Although many Internet service providers and certain governments try to stop people from downloading their favorite music, shows, or movies through torrenting, this is still very popular, and this trend is far from dying off. Having a VPN for torrenting is the best choice you can make if you want to download large and small files via torrenting completely safe and secure. Torrenting is when a lot of people share small parts of a big file with one another, in order to have some super-fast downloading speeds.
The significant rise of torrenting also means the rise of buying VPNs, so the users can have some additional anonymity and privacy when they download files via torrenting. Of course, that we do not approve any illegal activities, but we're quite concerned with your safety on the Internet. You also have to remember that your privacy could be invaded, when you share those files with other users because they could easily view your IP address, and endanger your privacy online. If you’re eager to avoid, check below the list of carefully picked VPNs for torrenting. We’ll also cover some major topics that are important for torrenting with a VPN service.
1. Why should you torrent with a VPN?
There are a couple of reasons why you should use a VPN while torrenting.
First, if you use a VPN, your Internet service provider will be unable to see that you’re torrenting, which is great. The reason is that everything that you either downloaded or uploaded through BitTorrent is going to be encrypted when it passes through a server from your Internet service. This way, they won't be able to see what content you're downloading, or the fact that you are torrenting. If your ISP even tries to decrypt the encryption, it would take it a lot of time and resources as well.
Secondly, the server you're connecting to with the help of the VPN is between you and the Internet. Meaning, that no one, even BitTorrent peers, will be able to see your IP address. Instead, they're going to see the IP address of the VPN server.
2. What are the most important factors when choosing a VPN for torrenting?
When you're in the process of choosing which VPN provider you'll use for torrenting, consider these factors below first.
a.) No-logs policy
A strict no-logs policy is a must for every VPN, no matter for what purposes you’re using it. When you’re torrenting, this is one of the most important features that a VPN must offer to its users. Even though a VPN has some powerful encryption protocols that could protect you from any cyber-criminals, your data could be compromised if a VPN stores information about your online activities. VPNs that have a no-logs policy will store no information about your browsing history, connection logs, or your traffic. So, if a third-party request any info about you, the VPN won’t be able to give them anything, due to the fact that they keep no logs.
b.) P2P support
Ideal privacy is not good enough for torrenting to go smoothly. What you also need is support for P2P traffic, so remember that. A VPN provider that will allow you to go torrenting is going to provide you protection if you get DMCA letters. On the other hand, if your VPN doesn’t have support for P2P traffic, you will not be protected.
c.) The kill switch
This is a crucial feature that is an absolute must when you’re torrenting, and we’ll explain to you why. With the kill switch, you won’t be able to go torrenting if you don’t have your VPN connection. So, make sure that when you choose a VPN provider for torrenting, that provider has a kill switch.
d.) Port forwarding
This is a feature that boosts the speed of P2P downloads, but some may find it not as reliable because it imposes certain security risks.
3. The Best VPNs for Torrenting
Below, you'll be presented with an in-depth analysis of the best VPNs that allow torrenting. We have tested many VPNs along the way, but the ones below have shown to be the ideal VPN services for torrenting. Read the reviews one by one, and decide which one you'll pick for the use of torrenting.
a.) NordVPN
This is a high-quality VPN known for providing the users with perfect privacy and a separate tab that is just dedicated to P2P connections. This VPN service offers fantastic security for torrenting, and for a low price. So, if you're in the process of choosing a VPN that has good value for its price, then stop searching and choose NordVPN. The security features are super strong, and they include the reliable and the traditional OpenVPN protocol along with the additional layer of security that the 256-bit AES encryption provides.
This top-notch VPN is located in Panama, and it was founded in 2008. The apps are available for many operating systems. You can use this VPN on Windows, Android, iOS, Linux, routers, and so on. Also, it has browser extensions for the well-known browsers, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. What’s great about this VPN is that it has two kill switches. One kill switch is dedicated to your whole connection, and one is meant for certain programs. It offers more than 4700 servers that support P2P traffic at the highest possible speeds. You can access these servers form the menu in the VPN app. Also, NordVPN has unlimited bandwidth.
b.) ExpressVPN
This VPN is good for many things, but it is considered as one of the finest VPNs that you can have for torrenting. It offers full support for P2P connections for more than 300 servers in 94 countries. It was established in the privacy-friendly British Virgin Islands in 2009. It has been on the market for over a decade, and it has made a name for itself for being trustworthy and offering high-level quality service for its users. There are no limitations when it comes to bandwidth, and you will definitely enjoy high download speeds when you’re torrenting with this Virtual Private Network. Privacy is very important, and this VPN takes great care of that by having a kill switch that will activate when you don’t have a VPN connection. It also has port forwarding.
Your shared files are going to be secure and protected with cutting-edge encryption protocols and the 256-bit AES encryption. This VPN has a split tunneling feature, with which you can easily encrypt your P2P traffic. ExpressVPN works great with a lot of torrent programs. Some of them like uTorrent as well as BitTorrent as they are very popular programs for torrenting. With ExpressVPN, you can use up to a max of five simultaneous connections. This VPN is also going to unblock geo-restricted content, and you’ll be able to watch content at many streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, etc.
c.) CyberGhost
CyberGhost is a VPN service that is based in Romania, a country known for its non-invasive privacy laws. This means that you’ll be safe when you torrent with this VPN brand. CyberGhost has a no-logs policy. Meaning they will not store your logs, Internet traffic, or your IP address. It has a dedicated tab only for torrenting, where it shows the list of servers where you can have safe downloads at the highest speeds. In this tab, you can see which countries and servers support P2P traffic. When you connect to a server, you'll see your current download speed and the time for which you're connected to that P2P optimized server. This VPN offers a massive range of 6000 servers in 89 countries, which is pretty impressive.
When it comes to security, you'll be able to choose one of many encryption protocols. They're all modern and highly reliable. You can select the OpenVPN protocol, PPTP, L2TP, etc. CyberGhost offers an adblocker that will protect you from harmful ads while you’re torrenting. If you love to watch shows or movies on streaming services, you’ll be in for a treat because this VPN unblocks geo-restricted content. You could enjoy the content of Netflix, Amazon, BBC, and so on. Among accepting the regular payment methods like Paypal and credit cards, this VPN also supports Bitcoin.
d.) IPVanish
This VPN provider is located in the United States, and it was founded in 1999. For over two decades, this VPN has been providing its services for countless users, that have all been satisfied with what it has to offer. Among many other things, this VPN is great for torrenting. It has a strict no-logs policy, so it won’t monitor and log any of your Internet activities. It has over 1300 servers scattered across over 70 countries. It has strong encryption protocols like OpenVPN, IKEv2, and SSTP. With these protocols, there's also an extra layer of security in the form of the 256-bit AES encryption.
It offers a superb feature, shared IP addresses. You can also switch your IP address every hour. Although it supports P2P connections, you may experience slower speeds when you torrent. With IPVanish, you’ll be able to use ten devices at the same time with only one account, which is really great. The apps of this VPN provider are available on numerous operating systems. You will have the freedom to use it on Windows, Android, iOS, routers, and so on. IPVanish will also unblock geo-restricted content. You will have full access to Netflix and BBC iPlayer content.
e.) PrivateVPN
PrivateVPN offers great service to its customers by having more than 150 servers that fully support P2P traffic. This VPN was founded in 2009 In Sweden. This provider has a zero-logs policy, so you don't have to worry if they'll store any of your online activities. While you torrent, you will be protected with the oldest, but the most reliable encryption protocol, the OpenVPN protocol. You'll also have an additional layer of protection, the 256-bit AES protocol. This VPN also has port forwarding. Thanks to the kill switch and the incredible security feature, the DNS leak protection, you will be completely safe when you’re torrenting. If you want to improve your anonymity, there’s also an option for you to make payments with the famous cryptocurrency- the Bitcoin.
Sweden servers are highly recommended by many experts for you to use for torrenting, so remember that when you're choosing your ideal VPN provider. With PrivateVPN, you will be able to use up to a max of six devices at the same time. This VPN service is available on a great number of operating systems. You're free to use it on Windows, Android, Linux, iOS, and so on. When it comes to the ability to unblock some geo-restricted content, this VPN will rise to the occasion. It will unblock famous streaming platforms such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, HBO, and so on. There’s a slim chance that you won’t be satisfied with PrivateVPN, but if you are, you can select the 30-day money-back guarantee option.
f.) Surfshark
Surfshark is a VPN that supports P2P traffic and has over 1000 P2P dedicated servers. This VPN service is located in the British Virgin Islands, where it was founded in 2018. With this VPN, you will safely torrent thanks to the kill switch and other numerous high-quality security features. It has a no-logs policy, meaning that they will not store any info about what you do online. Even if the government or some third-party firms ask them to hand over information about you, they won’t be able to do it, due to the fact they store no logs. It’s highly recommended that you torrent a US server because they have the fastest P2P speeds.
Thanks to this VPN, you will be able to connect as many devices as you want. The customer support is tremendous in doing their job, and they are at your disposal 24/7. The pricing plans are budget-friendly, and you’ll get good value for the price that you’ll be paying.
Conclusion
Every VPN that we have reviewed in this article is special on its own, but it's up to you to decide which one you'll be using for torrenting. Choose one and start torrenting. Best of luck.
