Most Popular and Interesting Dark Web Websites (with Onion Links)
What are onion sites?
Onion sites (aka Tor sites) are websites only accessible on the dark web; you can’t view them using a regular browser. Their URLs have .onion as the domain, instead of the common surface web domains like .com or .net. Onion sites are considered hidden in the deep web, and they use Tor to encrypt connections to them, keeping visitors and the site creators anonymous.
How do onion sites work?
When you try to connect to a .onion website, your traffic gets routed around the internet, bouncing three times to random servers before it reaches your destination website. Each server adds a layer of encryption, and these layers give rise to the name The Onion Router. This is also why the sites on the dark web are called Tor links.
There are at least three hops your data travels through.
- The entry node, which inevitably knows your IP address
- The middle (or relay) node, which prevents the exit node from finding out which entry node you used and makes it very hard to correlate this information
- The exit node, which knows what site you are connecting to, but does not know who you are
The three nodes separate your IP address from your destination and enable two individuals to communicate without either party, or any middleman, knowing who the other is.
Tor and the Onion Browser
Inside the Tor network, sites cannot use regular domain names. Instead, they use pseudo-domain names ending in .onion. These domain names are not registered with a central authority but are instead derived from cryptographic keys.
You can’t access these .onion sites from your normal web browser—the one you’re probably viewing this page on. Before clicking any of the dark web links below, you’ll need to get the Tor Browser (also called the Onion Browser) or another service that provides dark web access, such as the Brave browser.
Note that connections inside of the Tor network are end-to-end encrypted by default, meaning there is no separate encryption layer necessary as with regular websites. That’s why most onion sites do not have the S in HTTPS. Fear not; the Tor Browser will show an onion instead of the familiar lock icon when your connection is secure.
How to access onion sites
On your computer
- Download Tor Browser from here
- Install Tor Browser on your computer by opening the file you downloaded and following the prompts
- Open Tor Browser
- Click “Connect” on the Tor startup page
- Wait for a connection to be established
- Surf the dark web!
On Android
- Download the Tor Browser app from here
- Open Tor Browser
- Click “Connect”
- Once a connection is established, you should see an onion icon in your status bar
- Start exploring!
On iOS
- Download Onion Browser from the App Store
- Open Onion Browser
- Click “Connect to Tor”
- Once connected, click “Next” to configure your security level:
- Insecure
- Moderate
- Secure
- Click “Start Browsing”
- You’re in!
Best onion sites by category
1. The 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. It lists dark web sites in one place and provides information on a range of topics, including conspiracy theories.
Remember to read the description carefully before you open any links since The Hidden Wiki also contains links to websites that include illicit content. This has made it the subject of cyberattacks by both the FBI and the hacker group Anonymous in the past.
2. OnionLinks
Onion 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 into different categories, including financial services, commercial services, news sites, email providers, and privacy services.
Remember that there’s no guarantee that all of the dark web links included on OnionLinks are completely safe. As such, we always recommend having a strong antivirus solution like Norton 360 to protect you from malware when visiting any of these pages.
3. DuckDuckGo
Onion Link: https://duckduckgogg42xjoc72x3sjasowoarfbgcmvfimaftt6twagswzczad.onion/
DuckDuckGo is a dark web search engine that’s also available on the surface web. Unlike other search engines, DuckDuckGo guarantees your privacy as 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 sites 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. Moreover, Ahmia can also be used to view statistics, insights, and news about the Tor network.
You can also use Ahmia, like other dark web platforms, on the surface web. In that case, it’s important to take measures to hide your IP and acquire some extra data encryption.
Plenty of Ahmia’s results are questionable or even illegal (think dark web market links, hacking sites, etc.). As such, it’s smart to stay anonymous while navigating through these results. Consider using a VPN with strong security measures like NordVPN.
Needless to say, even with a VPN, we strongly discourage you from visiting illegal dark web sites. There are plenty of cases of child pornography, hacker sites, and illegal chatrooms on the dark web.
5. Haystak
http://haystak5njsmn2hqkewecpaxetahtwhsbsa64jom2k22z5afxhnpxfid.onion/
Similar to Ahmia, Haystak is also an onion search engine that uses a custom dark web crawler and filters out dangerous content.
Haystak also offers a premium version that allows advanced search, access to historical content, and email alerts.
6. Torch
http://xmh57jrknzkhv6y3ls3ubitzfqnkrwxhopf5aygthi7d6rplyvk3noyd.onion/
Torch is one of the oldest and most popular onion search engines on the dark web, serving over 80,000 requests per day. Torch is funded primarily through advertising—purchased in BTC, of course—which is why you’ll find the front page blanketed with old-school banner ads of dubious origins.
7. Tor Links
http://torlinksge6enmcyyuxjpjkoouw4oorgdgeo7ftnq3zodj7g2zxi3kyd.onion/
TorLinks serves as a backup or secondary directory site to the popular Hidden Wiki. It’s divided into commercial links (from crypto services to gambling sites) and non-commercial links (like social media). But it’s not as detailed as the Hidden Wiki. As always, use Tor Links with care, as it includes onion links to dubious or illegal activity.
8. Daniel
Onion Link: http://danielas3rtn54uwmofdo3x2bsdifr47huasnmbgqzfrec5ubupvtpid.onion/
Daniel used to be an excellent resource to help you explore different dark web websites and onion links. Daniel’s website listed around 7,000 onion sites, which were categorized for easier browsing. Moreover, it had a built-in status check to let users know whether a particular website is online.
Unfortunately, Daniel took its list of onion links offline in August 2023, as it proved too time-consuming to keep track of everything dark web for one person. However, you can still find some interesting and fun blog entries and tech tutorials on the website.
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.
Note that Dark.fail only monitors the uptime of many of the best dark web sites. It doesn’t actually tell you if these are safe, as it doesn’t scan for malware. That’s why we recommend a good virus scanner with real-time threat detection, such as Norton.
9. 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. And 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 Tor as a dark web browser.
- Some of the most prolific Tor users are from countries with relatively small populations, such as Germany and the Netherlands.
- Between 2 and 5 million users connect to Tor every day in 2023.
10. BBC Tor Mirror
Onion Link: 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. 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.
11. ProPublica
Onion Link: http://p53lf57qovyuvwsc6xnrppyply3vtqm7l6pcobkmyqsiofyeznfu5uqd.onion/
ProPublica is an investigative journalism outlet that has a presence on the surface web as well as a dark web link. This way, visitors to the website can remain anonymous if they want to.
This website comes in handy for people living under oppressive regimes, as 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.
SAFETY TIP FOR JOURNALISTS:
Are you a journalist contributing to ProPublica or other investigative outlets? Then you probably face even more risks than those merely reading your content. We strongly suggest using a VPN while you’re researching and publishing articles to gain extra protection from prying eyes.
12. Hidden Answers
Onion Link: http://pbqttnffb5sh6ckgnz4f5by55w25gd6tuw5f5qcctmnyk62eyhgx6rad.onion/
NOTE:
Hidden Answers is temporary offline as of writing.
Hidden Answers can be described as a dark web version of Reddit or Quora. You can ask any question you like without fear of censorship, and members of 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.
13. The 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. If you absolutely can’t afford to have your identity or the information you’re sharing to get leaked, we recommend going with extra protection.
You can use a quality VPN, such as NordVPN, to make yourself even more anonymous when on the dark web. This will also provide yet another layer of data encryption, allowing for safe communication with the CIA and other institutions.
14. Elude
Onion Link: http://eludemailxhnqzfmxehy3bk5guyhlxbunfyhkcksv4gvx6d3wcf6smad.onion/
Elude is an email client that aims to keep your emails private. 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.
15. Riseup
Onion Link: http://ciadotgov4sjwlzihbbgxnqg3xiyrg7so2r2o3lt5wz5ypk4sxyjstad.onion/
Riseup is a dark web site that provides secure email and chat options. 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.
16. ProtonMail
Onion Link: http://protonmailrmez3lotccipshtkleegetolb73fuirgj7r4o4vfu7ozyd.onion
Proton Mail is a Swiss encrypted email service that’s 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.
Proton themselves state that using Tor to access the dark web version of Proton Mail offers security advantages. Using the Tor browser makes it harder for third parties to see the websites and mail services you’re visiting. Moreover, if ProtonMail gets blocked in your country, Tor can circumvent this block.
If you like Proton’s secure email service, you might also fancy its other security tools, such as Proton VPN, Proton Drive, Proton Calendar, and Proton Pass.
17. 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.
18. Keybase
Onion Link: http://keybase5wmilwokqirssclfnsqrjdsi7jdir5wy7y7iu3tanwmtp6oid.onion/
NOTE:
As of writing, Keybase is temporarily offline.
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.
19. 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.
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://washingtonpost.securedrop.tor.onion/
WARNING:
Never download files from the dark web without first enabling your antivirus. There’s always serious risk of dark web files being infected with malware. We suggest using reliable antivirus software like Norton 360.
20. Hidden Wallet
Onion Link: http://d46a7ehxj6d6f2cf4hi3b424uzywno24c7qtnvdvwsah5qpogewoeqid.onion/
Bitcoin 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.
21. Wasabi Wallet
Onion Link: http://wasabiukrxmkdgve5kynjztuovbg43uxcbcxn6y2okcrsg7gb6jdmbad.onion
Wasabi Wallet is a popular cryptocurrency wallet on the dark web, and it’s 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.
The site 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.
22. 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).
We recommend using a VPN in case you accidentally access any copyrighted content. We are sure you have nothing but the best intentions, but if you read copyrighted material unintentionally without a VPN, your IP might get registered and you could get into serious trouble.
23. Sci-hub
Onion Link: https://sci-hub.se/
Many research publications are locked behind paywalls. Sci-hub’s goal is to 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 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 is offline, you can try its mirrors (sci-hub.st and sci-hub.ru).
24. 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, this online library offers about 1,500,000 books. Again, beware of copyright infringement. You can use NordVPN to hide your IP in the case of unintentional copyright violations.
25. Deep Web Radio
Onion Link: http://anonyradixhkgh5myfrkarggfnmdzzhhcgoy2v66uf7sml27to5n2tid.onion/
NOTE:
As of writing, Deep Web Radio is temporarily offline.
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.
26. Archive.today
Onion Link: http://archiveiya74codqgiixo33q62qlrqtkgmcitqx5u2oeqnmn5bpcbiyd.onion/
Archive.today is a time capsule for web pages. It can save a version of a web page that 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.
To view 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.
27. Tunnels
Onion Link: 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.
28. 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 if you want to stay anonymous, 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 by using a different name and email address. However, this can make identity verification impossible, because, as we know, Facebook likes collecting private data.
Some users use this website as a way around the government censorship that exists in some countries. By using the dark web version of Facebook, people can attempt to stay anonymous and speak freely.
29. Onion.name
Onion Link:http://hctxrvjzfpvmzh2jllqhgvvkoepxb4kfzdjm6h7egcwlumggtktiftid.onion/
Darknet sites typically have domain names made up of a nonsensical jumble of letters and symbols. If you want a domain for your dark web site that makes sense to humans, Onion.name is an ideal choice.
For some millibitcoin (mBTC), Onion.name lets you create your own domain name using the words or letters you want.
learn more
The Dark Web Browser: What Is Tor, Is It Safe, and How to Use It
Most Popular and Interesting Dark Web Websites (with Onion Links)
CIA sets up Untraceable Dark Web Website on the Anonymous, Encrypted Tor Network
Hosting Anonymous Website on Tor Network