A VPN encrypts your traffic and changes your digital location so that your apps and other third parties can’t see who you are or monetize your browsing habits. Orbot routes your data through the anonymous Tor network to give you additional layers of mobile privacy and security. However, Orbot can slow down your internet significantly, so a VPN is better for activities requiring high speeds. ExpressVPN is the best VPN to overcome Orbot’s shortcomings because it’s super-fast and unblocked every site during testing. When you get ExpressVPN for Orbot, it’s also risk-free as it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Get ExpressVPN for Orbot
What is Orbot?
Orbot, available for both Android and iOS mobile devices, is a no-cost application that allows you to ensure your privacy while utilizing various other apps. Acting as a mediator between your device and the servers employed by applications and websites, Orbot directs your internet traffic through multiple relays within the Tor network. This process employs encryption to safeguard your data while concealing your IP address and physical location. The app was created under the Tor Project and it’s updated regularly, so Orbot is reliable and trustworthy. It’s similar to the Tor browser, but designed specifically for mobile devices and protects all your apps. With Orbot enabled, you can browse websites, use apps, send emails, and chat with friends or family without being monitored by third parties.
IP Address Proxy vs. VPN
Orbot itself doesn’t encrypt your connection so it’s not a VPN, though you’ll see the app referred to as a VPN a lot. It only serves as an intermediary or a proxy that sends your data to the Tor network. It’s the nodes or servers in this network which encrypt your personal information. A VPN connects you to a secure, privately-accessed network. This hides your real IP address and assigns a new one based on the location of the server you choose. VPNs also encrypt your traffic before sending it. But unlike with Orbot, most VPNs only encrypt your traffic once instead of multiple server relays like Tor uses. However, Orbot slows down your speeds since using the Tor network requires several rounds of encryption and decryption. It’s exceptionally good for secure online communications, but not practical for bandwidth-heavy activities like streaming or video calling on your smartphone. That’s why it’s better to have both Orbot and a VPN on your Android and iOS phones and use them for different apps. For example, your games, weather apps, and Google Maps don’t necessarily need the Tor network’s high level of anonymity and security. Using just a VPN for these apps is faster and still keeps your devices safe.
2 Ways to Protect Your Mobile Devices: Orbot and a VPN
Orbot is a great way for you to become anonymous on Android and iOS. It stops data brokers from collecting your location, browsing activities, app use, and other private information. However, Orbot has its limitations. Besides being slow due to its use of the Tor network, Orbot isn’t effective at bypassing geo-blocks on some websites. It also doesn’t have additional privacy and security features. That’s why you still need one of the top VPNs to use mobile apps safely. Unlike Tor, some of the best VPNs can unblock websites and streaming services from anywhere. VPNs also give you the speeds you need to watch videos in UHD without lag, share torrents, and play online games. As an added safety bonus, VPNs also include IP leak protection and external security audits for total peace of mind.
1. ExpressVPN — #1 VPN to Complement Orbot With Blazing-Fast Speeds and Advanced Privacy Features
Key Features: ExpressVPN is the best stand-in for Orbot when you need secure and fast connections for your mobile apps. Unlike other VPNs, ExpressVPN has a privacy policy that’s backed by proprietary technology that prevents its servers from being capable of recording your data. Plus, if you watch movies and TV shows on your smartphone while traveling, ExpressVPN lets you access your home channels from anywhere. Of all the VPNs I tested, ExpressVPN was the fastest and had drastically higher speeds than Orbot. When I used Orbot on my Android phone, I saw my baseline speed reduce by 37%. But when I switched to ExpressVPN, the decrease was a marginal 7% on a local server. This allowed me to play Call of Duty: Mobile without any lag for hours and even complete tasks successfully. Your IP address and other data can get past the encryption on weaker VPNs, so I tested ExpressVPN for 3 common leaks that occur on mobile connections. I detected no DNS, WebRTC, or IPv6 leaks, proving ExpressVPN kept me as anonymous as Orbot did online, no matter which of its mobile apps I used. To give you the same level of security as Orbot or better, ExpressVPN is equipped with advanced safety features such as:
Military-grade 256-bit encryption — scrambles your information with the most secure cipher available today to deter hackers and spies. TrustedServer technology — backs ExpressVPN’s no-log policy with RAM-only servers that are incapable of writing or storing your smartphone activities. Threat Manager — prevents your mobile apps from providing your information to marketing trackers that target you for ads. Network Lock — temporarily disables your internet connection when your iOS or Android phone is switching WiFi networks. British Virgin Islands jurisdiction — headquartered in a privacy-friendly country that doesn’t compel internet surveillance and data sharing.
Orbot and the Tor browser couldn’t reliably unblock geo-restricted sites or streaming services. Netflix for instance, detected proxy and blocked access to the US and UK libraries. However, ExpressVPN can easily access American Netflix and other mobile streaming platforms that a lot of VPNs couldn’t, like: Since Orbot is a free app, there’s no limit to how many iOS and Android devices you can install it. ExpressVPN allows you to use up to 5 devices simultaneously, which is more than enough for most people. Orbot has a few additional steps after you install it but you can use ExpressVPN right after downloading the app to your smartphone. If you’re ready to use ExpressVPN alongside Orbot, I recommend the 1-year plan for $6.67 a month although it’s also one of the ideal VPNs for monthly subscriptions. Both are completely risk-free because if ExpressVPN doesn’t work as expected, you’ll have 30 days to ask for a refund. I just sent a message on its 24/7 live chat platform and an agent approved my request immediately. 4 days later, I got my money back. Get ExpressVPN for your smartphone
What is Tor and How Does It Work?
Tor is free software that allows you to browse websites on the Dark Web anonymously. Also known as the Onion Router, Tor sends your data through a network of volunteer-operated servers, or nodes. The traffic is encrypted and sent through multiple nodes, or layers, which makes it very difficult for anyone to trace the source of the traffic back to you.
How Does Tor Work?
When you go online, your internet service provider or ISP assigns your device an IP address that shares your location with websites and other third parties. When you use apps on your smartphone, they collect even more data about you. Along with ISPs, intelligence agencies, advertisers, cybercriminals, and other third parties, your apps also intrude on your online activities to analyze your traffic. They track your browsing history, online purchases, social media interactions, and other online behaviors. The data collected is used for targeted advertising, law enforcement, intelligence gathering, and cyberattacks. To stop this breach of privacy, Tor’s relay network encrypts your data. Each node in the network only knows the identity of the previous and next nodes. None of them know both the source and final destination of your traffic. This makes it harder for anyone to intercept your connection and spy on your online activities, location, or identity. Orbot uses the same system of relays for your Android or iOS traffic, making all your apps private instead of just your web browser.
The Tor Browser
The browser was developed by the Guardian Project, a non-profit organization committed to improving web privacy. It uses the Firefox source code so it has a similar layout, but Tor is configured to access the internet privately through the Tor network. That enables you to open Dark Web .onion URLs as well as visit sites on the surface web, all while keeping you anonymous. The problem is, encrypting and sending your data through relays takes time, so your connection slows down significantly on Tor. Also, many websites use plugins or programming languages like JavaScript that the Tor browser blocks to make your connection more secure. This causes a lot of services like Netflix to not work. Fortunately, you can use ExpressVPN with blazing-fast speeds and get the same level of anonymity. This lets you access all your usual websites without errors and keeps your identity and activities private. If you prefer a VPN that costs a little less, I found that CyberGhost is a solid alternative with affordable plans and also had great performance and strong privacy features.
How Does Orbot Keep You Safe on Your Android or iOS Device?
Use Tor on All Apps
The Tor browser encrypts your connection when you use the web but it doesn’t hide your activities on social media, email, image sharing, messaging, and other apps. With Orbot, all your Android and iOS apps are protected by Tor instead of just websites.
Private Communications
Orbot lets you access the Dark web or surface web anonymously on mobile devices. It also gives you other privacy settings like:
Private Chat Messaging — text, take videos, and send pictures privately by using Orbot with Signal, a free encrypted messenger for Android and iOS. Twitter Privacy — add Twitter to the proxy in Orbot’s settings to tweet anonymously. General App Privacy — customize any Android or iOS app to use the Tor network and hide all your data while you use the app as usual.
Anonymity for Business
If you work from home or abroad, Orbot can help keep payment details and confidential documents hidden. Many journalists, activists, whistleblowers, and others who work with sensitive information use them to stay safe and keep their communications hidden from prying eyes.
Bypass Blocks
WiFi networks in some schools and workplaces have firewalls, and streaming platforms have geo-restrictions. These prevent you from accessing certain content. By hiding your real location, Tor and Orbot can sometimes get you past blocks.
How to Use Orbot
Conclusion
Orbot offers you the privacy and safety of the encrypted web on all your Android and iOS apps. But to get fast speeds for streaming and other data-intensive activities, you’ll also need a VPN. ExpressVPN is the fastest and most secure VPN for Android, iOS, and other mobile platforms. A VPN routes your traffic directly through an encrypted server. Tor sends your data through multiple nodes and each one encrypts your traffic separately, so it’s more secure than a VPN. However, all the additional routing significantly slows down your internet speed. You’ll need Tor to access the dark web. But for everyday activities like online banking, browsing, gaming, and streaming, a VPN is faster and secure enough to prevent spies and hackers. Both protect from eavesdropping and third-party tracking. VPNs cost some money so they can invest in the best technology and give you the fastest possible speeds. Orbot is completely free, but Tor can be unusably slow and it isn’t reliable for unblocking your favorite websites. Although there are a few really good free VPNs, they have tight limits on speeds, servers, data, and other features that make them too restrictive for most uses. Alternatively, you can just use the Tor browser on your Windows 10. It still uses the Tor network to anonymize your web browser traffic. Orbot also used to have a Tor-based web browser called Orfox, but it has been discontinued since you can just download the official Tor browser. Other apps that route your connections through Tor are experimental or require special skills to use. During my tests, Orbot was the easiest for non-technical users and was completely free. That’s why I recommend you create specific email addresses and alternative social media accounts that you only use with Orbot enabled so that you remain anonymous. Otherwise, your identity will be exposed whether you use Orbot or a VPN. Also, check your Android or iOS device’s time and date settings because problems can arise from the calendar or clock not being configured properly. If the time and date are correct, try clearing all of Orbot’s cached app data and try again. If none of these techniques work, you should check your network settings to ensure you have a working connection. Then make sure your phone and apps are up-to-date and uninstall Orbot to start fresh. Better yet, ExpressVPN can also access most websites even if they have geo-restrictions or VPN blockers. This makes it perfect when you need an upgrade from Orbot’s slow speeds and minimal unblocking capabilities. If you want to get ExpressVPN for Android or iOS, there’s a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee so it isn’t a big deal if you change your mind. You can get your money refunded quickly and easily if you don’t like it. Get ExpressVPN for your smartphone
