Orbot

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Free software project to provide anonymity on the Internet from an Android smartphone

DeveloperGuardian Project

Initial release1 October 2008 (2008-10-01)

Stable release

Android: 17.7.0 RC 3^[1]

(19 November 2025)

iOS: 1.8.5^[2]
(24 November 2025)

Repository

github.com/guardianproject/orbot

Orbot

Developer	Guardian Project
Initial release	1 October 2008 (2008-10-01)

Stable release	Android: 17.7.0 RC 3^[1] (19 November 2025) iOS: 1.8.5^[2] (24 November 2025)

Repository	github.com/guardianproject/orbot
Written in	Java
Operating system	Android,^[3] iOS^[4], macOS^[5]
Size	Varies with device
License	3-clause BSD license
Website	orbot.app/en/

Orbot is a free proxy app that provides anonymity on the Internet for users of the Android and iOS operating systems. It allows traffic from apps such as web browsers, email clients, map programs, and others to be routed via the Tor network.^[3]

This tool is used to keep the communications of users anonymous and hidden from governments and third parties that might be monitoring their internet traffic.^[6]

In 2014 Orbot was discussed in detail in an article on "reporting securely from an Android device".^[7] In January 2016, Lisa Vaas of NakedSecurity by Sophos described how to use Tor, including with Orbot on Android, to connect to Facebook.^[8]

In July 2021, Tech Radar named Orbot one of 8 "Best privacy apps for Android in 2021" but warned of slower speeds.^[9] In July 2021 Android Authority discussed Tor Browser and Orbot in brief reviews of "15 best Android browsers".^[10]

In November 2021, John Leyden of The Daily Swig described collaboration between the Tor Project and the Guardian Project to develop Orbot for censorship circumvention for any application on a device, but warned Orbot does not remove identifying information from app traffic.^[11] In July 2022, Laiba Mohsin of PhoneWorld.com described Orbot as a simple way to access the Dark Web on mobile.^[12]

In October 2022, Damir Mujezinovic of MakeUseOf described Orbot as a "flagship" product for both iOS and Android to use the Tor network, and said it "will not make you completely anonymous, but it can certainly help bypass certain geographical restrictions,"^[13] In November 2022, Mujezinovic wrote a detailed guide to using Orbot on iOS or Android.^[14]

References

↑ guardianproject. "Release Orbot for Android v17.7.0 RC 3 (tor 0.4.8.19) · guardianproject/orbot-android". Retrieved 29 November 2025.
↑ guardianproject. "Release v1.8.5 · guardianproject/orbot-apple". Retrieved 28 November 2025.
1 2 Shakeel, Irfan (April 2011). "Orbot: Tor- Anonymous on Android". eHacking.net. Archived from the original on 18 April 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
↑ Orr, Andrew (28 February 2022). "Need Tor on iOS? 'Orbot' has Arrived on the Platform". The Mac Observer. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
↑ https://github.com/guardianproject/orbot-apple
↑ Farivar, Cyrus (15 February 2012). "From encryption to darknets: As governments snoop, activists fight back". Ars Technica. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
↑ "Advice for reporting securely from an Android device". Réseau international des journalistes (in French). Retrieved 22 August 2021.
↑ Vaas, Lisa (21 January 2016). "Facebook users get support for safe browsing with Tor on Androids". Naked Security. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
↑ Drake, Nate (28 July 2021). "Best privacy apps for Android in 2021". TechRadar. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
↑ "15 best Android browsers for surfing whatever website you want". Android Authority. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
↑ "Tor Project unveils plans to route device traffic through Tor anonymity network with new VPN-like service". The Daily Swig | Cybersecurity news and views. 18 November 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
↑ Mohsin, Laiba (6 July 2022). "What Is Dark Web & How To Access It?". PhoneWorld. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
↑ Mujezinovic, Damir (27 October 2022). "The 5 Best Free Apps to Strengthen Your Smartphone's Security". MUO. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
↑ Mujezinovic, Damir (7 November 2022). "How to Access Tor on Your Smartphone". MUO. Retrieved 2 February 2023.

Proxifiers	Orbot
Graphical user interface	Nyx status monitor Vidalia (outdated)
Web browsers	PirateBrowser Tor Browser Bundle xB Browser (outdated)
Operating systems	Anonym.OS (outdated) Incognito (outdated) TAILS Whonix xB Machine (outdated)
Instant messaging	Briar Ricochet (outdated) TorChat (outdated) Tor Messenger (outdated)
File sharing	Tribler Vuze
Peer-to-peer web hosting	ZeroNet
Computer appliances	Snowflake Tor Phone(outdated)
Pseudo-top-level domains	.exit .onion .tor

Law Enforcement Operations

Operation Bayonet
Operation Dark Huntor
J-CODE
Operation Onymous
Operation Pacifier
Operation Torpedo
Operation Lobos 1
Project Habitance

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Orbot

References

Further reading

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