The best VPNs for torrenting in 2026

Don’t get caught out with an unsuitable VPN for torrenting. Despite bold marketing claims, many VPNs have been shown not to protect your privacy, and others are too slow for torrenting and streaming.

Torrenting without a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is asking for trouble, but there’s a lot of confusing information on the best VPNs for torrenting. Many so-called “torrent VPNs” leak the information they claim to protect; some don’t allow torrenting or P2P, and others are still so slow you’ll want to give up.

P2P file-sharing presents risks from unknown files from anonymous sources, so using a VPN for an added layer of security is wise. Below, I examine the best VPNs for torrenting in detail. Before I get stuck in, here’s a summary of the top providers:

The best torrenting VPNs

1. NordVPN Best VPN for torrenting.
   TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for torrenting.
2. Surfshark Best for users on a budget
3. Total VPN Great choice for torrenting
4. Proton VPN Excellent choice for privacy-focused users
5. ExpressVPN Best for users who want a premium VPN
6. IPVanish Best for security and privacy
7. CyberGhost Great choice for beginners
8. PureVPN Good for users connecting from restrictive countries
9. Hotspot Shield Another good pick for torrenting
10. PrivateVPN Great choice for ease of use

My testing criteria for the best torrenting VPNs

There are thousands of VPNs to choose from but not all of them allow torrenting. When finding the best VPNs for P2P activity, I carefully considered what each service offered in the five key areas below:

• Security & Privacy: I scored providers against 15 different metrics, including encryption levels, capabilities of the kill switches, logging policies and leak tests.
• Speed: I specifically tested providers’ torrenting performance, which is measured in Mbps and referred to as the bitrate. I carried out multiple tests in different regions and then created a normalized score out of ten.
• Ease of Use: I scored providers based on 10 measurable criteria, including the number of native applications, ease of sign-up and cancellation, and overall user experience.
• Value for Money: I scored providers by considering their lowest monthly price, how many devices they let you connect, and whether they come with any bundled extras.
• Specific features for torrenting: I awarded bonus points for specific features like torrent-optimized servers, port forwarding, and split tunneling. I also included a rating from one of Comparitech’s torrenting experts based on their own experience of each provider.

All the data from my testing is made publicly available and can be downloaded from the Testing Methodology section.

Best VPNs for torrenting: compared

Here I’ve compared the essentials of the top VPNs. Prefer to read my in-depth reviews before making a decision? Start with NordVPN – my #1 choice for torrenting.

The Best VPNs for torrenting and P2P

In order to provide the most accurate VPN recommendations possible, I test dozens of VPN services hands-on, comparing their performance, protection, usability, and more. The below reviews are shaped by my personal experience with each VPN from rigorous testing.

1. NordVPN

Apr 2026

NordVPN is my top VPN for torrenting in 2026. This well-known, well-respected provider has servers in over 200 locations. There are even specially-optimized servers for torrenting, and 24/7 assistance over live chat in case you’re having trouble getting set up. This VPN even has its own high-speed protocol named NordLynx that provides similar speeds to WireGuard, as well as increased security.

So how quick is this service? I tested Nord’s torrenting capabilities by downloading a 4.81GB file multiple times from three locations on a 49 Mbps connection. Speeds were consistently fast across regions, with an average download speed of 5.57 MB/s (around 44 Mbps). Although I was testing from the UK, my downloads progressed marginally faster when connected to servers outside the UK.

NordVPN’s automatic kill switch can be toggled on and off in the settings. The traditional all-or-nothing kill switch is one option, but you can also use the app kill switch feature to specify which programs, such as your BitTorrent client, get cut off from the internet if the VPN connection drops. This prevents users from inadvertently exposing their torrenting activity to their ISPs and lets them carry out other activities without VPN protection.

If you simply want to mask your IP address rather than encrypt your data, NordVPN offers a proxy service, which you can plug directly into your torrent client so you don’t have to use the app. The upside to this is potential performance improvements (encryption is resource-intensive). The downside is that your data isn’t encrypted.

Naturally, this is just the beginning of what NordVPN offers. There’s unbreakable encryption, a kill switch, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a protocol named NordWhisper that can help you torrent in countries with extreme digital censorship. NordVPN has an audited no-logs policy, meaning it doesn’t store any information that could be used to track down individual torrenters.

Finally, I checked that the provider directed my DNS queries to its own servers rather than allowing them to be resolved by my ISP — which could expose which torrent sites I was accessing.

Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Linux, Android, Apple TV, and Fire TV. It’s worth noting that NordVPN offers two different versions of its app for MacOS: one from the App Store and one directly from its website. The direct download version is more comprehensive, with a richer feature set, and the one I recommend installing.

Overall, the combination of rock-solid security, good speeds, its simple GUI, and all the extra features like proxies and the ability to unblock pretty much every streaming platform out there make NordVPN an easy recommendation for my best overall VPN for torrenting.

My tests show it tops competitors across Security and Privacy, Torrenting Speeds, Ease of Use, and Value for Money. The only downside for torrenters is that it does not offer port forwarding, reasonably citing concerns over user security.

BEST VPN FOR TORRENTING:NordVPN is my first choice for torrenting & P2P. It provides extremely fast and consistent downloads, with a strong privacy focus and a ten-connection limit. Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it risk-free.

Read the full NordVPN review.

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2. Surfshark

Surfshark is the best budget VPN for torrenting. Its network recently grew to 4,500 servers in 100+ countries, and unlike most other providers, it can secure every device you own at the same time. The apps are extremely newcomer-friendly and torrenting is allowed on any server, plus you can see the current ping of each before you connect, which is a huge advantage. Customer support is available around the clock over live chat, though hopefully you won’t ever need to get in touch.

If you go for the basic VPN subscription, you get the VPN, ad blocker, pop-up blocker, and some basic identity protection services. For a couple of dollars more a month, Surfshark includes a surprisingly powerful antivirus platform and identity protection tool (called Incogni). This is all now bundled into a suite called ‘Surfshark One’. All that extra stuff won’t help you with torrenting, but if you’re paying for AV, you can bundle it into one sub and save a lot of money.

The torrenting experience is smooth and hassle-free, and I was impressed by how quickly I connected to even far-flung servers. Speeds are not quite as fast as with NordVPN, but very good nonetheless. Like NordVPN, Surfshark has introduced the WireGuard protocol, which has a noticeable impact on speeds. See the qBittorrent output below for an example. This was captured while torrenting via a server in the UK.

I tested Surfshark servers in three countries, carrying out the same download multiple times and averaging the results, summarised below. As you can see, my file downloaded equally fast in all three countries, which is a great result.

Whichever server you connect to, Surfshark protects your traffic using 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, and perfect forward secrecy. As with all the VPNs that made it onto my list, I checked if Surfshark was leaking my location while torrenting. I connected to a server in Boston and checked whether there were any IPv4 or IPv6 leaks. I also checked that Surfshark was using its own DNS servers and tested for WebRTC leaks – everything checked out fine.

Like NordVPN, Surfshark comes with split tunneling support, which allows users to keep torrent client traffic protected in the VPN tunnel while using other apps with a regular internet connection (or vice-versa). You can read more about using Surfshark for torrenting here.

Surfshark has Linux, iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS, Fire TV, and Apple TV apps. It can also be manually installed on supported network routers.

BEST BUDGET VPN:Surfshark puts major emphasis on your security and data privacy, allowing you to torrent as much as you like safely. Better still, it’s very affordable, with no connection limit and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read the full Surfshark review.

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3. Total VPN

Total VPN has a great reputation, having been in the industry for over a decade and never suffered any major breaches. It provides access to servers in over 90 countries and users can torrent on any of these, as much as they like.

This VPN also boasts fantastic unblocking ability, easily accessing platforms like Netflix from abroad. There’s 24/7 support via live chat and email and a five-connection limit which, while slightly lower than the industry average, is still plenty for most people.

Now, the higher your internet speeds are, the faster you’ll be able to download large files. The problem is that every VPN will slow you down, so I had to find providers that had as little impact as possible. I tested Total VPN’s US, UK, and Singapore servers at various times of day using a typical 50 Mbps connection. I then averaged these results and converted them to MB/s for easier comparison.

With an average global speed of 5.5 MB/s (or around 44 Mbps), Total VPN was one of the fastest providers I tested. It was remarkably consistent, speeds hardly fluctuating at all throughout the day, and even at its slowest, this service is fast enough for any day-to-day task. For instance, I was able to torrent, play games, and stream 4K video without any noticeable performance issues.

Let’s talk a little bit about privacy. Total VPN doesn’t have as many customizable features as its rivals but this just means it’s more accessible to novice users. Besides, there’s really no configuration needed since 256-bit encryption and protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks are enabled as standard. There’s also a strict no-logs policy in place, plus a kill switch (though this hasn’t arrived on Windows yet unfortunately). Finally, Total VPN supports the Hydra protocol, which can help hide the fact that you’re using a VPN in the first place.

Total VPN offers its own Android, iOS, MacOS, and Windows apps.

SPEEDY AND SECURE:Total VPN offers streamlined apps, very high speeds, and a great set of privacy features, making it ideal for anyone hoping to torrent anonymously. There’s even a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read the full Total VPN review.

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4. Proton VPN

Proton VPN was created by the team behind the well-respected Proton Mail, so it has an exceptional pedigree. It boasts one of the largest networks around, with nearly 20,000 servers in 145+ countries, many of which are optimized for torrenting. Customer support is available via live chat (albeit not 24/7) and unlike most other service, Proton VPN comes with split tunneling and port forwarding as standard for better seeding. Up to 10 devices can be protected at the same time.

In my tests, servers were initially slow to connect to. However, once a connection was established, download speeds were decent. Unusually, speeds were fastest (5.4 MB/s) when connected to a server in Singapore—perhaps justifying Proton VPN’s claims that its “VPN Accelerator” tech boosts speeds for long-distance connections. Servers in the UK and US achieved relatively slower averages of 5.3 MB/s each. The global average was 5.44 MB/s (around 43.5 Mbps).

Downloads progressed fairly consistently in my tests, though connections did drop out a few times. The qBittorrent output below shows a fairly typical download while connected to a server in the UK:

From a security perspective, there’s plenty to like. Proton VPN uses 256-bit AES encryption by default, backed up by a kill switch, automatic ad and tracker-blocking, and protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks. This VPN refuses to keep any logs and has been audited to prove it. Its advanced features include a stealth mode for use in countries with strict online censorship, multi-hop connections, and an accelerator feature that claims to boost speeds by up to 400 percent.

The main downside to Proton VPN is that its subscriptions are relatively expensive, though you get what you pay for in terms of privacy and security. Note that there’s also a limited free plan. Apps are offered for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV.

SECURE AND PRIVATE:Proton VPN is an advanced VPN dedicated to user privacy. Reliable no-logs policy, AES encryption, a kill switch, and obfuscation. Works to get an IP address in more than 120 countries. Has a 30-day money-back guarantee and live chat support — full support for various Netflix regions and many other popular streaming services.

Read the full Proton VPN review.

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5. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is a fantastic, newcomer-friendly VPN with a network spanning more than 100 countries around the world. This provider takes the stress out of torrenting safely since P2P activity is allowed on any server, and as a bonus, it also works with major streaming platforms like Netflix.

Just recently, this VPN reworked its pricing scheme so not only is it a better deal than ever, it comes with a higher connection limit (10 devices on the Basic plan, instead of 8).

ExpressVPN performed well in all three countries I tested it in, with an average of 5.54 MB/s in Singapore, 5.47 MB/s in the US, and 5.5 MB/s in the UK. The global average was 5.47 MB/s, which is around 43.7 Mbps.

Download speeds were fairly consistent in all tests. As an example, here’s the qBittorrent output when downloading via a server in the UK:

As you might expect, ExpressVPN uses 256-bit AES encryption, stops you from browsing without protection using a kill switch, and prevents IPv6, WebRTC, and DNS leaks. It’s also capable of blocking ads, trackers, and malicious sites automatically. This service is based in the British Virgin Islands, where there are no mandatory data-retention laws and accordingly, ExpressVPN doesn’t keep any logs.

This service also has a proprietary VPN protocol, Lightway, which offers even faster speeds, comparable to competitors such as NordVPN and Surfshark.

One of the other features I really like about ExpressVPN for torrenting is its built-in server speed testing tool. This is a transparent and easy way to see which servers are potentially congested. If you’re looking to squeeze every last drop of performance out of the VPN, you can test all VPN servers that are in close geographical proximity and, because ExpressVPN allows torrenting on all servers, simply choose the one that is the fastest in the speed testing tool. It’s a nice touch.

Finally, ExpressVPN is the only major provider that offers custom router firmware. This provides you with an online dashboard that lets you change location and tweak settings, while protecting every device on your network. If you don’t feel like installing this yourself, it’s also possible to buy a router that comes with ExpressVPN’s firmware preinstalled.

Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, some wi-fi routers, Linux, Fire TV, and Apple TV.

TORRENT WITHOUT LIMITS:ExpressVPN is ideal for torrenting & P2P. It has a vast network of servers that are fine-tuned for high-speed connections. Tough to beat on data privacy and security. Also includes a 30-day money-back guarantee

Read the full ExpressVPN review.

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6. IPVanish

IPVanish takes privacy very seriously and has been built with torrenting in mind. It keeps no logs, not even the connection logs some providers use for troubleshooting. WireGuard, L2TP, and OpenVPN protocols all use 256-bit encryption. IPVanish uses shared IP addresses to add anonymity while torrenting.

In terms of the sheer number of servers (currently 3,200 in over 150 locations), IPVanish is tough to beat. And I didn’t find any that I couldn’t torrent with. There are no labeled servers, but when the whole network performs this well, who needs them?

The provider is great for consistently fast downloads. In fact, it was one of the faster VPNs I tested, with an average bitrate of 5.57 MB/s in the US, 5.47 MB/s in the UK, and 5.53 MB/s in Singapore. The global average was 5.48 MB/s, or 43.8 Mbps.

Interestingly, IPVanish provided slightly faster speeds connected to a server in Singapore than it did connecting to a much closer server in the UK. As I mentioned before, this isn’t usually the case and I’d still recommend using a geographically close server for torrenting. The downloads appeared markedly consistent, as the example qBittorrent output shows below.

Like NordVPN, IPVanish offers a SOCKS5 proxy to add directly to your torrent client. This isn’t essential, but it’s a nice-to-have if you value speed over security. And like Surfshark, you can test a load of servers as well as ping time to connect to a server that will deliver optimal speeds and low latency.

This VPN keeps your online activities hidden using AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, and the aforementioned no-logs policy. It also prevents IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leaks and can even obfuscate your traffic (so long as you’re using the OpenVPN protocol). Recent additions to its apps include double-hop servers and a tool that checks whether links are safe to open. Split tunneling is included as standard.

IPVanish is particularly popular with Kodi users thanks to its lightweight Android app and compatibility with all the Kodi addons I’ve tested. So, if you’re torrenting video content with Kodi or Plex, IPVanish is a great VPN to have on your media devices.

For anyone concerned about surveillance, cyberattacks, or being spied on by their ISP, IPVanish’s Advanced plan offers a zero-trace browsing solution. This includes the VPN, 1 TB of encrypted storage, and Remote Browser Isolation (RBI), which means your device never directly interacts with the websites you visit. Instead, you see a video feed of a remote browsing session. This is useful for users who want to surf the web without the threat of malicious websites, or tracking by local networks and ISPs. It also allows you to perform IP address spoofing on devices that won’t let you install a VPN, such as work computers. Just bear in mind that it was a bit slow compared to the VPN, so not as good for streaming.

Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, Apple TV, and Fire TV. This makes it easy to use the VPN across all your devices, and IPVanish lets you install and use the VPN on an unlimited number of devices. Read more about IPVanish and torrenting here.

EASY TO USE:IPVanish is great for families. Generally solid for torrenting, P2P users, and folks who need the highest standard of privacy. Annual plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read the full IPVanish review.

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7. CyberGhost

CyberGhost is an extremely versatile VPN that’s a natural choice for anyone interested in torrenting. It has a neatly-categorized server list, meaning you can quickly find one suitable for P2P activity, streaming, gaming, or general web browsing. You can even sort these to show the closest servers first. Up to seven simultaneous connections are permitted and support staff are on-hand 24 hours per day via live chat.

Download speeds are good, though you can expect things to slow down when connected to a far-flung server. The average speeds for Singapore were 5.1 MB/s, while for the US, they were 5.24 MB/s. The UK average was 5.34 MB/s. The global average was 5.23 MB/s or 41.8 Mbps.

Individual downloads progressed smoothly, though there were a few minor hiccups. In the example below, my connection momentarily dropped when connected to a US server.

CyberGhost ensures that your torrenting goes under the radar using 256-bit AES encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a kill switch that’ll stop sending data the moment your connection drops. The provider used its own servers to resolve DNS queries. This ensures that my ISP doesn’t see when I use torrent sites. Most importantly, CyberGhost refuses to keep any logs of your activities. You can even tell it to connect to a specific server and open your P2P client when the VPN opens.

CyberGhost apps are easy to use and available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Linux, Android, and Amazon Fire TV. Its website also provides detailed setup guides in case you’d prefer to install this VPN on your router.

GOOD VALUE VPN:CyberGhost is a great value choice. Strong privacy policy, decent speeds, and reliability for torrenting & P2P. I found it easy to set up and use. Works well with most streaming sites. 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read the full CyberGhost VPN review.

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8. PureVPN

PureVPN is a low-cost VPN that’s perfect for torrenting privately. There are 6,500 servers in 65+ countries and this provider has no problem getting around stubborn geographic restrictions. It’s another of the three providers on my list to offer port forwarding. I only gave it half the points for this feature in my scoring because it’s a paid add-on, unlike Proton VPN and PrivateVPN. But it’s only about 18 bucks a year ($1.49 a month), so it’s not the end of the world if you pick it for other reasons.

PureVPN is fast. In my download speed tests, the average UK download speed was 5.40 MB/s, and the average download speed was 5.37 MB/s for the US and Singapore. These combine to give a respectable global bitrate of 5.38 MB/s, or 43 Mbps.

Downloads progressed consistently well, though I needed to switch protocols (from WireGuard to OpenVPN) to get them started.

This VPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, meaning it’s not required to keep any logs of your activities. To its credit, PureVPN has been audited so you don’t have to take its privacy claims at face value. Its toolkit also includes 256-bit AES encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, a kill switch, and split tunneling functionality. Whether you want to torrent or just stream Netflix, PureVPN can help.

PureVPN has its own apps for iOS, Android, MacOS, Linux (GUI and command line), and Windows. You can also follow manual setup instructions to get it running on most routers.

LOW STARTING PRICE:PureVPN has servers in 65+ countries and apps for all popular platforms. It offers great speeds for torrenting, but port forwarding costs a little extra. Works to access Netflix US and many other streaming platforms. Has a fully audited no logging policy. Offers a 31-day money-back guarantee.

Read the full PureVPN review.

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9. Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield is a streamlined, easy-to-use VPN with 1,800 servers covering 80+ countries. While it doesn’t have P2P-optimized servers, torrenting is allowed across its entire network, I like that there are servers specially optimized for gaming and streaming platforms like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu. You can protect up to 10 devices at once and 24/7 support is available over live chat.

Hotspot Shield has some nice little features built in, including a running tally of data used (useful if you’re on a capped broadband plan and downloading large files) and a built-in speed test. During testing, connections were quick to establish, and downloads progressed consistently across regions. This is the qBittorrent output while I was connected to a US server.

I found Hotspot Shield’s download speeds to be excellent, with a global average of 5.49 MB/s. Speeds were fastest in the UK (5.54 MB/s) and slowest in Singapore (5.44 MB/s). The US was a solid 5.5 MB/s. The global average was 5.49 MB/s, or 43.92 Mbps.

This provider has had some privacy issues in the past but has rectified these and now only logs encrypted IP addresses for the duration of your session, deleting them afterward. Its apps use 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and automatic Wi-Fi protection to keep you safe. There’s even an obfuscated protocol that kind sidestep some forms on VPN-detection, plus split tunneling support.

In addition to its paid service, Hotspot Shield offers a free VPN. Most users looking to torrent will find free VPNs unsuitable for their needs, but if you really do need a free VPN, Hotspot Shield is a good option.

Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Linux, and Android. Unfortunately, this service can’t be installed on routers at the time of writing.

LOW COST TORRENT VPN:Hotspot Shield offers excellent value for money. It’s fast, secure, and great for torrenting. Provides around the clock customer support and an extremely generous 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read the full Hotspot Shield review.

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10. PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN has a relatively small network, with around 200 servers spread across 60+ countries. Despite this, it’s still a phenomenal option for torrenting. This service excels at beating regional restrictions and is one of the only major VPNs that comes with port forwarding at no added cost. Port Forwarding is something of a dying art, with several VPN providers removing it, citing security concerns as the reason. So, if you’re after a fast VPN that plays strictly by the rules of the P2P community, PrivateVPN is a good choice.

As you can see from the graph below, downloads were very fast. Actually, PrivateVPN had some of the fastest download speeds for the UK, the US and Singapore.

The downloads didn’t progress as consistently as with some providers I tested, but this is a very minor niggle, given the impressive speeds overall.

PrivateVPN has rock-solid security and uses 256-bit encryption with perfect forward secrecy on the OpenVPN protocol. No web traffic or connection logs are recorded, and as per the usual rules of engagement, it has an optional kill switch built in. There’s also split tunneling support, ensuring your torrenting client is always protected. I performed IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leak tests and were pleased to see that PrivateVPN didn’t leak any information.

Besides anonymous torrenting, PrivateVPN is also great for streaming content like US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, although it’s not in the same league as the providers at the top of the list. You might want to scroll up if you’re after a multifunction VPN that is good for streaming and torrenting.

You can connect up to ten devices simultaneously on a single account, and apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. Manual configuration is required for routers and Linux systems.

GREAT FOR SPEED:PrivateVPN is consistently reliable. A solid performer for torrenting, P2P, and general-purpose use. Speeds were surprisingly good at this end of the market. It could do with having more servers and lacks 24/7 support. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read the full PrivateVPN review.

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Testing methodology: How I found the best VPNs for torrenting

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Legal issues with torrenting

Torrents have become synonymous with copyright abuse and piracy, but the underlying technology is not in itself illegal. Perfectly legal file sharing and torrent sites do exist and are used on a regular basis, such as SXSW and media that fall under the public domain.

If you frequent ThePirateBay, uTorrent, RARBG, Putlocker, Zooqle, 1337X, or KickassTorrents, however, chances are what you download from these torrenting sites is not legal. Government authorities can fine you for committing a civil offense, while ISPs and copyright holders will threaten and, in some cases, follow through on legal action. While it’s unlikely that a record company will take someone to court, they might seek damages through settlements.

Here’s a quick breakdown of torrenting laws in several countries:

United States

Downloading copyrighted material is illegal in the United States. ISPs often have a three-strike rule if they catch users who illegally download torrents. Non-copyrighted material is completely legal to download.

According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) website, making unauthorized copies of music recordings could result in a civil lawsuit. It might even land you in jail for up to five years, and you could be hit with a fine of up to $250,000.

Copyright holders often act through copyright trolls, which record the IP addresses of torrents and send settlement letters requesting remuneration. These entities have the right to sue on behalf of the copyright holder, but because an IP address does not legally constitute an identity in the US, the best option for recipients is to ignore them.

Canada

The Copyright Modernization Act passed in January 2014 requires ISPs to send notices to copyright violators on their networks. The recipients’ identities are stored on ISP servers for six months. Copyright holders cannot sue for damages of more than $5,000 when the copy is used for non-commercial purposes, which in most cases simply isn’t worth the time or effort.

The notification system is more educational than legal, but ISPs can still penalize torrenters by choking bandwidth.

United Kingdom

Larger ISPs are required by law to notify subscribers when the British Phonographic Industry catches them downloading torrents in the form of a cease and desist order. ISPs reserve the right to throttle bandwidth and disconnect users. ISPs with fewer than 400,000 subscribers are not subject to this law, however.

Copyright holders have the right to sue uploaders and downloaders for damages even if no monetary gain was involved.

Major ISPs block popular torrent trackers such as ThePirateBay in the UK, but these can still be accessed through a VPN service.

Australia

Piracy is a crime in Australia, but there’s little enforcement. It’s not completely unheard of for a copyright holder to successfully sue ISPs for torrenters’ identities, whom they can then request remuneration from using a practice called speculative invoicing, but it’s rare.

A “three-strikes” rule in which ISPs would notify torrenters on behalf of copyright holders was canned earlier this year due to disputes over implementation costs.

ISPs have blocked some torrent trackers and other sites containing infringing content under a court order, such as The Pirate Bay. In 2016, a federal court in Australia ordered ISPs to block BitTorrent tracker sites, including ThePirateBay, Torrentz, TorrentHound, IsoHunt, and SolarMovie. These can still be accessed with any of the VPN providers we listed above.

In late 2018, Parliament passed an amendment to the Copyright Act. This amendment lets ISPs censor proxy servers and mirror sites—duplicates of torrent trackers put up after the original site is blocked—without needing to return to court for each injunction. Likewise, Google and other search engines must demote or remove links to infringing sites including their proxies and mirrors.

The Netherlands

We’re adding a section about the Netherlands because there’s a huge misconception that pirating copyrighted materials is legal there. As of 2014, it is not. Doing so is considered a civil offense, not a criminal one, so you will not be sought out by law enforcement for doing so, but you can be fined.

However, the law states that fines cannot be artificially high, so damages that copyright holders can exact are capped. Early in 2018, Netherlands’ privacy watchdog, Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (AP), gave permission to Dutch Filmworks to collect IP addresses of anyone illegally downloading content. The company can hand out fines to users and has decided on a fee of 150 Euros per film.

Germany

Downloading copyrighted material without permission is illegal in Germany. Enforcement is usually handled by law firms that act on behalf of copyright holders (see: copyright trolls). Fines typically range up to 1,000 Euros.

Similar to the US, copyright trolls send threatening letters to torrenters after identifying their IP address. While we’re not legal experts in German law, the consensus of what to do if you receive a letter is also similar to the US: if it doesn’t identify you by name and doesn’t come directly from the police, ignore it and just let the statute of limitations period expire.

Note that if someone pirates content on an unsecured wifi network, the owner of the wifi network can be held liable for damages, even if they were not aware of the illegal activity taking place. This fine is usually around 100 Euros.

Related: Best VPNs for Germany

India

Online piracy laws are a little fuzzy in India. A slew of news reports from 2016 suggested that even viewing certain web pages or torrent files (not the copyrighted content itself) was enough to penalize netizens with heavy fines and jail time. This is not true, however; the rumor arose from a poorly worded warning from Indian ISPs that appeared when users tried to access blocked sites.

Piracy in India is illegal like anywhere else and could conceivably result in fines or jail time, but the emphasis of enforcement seems to be on redistribution, e.g. bootlegging and selling pirated content, rather than personal consumption.

Related: Best VPN for India

Read more: Is torrenting safe?

Disclaimer: Comparitech does not condone or encourage piracy. Please stick to legal torrents.

Why some VPNs aren’t suitable for torrenting

Torrenters use VPNs to stay secure and private online, but not all VPNs are suitable for BitTorrent (the communications protocol that enables peer-to-peer file sharing). Dozens of leading VPNs I encountered during testing are best avoided by torrenters. Some of the issues I found included the following:

• Many VPNs are too slow for torrent users and will result in downloads taking forever.
• Some don’t provide sufficient leak protection to ensure identifying information is not exposed to copyright trolls and other third parties. This means your real IP address could be revealed to prying eyes.
• Many VPNs keep logs of user activity despite misleading marketing claims. This means information that can be traced back to specific internet users.
• Some popular VPNs have policies that do not allow torrenting.

How does a VPN hide your IP address?

One of the main reasons a VPN is used for torrenting is to hide a user’s IP address and keep their online habits private. Here’s how a VPN hides your IP address.

Free VPNs that allow torrenting

I don’t recommend using a free VPN for torrenting. However, if you do wish to risk it, consult this table for the available options:

How torrenting works behind a NAT Firewall

Many VPN services come with built-in NAT firewalls, which block connections from peers on P2P networks and other unsolicited connections. This can prevent torrents that rely on P2P networks from functioning properly.

Depending on the VPN software, you may be able to disable the NAT firewall somewhere in the settings. If not, you will need to use port forwarding. This is usually a manual procedure where the VPN provider designates a specific port to be used for P2P traffic. Users must configure their BitTorrent client to use this port. If the port is not listed on the VPN provider’s website, the user must contact customer support and ask for it. The VPN providers that offer port forwarding on this list are:

• PrivateVPN
• PureVPN
• Proton VPN

The importance of kill switches when torrenting

A VPN kill switch halts all internet traffic if the VPN unexpectedly drops the connection for any reason. This prevents your real IP address and torrent traffic from leaking onto your ISP’s unencrypted network, which could otherwise expose your activity to your ISP, copyright trolls, and hackers. This is why it’s imperative to either bind your IP (see below) and/or use a kill switch.

All of the best VPNs for torrenting I recommend come equipped with a kill switch on their desktop versions, but they might not be enabled by default. Be sure to enable it in the settings. Mobile VPN apps for Android and iOS are much less likely to incorporate kill switches.

Know that not all kill switches are created equal. A simple dropped connection is fairly easy to plan for, but the kill switch might not be equipped to handle other types of network disruptions, crashes, and configuration changes. The two types of leaks most pertinent to torrenters are IP address and IP traffic leaks.

Related: A guide to DIY kill switches for torrenting

How to avoid malware in torrents

Torrent websites and torrents themselves are havens for malware. Because the community uploads torrents, they often go unchecked for viruses and malware. A case in early 2018 saw 400,000 users hit by a malware outbreak caused by a Russian torrenting client. Every time you download a torrent, scanning it with good, up-to-date antivirus software is a good idea. If the website you downloaded from has a comments section, other users might have already posted about potential threats. This is especially true for software and video games containing many files, making it easier to hide malicious files.

Do I need to use port forwarding to download torrents?

Port forwarding is a contentious topic among torrenters. Some say it improves their download speeds by allowing their torrent client to connect to more peers.

Others argue it is unnecessary and, when using a torrenting VPN service, only makes torrenting more difficult and can even degrade user privacy. This is because other users sharing the same VPN IP address will all be limited to the same ports except for the one who chooses to port forward. That can make P2P activity easier to trace back to a single user.

Most commercial VPN clients don’t support port forwarding and work fine without it. For those that do, enter the forwarded port into your torrent client’s settings. Port forwarding in a VPN does not require forwarding ports in your router. You may need to disable NAT-PMP and/or uPNP mapping in the torrent client.

Torrenting VPN FAQs