Best VPN for Torrenting in 2024: Protected P2P File Sharing
The VPN is one of the best tools for internet safety on the market: offering safe and anonymous browsing on a range of devices at a low cost. And in the still highly-trafficked market of peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, employing the best VPN for torrenting is a valuable asset. Those who remember the early days of the internet – in the heyday of Napster and Limewire – will remember the dangers of torrents and filesharing that could seriously compromise your PC. All those dangers remain, but a VPN helps mitigate some of the risk.
With that in mind, we’ve compiled our list of the best VPNs for torrenting and filesharing – the top safe VPNs that will protect and anonymize your connection from any prying parties looking to scrape your data. With different VPNs providing different benefits, we’ve broken down the different features that each has to make for safe and secure P2P sharing.
Products at a Glance
How We Picked the Best VPN for Torrenting
Whilst P2P filesharing and torrenting are not illegal, using a torrent to view copyrighted material such as films or TV shows is classed as piracy. Doing so can result in prosecution, fines, and – in extreme cases – prison sentences. Whilst the word “torrent” has become synonymous with piracy, it is merely a means of sharing files between two servers, and can be used for a variety of data services.
As such, we looked for VPNs that helped secure your IP address, giving you a secure and anonymous connection point from which to file share with – to prevent your personal data from man-in-the-middle attacks or other forms of hijacking. We also gave special consideration to VPNs that offered extra features such as a Dark Web Monitor or Password Manager, that notify you of any data breaches, or help prevent them altogether.
We settled on five VPNs, each with their respective merits, that are all highly suited to P2P filesharing. Though they vary in price and overall value, each offers a secure, digitally anonymous means of filesharing.
Product Reviews
- Comes with ad-blocking and password management
- Seven simultaneous connections
- Varied connection speeds
Topping our list as the best VPN for torrenting is CyberGhost, a highly functional and secure VPN provider ideal for P2P systems.
On every one of it’s 6,000 servers across 110 countries, CyberGhost promises secure 256-bit encryption – making for highly secure connections almost anywhere across the globe. With support for seven simultaneous devices per subscription, this VPN provider also provides great value for money, especially considering you also get a free ad-blocker and password manager as part of the service. CyberGhost promises no logging of any kind on its servers, meaning you are safe in the knowledge that your data is entirely anonymous.
However, one issue that may cause issue for some P2P sharing is that the connectivity speeds on some servers can vary significantly, which can be problematic for some users looking to share larger files. This can be fixed quickly thanks to the connectivity options available, though, and CyberGhost remains a top VPN for filesharing!
- Affordable subscription
- Built-in security features
- Limited server count
Though VPNs are inherently secure, PrivadoVPN goes the extra mile with security features included as standard. For a modest subscription fee, you can protect your data from various forms of attack at once, making for highly safe file sharing.
With built-in threat protection, ad-blocking and even parental controls, PrivadoVPN asks very little and returns a lot. Like CyberGhost, they promise no data logging for highly anonymized connections. You can host multiple devices simultaneously, allowing you to keep as many peer-to-peer connections as you need safe.
However, with servers only across 64 cities, PrivadoVPN’s range is limited compared to other VPN providers. For the added security, we still recommend them as a top VPN for torrenting!
- No data limit
- Fast speeds
- Some data collection
If large files are what you plan on sharing peer-to-peer, consider Hotspot Shield as your choice of VPN. With no impositions on data or connectivity, you can share or receive files of any size, making it ideal for P2P filesharing.
Hotspot Shield has also been named the fastest VPN provider on the market at present, with localized connection speeds actually improving by as much as 26%. The provider’s Catapault Hydra protocol helps improve connectivity speeds, for even faster data management. They even offer free VPN servers for gaming and other niches – effectively a “try before you buy” option.
However, if total anonymity is the aim, then Hotspot Shield is one to avoid, as they lack the no-logging policy of their peers and collect some credentials from users. For large-file P2P sharing, however, HotSpot Shield remains a speedy and safe solution!
- Varied server choice
- Highly secure and speedy
- Inconsistent connectivity
We’d be impressed if you weren’t already aware of NordVPN: a household name in internet security. Valued for their affordability and versatility, Nord’s VPNs are safe, secure and anonymous.
Boasting 5,500 serves in 80 countries, you’re spoiled for choice in terms of a connection. You can route traffic through a specific address with their virtual MeshNet, and the NordLynx protocol means you can achieve speeds as fast as 350Mb/s. 256-bit encryption means you are guaranteed privacy at all times, and their Dark Web Monitor looks out for your credentials for when you’re not using a protected connection.
However, you may not always have a choice when you’re not connected, as especially on mobiles there are connection dropoffs over long-distance VPN connections. It doesn’t happen often enough to be pressing, but it’s worth mentioning and prevents NordVPN from being the best VPN for torrenting!
- Unlimited connections
- Optional free plan
- Higher-than-average price point
Windscribe, our final VPN for torrenting, is a VPN provider that goes the extra mile. Whilst many other providers simply localize your IP address digitally, Windscribe servers are apparently physically located in one of the 66 countries in which their VPN operates – giving you a level of localized connectivity unseen in other options.
With AES-256 encryption, you can connect to Windscribe secure in the knowledge that your data is privileged. You have a gamut of additional features to choose from, including ROBERT: a DNS-based all-in-one security tool that blocks malware, trackers, and many other forms of data siphoning. It can also bypass many other forms of digital filtering, keeping you highly anonymous and free to share at your leisure with up to 10GB on the free plan alone.
So why isn’t Windscribe the best VPN for torrenting? Whilst having a free plan is appreciated, most of the useful features for P2P torrenting are locked behind their high-price subscription fees. If you can afford it, then Windscribe is a highly secure and private VPN for filesharing!
What is a Torrent?
BitTorrent was first developed in 2001 by Bram Cohen and Ashwin Navin, who continued to refine the filetype through the early 2000s. Before the development of torrents and P2P filesharing, every digital asset had to be uploaded to a central server before the user then had to download them, which was both costly and time-consuming. This technology became the key touchstone of a number of different websites, such as Sean Parker’s infamous music sharing platform Napster, and is used in a variety of applications to this day.
Torrents are used to share a variety of large filetypes without the need to store them on a central server. This is done by breaking the file down on the host computer (coined as the “seed”), and uploading a link to a torrent host site rather than the whole file. When a prospective downloader downloaded the text file, the seed computer would then be signalled to send the file in portions. The torrent file itself doesn’t contain any image, video or audio; but rather information on the portions of the original file.
The original torrent filetype has undergone a number of changes in the intervening years, but is used as a highly private means of sending information between devices. Some common torrent uses include RSS feeds for podcasts and other serial content, image sharing between devices, and updates for PC games.
Why You Need a VPN for Torrenting
Though torrents are shared between two points, they are highly vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks. What’s more, your IP address and other data can easily be read in the torrent, meaning that interested parties that breach the torrent can breach the personal data of anyone who previously used it.
As such, a VPN is a useful tool to anonymize your access to the torrent, and keep your IP address safe from prying parties. They also allow you to access torrents located in other countries, bypassing any geo-blocking laws that may be in place.
Is Torrenting safe?
If you use torrents as a simple means of sharing audio or visual filetypes, among others, then you are not acting illegally unless that material is copyrighted. However, you should also be careful of the torrent site you are downloading from: as many are compromised, unsafe or looking to harvest personal data.
Is a VPN worth it?
Yes: Even if you don’t use it for torrenting, a VPN is a highly affordable and worthwhile security investment for protecting your details online.
Our Verdict
Though speeds can vary, CyberGhost takes the top spot as our best VPN for torrenting thanks to the seamless and secure service the provider offers. For secure, anonymous and well-protected P2P file sharing, CyberGhost is the best option on the market!
For more on the latest VPN options, including the best VPN for streaming, stay up to date with us on PC Guide!