10 Best Free Mac Torrent Clients in 2024

Finding a robust and reliable torrent client for Mac can be daunting. That's because not every torrent client is safe to use. Also, they come with different interfaces, and their performance can vary. So, you need a proven macOS torrent app that won't endanger your privacy.

You'll also want unlimited download/upload speeds, letting you download and seed as many torrents as you want. Then, it needs an easy-to-understand interface, as well as plenty of useful features. Still, even the best client will still need a bit of help to download torrents safely and privately.

Yes, we're talking about VPNs here. With a top VPN for torrenting, you'll bypass any block, access the best torrenting sites, and download torrents anonymously. That means you'll get the highest level of online privacy and security, which is necessary when torrenting.

In this guide, we'll show you the best Mac torrent clients, as well as how to use one safely to download torrents. Then, we'll explain the importance of using a VPN and how to find the best client based on your needs. We'll also answer some useful FAQs.

How to Safely Use a Torrent Client for Mac with a VPN

The most important thing when torrenting is to encrypt your traffic, which you can do using a VPN. You need to sign up for one, download its app, and connect to a server before torrenting. These are the steps you need to take:

1. Subscribe to a VPN that supports P2P traffic (we recommend NordPN). 
2. Download and install the VPN software on your Mac.
3. Launch the VPN software and log in using your credentials.  
4. Visit the app's settings and make sure your VPN's kill switch is enabled.
5. Double-check if you use protocols like OpenVPN or WireGuard.
6. Choose a VPN server in a safe P2P location (e.g., Switzerland, Spain, or Romania).
7. Launch your Mac torrent client and start downloading torrents. That’s all!

We highly recommend using a server in Switzerland, Spain, and Romania, as those locations eliminate the risk of getting a copyright notice. That's why we recommend NordVPN, as it has special P2P servers in all those countries. Also, download from the most popular Mac torrent sites only, as downloading from untrusted sources can put your device at risk.

The Best Torrent Clients for Mac in 2024

We're here to talk about the best options only, which means that you should meet certain criteria. The most important thing is to use a torrent programme with native support for macOS (especially if you use an M-series chip). Then, think about whether you want simple (great for first-timers) or complex (great for advanced users) torrent software.

There should also be support for P2P-specific features, such as support for magnet links, which are usually quicker to download than traditional torrent files. You'll also want a built-in P2P search tool, scheduled downloads, and the ability to stream video.

Needless to say, your chosen torrent client should be malware-free. You'll also want one without overly aggressive ads. P2P clients that rely on ads for revenue also come with bundled software, exploiting your privacy along the way.

Based on the criteria explained above, these are the 10 best Mac torrent downloaders in 2024

1. Transmission - Best Torrent Software for Mac in 2024

Price	Free of charge.
Visit	Transmission

Transmission takes the top spot as the best torrent client for Mac. As you can imagine, there are many reasons for that. First, this is an incredibly simple application that does its job without much input. Add a torrent file, and Transmission will take it from there. Incredibly simple, right?

However, Transmission’s simplicity is also its weakness. We know there are a lot of power users out there who like to have complete and in-depth control. Even though Transmission offers some advanced features, they are well hidden. Those are related to privacy protection, tracker editing, full peer communication, and more.

Therefore, we’d like to recommend this Bittorrent client if you're after something simple and well-integrated with macOS. You can count on interactive notifications and smart usage of system resources. And, of course, you won't encounter any ads.

2. uTorrent Web - Best Web-Based Torrent Downloader

Price	Free of charge.
Visit	uTorrent Web

We're sure that seasoned P2P users know all about uTorrent. As its name says (you read it as - micro torrent), this is a very lightweight application that takes little of your system resources. In turn, it provides plenty of interesting features, including some highly advanced ones.

In case you're running macOS Catalina or newer, know that you can't use uTorrent Classic anymore. However, you'll get to use uTorrent Web - which, upon its installation, will be a part of your Web browser. However, you can use it to download any torrent and stream media files - which is something that wasn't available in the past. So, very simple yet effective.

3. qBittorrent- Most Advanced Torrent Client

Price	Free of charge.
Visit	qBittorrent

After recommending something simple, let’s take a look at the other end of the spectrum. A torrent client named qBittorrent provides plenty of additional features made for power users. The perfect user of this software is someone who handles a large number of torrents and wants complete control.

The current UI of qBittorrent isn’t the most intuitively designed and doesn't receive updates often. However, this torrent downloader has come a long way since its early, hectic days.

There’s a large toolbar at the top, which brings the standard set of controls. Then, there’s a detailed sidebar that helps you organize torrents. Finally, the bottom-placed toolbar can be used to perform advanced operations. All in all, we are more than sure that power users are going to love qBittorrent.

4. BitTorrent Web - Best Streaming-Friendly Mac Torrent Client

Price	Free of charge.
Visit	BitTorrent Web

We mustn’t forget to mention the original BitTorrent client, which is still one of the best torrent apps. It has everything from a straightforward interface to the ability to search for torrents online. And as many of you already know, macOS users now get to use a next-generation BitTorrent client - its 'Web' edition.

In case you decide to try BitTorrent Web, you will see this is a Web-based application. You install it just like any torrent client, but it runs in your Web browser. You'll get to download any torrent for Mac, search files, stream media, and plenty more. All in all, this is definitely one of the most capable P2P clients for macOS - despite its recent transition to the Web.

5. Folx - Best Beginner-Friendly Mac Torrent Program

Price	Free / $19.95 (PRO).
Visit	Folx

Next on our list, we have Folx. This is a download manager that also handles torrents with ease. As such, it acts as the central place for all your downloads.

First, you need to know that Folx has a highly polished interface. You can start by using the built-in search tool. The application will display an extensive list of results, so you can begin downloading files in an instant. You can also add torrents manually.

However, it’s also worth knowing that Folx PRO brings a few unique features. It can split downloads into 2 threads for faster downloading. In addition, it can automatically resume interrupted downloads, which can be a real lifesaver at times. Finally, Folx can be used to download videos from the Web, from websites such as YouTube and Vimeo.

6. WebTorrent Desktop - Best One-Click Mac Torrent Client

Price	Free of charge.
Visit	WebTorrent Desktop

WebTorrent is a different kind of P2P client for Macintosh. Instead of downloading torrents, it streams them. What this means is that you can use it to stream movies, music, and audiobooks. In addition, you don’t have to wait for a torrent to fully download – it will start to play as soon as it becomes active.

First of all, we need to praise WebTorrent’s UI. It is very simple and minimalistic – and, therefore, fits perfectly with the MacOS’ aesthetics. Once you find a streamable torrent, you can simply drag and drop it onto the application’s UI.

Then, WebTorrent will do the rest. It will find seeders, connect to them, and start downloading. After a few seconds, you will get to see a large media player with all of the needed controls.

7. BiglyBT - Best Torrent Client with P2P Social Features

Price	Free of charge.
Visit	BiglyBT

BiglyBT is an old-school P2P client with a couple of unique features. That said, it's a very capable torrent client at its core, allowing you to customize various aspects of your participation in P2P swarms. You get bandwidth customization, scheduled downloads, the ability to search for torrent files, as well as the ability to detect VPNs for better integration.

What's unique about BiglyBT is something called Swarm Merging. This feature lets you download torrents from multiple swarms, so you get faster download speeds overall. Also, you can use Swarm Discoveries, which is a social feature. It allows you to check the torrents that other people have downloaded along with the torrents you download.

8. Deluge - Best Old-School Torrent Downloader for Mac

Price	Free of charge.
Visit	Deluge

Deluge is one of the oldest applications of its kind. However, that doesn’t mean it’s outdated. In fact, it has recently received an update that brought numerous changes. Today, this is an easy-to-use torrent client that brings just about everything you’ll ever need (if you can handle its old-school UI, that is).

Aside from the standard set of options, Deluge brings options like selective downloading and prioritization and supports magnet URLs. In addition, it also supports UPnP and NAT-PMP port mapping, which helps you download torrents as fast as you can.

This torrent client even brings support for IPv6 and proxy servers. In case you can’t find a tool that you need, you can rely on a world of plugins for Deluge.

9. Vuze - Best Torrent Client with Built-In Search

Price	Free / Starts at $2.49 per month (Vuze Plus)
Visit	Vuze

The competition between torrent clients is quite tough. That’s why Vuze is not a typical client but instead tries to offer everything you need to find healthy torrents and download them. It might be overly complex for inexperienced users but experienced torrent users will feel right at home with this software.

Out of the box, Vuze comes with a search option to find torrents. You can enter a name, hash, or even a tag, and you’ll see a long list of options. Once you decide to download a torrent, it will be automatically opened in the app, and it will start to download.

And when it comes to downloading, you can count on support for all modern protocols. This includes DHT, PEX, Magnet URLs, and pretty much everything else.

10. BitLord - Best Torrent Client with RSS Support

Price	Free of charge.
Visit	BitLord

BitLord started out as a fairly simple torrent app but has grown in a big way. Today, we have an all-new version that comes as a highly optimized application. You get a built-in torrent search with type suggestions, bandwidth controls, RSS subscriptions, automatic port configuration, and plenty more.

What needs to be said is that BitLord isn't the most polished torrent downloader, at least when it comes to its UI. However, it gets the job done and has many useful features that advanced users will love. This is why we still believe that BitLord is worth your attention.

Why Is It Essential to Use a VPN with a Mac Torrent Downloader?

When torrenting, you don't want your Internet provider to track you online. So, you need a VPN, which will encrypt and hide your P2P data. Other reasons why VPNs are essential are the following:

• Protection from Copyright Infringement Charges: Everything you download using your torrent client is visible to your Internet provider, which is how you can end up with copyright infringement charges - unless you hide your data with a VPN.
• Bypass Access Restrictions to Torrent Sites: Torrent sites are often blocked in many countries. You'll need a VPN to access those, done by connecting to a server in a foreign country (one that has access to more torrent sites than your home country).
• Download Torrents in Complete Privacy: As you start downloading a P2P file, torrenting apps connect you to other P2P users, exposing your IP address along the way. A VPN is the only way to hide your IP address, your location, and other personally identifiable information.
• Ensure Your Online Anonymity: Your ISP knows what you download. However, it also sees the websites you visit, which is a clear privacy intrusion. To ensure your anonymity, a VPN is needed as it can encrypt all your incoming and outgoing data.
• Ensure Your Online Security: Thanks to data encryption, VPNs can prevent malicious actors from streaming your data and getting to your device. They also help you scan files for malware, so they can support your torrenting activities in many different ways.
• Circumvent ISP Bandwidth Throttling: If your Internet provider uses selective throttling to cut its costs and preserve bandwidth, you can negate that by using a VPN. Since a VPN hides your data, it makes it impossible for your ISP to throttle any specific type of Web activity.
• Torrent Safely Even on Public Wi-Fi: Most public Wi-Fi networks are designed to take advantage of your sensitive information in some way. However, a VPN plugs any security holes, which means you'll get to use your torrent client even on public Wi-Fi networks.
• Unblock Your Home Sites While Abroad: As you travel abroad, you'll encounter roadblocks while using torrent sites, as they're largely blocked worldwide. With a VPN, you can use any site and any torrent client to download as many P2P files as you want.

It's crucial to pick a high-end VPN for your torrent client, as downloading torrents should be done only via an encrypted data tunnel. We recommend you try NordVPN, as it meets all the above-listed requirements while also offering ultra-fast speeds.

What Criteria to Follow When Searching for a Mac Torrent App?

To find the best Mac torrent downloader, pick one with native macOS support, featuring an optimized user interface and a rich set of features. Here's what you need to keep in mind:

• Native Support for macOS: Support for macOS can come in various forms. If you have an Apple silicon-powered Mac, pick a torrent client with support for M-branded chips, which allows you to take full advantage of your chosen application.
• User-Centric Application Interface: Mac torrent clients come in different shapes and sizes. If you're a first-time user, go for a simple and fully automated application. Later on, you can try a more complex torrent client that allows you to fine-tune various parts of your connection.
• Built-In Torrent Search Engine: You can always use torrent search engines found on the Web to look for torrent files. However, you can also use a torrent client that has a built-in search engine, so you can do all your torrenting without ever leaving the app.
• P2P-Specific Features for Easy Torrenting: We also recommend looking for features only available in torrent software, such as scheduled downloads, prioritization, bulk downloading, and other features aimed at speeding up your torrent downloads.
• Avoid Aggressive In-App Ads: It's not unusual for a free torrent client to incorporate ads as a way to generate revenue. However, there's no excuse for a torrent client to serve overly aggressive ads, which can even be malicious in some cases.
• No Bundled (Malicious) Software: Aside from serving ads, torrent clients also bundle extra software, which you'll want to avoid installing. Pick a standalone application, or be extra careful if you install a torrent client that comes with browser add-ons and similar.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, the best torrent software depends on your specific needs and preferences. That said, make sure to pick a trustworthy and easy-to-use client without previous association with malware. Most importantly, pick an application that won't serve ads or take advantage of your privacy. Of course, there's also plenty you can do to ensure your torrenting activities are hidden.

Also, ensuring your protection and privacy while torrenting is crucial, and the most effective way to achieve this is by using a reputable VPN. That said, we think NordVPN is the best option, as it helps anonymize the traffic coming from any torrent client for Mac, ensuring no data leaks happen, and optimizing your connection for the fastest speed possible.

This is where we end our guide to the best torrent apps for Mac in 2024. Do not forget to post a comment if you have any recommendations or questions for us. Thanks!