The Best VPNs For Safe and Anonymous Torrenting

One of the best reasons for investing in a VPN is torrenting. With a VPN for torrenting, you can access files from networks all over the world that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to. The rising popularity of torrenting has seen governments across the globe crackdown on users attempting to access videos, music, films, and video games via P2P torrenting. The increase in torrenting means we see a rise in VPN downloads, but with so many options out there, which one do you choose?

Short on time and don’t want to read the entire article? Here are our picks of the best VPNs for safe torrenting:

How We Selected The Best VPNs For Torrenting

When compiling our list of the best VPNs for torrenting in 2021, we based our decision on major factors, including:

• Security – the biggest priority when choosing a VPN for torrenting
• Shared IPs – when torrenting you should use shared IPs for an added layer of anonymity
• Speed – our recommended torrent VPNs all perform at a high speed
• Logging Policy – your chosen VPN cannot retain identifiable data about you
• Bandwidth Limit – torrents typically require a lot of data, so you cannot be limited when it comes to bandwidth

How to Choose the Right Torrent VPN

To ensure that you have a safe torrenting experience, your chosen VPN for torrenting should do all of the following:

• Protect your online traffic using AES-256 encryption and OpenVPN
• Have a strict no-logging policy
• Support P2P traffic
• Provide excellent upload and download speeds
• Hide your IP address and also mask your true location
• Protect you against DNS, IP, and WebTRC leaks
• Have at least one kill switch
• Provide a vast server network and also include dedicated torrenting servers

The one VPN that ticks all of these boxes is ExpressVPN. As the fastest VPN on the market, you can torrent safely without even noticing your VPN running in the background.

The Best VPNs for Torrenting in 2021

#1 ExpressVPN – The best all-around VPN service for torrenting

Allows torrenting | Fast connections | Kill switch supported: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | Number of servers: 3,000+ | 24/7 Live chat support

ExpressVPN is our winner for the best torrenting VPN due to it having the highest security standards, as well as being the fastest VPN on the market. Although torrenting can slow your connection down considerably, ExpressVPN comes with a 99.9% uptime guarantee. There are security protocols in place to keep your connection secure, and ExpressVPN is one of the few VPN service providers that has passed a third-party security audit by Cure53.

Here are some of the top reasons to choose ExpressVPN for torrenting:

• Apps available for every device
• Hides your streaming activity
• No connection or activity logs
• Minimally affected ping times
• Works exceptionally well in high censorship countries
• Military-grade encryption
• Large international server network
• 30-Day money-back guarantee

Find out everything you need to know about ExpressVPN in our detailed review.

#2 NordVPN – Top-notch security protocols

Allows torrenting | Fast connections | Kill switch supported: Windows, Mac, iOS | Number of servers: 5,000+ | 24/7 Live chat support

NordVPN is another great VPN for torrenting in 2020 because it performs well both in terms of security and speed. In the last few months, NordVPN has incorporated the WireGuardVPN protocol directly into its apps. This protocol will likely replace the OpenVPN protocol as the industry standard as it can increase your speed by more than half while not compromising on security. Other security protocols include dedicated P2P servers, obfuscated servers, double-hop VPN. The P2P servers are ideal for torrenting as they provide the fastest speeds for large files. Additionally, NordVPN also has its CyberSec feature, which detects and blocks malware, trackers, and ads.

Here are some more reasons why we suggest NordVPN for torrenting:

•  IP Leak protection
•  Double VPN
•  Onion over VPN
•  Simultaneous connections on up to 6 devices
•  30-day money-back guarantee
•  Set-up and installation takes just minutes

Find out more information on NordVPN in our extensive review.

#3 CyberGhost – A huge number of servers around the world

Allows torrenting | Average connections | Kill switch supported: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS |  Number of servers: 6,300+ | 24/7 Live chat support

The great thing about CyberGhost is that it comes with all the security features you need for a safe torrenting experience. This includes IPV6 leak protection, DNS leak protection, NAT firewall, IP sharing, auto internet kill switch, Open VPN, L2TP, IPSec, and PPTP. This VPN is located in Romania, a country that doesn’t need to adhere to GDPR laws enforced in the European Union. Furthermore, the strict no-logs privacy policy from CyberGhost means that your user traffic performed inside the VPN tunnel will not be exposed to anyone.

We love CyberGhost for torrenting, but the only minor downfall is that it doesn’t come with a SOCKS5 proxy service. This is something that is only used by a small number of torrenters, but still, it would be a nice feature to include.

Here are some more features that make CyberGhost good for torrenting:

• Strict No Logs Policy
• High speeds
• Simultaneous connections on up to 7 devices
• 256-bit AES Encryption
• Unlimited bandwidth and traffic
• OpenVPN, L2TP-IPsec and PPTP protocols
• Apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, routers

Get all the details regarding CyberGhost in our review.

#4 Surfshark – Unlimited simultaneous connections available

Allows torrenting | Fast connections | Kill switch supported: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS | Number of servers: 1,700+ | 24/7 Live chat support

Surfshark users interested in torrenting will be glad to know that the company is based in the British Virgin Islands and comes with a strict no-logging policy. Surfshark also provides a kill switch, which you will need to activate. It is also worth mentioning that Surfshark, unlike other VPN services, doesn’t allow you to turn off its DNS leak protection. As soon as you connect to Surfshark, your DNS will change, adapting to the VPN server in question. Speed is another highlight, with Surfshark proving to be a great competitor for the best VPNs for torrenting in 2020. Additionally, you can have as many simultaneous connections active as you please, as there are no restrictions.

Here’s why Surfshark makes for a great torrenting VPN:

• Great download speeds
• Zero logging
• Unlimited simultaneous connections
• Unlimited bandwidth
• Unlimited platform protection
• Unlimited Server Switching
• Strong encryption
• NoBorders feature

Check out our detailed Surfshark review.

#5 Proton VPN – The best in security and privacy

Allows torrenting | Average connections | Kill switch supported: Windows, Mac | Number of servers: 954+ | 24/7 Live chat support

We like ProtonVPN for torrenting,  as it comes with an array of security protocols that protect your online movements. For starters, your IP address is kept under wraps with built-in DNS leak protection. Perfect forward secrecy will protect all connections in that it generates a new and unique encryption key each time you join a server. ProtonVPN supports protocols such as AES-256, highly secure IKEv2/IPSec, and OpenVPN, and none of the ProtonVPN servers use the less secure PPTP or IPSec. It doesn’t have a kill switch for Android or iOS, although it is being worked on for iOS at the moment. Instead, you can use the always-on feature.

Here are more benefits of ProtonVPN:

• Forward secrecy
• All major platforms covered
• Strong protocols
• Swiss Based
• Strict no-logs policy
• Tor over VPN
• P2P support
• Up to ten devices covered

Read more about ProtonVPN in our in-depth review.

Stay Away from Free VPNs for Torrenting

It might be tempting to sign up for a free VPN for torrenting, but we cannot stress enough how notoriously dangerous free VPNs are.

Sure, there are hundreds of free VPNs out there at the moment, but the risks of using one are just not worth it. Here’s why:

• Data leaks – a free VPN means that your IP address is almost certainly being leaked. Research shows that as many as 84% of free VPNs leak your IP address.
• Tracking – many free VPNs use hidden trackers and sell your data online to the highest bidder.
• Stolen bandwidth – free VPNs have been known to steal your bandwidth, selling it to third parties.
• Malware – As many as 40% of free VPNs include malware that collects data. That’s almost half.
• No torrenting – most free VPN won’t allow torrenting anyway, and if it does, the speed will not suffice.

Why Your Data is at Risk While Torrenting

BitTorrent is a peer to peer protocol, which just means that all users downloading the same file are connected within a group called a swarm. Most BitTorrent clients let you view which other devices you’re connected to when you are downloading or files on the network.

If you don’t use a VPN, both your IP address and your identity is there for everyone to see within the torrenting swarm. This includes content owners, other users, as well as individuals enforcing copyrights (copyright trolls).

Not only that, but your ISP can also see you torrenting as they monitor your traffic. That usually results in them throttling your connection. They also working in conjunction with government authorities to issue copyright infringement notices.

Media companies and successful streaming services run various networks of monitoring nodes that collect IP addresses of infringing users.

What’s worse is that there are giant databases like I Know What You Download being published online of torrenting activity. They share not only what you torrent but also your IP address for everyone to see, making it so much easier for media companies and copyright attorneys to target users everywhere.

How a VPN Protects Your Privacy When Torrenting

The best VPN for torrenting will protect your privacy by disguising your IP address, encrypting your P2P traffic, and protecting your identity. This means that any government agency, ISP, or any other third party that can usually monitor your movements online is unable to. It also means that you will be able to access content that is geo-restricted to specific locations around the world.

When you use a VPN, your data is rerouted through to another server. Instead of revealing that you are torrenting from the US, it will appear as though you’re online in Switzerland (or any other location of your choice).

Is Torrenting Legal?

Virtually all countries with internet access have basic laws in place against intellectual property theft. Although each country enforces different regulations, the general consensus is that torrenting copyrighted material is illegal.

Torrenting, in itself, is not illegal, as long as what you are downloading isn’t protected by copyright laws. Countries such as the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Austria, and Germany prohibit the sharing of copyrighted content, with penalties sometimes being pretty harsh.

Torrenters can face arrests, fines, or legal warnings for even downloading a few songs. Other countries take a more relaxed approach.

Conclusion

Using a VPN when torrenting is a no brainer. You will not only protect your connection but also gain access to content that isn’t available in your region. Make sure not to have your online movements monitored by your ISP, government authorities, or cybercriminals by using a VPN today.