Need a VPN for torrenting? There is a lot to choose from.
Thankfully, your search is over. Inside I’ll be showing you precisely which VPN you should be using for torrents – after countless hours of testing – and explaining why each of these ten should be considered.
For years torrenting and other forms of P2P file-sharing have been the favorite method of downloading and sharing files for millions of people around the world. However, many countries do not look favorably on such activities, due to the association with copyright material and pirated files.
Because of that, even if you are sharing and downloading legitimate content, it can lead to trouble.
This is why it is essential to stay safe, secure, and private while torrenting. You can achieve this by using a VPN service.
However, not just any VPN will do, and choosing the right one is critical, as VPN can provide you with better speeds and security features.
Fear not, however, as we have created a list of the best VPNs for you to choose from.
Top VPN for Torrenting & P2P
| RANK | PROVIDER | PRICE | COUNTRY LOCATIONS | SIMULTANEOUS CONNECTIONS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  | $6.67 /mo | 94 | 5 | VISIT |
| 2. |  | $2.99 /mo | 62 | 6 | VISIT |
| 3. |  | $6.49 /mo | 60 | ∞ | VISIT |
| 4. |  | $2.75 /mo | 60 | 7 | VISIT |
| 5. |  | $5.00 /mo | 64 | 5 | VISIT |
| 6. |  | $2.99 /mo | 63 | ∞ | VISIT |
| 7. |  | $2.99 /mo | 74 | 10 | VISIT |
| 8. |  | $3.75 /mo | 21 | 6 | VISIT |
| 9. |  | $4.99 /mo | 31 | 10 | VISIT |
| 10. |  | $5.83 /mo | 21 | 12 | VISIT |
1. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is the leading VPN for torrenting and P2P because of its fast speeds and protection policies.
True to its name, ExpressVPN offers excellent speeds, top protection, and it keeps no logs, meaning that your information is not being collected anywhere.
The service is also registered off-shore in the British Virgin Islands, which means that anyone after discovering information about your usage would need to apply to authorities there.
ExpressVPN also has a massive server network which features over 3,000 individual servers in 160 locations, spread around 94 countries. As with NordVPN, we tested their speeds recently and they came out on top as one of the fastest VPN services.
It provides unlimited server switching, meaning that you can connect from anywhere in the world to anywhere in the world and still be able to change your location quickly and instantly.
Finally, it also provides excellent security protocols, a kill switch, and strong encryption which will keep your file-sharing activities safe, secure, and completely private.
#1 Best VPN for Torrenting
2. NordVPN
NordVPN is one of the best VPN services when it comes to torrenting.
The service is registered outside of the US jurisdiction in Panama, which makes it difficult for the US government to demand your login data or any other information regarding your online activities.
Even if someone does demand to see them, the service keeps no logs of your actions, meaning that they will not have anything to present the authorities with.
NordVPN offers over 5,400 servers in over 60 countries around the world, meaning that unlocking any content and reaching online databases should be easy, even if your government has blocked them. Also, it has a kill switch, that can protect you in case your connection gets exposed.
Finally, NordVPN features a special option in their apps, for dedicated P2P servers, which provide maximum security. In our recent NordVPN review, we also found them to offer some of the best speeds in the VPN market.
3. IPVanish
Next, we have IPVanish. This is another service dedicated to your security, and as such, it keeps zero logs regarding your activities during your online sessions.
It is very P2P and torrent-friendly, which allows you to use it at any time and safely download any content.
IPVanish offers breakneck speeds, and it is straightforward to use thanks to its intuitive, user-friendly apps which work on numerous different devices and systems.
It uses 256-bit AES encryption to keep you safe, as well as several security protocols. Further, it offers unlimited bandwidth, a kill switch unlimited P2P traffic, anonymous torrenting, and unlimited server switching.
The service is registered in the United States which you may see as a negative. Still, they do have servers in many different countries allowing you to hop to whatever jurisdiction you wish to keep your torrent downloading safe.
Finally, IPVanish features over 1,200 servers in over 60 countries around the world, which amounts of over 40,000 shared IPs.
This means that your online actions will never be traced back to you as long as you use this service. And, if you decide that you do not like it, you can get your money back within the first 30 days from the moment of purchase.
4. CyberGhost
CyberGhost is another VPN service which offers apps that are very user-friendly and easy to use.
It is also has dedicated servers for torrenting and P2P data sharing, a kill switch, and many unique options in their app that allows you to download files while remaining completely secure.
With CyberGhost, you can protect up to 7 different devices at once, and connect to over 3,600 servers in over 55 countries around the world.
With this service, you will enjoy blazing fast speeds, as well as unlimited bandwidth. Meanwhile, your IP will be completely safe, as well as your online identity.
Further, CyberGhost does not log any of your data, and it uses ‘military-grade’ encryption, which will make all of your online activity safe and protected, while you can remain mostly anonymous.
Finally, if you change your mind about the service, CyberGhost offers a 45-day money-back guarantee, so that you have a month and a half to test the service and decide if it works well with you.
5. VyprVPN
Next, we have VyprVPN. VyprVPN was not a good choice for torrenting and P2P sharing several years ago.
However, things have changed now, and the service can be used without fear of being discovered. It now has a no-log policy, which has been confirmed via audits, meaning that you can rest easy if you choose this service.
Apart from no-logging policy, VyprVPN also offers a kill switch, blistering speeds, and it is effortless to use thanks to its user-friendly, intuitive app, which is truly well designed.
VyprVPN features over 700 servers in 70 different locations around the world.
In total, it offers up to 200,000 IP addresses, no restrictions, and unlimited server switching. Best of all, you can use it for a month and if you’re not happy, get a refund.
6. Surfshark
Up next, we have Surfshark. Now, Surfshark is another VPN located in the British Virgin Islands, and an excellent choice for torrenting, as it supports P2P sharing.
Not only that, but it is also one of the best VPNs for another reason – it offers features like a kill switch, DNS leak protection, port forwarding, accessing blocked streaming services, a split tunneling feature, and more.
Surfshark offers some of the most robust security and privacy features, it is easy to use, and split tunneling lets you decide which apps should be protected and which should not.
That helps improve speeds, and it makes it one of the best VPN providers out there for peer-to-peer.
It also has a strict no-logs policy and numerous server locations that cover 63 countries, with over 1700 servers in total. Also, it offers unlimited simultaneous connections.
Surfshark can protect you from your internet provider, as well as copyright trolls by hiding your real IP address, and all that at a very affordable price.
7. Private Internet Access
The next on the list is Private Internet Access also known as PIA.
PIA is a well-known and old VPN provider that is based in the US, but despite this, it is considered to be trustworthy and more than capable of hiding your web traffic, even if you use BitTorrent.
PIA is fast, it offers many excellent features, such as a no-logs policy, a 30-day money-back guarantee, low prices, 24/7 live chat support, port forwarding, P2P support, DNS protection, and more.
It lets you establish up to 10 simultaneous connections, which makes it great if you need to protect many devices.
Private Internet Access has over 16,687 servers in 74 different countries. It has fast download speeds, which is essential, as VPN speeds mean a lot for those interested in a VPN for torrenting. And, if the app ever malfunctions for whatever reason, you will be kept safe thanks to its kill switch.
It is one of the best VPNs for torrenting, and it will keep your identity safe by completely hiding your IP address.
8. VPN.ac
The next on our list of the best VPNs for torrenting is VPN.ac.
This is, naturally, another VPN that supports P2P network, meaning that it can allow torrenting with BitTorrent and similar clients. Now, out of all torrenting VPNs we have mentioned so far, this one has the smallest server network.
It only covers around 21 server locations. However, surprisingly enough, our speed tests have uncovered very impressing connection speeds, which is why we can recommend it for torrenting.
It comes with all other VPN benefits, such as six simultaneous connections, DNS protection, zero logs, and a 7-day money-back guarantee.
They do record some minor connection logs which are stored for 24 hours – you may want to consider this.
If you are a torrenter, you can rest easy, knowing that your IP address will be safely hidden as you share files.
9. WeVPN
Moving forward in an attempt to identify the best torrenting VPN, we have WeVPN.
This service seems to have most things done right. It offers over 40 server locations, with more than 100 servers in total, which is great for streaming and torrent-loving internet users. All servers we tested had extremely fast connection speeds, and they allow torrenting.
It also offers all the necessary VPN features, such as kill switches, the ability to hide your real IP address, a strong privacy policy, 24/7 live chat support, port forwarding, the ability to unblock streaming services, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and more.
All in all, it is deserving of the name as one of the best torrenting VPN providers.
Of course, there are a few things that might be an issue for some people. For example, we mentioned that its server network only has around 100 servers, which is a bit on the small side.
Another problem for some VPN users is that it doesn’t have an app for Linux just yet, so if you are looking for a torrenting VPN for Linux, you might want to look elsewhere for it.
10. StrongVPN
And finally, the last on our list of the best torrenting VPNs is StrongVPN.
This is a rather secure VPN service, with the number of servers being at around 950, in 59 server locations, covering a total of 35 countries. It is available for iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and other devices, and it lets you have up to 12 simultaneous connections.
It offers over 59,500 IP addresses, and IP addresses are important, as they hide your real IP address, and protect you as you use BitTorrent.
StrongVPN offers affordable prices with promotions throughout the year.
Things like kill switches, DNS protection, 24/7 live chat, and alike, all necessary for using a VPN are available and functional. It also has decent download speeds, and it can block torrent trackers.
The only potential issue is that this is a US-based VPN. That means that it is located in the 5 Eyes Alliance’s jurisdiction, which is not that great from the privacy perspective.
Which is the best VPN for Torrenting?
So, with all of these providers, which is the best torrenting VPN?
While it is difficult to select one, we finally narrowed it down to one, and we chose ExpressVPN. Here is why.
ExpressVPN offers:
- Strong encryption and security protocols
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Kill Switch
- Live chat support
- No-logs policy
- Affordable price
- A number of servers going beyond 3,000
- DNS leak protection
- Fast download speeds
- Support for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and countless other devices
- Servers in over 94 countries
For all of these reasons, and more, we believe that ExpressVPN is the best torrenting VPN out there.
How we tested and selected these 10
To find the best torrenting VPNs, and eventually select one torrenting VPN that is above all else, we looked at a specific set of features, including:
- Server network – the higher the number of servers and available IP addresses, the better the rank.
- P2P support – Naturally, a VPN needs to support P2P sharing to be on the list of torrenting VPNs.
- Port forwarding – Port forwarding is necessary to provide VPN users with much-needed privacy on the modern internet.
- Kill switch – VPNs need to have kill switches to be able to protect users in case their VPN protection malfunctions.
- Price – Affordable price is a must-have, as well. You don’t want a VPN, you need one, so at least you can pay a symbolic price for accessing one.
- Apps – We looked for VPNs that have as many dedicated apps as possible, with support for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and more making it easy to use.
How to use a VPN for torrenting?
In order to torrent safely, you need a torrenting VPN, but you should also know how to use a VPN to protect your IP address, and as such, your identity.
Here is what you should do:
- Choose a VPN to use. It can be ExpressVPN, PIA, Surfshark, or any other that we mentioned. Still, we suggest ExpressVPN.
- Go to its website and sign up for an account.
- Check out the payment plans that the torrenting VPN offers, and select the one that seems best. You will also have to choose a payment method and enter your payment information.
- Download an app for the device you wish to use. It can be a Windows device, iOS, Android, Mac, or any other.
- Install the app, launch it, and log in.
- Once inside, locate the server network and connect to any server, we recommend the one closest to your location, as long as it lets you access torrenting sites at the best speed.
That’s it and you will now be able to torrent safely with your usual torrent software or app.
Note that, if you use the VPN browser extension, only your browser traffic will be protected, but torrenting traffic will be as visible as always.
Is Torrenting safe with a VPN?
The short answer is yes, you are safe if you use a torrenting VPN for sharing files via P2P networks.
As explained before, VPN for torrenting supports these networks, and they have numerous features meant to protect you from revealing your identity. A kill switch, for example, will instantly cut off your internet access if you get exposed.
DNS Leak security will prevent your data from leaking.
There are many other features that are working together towards achieving this same goal, such as:
- Security protocols
- Encryption
- Port forwarding
- Server networks
- DNS leak protection
- and more.
All of these VPN features will help you hide your IP address, which would otherwise get exposed while you are torrenting.
As you share files, you become a seeder, and that means that anyone who uses BitTorrent and similar clients can identify you, and even discover your real-world location, which would endanger your privacy.
Worse still, if you mistakenly download copyrighted content, you might be discovered, fined, or even blackmailed by someone.
While we do not support downloading such materials, the torrenting world is not black and white, and mistakes do happen. It is better to protect yourself from such issues than to suffer due to an error that could have easily been prevented by increasing your privacy.
Is VPN important for Torrenting?
VPN is not only necessary, but crucial for torrenting.
As we mentioned earlier torrenting has a reputation for being associated with copyright material, but that’s not the full story.
There are very legitimate uses for using torrenting which are entirely illegal.
For this reason we recommend using a VPN because by association people may look unfavourably on torrenters. As long as you stay away from downloading copyrighted material, a VPN is a legitimate privacy tool.
Is Torrenting legal?
Torrenting itself is perfectly legal, yes.
However, it’s what you download or upload while torrenting that can get you in trouble. Content that is not copyrighted can be shared freely, but content such as movies, shows, games, music, software, and others can get you in trouble if you go torrenting these types of material.
You can never know for sure if something you need is copyrighted or not, so be careful what you download.
Is using a VPN legal?
Fortunately, it is, in almost all countries of the world.
VPN is considered to be privacy technology, and as such, it is perfectly legal for you to use it. That doesn’t mean that you should use it for illegal purposes with hopes of ‘getting away with it,’ however.
VPNs are tools for protection, and that is what they should be used as.
Do I need a VPN for Torrenting?
Yes, to remain safe and private while torrenting, you have to use a proper VPN service.
As mentioned earlier, torrenting and P2P file sharing is often associated with online piracy and sharing copyrighted material, which is why the authorities of many countries do not look kindly on those who use these methods of sharing.
Since you can get in trouble for doing so, it is better to hide your location and ensure that you are safe and that your online activity is completely private, even if everything you are doing is completely in compliance with the law.
What server should I connect to for P2P?
Most torrent-friendly VPN services will let you connect to any server of your choosing.
Services like ExpressVPN and IPVanish offer thousands of servers for you to choose from, and wherever you end up connecting, your identity will be safe.
With that in mind, it is best to choose servers in countries that do not have anti-torrenting laws. Some to consider include:
- Switzerland
- Iceland
On the other hand, services like NordVPN and CyberGhost have special options and features already built into their apps.
These features will allow you to connect to torrent-friendly servers directly, so there is no mistake when it comes to whether the server is a good choice or not.
Does a VPN allow me to download copyright material?
We want to make one thing clear, while it is possible to download copyright materials with a VPN, that does not make it legal.
Whether you do it with or without VPN, doing so would be breaking the law, which is something that should be avoided at all cost.
From the technical point of view, no one will be able to know what you downloaded, or even that it was you who downloaded it. However, once again, downloading such content will still be considered criminal activity, and there is nothing anyone can do to make it otherwise.
Can I use free VPNs for torrenting?
Unfortunately, no. Free VPNs lack in many areas, particularly when it comes to security.
Free VPNs also tend to log your information, and some of them will even sell it to third parties such as advertisers to be able to sustain their service. This means that there is no telling where your data may end up, which ultimately makes these services unsafe.
Further, even if this was not the case, free VPN services are limited when it comes to efficiency, meaning that your speed would suffer significantly if you chose to use them for torrenting.
Even medium-sized files would take forever to download with a free VPN, and there is no telling how long it might end up taking to download something bigger.
Final Thoughts
To use torrenting and other types of P2P data sharing safely, you need to use a VPN service.
There is no other way to ensure that you will stay protected and that your privacy will not be exposed. If not, you may end up in trouble with the law, depending on where you live and how strict your country’s internet laws are.
With that in mind, we recommend using ExpressVPN as the best choice. This is because not only does this VPN provide excellent speeds, but it is also registered off-shore, it doesn’t store any logs, and it offers torrent-specific servers, which will bring ultimate protection when you use it.
It is also very affordable, it offers several payment plans, and it even features a 30-day money-back guarantee.
I would love to hear your thoughts on ExpressVPN or any of the other providers for, so please drop me a comment below.
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