Torch is a browser based on Chrome, with some interesting extra tools. It has built-in apps for music, games, a media player and a Torrent downloader, which is the tool we will be discussing.
Torch Torrent App
This download app does exactly the same job as a BitTorrent client. The difference is that it’s not external software; it comes integrated with the browser. It’s easy to see that this app is more of a Torrent download manager than a BitTorrent client.
It looks neat; the user interface is clean, and there’s even some basic info related to the torrent files. It shows the download and upload speeds and the estimated time.
Is Torch Browser Safe?
The safety factor was the reason for writing this post. There are lots of opinions out there and, as it usually happens on the Internet, things grow out of proportion. So we thought it would be good to separate some myths from the facts.
There are plenty of forums where people are recommending this browser over specific software to download torrents. Some even say that Torch is safer for torrenting. We want to make it very clear that this is not true. This tool is a download manager that is included in a browser, nothing more.
A Browser Alone is Never Enough For Torrenting
If you ask if Torch has any safety advantage over a program like uTorrent, the answer is: No, it hasn’t. They offer the same level of security, which is none.
Keep in mind that, just like a BitTorrent client, the Torch app will only connect you to other peers who are sharing the same file as you. Those peers will still be able to see your IP address. Any entity that accesses the BitTorrent tracker where your IP is stored will have access to it.
The proper way to be anonymous when torrenting is by using a VPN. That way, you will be safe with the Torch app for torrents or any other software. But Torch alone doesn’t provide any security.
A VPN is an Addition to the Torch Browser App
It’s important to understand that we are not telling you not to use the Torch browser for torrent downloads. What we mean is that you need to add a proper security tool to be able to use it safely. And that addition should be a VPN.
When you download files with a VPN connection, there will still be an IP address saved in the tracker, but it will be the one from the VPN, not yours.
Conclusion
Some browsers, such as Torch, advertise themselves as being a great choice to download torrents. In case you’ll come across something like that, remember that it’s not that simple.
Such browsers have a built-in torrent manager. Sure, this will make things easier because you wouldn’t need to use a torrent client separately. But at the end of the day, it’s just a download manager. There is no increased security in those torrent oriented browsers, only user-friendliness. You still need the proper tools to be protected.
