Orbot: Tor for Android

What Orbot does

Orbot: Tor for Android routes selected mobile traffic through the Tor network. Tor passes connections through several volunteer-operated relays, making it harder to link activity with a device or network connection. This makes Orbot suitable for people who want more privacy while browsing or using supported apps, especially when they do not want to rely on a conventional single-provider VPN.

How it fits on Android

Orbot works as a Tor connection layer for Android rather than as a standalone messaging or social app. Depending on how it is configured, it can send traffic from chosen apps through Tor while leaving other apps outside that route. That distinction is useful when privacy matters for only part of a phone’s activity, although Tor routing can affect connection speed and whether some services work normally.

Who may find it useful

This app is aimed at users who understand the trade-off between stronger network privacy and a less direct connection. It can suit people researching sensitive subjects, working around network restrictions, or simply reducing the amount of browsing activity exposed to a local network or internet provider. It is less suited to anyone looking for a fast, automatic replacement for every network connection on a phone.

Publisher and user signal

Orbot is published by The Tor Project, the organisation behind the Tor privacy network. It is listed in the Communication category and has a rating of about 4.0 out of 5 from 197,510 reviews. With 10,000,000+ installs, it has a substantial Android user base. Its purpose is clear from the name and category: provide Tor-based routing on Android, with control over where that routing is used.