Brave Private Web Browser and DuckDuckGo both block trackers inside a regular browser, while Tor Browser routes traffic through the Tor network and aims to make every user look alike. It is the only official mobile browser from The Tor Project. Version 16.0 was updated on October 29, 2026.
A nonprofit developer and an open source codebase
The Tor Project, a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, publishes Tor Browser under the MPL-2.0 licence, and the source code sits at gitlab.torproject.org. The first release dates to May 20, 2019, and the package ID is org.torproject.torbrowser.
The project promises the browser will always be free and relies on donations to keep it going. There are no ads and no in-app purchases.
Tracker isolation, three-layer relaying and fingerprint resistance
According to the developer, each website is isolated so third-party trackers and ads cannot follow you across sites. Cookies clear automatically when you finish browsing.
Traffic is relayed and encrypted three times across the Tor network, which consists of thousands of volunteer-run relays. Someone watching your connection can see that you use Tor but not which sites you visit. The browser also tries to reduce fingerprinting by making users look the same, and it can reach sites that a local internet provider has blocked.
Help is available in the mobile Tor manual at tb-manual.torproject.org, and the project keeps a blog at blog.torproject.org.
Android 8.0 or newer and a 110.2 MB package
Tor Browser 16.0 needs Android 8.0 or higher. At 110.2 MB it is a large download for a browser, so check free storage on an older phone. The content rating is Everyone, and there are no ads or in-app purchases.
The download link on this page points to dist.torproject.org, the Tor Project's own server. The code is released under the MPL-2.0 license and published on the project's GitLab.
Tor Browser pros and cons
Pros
- Free, with no ads and no in-app purchases
- Open source under the MPL-2.0 licence, with code on the Tor Project's GitLab
- Traffic is relayed and encrypted three times across volunteer relays
- Cookies clear automatically and sites are isolated from each other
- Rated 4.5 on Google Play from about 293.1 thousand ratings
Cons
- The 110.2 MB download is sizeable for a browser
- Requires Android 8.0 or newer
- Version 16.0 is the current release.
Is Tor Browser safe?
The download link points to the official server dist.torproject.org, and TopDown APK does not host the file. The publisher is The Tor Project, a nonprofit, and the app is open source under MPL-2.0 so its code can be inspected. The app shows no ads or in-app purchases. No independent security audit is available, so this page makes no further guarantee.
How to install Tor Browser
- Press the download button to get the official file.
- Save the APK from that server to your phone.
- Open the file and allow installs from this source when Android asks.
- Finish the install, then open Tor Browser from your app drawer.
