Torrenters download billions of files every year. Unfortunately, most of them get into it unprotected and are unaware of all the dangers associated with P2P file sharing.
Our advice? Always maximize your online anonymity and security with a good VPN. Here’s our list of the best VPNs for torrenting:
- NordVPN: Best overall VPN for torrenting
- Surfshark: Best torrenting VPN with unlimited connections
- CyberGhost: Most affordable and user-friendly
- PIA: Largest server network for torrenting
- ExpressVPN: Most secure servers for torrenting
NordVPN is our top pick for its proven dedication to privacy protection and cybersecurity protocols. Couple that with top speeds and servers optimized for P2P sharing, and it’s no surprise it found its way to the top of the list.
If you’d like to learn more about safe torrenting with a VPN, we take a deep dive into each of our picks below.
Torrenting has become more popular than ever. People worldwide are downloading millions of files every month, from movies and TV shows to productivity software and games. Most torrenters, however, may not be aware of the dangers that lurk on even the best torrent sites.
Between hackers and malicious uploaders, your private data is always at risk. Governments are also clamping down on torrenting with fines and domain seizures. With so many risks involved, keeping your location hidden, your data encrypted, and your IP address masked is essential. In other words, you need a VPN you can trust.
But which VPN is the best choice for you? With so many providers, doing your own research might take months. That’s why we listed our top 5 VPNs for torrenting right here.
Which VPN is Best for Torrenting?
We tested dozens of VPNs to find the best options for your peer-to-peer (P2P) needs. A good torrenting VPN should be fast, secure, and user-friendly. If you live in a country where torrenting is banned, bypassing online censorship is also a must. These were some of the main ranking factors during our tests.
The result? We discovered the top five best VPNs for torrenting. Here’s a quick overview of their main features:
| VPN PROVIDER | NordVPN | Surfshark | CyberGhost | PIA | ExpressVPN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of servers | 5,200+ | 3,200+ | 6,000+ | 30,000+ | 3,000+ |
| Number of countries | 50+ | 100 | 90+ | 90+ | 90+ |
| Torrenting allowed | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Servers optimized for torrenting | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Protocols | NordLynx, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IPsec | Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP/IPsec |
| Obfuscation | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ |
| Price | $2.99 | $2.05 | $2.03 | $2.03 | $6.67 |
| Purchase | Visit the NordVPN website | Visit the Surfshark website | Visit the CyberGhost website | Visit PIA’s website | Visit the ExpressVPN website |
Note: While torrenting isn’t illegal, downloading copyright-protected data or files, or illegal media, is punishable by law in many countries. A VPN can mask your real IP address and encrypt your online traffic, but that should never be seen as a license to steal.
Let’s take a closer look at our top VPNs for torrenting.
1. NordVPN: The best VPN for torrenting
Features:
- 5,200+ servers in 50+ countries
- Dedicated P2P servers
- Excellent download speeds
- Split tunneling
- Protection against malware and trackers
- Obfuscated servers
- DNS servers operated by NordVPN
- NordLynx, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 VPN protocols
In our opinion, NordVPN is the best VPN for torrenting. It makes anonymous downloading easy with its stability, blazing speed, and bulletproof security. We’d also say it’s one of the best VPNs currently out there.
On top of its vast server network, NordVPN also offers servers optimized for P2P file sharing. Its unique protocol offers top-level security, quick downloads, and seamless P2P streaming.
NordVPN ensures uninterrupted torrenting traffic in countries with heavy internet censorship, all while hiding P2P activity from your ISP and malicious third parties. It achieves this through the so-called “obfuscation,” which allows you to conceal your VPN connection. Unlike other VPNs, NordVPN can block malware and remove annoying ads from torrent sites.
With double encryption, a firm no-log policy, and an auto-kill switch to boot, it’s no wonder NordVPN is our top torrenting VPN. It’s a fantastic P2P tool for experienced torrenters and beginners alike.
NordVPN’s subscriptions start low, as you can see in the box below. You can use their 30-day money-back guarantee as a free NordVPN trial. Just click on the link below and test this VPN service yourself.
- Fast and large worldwide network of VPN servers
- Perfect for privacy and streaming
- Trusted by many, with over 14 million users
You can read our comprehensive NordVPN review with hands-on testing to learn more about this service and its features.
2. Surfshark: Fast torrenting with unlimited connections
Features:
- 3,200+ servers in 100+ countries
- Torrenting allowed on all servers
- The fastest VPN on the market
- Protection against malware and phishing
- Private DNS servers
- Obfuscation
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 protocols
People usually view Surfshark as a “streaming VPN,” but it’s also an excellent torrenting tool. Its high-powered speeds will make short work of any file and guarantee smooth P2P streams. Privacy-wise, we’ve found solid encryption, zero privacy leaks, and a strict no-log policy.
Surfshark can protect an unlimited number of devices at the same time, making it ideal for large households with a lot of torrenters and other users — a feature even NordVPN can’t match. It has fewer servers than some of our other picks, but it’s on par with them in terms of speed and online security.
Surfshark can also help you bypass censorship anywhere in the world. Can’t access torrents in China? This VPN will get your downloads going in no time. You don’t even have to worry about ads, trackers, or malware, thanks to its neat “CleanWeb” feature.
The software comes with a full 30-day money-back guarantee. So, you can test Surfshark for free and see how it complements your favorite torrent client.
- Very user-friendly and works with Netflix and torrents
- 30-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked!
- Cheap with many extra options
For a long look at this VPN and its features, check out our full Surfshark review.
3. CyberGhost: The most beginner-friendly torrenting VPN
Features:
- 6,000+ servers in 90+ countries
- Optimized torrenting servers
- Good download speeds
- Protection against malware and trackers
- Private DNS servers
- The most beginner-friendly apps
- WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 protocols
CyberGhost is cheaper than NordVPN but also a bit slower when routing through distant servers. However, the service offers around 1,000 more server locations, so you can almost always find a server close to you. CyberGhost is a VPN with a strict no-logging policy, solid security, and airtight leak protection.
In our opinion, CyberGhost is the best VPN for beginners, thanks to its user-friendly apps. Even avid torrenters will enjoy its P2P-optimized servers. These servers are secure and located in countries with favorable torrenting legislation. You’ll have zero problems accessing torrent sites anywhere on the globe.
CyberGhost also includes an effective ad blocker to remove ads from your favorite sites. Although slower than NordVPN over long distances, CyberGhost is still a high-speed VPN. This ensures quick downloads and streams without any buffering. Military-grade encryption and a kill switch make sure the security follows suit.
If you’ve decided to become a “Ghostie,” you can get in on the cheaper side of VPN subscriptions, as you can see below. You can also use its 45-money-back guarantee to test CyberGhost free of charge.
- Very user-friendly
- High quality for a low price
- Torrents and Netflix possible
You can read our full CyberGhost review for more information about this excellent torrenting VPN.
4. Private Internet Access (PIA): The largest server network for torrenting
Features:
- 30,000+ servers in 80+ countries
- Torrenting allowed on all servers
- Decent download speeds
- Protection against malware and trackers
- Up to 10 simultaneous connections
- WireGuard, OpenVPN, and L2TP/IPsec protocols.
Private Internet Access (PIA) might not have Surfshark’s raw speed, but it offers the largest server network on the market. This prevents server crowding and the resulting lag, which makes downloads take so long to complete. Many of its servers are optimized for US performance, making it ideal for US-based torrenters.
PIA’s security package is impressive and complemented by a watertight no-logging policy. Its “Mace” feature blocks malware, trackers, and ads on torrenting sites. The advanced app-level split tunneling allows you to route your P2P traffic through a VPN tunnel while letting trusted apps access the internet directly.
PIA’s subscriptions start around a couple of bucks if you sign up for long-term plans, and there’s also a seven-day free trial for iOS and Android. If want to give it a go for longer, you can use their 30-day money-back guarantee for a full refund. Click on the link below to test Private Internet Access right now.
- Strong focus on privacy and security
- Good price
- Fast and stable servers
If you want to learn more about this VPN before purchasing, read our full Private Internet Access review with extensive feature testing.
5. ExpressVPN: The most secure servers for torrenting
Features:
- 3,000+ servers in 90+ countries
- Torrenting allowed on all servers
- TrustedServer technology
- Excellent download speeds
- Obfuscation
- Lightway, OpenVPN, IKEv2, and L2TP/IPsec protocols
ExpressVPN is another renowned provider that allows torrenting across the board. Its server network dishes out great download speeds without any lag or disconnects. Its pricing is somewhat steep, though, so we don’t recommend it if you’re looking for a budget option.
ExpressVPN’s proprietary protocol called Lightway activates obfuscation automatically when deep packet inspection is detected. The rest of its security arsenal includes solid protocols, an automatic kill switch, an airtight no-logging policy, and much more. However, the company doesn’t offer any anti-malware tools, and ExpressVPN can’t block ads.
One of the best things about ExpressVPN is its RAM-only server network. The so-called “TrustedServer” technology wipes all data from the servers during every reboot. This means that no one will be able to trace your P2P activity back to you as an individual.
Though ExpressVPN’s subscription starts at the higher end, as you can see, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Click on the link below to test it right now and see if it’s worth the price.
- Very easy-to-use VPN
- Perfect for anonymous browsing, downloading, and streaming (i.e., Netflix)
- Thousands of servers in 105 countries
Alternatively, you can also read our full ExpressVPN review for more info.
How We Picked the Best VPNs for Torrenting
In a nutshell, a good torrenting VPN should be fast, secure, and easy to use. It should also make torrent sites cleaner and safer. We had to devise a series of tests that would put the abovementioned factors to work.
Some features like ad blocking, for example, are pretty easy to test, while others demand much more work — namely speed and security. So, here’s a quick overview of how we chose these VPNs.
Speed
We needed VPNs that won’t slow your downloads to a crawl. If you enjoy P2P streaming, the experience needs to be smooth and buffer-free. So, we were looking for ultra-fast VPNs with zero speed-throttling.
For every VPN service on this list, we tested dozens of servers to gauge their overall connection speeds. We first checked the speed of our internet connection without the VPN and then compared it to performances on different servers. We then switched to downloading torrents and noted the results for further comparisons.
During this test, we were also mindful of server lag, sharp speed drops, and sudden disconnects. These factors can ruin your torrenting experience or leak private data when your VPN connection drops for whatever reason.
Security
We wanted to see AES-256 encryption paired with a reliable kill switch. A strict no-logging policy and zero data leaks were also a must.
Some of the security details are easy to come by. For example, information about encryption and VPN protocols can be obtained through simple online research. On the other hand, we actively had to test the kill switch performance, protection against DNS leaks, and various anti-malware tools.
We tested the kill switch of every VPN provider by using a page refresher tool that also showed our IP address. When we simulated a dropped connection, we could see whether our real IP addresses showed up before the VPN managed to reconnect. If they did, the kill switch wasn’t doing its job.
We used sites like ipleak.net as well as our IP tool to check for DNS leaks. We also tried downloading torrent files infected with malware to see whether the VPN would react or not. Finally, we paid close attention to the number of ads we saw on the best torrenting sites out there.
Other key points
- Large server network: When it comes to servers, “the more you have, the better off you’ll be” is our golden rule. Having more locations reduces server loads, which translates to faster torrenting. It also ups your odds of bypassing online censorship.
- Ad-blocking: Not really a necessity but definitely a quality-of-life improvement. Torrent sites bombard you with pop-ups, and we wanted to eliminate those ads if at all possible.
- Ease of use: We were looking for apps that anyone could use without any difficulties. Nobody wants to deal with complicated software and a bunch of cryptic options and menus.
- Price/quality ratio: Saving some money is always nice. So, we have the utmost respect for VPNs that offer top-notch service with lower price tags.
Finding all this in a single VPN, though, is basically impossible. Some VPNs like IronSocket offer special P2P servers with fast speeds, but don’t support AES 256-bit encryption and have a limited server network.
So, your best VPN for torrenting will hinge on your personal preferences. Do you want better speed or higher security? Saving some money or blocking ads? Whichever option you choose, you will have to make some sacrifices.
Can I Use a Free VPN for Torrenting?
Free VPN services come in two forms:
- Free limited versions of renowned premium VPNs
- Manipulative and dangerous services that offer zero protection
Some VPN providers like ProtonVPN offer free versions of their software. Naturally, you’ll have to deal with some limitations compared to the premium options. With Proton, free users have access only to three servers, which is awful for torrenting.
PrivadoVPN and Hide.me, on the other hand, impose a 10GB data limit on their free users. Once you’ve used that up, you’d have to upgrade to do more downloading.
Providers also have to support their free versions financially. Since they’re not stealing and selling your data, they have to do this with in-app ads and pop-ups. If you don’t like these limitations, you can always buy one of the premium plans. Free versions give you a unique opportunity to test the software completely cost-free.
Having said that, these are legitimate VPNs that actually provide solid protection. Even new entrants, like OVPN, offer excellent security to users.
Dangerous free VPNs
The other side of the “free VPN” coin is far more sinister. We have malicious VPN providers whose products offer little to no protection. They’re usually just trying to steal and sell your personal data or use your system to secretly mine crypto.
Instead of protecting you, they will expose your data to hackers and spy organizations. This includes logs about your activity, i.e. the sites you visit and your interaction with them. On top of that, you’ll be defenseless against all threats associated with torrenting.
Here are a few to stay away from:
- HolaVPN: Hola’s free version is just a questionable P2P proxy without any encryption. Its extensive data logs will trace your P2P traffic back to you and expose you to potential legal fines and even jail time in some countries.
- TouchVPN: Apart from leaving your P2P traffic unprotected, this quasi-VPN will also leak your private data (including your real IP). This defeats the sole purpose of using a VPN for torrenting.
- BeetVPN: This is one of the slowest VPNs out there that also logs a lot of sensitive data. It leaves your P2P traffic and true identity out in the open while “rewarding” you with the slowest downloads imaginable.
The VPNs mentioned above are merely the tip of the iceberg, and countless services, programs, and providers pop up online regularly. If you’ve got a question about a particular free VPN, just leave a comment below this article, and the VPNOverview team will offer our opinion.
Should I use a free VPN?
If your budget is limited, we recommend services from our list of the best free VPNs for torrenting. They will keep your P2P activity away from prying eyes at zero cost. Bear in mind, however, that these VPNs come with the aforementioned serious limitations.
We also caution you against using the dangerous VPNs from the latter category, no matter how great the deal sounds.
Why Use a VPN for Torrenting?
VPN benefits for torrenters are almost too many to count. Here are some of the most important ones:
- Increased online privacy: VPNs replace your IP address with an anonymous one. This prevents malicious third parties, your ISP, and even your favorite torrent sites from tracking your activity. Your P2P traffic can never be traced back to your computer or you as a person. If you’re creating an account on a torrent site, remember to use an anonymous email and none of your real-life information.
- No ISP throttling: Your ISP can detect torrenting. If they do, they will severely throttle your speed. With VPN protection, your traffic is encrypted, and no one can see what you’re doing online. So, good VPNs for torrenting can actually boost your download speed.
- Increased online security: As mentioned, VPNs encrypt your traffic to protect you from data theft and other attacks. You can even torrent safely on unprotected networks. Two of our top 3 picks can also protect you from malware infections.
- Bypassing geo-restrictions: VPNs will unblock torrenting sites for you anywhere on the globe. They can bypass censorship in the US or the UK or let you access banned sites in Russia. Simply change your IP address to a country that is eligible, and enjoy your favorite content hassle-free.
Conclusion: Best VPNs for Torrenting
By using a VPN geared for privacy and security, you can risk-proof all of your downloads and torrenting activity. You can stay anonymous, prevent ISP throttling, and even bypass online censorship. All the picks on our list offer the privacy protection and security protocols you’ll need to torrent without worry.
Here’s another quick roundup of our top VPN choices for torrenting:
While there are plenty of legitimate files to download on torrenting sites, there is also plenty of illegally obtained content up for grabs from seeders. We strongly advise against downloading copyrighted content. Though some countries have no laws against piracy, it’s considered a crime in many others. Having anonymity and amped-up security online shouldn’t be used to break any laws.
There are also plenty of uploaders with malicious intent, so remember that infected files can lurk on torrenting sites. Though some of our picks offer malware protection, you’ll also want to make sure that your device is protected by premium antivirus software. Got any questions left? Feel free to leave them in the comments below.
Have more questions about the best VPNs for torrenting? Below, we covered some of the most frequently asked questions.
NordVPN is the best overall VPN for torrenting. It offers solid security, airtight privacy, and dedicated P2P servers. On top of that, you’ll have a giant server network, excellent geo-unblocking capabilities, and even an ad-blocker. In short, NordVPN is everything a safety-conscious torrenter will ever need.
Yes. A VPN will hide your IP address and encrypt your traffic, making you invisible to online threats. Two of the best VPNs for torrenting on our list will even block malware. However, we strongly advise against illegal downloads and copyright infringement.
Yes, but you’ve got to be picky. Some free VPNs are limited versions of premium services, like ProtonVPN, which are totally legitimate and safe to use. However, there are also countless malicious operations posing as free VPNs. They provide zero protection and will steal and sell your data to the highest bidder. You should never use free VPNs from the latter category. Check out our list of the best VPNs for torrenting for our top picks.
