Is the new TOR VPN a good VPN?
Executive summary
The question embedded in "Is the new TOR VPN a good VPN?" collapses into three different realities: the Tor network (The Onion Router) is not a commercial VPN and serves different use cases than VPNs (Tor ≠ a VPN) [1] [2], a legacy product called TorVPN has been judged weak and largely inactive [3], and commercial vendors that brandish “Tor” in marketing (or offer Tor-compatible features) vary widely — for example, TorGuard is competent for torrenting and advanced features but shows persistent app bugs and speed problems in recent tests [4] [5]. The bottom line: if the question means “is using Tor as a VPN a good idea?” the answer is no for general use; if it means “is TorVPN a good commercial product?” reporting shows it is not competitive; if it means “is TorGuard (or other VPNs marketed for Tor) a good VPN?” the answer is: qualified yes for specific workflows and a clear no for mainstream streaming/gaming or WireGuard-dependent speed expectations [4] [5] [1].
1. What users usually mean by “TOR VPN” — a conflation of distinct tools
Many nontechnical users conflate Tor and VPNs, but independent reviews and vendor explainers make a fundamental distinction: Tor anonymizes browser traffic via volunteer relays and is designed for maximum anonymity at the cost of speed and usability, whereas VPNs route all device traffic through a provider’s servers, trading distributed trust for better performance and convenience [1] [2] [6].
2. Tor as a privacy layer: powerful but slow and risky for some uses
Tor’s architecture — multi-hop volunteer relays and unencrypted exit nodes — gives strong anonymity for sensitive browsing but creates high latency and potential exit-node risks (malicious exit operators can observe unencrypted traffic), which makes Tor unsuitable for streaming, gaming, and large downloads [7] [8] [9].
3. TorVPN (the product) — legacy, limited, and flagged by reviewers
Historical product reviews of a vendor named TorVPN suggested a tiny server footprint, mixed protocol support, and inability to unblock major streaming sites; one prominent review lists the service as effectively inactive and recommends alternatives, which implies it should not be treated as a top-tier commercial VPN option in 2026 [3].
4. TorGuard and similarly named commercial offerings — pros, cons, and real-world tests
TorGuard is cited as feature-rich for torrenting (port forwarding, dedicated IPs, stealth modes) and flexible payments, making it valuable for niche users such as torrenters or those needing static IPs, but recent testing found app bugs, an inoperable WireGuard implementation at times, and inconsistent speeds with some servers delivering far below expected throughput [4] [5]. That combination means TorGuard can be “good” for specific technical needs but not the universal best pick for mainstream consumers seeking reliable high-speed streaming or seamless WireGuard performance [4] [5].
5. Best practice: combine tools thoughtfully rather than expect a single “TOR VPN” magic bullet
Security guides and VPN comparisons recommend choosing a reputable no-logs VPN when convenience and speed matter, and reserving Tor (or an Onion-over-VPN setup) for high-anonymity tasks; reputable VPNs can be combined with Tor in defined ways (VPN→Tor or Tor→VPN) depending on threat model, and dedicated Tor-forcing features from top vendors are often preferred to obscure Tor usage from ISPs or bypass blocklists [10] [11] [7].
6. Verdict framed to specific user goals
For users who want everyday privacy, streaming, gaming, and consistent speeds, a mainstream no-logs VPN from leading reviewers (examples cited in Tor-for-VPN roundups) is the better choice; for users who need anonymous Tor browsing, use Tor itself and consider a vetted VPN only as part of a deliberate Onion-over-VPN configuration; for those asking about a commercial product bearing “Tor” in its name (TorVPN) or about TorGuard specifically, reporting shows TorVPN is weak/defunct and TorGuard is useful but imperfect — neither is the single answer to “is the new TOR VPN a good VPN?” without aligning the choice to the exact threat model and workload [3] [4] [5] [7].