What’s the difference between a VPN and a DNS cloak?

I decided to get the onion browser and I was recommended to get a vpn but then this thing called DNS Cloak was recommended and it is apparently not a VPN but acts like one or something. So what’s the difference and can I have both?

A DNS cloak doesnt offer privacy. It’s mainly a authentication method between you and your name server to prevent man in the middle attack’s (ie someone intercepting your dns request and sending you to a different server than you requested)