Tor-Friendly Anonymous Hosting

The Tor network depends on volunteers who run relay and exit nodes. These nodes route encrypted traffic through multiple hops, protecting users' privacy and enabling access to the internet from censored regions. Running a Tor relay is a contribution to global internet freedom - but many hosting providers prohibit it, fearing abuse complaints and legal uncertainty.

AnubizHost explicitly welcomes Tor traffic. Our acceptable use policy states that running Tor relays, middle nodes, and exit nodes is permitted. We have experience handling abuse complaints related to Tor exit nodes and know how to respond appropriately - most complaints are resolved by explaining the nature of the Tor network, and we do not penalize customers for running Tor infrastructure.

Beyond relays, we support Tor hidden services (.onion addresses) for hosting websites and services accessible only through the Tor browser. Hidden services provide end-to-end encryption and do not expose your server's IP address to visitors, adding another layer of privacy on top of our already anonymous hosting.

A Tor middle relay forwards encrypted traffic between other relays. It is the safest type of relay to operate because the traffic is encrypted and the relay's IP address is not publicly listed as a Tor exit. Our VPS plans with generous bandwidth are ideal for middle relays - a 1 Gbps VPS with 10 TB monthly transfer can contribute significant capacity to the Tor network.

Tor exit nodes are the final hop where traffic leaves the Tor network and connects to regular internet destinations. Exit nodes are more sensitive because the exit IP address appears in server logs of destination websites. AnubizHost accepts exit node operation in our offshore locations, and our team is experienced in handling the abuse complaints that exit nodes inevitably generate.

• Middle relays: encouraged on all plans, no special configuration needed
• Guard relays: supported, requires stable uptime and consistent bandwidth
• Exit relays: permitted in offshore locations with abuse handling support
• Bridge relays: supported, helps users in censored countries connect to Tor
• Directory authorities: supported on high-availability dedicated servers

Tor hidden services allow you to host a website or service that is accessible only through the Tor network. The .onion address is cryptographically generated from your server's private key, and the Tor protocol ensures that visitors never learn your server's actual IP address. This provides a level of server anonymity that is impossible with regular web hosting.

Setting up a hidden service on our VPS is straightforward: install Tor, configure the hidden service directory in the torrc configuration file, and point it at your local web server. The Tor daemon automatically generates your .onion address and begins advertising it to the Tor network. Within minutes, your site is accessible from any Tor browser worldwide.

For production hidden services that need high availability, we recommend running the hidden service on a VPS that serves no other purpose and has no other network-accessible services. This compartmentalization ensures that a vulnerability in an unrelated service cannot be used to de-anonymize your hidden service. Use our private networking feature to connect your hidden service frontend to backend infrastructure securely.

Tor traffic performance depends on available bandwidth and network latency. Our high-bandwidth VPS plans with 1 Gbps or 10 Gbps ports are ideal for Tor relays that need to handle significant traffic volumes. We recommend allocating at least 2 GB RAM for busy relays, as the Tor daemon maintains circuit state in memory for all active connections.

For hidden services, performance is primarily limited by the number of introduction and rendezvous circuits. Running your hidden service on a well-connected server with low-latency paths to major Tor relays improves circuit build times and reduces page load latency. Our Netherlands location with AMS-IX connectivity is particularly effective for hidden service performance.

We do not throttle or deprioritize Tor traffic on our network. All traffic is treated equally regardless of protocol. Our network team works with Tor directory authorities and relay operators to ensure that our IP ranges are not blocked or flagged, maintaining the best possible connectivity for Tor services running on our infrastructure.