Using IPVanish for torrenting: Is it any good?

IPVanish is an excellent torrenting VPN. Its server network fully supports P2P traffic, complete leak protection, speedy connections, and an audited no-logs policy, making torrenting as fast and safe as possible.

In this guide, we discuss any IPVanish features related to torrenting and review our leak and speed tests. We also offer instructions for binding qBittorrent to IPVanish, plus setting up its SOCKS5 proxy feature for fast downloads. At the end, we answer some FAQs about the VPN.

Is IPVanish good for torrenting? Features and overview

IPVanish is one of the best torrenting VPNs on the market. It boasts a 2,400+ server network in 90+ locations around the world, and all of them are P2P-friendly so you can torrent safely from anywhere. Its no-logs policy has been independently audited by Leviathan back in 2022.

Our IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leak tests revealed that IPVanish is leakproof, which is great news for privacy-conscious torrenters. Speed tests were also impressive, with the VPN performing excellently even on distant servers.

IPVanish is equipped with a reliable kill switch to prevent torrenting while disconnected from the VPN. It also includes domain- and app-based split tunneling if you want to route only torrent traffic through the VPN.

IPVanish supports torrenting through highly secure protocols like OpenVPN (AES-256-enabled), WireGuard (with the ChaCha20 cipher), and IKEv2/IPSec.

While the VPN lacks a port forwarding feature, you can use OpenVPN TCP/UDP ports 443, 1194, or 8443, which is a nice bit of customizability. It also includes a SOCKS5 proxy option if you prefer to hide your IP without the added benefit of encryption.

Best of all, IPVanish comes with unlimited simultaneous connections. You can secure your torrenting station and every other home device on platforms like Windows, Android, iOS, Mac, and Linux, among others.

Our in-depth IPVanish review covers each of these aspects (and more). You can also watch our video review right here.

How to torrent with IPVanish

To start using IPVanish for torrenting, follow these steps:

1. Sign up for IPVanish—test-drive the service for 30 days risk-free thanks to their generous money-back policy.
2. Install the IPVanish app on your system.
3. Launch it, sign in, and click on the Locations icon to pick a server. All IPVanish servers support P2P traffic, so choose one close to you for better torrenting speeds.
4. You can also click Connect, and IPVanish will automatically detect the best one for your general area. Toggle on the Kill Switch option as well, and you’re set.

How we tested IPVanish’s torrenting capabilities

The main indicators of torrenting quality are complete leak protection (for security purposes) and speed. Here’s how IPVanish performed in both categories:

IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leak tests

IPVanish has built-in DNS and IPv6 leak protection, which can be toggled on or off under Settings > Connection. Both settings are on by default, thankfully.

Regardless, we tested whether IPVanish leaks any data using the Browserleaks tool. As expected, the VPN didn’t expose our IP on any front.

We were pleased to see there weren’t any WebRTC leaks either, just in case you prefer to use browser-based torrent clients like uTorrent Web or WebTorrent.

Speed tests

We performed our IPVanish torrent speed tests on a 500 Mbps ethernet connection in Romania. Before testing the VPN itself, we downloaded a 4.81 GiB file and noted the average speed once the connection stabilized, which was around 48.2 MiB/s.

We then downloaded the same file using a server chosen by IPVanish’s Optimal Location feature (Bucharest, Romania) and a distant one (São Paulo, Brazil).

Once again, we used the average speed once the connection was relatively stable. IPVanish’s in-app speed graph was useful in that regard. Here are the results:

Close-by server (Romania): 43.9 MiB/s. Speed reduction: 8.92%

Distant server (Brazil): 30.5 MiB/s. Speed reduction: 36.72%

All in all, IPVanish performs excellently for torrenting, even if you use incredibly distant servers. The speed reduction for the server close to our testing site was negligible.

Naturally, these results can be influenced by various factors, including your network connection, server load, the protocol and tracker you use, the number and quality of seeders, the time of day, and more. Still, it’s a decent enough indicator of the VPN’s quality.

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What are the best IPVanish settings for safe torrenting?

Here’s what IPVanish settings you should use to get the best possible torrenting speeds without sacrificing security:

1. Connect to a server that’s close to your geographical region. Clicking Connect on the Home screen will automatically select an optimal one.
2. Enable the kill switch as mentioned. This will prevent any torrent traffic from leaking outside the VPN tunnel if disconnected for any reason.
3. Use the WireGuard protocol for faster speeds or OpenVPN if you want to customize the port you use for torrenting. You can choose between TCP/UDP ports 443, 1194, or 8443.
4. With OpenVPN, you can also use the Scramble option (obfuscation). It’s much slower, but it’s useful if your school or other establishments try to block VPN connections.

Is IPVanish trustworthy?

IPVanish is a secure VPN that’s equipped with industry-standard encryption and an audited no-logging policy, which makes it fairly trustworthy. That said, some users may find its US headquarters worrying, as the country is one of the key players in the Five Eyes alliance.

IPVanish has also had a checkered past, with the provider handing over user data to the DHS back in 2016, despite its no-logs claims. Admittedly, it was for a good cause (aiding a child abuse investigation). Moreover, everything happened under previous management, which have since left the company.

Under J2 Global, the VPN has shown its willingness to commit to its users’ privacy with the aforementioned no-logs audit. Whether you find them trustworthy or not is up to you, but we’ve seen no reason to think otherwise.

Alternative VPNs for torrenting

Want to explore all the different VPN options for torrenting? Here are some IPVanish alternatives for fast and secure downloads:

1. NordVPN: Our top-rated torrenting VPN. Offers incredible speeds, a fully audited no-logs policy, and thousands of dedicated P2P servers in 110+ countries. Also includes a SOCKS5 proxy option.
2. Surfshark: Budget-friendly torrenting VPN. Decently fast, doesn’t keep user logs, and its network is completely P2P-friendly. Uses Nexus technology for stable connections and allows unlimited simultaneous connections.
3. ExpressVPN: Impressively fast no-logs VPN that supports torrenting on its entire network. Has thousands of servers in 105+ countries, each with built-in obfuscation technology to evade pesky VPN blocks.
4. CyberGhost VPN: Features a massive server network, P2P-optimized servers, and an always-on kill switch. Besides its strict no-logs policy, the provider releases frequent transparency reports to show its commitment to your privacy.
5. PrivateVPN: Excellent pick for novice torrenters. Delivers fast speeds, has a robust zero logs policy, and includes a port forwarding option at no extra charge.
6. PureVPN: Low-cost option, and one of the fastest VPNs out there. Offers phenomenal torrenting performance, a 31-day money-back guarantee, and a cheap, optional port forwarding add-on.
7. Proton VPN: Comes with 6,300+ servers in 100+ countries, top-notch security options (including a no-logs policy), and a VPN Accelerator feature for speedy connections. Port forwarding available.

We cover all of these VPNs in more detail in our guide to the best VPNs for torrenting.

How to setup qBittorrent with IPVanish

This quick guide will show you how to bind qBittorrent to IPVanish’s network interface. That way, torrent traffic is disabled when the VPN is disconnected, thus preventing any unwanted leaks. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Launch IPVanish and connect to a server near you.
2. Activate the kill switch if you haven’t already.
3. Open qBittorrent and click on Tools > Options.
4. Go to the Advanced tab at the bottom-left.
5. Select IPVanish from the Network interface drop-down option.
6. Press OK, and you’re ready to torrent securely with IPVanish.

If you’re using OpenVPN for torrenting, the interface might have a generic title like “Ethernet” or “Local Area Connection.” Check your list of network connections if you’re unsure which one it is.

IPVanish SOCKS5 proxy setup for torrenting

SOCKS5 is useful if you just want to hide your IP while torrenting without the added encryption. It’s faster than a traditional VPN connection, but your ISP will be able to see your torrent traffic, so we don’t recommend it if privacy is a concern.

In any case, here’s how to set up the IPVanish SOCKS5 proxy with qBittorrent:

1. Launch qBittorrent, and navigate to Tools > Options.
2. Select the Connection tab on the left.
3. Click the Peer connection protocol drop-down and select TCP. Uncheck the option that says Use UPnP / NAT-PMP port forwarding from my router.
4. Scroll down to Proxy Server and set the Type to SOCKS5.
5. In the Host field, insert one of IPVanish’s SOCKS5 servers from here. We used ams.socks.ipvanish.com in our example.
6. Change the Port to 1080.
7. Check the boxes that say Perform hostname lookup via proxy, Authentication, and Use proxy for peer connections.
8. Insert your IPVanish username and password in their respective fields.
9. Click OK and restart qBittorrent.

Using IPVanish for torrenting FAQs

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