HiddenWiki – A handy overview with lots of links to relevant dark web websites DuckDuckGo – The search engine of choice on the dark web Ahmia – A dark web search engine that allows for detailed searches Daniel – Another overview of very convenient dark web links ProPublica – A journalism platform Keybase– Secure file sharing over the dark web SecureDrop – A safe haven for whistleblowers
Just remember: browsing the dark web can be exciting, but it’s also a dangerous affair. If you’re not careful and don’t take the right security measures, you risk infecting your computer with malware or spyware. That’s why it’s crucial you use a solid antivirus and a VPN connection when browsing the dark web. A good, affordable VPN that keeps your data and identity secure is NordVPN. While there’s a great deal of mystery around the dark web, there are also quite a few interesting websites that you can visit. But what is the dark web? What are onion sites? And, more importantly, what are the best dark web websites you can visit in 2023?
Dark Web vs. The Deep Web – The Differences
It’s important not to confuse the dark web with the deep web, since there’s a fundamental difference between the two. The deep web is part of the web that you can’t access through a conventional search engine. It encompasses roughly 90% of the internet content online. This includes heavily guarded information that’s protected with firewalls, including financial records, email accounts, private messages, medical records, and more. The dark web is a section of the deep web that contains websites that aren’t indexed by search engines like Google or Bing. These sites can’t be accessed through standard browsers like Chrome or Microsoft Edge. Since there’s little to no moderation, you can find all kinds of stuff on the dark web, including illegal or illicit content. Therefore, it’s important to understand the dark web dangers and take steps to ensure your safety first.
What to Know When Visiting the Dark Web
To ensure your safety when browsing the dark web, our cybersecurity experts have prepared a brief checklist:
Use a VPN to encrypt and anonymize your traffic. We recommend NordVPN, thanks to its robust security features, including dark web monitoring. Download the Tor browser. You’ll need it to access the dark web. Pick reliable antivirus software. Norton is the best choice, thanks to its excellent security features, such as real-time threat protection and identity theft monitoring. Alternatively, you can pick one of the best anti-virus software. Disable Javascript on Tor as hackers can exploit vulnerabilities using Javascript. Avoid downloading and handing over your personal information. Use cryptocurrency for all transactions. Don’t use a card linked to your bank account on the internet. You might be handing over sensitive details to a hacker. Don’t click on links that seem suspicious or shady. If anything seems too good to be true, it probably is.
The 31 Most Popular Dark Web Websites (with Onion Links)
Now, let’s talk about some of the most popular darknet sites to visit, starting with commonly used dark web search engines and other sites you can use to discover dark web links.
1. Hidden Wiki
Onion link: http://zqktlwiuavvvqqt4ybvgvi7tyo4hjl5xgfuvpdf6otjiycgwqbym2qad.onion/wiki/index.php/Main_Page The Hidden Wiki is a dark web version of Wikipedia that offers links to different websites on the dark web. Being a combination of random numbers and letters, many onion links might seem nonsensical. This makes websites very difficult to find. The Hidden Wiki presents a bunch of dark web websites for you. Moreover, they provide informative pages on a range of topics, including conspiracy theories. Read the description carefully before you open any link since it also contains links for websites that include illicit content, such as whistleblowing sites or illegal marketplaces. This made it the subject of cyberattacks by both the FBI and Anonymous. There are quite a few copycats of the site too. Don’t be surprised if you come across multiple versions of “The Official” or “The Uncensored” site. It’s best to stay away from these sites, however.
2. OnionLinks
Link: http://jaz45aabn5vkemy4jkg4mi4syheisqn2wn2n4fsuitpccdackjwxplad.onion/ Much like the Hidden Wiki, OnionLinks is a catalog of working dark web websites. The site is straightforward and organized. All links are grouped under different headings, including financial services, commercial services, news sites, email providers, and privacy services. It’s a great place to start if you’re just starting with the dark web.
3. DuckDuckGo
Onion link: https://duckduckgogg42xjoc72x3sjasowoarfbgcmvfimaftt6twagswzczad.onion/ DuckDuckGo is a dark web search engine that’s also available on the surface web. As opposed to similar tools, DuckDuckGo guarantees your privacy. In other words, it doesn’t collect or share any of your personal information. This is an ideal choice if you want to boost your online anonymity. DuckDuckGo can be used to view dark web websites because it also shows .onion links. Most regular surface search engines don’t index .onion websites. Thus, services like Google won’t bring you anywhere on the dark web, whereas DuckDuckGo will allow you to visit dark websites.
4. Ahmia
Onion link: http://juhanurmihxlp77nkq76byazcldy2hlmovfu2epvl5ankdibsot4csyd.onion/ Ahmia is another secure search engine you can use on the dark web. It helps the users of the Tor Anonymity Network discover different useful websites on the dark web. Moreover, Ahmia can also be used to view statistics, insights, and news about the Tor network.
5. Daniel
Onion link: http://danielas3rtn54uwmofdo3x2bsdifr47huasnmbgqzfrec5ubupvtpid.onion/ Daniel is an excellent resource to help you explore different dark web websites and onion links. Daniel’s website lists around 7,000 onion sites, which are categorized for easier browsing. Moreover, it has a built-in status check that lets you know whether a particular website is online. This takes a lot of legwork out of the equation since you won’t have to check every single site manually. This feature might not seem like much, but the Tor browser can take ages to load a website. So, you’ll save quite a bit of time in the long run.
6. Dark.fail
Onion link: darkfailenbsdla5mal2mxn2uz66od5vtzd5qozslagrfzachha3f3id.onion Dark.fail is a convenient platform that allows you to monitor the uptime of various .onion websites. In other words, it lets you check which popular dark sites are online at any given moment. It also provides accurate URLs verified by PGP. The site operates without any tracking or javascript shenanigans. At the moment, Dark.fail monitors around 50 websites, including many of the ones mentioned here. This is not an overly impressive number, but most of the popular sites are covered. Additionally, you can contact the team to propose new listings. The site doesn’t feature any direct links to protect its users against DNS leaks caused by accidental clicking. Although not a search engine per see, Dark.fail is a good starting point for any dark web explorer. You’ll find some of the most popular sites here and get accurate links to avoid phishing scams.
7. Tor Metrics
Onion link: http://hctxrvjzfpvmzh2jllqhgvvkoepxb4kfzdjm6h7egcwlumggtktiftid.onion/ On Tor Metrics you can find more information about the Tor Project. If you’re interested in privacy and how the Tor project works, this website will give you some extra insight. Moreover, if you’re researching Tor and the dark web for a school project, this page can help you with statistics. Among other things, you can see how many people use the Tor browser and how many .onion websites there are. The statistics of Tor users can also give you a good indication of how much activity there is on the dark web, how many hidden services exist, and where most users on the dark web are from. Some fun facts:
Only about 2% of Tor users use the browser for accessing the dark web. Some of the most prolific Tor users are from countries with relatively small populations, such as Germany and the Netherlands. The Tor Browser was used by more than 2 million people daily in 2021.
On the dark web, you’ll also find versions of social media sites and mirrors of news outlets and platforms where whistleblowers and others can safely share information.
8. Facebook
Onion link: http://facebookwkhpilnemxj7asaniu7vnjjbiltxjqhye3mhbshg7kx5tfyd.onion The dark web is full of surprising sites. One of them is Facebook. Although we don’t recommend logging in to Facebook for any online protection, it’s striking that this social media has such an enormous presence on the dark web. This is a mirror website of the real Facebook. By creating a Facebook account on the dark web, you can attempt to do so completely anonymously. However, this takes a lot of work, because, as we know, Facebook likes collecting private data. More importantly, this mirror version of the social network is a way around government censorship. Some regimes censor social media or make them completely inaccessible to their citizens. They do this to eliminate any form of opposition. By using the dark web version of Facebook, people can attempt to stay anonymous and speak freely.
9. Dread
Onion link: http://dreadytofatroptsdj6io7l3xptbet6onoyno2yv7jicoxknyazubrad.onion/ Think of Dread as the Reddit of the dark web. It’s the perfect place to find answers to all the queries you might have. You can also join threads and discussions just like on Reddit. The difference is that Dread offers complete anonymity. You can follow, react to and join discussions without revealing your identity. Note that Dread’s site is currently down, and there’s no indication as to when it might be back up.
10. Onion.name
Onion link: http://onionamev33r7w4zckyttobq3vrt725iuyr6xessihxifhxrhupixqad.onion/ Darknet sites typically have domain names made up of a nonsensical jumble of letters and symbols. If you want a readable domain for a dark web site, Onion.name is an ideal choice. For some millibitcoin (mBTC), you can create your own domain name using the words or letters you want.
11. BBC Tor Mirror
Dark web link to BBC Tor Mirror: https://www.bbcnewsd73hkzno2ini43t4gblxvycyac5aw4gnv7t2rccijh7745uqd.onion/ Some countries and governments implement strict online censorship and block access to foreign news outlets. The BBC website is a prime example of a news source that isn’t accessible in certain oppressive countries. At least not on the surface web. That’s where Tor comes in. The BBC has made a special Tor mirror of its news website, which is available on the dark web. The goal is to offer people a way to anonymously access the BBC website without restrictions, regardless of where they live. The dark web version of BBC News is an international edition. This means it doesn’t primarily focus on the United Kingdom, but instead covers news from all over the world.
12. ProPublica
Onion link: http://p53lf57qovyuvwsc6xnrppyply3vtqm7l6pcobkmyqsiofyeznfu5uqd.onion/ ProPublica is an investigative journalism outlet that has a presence on the surface web but also a dark web link. This way, visitors to the website can remain anonymous if they want to. This could come in handy for people living under oppressive regimes, for instance. After all, ProPublica doesn’t shy away from covering controversial topics, such as child labor and corrupt politicians. ProPublica publishes news stories in both English and Spanish.
13. Hidden Answers
Onion link: http://pbqttnffb5sh6ckgnz4f5by55w25gd6tuw5f5qcctmnyk62eyhgx6rad.onion/ Hidden Answers can be described as a dark web version of Reddit or Quora. You can ask any question you like, without any censorship. Others in the community will try to answer your queries. It’s also fun to just look around on this platform. Do remember that this is an unfiltered part of the internet, and you might come across conversations you don’t want to see. This is also a great place to ask questions about the dark web if you’re new to this part of the internet. It’s a safer option to visit some dark web subreddits for specific questions on the dark web. There are plenty of email providers and communication tools on the dark web. Many of them offer robust encryption and anonymous features to help you hide your identity on the dark web too.
14. ProtonMail
Onion link://protonmailrmez3lotccipshtkleegetolb73fuirgj7r4o4vfu7ozyd.onion ProtonMail is a Swiss encrypted email service that is among the very best e-mail clients out there. They use end-to-end encryption and don’t keep any logs. Moreover, you don’t need to provide them with any personal information to create an account. Note that ProtonMail also has a surface web version. ProtonMail themselves state that using Tor to access (the dark web version of) ProtonMail offers both security advantages and advantages related to freedom. Using Tor — the most common and safest way to access the dark web — makes it much harder for external parties to see the websites or (mail) services you’re visiting. Moreover, if ProtonMail, for whatever reason, gets blocked in your country of residence, Tor can likely help you circumvent this block.
15. Elude
Dark web link to Elude: http://eludemailxhnqzfmxehy3bk5guyhlxbunfyhkcksv4gvx6d3wcf6smad.onion/ Elude is another email client that aims to keep your emails out of the hands of others. It allows users to send and receive anonymous emails via webmail. No information is required to create an Elude account. The service is completely free and presents a great option for users looking to share sensitive and confidential information over mail. Its ease of use also makes it a great option.
16. SecMail
If you’re a business or organization and you want to protect your employees from harmful and unwanted emails, SecMail is the way to go. It’s an encrypted spam protection service that tracks and blocks junk emails and viruses. Short for secure email, SecMail uses a TLS/SSL level encrypted connection to protect the messages you send. When you send a message, the recipient gets a key link connected to SecMail’s servers. The recipient can open it or save the attachments to their workstation. They can also reply to the message using the same link.
17. Riseup
Onion link: http://vww6ybal4bd7szmgncyruucpgfkqahzddi37ktceo3ah7ngmcopnpyyd.onion/ Riseup is a dark website that provides secure email and chat options. In fact, the platform was created to enable people and groups working on liberatory social change to communicate securely with each other. To this end, Riseup makes sure no records of communication are kept, and the platform is protected against malicious attacks and government interference. The only downside of this client is that you need an invitation code to create a Riseup account. In other words, you need to know someone who already uses the platform to get in. However, without one, you can still browse Riseup’s security section, which offers a lot of tips on how to increase your information security.
18. Mailpile
We’ve added Mailpile to this list because it allows users to send encrypted messages and keep third parties at bay. With regular email clients, you’d be able to save your emails in the cloud, which can be vulnerable. Mailpile, on the other hand, is software you can run yourself on your computer. In other words, you don’t need the cloud to store your emails. Furthermore, Mailpile is open-source, meaning anyone can verify and improve the code. Currently, Mailpile is rewriting and modernizing its codebase. There’s no estimated time for its release, but it’s probably worth waiting for.
19. ZeroBin
Onion link: http://zerobinftagjpeeebbvyzjcqyjpmjvynj5qlexwyxe7l3vqejxnqv5qd.onion/ ZeroBin is a good choice for sending encrypted messages over the dark web. You never know who’s tracking your activities and messages over the dark web, so it’s best to use a safe platform like ZeroBin. It uses 256-bit AES encryption and has zero knowledge of the data you send. To send a message or image using ZeroBin, simply copy and paste it into ZeroBin’s editor. It will create a shareable link that you can share with a sender. For extra security, you can password-protect the link or set it to disappear right after viewing.
20. Keybase
Onion link: http://keybase5wmilwokqirssclfnsqrjdsi7jdir5wy7y7iu3tanwmtp6oid.onion/ While not technically an email service, Keybase is a great way to securely share information you find on the Tor network with friends and other contacts. It’s an effective messaging tool that works like other popular messaging apps, such as WhatsApp and Signal. The great thing about Keybase is that even its servers don’t know what you copy and paste. After all, your data gets encrypted in your browser before it even gets to Keybase’s server. You can also protect your message with a password and choose how long your message will take to expire. As such, this communication tool offers great security and anonymity.
21. SecureDrop
Onion link: http://sdolvtfhatvsysc6l34d65ymdwxcujausv7k5jk4cy5ttzhjoi6fzvyd.onion/ SecureDrop is a place where whistleblowers and journalists meet. The dark web is one of the only ways whistleblowers can share their information while being certain they won’t be tracked. Whistleblowers often have damaging information about a company or government and try to share this with journalists. If they do so on the surface web, they’ll likely be traced and, in some cases, punished. Secure Drop is a .onion site that protects the privacy of whistleblowers and journalists worldwide. Many important publishers and news organizations have realized the power of anonymous whistleblowers on the dark web and set up their own SecureDrop URLs. Some notable examples include:
The Financial Times: http://sdolvtfhatvsysc6l34d65ymdwxcujausv7k5jk4cy5ttzhjoi6fzvyd.onion/directory/financial-times/ The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/securedrop/
22. Hidden Wallet
Onion link: http://d46a7ehxj6d6f2cf4hi3b424uzywno24c7qtnvdvwsah5qpogewoeqid.onion/ Although Bitcoin has only recently become popular with the general public, it has been the currency of the dark web for years. It will come as no surprise that there are many cryptocurrency sites on the dark web. On sites like HiddenWallet, you can manage your cryptocurrencies, as well as buy and sell Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. We also recommend using a VPN for crypto trading to guarantee security and anonymity.
23. Wasabi Wallet
Onion link: http://wasabiukrxmkdgve5kynjztuovbg43uxcbcxn6y2okcrsg7gb6jdmbad.onion Wasabi Wallet is a popular cryptocurrency wallet on the dark web, which is a safe choice for buying and sending cryptocurrencies. It’s absolutely free and open-source, so virtually anyone can verify and contribute to the code. It has a “coinjoin” feature, which blends various cryptocurrencies into one transaction. This makes it difficult for anyone to track your funds. Wasabi Wallet is also non-custodial, which means you’re the only one with access to your private encryption keys.
24. Smartmixer.io
Smartmixer is a tool that allows you to transact cryptocurrency transactions anonymously. Cryptocurrency transactions do not guarantee complete anonymity because your activities are recorded in the blockchain. As a result, anyone with your Bitcoin address can easily trace your funds. Smartmixer removes that loophole by mixing your crypto with other coins and giving you untraceable coins. This makes it extra confusing for anyone trying to track your transactions. Now, let’s talk about the best darknet websites and onion links if you’re looking for books, resources, archives and even some entertainment.
25. Comic Book Library
Onion link: http://nv3x2jozywh63fkohn5mwp2d73vasusjixn3im3ueof52fmbjsigw6ad.onion/ Are you a comic lover? On the Comic Book Library, you can download thousands of comic books, ranging from very mainstream titles to totally niche comics. Just be careful of any possible copyright infringement when you access comics through the Comic Book Library (or any other onion site).
26. Sci-hub
Onion link: https://sci-hub.se/ Many research publications are locked behind paywalls. Sci-hub’s goal is to make such paywalls a thing of the past and make all research work free. Currently, the site has a database of over 88 million research documents. Over 80% of its database is research articles from journals. Note that Sci-hub is technically illegal in some countries because of copyright restrictions, so you might want to check the laws in your region before accessing or downloading Sci-hub’s papers. The onion link is no longer available, but you can access it using the regular link on Tor. Plus, if you notice that Sci-hub if offline, try it via other mirrors at sci-hub.st and sci-hub.ru.
27. Imperial Library
Onion link: http://kx5thpx2olielkihfyo4jgjqfb7zx7wxr3sd4xzt26ochei4m6f7tayd.onion/ The Imperial Library, much like the Comic Book Library, stores a vast range of digital books that you can access from the dark web. In the case of the Imperial Library, this goes beyond just comic books: you can find all sorts of content on it. At the time of writing, there are about 1,500,000 books in this online library. Again, beware of copyright infringement.
28. Deep Web Radio
Onion link: http://anonyradixhkgh5myfrkarggfnmdzzhhcgoy2v66uf7sml27to5n2tid.onion/ Looking for some accompanying music while you’re exploring the dark web links in this article? You’re in luck because the dark web has its own digital radio station. With Deep Web Radio, you can choose between all kinds of music streams to listen to via Tor. When we checked, we could choose between eleven different channels, all with different music genres being played.
29. Archive.today
Archive.today is a time capsule for web pages. It can save a text and graphical version of a web page and will always be online, even if the original post disappears. This tool is handy if you want a snapshot of a web page that might change soon, such as pricing pages, job listings, and real estate listings. It’s also great if you want saved snapshots from specific websites. Simply enter the domain name of the website, and you’ll find a collection of available snapshots. You can even download archived websites as ZIP files.
30. Tunnels
Onion link to the blog about VT’s (Virginia Tech) tunneling system: http://bvten5svsltfpxrxl72ukqxixwo2m5ek5svmcxgrmkta4tbmiemuibid.onion/ The last onion link we’ll mention is quite different from the others on this list. These are websites that describe the “adventures” of urban explorers who venture into the tunnel systems of large American universities. Accessing these tunnels is both dangerous and illegal. That’s most likely why the explorers put their blogs up on the dark web, instead of on the surface web.
31. CIA
Onion link: http://ciadotgov4sjwlzihbbgxnqg3xiyrg7so2r2o3lt5wz5ypk4sxyjstad.onion/ The CIA has set up shop on Tor for people who want to communicate with the agency anonymously. You’ll be able to access everything on the regular site, including contact information for the CIA, job listings, and archival information like the World Factbook. However, the main difference is that you can get in touch with the agency without being wary of tracking.
How to Safely Access the Dark Web
The best way to access the dark web is to use the Tor browser. Short for The Onion Browser, Tor enables users to browse the dark web privately. It encrypts your traffic and erases your browsing history after every session. Here’s a summary of how to install Tor:
Go to the Tor browser’s official project page and download the installation files for your device.
Follow the installation prompts to install it.
Launch Tor and access the site you want. It’s best to use a directory like the Hidden Wiki to find popular onion links.
MacOS users can simply copy the installation package into their Application folder. We have a detailed and easy-to-follow guide on installing the Tor browser on any device, whether Windows, Android, Linux, Mac or iOS.
The Best VPNs for Accessing the Dark Web
As we mentioned earlier, a VPN is a must-have when accessing the dark web because it encrypts your traffic, making it hard for snoopers to track you. In addition, can spoof your location by changing your IP address. To browse the dark web safely, you need a VPN that has robust security and privacy features. Here’s a snapshot of the best five dark web VPNs:
NordVPN: the best all-round dark web VPN Surfshark: A secure and affordable option Mullvad: An easy-to-use VPN perfect for beginners ExpressVPN: A robust choice with stealth options to help you fly under the radar Private Internet Access: A cheap VPN with obfuscation technology.
NordVPN tops this list because of its best-in-class security features. It has DNS leak protection and a kill switch, which shuts off your internet connection whenever your VPN disconnects. There’s also Threat Protection, which stops malware from infecting your device; a common challenge when surfing the dark web. NordVPN’s Double VPN feature routes traffic through two servers instead of one. This means that your data will be encrypted twice. Furthermore, it has a dark web monitoring feature, which crawls the dark web and will alert you if your credentials appear anywhere. If you’re on a tight budget, you can choose PrivadoVPN, one of the best free dark web VPNs. As we discussed in our PrivadoVPN review, it offers obfuscation features and 10GB of data monthly.
Final Thoughts
The dark web sounds mysterious and maybe even scary, but some of the .onion sites are actually very mundane. For regular internet users, there isn’t really a good reason to visit them, as there is already plenty of information to be found on the surface web. But if you do want to have a look, you might want to visit one of the many websites listed above. They are relatively safe and harmless platforms, although there’s always a risk of encountering something dangerous or unwanted when you’re on the dark web. It’s important to stay safe when accessing dark web marketplaces too. Remember that there is a lot of seedy business going down on the dark web, so be careful and don’t click on any links you don’t trust. Use your common sense and have fun exploring these and other dark web links! Here are other helpful articles relating to the dark web:
The Dark Web Dictionary: Definitions for Everything Dark Net Dark Web Facts vs. Myths: What You Need to Know in 2023 The 7 Best Dark Web Documentaries and Where to Watch Them Dark Web Cybercriminals Are Migrating to Telegram
There are many different websites on the dark web, from secure email services to news outlets, online libraries, and everything in between. Of course, there are shady places as well, but as long as you use common sense you can easily stay out of (legal) trouble on the dark web. However, to be even safer we recommend taking some extra safety measures on top of this, such as using a VPN. For a complete lists of tips and advice, have a look at our article on how to safely access the dark web. Fortunately, there are some index websites that list dark web links and even categorize them, such as the Hidden Wiki and Daniel. Looking for links? We listed the best dark web sites for easy access. Such sites can only be accessed using the Tor browser. We’ve put together 15 easy steps to help you get started on the dark web. Be careful which onion sites you visit and use a VPN while at it. We’ve put together a list of dark web sites that are worth visiting.
