Best VPN for Torrenting
If you were thinking about taking the risk and torrenting without a VPN, think again. If you were thinking about using just any VPN for torrenting, please, think again.
Few torrent sites have had it easy. They've been shut down. Many have had to switch domain names a million times over. And some have even gotten their owners/founders arrested.
Governments have tried. Internet service providers have tried. Despite their best attempts, torrenting remains an incredibly popular way to download movies, music, games, and other software. P2P is only growing in popularity.
And so too are the hackers! Many torrent sites unwittingly carry torrent links riddled with malware that puts your privacy and security at risk.
Little wonder, then, that VPN download is closely associated with torrenting. Torrenters employ VPNs to stay private, hide their uploads, and keep out security threats. VPNs provide that vital extra layer of security and anonymity while you search for, and download torrents online.
NOTE: 10Best VPNs doesn't support piracy or any other copyright trampling activity
How to Select the Best VPN for Torrenting
Contrary to what you may have thought, not just any VPN will do for torrenting. In fact, there exist a good number of VPNs that put you more at risk than they protect you. Rather than protect you, these VPNs - thanks to their poor privacy policy and many leaks – expose your identity.
Likewise, not all VPNs support torrenting. To ensure a best VPN for torrenting there are a few factors we’ve closely watched, which we now highlight:
Privacy
What you need is a VPN with a clear zero-logs policy and a guarantee to follow through with it. This means it doesn’t keep any record of your personal activity while using it, ensuring they can’t be coerced to share your personal details.
Security
You need a VPN with a strong encryption, a firewall that ensures all internet traffic must go through it, a kill-switch for whenever the VPN turns off, and no possible data leaks.
Speed
No one likes to watch those downloads when they crawl ever so slowly to their destination. With torrenting, this is even more important. Your chosen best VPN for torrenting should, therefore, have no history of speed throttling.
Shared IPs
The best VPNs use shared IP addresses for torrent downloaders. This means that you and dozens of others use the same IP address, making it much more difficult for your activities to be traced back to you.
Ease of use
How easy is the VPN to use? It goes without saying that the highest rated VPNs for torrent downloads are super easy to navigate.
Top 5 VPNs for Torrenting
Best VPN for Torrenting
1. CyberGhost
- 6500+ servers
- Torrenting support
- P2P support on particular servers
- 256-bit encryption and auto kill switch
- Strict no logs policy
- Works with Mac, Windows, iOS, Android and Linux
- Bitcoin payment support
- Effective customer support
- Slow connection speed outside of the auto-selected server
- Not supported from within China
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Top Speed
54Mbps
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Servers
90 Countries
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Available on
The Bottom Line
Feature-rich and easy to use, CyberGhost is an excellent VPN for torrenting. It automatically connects to a P2P compatible server and offers P2P filesharing protocols on all of its servers outside of US and Russia.
To ensure reasonable download speeds are maintained, CyberGhost provides distance and load information. This tells you how many persons are using each server, and which is closest to you. It also auto-selects the best server for you based on these conditions.
Naturally, the servers it auto-selects as the best servers, often perform better. Except you desire a particular location, you may want to stick to this server.
While CyberGhost may be excellent for torrenting on desktop, it's Android and iOS apps are also super easy to use. And with the unmistakable “ Torrent Anonymously button, you can let the server automatically select the best torrenting settings for you.
CyberGhost security is also impressive. It runs an unbreakable 256-bit AES encryption, randomly selects ports, has a solid DNS leak protection, employs auto kill switches to prevent leaks, and allows you your choice of security protocols, including IKEv2, OpenVPN, and L2TP.Unfortunately, the general speed of CyberGhost servers are not up to speed with those of NordVPN and ExpressVPN. But they are usable. CyberGhost is also completely blocked in China, meaning it can't be used from there at all. Still, it remains a solid VPN for torrent downloads.
2. NordVPN
- 5,300+ P2P-optimized servers
- Torrenting support
- 256-bit encryption and auto kill switch
- Strict no logs policy
- Super-fast connections
- SOCKS5 proxy protocol for enhanced security and speed
- Perfect forward secrecy
- Bitcoin payment support
- Works with Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, and Wi-Fi routers
- Effective customer support
- Poor mobile user interface
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Top Speed
90.51Mbps
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Servers
60 Countries
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Available on
The Bottom Line
It goes without saying that NordVPN has one of the most flawless VPN security systems in the world. This is no surprise given its combination of the robust 256-bit AES encryption, the perfect forward secrecy, double hop VPNs, and support for multiple VPN protocols.
Located in Panama, NordVPN carries a strict no-logging policy. To assure of the solidity of their privacy and security policies, NordVPN has invited external auditors to verify the security of their apps using a bug bounty program that incentivizes anyone who finds possible breach points.
The VPN supports torrenting on its over 4,700 servers in more than 40 countries. Unfortunately, P2P isn’t supported on all its servers. Still, with its auto kill switch, DNS and IP leak blocking, unlimited bandwidth, and super download speeds – which may hit as much as 40 Mbps – it ranks highly on our list of the best VPNs.
NordVPN is available for Windows, MacOS, Android and iOS. It can unblock a range of geo-blocked websites and streaming services, including Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and BBC iPlayer.
3. ExpressVPN
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Top Speed
85Mbps
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Servers
160 Countries
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Available on
The Bottom Line
When it comes to torrenting, few VPNs are as reliable as ExpressVPN. Extensive testing places it amongst the fastest VPNs on the market, with download speeds well over 30 Mbps. But that’s far from all there is to ExpressVPN.
ExpressVPN employs a rugged 256-bit AES encryption for its security, combined with the bulletproof “perfect forward secrecy” protocol. It has no DNS leaks and a powerful kill switch. This ensures all internet traffic is properly routed through the VPN when it’s turned on, and none leaks out when the connection drops.
The VPN also has an impressive 3,000+ servers in over 95 countries, making it capable of unblocking almost any geographically limited content. It supports torrenting on all its servers, and provides P2P filesharing support and unlimited bandwidth on all of them.
Based in the British Virgin Islands, ExpressVPN is away from the watch of the Fourteen Eyes Alliance. It also has a strictly enforced zero-logging policy. Its home base has no data retention laws, so all of your internet history is deleted almost as soon as it is received.
ExpressVPN is also a sturdy VPN for those looking beyond torrenting. Available on MacOS, Windows, Android, iOS, Linux, and particular Wi-Fi routers, it enjoys a solid multi-platform support, and boasts an active customer support system.
4. Private Internet Access
- 3,300+ servers in 65 locations
- 256-bit encryption and auto kill switch
- SOCKS5 proxy for enhanced security and speed
- Strict no logs policy
- Port forwarding
- Up to 10 simultaneous connections
- Works with Mac, Windows, iOS, Android and Linux
- Bitcoin payment support
- Effective customer support
- No free trial
- Connection speeds aren’t always very fast
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Top Speed
47Mbps
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Servers
52 Countries
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Available on
The Bottom Line
Private Internet Access may be a fairly new entrant to the VPN market, but it boasts an impressive and ever-growing server network, as well as a number of premium features at a very affordable price.
PIA has over 3,300 servers, with each of them offering P2P support. It offers port forwarding, a necessary feature which increases torrenting speed, and bypasses torrent traffic block attempts by internet service providers. Indeed, some torrent clients make port forwarding compulsory for successful use of their sites.
Private Internet Access offers a generally reliable performance with reasonable connection speeds. Your best bet, though, will be to stay away from peak hours in order to enjoy better connection speeds.
For security and privacy, PIA comes with a heavy 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection, a kill switch, an ad blocker, strictly enforced no-logging policy, and Wi-Fi protection. It also provides a variety of security protocols, including the SOCKS5 proxy which speeds up connection.
Unfortunately, PIA doesn’t offer users a chance to test it out for free. Still, users can test it out risk-free under a 30-day money-back guarantee protection. Considering its price and functionality, plus its allowance of up to 10 simultaneous connections, it enters our list of the best VPNs for torrenting.
5. Surfshark
- 1,700+ P2P-optimized servers
- 256-bit encryption and auto kill switch
- SOCKS5 proxy for enhanced security and speed
- Strict no logs policy
- MultiHop encryption
- Fast and reliable connection speeds
- NoBorders mode for easy bypass of the strongest of geo-blocks
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Works with Mac, Windows, iOS, Android and Linux
- No free trial
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Top Speed
48.99Mbps
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Servers
61 Countries
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Available on
The Bottom Line
Surfshark may have a limited number of servers compared to other VPNs on this list, but that doesn’t take away from it being a sturdy, reliable VPN. Currently boasting over 1,700 P2P optimized servers, Surfshark comes heavy with privacy and security features that totally protect your anonymity.
Thanks to the P2P optimized nature of its servers, Surfshark boasts really fast connection speeds. It also comes with rugged security features such as the 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, OpenVPN and SOCKS5 proxy support, and DNS leak protection.
For privacy, Surfshark follows a strict no-logging policy. Domiciled in the British Virgin Islands, it is required to submit no records to the government and keeps no records for personal identification. It also boasts an impressive NoBorders feature, which makes it possible for torrenting in China.
For even improved anonymity, you may enable the MultiHop feature which allows you connect to multiple virtual locations at once. And with its support for unlimited simultaneous connections, it blows almost every competition out the water.
Conclusion
Why Use a VPN for Torrenting?
Torrenting is typically associated with piracy. And piracy is nothing but theft. The popularity of torrenting means that media firms and producers employ legal representatives that closely monitor popular torrents to identify the IP addresses of torrenters.
It’s important to note that not all torrenting is illegal, but when faced with so many files, it can be hard to stay within the boundaries of legality. Should your IP be found downloading a particular media or software file illegally over a torrent, two things could happen:
- Your internet service provider will begin to throttle your connection speed, making your network too slow for torrent downloads or even online streaming. The copyright representatives of the media house could identify you through your ISP and send a copyright violation notice or, worse, a settlement letter. Settlement letters are just that, letters that demand payment in place of possible legal action.
- Even when you’re not crossing the line, torrenting is highly unsafe. Because your IP is easily visible while sharing the same torrents with hundreds or thousands of other torrenters, hackers can intercept your downloads and infect your device. Identity thefts may also identify your IP address, use it to identify you, find your real location, and steal your identity.
Clearly, then, a VPN is necessary when torrenting. VPNs mask your original IP address, replacing it with a protected, secure remote server provided by the VPN company. Since these servers are shared by multiple persons, you’re completely anonymous while torrenting.
Should I use a Free VPN for Torrenting?
No.
Yes, you read that right. Although there are a number of really solid free VPNs out in the market, these are often limited in features. For the bulk of them, this involves limited bandwidth with the opportunity for expansion only after payment for the premium plan. This is good if you’re testing the waters, but often not enough for heavy streaming and torrenting.
Some of these VPNs may throttle your internet speed or limit your server options, ultimately leading to a very unfavorable torrenting situation. Most importantly, majority of the free VPNs out there struggle with security, and may have iffy privacy policies.
The point? For the best torrenting experience, a premium VPN for torrenting will always serve you best.
