Orbot: Tor for Android

Routing phone traffic and apps through Tor

Orbot encrypts traffic and then passes it through a series of computers run around the world, so the route from the phone to a destination is hidden. Its VPN feature can send any installed app over Tor, not only a browser. This matters for apps that would otherwise connect directly and expose the phone's location on the network.

The listing says this multi-hop path takes longer than a direct VPN or proxy connection, and that the extra time is the cost of the stronger privacy. Expect slower loading than with a normal connection.

What a network watcher can and cannot see

According to the listing, someone monitoring your network can see only that you are using Tor. They cannot tell which apps you open or which websites you visit. This is the main privacy claim the listing makes for the app.

The listing also says no technology is completely foolproof, and that users need to follow security best practices. It points to an outside introductory guide on digital security at securityinabox.org.

Open source code and where to get help

Orbot is free software, and its source code is on GitHub at github.com/guardianproject/orbot for anyone who wants to read or contribute to it. The project's website is orbot.app, and the listing gives an email address, support@guardianproject.info, for feature requests and bug reports.