How to Hide Your IP Address: VPN, Proxy, Tor — Honest Comparison

Three ways to mask your IP compared honestly: VPN (best all-round), proxy (fast but thin), Tor (max anonymity, slow). Includes a leak test.

Option 1: VPN — best all-round

Encrypts everything and exits from another location; hides your IP from sites and browsing from your ISP. Costs a few dollars monthly; pick an audited no-logs provider. See our VPN guide and comparison.

Option 2: proxy — fast but thin

A proxy relays app or browser traffic without encryption (or per-app only). Fine for region-hopping a stream; useless against ISP snooping or on public Wi-Fi. Free proxies often log everything — worse than nothing.

Option 3: Tor — max anonymity, slow

Bounces traffic through volunteer relays; slowest, trips many sites' fraud checks, overkill unless your threat model justifies it. Never log into personal accounts over Tor expecting anonymity.

Test it now: run a live check → then re-read your result with this guide. Each check + guide read is another pageview that funds the free tool.

FAQ

How do I verify my IP is actually hidden?

Connect, then check our IP tool — city and ISP should show the VPN exit, not home. Then run a WebRTC leak test and fix leaks in browser settings.

Any trustworthy free VPN?

Only Proton VPN's free tier. Random free VPNs monetize your traffic — the opposite of hiding.