The best VPNs for torrenting in 2025

Torrenting without a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is asking for trouble, but there’s a lot of confusing information on the best VPNs for torrenting. Many so-called “torrent VPNs” leak the information they claim to protect; some don’t allow torrenting or P2P, and others are still so slow you’ll want to give up.

P2P file-sharing presents risks from unknown files from anonymous sources, so using a VPN for an added layer of security is wise. This article will examine the best VPNs for torrenting in detail. Before we get stuck in, here are our top providers:

Our testing found that these are the best VPNs for torrenting:

1. NordVPN: Best VPN for torrenting. Reliable performance with powerful security features for protecting torrenters. Has a strict no-logs policy, very fast speeds, unlimited bandwidth, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee.
   TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for torrenting.
2. Surfshark: Best low-cost torrenting VPN. Unlimited simultaneous connections and unlimited bandwidth. High speeds for P2P file sharing, solid security, and a strict zero-logs policy.
3. Total VPN: This affordable, beginner-friendly service is great for torrenting and delivers some of the fastest speeds we’ve seen. Refuses to keep any logs.
4. ProtonVPN: Reliable VPN that’s particularly strong on privacy. Includes pro-torrenting features such as port forwarding and split tunneling.
5. ExpressVPN: Consistently fast speeds for torrenting and P2P traffic. Keeps no logs, has a kill switch, and is easy to use on all devices. Works with the most popular streaming services.
6. IPVanish: A zero-logs VPN that’s great for torrenting. Excellent security features, including strong encryption. Works with popular torrent clients on most major operating systems. No limit on how many devices you can connect.
7. CyberGhost: An easy-to-use VPN packed with privacy features for secure torrenting. Thousands of high-speed servers make this a great choice for torrenting from any location.
8. PureVPN: A fully-audited VPN with high speeds and excellent torrenting ability. Takes your security very seriously and works with most streaming apps.
9. Hotspot Shield: A reliable VPN for torrenting. Excellent performance and speeds and no user-identifying logs.
10. PrivateVPN: A solid choice for P2P file sharing. Allows port forwarding and keeps no logs. Provides extremely fast connections with no speed loss.
11. StrongVPN: A reliable choice for P2P activity and secure torrenting in places like China. High levels of security, including 256-bit encryption.

Our criteria for choosing the best VPNs for torrenting

There are thousands of VPNs to choose from but not all of them allow torrenting. When finding the best VPNs for P2P activity, our team carefully considered what each service offered in the five key areas below:

• Security & Privacy: We score providers against 15 different metrics, including encryption levels, capabilities of the kill switches, logging policies and leak tests.
• Speed: We specifically tested providers’ torrenting performance, which is measured in Mbps and referred to as the bitrate. We carry out multiple tests in different regions and then create a normalized score out of ten.
• Ease of Use: We score providers based on 10 measurable criteria, including the number of native applications, ease of sign-up and cancellation, and overall user experience.
• Value for Money: Our team scores providers by considering their lowest monthly price, how many devices they let you connect, and whether they come with any bundled extras.
• Specific features for torrenting: We award bonus points for specific features like torrent-optimized servers, port forwarding, and split tunneling. We also include a rating from one of our torrenting experts based on their own experience of each provider.

All the data in our testing is made publicly available and can be downloaded from our Testing Methodology section.

Compare the best torrenting VPNs

Best VPNs for torrenting and p2p

Want to understand what makes these our top torrenting VPNs in 2025. Read our in-depth reviews below.

1. NordVPN

Oct 2025

NordVPN is our top VPN for torrenting in 2025. This is well-known, well-respected provider with more than 8,000 servers in 120+ countries. There are even specially-optimized servers for torrenting, and 24/7 assistance over live chat in case you’re having trouble getting set up. This VPN even has its own superfast protocol named NordLynx that provides similar speeds to WireGuard as well as increased security.

So how quick is this service? We tested Nord’s torrenting capabilities by downloading a 4.81GB file multiple times from three locations on a 49 Mbps connection. Speeds were consistently fast across regions, with an average download speed of 5.57 MB/s (around 44 Mbps). Although we were testing from the UK, our downloads progressed marginally faster when connected to servers outside the UK.

NordVPN’s automatic kill switch can be toggled on and off in the settings. The traditional all-or-nothing kill switch is one option, but you can also use the app kill switch feature to specify which programs, such as your BitTorrent client, get cut off from the internet if the VPN connection drops. This prevents users from inadvertently exposing their torrenting activity to their ISPs and lets them carry out other activities without VPN protection.

If you simply want to mask your IP address rather than encrypt your data, NordVPN offers a proxy service, which you can plug directly into your torrent client so you don’t have to use the app. The upside to this is potential performance improvements (encryption is resource-intensive). The downside is… well… that your data isn’t encrypted!

Naturally, this is just the beginning of what NordVPN offers. There’s unbreakable encryption, a kill switch, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a protocol named NordWhisper that can help you torrent in countries with extreme digital censorship. NordVPN has an audited no-logs policy, meaning it doesn’t store any information that could be used to track down individual torrenters.

Finally, we checked that the provider directed our DNS queries to its own servers rather than allowing them to be resolved by our ISP — which could expose which torrent sites we were accessing.

Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Linux, and Android. It’s worth noting that NordVPN offers two different versions of its app for MacOS – one from the App Store and one directly from its website. The direct download version is more comprehensive, with a richer feature set, and the one we recommend installing.

Overall, the combination of rock-solid security, good speeds, its simple GUI, and all the extra features like proxies and the ability to unblock pretty much every streaming platform out there make NordVPN an easy recommendation for our best overall VPN for torrenting. Our tests show it tops competitors across Security and Privacy, Torrenting Speeds, Ease of Use, and Value for Money. The only downside for torrenters is that it does not offer port forwarding, reasonably citing concerns over user security.

BEST VPN FOR TORRENTING:NordVPN is our first choice for torrenting & P2P. It provides extremely fast and consistent downloads, with a strong privacy focus and a ten-connection limit. Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it risk-free.

Read our full review of NordVPN.

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2. Surfshark

Surfshark is the best budget VPN for torrenting. Its network recently grew to 4,500 servers in 100+ countries, and unlike most other providers, it can secure every device you own at the same time. The apps are extremely newcomer-friendly and torrenting is allowed on any server, plus you can see the current ping of each before you connect, which is a huge advantage. Customer support is available around the clock over live chat, though hopefully you won’t ever need to get in touch.

If you go for the basic VPN subscription, you get the VPN (duh), ad blocker, pop-up blocker, and some basic identity protection services. For a couple of dollars more a month, Surfshark includes a surprisingly powerful antivirus platform and identity protection tool (called Incogni). This is all now bundled into a suite called ‘Surfshark One’. All that extra stuff won’t help you with torrenting, but if you’re paying for AV, you can bundle it into one sub and save a lot of money.

The torrenting experience is smooth and hassle-free, and we were impressed by how quickly we connected to even far-flung servers. Speeds are not quite as fast as with NordVPN, but very good nonetheless. Like NordVPN, Surfshark has introduced the WireGuard protocol, which has a noticeable impact on speeds. See the qBittorrent output below for an example. This was captured while torrenting via a server in the UK.

We tested Surfshark servers in three countries, carrying out the same download multiple times and averaging the results, summarised below. As you can see, our file downloaded equally fast in all three countries, which is a great result.

Whichever server you connect to, Surfshark protects your traffic using 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, and perfect forward secrecy. As with all the VPNs that made it onto our list, we checked if Surfshark was leaking our location while torrenting. We connected to a server in Boston and checked whether there were any IPv4 or IPv6 leaks. We also checked that Surfshark was using its own DNS servers and tested for WebRTC leaks – everything checked out fine.

Like NordVPN, Surfshark comes with split tunneling support, which allows users to keep torrent client traffic protected in the VPN tunnel while using other apps with a regular internet connection (or vice-versa). You can read more about using Surfshark for torrenting here.

Surfshark has Linux, iOS, Android, Windows, and MacOS apps. It can also be manually installed on supported network routers.

BEST BUDGET VPN:Surfshark puts major emphasis on your security and data privacy, allowing you to torrent as much as you like safely. Better still, it’s very affordable, with no connection limit and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of Surfshark.

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3. Total VPN

Total VPN has a great reputation, having been in the industry for over a decade and never suffering any major breaches. It provides access to roughly 1,800 servers in 80+ countries and users can torrent on any of these, as much as they like. This VPN also boasts fantastic unblocking ability, easily accessing platforms like Netflix from abroad. There’s 24/7 support via a ticket system and a five-connection limit which while slightly lower than the industry average is still plenty for more people.

Now, the higher your internet speeds are, the faster you’ll be able to download large files. The problem is that every VPN will slow you down, so we had to find providers that had as little impact as possible. Our team tested Total VPN’s American, British, and Singaporean servers at various times of day using a typical 50 Mbps connection. We then averaged these results and converted them to MB/s for easier comparison.

With an average global speed of 5.5 MB/s (or around 44 Mbps), Total VPN was one of the fastest providers we tested. It was remarkably consistent, speeds hardly fluctating at all throughout the day, and even at its slowest, this service is fast enough for any day-to-day task. For instance, our team were able to torrent, play games, and stream 4K video without any noticeable performance issues.

Let’s talk a little bit about privacy. Total VPN doesn’t have as many customizable features as its rivals but this just means it’s more accessible to novice users. Besides, there’s really no configuration needed since 256-bit encryption and protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks are enabled as standard. There’s also a strict no-logs policy in place, plus a kill switch (though this hasn’t arrived on Windows yet unfortunately). Finally, Total VPN supports the Hydra protocol, which can help hide the fact that you’re using a VPN in the first place.

Total VPN offers its own Android, iOS, MacOS, and Windows apps.

SPEEDY AND SECURE:Total VPN offers streamlined apps, very high speeds, and a great set of privacy features, making it ideal for anyone hoping to torrent anonymously. There’s even a 30-day money-back guarantee if you sign up for a year or more (otherwise, you’ll get a 14-day guarantee instead).

Find out more in our full Total VPN review.

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4. Proton VPN

Proton VPN was created by the team behind the well-respected Proton Mail, so it has an exceptional pedigree. It boasts one of the largest networks around, with 15,000+ servers in more than 120 countries, many of which are optimized for torrenting. Customer support is available 24 hours per day via live chat and unlike most other service, ProtonVPN comes with split tunneling and port forwarding as standard for better seeding. Up to 10 devices can be protected at the same time.

In our tests, servers were initially slow to connect to. However, once a connection was established, download speeds were decent. Unusually, speeds were fastest (5.4 MB/s) when connected to a server in Singapore—perhaps justifying ProtonVPN’s claims that its “VPN Accelerator” tech boosts speeds for long-distance connections. Servers in the UK and US achieved relatively slower averages of 5.3 MB/s each. The global average was 5.44 MB/s (around 43.5 Mbps).

Downloads progressed fairly consistently in our tests, though connections did drop out a few times. The qBittorrent output below shows a fairly typical download while connected to a server in the UK:

From a security perspective, there’s plenty to like. ProtonVPN uses 256-bit AES encryption by default, backed up by a kill switch, automatic ad and tracker-blocking, and protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks. This VPN refuses to keep any logs and has been audited to prove it. Its advanced features include a stealth mode for use in countries with strict online censorship, multi-hop connections, and an accelerator feature that claims to boost speeds by up to 400 percent.

The main downside to ProtonVPN is that its subscriptions are relatively expensive, though you get what you pay for in terms of privacy and security. There is a limited free plan, but if you decide to upgrade, you’ll get a 30-day money-back guarantee.

SECURE AND PRIVATE:ProtonVPN is an advanced VPN dedicated to user privacy. Reliable no-logs policy, AES encryption, a kill switch, and obfuscation. Works to get an IP address in more than 120 countries. Has a 30-day money-back guarantee and 24/7 live chat support—full support for various Netflix regions and many other popular streaming services.

Find out more in our ProtonVPN review.

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5. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is a fantastic, newcomer-friendly VPN with a network spanning more than 100 countries around the world. This provider takes the stress out of torrenting safely since P2P activity is allowed on any server, and as a bonus, it also works with major streaming platforms like Netflix. Just recently, this VPN reworked its pricing scheme so not only is it a better deal than ever before, it comes with a higher connection limit (10 devices on the Basic plan, instead of eight).

ExpressVPN performed well in all three countries we tested it in, with an average of 5.54 MB/s in Singapore, 5.47 MB/s in the US, and 5.5 MB/s in the UK. The global average was 5.47 MB/s, which is around 43.7 Mbps.

Download speeds were fairly consistent in all tests. As an example, here’s the qBittorrent output when downloading via a server in the UK:

As you might expect, ExpressVPN uses 256-bit AES encryption, stops you from browsing without protection using a kill switch, and prevents IPv6, WebRTC, and DNS leaks. It’s also capable of blocking ads, trackers, and malicious sites automatically. This service is based in the British Virgin Islands, where there are no mandatory data-retention laws and accordingly, ExpressVPN doesn’t keep any logs.

This service also has a proprietary VPN protocol, Lightway, which offers even faster speeds, comparable to competitors such as NordVPN and Surfshark, which are built on the speedy WireGuard protocol.

One of the other features we really like about ExpressVPN for torrenting is its built-in server speed testing tool. This is a transparent and easy way to see which servers are potentially congested. If you’re looking to squeeze every last drop of performance out of the VPN, you can test all VPN servers that are in close geographical proximity and, because ExpressVPN allows torrenting on all servers, simply choose the one that is the fastest in the speed testing tool. It’s a nice touch.

Finally, ExpressVPN is the only major provider that offers custom router firmware. This provides you with an online dashboard that lets you change location and tweak settings, while protecting every device on your network. If you don’t feel like installing this yourself, it’s also possible to buy a router that comes with ExpressVPN’s firmware preinstalled.

Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, some wi-fi routers, and Linux.

TORRENT WITHOUT LIMITS:ExpressVPN is ideal for torrenting & P2P. It has a vast network of servers that are fine-tuned for high-speed connections. Tough to beat on data privacy and security. Also includes a 30-day money-back guarantee

Read our full review of ExpressVPN.

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6. IPVanish

IPVanish takes privacy very seriously and has been built with torrenting in mind. It creates and keeps no logs, not even the connection logs some providers use for troubleshooting. WireGuard, L2TP, and OpenVPN protocols all use 256-bit encryption. IPVanish uses shared IP addresses to add anonymity while torrenting.

In terms of the sheer number of servers (currently 3,200 in over 100 countries), IPVanish is tough to beat. And we didn’t find any that we couldn’t torrent with. There are no labeled servers, but when the whole network performs this well, who needs them?

The provider is great for consistently fast downloads. In fact, it was one of the faster VPNs we tested, with an average bitrate of 5.57 MB/s in the US, 5.47 MB/s in the UK, and 5.53 MB/s in Singapore. The global average was 5.48 MB/s, or 43.8 Mbps.

Interestingly, IPVanish provided slightly faster speeds connected to a server in Singapore than it did connecting to a much closer server in the UK. As we mentioned before, this isn’t usually the case and we’d still recommend using a geographically close server for torrenting. The downloads appeared markedly consistent, as the example qBittorrent output shows below.

Like NordVPN, IPVanish offers a SOCKS5 proxy to add directly to your torrent client. This isn’t essential, but it’s a nice-to-have if you value speed over security. And like Surfshark, you can test a load of servers as well as ping time to connect to a server that will deliver optimal speeds and low latency.

This VPN keeps your online activities hidden using AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, and the aforementioned no-logs policy. It also prevents IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leaks and can even obfuscate your traffic (so long as you’re using the OpenVPN protocol). Recent additions to its apps include double-hop servers and a tool that checks whether links are safe to open. Split tunneling is included as standard.

IPVanish is particularly popular with Kodi users thanks to its lightweight Android app and compatibility with all the Kodi addons we’ve tested. So, if you’re torrenting video content with Kodi or Plex, IPVanish is a great VPN to have on your media devices.

For anyone concerned about surveillance, cyberattacks, or being spied on by their ISP IPVanish’s Advanced plan offers a zero-trace browsing solution. This includes the VPN, 1 TB of encrypted storage, and Remote Browser Isolation (RBI), which means your device never directly interacts with the websites you visit. Instead, you see a video feed of a remote browsing session. This is useful for users who want to surf the web without the threat of malicious websites, or tracking by local networks and ISPs. It also allows you to perform IP address spoofing on devices that won’t let you install a VPN, such as work computers. Just bear in mind that it was a bit slow compared to the VPN, so not as good for streaming.

Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. This makes it easy to use the VPN across all your devices, and IPVanish lets you install and use the VPN on an unlimited number of devices. Read more about IPVanish and torrenting here.

EASY TO USE:IPVanish is great for families. Generally solid for torrenting, P2P users, and folks who need the highest standard of privacy. Annual plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of IPVanish.

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7. CyberGhost

CyberGhost is an extremely versatile VPN that’s a natural choice for anyone interested in torrenting. It has a neatly-categorized server list, meaning you can quickly find one suitable for P2P activity, streaming, gaming, or general web browsing. You can even sort these to show the closest servers first! Up to seven simultaneous connections are permitted and support staff are on-hand 24 hours per day via live chat.

Download speeds are good, though you can expect things to slow down when connected to a far-flung server. The average speeds for Singapore were 5.1 MB/s, while for the US, they were 5.24 MB/s. The UK average was 5.34 MB/s. The global average was 5.23 MB/s or 41.8 Mbps.

Individual downloads progressed smoothly, though there were a few minor hiccups. In the example below, the connection momentarily dropped out when connected to a US server.

CyberGhost ensures that your torrenting goes under the radar using 256-bit AES encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a kill switch that’ll stop sending data the moment your connection drops. The provider used its own servers to resolve DNS queries. This ensures that our ISP doesn’t see when we use torrent sites. Most importantly, CyberGhost refuses to keep any logs of your activities. You can even tell it to connect to a specific server and open your P2P client when the VPN opens.

CyberGhost apps are easy to use and available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Linux, and Android. Its website also provides detailed setup guides in case you’d prefer to install this VPN on your router.

GOOD VALUE VPN:CyberGhost is a great value choice. Strong privacy policy, decent speeds, and reliability for torrenting & P2P. We found it easy to set up and use. Works well with most streaming sites. 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full CyberGhost VPN review.

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8. PureVPN

PureVPN is a low-cost VPN that’s perfect for torrenting privately. There are 6,500 servers in 65+ countries and this provider has no problem getting around stubborn geographic restrictions. It’s another of the three providers on our list to offer port forwarding. We only gave it half the points for this feature in our scoring because it’s a paid add-on, unlike Proton VPN and PrivateVPN. But it’s only about 18 bucks a year ($1.49 a month), so it’s not the end of the world if you pick it for other reasons.

PureVPN is fast. In our download speed tests, the average UK download speed was 5.40 MB/s, and the average download speed was 5.37 MB/s for the US and Singapore. These combine to give a respectable global bitrate of 5.38 MB/s, or 43 Mbps.

Downloads progressed consistently well, though we needed to switch protocols (from WireGuard to OpenVPN) to get them started.

This VPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, meaning it’s not required to keep any logs of your activities. To its credit, PureVPN has been audited so you don’t have to take its privacy claims at face value. Its toolkit also includes 256-bit AES encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, a kill switch, and split tunneling functionality. Whether you want to torrent or just stream Netflix, PureVPN can help.

PureVPN has its own apps for iOS, Android, MacOS, Linux (GUI and command line), and Windows. You can also follow manual setup instructions to get it running on most routers.

LOW STARTING PRICE:PureVPN has servers in 65+ countries and apps for all popular platforms. It offers great speeds for torrenting, but port forwarding costs a little extra. Works to access Netflix US and many other streaming platforms. Has a fully audited no logging policy. Offers a 31-day money-back guarantee.

Find out more in our PureVPN review.

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9. Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield is a streamlined, easy to use VPN with 1,800 servers sperad throughout 80+ countries. While it doesn’t have P2P-optimized servers, torrenting is allowed across its entire network, and there are servers specially optimized for gaming and streaming platforms like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu from abroad. You can protect up to 10 devices at once and 24/7 support is available over live chat.

Hotspot Shield has some nice little features built in, including a running tally of data used (useful if you’re on a capped broadband plan and downloading large files) and a built in speed test. During testing, connections were quick to establish, and downloads progressed consistently and well across regions. This is the qBittorrent output while connected to a US server.

Hotspot Shield’s download speeds were excellent, with a global average of 5.49 MB/s. Speeds were fastest in the UK (5.54 MB/s) and slowest in Singapore (5.44 MB/s). The US was a solid 5.5 MB/s. The global average was 5.49 MB/s, or 43.92 Mbps.

This provider has had some privacy issues in the past but has rectified these and now only logs encrypted IP addresses for the duration of your session, deleting them afterward. Its apps use 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and automatic wi-fi protection to keep you safe. There’s even an obfuscated protocol that kind sidestep some forms on VPN-detection, plus split tunneling support.

In addition to its paid service, Hotspot Shield offers a free VPN. Most users looking to torrent will find free VPNs unsuitable for their needs, but if you really do need a free VPN, Hotspot Shield is a good option.

Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Linux, and Android. Unfortunately, this service can’t be installed on routers at the time of writing.

LOW COST TORRENT VPN:Hotspot Shield offers excellent value for money. It’s fast, secure, and great for torrenting. Provides around the clock customer support and an extremely generous 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Hotspot Shield review.

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10. PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN has a relatively small network, with around 200 servers spread across 60+ countries. Despite this, it’s still a phenomenal option for torrenting. This service excels at beating regional restrictions and is one of the only major VPNs that comes with port forwarding at no added cost. Port Forwarding is something of a dying art, with several VPN providers removing it, citing security concerns as the reason. So, if you’re after a fast VPN that plays strictly by the rules of the P2P community, PrivateVPN is a good choice.

As you can see from the graph below, downloads were very fast. Actually, PrivateVPN had some of the fastest download speeds for the UK, the US and Singapore.

The downloads didn’t progress as consistently as with some providers, but this is a very minor niggle, given the impressive speeds overall.

PrivateVPN has rock-solid security and uses 256-bit encryption with perfect forward secrecy on the OpenVPN protocol. No web traffic or connection logs are recorded, and as per the usual rules of engagement, it has an optional kill switch built in. There’s also split tunneling support, ensuring your torrenting client is always protected. Our team performed IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leak tests and were pleased to see that PrivateVPN didn’t leak any information.

Besides anonymous torrenting, PrivateVPN is also great for streaming content like US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, although it’s not in the same league as the providers at the top of the list. You might want to scroll up if you’re after a multifunction VPN that is good for streaming and torrenting.

You can connect up to ten devices simultaneously on a single account, and apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. Manual configuration is required for routers and Linux systems.

GREAT FOR SPEED:PrivateVPN is consistently reliable. A solid performer for torrenting, P2P, and general-purpose use. Speeds were surprisingly good at this end of the market. It could do with having more servers and lacks 24/7 support. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full PrivateVPN review.

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11. StrongVPN

StrongVPN boasts a zero-logs policy for both web traffic content and connection metadata. Torrenters will also appreciate the fact that you can use the software on up to 12 simultaneously connected devices. The application feels a little basic compared to some of the other providers out there, but it’s function over form, so if you dig the no-nonsense approach, you won’t have any issues.

StrongVPN has decent download speeds, though it performed less well in its home country of the US (5.27 MB/s). Average speeds for Singapore and the UK were good at 5.44 MB/s and 5.47 MB/s, respectively. The global average was 5.39 MB/s, or around 43 Mbps.

Though speeds weren’t always consistent, we didn’t experience any dropped connections while using StrongVPN.

All StrongVPN connections are securely encrypted, and you can opt to obfuscate traffic using a special “Scramble” feature that disguises OpenVPN connections.

DNS leak protection and a kill switch are built into the apps. We tested the DNS leak protection ourselves and found no evidence of leaks.

We also checked whether any IPv4 or IPv6 leaks might be revealing our location to copyright trolls or other torrenters. Connecting to a StrongVPN server in the US meant that both our true IPv4 and IPv6 addresses were hidden. There was no evidence of WebRTC leaks either. StrongVPN has long been a favorite among users in China, and its recent upgrades, including torrenting support, make it appeal to a wider audience.

Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. StrongVPN provides step by step instructions explaining how to set up this service on Linux systems and most routers too.

SIMPLE INTERFACE:StrongVPN has ample security. Now caters more for torrenters. Good security and privacy features. Sometimes it works in China. The server network is mostly focused on the US. 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full StrongVPN review.

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Why some VPNs aren’t suitable for torrenting

Torrenters use VPNs to stay secure and private online, but not all VPNs are suitable for BitTorrent (the communications protocol that enables peer-to-peer file sharing). Dozens of leading VPNs we encountered during testing are best avoided by torrenters. Some of the issues we found included the following:

• Many VPNs are too slow for torrent users and will result in downloads taking forever.
• Some don’t provide sufficient leak protection to ensure identifying information is not exposed to copyright trolls and other third parties. This means your real IP address could be revealed to prying eyes.
• Many VPNs keep logs of user activity despite misleading marketing claims. This means information that can be traced back to specific internet users (we’ve assessed the logging policies of 123 different VPNs as part of our research).
• Some popular VPNs have policies that do not allow torrenting.

How does a VPN hide your IP address?

One of the main reasons a VPN is used for torrenting is to hide a user’s IP address and keep their online habits private. Here’s how a VPN hides your IP address.

Free VPNs that allow torrenting

We don’t recommend using a free VPN for torrenting. However, if you do wish to risk it, consult this table for the available options:

How torrenting works behind a NAT Firewall

Many VPN services come with built-in NAT firewalls, which block connections from peers on P2P networks and other unsolicited connections. This can prevent torrents that rely on P2P networks from functioning properly.

Depending on the VPN software, you may be able to disable the NAT firewall somewhere in the settings. If not, you will need to use port forwarding. This is usually a manual procedure where the VPN provider designates a specific port to be used for P2P traffic. Users must configure their BitTorrent client to use this port. If the port is not listed on the VPN provider’s website, the user must contact customer support and ask for it. The VPN providers that offer port forwarding on this list are:

• PrivateVPN
• PureVPN
• ProtonVPN

The importance of kill switches when torrenting

A VPN kill switch halts all internet traffic if the VPN unexpectedly drops the connection for any reason. This prevents your real IP address and torrent traffic from leaking onto your ISP’s unencrypted network, which could otherwise expose your activity to your ISP, copyright trolls, and hackers. This is why it’s imperative to either bind your IP (see below) and/or use a kill switch.

All of the best VPNs for torrenting we recommend come equipped with a kill switch on their desktop versions, but they might not be enabled by default. Be sure to enable it in the settings. Mobile VPN apps for Android and iOS are much less likely to incorporate kill switches.

Know that not all kill switches are created equal. A simple dropped connection is fairly easy to plan for, but the kill switch might not be equipped to handle other types of network disruptions, crashes, and configuration changes. The two types of leaks most pertinent to torrenters are IP address and IP traffic leaks.

Related: A guide to DIY kill switches for torrenting

How to avoid malware in torrents

Torrent websites and torrents themselves are havens for malware. Because the community uploads torrents, they often go unchecked for viruses and malware. A case in early 2018 saw 400,000 users hit by a malware outbreak caused by a Russian torrenting client. Every time you download a torrent, scanning it with good, up-to-date antivirus software is a good idea. If the website you downloaded from has a comments section, other users might have already posted about potential threats. This is especially true for software and video games containing many files, making it easier to hide malicious files.

Do I need to use port forwarding to download torrents?

Port forwarding is a contentious topic among torrenters. Some say it improves their download speeds by allowing their torrent client to connect to more peers.

Others argue it is unnecessary and, when using a torrenting VPN service, only makes torrenting more difficult and can even degrade user privacy. This is because other users sharing the same VPN IP address will all be limited to the same ports except for the one who chooses to port forward. That can make P2P activity easier to trace back to a single user.

Most commercial VPN clients don’t support port forwarding and work fine without it. For those that do, enter the forwarded port into your torrent client’s settings. Port forwarding in a VPN does not require forwarding ports in your router. You may need to disable NAT-PMP and/or uPNP mapping in the torrent client.

Torrenting VPN FAQs