Type: Dark web search engine — free and paid tiers
Requires Tor Browser: Yes
Content filtering: Minimal (free) / Filtered (paid)
Clearnet version: None
Last verified: March 2026
Onion Address
Free vs. Paid
| Feature | Free | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Search results | Standard | Extended — more results per query |
| Content filtering | Minimal | Active — illegal content filtered |
| Advanced operators | ❌ | ✅ — date ranges, category filters |
| API access | ❌ | ✅ |
| Best for | General searching | Security research, OSINT |
Who Uses Haystak
The free tier is adequate for most users — it indexes broadly and returns relevant results for standard queries. The paid tier targets security researchers, threat intelligence analysts and journalists who need to run systematic searches across the dark web with advanced filtering. If you are doing one-off searches for specific .onion services, the free tier is sufficient.
Common Questions
How large is the index? Haystak claims a very large index — competitive with Torch in scope. Exact figures are not published.
Is the paid tier worth it? For professional security research requiring comprehensive coverage and API access, yes. For general dark web browsing, the free tier is sufficient.