Tor encrypts your internet connection and routes it through a random sequence of servers run by volunteers.īut let’s get down to brass tacks. This server is operated by the VPN provider. While there’s some overlap between these two concepts, think of it this way: anonymity hides who you are, and privacy hides what you do.Ī VPN encrypts your connection and routes it through an intermediary server in another location of the user’s choosing. In principle, VPNs emphasize privacy, and Tor emphasizes anonymity. So what’s the difference between Tor and a VPN, and which should you use?

They also both use encryption, which scrambles the contents of data sent to and from the internet so no third parties can decipher data that they happen to intercept. This hides the user’s real IP address and location from third parties, making users difficult to track. A VPN and the Tor network share a lot in common, but they have different uses.īoth use proxies that act as relays through which internet connections are redirected.

What is tor internet