Large files such as movies or games can be downloaded quickly and easily using torrenting technology. However, many free torrent clients come with slow download speeds, limited features, and geo-restrictions in certain countries. In fact, as per the most recent studies, only 25% of free torrent clients actually work properly.
One of the biggest problems with free torrent clients is that they can be blocked in some countries due to copyright laws. On top of that, many also come with injected malware and spyware, putting your privacy and security at risk.
That said, we recommend using a VPN to access the best torrent sites safely. Without a VPN, you’ll likely get caught breaking copyright infringement laws, which can carry hefty consequences depending on where you live.
To make things easier for you, in this guide, we share the 10 best torrent clients, give you a better understanding of their pros and cons, and teach you how to overcome those limitations using the best VPN for torrenting.Â
So, without further ado, let’s dig in.
How to Safely Use a Torrent Client
You can use a torrent client safely by running a VPN while downloading P2P files. This requires installing a VPN app and a torrent client on your device. Here’s what to do:
- Subscribe to a reputable VPN for torrenting (we recommend ExpressVPN).Â
- Download and install the VPN software on your device.
- Launch the VPN app and log in using your credentials.Â
- Choose a server in a country that's lenient towards downloading torrents.
- Once the connection is established, open your torrent client.Â
- Now, you can safely download any torrent you’d like!
If you are using a macOS device and want to find the best Mac torrent client, make sure to use the provided link. You'll find plenty of options there specialized for macOS.
Best Torrent Clients
When ranking the best torrent clients, we considered a number of factors, such as download speed and ease of use. Also, extra features like built-in search, magnet link support, and media streaming are worth your consideration. Lastly, the best torrent downloader must be malware-free, facilitating a safe torrenting experience.
Based on the criteria explained above, these are the 10 best torrent clients.
1. uTorrent Classic/Web - Our #1-Ranked Free Torrent Client
The uTorrent client is one of the most popular software of this kind. The company behind it is well aware of the matter, which is why it also offers the "Pro" version. However, the free-of-charge version should do the job for the majority of users.
First and foremost, this is an incredibly small application. You can download it in a matter of seconds and then proceed to install the software. During the installation, carefully go through each step and opt out of bundled software. Once you are done, you will be greeted by a fairly simple interface suitable even for complete beginners.
When you’re ready to dive deeper, you will see why uTorrent is one of the best torrent clients. It comes with file prioritization, scheduled downloads, streaming, third-party plugins, and plenty more. So, it might look simple, but this is one ultra-powerful torrent client.
2. BitTorrent - Best Torrent Downloader for Beginners
BitTorrent is being advertised as the "original torrent client." That is true because BitTorrent has been around for ages now. In addition, you can use its website to find lots of legal files, including music and videos.
Aside from somewhat annoying ads and bundled software, there aren’t any real drawbacks to this torrent client. No matter how experienced you are, you are free to customize its UI according to your needs (it can be as simple or as complex as you need it to be).
In essence, this is a drag-and-drop free torrent downloader that supports the standard set of features. You can prioritize torrent files, download specific files within torrents, play media, as well as stream torrents. There are some advanced features as well, like IP filtering.
3. Transmission - Simple and Lightweight BitTorrent Client for macOS
During the last couple of years, Apple has done a great job of improving its desktop operating system and making it more polished than ever before. Regular security-related updates are great for users – but bad for torrent clients. This is what makes it somewhat hard to find a reliable torrent client for macOS. However, we have the perfect solution – Transmission.
This incredibly lightweight torrent client takes full advantage of macOS and Apple's M-branded chips. You can download it in one minute and then drag and drop its icon to install it. From there on, it’s all drag-and-drop-based.
Find a torrent file, add it to Transmission, and the application will do the rest. It will optimize the settings based on your Web connection and download the needed torrent files. The application runs quietly in the background and takes very little resources, meaning that even entry-level MacBook Air models can run Transmission without a single problem.
4. qBittorrent - Powerful and Easy-to-Use Free Torrent Downloader
This is one of the oldest torrent clients out there. It doesn’t come with a polished or modern interface, but it easily gets the job done. So, we’d like to recommend qBittorrent to first-time torrent users and those who have computers with low-end specs.
We wouldn’t want you to think that qBittorrent is a barebones torrent client. That's because it comes with surprisingly powerful built-in tools that make the whole process of downloading torrents a bit easier. There’s an integrated torrent search engine, media player, and encryption for your P2P connection.
You can also prioritize torrents as you download them and pick specific files to download within torrent files. The only thing missing here is that you won’t find any plugins as you do with similar applications. But again, plugins are mostly for experienced users.
5. Deluge - Flexible and Feature-Rich Torrent Client
You will often hear people talking about Deluge as one of the best torrent clients for complete beginners. However, we disagree with this statement. Even though newbies will be able to use it out of the box, it takes some time to discover what Deluge is all about.
On the plus side, this torrent client is very light when it comes to its size and performance. You can use it on a decade-old computer, and it will run just fine. Simply drag and drop a torrent file onto its UI, and it will begin to download.
Once you get to know this software, you will see that it integrates with Chrome and Firefox and comes with helpful addons. These can shut down your computer once the file is downloaded, unzip files, move them to a specific location, and more. In addition, there are no ads or bundled software, which is always a nice thing to see.
6. Vuze - Advanced Torrenting with a Built-In Media Player
Long-term torrenting fans have probably heard about Azureus a while back. This was a popular torrent client known for its nicely designed UI. Vuze is a direct descendant of Azureus that comes with greatly enhanced and improved features.
Like with uTorrent, we recommend not rushing with the installation since you’ll end up with bundled software. In addition, you will be asked to set up the software according to your needs. This might sound intimidating, but every feature is thoroughly explained.
Besides, this torrent client can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. Naturally, it means it takes advantage of your system’s resources in a big way. Therefore, we do not recommend it to those who have entry-level laptops.
7. Halite BitTorrent Client - Minimalistic Torrent Software for Windows
Just because it has 'BitTorrent' in its name, don’t confuse it with other suggestions in this article. This is an incredibly lightweight application that supports Windows. If you want the best torrent downloader that's also really simple to use, you’re in for a treat.
Upon downloading the Halite BitTorrent Client from GitHub, you can unzip and open it (it's an EXE application). This kind of installation can be somewhat confusing because GitHub is involved. However, we are sure you won’t have a hard time making this application run on your system.
Upon opening it, you will see an incredibly simple interface. Add a torrent file, and Halite will start downloading it. You can perform basic operations like stopping and resuming the download process and reviewing important download information. If you need a simple torrent client, this one is for you.
8. BitComet - Best Torrent App with Advanced Features
BitComet is an older client that still receives occasional updates. Even though this is a simple application at its core, it brings support for all modern standards of creating and downloading torrents.
It is worth noting that BitComet has a unique feature called Intelligent Disk Caching. A few years ago, even the best torrent clients were quite demanding. This was due to large amounts of read-and-write data. BitComet was the first application to solve this issue. Even though this isn’t a highly important feature these days, it’s worth noting that you’ll be using a highly optimized torrent client.
It's also worth noting that BitComet now supports both Windows and macOS - as it was previously available only on Microsoft's operating system. This may also signal that we can expect new features more often.
9. WebTorrent - Top Torrent Client for Mid-Downloading Media Streaming
We're sure many of you download plenty of movies via P2P. As you know, you need to wait to download the entire file before you can play it on your device. However, WebTorrent is here to provide a solution to this problem.
Once you add a magnet or torrent file to this application, it will start to download it automatically. However, you'll be able to stream the file instead of waiting for it to be fully downloaded. There's also a set of playback controls where you can increase or decrease the playback speed, control the volume, add subtitles, and more. This makes WebTorrent one of the best torrent clients for watching videos.
Finally, we must mention that WebTorrent brings a beautifully designed interface on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Sadly, no mobile versions are available right now.
10. BitLord - Best Torrent Software with Built-In Search Engine
BitLord is an older software that still manages to bring competitive features. Both beginners and experienced torrent users can use it since BitLord is a highly adaptive option.
We recommend you pay attention while installing this application. Based on your requirements, BitLord will first download the required files and then proceed with the installation. If you’re not careful, you might end up with unwanted software.
When it comes to its capabilities, you can count on the standard set of features. However, what’s interesting about this application is its advanced tools. First, there’s a built-in search tool for audio, video, and other kinds of torrents. Then, you can stream videos to your computer or play them via Chromecast. Finally, you can even download subtitles.
How to Pick the Best Torrent Client for Your Needs?
After everything said so far, you must wonder how to pick the best torrent client for your needs. Well, let's give you some pointers.
- Platform Compatibility: In case you are using Windows, macOS, or Linux, you shouldn’t have a hard time finding a torrent client. Also, it's good to know that torrent clients are inter-compatible, which means that you can download torrent files regardless of the client you use. There are also Android P2P clients - but sadly, there aren't any for iOS.
- Size & Performance: Most torrent clients are incredibly lightweight. You can download and install them in an instant. In addition, they tend to be light on your system's resources. This is especially important since it can take hours to download a large torrent file.
- Ease of Use: The good news is that you don’t have to be an IT expert to download torrents. However, some torrent clients tend to have an overly complex UI. This is good if you want to dive deep into various types of settings. Otherwise, a very simple application will do the job.
- Price/Adware: Last but not least, there’s the price. The majority of P2P clients are free of charge. However, some of these serve ads, which is their way of generating revenue. Don’t worry - we’ll only list the software that doesn’t serve as typical adware.
What Are Torrent Clients?
Torrent clients are applications using which you can download torrent files. They're capable of downloading and uploading files at the same time, letting you participate in a P2P swarm.
In our Ultimate Guide to Torrenting, you can learn about the BitTorrent protocol (make sure to check how torrents work for additional information). This is where you'll discover that we're talking about decentralized systems in this case, where each computer has a part of the file you're downloading. It means you need to connect to other users downloading the same P2P file, which torrent clients are designed to do.
As you can imagine, torrent clients aren't a novelty. They've been here for quite some time, and many of them have developed advanced features. So, even if you're looking for a completely free-of-charge torrent client, you can do more than download P2P files. You can search for data across the Web, stream movies and music without leaving the torrent client, create and distribute torrents, and more.
Is It Safe to Use a Torrent Client?
Yes, torrent clients are safe to use - but there's something important to keep in mind. Make sure to download torrent clients ONLY from their official sites. If you fail to do so, you can easily end up with an infected installation file. Make sure to learn how to spot fake torrents as well.
Talking about torrenting and torrent clients usually involves talking about malware as well. That's because one of the fastest ways to spread malware is by distributing it via a P2P network. This is why antivirus vendors often flag torrent clients as dangerous.
Also, let's not forget about your privacy. By participating in a P2P network, your IP address becomes exposed, and this means practically anyone can track your online whereabouts. More skilled individuals can also keep track of what you download and where you come from (by pinpointing your exact location).
This is why we want you to check our torrent encryption guide to learn how to stay anonymous while torrenting.
Do P2P Clients Come Already Optimized?
In general, the best torrent clients already come optimized. Unless your ISP imposes severe restrictions on P2P traffic, any torrent client you pick should do the job.
So, yes - you'll be able to download files without having to dive into your torrent client's settings. However, doing so will go a long way. If you know how to tweak the right settings, you'll get to initialize new downloads faster, connect to more peers, and enjoy a more streamlined experience overall.
To help you with this, we've focused on exploring the most popular torrent clients right now. First, you can learn how to use uTorrent, and then check how to configure uTorrent. This will lead you to our guide on making uTorrent faster. We also wrote about eliminating ads in uTorrent - without having to pay for a premium plan.
Final Thoughts
All our recommended torrent clients come equipped with unique features and capabilities. Some are known for their simplicity and ease of use, while others offer advanced functionality for experienced users.Â
We recommend uTorrent as the best free torrent client since it’s user-friendly and supports high-speed downloading. This lightweight and malware-free application comes with file prioritization, built-in streaming, and a media player, among many other features.
Lastly, to bypass geo-restrictions and prevent legal repercussions, it’s highly recommended to protect your identity with a VPN while torrenting.
That’s it for our guide to the best free torrent clients. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us in the comments section.