Image: Rob Schultz / Foundry
Torrenting, or P2P (peer-to-peer) file sharing, is a convenient way to download large files quickly. But it isn’t without its risks. Not only is there the risk of accidentally downloading a malicious file or malware, but there’s a privacy risk as well — your ISP can see all your online activity and they usually don’t take too kindly to torrenting.
That’s why it’s imperative that you use a VPN while doing any torrenting or P2P file sharing. A VPN can keep your connection private and encrypt your data so that unwanted prying eyes — cybercriminals, overbearing ISPs, or nosy government watchdogs — can’t monitor your online activity.
If you’re interested in using a VPN for something other than just torrenting you can check out my list of best VPNs for even more great options.
NordVPN – Best VPN for torrenting overall
Pros
- Tons of privacy and security features
- Outstanding speeds
- Included antivirus and password manager
Price When Reviewed:
Basic plan from $3.09 a month for two years. Usually $12.99.
Best Prices Today:
Who should use NordVPN?
NordVPN is the perfect VPN for torrenting due to its fantastic security features, multi-hop connections, and independently verified no-logs policy. Plus, it comes with a built-in ad- and tracker-blocker as well as malware protection and a link checker — you know, for any of those dubious Linux torrenting sites you might run into. NordVPN also proved to be the fastest VPN on the market in my testing, so those large P2P files should download in no-time.
It truly has everything you could want to make your torrenting faster, easier, and most importantly, safer. Even power users will find plenty of customizable options to get the most out of their experience.
NordVPN: Further considerations
NordVPN comes with broad device support and Windows and Android apps are easy to use. It also comes with handy features such as access to the TOR network over VPN, multi-hop connections, Meshnet file sharing network, and Nord’s latest password manager and link-checker safety tool. Additionally, NordVPN offers an extensive server network with locations all over the world.
A monthly subscription might be a bit expensive, but if you opt for longer-term plans the price becomes a lot cheaper.
Read our full
NordVPN review
ExpressVPN – Best VPN for torrenting runner-up
Pros
- Excellent speeds
- Well-designed interface
- Great security and privacy practices
Cons
- More expensive than other VPNs
- Light on extra security features
Price When Reviewed:
From $4.99 a month for 2 years + 4 free months
Best Prices Today:
ExpressVPN (Monthly)
$4.99
Who should use ExpressVPN?
ExpressVPN is a true all-arounder and a great option for everyone. I give it the runner-up spot here as NordVPN comes with a few more security features than ExpressVPN — when it comes to torrenting, the more security the better.
However, ExpressVPN is still an excellent VPN choice for torrenting as it makes all of the right privacy promises and its speeds are very good. Also, ExpressVPN is officially based in the British Virgin Islands, meaning it isn’t subject to any domestic or international data sharing requirements. You can feel confident your ISP or other interested parties won’t uncover your P2P activity.
ExpressVPN: Further considerations
ExpressVPN also has a lot of other great qualities that make it worth your while, such as wide device support, smart DNS, and reliable unblocking capabilities. The service has even begun branching out to adopt a more holistic approach to security, adding ad- and tracker-blocking and, most recently, a password manager to the service, as well.
It’s not the cheapest VPN out there, but you do get excellent value for your money, and the service is regularly bringing in third-party auditors to validate its privacy credentials.
Read our full
ExpressVPN review
Windscribe VPN – Best free VPN for torrenting
Pros
- Good free plan
- Fast speeds
- Unlimited device connections
Cons
- Streaming unblocking is inconsistent
- Smaller server network than some competitors
Price When Reviewed:
1 year: $69 ($5.75/mo) I Monthly: $9/mo
Who should use Windscribe VPN?
Torrenting requires speed and security from your connection and Windscribe VPN provides both at no cost. In my testing, both the paid and free versions had great average speeds that is a huge bonus and all free servers support P2P.
Most free VPNs are only good for location spoofing with no real added features, and that’s why Windscribe is so good. It offers way more for users and the fact that it gives you up to 15GB of bandwidth means you can even download some larger torrent files without worrying about hitting the data cap. The free service offers 10 regional connections including the U.S., Canada, UK, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, and Romania. It also has a ton of privacy features such as blockers for site notifications and “we use cookies” banners, WebRTC leak protection, user agent rotation, and more.
Windscribe VPN: Further considerations
While Windscribe’s free version does offer up to 15GB of data per month, to get that bandwidth you’ll need to confirm via email address and tweet them — if not, you’re stuck at 2GB per month. Additionally, a big potential plus for some users is that Windscribe exclusively uses physical servers which can provide better security and speeds.
I not only recommend the Windscribe free service on its own, but also as an easy way to get to know the service before committing to a paid tier with premium features.
Read our full
Windscribe Pro review
Mullvad – Best for privacy
Pros
- Good speeds
- Inexpensive monthly plan
- Unrivaled anonymity
Cons
- Struggles with unblocking streaming services
- Smaller server network
- Lacks some extra features
Price When Reviewed:
$5.26 a month (€5)
Best Prices Today:
Who should use Mullvad?
Mullvad is ultimately for the privacy-conscious user. Those who really demand ultimate anonymity when torrenting, or just using a VPN in general, will find that Mullvad takes active measures to ensure they never know who you are — meaning no other observer will know who you are either. All Mullvad servers are also capable of P2P transfers so you can just pick your favorite server and start torrenting.
The Sweden-based company appreciates your business, but it’s not interested in finding out who you are. It goes well beyond the standards of most other VPN companies when it comes to protecting your anonymity. Instead of using an email and password combo, Mullvad randomly generates an account number that functions as your username and password. And you can even decide to mail in cash as a subscription payment if you don’t want your credit card on file.
Mullvad: Further considerations
While Mullvad focuses on privacy, it’s no slouch in other departments. It ranks in the top 10 for speeds, and comes with a convenient split-tunneling feature too. Plus, the service has a very inexpensive monthly subscription fee so it can be a great budget option as well.
Read our full
Mullvad review
Private Internet Access – Best for customization
Pros
- Multiple independently verified no-log audits
- Unlimited simultaneous device connections
- Vast server network
Cons
- App is a little clunky
- Speeds are fairly pedestrian
Price When Reviewed:
$11.95 per month
Best Prices Today:
Private Internet Access
$11.95
Who should use Private Internet Access?
PIA is best suited for those who like to tinker with their software. It provides so many customizable features that it can come across as a bit overwhelming to the uninitiated and those just looking for a set-it and forget-it option. But power users will find a plethora of tweakable options and settings to keep them happy through all of their torrenting endeavors.
All servers are capable of P2P file transfers, and features like port forwarding mean your torrenting will be faster and more reliable.
Private Internet Access: Further considerations
Private Internet Access (PIA) is one of the most popular VPN providers and has seemingly been around forever. PIA not only comes with an insane amount of servers, but also great features such as multi-hop, an app-based kill switch, and split-tunneling.
PIA also has a great record of transparency, regularly undergoing independent no-logs audits. It does lack some speed in comparison to other top picks here, but that shouldn’t translate to too much of a hit while torrenting.
Read our full
Private Internet Access review
Other VPNs we liked
While we believe that the above VPNs for torrenting are currently the most worthy of your hard-earned money, there are a few other noteworthy services that deserve attention: PrivadoVPN is a strong overall service, but the free version of the VPN really stands out and is second only to Proton VPN. Hide.me is a well-rounded service that ticks almost every box and the fantastic array of configurable settings make it a power-user’s dream. U.S.-based IPVanish nails all of the basics: good speeds, a large server network, and privacy promises backed up with independent audits. TunnelBear is an undeniably charming VPN that is extremely easy to use, and doesn’t overwhelm with too many features or country options, which makes it ideal for VPN novices or those who aren’t the most tech-savvy.
I’m continuously evaluating new VPNs and reevaluating services I’ve already tested on a regular basis to find the best for torrenting, so be sure to come back for more recommendations and to see what else we’ve put through their P2P paces.
Can I get a better VPN deal?
Here at PCWorld, we are regularly hunting down the best VPN deals to help you get the most bang for your buck. VPN services are frequently running deals throughout the year, so you should have a few chances to snag your favorite torrenting VPN on a steep discount if you can time it right.
While the prices for all VPNs on this list are updated daily, they do not account for special deals or offers. It’s best to keep checking our deals article to see what new limited-time discounts are on offer each week. Additionally, sales events such as Amazon Prime Day in mid-July and Black Friday at the end of November provide excellent opportunities to find even cheaper VPN deals.
How we test VPNs
We judge VPNs on a variety of criteria including server network, connection speeds, privacy protections, ease-of-use, additional features, and cost. For a more detailed guide on our evaluation process, check out PCWorld’s comprehensive guide on how we test VPN services.
Speed tests are kept as simple as possible. We average the connections between different global locations for any given VPN and then compare them to our baseline internet speed to get a good picture of the overall connection speeds.
We thoroughly research and analyze the privacy policies and histories of each VPN and note any outstanding discrepancies or data collection issues. Experience and ease-of-use are subjective, but we try our best to give an accurate representation of how it feels to work with the VPN. And finally, we compare the value of the service based upon its price and additional features to the industry average to help you gain an accurate picture of what you’ll get for your money.
Why you should trust PCWorld for VPN reviews and buying advice
Here at PCWorld we’ve been testing computer hardware, software, and services since the 1980s. As reviewers and users of PC hardware and software, we put every product through its paces using rigorous benchmarking and hands-on evaluation. We’d never recommend something we wouldn’t want for ourselves.
Who curated this article?
Sam Singleton is PCWorld’s VPN beat reporter and jack of all trades. When he’s not on the hunt for the best computer deals he’s covering VPNs, productivity software, laptops, and a wide gamut of consumer-grade hardware and software.
How to choose the best VPN for torrenting
One of the first things you should look for when shopping around for a VPN is the number of servers and locations. It’s difficult to judge any VPN by just one feature, but a semi-reliable way to tell if a VPN is even worth your time is to look at the server network. Anything with 1,000 or more servers and 30 or more country locations will do.
Speed
The next thing to consider is a VPN’s speed. This may be tricky to do since you aren’t likely to be able to test connection speeds without paying to use the service. Reading reviews online will give you a general estimate. Look for reviews, like ours, that give you a relative average of connection speeds rather than direct Mbps speed comparisons, for a more accurate picture.
Privacy
You’ll also want to read up on a VPN’s privacy protections. Does it have a no-logs policy? Has it undergone any independent audits of its servers? Where is the VPN company located? All of these will give you an idea of whether or not a VPN is transparent with its data collection policies and if it’s subject to government data sharing requirements.
Price
As with all subscription services, you’ll want to review the price of a VPN service. Do you want a monthly or yearly subscription? Some top VPNs might be pricey month-to-month, but actually become quite affordable with long-term plans.
P2P
In regards to torrenting, you absolutely want a VPN service provider that allows P2P file sharing on their network. Preferably P2P is allowed on all servers, but even some of the best VPNs only allow it on designated servers—check these P2P-optimized server locations first to make sure they are in convenient locations close to you to ensure the best speeds.
Additional features
Other factors you’ll want to take into consideration are the overall ease-of-use, user experience, and any additional features. Some of these features, such as split-tunneling and kill switches, can be extremely useful for certain purposes and might sway your subscription decision one way or the other.
FAQ
1.
What is the best VPN for torrenting?
NordVPN is our pick for the best VPN for torrenting. Not only do all of its servers work with P2P, but it has the fastest speeds of any VPN on the market and a huge server network. There is currently no other VPN on the market that provides as much privacy and security for the value as NordVPN and that’s why it’s our top pick.
2.
What is the best free VPN for torrenting?
Proton VPN is our pick for best free VPN for torrenting. With the free version, you’ll get all of the same privacy and security benefits of the premium version, plus no monthly data limits and good speeds.
The only major drawback is that you’ll be limited to a few servers, but that won’t really matter for torrenting anyways.
3.
What is a VPN?
VPNs create a secure tunnel between your PC and the internet. When you connect to a VPN your web traffic is routed through the chosen VPN server to make it appear as though you’re browsing from that server’s location, and not from your actual location. The VPN app will also encrypt your data so that any third parties such as your ISP can’t see your specific online activities. A VPN can be a great response to a variety of concerns, such as online privacy, anonymity, greater security on public Wi-Fi, and, of course, spoofing locations.
4.
Is torrenting through a VPN safe?
Safety while torrenting comes down to two things: anonymity and protection from malware or other malicious files.
As far as anonymity goes, yes, you will be protected from any snooping outsiders or your own ISP’s restrictions on file torrenting by using a VPN. If you know and trust the the service you’re using, torrenting with a VPN should be completely safe from prying eyes.
In regards to protection from malware and other malicious files, no. A VPN on its own will not protect you from accidentally downloading malicious files from P2P networks or torrent sites. For this, it is highly recommended that you use an antivirus program to help keep you safe.
5.
Are VPNs legal to use?
Yes, in most countries, including the United States, using a VPN is perfectly legal. Even though some websites might try to block VPN connections, they are still okay to use. Please note, while using a VPN is legal, some of the activities done while using a VPN might be illegal. Activities such as downloading pirated copyrighted content or accessing dark web markets are both illegal with or without a VPN.
6.
Can you be tracked with a VPN?
While VPNs certainly offer you better privacy and security, they don’t make you completely anonymous nor keep you from being tracked entirely. A VPN will keep your ISP from seeing your traffic, but there are a mind-boggling number of ways that other companies or sites track you across the internet. For example, when you sign into a website, your identity is still revealed to that website, VPN or not. Or when you log into your Gmail account while using a VPN, Google can now collect personalized cookies based on your browsing.
7.
Does a VPN hide what you’re downloading?
Yes, but with a caveat. When using your normal home internet connection, your ISP can see everything you’re doing online. By using a VPN, all of your traffic will be rerouted through the VPN’s private servers, meaning your ISP won’t be able to snoop on your activity while connected.
The VPN creates a private tunnel for your traffic and encrypts all of your data running through that tunnel. This makes it unreadable to outside entities and so adds an extra layer of security, especially while downloading torrent files.
This will mask the contents of your downloads from your ISP, but will not hide the fact that you’re downloading something nor the size of the download. Still, a VPN is one of the best ways to keep your online activities private and hidden from outside parties.
Author: Sam Singleton, Assistant Editor, PCWorld
Sam Singleton is PCWorld’s VPN beat reporter and jack of all trades. When he’s not on the hunt for the best computer deals he’s covering VPNs, productivity software, laptops, and a wide gamut of consumer-grade hardware and software.