Best VPNs for Torrenting in 2024: 5 Options to Pick From

Torrenting (peer-to-peer file sharing) has a bad reputation for often being linked with copyright infringement, and that’s why a list of the best torrenting VPN for torrenting is important to know.

Here’s what we’ve found in our research on the topic: These top VPN providers rank the highest for torrenting: ExpressVPN, NordVPN, SurfShark, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access.

That’s a great place to start…that is, if you’re someone who just happens to torrent.

(By the way, we provide more details about the best VPNs for torrenting below, along with a lot more helpful information. Just keep reading.)

What is Torrenting?

Torrenting, to be clear, is just a special way of downloading files (think of large digital files that otherwise aren’t easy to get). And torrenting isn’t illegal, in and of itself.

Still, a lot of internet users simply like to get software, games, movies, and shows…for free. And they want to know the best way to torrent. Since most of these things are copyright protected, downloading them is illegal. To swim in those waters is risky. That’s where using a VPN—a Virtual Private Network—comes in.

There are several VPNs on the market but not all of them are good choices for torrenting. Make sure you get a VPN that allows torrenting and offers high speeds. Also, it shouldn’t keep any logs so your activity cannot be monitored.

Best VPNs for Torrenting

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN offers easy-to-use apps that make torrenting a safe and smooth experience. It has servers in 94 countries, making it a pretty large network.

It offers high performance, which means there are no noticeable speed drops. And with high speeds, you can download your favorite movies or TV shows in no time. Torrenting services (also knows as peer-to-peer or P2P) are available with unlimited bandwidth on ExpressVPN so you can download as many torrent files as you want.

With top-grade encryption, you can rest assured that your data is practically unhackable. And its privacy policy states that it doesn’t keep any logs, which means you can torrent with complete peace of mind.

ExpressVPN comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try its torrenting services risk-free.

Pros

• Fast speeds
• Large network
• Military-grade encryption
• Doesn’t keep logs

Cons

• Expensive plans

Get ExpressVPN Now

NordVPN

NordVPN offers high-grade, VPN security and there are no DNS/IPv6 leaks. Apart from the regular VPN services, it also offers what they call Double VPN, which encrypts your data twice, to make sure it’s impenetrable.

It also offers Onion over VPN for an even higher level of security. Of course, as an individual user, you don’t need that high level of security, but in case you’re also an activist, you can use these features.

NordVPN has special peer-to-peer optimized servers and you can select P2P when connecting. If you use P2P traffic while being connected to some other server, the app will automatically reroute the traffic to a P2P safe server to make sure your connection is secure.

With its fast speeds, you will be able to quickly download torrent files without any issues. Also, NordVPN doesn’t keep logs, which grants you complete anonymity and you can use BitTorrent without being concerned about copyright trolls or being blocked by your ISP.

Pros

• P2P optimized servers
• No DNS/IPv6 leaks
• Fast speeds
• Doesn’t keep logs

Cons

• No free trial

Get NordVPN Now

Surfshark

Surfshark offers easy and quick torrenting with its high speeds and unlimited bandwidth. All its servers support P2P, except in countries where torrenting is not allowed. If you connect to one of those servers, its app will reroute the traffic to torrent-friendly servers in Canada or Netherlands.

The Surfshark app is easy to use and will help you connect quickly so you can start sharing files in no time.

It uses military-grade encryption to ensure that your connections are safe and secure. And since it has a no-logs policy, you can rest assured that your anonymity is guaranteed.

It has all the features to be your favorite torrent VPN and that’s not all, Surfshark prices are very affordable as well. Additionally, it also has a live chat support feature that will make sure that your issues are solved as soon as they arise.

Pros

• Torrent-friendly servers
• Fast speeds
• No-logs policy
• Affordable prices

Cons

• Surfshark will try to resolve your problem before offering a refund

Get Surfshark Now

CyberGhost

CyberGhost app offers a P2P option. If you connect to it, you’ll be connected to a P2P optimized server. This will make your P2P session safe and secure. And since CyberGhost offers military-grade encryption, you can rest assured that nobody will be able to hack through it.

When you open the app, just click on Torrent Anonymously and the app will take care of the rest. With its high speeds and unlimited bandwidth, you can download as many torrents as you want and you’ll be ready to seed in no time.

CyberGhost doesn’t keep any records so your surfing will stay anonymous. It offers a 45-day money-back guarantee and that’s possibly the biggest one in the VPN market. The only problem with it is that there is no live chat support.

Pros

• Easy torrenting options in the app
• P2P optimized
• Military-grade encryption
• 45-day money-back guarantee

Cons

• No live chat support

Get CyberGhost Now

Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access or PIA offers high speeds that are good for torrenting. It also supports port forwarding so you can optimize torrent performance.

PIA has easy-to-use apps that will help you quickly connect and start P2P file sharing. Its privacy policy states that it does not log user data, which means you’re guaranteed complete anonymity as you download your favorite movies or shows. See our review on PrivateInternetAccess for more details on its performance.

It has military-grade AES-256 encryption that’s virtually impossible to break. With servers in 32 countries, you can hide behind any IP and copyright trolls will not be able to track your real location.

And since PIA offers unlimited bandwidth, you can download as many torrents as you want. There are no DNS or IPv6 leaks, offering you a secure connection that doesn’t let your data go on an unencrypted channel.

Pros

• Fast connections
• Military-grade encryption
• Unlimited bandwidth
• No logging

Cons

• No live chat

Get PIA Now

More on Torrenting

In traditional downloading, people download a file from a single source. This creates bottlenecks as many people try to download the same file.

With BitTorrent (a communication protocol for P2P file sharing), instead of downloading the file from a single location, it is downloaded in bits from several locations. As each user downloads the file on their computer, they also upload some of the files so other users can access the content as well.

This is a peer-to-peer (P2P) model where peer computers share a file among each other. This decentralized system doesn’t have a single server that can break down under the load of too many requests.

As more people try to download a particular file, they also upload it, which keeps the system going. There are no bottlenecks and a lot of users can simultaneously access the same file.

Why is Torrenting Popular?

While the number one reason for torrenting is to obtain paid content for free, torrenting is popular for a variety of other reasons. Torrenting allows users to download files quickly and efficiently. Since each file is transferred in bits and pieces from several sources, it is downloaded faster than the traditional downloading method.

Torrents were very popular in 2004 but their usage started to decline as streaming sites such as Netflix and Hulu came into being. But after the declining popularity, Torrenting is again seeing a rise in its use. People are coming back to torrenting even though several torrent websites (such as Kick Ass Torrents) have been taken down.

Is Torrenting Bad for the Movie Industry?

While it is generally considered that torrenting is bad for the movie industry, a study proved that this assumption might be far from reality.

Researchers compared the box office revenues of movies before and after the shutdown of a major torrent site Megaupload.com.

After the closing of Megaupload, the box office revenues actually fell instead of rising. While big movies such as Harry Potter showed increased revenue, medium and small movies earned far less after the torrent website closed down.

A theory behind this observation is that when someone downloaded a movie from torrents and watched it, they recommended it to their friends who then watched it in the theaters. Without someone to give a review, fewer people showed up at the theater, leading to a drop in revenues.

Is Torrenting Legal?

The BitTorrent protocol that lets you download bits of files from several locations isn’t illegal. Trouble happens when you download copyrighted material without explicit permission. That’s when torrenting becomes illegal.

Since BitTorrent cannot distinguish between legal and illegal content, the user need to make sure that the content they share has no copyright and is fine to torrent.

People who use torrents are called peers, and there are two types of peers — seeds and leeches. When you download the file from other users, you’re a leech. And once you have downloaded a part of the file, you can upload it for other users, which makes you a seed.

You don’t have to do anything to seed and the torrent client does it automatically. This means that when you download something using torrents, you’re not just using it yourself, but also sharing it further, making the crime even more severe.

What are Copyright Trolls?

It’s difficult for a central body to catch individual pirates so this job is outsourced to small companies called copyright trolls. They find people who use BitTorrent. These businesses then threaten the users that legal action will be taken against the latter unless they sign a deal.

It might be copyright holders or Hollywood agencies who hire copyright trolls, who usually approach torrentors through email. Since these emails are not legally binding, copyright trolls use fear and intimidation to make the torrent user pay up.

Why You Should Torrent Only with VPNs

You should strive to download only legal files, although it’s difficult sometimes to distinguish between free and copyrighted content. When you visit a torrenting site, there’s likely someone monitoring your IP address, which gives away your details, including to your Internet Service Provider.

Without a VPN, your connection is open and visible to anyone who wants to spy on you. To avoid getting into legal trouble, it’s best to use a VPN whenever you use torrents. When you connect to the VPN, its server encrypts and reroute your traffic. This means that your IP address is not visible to the copyright trolls. Also, since your data is encrypted, your ISP cannot see what you’re doing. This protects and prevents your internet provider from banning you.

The Bottom line

While we do not condone violating copyright laws, we do believe in online safety. If you are trying to download an old movie because it’s not available anywhere else and only through torrents, you shouldn’t have to worry about legal actions being taken against you.

To avoid that and to stay anonymous, it’s best to use a VPN. Since all VPNs don’t allow torrenting, make sure you get a VPN that’s good for P2P connections. Review our recommendations and select any one of the VPNs mentioned above so you can have a worry-free torrenting experience.

Ready to Start Torrenting with a Top VPN?

Click on one of these to get started.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are free VPNs OK for Torrenting?

Free VPNs are generally not recommended for torrenting due to their lack of essential security features, slow speeds, and potential security risks. If you still prefer to use a free VPN, consider opting for a free trial or refund period of a paid VPN service, or look for reputable free VPNs without service restrictions.

Is private VPN good for Torrenting?

PrivateVPN is great for torrenting. It fully supports P2P with dedicated servers for torrenting, provides SOCKS5 and HTTP Proxy options, and offers various encryption settings that you can customize to your needs.

Which VPN is safe for Torrenting?

When it comes to torrenting safely, NordVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, and CyberGhost are all top choices. NordVPN offers robust security and optimized P2P servers, while Surfshark provides a budget-friendly option with strong security features. ExpressVPN stands out for its fast speeds, extensive server network, and reliable customer support, making it ideal for torrenting. CyberGhost is user-friendly and offers solid privacy protections. Overall, ExpressVPN is highly recommended for its comprehensive security and performance in torrenting scenarios.

Which VPN should I use for Torrenting?

NordVPN leads with a top rating of 4.9 stars and offers over 5300 servers optimized for P2P activities. Surfshark follows closely with a rating of 4.7 stars and provides access to more than 3200 P2P-enabled servers. Norton VPN, rated at 4.2 stars, supports torrenting with an undisclosed number of servers dedicated to P2P connections. ExpressVPN, also highly rated at 4.3 stars, offers P2P support with servers that are optimized for torrenting, although the exact number isn’t specified.

Related Articles

• What is a VPN?
• Comparison of VPN Services
• Why You Should be Using a VPN
• Free VPNs [INFOGRAPHIC]