6 Best VPNs for Torrenting in 2023

Nowadays, governments regulate torrenting much more strictly than before, resulting in legal punishments. If you download torrents without proper protection, you can get caught and charged with copyright infringement. Additionally, your IP address is exposed while torrenting, so other users in your P2P swarm can access it. 

Another concern is that ISPs slow down their users’ Internet connections when they notice large file downloads. However, all of these issues can be easily avoided with a VPN for torrenting. A proper VPN can mask your actual IP address and ensure it doesn’t get leaked. It can also hide your online activity from your ISP and others by encrypting your Internet connection. 

In this article, we’ll cover the 6 best VPNs for torrenting and show you how to use one to download torrents. We’ll also provide a guide to choosing a VPN, explain why you need one, share some tips for troubleshooting issues when using a VPN for torrenting, and more.

Best VPNs for Torrenting - Our Shortlist

1. ExpressVPN – Our #1-Rated VPN for Torrenting
2. NordVPN – Highly-Secure Torrenting VPN
3. CyberGhost VPN – Best VPN for Torrenting with P2P-Optimized Servers
4. Surfshark – Beginner-Friendly VPN for Secure Access to Torrent Sites
5. Private Internet Access – Torrent VPN with a Large Server Infrastructure
6. Proton VPN – VPN That Offers Private Torrent Client Access

How to Use a VPN for Downloading Torrents

To use a VPN for downloading torrents, you’ll need to look for a provider that is suitable for torrenting and get a subscription. You can follow these easy steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN that supports torrenting (we recommend ExpressVPN).
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. Connect to a VPN server, preferably a specialized P2P one.
5. Choose and download the torrent client you want to use.
6. Find a safe torrent repository to browse torrent files.
7. 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. If this sounds like you, you can check out our detailed guide on how to use torrents safely for extra help.

The Best VPNs for Torrenting in 2023

To find the best VPN for torrenting, you’ll need to look for a provider that can unblock many different P2P repositories. The provider you choose should also offer multiple P2P-compatible servers in different locations. Finding a VPN with a wide server network will help 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 VPN provider you subscribe to should provide a money-back guarantee and come with reliable, round-the-clock customer support.

According to the criteria mentioned above, these are the 6 best VPNs for torrenting:

1. ExpressVPN – Our #1-Rated VPN for Torrenting

ExpressVPN is the best VPN for torrenting as it offers more than 3,000 servers in 94 countries, and all of them are optimized for P2P file sharing. Thus, the provider allows users to download torrents with no restrictions using whichever server they like. The VPN can also unblock multiple torrenting sites, giving you access to millions of torrent files. 

Furthermore, most of ExpressVPN’s servers are obfuscated, so you can hide the fact that you’re using a VPN. In addition, you’ll get robust security and privacy features, such as a no-logs policy, secure VPN protocols, and military-grade encryption. Unfortunately, there is no ad-blocker or anti-malware scanning. 

ExpressVPN comes with all the P2P-focused features needed to successfully download torrents, including a capable kill switch and split tunneling. The kill switch will block all Internet traffic automatically if you disconnect from your VPN, and split tunneling allows you to choose which traffic you want to route through a VPN and which you don’t. 

This provider is the fastest VPN that you can get, offering blazing speeds and reliable performance. Also, using ExpressVPN for torrenting is pretty easy, making the provider suitable for both beginners and advanced users. Lastly, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and dedicated 24/7 customer support via live chat.

2. NordVPN – Highly-Secure Torrenting VPN

NordVPN is a well-known provider that comes with thousands of P2P-optimized servers in many different countries. In total, it has 5,600+ servers in 60 countries. The VPN also offers obfuscation, but only on some servers. Nonetheless, the provider offers access to many different torrent sites, and its P2P-optimized servers allow unlimited downloads. 

With NordVPN, you’ll 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.

NordVPN 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 encryption, secure VPN protocols, a double VPN feature, a Password Manager, and more. 

The provider also delivers reliable speeds and performance, but it’s not as fast as ExpressVPN. Thus, you’ll get medium connection speeds from this provider. Finally, you’ll also enjoy a 30-day money-back guarantee and 24/7 customer support.

3. CyberGhost VPN – Best VPN for Torrenting with P2P-Optimized Servers

CyberGhost is another VPN provider suitable for torrenting, as it comes with thousands of P2P-optimized servers in a large number of countries. With its network of more than 9,000 servers in 91 countries, this VPN can surely unblock many torrenting sites, giving you access to millions of torrents. 

By using CyberGhost for torrenting, you can expect average Internet connection speeds and reliable performance. And even though its P2P servers are a bit faster, the provider is still no match for VPNs like ExpressVPN or Surfshark. 

With CyberGhost, you’ll get P2P-focused features such as a kill switch and split tunneling. However, split tunneling is only accessible for Windows, macOS, and Android users. Additionally, it doesn’t offer obfuscation. That said, you’ll be protected by features like a no-logs policy, strong encryption, secure VPN protocols, an ad-blocker, and anti-malware. 

This provider offers a more generous money-back guarantee compared to others. There’s a 45-day money-back guarantee on its longer-term subscriptions and a 14-day money-back guarantee on the monthly plan. Lastly, you’ll get 24/7 customer support via live chat. 

4. Surfshark – Beginner-Friendly VPN for Secure Access to Torrent Sites

Surfshark is an easy-to-use torrent VPN that comes with more than 3,200 servers in 100 countries. All its servers are P2P-optimized and offer Camouflage Mode (Surfshark’s obfuscation feature). 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 to do so. 

This VPN is among the fastest providers on the market, so you can expect fast torrenting speeds and reliable performance. It’s excellent for torrenting and comes with all the P2P-focused features you need, like a kill switch and split tunneling (only on Windows and Android devices). It also offers ad-blocking via CleanWeb and anti-malware.

Surfshark comes with a wide range of security and privacy features, including a no-logs policy, military-grade encryption, and secure VPN protocols. You can try out the provider’s services risk-free via its 30-day money-back guarantee before you commit to a plan. And you’ll also get 24/7 customer support via live chat. 

5. Private Internet Access – Torrent VPN with a Large Server Infrastructure

Private Internet Access (PIA) has the biggest server infrastructure on the market, boasting thousands of servers in 84 different countries. All the servers are P2P-optimized, leaving you with a huge choice range for torrent downloading. PIA can unblock many different torrenting sites, allowing you access to a wide array of torrents to download. 

PIA has all the P2P-focused features you’ll need for torrenting, including a kill switch and split tunneling. The provider also offers obfuscation through its Shadowsocks protocol, an encrypted open-source proxy. You’ll get an effective ad-blocker and anti-malware software, too.

Additionally, PIA has robust security and privacy features, including a no-logs policy, military-grade encryption, secure VPN protocols, a Multi-Hop feature that routes your VPN connection through 2 VPN servers before it reaches its destination, and more. 

So, you’ll get everything you need in one place, except for soaring Internet connection speeds. It’s not that PIA isn’t fast—it’s just not as fast as ExpressVPN or Surshark. Instead, the provider offers medium-fast speeds that get slower as you increase your encryption and other security measures. However, you’ll get reliable performance nonetheless.

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.

6. Proton VPN – VPN That Offers Private Torrent Client Access

Proton VPN is a reliable provider that can unblock and give you access to multiple torrenting sites. It has more than 2,900 servers in 67 countries, and most of them are P2P-optimized. Users can also apply obfuscation to their servers to hide the fact that they’re torrenting via a VPN. However, this feature isn’t available for Linux and Windows users.

Almost all Proton VPN’s servers have the “NetShield” feature, which boosts their speeds and blocks ads, trackers, and malware. The provider also comes with a kill switch for all kinds of devices. In addition, it offers split tunneling on Windows and Android devices. 

Other useful features you’ll get with Proton VPN include a no-logs policy, AES 256-bit encryption, secure VPN protocols, Secure Core servers that route your traffic through 2 VPN servers of your choosing, 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. 

The provider comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, which you can use as a risk-free trial. Lastly, Proton’s VPN Plus plans come with live chat customer support.   

Why Do You Need a VPN for Torrenting?

You need a VPN for torrenting so that you can protect your download activities and personal information online, as torrenting can be a risky activity. Other reasons why you need a VPN for torrenting include the following:

• Avoid Getting Charged for Copyright Infringement – Governments have taken torrenting very seriously in the past few years, creating laws and regulations against it. While torrenting, you can easily get caught and charged with copyright infringement, especially in countries like the US. Luckily, a torrent VPN can help you avoid that by giving you a new IP address and changing your virtual location. 
• Keep Your IP Address from Leaking – If you download torrents without protection, your IP address can easily be exposed to other users in your P2P data swarm. With a VPN, you can protect yourself from this and ensure that no one can see your real IP address. Many VPNs, including the ones on our list, come with robust IP and DNS leak protection.
• Hide Your Activity from Your ISP – As we mentioned above, ISPs have a habit of throttling their users’ Internet connections when they notice high data usage in a short period of time. This is exactly what happens when torrenting. However, a VPN can hide your online activity from your ISP, preventing them from seeing what and how much you’re downloading. You’ll also hide that you’re torrenting from other third parties.

How to Choose the Best VPN for Torrenting

To choose the best VPN for torrenting, you’ll need to find a provider that offers P2P support. There are also a few other factors to consider when picking your torrent VPN, including the following:

• P2P-Optimized Servers – VPN servers that are optimized for P2P activity will give you a better torrenting experience and faster download speeds than ones that aren’t. So, if you want to share files fast and be protected at the same time, find a VPN with P2P-optimized servers.
• Security and Privacy – Robust security and privacy features are essential qualities to look for in a VPN, regardless of what you’ll use it for. Some features you need to look out for to ensure secure and private torrenting include obfuscated servers, a kill switch, a no-logs policy, and strong encryption.
• Fast Internet Connection Speeds – Your VPN should offer fast Internet connection speeds on all its servers. You shouldn’t have to use specialized servers just to get a faster downloading experience. Also, all the servers should offer speedy and reliable connections, regardless of their distance from you. 
• Ability to Access Multiple Torrenting Sites – To get the most out of your VPN subscription and ensure that it’s worth the money, find a provider that can unblock at least a few torrenting sites and give you access to a wide range of torrent files to download. 

Best VPN Countries for Torrenting and P2P Traffic

The best countries to connect to when using a VPN for torrenting and P2P traffic, in general, are those 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. Find the best countries for torrenting and P2P traffic below:

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 with it. 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 online. This is important because, 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. 

Some ISPs even have to report users who engage in torrenting to the authorities. So, if you hide your IP address with a VPN, 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 your VPN comes with a kill switch to automatically block Internet access if your 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, so it won’t store or share your data, which could expose your torrenting activities. 

Torrenting Not Working with a VPN – How to Fix?

If you’re unable to download torrents with your VPN, then the provider you’re using might not support torrenting. If that’s the case, you should find a different VPN to fix the issue. Other reasons and solutions you can consider include the following:

• Use a Different VPN Server – If you can’t download torrents with your VPN, the server you’re connected to might be experiencing some technical issues. You can switch to a different VPN server and try again. 
• Change Your VPN Protocol – Another way to troubleshoot your VPN not working for torrenting is to try a different VPN protocol. For example, if the protocol that you were using before was UDP, you can switch to TCP and see if it works.
• Update Your VPN Frequently – Sometimes a simple app update is all that’s keeping you from safely downloading the torrents you want. So, ensure that you’re always using the latest version of your VPN before you start torrenting.
• Check Your Internet Connection – If your Internet isn’t working properly, neither will your VPN. Ensure that your WiFi or Ethernet connection is stable before you start downloading torrents. You can also restart your router to be extra sure.
• 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. In that case, it’s time to choose a more powerful one that supports torrenting and has P2P-optimized servers.

Can You Use a Free VPN for Torrenting?

Yes, you can use a free VPN for torrenting, but we don’t recommend doing that at all. 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. 

Moreover, a free VPN provider won’t protect you as a premium one would. For example, 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 VPNs have limited server infrastructures, and none offer P2P-optimized servers. 

When dealing with risky online activities like torrenting, your best bet is to forgo free providers and choose a premium VPN instead. With the best VPN services, your IP address will be safely hidden, along with your online activity. Furthermore, you’ll get access to thousands of P2P-optimized servers and fast Internet connection speeds.

Final Thoughts

Torrenting has become quite risky, especially in countries where it’s heavily regulated. You can easily get caught and charged with copyright infringement, as your IP address will be exposed. Moreover, without a VPN, your ISP will be able to see your downloading history and slow down your Internet as a result.  

We recommend ExpressVPN as the top choice VPN for torrenting because it comes with excellent security and privacy features, as well as thousands of P2P-optimized servers around the world. With ExpressVPN, you can torrent safely and speedily without restrictions or worries.

That’s all for our guide on choosing the best VPN for torrenting. If you have any additional remarks or comments, feel free to share them with us via the comments section below. Thanks for reading!