You've heard of it before: the mysterious dark web. You're probably equally curious and apprehensive about the whole thing.

But what is the dark web? And more importantly, what cool dark web sites are out there? Here's our list of the best dark web websites to visit.

Dark Web vs. Deep Web: What's the Difference?

The deep web refers to anything on the internet that you can't find using a search engine. That includes emails in your Gmail account, direct messages on social networks, and even your Facebook photos that you marked as private.

The dark web is a subsection of the deep web. It is responsible for the deep web's bad reputation. You'll find black markets selling drugs and other substances, grisly images, and even new identities and online accounts for sale. Indeed, there are lots of reasons to avoid the dark web entirely.

Yet, at the same time, the dark web is well worth exploring. Amidst the chaos, you'll find some great websites. There's much more to learn about the dark web, but here, we'll focus on listing the best .onion sites you won't find on Google.

Use a VPN to Access the Dark Web

We strongly recommend shielding yourself with a VPN before you access the dark web. The notion that the Tor browser provides failsafe anonymity is false; you need to protect yourself.

Don't know which VPN is best for you? There are plenty of options out there, both free and paid, but our top-ranked VPN is ExpressVPN, which comes with Tor support and three free months.