Tor browser or Vivaldi more secure?

Online security and anonymity should be your primary concern when browsing the Internet. The right browser can make the difference between private browsing and being targeted by annoying ads or even malware. Unfortunately, with so many browsers available, it's hard to determine which is the most secure.

For those who want to stay away from major browsers that have a habit of collecting user data, Vivaldi and Tor are both reliable options. However, which of these 2 options offers better security? Let's find the answer in the following article!

What security features does Vivaldi offer?

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The web browser market is full of Chromium-based web browsers, each with a feature they focus on more than others. In the case of Vivaldi, the main focus feature is the ability to customize the browser the way you want. However, that doesn't mean it lacks security features.

Vivaldi comes with a standard package of security features, including the ability to block third-party ads, trackers, and cookies. However, Vivaldi goes a step further in terms of privacy by providing their users with additional tools that are also private in nature. These include your own calendar, quick note-taking tools, your own translator, secure mobile sync, and more.

These protections are based on Vivaldi's end-to-end encryption, and as Vivaldi claims, they can't even access your data. Your browsing data is stored in Iceland, a country with strict privacy and data sharing laws.

Vivaldi has a powerful built-in ad blocker

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Although this is a Chromium-based web browser, compatibility issues can always appear. This is a special case between browsers and extensions that receive regular updates, such as ad blockers.

That's why Vivaldi has a fully customizable built-in ad blocker. It allows you to be completely protected from ads without installing Adblock or any other similar extension. Not only that, since the ad blocker is fully integrated, you don't need to worry about the common downsides of using third-party extensions.

For example, it's not uncommon for free ad blockers to profile you for the sake of selling data to companies. On the other hand, Vivaldi's proprietary ad blocker doesn't do that.

Vivaldi also provides additional security features

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Another neat security feature related to Vivaldi's customizability is the ability to specify a separate search engine for private windows. As you probably know, some search engines are more secure than others. That's why Vivaldi gives you the option to make your private windows even more private.

Vivaldi also excels at managing browser permissions. For example, it has an entire subsection in the Settings menu where you can manage access to Vivaldi's website. These include access to cameras, motion sensors, MIDI and Bluetooth devices, microphones, and more.

What security features does Tor offer?

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When it comes to protecting user privacy and anonymity, few web browsers can match the Tor browser. However, many people think that the Tor browser is less like an actual web browser but more like an interface to access the real tool that helps you stay private: the Tor Network.

Tor gives you access to the Tor . network

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When you connect to Tor, you're joining an entire relay network (often called a server). Your traffic is sent through 3 such relays, and only after the third relay will your traffic actually reach the public Internet.

To some, this may sound like just using a proxy server. However, the main difference is that regular proxies use single relays, while Tor uses three of them. In terms of security, this greatly reduces the chances of anyone tracking Internet activity.

In the case of a single proxy, the proxy owner knows both who you are and what you are trying to access because he or she has access to both input and output relays.

However, due to the way Tor works, the owner of the first relay knows very little about who you are and has no way of knowing what you are doing. Meanwhile, the owner of the third relay doesn't know who you are and knows very little about what you're doing on the Internet.

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Since Tor's primary purpose is to provide users with the safest browsing experience imaginable, the Tor browser is designed to be as simple as possible. In fact, Tor's user interface is one of the simplest browser interfaces you'll ever see.

Tor is not perfect

While the Tor browser may support add-ons and extensions, Tor recommends against using them due to security concerns. As such, the customization of the web browser is very limited.

Also, because the traffic back and forth between your relays is randomly placed around the world, your connection speed is greatly affected. You'll notice this especially when performing high-traffic activities, such as streaming HD or 4K video, or when downloading large files.

So should you choose Tor or Vivaldi?

Both web browsers have their pros and cons, but when it comes to protection and privacy features, the Tor browser is by far the superior choice. However, Vivaldi's toolkit is also pretty solid, and the fact that it's also amazingly customizable makes it a better choice for the casual user.

All in all, there's nothing bad about installing and using both browsers. You can use Vivaldi for your daily browsing activities, then switch to the Tor browser whenever privacy and security come first. And there are plenty of other anonymous browsing to keep you safe.

Isabella Humphrey

Update 24 July 2023