Best VPN for Torrenting
We’ve all been tempted to download a torrent file at some point in our lives. Unfortunately, even though torrenting seems like a pretty straightforward task, it can have serious repercussions. For this, you’d require a reliable VPN to keep your torrenting activities private. Out of 160+ torrenting VPNs tested, ExpressVPN is our top choice.
When you indulge yourself in torrenting, you open up to multiple unknown files whose sources are unidentified. This situation can easily be a make or break for you as you might end up downloading a copyrighted file, which can get you in serious trouble.
That’s not it. Connecting to a P2P network means that your activity becomes public. This can easily allow hackers to track your online activity or trick you into torrenting a malicious file.
All of these problems can be curbed if only you’re using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) for torrenting or the best VPN for torrenting. Keeping this in mind, we have reviewed over 160+ torrenting Virtual Private Networks and shortlisted the best VPN for downloading torrents, which can obscure your identity from law enforcement agencies, internet service providers, and copyright owners.
Quick Overview: Best VPN for Torrenting
Looking for the best VPN for torrenting? Here is the list of best torrenting VPNs in 2022 you can get right now:
- ExpressVPN – Best VPN Service for Torrenting. Offers 3000+ servers optimized for torrenting. Security features like a kill switch, split tunneling, DNS leak protection, and more for secure torrenting. Available at $6.67/mo (Save 49% and get 3 extra months FREE with 12-month plan) and comes with unlimited bandwidth and a 30-day refund policy.
- Surfshark – Budget-friendly VPN for outstanding torrenting experience. Available for just $2.30/mo (Save 81% on 2 Years + 2 Months Free Plan with Surfshark Antivirus). Offers P2P 3200+ servers with IP leak protection, kill switch, MultiHop, and more.
- NordVPN – Secure VPN for Torrenting. Offers an extensive network of 5500+ in 59 countries with features like NordLynx, Obfuscated servers, and kill switch. Costs $3.99/mo (Save 70% on 2 Years Plan + Extra Subscription) anda 30-day refund policy.
- CyberGhost – User-Friendly VPN for Torrenting. Easy-to-use apps with various P2P-optimized servers. More than 7700+ servers in 90 countries. Costs $2.23/mo and comes with a 45-day refund policy.
- Private Internet Access VPN – Powerful Torrenting VPN. Offers a massive network of 35000+ servers in 80 countries with SOCKS5, kill switch, port forwarding. Costs $2.19/mo and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Mullvad VPN – Best VPN for Anonymous Torrenting. Offers 761 servers in 36 locations. Open source VPN with SOCKS5 proxy, Bridge Mode, and fast speeds. Available for €5/month with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- PrivateVPN – Reliable P2P VPN. A network of 200 servers in 62 countries. Offers plenty of features like HTTP, SOCKS5 proxy, and Stealth Mode for bypassing censorship. Available for $2.50/month with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Do I Really Need a VPN for Torrenting?
To circumvent the online barricades, and to protect your privacy while torrenting, using a VPN is a safe choice. With a virtual private network, all your internet traffic is encrypted to make sure no one can see what you are doing online – even when you are torrenting.
Torrenting is quite popular as the P2P network is decentralized, but it also makes it a perfect platform for sharing copyright content online which is illegal. That is why most ISPs block P2P traffic altogether. With the help of a VPN, you can circumvent these blocks and download torrents without your ISP finding out.
Detailed Analysis of the Best VPN for Torrenting
We tested 160+ torrenting VPNs based on torrent-friendly servers, speeds, availability of advanced torrenting features such as kill switch, simultaneous connections, security features, and more. Only 7 made it to the top.
1. Best VPN for Torrenting – ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is the best Torrenting VPN. It considers the best P2P VPN in the industry and it covers all the bases you should expect from a top-rated VPN, supporting torrenting on all of its networks of 3000+ servers. In addition, ExpressVPN offers 24/7 live chat support to its customers and unlimited bandwidth.
ExpressVPN is completely P2P compatible and works best with uTorrent, BitTorrent, and other clients.
Is ExpressVPN Safe for Torrenting?
Yes, ExpressVPN is safe for torrenting. This VPN company is based in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), a state favored by privacy advocates for its lack of data retention laws for ISPs and other companies.
ExpressVPN even has a transparent and trustworthy logging policy as it keeps no user logs. ExpressVPN mentions that it does not store logs, including browsing history, traffic, data, DNS, timestamps, and more in its privacy policy.
Not only that, ExpressVPN’s zero-knowledge DNS feature, strong encryption such as AES 256-bit encryption, and ultimate leak protection is unlike any other Torrenting VPN provider in the industry and perfectly hides your torrenting activities from snoopers.
ExpressVPN also uses perfect forward secrecy for added security, which wipes your session data right after it ends. With perfect forward secrecy, you’re assigned a new dynamic encryption key every 60 minutes (session end), so no one can identify your previous session activities even if your device gets compromised.
P2P Performance & Speed
It is considered as one of the best VPNs for torrenting in the industry
ExpressVPN is equipped with powerful features to deliver blazing fast speeds and security every time raw performance is concerned. For example, we tested its DNS leak feature by connecting to a UK server, and it didn’t leak the IP at all.
Its robust server park managed to deliver consistent 26 Mbps speeds on our 30 Mbps connection. These speeds are on a UK server of ExpressVPN, far away from our location in the US. It is no doubt the fastest VPN for torrenting and streaming.
The excellent combination of a privacy-friendly jurisdiction, great logging policy, IP leak protection, advanced security, and fast speeds establishes this Torrenting VPN as the best for torrenting.
Due to its great speed, it’s also the best VPN for streaming on Kodi, Fire Stick, Smart TVs, Android, iOS. Windows, Mac, and more.
The Best VPN Provider for Torrenting!
ExpressVPN is our ultimate recommendation for torrenting with its sophisticated privacy tools, multiple devices support, and blazing fast speeds.
Not only that, powerful features like ExpressVPN’s kill switch are perfect for dealing with privacy risks associated with P2P file sharing. This torrenting VPN offers best-in-class VPN services for torrent lovers and you can never go wrong with it.
ExpressVPN is available for $6.67/mo (Save 49% and get 3 extra months FREE with 12-month plan) with a 30-day money-back guarantee. For a complete feature list including pros and cons, check out our all-inclusive ExpressVPN review.
2. Budget-friendly VPN for Torrenting – Surfshark
Surfshark is one budget-friendly and cheapest VPN for torrenting and an excellent choice for users who are looking for a VPN for private and secure torrenting. So if you are looking for an ultra-affordable and strongly encrypted VPN to torrent with, Surfshark has you covered.
Let’s not forget to mention that it supports all popular torrent clients, including BitTorrent and uTorrent. Moreover, since most VPN servers support P2P sharing/torrenting, you have nothing to worry about.
Is Surfshark Safe for Torrenting?
Yes! It is the rightful owner of the second spot on the list of best torrenting VPNs. Furthermore, since Surfshark is based in the British Virgin Islands, it’s free from any law mandating them to keep user data logs.
Similar to ExpressVPN, Surfshark does not collect logs of any data that can be used to compromise your privacy. It mentions that IP addresses, bandwidth, timestamps, traffic, browsing history, and other data are not collected by the service.
All Surfshark’s apps have a kill switch feature that can prevent your data from falling through the digital cracks. Its other features include an Ad-blocker (CleanWeb), split tunneling (WhiteLister), VPN chaining (MultiHop), powerful encryption, kill switch, and tons of other features, all available in Surfshark by default.
P2P Performance & Speed
We tested by connecting to the Australia – Sydney server and it kept our anonymity protected
Surfshark’s leak protection is the best and can easily prevent your IP from leaking accidentally. We tested this second-best torrenting VPN using an Australian VPN server, and check out in the image below that it did not leak our IP:
In terms of speeds, in our testing, Surfshark managed to deliver decent download speeds. Large torrenting files are not an issue with an average speed of 24.74 Mbps on a 30 Mbps connection. Surfshark has important security, privacy features, and speed factors that any reliable VPN for torrenting should have. It offers the best download speeds and has a network of 3200+ servers in 65 countries.
Torrenting VPN at an affordable cost!
Surfshark is by far one of the most affordable torrenting VPNs for torrenting that we’ve personally tested. It is also super secure. This is also one of the top torrenting VPN providers that offer unlimited device connections and kill switch protection on a single subscription.
It is currently available for just $2.30/mo (Save 81% on 2 Years + 2 Months Free Plan with Surfshark Antivirus) and there is a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
You can find more details regarding its features and pricing plans in out Surfshark review.
3. Secure VPN for Torrenting – NordVPN
NordVPN is the most secure VPN for torrenting. Its induction to the best VPN for the torrenting list is due to its fast, secure, and amazing features such as a kill switch for an anonymous and safe torrenting experience.
The provider has many dedicated VPN server reserved for P2P networking in its network of 5500+ servers in 59 countries. Just like ExpressVPN, NordVPN also supports 24/7 live chat support.
Is NordVPN safe for Torrenting?
NordVPN is perfectly safe for torrenting. It’s easy to see why. This torrenting VPN headquarter is based in Panama, which does not impose any mandatory data retention requirements on the internet service provider and VPN. In addition, the laws in Panama protect user privacy from surveillance and other intrusive activities.
Moreover, NordVPN has an audited zero-log policy as it stores no personally identifiable information, including bandwidth, traffic logs, timestamps, and more of its users:
The combination of a safe jurisdiction and the commitment of NordVPN to protecting user privacy with no logs is what makes this service a great torrenting VPN for so many torrenters. In other words, it can be regarded as a good VPN for torrenting.
It offers top-notch security features, including Double VPN, that passes your traffic over two servers for maximum protection and privacy.
It offers a built-in kill switch feature on Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android so that your real IP doesn’t get exposed in the case of VPN disconnection.
Other than that, it has multiple privacy features, including a built-in ad blocker (CyberSec), advanced VPN protocols, Threat Protection feature, and Onion Over VPN to layer your traffic through a maze of nodes and networks for greatly enhanced web anonymity and privacy. Unfortunately, it also has some servers primed for obfuscation, enabling access to heavily restricted websites or services.
P2P Performance & Speed
It offers the largest server network with utmost privacy and security
NordVPN is free from any IP/DNS leaks and has excellent controls in place to ensure that user identity remains completely hidden:
If we talk about the NordVPN speed test, it managed to reach 24 Mbps on a 30 Mbps connection, which is not bad at all. It offers great speeds on most of its servers.
NordVPN offers a lot of valuable security features, an extensive server network, and great speeds. When you sum all these benefits together, it is hard to find a better deal for users seeking a strong privacy solution for their torrenting needs.
NordVPN surely proves to be one of the best torrenting VPNs. You can try it yourself with its 30-day money-back guarantee and it is available for $3.99/mo (Save 70% on 2 Years Plan + Extra Subscription).
If you want to know more about this torrenting VPN, you can check out our NordVPN review.
4. User-Friendly VPN for Torrenting – CyberGhost
CyberGhost has been around for almost a decade and is among the few reputed services out there to perform P2P activities. It offers 7700+ servers in 90 countries in total, out of which plenty are optimized for P2P.
Unlike Surfshark, it doesn’t support unlimited simultaneous connections, but seven simultaneous connections are also pretty useful. As a result, it is a worthy inclusion in our list for the best torrenting VPN services.
Is CyberGhost Safe For Torrenting?
As we said, CyberGhost is among the very few safe torrenting VPN out there. Calling it one of the top VPNs for torrents wouldn’t be an overstatement. So if you torrent a lot, go and grab yourself a subscription plan of CyberGhost today.
Not only is CyberGhost fully BitTorrent compatible, but it also offers dedicated P2P servers. Even more impressively, CyberGhost has an entire mode selection feature to help you torrent anonymously, ensuring maximum security.
Moving on to jurisdiction, CyberGhost is located in Romania, a country free from data retention clutches. If you still have any doubts about CyberGhost, or wondering if CyberGhost is safe for torrenting, you can breathe a sigh of relief thanks to their zero logs policy. CyberGhost mentions that it doesn’t log users’ browsing history, search logs, traffic, IP address, etc., in its privacy policy.
It also has a kill switch feature, which adds to the already advanced security features it holds. With its torrent anonymously feature, it can bypass blockages in most countries.
It also offers multiple features, including AES 256-bit encryption, NoSpy servers, split tunneling, and dedicated IP servers.
P2P Performance & Speed
The interface is user-friendly and it connects instantly without leaking IP Address
CyberGhost boasts strong IPv4, IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leak protection built into its apps, which is always nice to have. For example, you can check out below that our actual IP stayed hidden during testing when we connected this VPN to a French server:
The speeds usually delivered by CyberGhost are noticeably slower than its competitors, but it’s still not too bad. The speeds are sufficient for performing tasks like streaming and torrenting activities.
P2P Friendly VPN with a 45-day Refund Policy!
CyberGhost is a capable torrenting VPN that has earned a slot in the top 7 VPNs for torrenting courtesy of its ideal jurisdiction, no logs policy, protective features, and robust 45-day money-back guarantee. You can get this VPN for just $2.23/mo .
Read our in-depth CyberGhost review for more details.
5. Powerful Torrenting VPN – Private Internet Access
On the last place in the list, we have Private Internet Access– the powerful torrenting VPN. Private Internet Access offers highly optimized 35000+ servers in 80 countries that use 256-bit strong encryption with fast upload and download speeds.
This VPN offers dedicated torrenting VPN servers for torrenting, and due to this feature, this provider has managed to become one of the best torrenting VPN to carry out P2P/torrenting activities.
Is Private Internet Access VPN Safe for Torrenting?
Yes! Private Internet Access VPN is perfectly safe for torrenting. Although it’s based in the US, which is a main member of the Five Eyes, the VPN has a trustworthy privacy policy. However, the choice is up to you.
This means that it does not store user logs, which means no usage logs or connection logs. Private Internet Access’s privacy policy states that “We administer strict policies safeguarding your privacy and security.” This way, you’ll have no privacy issues when downloading P2P materials/ torrents from anywhere in the world.
This VPN boasts a variety of security features to keep user activities secure during torrenting. These include an effective kill switch in case of torrenting VPN connection drops, split tunneling, AES 256-bit encryption, OpenVPN protocol, and more.
P2P Performance and Speed
It is indeed a powerful VPN for torrenting that successfully cleared the IP leak test
Private Internet Access automatically prevents your IP from leaking in case it stops working. We did not notice any IP or DNS leaking when we performed the leak test, which is always reassuring. Just check out the image below for our Private Internet Access DNS leak test result:
Its speeds are exceptional when it comes to torrenting. On my 30 Mbps internet connection, the VPN gave off 21 Mbps of speed.
Private Internet Access offers the most number of servers in the entire industry, and with all its servers optimized for torrenting, this VPN does a great job while downloading P2P files. It also supports SOCKS5, port forwarding, and kill switch for all avid torrenters.
Private Internet Access is the cheapest VPN for torrenting on this list available for $2.19/mo . In addition to that, it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and ten multi-logins as well. For more information, go through our Private Internet Access review.
6. Best VPN for Anonymous Torrenting – Mullvad VPN
Mullvad is a great VPN for anonymous torrenting. Furthermore, it is one of the most efficient VPNs if you need fast speeds while downloading large files. While it offers 761 servers in 36+ locations, which is pretty less than the VPNs listed above, its speeds and P2P servers simply compensate for that factor.
Is Mullvad Safe for Torrenting?
Yes, Mullvad is completely safe for torrenting due to its multiple security features. Even though it is based in Sweden – a member of the 14 Eyes, this VPN offers a strict no-logging policy. This means that you don’t have to worry about getting your activities logged at all.
Furthermore, it’s an open-source VPN so you can check any details you want online.
Its privacy policy also states that it doesn’t collect, store, or log your browsing activity. Neither does it sell or rent your personal information to third parties.
Another thing that we loved about Mullvad is that you can create an account with 100% anonymity as you don’t even have to provide an email address. All your need is a 16-digit random code to log in to your account, making it the best VPN for torrent with anonymity.
This VPN further offers a kill switch, split tunneling, AES 256-bit encryption, and many more great features for secure and hassle-free torrenting. It also offers local network sharing and Bridge mode.
Mullvad VPN server also comes with a SOCKS5 proxy for added security. However, to activate the proxy, you will need to follow the instructions given on its official site.
P2P Performance & Speed
Another secure VPN provider for faster and safe unblocking of geo-restricted platforms
Mullvad ensures to not leak your IP address through its DNS leak protection feature. You can check out the image below for confirmation:
It has an efficient performance and fantastic speed. This VPN offers blazing fast speeds of 26.57 Mbps on my 30 Mbps connection, which is too good to be true. However, these speeds are simply great when it comes to torrenting on any device you like.
With all its speeds mentioned above in detail, it’s safe to say that Mullvad is the fast VPN for torrenting in the world. It offers easy connectivity and allows torrenting without any lags or delays.
You can get this best VPN to use for torrenting for €5/month. It further offers a 30-day money-back guarantee to users who want to check out its torrenting capabilities at first. Find out what makes this VPN service for torrenting so good in our detailed Mullvad VPN review.
7. Decent Provider with P2P Servers – PrivateVPN
PrivateVPN is a decent provider for torrenting with plenty of P2P servers. The VPN offers plenty of features for torrenters such as HTTP, SOCKS5 proxy, with plenty of servers that support P2P traffic.
Speaking of servers, PrivateVPN offers 200 servers in 62 countries. With such as small server, you might experience server overload during peak hours, other than that the VPN offers great performance and speed.
Is PrivateVPN Safe for Torrenting?
PrivateVPN is a trustworthy VPN provider that is safe for torrenting. It offers plenty of features like perfect forward secrecy, kill switch and a Stealth VPN mode that is designed to bypass censorship as tough as the Great Firewall.
Although the VPN is based in Sweden, a member of the 14 Eyes, it does not log any personally identifiable user data. It does not collect connection logs, IP addresses, browsing history, etc. In short, you are safe with PrivateVPN and can stay anonymous while downloading torrents.
P2P Performance & Speed
Even though PrivateVPN offers a small network of servers, you can expect great download speeds. For example, we used it on a base connection speed of 30 Mbps, and it reached a download speed of 23 Mbps while testing.
You can also choose between various tunneling protocols for maximum performance. It gives you an option to choose from OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP/IPSec.
PrivateVPN successfully cleared the IP leak test
Moreover, it also offers military-grade 2048-bit encryption to secure your online data while torrenting. It also offers DNS and IP leak protection we also checked by connecting to its Argentina server and it masked our real IP.
It allows 6 simultaneous connections per account and each connected device gets a unique IP address. There are apps for various devices such as Windows, Android, iOS, macOS, and other devices. For Linux users, there’s no dedicated app, as you will have to set up OpenVPN manually.
This VPN is available for $2.50 per month and each plan is backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Feel free to read our PrivateVPN review for details.
Test Methodology: How we tested these VPN services for torrenting
To test the potential VPNs for torrenting, a criterion was set up. Below is a list of our 5 step testing criteria for choosing a VPN for torrenting:
- Torrenting compatibility – We tested many VPNs based on P2P-optimized servers and many other advanced security features, including port forwarding, kill switch, and SOCKS5 support. All the VPNs we listed offer effective P2P support to users at all times.
- Jurisdiction – Second, we needed to ensure if the VPN is located away from the snooping of the 5, 9, and 14 Eyes Alliances to stay away from data collection and continuous surveillance. VPNs like ExpressVPN and Surfshark are not based in countries part of any of these alliances.
- Logging Policy – Logging is yet another aspect we took into consideration. One needs to make sure that the VPN is not collecting user data at all. The 7 VPNs we listed in this guide offer a strict no-logs policy to users, ensuring no data collection.
- IP leaks – Many VPNs claim an IP/DNS leak protection feature but leak user IP to ISPs and the government. We made sure that no VPN we mentioned as the best VPN company for torrenting does that. Therefore, the VPNs listed in this guide protect user IPs from all leaks.
- Speed – Torrenting is nothing without great speeds. Slow speeds can annoy and barely let you torrent anything. All the VPNs we mentioned above offer great speeds, with ExpressVPN offering the speediest connection among all.
Note: The VPNs mentioned in this guide for torrenting are tested much more rigorously on a wider range of parameters in our dedicated guide on the best VPN for 2022.
VPNs to Avoid for Torrenting
While there are plenty of VPNs online, not all of them are safe for torrenting. For example, some VPNs don’t support P2P file-sharing or keep intrusive logs, making them not ideal for torrenting. Here are some VPNs that are nowhere near the best torrenting VPNs and should be avoided at all costs if you value your privacy:
1. Hola VPN – Doesn’t support torrenting and blocks BitTorrent traffic. In addition to that, Hola VPN doesn’t offer encryption to anonymize your P2P traffic, and it doesn’t even come with a kill switch.
Another major reason to avoid Hola VPN has to do with its track record. Back in 2015, Hola turned its subscribers into a botnet without their knowledge. In addition, the company was found to be selling the idle unlimited bandwidth of its subscribers to anyone who had an ill intent to run a denial-of-service attack on any website they please. Check out our Hola VPN review for more details.
2. TunnelBear – Although a hugely popular zero-cost VPN that has been in the industry forever now, it is a VPN that is not ideal for torrenting. This is because the service is headquartered in Canada, which is part of the five eyes alliance. This means that those surveillance agencies in Canada can ask TunnelBear to disclose the browsing activities of any users they find suspicious. From a privacy standpoint, that’s a major red flag.
TunnelBear is also not the fastest VPN out there. It can drop your original speeds by more than 50%. Check out our TunnelBear review for more details.
3. Turbo VPN – Another VPN to avoid is Turbo VPN. On its website, in the FAQ section, Turbo VPN clearly states that they don’t support torrenting, and any user suspected of accessing BitTorrent can have their account blocked. Another reason to avoid this VPN is that it lacks basic privacy features, and its privacy policy is quite invasive. Check out our Turbo VPN review for more details.
4. Hoxx VPN – The last VPN you should avoid at all costs for torrenting is Hoxx VPN. It logs information about your browser, pages viewed, IP address, and more. Much like Turbo VPN, Hoxx VPN also doesn’t support torrenting. It also mentions that it doesn’t support torrenting in the FAQ section of its website. Check out our Hoxx VPN review for more details.
Comparison Table of Top VPNs for Torrenting
| VPNs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | British Virgin Islands | British Virgin Islands | Panama | Romania | USA | Sweden | Sweden |
| Security | AES 256 Bit | AES 256 Bit | AES 256 Bit | AES 256-bit | AES 256-bit | AES 256 Bit | 2048-bit AES 256 |
| Servers | 3,000+ in 94 Countries | 3,200+ in 65+ Countries | 5,200+ in 60 Countries | 7,000+ in 90 Countries | 35500+ servers in 78 Countries | 761+ servers in 36 Countries | 200+ servers in 62+ locations |
| Torrenting Support | All Servers | Some Servers | Some servers | All Servers | All Servers | All Servers | Some Servers |
| Kill Switch | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Split Tunneling | Yes | Yes (Whilelister) | Yes | Yes | Yes (only on desktop apps) | Yes (Android, Windows, Linux) | No |
| Streaming | Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and More | Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and More | Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and More | Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and More | Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and More | Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and More | Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and More |
| Compatibility | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, routers | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, routers | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, routers | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, routers | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, routers | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS |
| Pricing | $6.67/month | $2.30/month | $3.49/month | $2.15/month | $2.03/month | €5/month | $2.50/month |
| Read More | ExpressVPN Review | Surfshark Review | NordVPN Review | CyberGhost Review | PIA Review | Mullvad VPN Review | PrivateVPN Review |
| More Info | Visit Site | Visit Site | Visit Site | Visit Site | Visit Site | Visit Site | Visit Site |
Five Solid Reasons Why You Need a VPN for Torrenting
Getting caught downloading P2P materials/torrents red-handed can have repercussions far worse than simply receiving legal notices. Thus, it’s hazardous to torrent without a VPN. Here are five reasons why you need a VPN for torrenting:
1. DNS, IPv6 & WebRTC leak protection
Even though VPNs are supposed to mask your IP address, some VPNs are known to suffer from leaks. If your DNS, IP address, or WebRTC gets leaked, your identity will be exposed to your ISP. This is why premium VPNs offer built-in leak protection that prevents such eventualities.
2. Port forwarding
Port forwarding is a powerful feature that is used for bypassing firewalls. This feature is also helpful in improving the count of peers on a P2P network. With more peers, it means that your downloads will be faster and more efficient.
3. Avoiding legal issues:
By far, the biggest risk of downloading/uploading torrents is that majority of the content under consideration is copyrighted material. Hence, you may get entangled in legal issues if you don’t properly hide your identity.
Any trace of downloading illegal torrent files or copyrighted material can lead to legal consequences. The resultant legal actions may include issuing DMCA-like notices, cancellation of ISP’s license, and the imposition of huge fines.
Note: We strictly discourage any activity involving copyright infringement and urge readers to ONLY legal download torrents.
4. Vulnerability to hacking attempts
It is a fact that if you download one torrent, you expose yourself to the risk of hacking attempts. Although P2P file sharing may not necessarily expose you to any direct threats, there is always a possibility of granting unauthorized access to your data, exposing yourself to online hacks.
Therefore, hiding your tracks behind VPN protection is the best possible way to protect your data from being exposed to people with malicious intent.
5. Avoiding the torrent activity from being recorded
If you are not hiding your online identity and activity with a VPN, you can easily be tracked, monitored, and recorded online. Multiple databases for torrenting activity often appear over the internet. Such databases publish all torrents under the user’s IP address. This information is logged, published online, and available for everyone to see.
Best VPN for Torrenting – Redditors Opinion
As we said earlier, torrenting without a VPN can be seriously risky. Here’s one torrent user who has received a “cease and desist or else letter” for downloading torrents:
Most torrent users have suggested not to gamble with the best free VPNs for torrenting and only purchase premium P2P compatible VPNs to ensure maximum security on your online activities.
It is commonly known that zero-cost VPN providers are incapable of delivering unlimited bandwidth. Not only that, if you choose the free P2P VPNs, you can’t expect uninterrupted speeds or anonymous connections.
Therefore, we highly suggest choosing one of the best VPNs services for torrenting as suggested earlier in this guide.
Drawbacks of Not Using a Good VPN Service While Torrenting
Some people may be using torrents without a VPN, or not a good VPN and have no problems. However, keep in mind “flying under the radar” is a risky business as you never know when your Internet provider catches you torrenting. If that happens you can expect some serious consequences.
Given the recent increase in copyright violations, torrenting without a VPN is not a choice anymore and is not worth the risk. It is not a question of whether you will get caught it’s about when.
Copyright and torrenting consequences
Here are a few copyright laws regarding torrenting in various countries:
- United States: Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) that details penalties for copyright violations. For repeated offenders, penalties include up to 10 years in jail and $1,000,000 in fines. ISPs are also legally bound to cancel the service of repeat violators.
- United Kingdom: The Digital Economy Act 2017 in the UK addresses criminal copyright infringement. The act raised the prison sentence of copyright violators to 10 years.
- Australia: Most torrent sites are already blocked in Australia (with a VPN, you can get around these blocks). The fines for copyright violators have been increased to $2,000 per infringement.
Fines and lawsuits if caught torrenting
There have been various cases across the world where torrenters have been sued for downloading copyrighted material. For example, in 2011, we saw the biggest case in US history in which 23,000 file sharers were notified by the authorities for illegal BitTorrent downloading. That is why people are seeking out the best VPNs for USA to reclaim their digital privacy.
There have been similar cases in Europe, particularly in Germany, Austria, and Denmark. In the US, these lawsuits have also targeted VPN services for concealing the identity of torrent users.
No matter where you are located, using a good VPN for torrenting is a must – better safe than sorry.
Disclaimer: VPNRanks does not condone piracy. We are writing for an international audience, so make sure to check laws and regulations in your respective jurisdictions for details.
Best VPN for Torrenting FAQs
Is torrenting safe with a VPN?
Yes, when you are using a torrent site with BitTorrent or uTorrent, a VPN keeps you safe and anonymous. All the VPNs that we have recommended offer strong security and privacy features to protect your data and keep you anonymous online. They use military-grade 256-bit encryption with a strict no-logs policy to ensure you can torrent safely in the US or abroad.
If you are using a VPN while torrenting, it becomes virtually impossible to get caught. This is because your IP address is hidden by a VPN. Your personal data is encrypted and not even your ISP will be able to tell that you are torrenting.
Which free VPN is best for torrenting?
ExpressVPN is the best VPN for torrenting with 3000+ servers that are P2P optimized. It also offers 30 days money-back guarantee with 24/7 live chat support and excellent reviews online. You can try it free for 30 days and cancel to get your refund.
What is the best torrenting VPN in 2022?
Here are the best torrenting VPNs in 2022:
- ExpressVPN. The best VPN for torrenting with P2P servers.
- Surfshark. Fast VPN with support for P2P traffic.
- NordVPN. Watertight security with special P2P servers.
- CyberGhost. Dedicated servers for P2P in different locations.
- PIA. P2P areas that other VPNs don’t offer.
Is ExpressVPN good for torrenting?
ExpressVPN is a high-speed VPN available for all devices. It also offers several features to make torrenting more secure and private. The bottom line is that ExpressVPN is the best option for anonymous downloading, torrents and browsing the internet safely.
Can you use a free VPN for torrenting?
Most free VPNs don’t support torrenting and block P2P traffic. Moreover, they cannot compete with the military-grade encryption and security offered by premium VPNs. Because of this, there is no guarantee that you are truly anonymous while torrenting with a free VPN.
Also, many free VPNs are caught selling their user’s data and internet activities to different third-party organizations. This includes the popular Hola VPN. If you value your online privacy, then you’d stay away from them.
Can I get caught torrenting with a VPN?
Using the right VPN for torrenting is safe and you will not get caught with it. A VPN generally protects your privacy and everything you do online by hiding it from your ISP (or local authorities). When you are torrenting without a VPN, you are in danger of getting fined or maybe getting your device confiscated.
Which VPN provider is the best for torrenting for mobile devices?
Overall, ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs for torrenting. It has purpose-built servers for torrenting and it also offers a fast and stable downloading experience.
ExpressVPN’s servers are optimized for bandwidth-intensive large downloads so you will get the best performance and safety. This VPN offers lightweight and user-friendly apps and is compatible with all their latest Android and iOS.
Can using a VPN increase your torrenting speed?
Using a VPN, even if has P2P support, would not improve your torrenting speed. As your traffic is rerouted through a server in order to encrypt your data, it may actually decrease your speed a bit. VPNs add overhead to each packet sent and it requires more CPU and memory to maintain.
What is a kill switch and what does a kill switch do?
A kill switch is a safety mechanism that is used to shut down or disable a device or a program. It is done to prevent theft or data or shut down a machine in an emergency situation.
A VPN must have a kill switch feature, so in case of disconnection, your identity stays hidden. The kill switch will terminate the complete internet connection when VPN disconnects so that your real IP does not get exposed over the internet.
What is the best server location for torrenting?
Switzerland is by far the safest country for torrenting. Some other good locations for torrenting include Lithuania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia, Iceland, and the Czech Republic. Germany and Netherlands are good locations too, however, keep in mind downloading copyrighted torrents are illegal there, so make sure to check with your VPN provider if it is safe to torrent on those servers.
Is torrenting legal?
Torrenting itself is not illegal, but downloading copyrighted material is considered illegal. So, your ISP and copyright trolls that are monitoring the BitTorrenting network can take action if they catch you downloading illegal torrents.
How does your ISP (Internet Service Provider) know you are torrenting?
Internet Service Providers know when you are torrenting if they identify a significant increase in your internet bandwidth. ISPs also use network monitoring apps and Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) to detect port numbers, IP addresses, and metadata from the internet packets share. However, with a VPN, you can avoid that.
Wrapping Up!
The penalties and enforcement against online piracy have gradually gotten stricter over the past two decades. Although every copyright owner has the right to sue an individual who accesses their material for free without their permission, the aggressiveness of certain countries towards anyone who downloads torrents can often spill over to those cases where the downloaded file may NOT be illegal.
For the best performance, we suggest using ExpressVPN – our top recommendation for April 2022 as the best VPN for torrenting.
While IvacyVPN is good, NordVPN is also pretty good. I’m using them both, one at my office and one for personal use. For work Ivacy, for home Nord. Just because it works really well with Netflix servers, well it should work well, knowing how many servers they have. As with Ivacy, I’m not using it for torrenting or streaming, so the speeds are not that important for me, but I didn’t get any problems with it.
Hi Aldini,
I’m glad the VPNs you mentioned are doing the job for you. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Have you seen that Surfshark released two new products? I think Hacklock is a brilliant idea. Has you had the chance to test it yet?
Internet security should be especially important for those who download torrents. I am one of those people, so I need to be sure that my connection is anonymous and secure. I tried a few providers, but I came back to Surfshark, because of the speed, multi-hop, and price.
Hello D.Foster,
Thank you for the comment. I’m glad you found Surfshark suited to your needs!
What you say about mullvad? Can I go with this VPN?
Hello Alesha.
Mullvad is a very good VPN from the privacy standpoint. The one problem that various users have reported, however, is slow speeds while torrenting. That can be a dealbreaker as far as torrenting speeds are concerned.
Not many vpns allow torrenting or Netflix blocking but they claim sad part. Be mindful when choosing the service, read reviews before buying. Btw, I am using Surfshark, quite a decent for torrenting.
Hey Bill!
Thanks for sending your feedback.
Reviews can be helpful as second opinions in case you’re having any doubts. I am happy that you found Surfshark useful for your torrenting needs.
Thanks for reaching out!
Cheers!
I often see NordVPN and Express rated very well in different reviews. Are they really that great? I’m thinking between these two but can’t decide 100%, though I’m leaning towards Nord. What do you think?
Hello Tyler,
The reason why NordVPN and ExpressVPN are rated so highly is that they have been consistently performing well over the years and have a great history in terms of keeping our privacy intact.
If you are confused between the two, I’d ask you to look at your budget first and then decide. Personally, my choice would be ExpressVPN if I can afford it. But I would be just as happy with NordVPN, especially if my budget is a little tight.
Hope this helps. 🙂
I really like how Surfshark manages to provide a top notch service for as cheap as 2 quid. Hw come nobody else does that? Why pay 7-8 quid when you get the same or more for 6 times less?
Hello Maria,
I agree. Surfshark has a great pricing model which easily attracts users. The good thing is that it doesn’t compromise on quality in spite of the cheap price tag.
Is Surfshark new in the VPN industry? How did you find its performance in your testing?
Hello Karl,
Yes, Surfshark is new in the industry and performs exceptionally well when it comes to torrenting. They have dedicated P2P servers and during our testing we found the downloading speeds to be at par with all other major VPN providers.
can we use free vpn for torrenting ? Its only that their servers are limited but they do provide the same encryption levels such as the paid ones. One such example is ProtonVPN
Hello Alex,
Free VPNs should be avoided because their logging policies are usually very shady. Some even sell your data to third parties.
However, there are some reliable providers like ProtonVPN which are you can trust. But I’d strongly recommend against using some no-name free VPN with poor brand reputation. That can be dangerous.
Is Nordvpn really that good? Looking for a provider for torrenting, many reviews suggest nordvpn! Any opinions?
Dear Emelie,
Yes, you can use NordVPN to fulfill your torrenting needs. Moreover, it offers a huge servers’ network feature that allows you to gain online freedom from anywhere.
Likewise, you can consider other VPN services described in the above list to perform your torrenting activity in a secure manner.
Cheers!!!
I have gone through many Vpn But when it comes to Free Vpn Hotspot Shield Vpn is the best for Torrenting. Really Thanks for the great post.
Dear Jiiva,
Thanks for reaching out to us, we are glad that you found Hotspot Shield VPN helpful to accomplish your torrenting cravings.
keep using Hotspot Sheild and enjoy online freedom hassle-free.
Cheers!!!
How does AirVPN compare to PureVPN…..? please reply. And, Thankyou for reading.
Hi Troy,
Thanks for your comment. As far as comparing AirVPN with PureVPN goes, there’s a lot of difference between the two. PureVPN has servers in over 140 countries whereas AirVPN has only a handful of servers. If we compare the prices, then PureVPN also has an edge over AirVPN. On the contrary, AirVPN and PureVPN offer similar security measures: OpenVPN protocol and AES 256 bit encryption.
However, both VPN providers support P2P file sharing. We tested PureVPN and found its performance to be much better than AirVPN. So, if you’re looking for a VPN to use with torrents, then give PureVPN a try.
Canada is widely acclaimed for a massive number of internet users than any other country. Being a mainstream region for tech geeks, Canadians love to stream videos online. However, popular Canadian channels are geo-restricted outside Canada, meaning that users can’t access Bravo, CBC, Sportsnet and Canal De from outside Canada. To get away with restrictions, Canada VPN provides instant access to all Canadian channels from anywhere in the world. However, I haven’t tried BTGuard yet but I would suggest users to get a decent Canada VPN like Express VPN and Ivacy for top-notch privacy, anonymity and accessibility.
Hello Andressa,
Thank you for the comment.
I am located in New Jersey and torrenting is among my favorite activities. I usually search for torrents of latest movies and Netflix TV shows. And for secure torrenting I selected NordVPN.
But last week when I received copyright infringement notice from my ISP. I was surprised and annoyed at the same time, as VPN didn’t work for me and DNS leak occured. Right now I want to know that does NordVPN provide Internet Kill Switch? and what’re some decent VPN services that offer responsive Internet Kill Switch?
Dear Mathew thanks for commenting,
Usually ISPs send copyright infringement notices when a user is found downloading or accessing licensed material from internet.
When it comes to safe and anonymous torrenting, PureVPN, NordVPN and BufferedVPN comes at top. These VPN services offer strong tunelling protocols to ensure 101% protection against copyright trolls, ISP surveillance and infringement notices. You can freely use any of the specified torrent VPN for safe and secure torrenting.
Torrenting is one of the lovable activities I prefer during weekends. But due to strict copyright laws in Connecticut, I was unable to visit torrent sites. Not to forget, ISPs over here send notices even when a flagged site is visited. Considering the situation, this article helped me a lot into bypassing the imposed geo-restrictions and downloading torrents anonymously from within Connecticut.
Hello Aditya,
Thanks for sharing your story with us. I’m glad you found this article informative.
I like to torrent my favorite TV shows most of the times. However, I do not choose torrents for downloading softwares, due to the risk of getting infected by malwares. So I was searching for a decent torrent VPN and came up with Hide.me. But to be honest, Hide.me didn’t come up to my expectations and eventually I had to request for a refund.
After reading reviews and conducting in-depth research, I came up with PIA. The service satisfied me well with a robust protection and anonymity for secure torrenting. Cheers to PIA !
Hello Christopher,
PIA is indeed a very good VPN. I’m glad it’s serving you well for your torrenting needs! 😉
I use nordvpn and the 28mbps in the article is not accurate…
Downloading a torrent currently with 40mbps.
Hi Jake,
Thanks for your feedback. The download speeds can vary from user to user, and also depends on the server and protocol selected. We tried NordVPN while being connected to a server based in USA and using OpenVPN protocol. Can you please let us the know server location and protocol you used while downloading torrents with NordVPN? Thanks again!
Never go for Ivacy VPN ! They provide a pathetic service.
I subscribed to their services on June 2016 for one year @ $1.83 PM. For six months everything worked well, so I extended their service for 2 more years. Then the problems started, the nearest servers would fail and I had to always rely on distant servers with a very high ping and low speeds. Their P2P services have become terrible ! Their customer service is pathetic ! They tell you to do this and that and probably never understand what our problem is.
And another irritating thing is they do not give refunds, even for the period starting from December 2016 !
I do not know how to get the refund !
Hello
You are requested to kindly email your issue to [email protected]. Rest assured your issue will be looked into with greater care. We are so very sorry for the inconvenience caused to you.
I’m currently using a different VPN, but PIA has been catching my attention for a while. I want to know that if I can use the VPN service without downloading their app, i.e. through manual configuration on mobile or PC.
Hello Olivia Wilde,
You can indeed setup PIA through OpenVPN manual configuration. Check their tutorial section for help.
I prefer torrent for watching TV shows, movies and popular videos. However, I suggest users stay away from torrent software as it can spread malware on your system. So, I was in search of a decent VPN for a reliable protection while torrenting, and eventually I came up with PureVPN. With a range of strong encryption protocols (L2TP\IPSec) and wallet-friendly plans, it is the safest and economical solution for P2P downloads.
Hello Atiqah Hasiholan,
I’m glad you found PureVPN suited to your torrenting needs! Thanks for the comment.
In some cases torrenting is very risky because I personally have received a notice from DMC. However, I won’t go into the details but I would highly recommend that you don’t download torrents with a free VPN. In fact, you should read the detailed policy of torrenting before choosing any VPN because some providers may provide your credentials when asked by authorities. While others burn the records for providing 100% security and privacy to their users. That’s why I am currently using ExpressVPN and I am very much satisfied with its service.
Yes, @Alice i also have to face the similar issue, in fact, i was very annoyed when I received a infringement notice first time in my life, although I usually take proper steps to make my torrenting private and for this purpose I normally use peer block and cyber ghost free vpn whenever I did torrent, well it was very frustrating moment when I received another notice and then my friend tell me that paid vpns provide 9 times much better protection than free ones. However according to above mentioned table I taking account from ivacy and I hope It will work better.
Yeah, I am totally agree with your statement that paid VPNs provide 9 times better protection then free VPNs.
Hello Alice Paul,
The risk associated with torrent is very real, especially if you’re in the US. Free VPNs have a bad history for being shady, and they should be avoided at all costs for tasks such as torrenting.
You are totally correct! Thank you for chiming in!
One of the major reasons why people recommend VPN over proxies is that torrent clients reveal your true location and leak information while using proxy. Although, the latest version of torrent clients are designed to do a better job at this but I personally don’t trust proxy services. They can be unreliable and fail to protect you while using torrents. I would rather stick with a VPN just because of this. Currently, I am using PIA (Private Internet Access) but I have also heard good reviews about PureVPN.
Hello Martin,
That’s music to my ears! Most people don’t realize how unsafe proxies can be for your privacy.
Thank you for contributing your comment!
Several VPN providers permit the best torrenting services and many people use VPN services for downloading torrent with complete anonymity and security. The best part of torrenting with VPN that you can’t tracked or caught anyone because its keep your credential secure / hide so no DMCA notice you will have to receive, however from the above mentioned comparison table I choose PureVPN.
Hello Kailee,
Yep you’re perfectly correct. The jurisdiction and logging policy of VPNs are important factors to consider for safe torrenting.
Before selecting any VPN, it is very important to read the logs and privacy policy of the provider. This is because some providers do not support torrents or P2P file sharing. That’s why it is important to have some knowledge about how a provider might affect your privacy before you use it for torrenting.
Hello Michael Martin,
You’ve hit the nail right on the head! Every VPN user should read the logging policy of the provider before deciding to go with one. This is better for your own privacy.
Thank you for the insightful comment!
It is a perfect list of best torrent VPN. I am living in North America and just a couple of days before I bought a VPN from your website, especially for torrenting, I am very happy to say that it is working like a charm. No drop in speed as you have mentioned in you purevpn review. In fact I am also watching BBC iPlayer with this account.
Hello Robert Brown,
Thanks for the comment. I’m glad this article was helpful for you! 🙂
From the last couple of months I am using Purevpn for torrenting and I am very satisfied with its services. In fact the good things are that it support responds within few minutes after my initial query. But you didn’t mention PIA over here because it is also a good torrent vpn but its prices are high than purevpn.
Hello Richard White,
The problem with PIA is that it is based in the US, so it’s always a risk to use VPNs based in the USA. They are within the jurisdiction of DMCA after all.
VPN is surely most-suitable option to use torrent, it cloaks my original IP address when downloading files from torrent. In this way no one identifies me. Thumbs up to the author ! keep up the good work.
Hello Deborah Jones,
Thank you for the kind words! I’m glad this article could be of help! 🙂
Torrent is like a bucket full of gold. I remember the time when I downloaded Transformers, Wolf of Wall Street and Ironman from the torrent, until I received this copyright infringement notice. I searched the internet to continue using the torrents as I can’t afford spending hundreds of dollar on movies. So, I came up with VPN, VPN has enabled me to download unlimited movies on monthly basis. Thanks for sharing such a good post!
Hello Elijah,
Thanks for sharing your input. I’m glad this article helped you out!
PirateBay is blocked in the place where I live, and it sucks! It’s been months, and unfortunately, I have been trying to find a solution but always leave with little to no success. But today, thanks to this blog I was finally able to access PirateBay with the help of a Torrent VPN. Great work on the blog, gentlemen. I hope you guys keep doing your work straight.
Hello Margaret Allen,
I’m glad you found this article helpful! Thanks for the comment. 🙂
I don’t know if there is any alternate available to this, but this is the best solution for me and my torrennting needs. It is kind of complicated for an average user like me, though you’ll get along with a torrent VPN in no time. Thanks to you guys, I’m now torrenting files like I used to back in the day. Cheers!
Thank you for your Valuable feedback.
Best Regards,
VPNRanks.com
Hi, Thanks for all your help. I chatted with one of the above, inquiring about P2P in the USA.
“P2P/File-sharing is not allowed on servers of countries where it’s illegal by law to do so such as United Kingdom (UK), United States (US), Canada, Australia etc…….
File-sharing is allowed, but only on specific selected servers……..”
Confused now. I will be able to access those specific servers?
Thank you also for the in depth guide for Mac.
Paula
Hi Paula, thanks for the question. File sharing is indeed under fire in countries like the US, UK, Canada and Australia. But you can engage in P2P/File-sharing activity from these countries by connecting to the VPN servers of the countries where File Shharing is legal. As long as you don’t engage in any copyright infringements, you have nothing to worry about. However, anti-file-sharing measures are usually very limited and are usually always preceeded by rather harmless warning notices by the ISP so you have a bit of a margin in case you ever get flagged during a P2P session in the event of a worst case scenario.
I hope I managed to help you out. Do feel free to get back to me if you’ve got any more questions. Cheers!