Hide my IP
Three ways to hide your IP from the websites you visit, compared head to head. What each one protects against, what it does not, and which one is right for the privacy goal you actually have.
VPN
Best for: Everyday privacy, public Wi-Fi, geo-unblocking.
Hides
- Your IP from every site you visit
- Your traffic from your internet provider
- Your DNS queries (with a good provider)
Does not
- Hide you from accounts you log in to
- Stop browser fingerprinting on its own
- Anonymise you against a serious adversary
Fast
~$3-5 / month for a paid plan
Tor
Best for: Journalism, activism, whistleblowing — when anonymity is the threat model.
Hides
- Your IP behind 3-hop relay routing
- Strong protection against network-level identification
Does not
- Provide a fast experience — most sites will feel slow
- Work for streaming or video calls
- Save you from logged-in services that already know who you are
Slow
Free
Proxy
Best for: Low-stakes IP swap — quick geo-unblocking on a single browser tab.
Hides
- Your IP from the destination site, in the configured browser only
Does not
- Encrypt your traffic — your internet provider still sees everything
- Cover apps outside the browser
- Provide any privacy guarantee — the proxy operator can read you
Medium
Often free; paid SOCKS proxies start ~$3 / month
More tools
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest way to hide my IP address?
A reputable VPN. You install one app on your computer or phone, click connect, and every site you visit sees the VPN provider's IP instead of yours. It works in every browser, in apps, and across the whole device. The trade-off is that you trust the VPN provider — pick one with an audited no-logs policy.
Is using a free VPN safe?
Most free VPNs make money by logging your traffic and selling the data, by injecting ads, or by being underfunded and slow. The handful of trustworthy free options (Proton VPN free tier, Windscribe free tier) are limited in speed or bandwidth. If privacy is the goal, paid is almost always the right answer — a reputable provider costs around $3-5 per month.
Should I use Tor instead of a VPN?
Tor offers stronger anonymity but is slower, blocked by many sites, and difficult on mobile. Use Tor when the threat model is "a state actor or determined adversary trying to identify me" — journalism, activism, whistleblowing. Use a VPN when the threat model is "I do not want my ISP to log my browsing or sites to fingerprint me by IP" — everyday privacy.
Does incognito mode hide my IP?
No. Incognito (or private browsing) only stops your browser from saving history and cookies — it does not change your IP address. The sites you visit, your internet provider, and any network operator on the path can all still see your real IP.
What about a proxy server?
An HTTP or SOCKS proxy hides your IP from the destination site but does not encrypt your traffic. Your internet provider still sees what you do, and the proxy operator can read everything that passes through. Proxies are useful for low-stakes geo-unblocking; for privacy, a VPN is the right tool.
How do I pick a VPN?
Look for: an independent audit of the no-logs policy (not just a marketing claim), RAM-only servers (no data stored to disk), a kill switch and DNS-leak protection in the apps, and apps for every device you use. Avoid: anything free with no clear funding model, US-based or Five-Eyes-jurisdiction providers if you want stronger legal isolation, and providers that have been caught logging in the past. NordVPN is our default recommendation — independently audited, RAM-only, and apps for every platform.