The main purpose of using both proxies and VPN services is to hide the IP Address of the users or to prevent tracking bodies and individuals from identifying their location. For example, this may even be used to access certain sites that are not otherwise accessible in the user's country. A lot of VPN providers also provide proxy services apart from providing VPN services. You can also use many public proxy servers at little to no charge.

Tor is a free software program that allows users to communicate anonymously. The name, Tor is an acronym that has been derived from the original name of the software project, which was The Onion Router. This software directs all Internet traffic and usage through a free volunteer network that exists worldwide, and has over six thousand relays to hide ip and location of the user; and hide Internet usage from individuals and authorities that are in charge of carrying out traffic analysis or network surveillance.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a network technology which extends private network (such as LAN) over a public network such as the Internet. A VPN allows a computer (or a network) to be connected securely as if they are physically wired together. Corporations use VPN to allow remote workers to connect securely to their private network. A VPN is also used to interconnect remote offices with a head office as if they are physically connected.