Overview
OnionShare lets you share files, host websites, and chat anonymously by creating temporary Tor onion services directly from your desktop or CLI. The recipient only needs the Tor Browser to access the share with no accounts or central servers involved. It supports both sending and receiving files, anonymous drop boxes, and ephemeral chat rooms. Designed for journalists, activists, and anyone requiring strong anonymity.
Where it falls short of Dropbox
- Requires Tor; recipients need Tor Browser, creating friction for non-technical users
- Shares are typically ephemeral and one-time by default; not suited for persistent storage
- No folder sync, versioning, or long-term file organisation
- Transfer speeds are slow due to Tor network routing
We list the gaps honestly so you can decide if the trade-off is worth owning your data.
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