The Best VPNs for Torrenting and P2P

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Over the years, we reviewed and became familiar with dozens of VPNs for torrenting. We’ve read countless “privacy policies” and “terms of use.” Furthermore, we have tested those VPNs specifically for the BitTorrent protocol.

You have to pay close attention when researching a good VPN for torrenting. Such software must have specific features and follow some privacy rules to be considered adequate for torrent downloads.

The providers we approve and recommend in our list are the ones that tick all the boxes when it comes to torrenting and P2P. They have a combination of security features and policies that allow file-sharing without any issues.

Our Favorite VPNs for Torrenting

According to our extensive testing and research, these are currently the best VPNs that provide safety and peace of mind when downloading torrents.

These VPNs are our favorites for torrenting, and you can read more details about each one below. If you want to read even more, such as test results, you can always read the full review about each one.

NordVPN

File-sharing is expressly allowed by NordVPN, and the software even has a P2P server category. These torrent servers are built to achieve fast download speeds.

Over the years, the custom NordVPN client has been fine-tuned to accommodate even the most anxious BitTorrent users’ worries. A kill switch and DNS leak protection ensure your activity stays secure.

NordVPN was the first VPN to be independently inspected by a member of the “big four” auditing firms. They wanted to prove to the public that their no-logging guarantee was accurate. Consequently, it has gained even more influence in the P2P community.

NordVPN full review

Surfshark

Surfshark is lesser-known than the competition because of its very young age. The fact that we rank a VPN that is only a few years old in our list says a lot about this provider.

Surfshark is as feature-rich as the top VPNs on the market. Like most VPNs in this list, it does not log any identifying information. Also, every server in its network allows P2P traffic. These features, combined with good speeds and modern encryption, make it a good option to protect your torrent downloads.

Finally, because it is a fairly new company, they have a very affordable price, one of the lowest in this industry.

Surfshark full review

PureVPN

PureVPN is a well-known VPN provider hailed for its affordability. With full support for P2P traffic on selected servers in its network, torrent users can stay anonymous while downloading their files.

It also has some unique security services, such as an automatic connection when the user connects to public WiFi.

It’s also worth noting that the service offers the unusual perk of having a “personal IP address.”

PureVPN full review

Hide.me

Hide.me VPN is a new entry on our list. The company allows torrent downloads and is not afraid to show it.

The VPN software comes with handy features for P2P, especially a kill switch and a stealth guard feature.

These tools allow advanced customization. For example, you can even disable some of your programs if your VPN is not activated.

But what sets this VPN apart is the download speed on OpenVPN. We achieved speeds that are rarely seen on a VPN.

Hide.me full review

IPVanish

IPVanish is famous for its consistently high speeds, great UI, and additional security capabilities, such as an Internet kill switch. Its most distinguishing features are the sleek and user-friendly interface.

You can even see the download and upload speeds directly from the main window.

That shows how much the IPVanish team values speed.

Many users in the BitTorrent community consider them the fastest VPN for torrenting.

IPVanish full review

Remember to do Your Own Research

Just because we tested so many VPNs and shared our results with you, it does not mean that you shouldn’t test them yourself before getting one. There are some details that only you can verify, such as your distance from the servers.

Check your distance to the available VPN servers

The distance of your computer from the VPN server you are connected to will affect the download and upload speeds. The farther away the server is from you, the greater the speed loss.

For example, if you are in the US and connect to a VPN server in the Netherlands, you would lose a significant amount of your original connection speed. However, if you connected to a server in Canada, there would be a minor speed loss because you would be closer to that country.

With this in mind, it’s always good to visit each VPN provider’s webpage and check for their server locations. That’s the best way to verify if they have options in your neighboring countries. If they only have servers far from you, like in other continents, you shouldn’t consider that VPN anymore.

Compare VPNs

Our head-to-head comparison of VPNs for torrenting is a good starting point to see the difference between two specific providers. But there’s nothing like testing and comparing them yourself.

Most providers offer a decent money-back guarantee or even a free trial. So don’t be afraid of doing some testing to check which one is your favorite.

The Criteria We Used to Select the Best VPNs for Torrenting

Unfortunately, not every VPN is ideal for torrents. That’s why some critical details have to be carefully verified when looking for a good VPN for file-sharing.

The VPN has to allow P2P traffic

Some VPNs outright prohibit BitTorrent activity on their networks. It’s a touchy topic and can create a legal headache for the provider, depending on their location. A good VPN for torrenting should allow P2P file-sharing in a very clear way.

Some providers have P2P dedicated servers, which clearly indicates that they do allow it. When it’s not clear, we always contact their support and ask. If we don’t get a definite “yes” from the provider, it won’t make our list.

The no-logging policy has to be clear

An important factor that separates a good VPN from an average one is whether it retains user traffic logs or not. In our opinion, keeping activity logs goes against true anonymity.

Excluding the providers that save user activity should be one of your main priorities.

It must include a kill switch

The kill switch tool is so crucial that if a VPN software does not have it, we see it as a deal-breaker. This feature will keep you on the safe side when your VPN crashes. Your anonymity will always be at risk with a provider that doesn’t include a kill switch.

Modern encryption and VPN protocols

The number of protocols available in a VPN is not important to us. Some of them are actually outdated and risky.

We always look for the OpenVPN protocol with at least a 256 AES encryption cipher. This is our favorite combination when it comes to security and download speed. If the VPN has both OpenVPN UDP and TCP available, it’s even better.

It must offer several servers and locations

Especially in the cheap rung of providers, there’s a risk of running into VPNs with few servers. That means those servers are busy with many users, running at 100% capacity. Users who connect to it often face slow download speeds, which is a huge downside for file-sharing.

We prefer VPNs with a considerable number of servers. That will prevent many people from occupying the same server and provide adequate bandwidth.

Conclusion

Thanks to the anonymity it provides, a VPN is a trendy choice among torrent users. But if you use low-quality VPN software, you may end up getting exposed.

All the options that we listed above passed our security tests. They are all capable of hiding torrenting activity. However, they differ when it comes to extra features, ease of use, servers, and price. So make sure you do proper research.

Finally, check our VPN tips for torrenting to learn more about proper VPN configuration, best practices, and how to maximize your privacy. It will help you get that peace of mind you’ve been looking for. Happy torrenting!