Start / How to Run a Tor Exit Relay on a No-KYC VPS — Requirements and Reality
Guide

How to Run a Tor Exit Relay on a No-KYC VPS — Requirements and Reality

Run a Tor exit relay without KYC: which host allows exits, what specs and abuse handling you need, and the honest operational reality. NovaVPS allows exits on request.

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NovaVPS Tor relay abstract: layered light rings around a node

Exits are a special workload

A middle relay is easy: traffic in, traffic out, few complaints. An exit sends third-party traffic to the internet under your IP — abuse mail follows within days. Most hosts terminate on the first letter. We allow exits on request with an abuse contact, because the AUP judges the operator, not the protocol.

VPS from $8.50/mo. Email, a 12-character password, then a crypto invoice.

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Sizing and policy table

RolePlan floorAbuse loadNotes
BridgeStarter $8.50NoneBest first contribution
Middle relayPlus $13.50MinimalSet ContactInfo
Exit relayBusiness $20+Regular mailOn request; dedicated better
Exit (high-bandwidth)Dedicated $89.50+Regular mailIPMI + unmetered metal

The setup, briefly

  1. Provision the VPS (exits: Amsterdam or Bucharest are the classic flags).
  2. Install Tor from the Tor Project repo; set ORPort, ContactInfo, a public ExitPolicy (the reduced exit policy limits complaints).
  3. Request exit enablement via panel ticket with your abuse contact.
  4. Answer abuse mail with the standard Tor templates — boring, effective.
  5. Monitor relay health; budget unmetered traffic honestly.

Recommended setup

Plan: Business — 6 vCPU, 16 GB DDR5, unmetered 5 Gbps, $20/mo. Location: Amsterdam — AMS-IX throughput for a busy exit. Start as a bridge today; scale to exit after the request.

Tor-ready VPS from $8.50/mo — exits on request.

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Will my relay get the IP blocked?

Exits collect complaints; the reduced exit policy and prompt replies keep it manageable. Middle relays almost never do.

Do you terminate exits without warning?

Only AUP-violating conduct (crime) ends a relay; ordinary abuse mail is answered, not punished.

Can I run a Snowflake proxy instead?

Yes — tiny, fits Starter, zero abuse load.

Ready to launch?

Configure a VPS or dedicated server, set a password, then pay the invoice.

Network

Edge RTT

Uptime · 36h

Complaints · 36h

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