallet-mixing features let you combine coins with other users to make your transactions harder to trace. When you use its .onion website, you’ll stay private as all your data gets anonymized on the Tor network. That said, Wasabi Wallet isn’t a free service and charges a nominal fee for its use.
For even greater safety in managing your transactions on the Dark Web, use ExpressVPN to protect your sensitive financial data as it has powerful security like DNS leak protection and an automatic kill switch.
Wasabi Wallet: http://wasabiukrxmkdgve5kynjztuovbg43uxcbcxn6y2okcrsg7gb6jdmbad.onion
9. SecureDrop – A Secure Way to Share Sensitive Information With the Media
SecureDrop has earned a reputation as a reliable whistleblowing platform for those who want to share sensitive information with the media safely. You can send information to news outlets without revealing your identity. Since whistleblowers put themselves at risk for leaking information, SecureDrop’s anonymity is key to protecting them.
Major news outlets that have their own SecureDrop URLs include:
- Associated Press: http://3expgpdnrrzezf7r.onion/
- Buzzfeed: http://ndg43ilvrrj465ix.onion/
- The Guardian: http://33y6fjyhs3phzfjj.onion/
- NPR: http://5ha7oig7du2jeyer.onion/
- Reuters: http://smb7p276iht3i2fj.onion/
- The Washington Post: http://jcw5q6uyjioupxcc.onion/
- Forbes: http://fje2vboa55bbxjpm.onion/
- The Financial Times: http://xdm7flvwt3uvsrrd.onion/
As soon as you submit data on this platform, it’s automatically encrypted. As it doesn’t log your IP address, you can rest assured that third parties won’t trace you on this .onion site. To stay even safer, make sure only to connect using a VPN with military-grade encryption like CyberGhost.
SecureDrop: http://secrdrop5wyphb5x.onion/
10. Torch Search Engine – The Largest Search Engine on Tor
As the oldest search engine on the Tor network, Torch has access to the largest database of .onion links available. It claims to have indexed over 1 billion .onion pages. This means Torch probably has a relevant link available, no matter what you’re looking for.
Like DuckDuckGo, Torch doesn’t log any of your activities. It also gives you additional information about search results, like the size of the pages you might want to access.
Just be careful — like many other tools on the Dark Web, Torch doesn’t censor search results. That means you should try to stick to safe categories to avoid illegal content, scams, and malware. Even seemingly safe pages might hide dangerous content, so use CyberGhost and its built-in malware blocker to prevent you from entering sites that could put you in harm’s way.
Torch: http://xmh57jrzrnw6insl.onion/
11. Black Cloud – A Secure and Anonymous File Storage Cloud
On Black Cloud, you can upload any type of file securely to share it with others or access it yourself from anywhere. On the normal internet, you have to rely on regular cloud services like Google Drive for this, but these companies mine data from your files and have inadequate security.
I like to use Black Cloud as a free backup tool, as it gives you your own anonymous cloud storage drive that is much more secure than many of the cloud storage solutions you’ll find on the regular internet.
Black Cloud: http://bcloud2suoza3ybr.onion/
12. Impreza Hosting – Dark Web Site Hosting Services
Even sites on the Dark Web need to be hosted somehow, and Impreza Hosting is one of the best services to get your Dark Web site up and running. Even though you need technical expertise to set up a website with them — you can rent its servers to run your site, register your domain name, host email services, and everything else that services like GoDaddy have on the regular internet.
Impreza Hosting: http://v7avmdv2l6dio3cg.onion/
13. TorLinks – A Backup Directory of .Onion Sites
Dark Web sites are frequently going offline for one reason or another, so I find it useful to have several directories to refer to for a backup. TorLinks is a nice collection of categorized .onion sites that you’ll find helpful if The Hidden Wiki is unavailable, or if you want to find an alternative for a site that’s no longer available.
TorLinks: http://torlinksd6pdnihy.onion
14. ZeroBin – Secure and Anonymous Messaging Service
ZeroBin lets you post messages that require a password to view and will self-destruct immediately after reading the message or up to 5 years later. All contents are encrypted so not even the owners of ZeroBin know what’s sent, making it secure and anonymous.
Whether you’re a journalist who needs to communicate private information securely with your editor or just sharing memes with friends, ZeroBin keeps your identity from being revealed. To make sure not even your internet provider knows you’re visiting .onion sites, you can connect to a secure and trustworthy VPN before browsing.
Myths About the Dark Web (& What You Can REALLY Use It For)
If you’re new to the Dark Web, you might think it’s mainly just for criminals. In reality, most Dark Web users are regular people like you and me. Many live in politically-sensitive countries, have careers that could put them in danger (like journalism), or simply just value their online privacy. Some of the most popular uses for the Dark Web are:
- Freedom of speech — Dark websites let you post anything you want, whether you’re a journalist or a free speech advocate.
- Data mining prevention — From ads and trackers to social media sites that sell your information, the Dark Web lets you “opt-out” of the data mining over the regular web.
- Goods trading — Although people sell illegal things on the Dark Web, it can also be a great place to buy legal but rare items. It also lets you purchase restricted items like life-saving medicine in areas where access is limited.
- Asset protection — In countries with unstable currencies and banking systems, converting and holding cash in digital currencies on Dark Web wallets gives you a way to protect your money’s purchasing power if your country’s economy is unstable.
As much as I enjoy browsing the Dark Web, I take my private data seriously and I never go on without using a VPN as an extra layer of protection.