The Best Dark Web Websites You Won’t Find on Google
The dark web isn’t for everyone, but some of it is worth exploring. Here are the best dark web websites worth checking out.
You’ve heard of it before: the mysterious dark web. You’re probably equally curious and apprehensive about the whole thing.
But what is the dark web? And more importantly, what cool dark web sites are out there. Here’s our list of the best dark web websites to visit.
Dark Web vs. Deep Web: What’s the Difference?
The deep web refers to anything on the internet that can’t be found using a search engine. That includes emails in your Gmail account, direct messages on social networks, and even your Facebook photos that you marked as private.
The dark web is a subsection of the deep web. It is responsible for the deep web’s bad reputation. There are black markets selling drugs and other substances, grisly images, and even new identities and online accounts for sale. Indeed, there are lots of reasons to avoid the dark web entirely.
Yet, at the same time, the dark web is well worth exploring. Amidst the chaos, you’ll find some great websites.
Note: We’ve explained what is the dark web in more detail if you want to learn more.
Use a VPN to Access the Dark Web
We strongly recommend shielding yourself with a VPN before you access the dark web. The notion that the Tor browser provides failsafe anonymity is false; you need to protect yourself.
Don’t know which VPN is best for you? There are plenty of options out there, both free and paid, but our top-ranked VPN is ExpressVPN, which comes with Tor support and three free months.
The Best Dark Web Websites
Here are the best dark net sites you can visit today.
1. The Hidden Wiki
Onion URL: http://zqktlwiuavvvqqt4ybvgvi7tyo4hjl5xgfuvpdf6otjiycgwqbym2qad.onion/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
To visit a .onion site, you’ll have to both know it exists and know its URL. There are a few ways to find active .onion sites. One of them is by using a directory of sites, like The Hidden Wiki.
Some sites are perfectly legit—such as domain services and email providers. Some—like whistleblowing—may face government censorship in your country. Others cross the divide into illegality. Make sure you’re smart about which dark web links you click on.
2. Facebook
Onion URL: https://www.facebookwkhpilnemxj7asaniu7vnjjbiltxjqhye3mhbshg7kx5tfyd.onion/
You can access Facebook via the dark web by using the official Facebook .onion mirror. Doing so has two primary benefits.
Firstly, you can create and use an account anonymously. You can use Facebook’s services without exposing yourself to the company’s privacy-eroding tentacles. Secondly, if Facebook is blocked in your location, you can use the dark web Facebook mirror to circumvent the censorship.
3. Dig Deeper
Onion URL: http://digdeep4orxw6psc33yxa2dgmuycj74zi6334xhxjlgppw6odvkzkiad.onion/
The name of the website says it all. It mainly discusses security topics like the safest browsers and email providers you should use.
You will find a number of articles on different topics (mostly tech-related) with quite a lot of supporting evidence. If you have a curious mind, you are likely to find Dig Deeper interesting.
4. ProPublica
Onion URL: https://p53lf57qovyuvwsc6xnrppyply3vtqm7l6pcobkmyqsiofyeznfu5uqd.onion
ProPublica was one of the first major news outlets to launch a dark web version of its site back in 2016.
ProPublica is a non-profit news organization that aims to “expose abuses of power and betrayals of the public trust by government, business, and other institutions, using the moral force of investigative journalism.”
One of its journalists, Hannah Dreier, won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing for her coverage of gangs in Los Angeles. It was ProPublica’s fifth Pulitzer Prize.
5. DuckDuckGo
Onion URL: https://duckduckgogg42xjoc72x3sjasowoarfbgcmvfimaftt6twagswzczad.onion/
DuckDuckGo is one of the leading private internet search engines on the open web. It doesn’t track your browsing history, location, or any other data.
There’s also a dark web version of the search engine. It’s a great dark web search engine that affords users an extra layer of protection and anonymity.
6. Keybase