# Tor VPN now in beta **URL:** https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/tor-vpn-now-in-beta/30819 **Category:** General **Tags:** software **Created:** 2025-09-06T15:05:30Z **Posts:** 41 ## Post 1 by @Courier — 2025-09-06T15:05:30Z > > > Tor-powered VPN with per-app routing & network-level privac... Tor VPN is in beta, available through the Google Play Store, or via their Gitlab (.apks not yet under releases, but Package Registry; Obtainium will index them). It’s based on Arti (meaning Rust), and according to the Privacy Policy, all app connections are made on separate circuits so as not to centralize traffic! --- ## Post 2 by @user1 — 2025-09-06T16:09:40Z If I disable any youtube third party app from the tor vpn they weirdly can’t connect. I guess that’s a beta bug. The different circuits per app seem to work correctly though. --- ## Post 3 by @ph00lt0 — 2025-09-06T16:32:16Z Cool to see the beta is live now! I had seen some early spoilers during summer. --- ## Post 4 by @wwayers — 2025-09-06T19:28:55Z Am I correct in assuming Tor VPN works more like Portmaster at the network layer — letting you route specific apps through Tor regardless of whether they support SOCKS — whereas Orbot is mainly a SOCKS proxy with optional whole-device VPN mode where all apps share a circuit? A bit like the difference between running Tor directly in the backend of a Linux terminal (where you can transparently route processes through it) versus relying on individual apps to be proxy-aware. And just to clarify my understanding: even though Guardian Project is a long-time trusted partner of Tor, Orbot is their project, while Tor VPN is built and maintained directly by the Tor Project itself? --- ## Post 5 by @ph00lt0 — 2025-09-06T19:31:44Z I believe that is all correct. --- ## Post 6 by @wwayers — 2025-09-06T19:34:09Z Awesome I thought that’s what you meant when you mentioned that everything regarding the circuits seem to be working as it should so thank you for that point of clarification and I really appreciate it. --- ## Post 7 by @anon63378630 — 2025-09-06T21:15:11Z > [@wwayers](#): > > Orbot is mainly a SOCKS proxy with optional whole-device VPN mode where all apps share a circuit Orbot can work in per-app VPN or whole profile VPN mode. And per-app specified SOCKS works regardless of VPN mode used or not. But in VPN mode all apps will share circuits. --- ## Post 8 by @jordan — 2025-09-07T11:10:37Z Here is the link to the Gitlab which includes the APK for people who do not want to download this from the Play Store: > [@anon63378630](#): > > There is a proper download link here: [Index of /torvpn/1.0.0Beta](https://dist.torproject.org/torvpn/1.0.0Beta/) --- ## Post 9 by @ph00lt0 — 2025-09-07T11:54:08Z Generally useful as the beta on google play seems full now. --- ## Post 10 by @Pragmatic — 2025-09-07T12:20:20Z What do I need to do to make the link compatible with Obtainium? --- ## Post 11 by @TwoBibleTree — 2025-09-07T15:45:29Z Can’t wait for it to be available on computers! If it is even possible and in their agenda. --- ## Post 12 by @basedrum — 2025-09-07T16:13:51Z What do you mean full? I don’t see that anywhere on the play store page --- ## Post 13 by @ph00lt0 — 2025-09-07T16:18:45Z ![image](https://forum-uploads.privacyguidesusercontent.com/original/2X/d/d1d10e518acf7dcb9d372c9904b0e141a7be8f56.jpeg) --- ## Post 14 by @basedrum — 2025-09-07T17:52:38Z Oh, weird, I don’t see that. Maybe its region specific --- ## Post 15 by @ph00lt0 — 2025-09-07T17:53:07Z If you already have installed it you won’t see it. --- ## Post 17 by @9x0rg — 2025-09-09T13:39:19Z Thanks @jordan ! When I open the Google Play version (Aurora), a pop-up takes up the whole screen estate and complains every five seconds or so about how Google Play isn’t available. Will try out via ADB. --- ## Post 18 by @formerlyhelloecho — 2025-09-09T14:47:03Z [https://signal.org/blog/introducing-secure-backups/](https://signal.org/blog/introducing-secure-backups/) Speaking of now in beta, Signal has just rolled out secure backups for Android. --- ## Post 19 by @Kris — 2025-09-09T17:40:33Z Does it run on GrapheneOS without Play Framework? Is there an \*.apk for download? --- ## Post 20 by @user1 — 2025-09-09T17:44:43Z > [@Kris](#): > > Does it run on GrapheneOS without Play Framework? Yes > [@Kris](#): > > Is there an \*.apk for download? Yes > [@jordan](#): > > You can download the latest successfully built package from the [Gitlab package archive](https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/applications/vpn/-/packages). Once you have downloaded the apk, you will need to install it on your phone, please follow the process for installation on your phone to do so. --- ## Post 21 by @anon63378630 — 2025-09-09T17:52:22Z There is a proper download link here: [Index of /torvpn/1.0.0Beta](https://dist.torproject.org/torvpn/1.0.0Beta/) --- ## Post 22 by @anon48875053 — 2025-10-20T16:35:39Z Is there a way to set up automatic updates? I tried to set this up with Obtainium, but failed. --- ## Post 23 by @Libre_Software_Enjoyer — 2025-10-21T02:28:59Z What is the difference compared to Orbot? --- ## Post 25 by @subzero — 2025-10-23T09:58:27Z Hasn’t Tor got a VPN app already called “Orbot”? --- ## Post 26 by @anon48875053 — 2025-10-23T13:35:14Z Tor VPN is official and developed by Tor Project, unlike Orbot. It’s also more modern and drops a lot of tech debt and issues that Orbot has. --- ## Post 27 by @anonymous457 — 2025-10-24T06:39:04Z Does anyone know whether or not they are planning to release this for other operating systems? It is currently only for Android, but not for tablets or chromebooks.[[1]](#footnote-117700-1) I would at least want it to be available on a tablet. * * * 1. [Tor VPN | Tor Project | Support](https://support.torproject.org/tor-vpn/#tor-vpn_download-and-install) [↩︎](#footnote-ref-117700-1) --- ## Post 28 by @byesun — 2025-12-05T12:44:03Z Dunno if you still need this, but here’s my [Obtainium config](https://apps.obtainium.imranr.dev/redirect?r=obtainium://app/%7B%22id%22%253A%22org.torproject.vpn%22%252C%22url%22%253A%22https%253A%252F%252Fdist.torproject.org%252Ftorvpn%252F%22%252C%22author%22%253A%22dist.torproject.org%22%252C%22name%22%253A%22Tor%20VPN%22%252C%22preferredApkIndex%22%253A0%252C%22additionalSettings%22%253A%22%7B%5C%22intermediateLink%5C%22%253A%5B%7B%5C%22customLinkFilterRegex%5C%22%253A%5C%22.%252B%252F%2524%5C%22%252C%5C%22autoLinkFilterByArch%5C%22%253Afalse%252C%5C%22filterByLinkText%5C%22%253Afalse%252C%5C%22matchLinksOutsideATags%5C%22%253Afalse%252C%5C%22skipSort%5C%22%253Afalse%252C%5C%22reverseSort%5C%22%253Afalse%252C%5C%22sortByLastLinkSegment%5C%22%253Afalse%7D%5D%252C%5C%22customLinkFilterRegex%5C%22%253A%5C%22.*.apk%2524%5C%22%252C%5C%22filterByLinkText%5C%22%253Afalse%252C%5C%22matchLinksOutsideATags%5C%22%253Afalse%252C%5C%22skipSort%5C%22%253Afalse%252C%5C%22reverseSort%5C%22%253Afalse%252C%5C%22sortByLastLinkSegment%5C%22%253Afalse%252C%5C%22versionExtractWholePage%5C%22%253Afalse%252C%5C%22requestHeader%5C%22%253A%5B%7B%5C%22requestHeader%5C%22%253A%5C%22User-Agent%253A%20Mozilla%252F5.0%20(Linux%253B%20Android%2010%253B%20K)%20AppleWebKit%252F537.36%20(KHTML%252C%20like%20Gecko)%20Chrome%252F114.0.0.0%20Mobile%20Safari%252F537.36%5C%22%7D%5D%252C%5C%22defaultPseudoVersioningMethod%5C%22%253A%5C%22partialAPKHash%5C%22%252C%5C%22trackOnly%5C%22%253Afalse%252C%5C%22versionExtractionRegEx%5C%22%253A%5C%22%5C%22%252C%5C%22matchGroupToUse%5C%22%253A%5C%22%5C%22%252C%5C%22versionDetection%5C%22%253Afalse%252C%5C%22useVersionCodeAsOSVersion%5C%22%253Afalse%252C%5C%22apkFilterRegEx%5C%22%253A%5C%22%5E((%253F!unsigned).)*%2524%5C%22%252C%5C%22invertAPKFilter%5C%22%253Afalse%252C%5C%22autoApkFilterByArch%5C%22%253Atrue%252C%5C%22appName%5C%22%253A%5C%22%5C%22%252C%5C%22appAuthor%5C%22%253A%5C%22%5C%22%252C%5C%22shizukuPretendToBeGooglePlay%5C%22%253Afalse%252C%5C%22allowInsecure%5C%22%253Afalse%252C%5C%22exemptFromBackgroundUpdates%5C%22%253Afalse%252C%5C%22skipUpdateNotifications%5C%22%253Afalse%252C%5C%22about%5C%22%253A%5C%22%5C%22%252C%5C%22refreshBeforeDownload%5C%22%253Afalse%7D%22%252C%22overrideSource%22%253Anull%7D) for it. Does anyone know if they’re planning to add SOCKS proxy support like Orbot (to eventually replace Orbot I guess), or is the plan for it to just remain a VPN? --- ## Post 29 by @byesun — 2025-12-25T11:22:34Z > Does anyone know if they’re planning to add SOCKS proxy support like Orbot (to eventually replace Orbot I guess), or is the plan for it to just remain a VPN? > **[Add support for running Tor VPN via "Proxy mode" (#329) · Issues · The Tor...](https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/applications/vpn/-/issues/329)** > > Hello. Can a 'Proxy mode' be added? Like so you could switch between VPN-mode and Proxy mode, which would be useful mostly for users who use a firewall... It seems there’s an issue open for it, so I’m guessing it’ll probably get added eventually (probably gonna be a while though since it’s marked as low priority). --- ## Post 30 by @Average_Joe — 2026-01-28T01:03:22Z Is there anything similar to this that’s available on iOS? --- ## Post 31 by @Anvil — 2026-01-28T02:29:59Z > [@Average_Joe](#): > > anything similar to this that’s available on iOS? > **[Orbot App - App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/orbot/id1609461599)** > > Download Orbot by The Tor Project on the App Store. See screenshots, ratings and reviews, user tips, and more games like Orbot. --- ## Post 32 by @Average_Joe — 2026-01-28T02:43:39Z > [@Anvil](#): > > [‎Orbot App - App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/orbot/id1609461599) I appreciate your reply! However, my understanding is that the iOS version is NOT an official release from TOR? How can I trust it? --- ## Post 33 by @Anvil — 2026-01-28T10:33:23Z The guardian project is trustworthy. --- ## Post 34 by @nLxrvDMjissjfz — 2026-01-29T22:12:24Z No. Don’t use orbot if you want anonymity just go with the official torbrowser. --- ## Post 35 by @privacy.slouchy — 2026-01-29T22:36:31Z Disagree, theyre for different use cases. Tor Browser is a quick, easy, anonymous tool specifically for _web browsing_. Orbot sets up a proxy to the onion network for other web services - for example, for some threat models, it may be desirable to download system updates via Tor. I agree that seeking anonymity using a different browser over Orbot is silly, just use Tor Browser. But until TorVPN is fully rolled out, Orbot is a great tool for specific threat models. --- ## Post 36 by @Libre_Software_Enjoyer — 2026-02-12T00:19:26Z > [@nLxrvDMjissjfz](#): > > No. Don’t use orbot if you want anonymity just go with the official torbrowser. The point of Orbot or the new Tor App is not to replace the Tor Browser but to cover other apps that aren’t the Tor Browser. --- ## Post 37 by @Man — 2026-02-12T21:57:36Z Won’t this project surge Tor traffic and congest the system? More traffic is good for anonymity but tens of thousands streaming anime isn’t what the system was intended for. Their userbase will grow while capacity remains the same. --- ## Post 38 by @lyricism — 2026-02-12T22:01:38Z I don’t see why TorVPN would have any more demand than Orbot does. TorVPN is just a modern first party implementation of something that’s existed for almost two decades. --- ## Post 39 by @Man — 2026-02-12T22:05:12Z Children in the UK will hear ‘free VPN’ and download it. Orbit doesn’t have the same allure. --- ## Post 40 by @privacy.slouchy — 2026-02-12T22:23:22Z > [@Man](#): > > Their userbase will grow while capacity remains the same I’d have to imagine, if Tor suddenly goes ‘mainstream’ & becomes a commonplace proxy tool, we’d see a capacity increase. More folks would look into the project, and those with the technical inclination would explore hosting a node - same as we see today IMO this would be an amazing win for privacy. Tor operates today at something like 1/10 the capacity that was originally envisioned. More servers makes it harder and harder to wage deanonymization attacks across multiple known nodes, more users makes Tor traffic less of a unique fingerprint --- ## Post 41 by @Man — 2026-02-12T22:43:05Z Tor is a useful service stigmatised by the dark web. Mundane browsing helps dark web users blend in but discourages volunteers to host exit nodes since they directly contact shady sites. > **[What Tor is Not - Tor Overview - Privacy Guides](https://www.privacyguides.org/en/advanced/tor-overview/#what-tor-is-not)** > > The Tor network is not the perfect privacy protection tool in all cases and has a number of drawbacks which should be carefully considered. These things should not discourage you from using Tor if it is appropriate for your needs, but they are still... There are ethical concerns with Tor not present for VPN providers. I don’t want to be liable for the actions of someone else. Businesses have insurance and legal defence budgets. Tor wasn’t intended for platforms such as YouTube. Paid VPNs are more appropriate for downloading a 100GB game from Steam. If Tor VPN use destigmatises Tor that can only be a good thing but I don’t share your optimism.