The problem is that BitTorrent is used to share video files. And most often, BitTorrent is used to share copyrighted videos like popular movies and TV shows, which is illegal in most jurisdictions. And that is how we come back to VPNs because while VPNs can protect your usage and location for legitimate reasons, VPNs can also facilitate illegal activity. This has not gone unnoticed by movie studios and other victims of digital piracy. There have been legal cases brought against VPN providers by movie studios. We had an internal debate about the ethics of even writing an article about using VPNs for torrenting. But as I said, it’s not the technology itself that’s illegal. The illegality is in how some users use it. And so, we’re providing you with a list of four of the more popular VPN services that can be used for torrenting. We explicitly do not endorse the use of torrenting, but because BitTorrent is as valid for sharing legitimate software and video distribution from open source and copyright-free providers, we feel that sharing this is a necessary part of our coverage, especially now that you understand some of the issues involved.
Simultaneous connections: 5Kill Switch: YesPlatforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, and moreLogging: No browsing logs, some connection logsSupports torrenting/P2P: YesCountries: 94Money-back guarantee: 30 days
ExpressVPN has an exceptionally large network of servers in 94 countries. Not only that, but it’s an exceptionally fast VPN, our sister site CNET found that it only cut speeds by 2%. Because of the encryption and server you route through, a VPN will slow down your internet connection, but 2% is unreasonably low. Exclusive offer: Get an additional three months free Further reading: How to set up and use ExpressVPN According to its privacy policy, ExpressVPN does not log IP addresses, DNS queries, browsing history, or traffic destinations. However, it doesn’t collect the amount of data transferred in a day, the VPN server location, the date connected to the VPN (not the time), and which apps/app version you open. So while it does collect some data, it doesn’t maintain activity or connection logs with the contents of your traffic, session duration, or source IP address.
Simultaneous connections: 6Kill Switch: YesPlatforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Android TV, Chrome, FirefoxSupports torrenting/P2P: YesLogging: None, except billing dataCountries: 59Money-back guarantee: 30 days
Also: How to set up and use NordVPN NordVPN is a widely used and often well-reviewed VPN service. In our testing, NordVPN consistently had quick connection times, fast download speed, and an overall solid and reliable performance. P2P is not supported on every server, but you can select “P2P” in the app and you’ll automatically be connected to the fastest P2P server. Also: Our NordVPN review Aside from simply securing your internet connection and supporting P2P sharing, NordVPN has an Onion over VPN feature. When you connect to an Onion over VPN server, it not only provides an additional layer of security but also removes the need for a separate tor browser. You can route your connection through two servers with the Double VPN feature, although you probably won’t want to if you’re downloading large files because it can significantly impact your download speed. Limited-time sale: Get three free months We found the connection to NordVPN’s servers to be quick and reliable. In our review of the service our download speeds were reduced by around 28% when connected to NordVPN. Overall, it’s a good VPN that performs consistently and has all the bells and whistles most users will need.
Simultaneous connections: UnlimitedKill Switch: YesPlatforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Android TV, Fire TV StickLogging: No logs, except payment infoSupports torrenting/P2P: YesCountries: 38Money-back guarantee: 30 days
AtlasVPN is loaded up with a wide array of features, including a tracker blocker, ad blocker, malware blocker, split tunneling, MultiHop+, data breach scanner, and the ultra-fast WireGuard protocol. All of this is available for right around two bucks a month on a year subscription, $2.05/mo with a two-year subscription to be exact. AtlasVPN also offers one of the only free VPNs that’s worth trying out. However, it’s an extremely limited version of the paid product, and won’t be useful for torrenting. The free VPN is limited to 5 GB a month, and you’ll only have access to three servers (in two countries). With 750+ servers located in 38 countries, it has a smaller server footprint than the more expensive VPN providers. That said, AtlasVPN performs as well as its competitors, even the free version has solid speed and only reduced download speeds by 21% in our testing.
Simultaneous Connections: UnlimitedKill Switch: YesPlatforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Fire TV, Firefox, ChromeSupports torrenting/P2P: YesLogging: None, except billing dataMoney-back guarantee: 30 days
You can pick up Surfshark VPN for an average of $2.21/mo with our exclusive offer for three free months with a two-year plan. That’s a great deal for a service that is comparable to the top-tier VPNs and is extremely secure. In our testing, we found no DNS leaks and Surfshark has browser extensions for Firefox, Chrome, and Edge to prevent WebRTC leaks. Exclusive offer: Get three extra free months Surfshark performed on par with its sister service, NordVPN, in our speed tests, only reducing download speeds by roughly 28%. Although we found the connection times to be just a touch less reliable than NordVPN. It has a MultiHop feature that allows you to route your connection through two servers. Surfshark doesn’t offer a dedicated IP, but you can access a static IP through a small number of servers. Its split tunneling feature is extremely useful and enables you to route traffic from specific apps or websites through or around the VPN connection. One thing to note is, split tunneling is not available for iOS devices. Further reading: Our Surfshark VPN review
Number of simultaneous connectionsIs there a kill switchHow many platforms are supported?Does the company maintain logs?How many countries does the provider have servers located in?How much does it cost? And is there a money-back guarantee?
BitTorrent splits that up. Files on the BitTorrent network are scattered in pieces among “seeders” (computers that host the full file) and downloaders, so when someone downloads a file, they’re pulling pieces of that file from many different machines. That’s the peer-to-peer component of torrenting. You’re not just pulling from one central server; you’re pulling from other users (peers) on the torrent network. Why would you do this? For smaller files, torrenting is not important. But for really big files, torrenting helps distribute the load among users. And what are big files? Video. A two-hour HD movie uses up to about 8GB. A TV series could use upwards of 80GB per season of the show. Other big files are software distributions, like Linux distros, games, large images, and big datasets. BitTorrent makes downloading all these types of files easier. As far as safety is concerned, anytime you download something from an unreputable source you are putting yourself at risk of being infected with malware or a virus.
