6 Best VPNs for Torrenting in 2024

Governments regulate torrenting much more strictly than before, resulting in legal punishments. If you torrent without protection, you can get caught and charged with copyright infringement. Additionally, your IP is exposed while torrenting, so other users in your P2P swarm can see it. 

Another concern is that ISPs slow down Internet connections if they notice large downloads. However, these issues can be avoided with a torrenting VPN. More precisely, a capable VPN can mask your IP and prevent leaks. It can also hide your activity from your ISP by encrypting your data, as well as help you unblock torrent sites.

In this article, we’ll discuss the 6 best VPNs for torrenting and show you how to use one. We’ll provide a guide to choosing a VPN, compare the best options, explain why you need a VPN, share the best VPN locations for torrenting, guide you through troubleshooting steps, and more.

How to Use a VPN for Downloading Torrents

Before you can anonymize your P2P traffic, you need to sign up for a VPN and install its app on your device. Then, you can connect to a P2P server, done in the following way:

1. Sign up for a VPN that supports torrenting (we recommend NordVPN).
2. Download and install the VPN app on the device(s) you’ll use for torrenting.
3. Open the VPN app and sign in to your account to activate your VPN subscription.
4. Visit your VPN app's settings and enable the kill switch to prevent leaks.
5. Check if the default VPN protocol is set to OpenVPN (or WireGuard).
6. Connect to a VPN server, preferably a specialized P2P one.
7. Choose and download the torrent client you want to use.
8. Find a safe torrent repository to browse torrent files.
9. Now, you can safely download torrents online. That’s it!

People who are new to torrenting might have some difficulty setting everything up and getting started. Check out our detailed guide on using torrents, which takes you through every step explained above in great detail.

The Best VPNs for Torrenting in 2024

To pinpoint the best options, you’ll need to look for a provider that can unblock many torrent sites and P2P repositories. The provider you choose should also offer a good number of P2P servers in various locations. Finding a VPN with a wide server network will help you accomplish this, as well as ensure a fast and reliable torrenting experience.

In addition, the VPN you go for should come with various features that support torrenting, like obfuscated servers, a kill switch, and split tunneling. Extra P2P-related options such as an ad-blocker and anti-malware scanning are ideal, too. Your chosen provider must also offer robust security and privacy features, including a no-logs policy, encryption, and VPN protocols. 

Furthermore, the best providers come at an affordable price, provide a money-back guarantee, and come with reliable, round-the-clock customer support.

After having tested more than 50 VPN services hands-on, we believe these are the 6 best VPNs to download torrents in 2024:

1. NordVPN – Our Best-Rated VPN for Torrenting in 2024

NordVPN is the most capable VPN available today, with thousands of P2P-optimized servers. In total, it has 6,400+ servers in 111 countries. It also offers obfuscation, but only on some servers. Nonetheless, the provider offers access to many different torrent sites.

You get top-notch P2P-focused features, along with some extras. Some of those features include a capable kill switch, split tunneling, an ad-blocker, and real-time anti-malware scanning. However, the split tunneling feature is only available on Windows, Android, and Android TV devices.

The provider also delivers incredible speeds, being one of the fastest VPNs for torrenting. During our tests, this VPN managed to deliver us a 434 Mbps VPN connection on a 700 Mbps baseline connection without any fine-tuning. You can also tinker with its protocols to reach even faster speeds.

This Panama-based VPN is one of the best options when it comes to security and privacy, as it offers top-tier features that will protect you and your devices at all times. You’ll get a strict no-logs policy, AES 256-bit/ChaCha20 encryption, secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN, NordLynx, and IKEv2/IPsec), and more.

Let's not forget to mention that IP or DNS leaks won't happen when connected to NordVPN's servers. We tested a range of P2P VPN locations for location and found zero instances of any kind of issue. On top of that, NordVPN's connections are extra-stable, so you can leave it running 24/7.  

Everything listed above is priced at $3.09/month (2-year plan). You’ll also enjoy a 30-day money-back guarantee and 24/7 customer support.

Learn what else to expect by reading our NordVPN review.

2. Surfshark – User-Friendly Torrent VPN with High-End Privacy

Surfshark is a well-known VPN provider that comes with 3,200 servers in 100 countries. All its servers are P2P-optimized and offer Camouflage Mode (obfuscation). So, not only will you be able to unblock repositories and download torrents on all servers, but they’ll also hide the fact that you’re using a VPN.

This Netherlands-based VPN is among the speediest providers, providing a 438 Mbps VPN connection on our baseline 700 Mbps connection. It’s excellent for torrenting and comes with all the P2P-focused features you need, like a kill switch and split tunneling (on Windows and Android). It also offers ad-blocking via CleanWeb and anti-malware.

Surfshark comes with a wide range of security features, including a no-logs policy, military-grade encryption (AES-256, ChaCha20), and secure protocols (OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2/IPsec). There's even an antivirus app for Windows, perfect for checking the files you download.

We'll also mention that we detected no IP/DNS leaks, so rest assured that your torrenting sessions will remain secure within Surfshark's tunnel. Plus, you can use it for long torrenting sessions, as this VPN can handle extended sessions without any fluctuations.

Surfshark costs $2.19/month (2-year plan). The provider’s 30-day money-back guarantee allows you to try its services risk-free. You’ll also get 24/7 customer support via live chat. Want to know more about this provider? Here's our full Surfshark review.

3. ExpressVPN – Powerful Torrenting VPN with Full Support for P2P

ExpressVPN is another powerful VPN for downloading torrents, as it has thousands of servers in 105 countries, and all of them are optimized for P2P file sharing. The VPN can also unblock many torrenting sites, giving you access to millions of torrent files. 

All ExpressVPN servers are obfuscated, so you can hide the fact you’re using a VPN. In addition, you get robust features, such as an audited no-logs policy, it's based in the British Virgin Islands, secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN, Lightway, IKEv2/IPsec), and military-grade encryption (AES-256 and WolfSSL).

ExpressVPN has all the P2P-focused features you need, including a capable kill switch and split tunneling. It also offers blazing speeds and reliable performance, giving us 625 Mbps on a 700 Mbps connection. Also, torrenting with ExpressVPN is pretty easy, making the provider suitable for beginners and advanced users.

Being such a hugely powerful provider, it's no wonder it's not prone to IP or DNS leaks. No matter which server we tested, we detected no data leaks. Furthermore, ExpressVPN connects within seconds, and it's more than suitable for extra-long P2P sessions.

Let's not forget to mention that you'll need to pay $6.67 per month for its annual subscription. Lastly, ExpressVPN comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and dedicated 24/7 customer support.

Visit our ExpressVPN review for a behind-the-scenes look at this provider.

4. CyberGhost VPN – Reputable VPN for Torrenting with Special P2P Servers

CyberGhost is an easy-to-use provider, as it comes with P2P-optimized servers in a large number of countries. With its network of thousands of servers in 100 countries, this VPN can surely unblock many torrenting sites, giving you access to millions of torrents. 

By downloading torrents with CyberGhost, you can expect fast speeds and reliable performance. We tested it on a 700 Mbps baseline connection, and we got 432 Mbps - so, pretty fast overall. You’ll also get P2P-focused features such as a kill switch and split tunneling (Windows and Android). That said, it doesn’t offer obfuscation, so we don't recommend it for countries like China or the UAE.

That said, you’ll be protected by features like a no-logs policy, its Romanian jurisdiction, strong encryption (AES-256, ChaCha20), secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2/IPsec), an ad-blocker, and anti-malware.

CyberGhost knows how to protect your privacy when torrenting by creating a watertight data tunnel. We tested a range of its servers and found no IP/DNS leaks. Even though it can take some time to connect, it's also suitable for longer torrenting sessions, as its connections are very stable overall.

You'll need to pay only $2.19/month for its 2-year subscription plan. There’s a 45-day money-back guarantee on its longer-term subscriptions. Lastly, you’ll get 24/7 customer support via live chat.

There's plenty more to know about this VPN. So, learn more via our CyberGhost VPN review.

5. Private Internet Access – Highly Advanced VPN for P2P for High-End Users

Private Internet Access (PIA) is a feature-rich VPN with thousands of servers in 90+ countries. All the servers are P2P-optimized, leaving you with a huge range of options. Also, it can unblock many different torrenting sites, allowing you access to a wide array of torrents to download. 

PIA has a kill switch and split tunneling. The provider also offers obfuscation through its Shadowsocks protocol. We'll also add that PIA has a no-logs policy, military-grade encryption (AES-128/256, ChaCha20), and secure protocols (OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2/IPsec).

A Multi-Hop feature also routes your VPN connection through two VPN servers before it reaches its destination. Furthermore, the provider offers fast overall speeds. When testing it on a 700 Mbps connection without any fine-tuning, PIA gave us a 482 Mbps VPN session. You can get even faster speeds if you tinker with the VPN's settings.

Our team also tested PIA for data leaks and found no issues. Even after connecting to a series of nearby and remote servers, we found zero IP/DNS leaks. We can also conclude that PIA can handle extra-long torrenting sessions without any issues.

To get all those features, you will need to pay only $2.19 per month for PIA's 2-year subscription. With PIA, you’ll be eligible for a full refund thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee. Also, the VPN offers reliable 24/7 customer support via live chat.

To see this VPN in action, go ahead and read our Private Internet Access review.

6. Proton VPN – Ultra-Secure Torrent VPN for Easy Website Unblocking

Proton VPN is a reliable VPN that can unblock and give you access to multiple torrenting sites. It has 8,100+ servers in 112 countries, and most of them are P2P-optimized. Users can also utilize obfuscation to hide the fact that they’re torrenting via a VPN.

The provider also comes with a kill switch. In addition, it offers split tunneling on Windows and Android devices. Other useful features include a no-logs policy, AES 256-bit and ChaCha20 encryption, secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2/IPsec, and Stealth), and more.

Proton VPN is much faster than it was before, thanks to its “VPN Accelerator” feature that boosts the speed on the provider’s more remote servers. Thus, you can expect a fast torrenting experience with reliable performance. To give you an example, we'll say that Proton VPN managed to produce a 436 Mbps VPN connection on our baseline 700 Mbps connection.

Plus, you won't have to worry about data leaks. Proton VPN has extra-strong data protection systems, meaning you won't encounter IP/DNS data leaks. Its servers are extra-stable as well, making Proton VPN a great pick for downloading files that take a lot of time to download.

Finally, this high-quality VPN comes priced at $3.59 per month for its 2-year plan. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. We'll also note that ProtonVPN doesn't offer 24/7 live chat support, but you'll find plenty of other support channels.

Our hands-on Proton VPN review reveals plenty more info on this provider.

Comparing the Top Torrenting VPNs

How We Rank the Best VPNs for Torrenting?

In preparation for this article, the goal of our team was to find high-end VPNs that provide the necessary privacy, security, and performance. We tested over 50 VPNs following a series of steps that showed us each VPN's strengths and weaknesses, as explained below.

1. Checking for P2P Support

Our process of reviewing VPNs starts by checking for P2P traffic. While some VPNs allow torrenting on specific servers only, some block it altogether due to copyright infringement implications. So, we check each VPN's documentation and website to confirm and verify P2P support. We also check the VPN's app to see how that implementation is executed.

2. Testing for IP and DNS Leaks

The last thing you want in a VPN is a data leak. So, before connecting to VPN servers, we use tools like IPLeak and DNSLeakTest to check our IP and DNS information. Then, after each successful connection, we run those tools again to see if our original information appears in any way. A capable VPN must offer a leak-free tunnel as long as you use its servers.

3. Inspecting the Kill Switch Functionality

You'll want a VPN with an error-free kill switch, which is how you'll prevent leaks if your VPN session becomes unstable. So, we first enable the kill switch, connect to a server, and then start a torrenting session. Then, we manually disconnect from the VPN or simulate a connection drop to check if the kill switch kicks into action.

4. Running Download and Upload Speed Tests

This step aims to check if the VPN is fast enough for file-sharing sessions. So, we check our baseline download and upload speed first. Then, upon connecting to each nearby and remote P2P-supported location, we run a speed using Ookla's Speed Test tool. We also use a sample torrent file to check its download and upload speed with and without the VPN.

5. Checking the Ability to Bypass ISP Throttling

ISP throttling is widespread in the US and other countries, as many Internet providers are known to throttle P2P connections. Following the previous step, where we establish our baseline download and upload speeds, we test download speeds with and with the VPN while torrenting. If those speeds are faster when the VPN is enabled, that means that ISP throttling happens in the background.

6. Checking the Locations and Distribution of P2P VPN Servers

You'll want a VPN that offers evenly distributed P2P VPN servers. You'll especially want a lot of nearby servers, as those typically provide faster download speeds. We use each VPN's website and software to check the size of its server network. More precisely, we check the number and location of its servers while also testing the performance and stability of the most popular locations.

7. Reviewing Logging Policy and P2P-Oriented Security Features

To be able to protect your privacy while torrenting, your chosen VPN should offer a no-logs policy, strong encryption (AES-256 or ChaCha20), and robust protocols (OpenVPN or WireGuard). So, we check each VPN's logging policy and security/privacy features while also checking if anything additional is available. For example, obfuscation and split tunneling are welcome features for P2P.

8. Analyzing the Stability of Long VPN Sessions

Torrenting typically involves long sessions, meaning any capable VPN must offer a stable connection even if you keep it active 24/7. To check this, we start a large torrent download and leave it running for several hours while connected to a VPN server in the background. During that time, our team monitors for connection drops, performance fluctuations, or technical issues with the VPN.

9. Interacting with Customer Support for Torrenting Issues

We also check each VPN's level of customer support by inquiring about torrenting-related issues. For example, we ask for the best locations for torrenting and resolving connectivity issues. Based on each VPN's customer support system, that can be done over live chat or through e-mail. We draw our conclusion based on how knowledgeable and responsive each support team is.

10. Drawing Final Conclusions

Based on the steps described above, we draw conclusions regarding each VPN's ability to protect your privacy, prevent data leaks, and provide fast torrenting sessions. The criteria established above help us pinpoint the most capable providers with features specifically optimized for torrenting, which is why all of our recommendations provide a safe and efficient torrenting experience.

Tips on Finding the Best Torrenting VPN

You’ll need to find a provider that offers P2P support, unblocks torrent sites, and offers features that protect your privacy. Here's what you need to consider when choosing a VPN:

• Ability to Access Any Torrent Site - You'll want safe and anonymous access to any torrent site with no restrictions, being able to access sites such as The Pirate Bay, 1337X, and YIFY, which are the most popular P2P repositories yet often-blocked by most ISPs.
• Server Network Size & P2P-Compatible Servers - Aside from finding a VPN provider with plenty of servers and server locations, ensure that you get servers that allow P2P traffic.
• Support for Obfuscation - Obfuscation will help you hide that you use a VPN. So, not even your Internet provider will know that you're encrypting your traffic.
• Kill Switch & Split Tunneling - A kill switch prevents leaks if something happens to your session. Split tunneling allows you to create VPN and non-VPN tunnels.
• Privacy-Friendly Jurisdiction - Using a VPN in a privacy-friendly jurisdiction outside the 14 Eyes Alliance adds another safety layer to your digital privacy.
• Strong Privacy & Security Features - Your chosen VPN should feature protocols like OpenVPN or WireGuard, coupled with encryption such as AES-256 or ChaCha20.
• Trustworthy No-Logs Policy - The main purpose of a VPN is to hide your P2P activities. So, we highly recommend picking a VP provider with an audited no-logs policy.
• Extra P2P-Related Features - A VPN for P2P with an ad-blocker is an excellent idea, as torrent sites are often riddled with ads. Also, some VPNs offer anti-malware scanning in the form of a dedicated app. For extra security, you'll also want to check if you can bind your chosen VPN to a specific P2P client, like uTorrent, eMule, Vuze, qBitTorrent, and more.
• Stable Performance - Any capable VPN must offer stable and fast performance without slowing down your P2P traffic. So, for example, if you plan to use uTorrent with a VPN, you'll want fast nearby and remote connections that don't interfere with your client.
• Price and Overall Value - A high-quality VPN doesn't have to cost a lot. Still, it's best to invest in a long-term subscription, as that's how you get to the best VPN pricing options.
• Liberal Money-Back Guarantees - Reputable VPNs offer money-back guarantees using which you can ask for a refund for up to 30 days of use, in most cases.
• 24/7 Available Customer Support - When you encounter technical issues, you'll be happy to have access to 24/7 live chat support.

The recommendations found above follow the guidelines explained above. However, if you'd like to expand your search based on additional opinions and hands-on tests, we have a guide on the best torrenting VPNs according to Reddit.

Do You Need a VPN for Torrenting?

A capable VPN helps protect your Web activities and personal information online, which is crucial when torrenting. Other reasons why you need a VPN include the following:

• Avoid P2P-Related Infringement Charges – You can get caught and charged with copyright infringement when torrenting, especially in countries like the US. Luckily, a VPN helps you avoid that by encrypting and hiding your P2P traffic.
• Unblock New Torrent Repositories - In most countries, torrent sites are blocked on the grounds of copyright infringement. The only way to regain access is to use a VPN with servers in a country where P2P repositories are widely available.
• Prevent Data Leaks When Torrenting - VPNs that allow torrenting and do not keep logs can also create ultra-safe data tunnels. As such, they prevent data leaks, eliminating any change of your IP being visible to your Internet provider and other users in P2P swarms.
• Hide Your Web Browsing Activity – Your Internet provider can see everything you do online. Also, online trackers can see the same as they follow you across websites. Put an end to those privacy intrusions by placing your traffic inside a VPN tunnel.
• Bypass ISP-Induced Bandwidth Throttling - ISPs have a habit of throttling their users’ Web connections when they notice high data usage in a short period of time. A VPN will hide what you do online, letting you bypass throttling and unblocking your connection.
• Torrent Safely Even on Public Wi-Fi - Thanks to their encryption, VPNs help you create secure connections using any type of Internet connection. That means you can download torrents even when using public Wi-Fi networks, known for their lack of security and privacy.

Best VPN Location for Torrenting

You should prioritize locations or countries that have no data-retention laws and don’t require companies to share user data. That said, you also need to consider whether torrenting is legal and safe and avoid countries with strict copyright infringement laws.

Here are some of the best options in terms of the best VPN server locations and the reasons why you should prioritize certain countries over others:

Do You Need to Hide Your IP Address When Torrenting?

Yes, you need to hide your IP address when torrenting. When you download or upload torrents, your IP address is automatically added to a torrent swarm. Thus, anyone in that swarm can see your IP address and find your physical location. By getting access to your IP address, other users can also track your downloading activity.

By masking your IP address, you’ll prevent your ISP from seeing what you download. This is important as, at the very least, you can avoid getting caught for copyright infringement, which often happens when you download content like games, movies, TV shows, music, and more via torrents. 

Aside from typical P2P clients, we also have P2P-based applications that can expose your IP address at any given moment. For example, a Popcorn VPN will help hide your IP while streaming, as Popcorn is a P2P-based app, so there's always a chance of infringing on copyrights.

Some ISPs even have to report users who engage in torrenting to the authorities. So, if you hide your IP address with a powerful VPN, such as NordVPN, which is our preferred option, you’ll make sure the government can never catch or charge you.

Can You Get Caught Torrenting with a VPN?

Yes, you can get caught torrenting with a VPN. However, the chances of that happening are unlikely, as VPNs hide your IP address and encrypt your online activity. Most premium providers have robust IP leak protection to prevent your IP address from being exposed while you torrent.

That said, one way you can get caught torrenting with a VPN is if your provider doesn’t have a kill switch. Without a kill switch, torrent downloads will continue even if your VPN connection drops, which will expose your real IP address immediately. Thus, it’s imperative to use a VPN that allows torrents and has a kill switch to block Internet access if the VPN stops working.

Another way you can get caught torrenting is if your VPN is headquartered inside the 5/9/14-Eyes Alliance. Companies in those countries can be compelled to share information with their respective governments. Thus, using a VPN with a no-logs policy is crucial, as it won’t store or share your data, which could expose your torrenting activities. 

We'll remind you that NordVPN checks all the right boxes, as it features a kill switch, is based in Panama, and offers a frequently audited no-logs policy.

How to Fix a VPN That Is Not Working?

The provider you’re using might not support torrenting, or perhaps you're using an overcrowded server, as those are the most frequent reasons why a VPN might encounter an issue. Other reasons and solutions you can consider include the following:

• Go With a Different VPN Server – The server you’re connected to might be experiencing some technical issues. You can switch to a different VPN server and try again. 
• Make Sure You Use a P2P VPN Server - While some VPNs offer specialized servers for P2P, others enable this type of traffic across their entire networks.
• Go With Another VPN Protocol – Another way to troubleshoot your VPN is to try a different VPN protocol. Switch between OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2/IPsec.
• Update VPN Software – Sometimes, a simple app update is all that’s keeping you from safely downloading the torrents you want.
• Check Your Baseline Connection – If your Internet isn’t working properly, neither will your VPN. Ensure that your Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection is stable before you start downloading torrents.
• Restart Your Device / VPN App - Try restarting your device (including your router), which is how you'll also restart your VPN application.
• Update Your VPN Software - Make sure to always use the latest VPN app version, as that's how you'll get to latest configurations and security patches.
• Turn Off Your Device's Firewall - If you use Windows, there's a big chance that your computer's firewall is blocking VPN connections. We recommend you disable this feature temporarily.
• Remove Other VPN Applications - Having more than a single VPN application can cause software conflicts, as each VPN installs its own network adapter onto your system.
• Contact Your VPN Provider's Support - Hopefully, you've picked a VPN with 24/7 live chat support. If so, you can visit the VPN's website and initialize a new chat session instantly.
• Pick Another VPN Provider – If none of the above-mentioned solutions fix the issue, then maybe your VPN doesn’t work for torrenting at all.

Should You Use a Free VPN to Download Torrents?

Yes, you can use a free torrenting VPN, but we don’t recommend doing that at all. More precisely, free VPNs usually sell users’ data to third parties, including governments. They also offer slow speeds and unreliable connections, which aren’t suitable for torrenting. 

Also, some won’t even hide your IP address properly, so you might find your IP leaked in your torrent swarm for everyone to see. In addition, free providers have limited server infrastructures.

You can go risk-free by choosing a VPN free trial offer, giving you access to premium features for a limited time. We recommend a free trial of NordVPN, available on Android for 7 days. This VPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on other supported devices.

You can always pick a premium VPN after a trial once you've made sure they're aligned with your needs. Remember that by using the top VPN services, your IP will be safely hidden, along with your activity.

Final Thoughts

In most countries, torrenting and copyright infringement have serious legal consequences. Of course, we strongly advise you to avoid potentially problematic files and respect your country's laws regarding torrenting and copyright infringement. Still, you might end up with one by accident, as it's not always easy to identify a protected file.

Also, torrent sites are often blocked by ISPs, which can also throttle those who download a lot of data, which is especially prominent across the United States and Europe. That said, pairing a VPN with your torrenting sessions is the best decision you could make. A capable VPN resolved all the issues mentioned above while providing additional benefits.

Based on our tests, there's no better option right now than NordVPN, as it features excellent security and privacy, as well as thousands of P2P-friendly servers worldwide. Also, it makes sure you're not tracked on the Web, offers a capable anti-malware tool, and can remove ads as well, giving you a pleasurable torrenting experience overall.

That’s all for our guide on using a VPN to anonymize your P2P traffic. If you have any additional remarks or comments, feel free to share them with us via the comments section below. Thanks for reading!