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BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer protocol that makes it easy to move big files across the internet by sharing the burden among downloaders. However, its reputation as the go-to tool for piracy has led a few VPNs to block torrenting on their services, so your regular go-to service may not work here. We've been testing VPNs for more than 10 years, and in this guide, we look at the services that explicitly allow BitTorrenting to determine which is best. Proton VPN is our top-rated VPN overall, but it isn't the only one we recommend. Check out all of the best VPNs for torrenting below to determine which one is right for you.
Our Top Tested Picks
Windscribe VPN
Mullvad VPN
IVPN
Mozilla VPN
Best Overall
Proton VPN
- The best free VPN subscription
- Numerous advanced privacy tools
- Strong customer privacy stance
- Slick, accessible client
- Excellent speed test scores
- Awkward ChromeOS implementation
Proton VPN is an excellent service that has little impact on your download speeds. We found that it reduced download results by just 7.2% and had good results for latency and uploads.
Not only does Proton VPN have respectable speeds for torrenting, but it is also (with NordVPN) one of the few VPNs that includes split tunneling, multi-hop connections, and VPN access to the Tor anonymization network. It also costs less than many competitors, places a strong emphasis on security and privacy, and has the best free VPN offering we've seen. Those looking for a free VPN should start here, but Proton VPN's depth of features also makes it a good choice for anyone who wants to up their online privacy.
Best Premium Features
NordVPN
- Support for multi-hop, split tunneling, and Tor connections
- Bevy of available features and add-ons
- Good speed results
- Built-in antivirus tools
- Excellent design
- Friendly onboarding wizard
- Expensive
- Threat Protection Pro lacks full antivirus capabilities
- Deceptive annual renewal pricing
NordVPN has the best download results in our testing—it reduced download results by just 0.7%. That's a top result, and the service has several useful features in addition to its strong download speeds.
NordVPN is a good choice for fast torrenting and for people who care about more than just download speeds. It's one of the very few VPNs to offer split tunneling, multi-hop connections, and access to the Tor anonymization network over VPN. If you can afford the hefty monthly fee, NordVPN offers an attractive combination of fast download speeds, bonus features, and flexibility.
Best for Unlimited Connections
Surfshark VPN
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Large global server presence
- Well-designed and easy-to-use mobile apps
- Highest monthly price among the VPNs we've tested
- Significant upload speed degradation since our last review
- Remained connected to servers after quitting application on PC
In our testing, we found that Surfshark VPN reduced download results by 4.8%. It also has a strong set of features, including multi-hop connections and an option to receive new IP addresses at set intervals.
Surfshark VPN has a high monthly fee, but it still makes for a decent value proposition since it places no limit on your number of allowed simultaneous connections. Large families or anyone with numerous devices should look here.
Best for Torrenting Outside the US
ExpressVPN
- Large, diversely distributed fleet of servers
- Strong privacy and security practices
- Split tunneling
- Stylish interface
- Expensive compared with VPNs with similar feature sets
- No multi-hop connections
ExpressVPN recently redesigned its app; we're fans of the new look. ExpressVPN offers more than just a pretty UI, however. It has an enormous presence that stretches across 105 countries, using very few virtual servers in the process. We found that ExpressVPN is also fast, notching just an 18.3% reduction in download speeds. ExpressVPN eschews the new WireGuard VPN protocol, instead using its own technology called LightWay and the open-source OpenVPN protocol.
With numerous server locations, ExpressVPN is an excellent choice for torrent users living or traveling outside the US. Anyone keen on spoofing their location (perhaps to listen to the BBC iPlayer) should also be well served.
Best Customization Features
Windscribe VPN
- Industry-leading company transparency and communication
- Large number of payment options
- Best free plan of any VPN we've tested
- Helpful AI support bot
- Open Netflix access in all regions benchmarked
- Unlimited number of simultaneous connections and devices
- Anonymous signup allowed
- Middling speed results
Windscribe VPN has a lot going for it: a stellar privacy record, excessive transparency, a snappy app, and more. But what makes it ideal for torrenting is the company's exemplary approach to personal data protection. This guarantees that even if an ISP comes knocking about your torrenting traffic, Windscribe won't have any identifying logs to hand over in the first place.
Those looking for a VPN dedicated to user privacy would be hard-pressed to find a company more devoted to the cause than Windscribe. While its download speeds were somewhat lacking in our tests, we're including it on this list for anyone who values data privacy above all else.
Best for Privacy
Mullvad VPN
- Affordable
- Requires no email or account information
- Radically transparency
- Open Netflix access in all regions tested
- Awkward desktop interface
- No transparency report or warrant canary
- Servers in a small range of countries
Mullvad VPN has a long history of being fanatical about privacy, and it also did well in our speed testing; we found that Mullvad VPN reduced download results by 23.6%. It also had remarkably good upload and latency results. Mullvad VPN is unusual among VPNs in that it only charges a flat fee of 5 euros, making it an easy purchase for most people.
Mullvad VPN goes to extraordinary lengths to protect customer privacy. You don't need to create an account or even a password—you identify yourself with an account number, and Mullvad will even let you pay your bill with cash sent to its headquarters. The company also no longer provides recurring subscriptions to store even less customer information. That does make it a bit of an unusual user experience, but if you want the most privacy for very little money, Mullvad is for you.
Best for Flexible Pricing
IVPN
- Flexible, affordable pricing
- Powerful multi-hop system
- Privacy is baked into its account system
- Strong stance on transparency
- Offers few server locations
- Multi-hop and account ID features might confuse some
IVPN is all about flexible pricing, both in terms of cost and length of contract. It also has two important features no other VPNs other than Mullvad VPN can claim. First, it uses a privacy-protecting account number system that requires very little personal information. Second, it accepts cash payments sent to its HQ. IVPN is faster than many of the other choices on this list at a 5.2% download speed reduction, and it also offers a unique system that lets you choose any entry and exit point for a multi-hop connection.
IVPN will appeal to the person who is keen to reveal as little about themselves as possible and wants a VPN company that will do the same. Some of its advanced features are sure to entice anyone who wants tight control of their network security, and its speeds are impressive.
Best for Open Web Supporters
Mozilla VPN
- Helps support nonprofit Mozilla
- Powered by privacy hawk Mullvad VPN
- Simple, classy design
- Multi-hop and split tunneling
- Few server locations
- Gathers some user information
- Expensive compared with Mullvad VPN
We found that Mozilla VPN reduced download results by 16.1% but had stronger scores for uploads and latency at 6% and 5.3%, respectively. It's not the fastest of the bunch, but being a part of the well-trusted Mozilla team wins extra brownie points. The service includes all of the features you'd want to see in a VPN, and your money also goes toward supporting the storied nonprofit.Â
Mozilla VPN uses the same infrastructure as Mullvad VPN but costs more and requires an account to use it—something Mullvad VPN does not. However, Mozilla VPN has a better design and a more familiar billing system. If those features, as well as supporting a nonprofit, are important to you, Mozilla VPN is the way to go.
Do I Need a VPN for Torrenting?
Given its reputation, some ISPs and network managers block BitTorrent traffic altogether. Or, at the very least, they track who's connecting to BitTorrent seeds (and which seeds in particular) and set a certain number of warnings before your account can potentially be deactivated if they detect you're downloading flagged copyrighted materials. Using a VPN is sensible to circumvent these barricades and to protect your privacy when torrenting.
Regardless of how you feel about BitTorrent, the people who own the network you use to connect to the internet or even your ISP may block torrenting altogether. A VPN can help circumvent those prohibitions by making it harder for people to detect torrenting traffic.
No matter how just the reasoning, though, the law (however problematic) is the law. ISPs and other tech companies are sometimes compelled to answer when rights holders come with a list of offenses carried out on their infrastructure. Using a VPN can help improve your privacy by preventing your ISP from monitoring your traffic and making it harder for advertisers to track you online.
But when it comes to security, we often say that it's better to think of tools like VPNs as something that increases the amount of work required for someone to successfully attack you—or, in the case of ISP policies on torrents—track you. A VPN needs to be part of a layered approach to security and can't replace other critical security tools, such as good antivirus software, a password manager, and multi-factor authentication that's enabled wherever possible.
Will a VPN Hide My Torrenting From My ISP or the Police?
The short answer is that, yes, a VPN can shield your online activities from your ISP. It should also make it harder for someone on the web to identify particular traffic as belonging to you. That's a good thing, not only if you have legally iffy torrenting habits but also because it protects your privacy in general.
That said, there are always exceptions. Time and time again, user error and efforts by law enforcement have undermined the protection offered by services like Tor or VPNs. Timing attacks, for example, can correlate packet traffic at a VPN server with activity on your own network, thus linking you to online activities.
In some cases, the problem may be the VPN itself. If a VPN company keeps logs about user activity (specifically, the identity of the user, which server they connected to, and when), that could potentially be obtained by law enforcement. We believe that, ideally, VPNs should store as little information as possible, including logs. In our reviews, we always detail what information a particular VPN collects and how the company interacts with law enforcement requests for information. Remember that every company that wants to stay in business will have to comply with a legal request from law enforcement at some point. However, if they run a no-log VPN, complying will not always directly result in the VPN company or the authorities being able to accurately identify your PC's traffic as the point of origin.
Can I Use BitTorrent on My VPN?
Most VPN services are completely fine with you using BitTorrent or P2P services while connected to their networks. None of our top-rated VPN services prohibit file sharing.
Even the services that allow torrenting can have restrictions, though. Some, for example, may require that you only use BitTorrent when connected to specific VPN servers. For example, NordVPN labels the servers on which torrenting is acceptable. Note that pretty much every VPN service that allows torrenting also explicitly forbids breaking copyright law or otherwise abusing the service.
Some VPNs have tools that are particularly useful for torrenting. One feature called split tunneling lets you designate the kind of traffic traveling through your VPN connection. You can use it to route your torrenting activity through the VPN, freeing up the rest of your bandwidth.
How Will a VPN Affect My Torrenting Speeds?
When you use a VPN, your web traffic usually travels through more fiber and server locations. You should expect slower upload and download speeds and higher latency regardless of the VPN you choose. For large torrents, it can mean a longer wait before you get the completed file.
In our latest round of testing, we recorded the median from 30 tests with and without a VPN running and then found a percent change between the two. The greater the change, the more impact the VPN has on your internet connection speeds. For measuring speeds, we use the Ookla Speedtest tool. (Note: Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag.com's parent company. For more, see the ethics policy in our Editorial Mission Statement.)
You can see all the latest results from our testing in the chart below.
Networks are finicky, and we don't claim our work to be the be-all and end-all of VPN speed testing. Instead, we offer a snapshot of how a particular service performed on a specific day. We also don't think that speed should be the only metric used to evaluate a VPN, but it's clearly one of concern to BitTorrent users.
To make this list, we looked at the best download scores across the services we've tested thus far. The VPNs we recommend in this article generally had the least impact on download speed test results. That said, we've also included several VPNs that are better suited to torrenting more broadly, whether by their data privacy practices, their logging policies, or just offering torrent-specific servers on their networks.
VPN Reliability and Accessibility Issues
VPNs can sometimes make an everyday browsing experience somewhat hiccupy. Suddenly losing connectivity while the VPN resets is mildly annoying in day-to-day life, but such interruptions could slow down or even halt a large BitTorrent download.
If you plan on connecting to a VPN while torrenting, consider the possibility of using a kill switch. This feature, found in most VPN services, prevents apps from sending data via the internet when the VPN is disconnected. The idea is that it prevents any information from being transmitted in the clear. The avid BitTorrent downloader needs to decide if they want total and complete protection or would rather not have their download interrupted.
Recommended by Our Editors
Do VPN Locations Matter?
While VPN services have servers worldwide, each company's headquarters must be based somewhere on the planet. The data retention laws in that location may require the VPN company to collect and maintain user data for a set time.
Understanding what kind of information a VPN service collects and how long it is maintained can be hard to figure out. To get the answer, you may have to wade through unending FAQ pages and opaque terms of service written in arcane legalese. If the VPN company you're considering can't clearly explain what information it gathers and how long it will be kept, it's probably not a great service.
When we test VPNs, we ask service representatives what efforts they take to secure customers' privacy. We also read those hefty terms of service (you're welcome). You can read through our full reviews to see their answers.
Note that national and international law, as related to data storage and whether that data can be turned over to law enforcement, is complicated and constantly changing. A good service today might choose or be compelled to alter its policies tomorrow, so pay attention to any updates to the VPN company's terms of service.
A VPN Can Encrypt Your Torrent Traffic
Perhaps you'll decide that all this effort isn't worth it just to secure your BitTorrent downloads. But a VPN is still an easy way to potentially improve your online privacy, whether from bad actors or the very ISP providing your connection to the web in the first place. Whether you decide to spring for a premium account, you're looking for a cheap VPN, or you just want to dip your toe in with a free VPN, there's a service to meet every need and budget.
Looking for more information about the basics of torrenting and how to get started? You can read our story on how to use BitTorrent.
Max Eddy contributed to this article.
