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Torrenting is an easy way to download resources online. It can be useful to download large files.
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There are two main types of torrenting sites: public and private. Public sites are free but risky; private sites are safer and require invites.
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Use a reliable VPN like NordVPN for safe torrenting, and also avoid downloading malware-infected files.
Nowadays, it is difficult to find a trustworthy and secure torrent site. Many countries’ internet service providers (ISPs) block or ban torrenting sites, and hackers lurk on these sites to target unsuspecting users with malware. Moreover, some torrenting sites host copyrighted content. Downloading or streaming such content is illegal in most countries.
We tested numerous websites to create a list of reliable, secure, and relatively ad-free torrent sites. Although our best torrent site recommendations are secure, you should always access torrenting sites with a reliable Virtual Private Network (VPN).
Quick list of the best torrent sites
- The Pirate Bay: The best overall torrent website with many seeders and verified uploaders.
- 1337X: This is a well-designed torrent site with a massive library.
- Torrentz2: The best torrent search engine that locates unique titles.
- Torrends: A superb alternative torrent search engine with a seamless design and minimal ads.
- Torrent Downloads: A well-known torrent website offering old titles and movies, especially from Asia.
- TorrentFunk: Excellent torrent website for magnet links, allowing direct torrent downloads.
- RARBG: Great torrent search engine with a vast selection of movies, TV shows, software, and books.
- Bitport: This is an ideal torrent site for downloading torrent files to the cloud and accessing them from there.
- idope: A simple torrent website with a huge library and many seeders.
- YourBittorent: The platform includes verified torrents from multiple sources.
- YTS: The best torrent site for high-quality movies and TV shows.
- EZTV: Excellent library of binge-worthy TV shows with a decent seeder/leecher ratio.
- LimeTorrents: Has a vast library of varied P2P content and the most recent releases.
- Nyaa.si: The best torrent site for anime with fast download speeds.
- AniDex: A superb alternative torrenting platform for anime with constant updates.
- Public Domain Torrents: An impressive torrent site for free and legitimate movies.
- FitGirl Repacks: A reliable torrent site that offers the latest and genuine games.
- GazelleGames: A private torrent site for downloading authentic games.
- CRO: The best torrent website with a seamless interface that provides computer games.
- IsoHunt: A great torrent site that offers the latest games, ebooks, TV shows, software, and movies.
- TorLock: The platform offers rare classic games and doesn’t have fake torrents.
- IPTorrents: The best private torrent site with a massive library, an active community, and no ad intrusion.
- Bibliotik: A reliable private torrent site for downloading ebooks.
- RuTracker: A private Russian torrent website with a huge library.
- REDacted: Trustworthy private torrent tracker with a vast library of music.
- MyAnonaMouse: A superb private torrent site that offers free audiobooks and ebooks.
- SolidTorrents: A relatively new torrent site with a seamless interface and verified quality torrents.
- Demonoid: A highly trusted private torrent site that offers various torrent files.
- TorrentLeech: A reliable private torrent site with meticulously selected torrents and an active community.
What is a torrent?
A torrent is a small file that contains metadata about a larger file. Unlike downloading files from an online site, torrenting allows you to download small pieces of a file from different sources.
The download speed depends on several factors, including your internet speed and the VPN’s performance. However, always use a VPN to protect your connections when accessing or downloading content from torrent sites.
Types of torrent sites
There are two main types of torrent sites: public torrent sites and private torrent sites.
1. Public torrent sites
A public torrent site is free, and anyone can join to share or download files. Visiting a public torrent site is easy, and you don’t need an invitation to register or join.
A high number of active seeders will improve your speed. Because the resources are not verified, you can easily encounter copyrighted or malicious files.
2. Private torrent sites
These are torrenting communities with restricted access. To join, you must register or be invited. They impose strict rules and guidelines to preserve quality and enhance security.
How does torrenting work?
Torrent allows users to discover P2P file-sharing tools. However, the method includes two parties: seeders and leechers. Seeders upload the file you want to download, whereas leechers download the file. Usually, more seeders means faster downloads.
First, download and install a torrent client such as qBittorent or uTorrent. Then, use a torrent tracker or search engine to find a .torrent file you want to download. When the download is in progress, the torrent client communicates with peers who are downloading the same file and requests pieces of the file.
After the torrent client gets the pieces from the various sources, it assembles them into a single file on your device.
Things to remember before accessing torrent sites
Use these tips to torrent safely.
Use a VPN
Using a reliable VPN to hide your IP address when accessing a torrenting site is always wise. Without a VPN, your ISP can monitor your online activities and even throttle your internet speed.
Moreover, a VPN helps you avoid cybercriminals, who are present even on reliable torrent websites. A VPN protects you against data leakage, intrusive online tracking, malware, and other privacy threats.
Install an ad blocker
Ads on torrenting websites may appear as fake download buttons. An adblocker helps you disable ads and improves your torrenting experience.
Install an antivirus
An antivirus scanner prevents you from running a file with malware if you accidentally download it.
Avoid fake download links
Some torrent sites may display links that redirect you to malicious sites. So, be careful when clicking on those links
Check your local laws
Torrenting is lawful as it involves data sharing between two individuals. However, be cautious with torrents that include copyrighted materials, as scammers mislabel their torrents to trick users into illegally downloading copyrighted content.
In many countries, downloading and distributing copyrighted content without owners’ authorization is illegal and may result in fines or other legal repercussions. So, you should check your local laws before engaging in torrenting activities.
The table below outlines different countries’ stance on torrenting.
Torrenting Stance | Countries |
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Bans torrenting completely | China, Russia, Latvia, South Africa, Portugal, Australia, the US, Malaysia, Italy |
Impose fines for downloading copyrighted materials | The UAE, Finland, Japan, France, Germany, The UK |
Tracks torrenting and bans some websites | Singapore, Denmark, Iran, Egypt, Philippines, Brazil, Argentina, Slovakia, Slovenia, Columbia, India, Uruguay, Czech Republic, Mexico, Israel, Romania, Netherlands, Greece, Canada |
Permits downloading copyrighted materials for personal use | Switzerland and Spain |
Check torrent safety
After installing a VPN, double-check the torrent’s safety before downloading. Removing malware from your system is difficult once it has successfully installed itself. You are doomed if it is ransomware.
Therefore, always choose healthy torrents with a bigger seeder-to-leecher ratio and avoid the latest torrents, as they are likely fake. Thankfully, some sites mention the verified status of the links with safe torrent files.
Factors to consider when picking torrent websites
When selecting a torrent website, you must consider various factors to get a seamless experience, minimal ad intrusion, and fast download speeds. Here are some of the things to look for:
- Download speed: Fast download speed minimizes the time it takes to download a file. Although many factors can affect the download speed, you should consider the torrent website’s seeder-to-leecher ratio.
- Monthly traffic: A torrent site with many visitors means it is well-known and potentially provides secure content.
- Torrent type and library size: The larger a torrent site’s library, the more likely you are to get your favorite content.
- Comments and ratings: Check the comments and ratings from other users who have accessed the same torrent site to get information about the its safety and quality.
- Ad intrusion: A torrent site with many ads may not be worthwhile because of the inconvenience, and some ads may contain viruses and malware.
Best torrent sites – Detailed list
Here are some of the best torrent sites that host all types of content, ideal for all your torrenting needs.
1. The Pirate Bay
Mirrors: thepiratebay.rocks, tpbpirateproxy.org/en, pirateproxy.space
The Pirate Bay has been popular for a long time and is still one of the best torrent websites. It has managed to evade many blocking trials and is still dominating, with over 18 million users on its primary domain. During our test, we discovered at least one seeder for each torrent listed despite the age. Also, we had download speeds of up to 6 to 7 MB/s.
The website has a straightforward user interface, showing the number of leechers, seeders, and file sizes. It also includes minimal ad intrusion and an active community.
Pros
- Vast database of torrents
- Limited ad-intrusion
- Clean user-interface
Cons
- Changing domains and constant downtimes
2. 1337X
Mirrors: x1337x.se, x1337x.eu, x1337x.ws, 1337x.st
1337X has been functional since 2007 and has become even more popular because of a revamp, which made it easier to navigate and reduce security threats.
Furthermore, its vast array of torrents, software, games, TV shows, and movies makes it an excellent torrent website. However, its library is relatively smaller compared to The Pirate Bay.
From our test, 1337X has about 54 million monthly users and offers remarkable download speeds of 4 to 5 MB/s. The website’s owners earn money via Bitcoin donations, so they don’t host ads, making it one of the best torrent sites.
Pros
- Virtually no ads
- A reliable source for games, TV shows, and movies
- Superb user interface
Cons
- Occasional fake torrents
3. Torrentz2
Mirrors: Torrentz2.cyou, torrentz2eu.org
Torrentz2 is a search engine that indexes files from other P2P torrent sites. However, the original Torrentz2 site (Torrentz) was banned in 2016 following legal issues. Luckily, its clone has emerged and gets at least 10 million monthly visits.
The site enables us to discover unique titles on torrent sites we didn’t know existed. Since it redirects you to other sites, you should always access it with a VPN to avoid compromising your security.
Pros
- Simple and easy-to-navigate interface
- Ideal for discovering obscure titles and movies
- Powerful meta-search engine
Cons
- No direct torrent downloads
4. Torrends
Mirrors: N/A
Torrends is another torrent search engine that traces torrents from well-known websites such as 1337X and The Pirate Bay, saving you time and effort.
The download speed and other important metrics are similar on certain sites Torrend pulls data from. It also includes a seamless design and minimal ad intrusion.
With a great ‘What’s Trending section’ and at least 5 million hits every month, Torrends is a great alternative torrent search engine for unique titles.
Pros
- Sleek and minimal design
- Excellent for hard-to-find torrents
- User-friendly interface
Cons
- Some results may lead to dead links
5. Torrent Downloads
Mirrors: torrentdownloads.me, torrentdownloads.net
Torrent Downloads was one of the most common popular websites but lost its prominence with the emergence of torrent sites like The Pirate Bay and 1337X. Furthermore, it is unavailable in most regions and has been on the radar of law enforcement agencies.
Despite these challenges, this is a great option to search for old movies and gaming titles. We received 3 to 4 MB/s speeds during testing, even on older titles. However, you need to use a VPN to block intrusive ads.
Pros
- Massive choices of games, movies, and TV shows
- Constant updates
- User-friendly interface
Cons
- Older torrents may lack seeders
6. TorrentFunk
Mirrors: torrentfunk2.com
TorrentFunk recently significantly upgraded, limiting ads and enhancing its general user experience. Moreover, it has an excellent content library, and you will likely get your favorite content. It divides files into various categories, and you can access the newest and most common files on the homepage.
Unfortunately, it can reroute you to malicious sites. Furthermore, some of the software and movies listed on the site may be copyrighted, and downloading them can land you in legal trouble. So, you should still use a reliable VPN, like NordVPN, when accessing the site.
Pros
- Classifies torrents into various categories
- Broad library of magnet links for direct torrent downloads
- Incredibly user-friendly
Cons
- May redirect users to potentially unsecure downloads
7. RARBG
Mirrors: t-rb.org, the.rarbg.club, trb.archivebay.online, trb.themirror.wiki
RARBG is one of the oldest and biggest torrent sites today. In addition to the primary link, the site has several official mirrors, enabling you to get content you can’t find on other torrent sites.
Visit the site and search for whatever you want to download, be it software, a movie, a TV show, or a book. You are likely to find a working link.
Unfortunately, the site is banned in many countries, including the United Kingdom, Turkey, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Finland, Greece, India and Indonesia. However, you can use a VPN to bypass these restrictions in these countries.
Pros
- Vast content library
- Easy-to-use interface
- Meta-search engine
Cons
- Some results may lead to dead link files
8. Bitport
Mirrors: N/A
Bitport lets you download torrent files from the cloud server and store them there. So, there is no need to download the file on your device, which helps to avoid malware infections.
You can torrent with your iPhone or Android device since you download the files on the cloud, not your device. We certainly like streaming shows and movies while downloading torrent files. However, Bitport requires creating an account to download torrents, unlike most torrent sites.
Pros
- The best site for downloading torrents safely in the cloud
- Allows streaming of content while downloading
- Permits downloads on phones and other devices
Cons
- Requires you to sign up to be able to download torrents
9. idope
Mirrors: idope.buzz, idope.PW
idope is a torrent site with extensive content, including games, anime, music, TV shows, movies, and more. The content is updated regularly. It also has a useful ‘Trending’ filter to find the latest content.
Most files on the site have many seeders, enabling easier content download content. However, Idope may include copyrighted content, so you should use a VPN to mask your IP address and protect your privacy.
Pros
- Extensive database
- User-friendly interface
- Features the latest software games
Cons
- Restricted community feedback
10. YourBittorent
Mirrors: yourbittorrent2.com
YourBittorent is a user-friendly website with all the most recent torrents on its homepage, ranging from TV shows to anime. The website receives its torrents from various sources, offering you multiple alternatives.
Moreover, it includes verified torrents that are secure to download. The newest verified torrents are in the ‘New & Verified’ section.
Pros
- Includes verified torrents that are secure to download
- Lists torrents from various sources
- Frequent updates
Cons
- Ads may be intrusive
11. YTS
Mirrors: yts.It, yts.pm, yt.am
YTS has rapidly become the best option for downloading TV shows and movies. It provides high-quality movie torrents with distinct bandwidth requirements and devices. The site allows you to download movie torrents while streaming them on the site.
This site offers unique, high-quality movies that are hard to locate. Unfortunately, YTS has faced several lawsuits due to the handing over of user information to third parties. As a result, you should access it with a robust VPN.
Pros
- Clean interface with less ad-intrusion
- Includes classic shows and movies
- Broad catalog of HD movie torrents
Cons
- Limited to movies only
12. EZTV
Mirrors: eztv.tf, eztv.yt, eztv.wf
EZTV is among the best torrent websites for offering high-quality TV show episodes. Despite having a slightly smaller library than some websites on this list, it hosts many TV shows.
Its active community has over 20 million monthly users, providing a decent seeder-to-leecher ratio. The impressive download speed and library size make up for the intrusive ads. We found some classic TV shows, like The Mrs Bradley Mysteries, which is solely accessible on BBC iPlayer.
Pros
- Massive library for recent and classic TV shows
- Regular releases and updates
- Many torrents have a decent seeder-to-leecher ratio
Cons
- Have an outdated interface design
13. LimeTorrents
Mirrors: limetor.pro, limetor.com, limetorrents.co, limetorrents.asia, limetorrents.zone
This is a reliable website to access for the latest releases. It has been operational since 2009, and its library its extensive library rivals The Pirate Bay. LimeTorrent’s average download speed is 2-5 Mb/s, and it has at least 20 million monthly visitors. Moreover, its impressive seeder/leecher ratio and seamless interface make it an ideal option.
LimeTorrents allows you to stream movies onsite rather than download them. The streaming was dependable during our test. However, the website shows many ads, making the browsing and streaming experience annoying. Furthermore, the site is inaccessible in countries like France and the UK, so a reliable VPN provider, such as NordVPN, can unblock it.
Pros
- Fast download speeds on all torrents
- Regular updates of the latest TV shows and movies after their release
- Enables streaming of shows and movies on the site
Cons
- Ads may be disturbing
14. Nyaa.si
Mirrors: nyaa.iss.one, nyaa.ink
Nyaa is an anime-dedicated torrent website. It includes different anime, from raw to superb-quality English dubs synced properly. The site has at least 46 million monthly visitors, ensuring a good seeder/leecher ratio. We could download the most recent anime shows at high speeds and quality.
Tap the up arrow in the header table to see the torrents with many seeders for faster downloads. This arranges the anime torrents according to the download speed or the seeders’ number.
Pros
- Superb download speeds on virtually all torrents
- A wide database of anime shows
- Highly active community
Cons
- Restricted to anime and related materials
15. AniDex
Mirrors: N/A
AniDex is a regularly updated anime torrent site. It offers manga, anime dubs, games, audio, and pictures. Its superb library has subtitles, but it’s not massive like Nyaa. Furthermore, it is a great alternative to find unique anime titles that you lack in Nyaa.
However, some users claim to have encountered malware on the website. As a result, we recommend using a trustworthy VPN, like NordVPN, to protect your connections.
Pros
- Extensive library
- Frequent updates
- Unique anime offering
Cons
- Some torrents may have malicious content
16. Public Domain Torrents
Mirrors: N/A
This is a lawful website in which you can download movies from the public domain for free. Public Domain Torrents eliminates concerns about downloading copyrighted files, which is against the law in most countries.
However, this website does not have the most recent movies. We discovered some classics, including Charlie Chaplin and Sherlock Holmes, during our test.
Pros
- Contain legal movie torrents
- Has a lively community
- It is mainly ad-free
Cons
- Offers a limited selection of content
17. FitGirl Repacks
Mirrors: N/A
FitGirl is a great alternative for the newest and most authentic gaming torrents. The site says most games are MD5 excellent and 100% lossless. Moreover, they are significantly compressed, enhancing the download speeds.
Each game includes a rundown of needs and features, like RAM and HDD space and installation time. The ‘Monthly Archive’ section also eases the search for particular games.
Pros
- Many lossless games
- Frequently updated
- Decent-sized torrents
Cons
- Limited to games
18. GazelleGames
Mirrors: N/A
The website is members-only and hosts an extensive library of verified and legitimate game torrents. Its active community facilitates fast download speeds.
Unfortunately, it’s pretty hard to obtain the membership, and you require an already existing member to get an invite. You may check forums like Reddit to get a willing member to invite you. However, the website seldom opens its membership.
Pros
- Member-only private website to limit hackers and scammers
- Active community
- Fast download speeds
Cons
- Difficult to get a membership
19. CRO
Mirrors: N/A
This is a good alternative for gaming enthusiasts. It includes an excellent collection of functional game torrents and features an easy-to-use interface to locate a game.
However, it may not be the best site for the newest torrents, as we only discovered games launched before 2021. Also, you need to close multiple pop-ups to reach your favorite torrent files, which is tiring.
Pros
- Extensive choice for computer gaming torrents
- Simple user interface
- ffer classic games
Cons
- Many annoying pop-ups
20. isoHunt
Mirrors: isohunt.nz
IsoHunt is a long-standing torrent site. Its massive library is regularly updated and includes ebooks, TV shows, games, movies, software, and more.
The website features the most recent games, including Satellite Reign. However, when navigating the site, you’ll encounter many pop-up tabs.
Pros
- Often updated library with the most recent games
- Extensive content database
- Reliable for games torrents
Cons
- Includes pop-up ads
21. TorLock
Mirrors: N/A
TorLock is a reputable gaming torrent website with robust security measures. The site runs a no-fake-torrent policy to reward anyone who detects a fake torrent with $1.
Moreover, it offers the latest games and older ones that are rare. However, the site is banned in some countries, requiring a VPN like NordVPN.
Pros
- Comprises of hard-to-get games
- Host authentic and genuine torrents
- It is ideal for e-books and software
Cons
- Limited community interaction
22. IPTorrents
Mirrors: N/A
IPTorrents is among the largest private torrenting websites. It boasts a massive library, minimum ad intrusion, and an active community. However, you need an already existing member to invite you.
If you get an invitation, you need to donate Bitcoin. This strict admission criterion eliminates suspicious users on the site. In addition, the majority of torrent sites are legal.
Private torrenting websites generally have a higher streaming speed than public ones since members must adhere to the seeding quota. Regardless of the better security than public torrent sites, you still need to protect your traffic with a reliable VPN, like NordVPN.
Pros
- Impressive download speeds
- HD quality torrents
- Active members
Cons
- Hard to join
23. Bibliotik
Mirrors: N/A
This platform is the biggest private torrenting website for ebooks. From undergraduates conducting research to individuals searching for rare books such as the Andy McNab series, the site has you covered.
The vast library and massive traffic, clocking in thousands, make it one of the best torrent platforms. Unfortunately, the site currently is not accepting new members at this time.
Pros
- Vast library of comics and ebooks
- Good seeders and leechers ratio
- Straightforward interface
Cons
- Does not accept new members
24. RuTracker
Mirrors: rutracker.nl, rutracker.net
RuTracker is a long-established torrent website based in Russia. Its vast library includes distinct content, from movies to software applications. The site also boasts unique content, including plugins for music production.
This torrent site is different from other sites as you can join RuTracker anytime and become a member of its community. Based on our tests and user feedback in the Reddit forum, the website is secure to access.
Pros
- Features high-quality and secure torrents
- Open to new users
- Vast library of users
Cons
- Pop-ups ads
25. REDacted
Mirrors: N/A
As a private torrent tracker, REDacted requires you to pass an interview that tests your understanding of music to be admitted. Occasionally, members of RED’s official IIRC channel can invite you, but it’s rare.
The download speed is good because the community seeds the torrents well. It is also secure as uploads are audited to guarantee they are malware-free. Regardless, we recommend using NordVPN when accessing RED to safeguard your identity.
Pros
- Massive music torrent library
- Well-seeded torrents
- Fast downloads
Cons
- Requires you to pass an interview to be admitted
26. MyAnonaMouse
Mirrors: N/A
MyAnonaMouse is a private tracker that offers free audiobooks and ebooks. It boasts legal music, books, magazines, and comics in its vast library of torrents.
Unfortunately, the website includes an interview that you must pass for admission. The interview is available on the website’s homepage.
Thankfully, the interviews are more lenient than those on other sites like RED. If you pass the interview, ensure you read and adhere to the rules to avoid being banned or suspended.
Pros
- Secure and audited torrents
- Massive content
- Hosts legal content
Cons
- Must pass an interview for admission
27. SolidTorrents
Mirrors: N/A
SolidTorrents is a standard metasearch engine with a simple interface that indexes torrents from many dependable sources. This saves you the trouble of searching a torrent file on multiple torrent sites.
However, Google flagged the site as harmful because of malware on some pages. Thankfully, it now detects the site as secure. Nonetheless, we recommend using a VPN to be safer.
Pros
- Offers high-quality content
- Smooth interface
- Verified database
Cons
- Smaller library than most torrent platforms
28. Demonoid
Mirrors: N/A
Demonoid is a long-standing torrent website with a simple and user-friendly interface. While the site offers everything from torrents to a forum, it requires you to sign up to access its torrents. This ensures it maintains high-quality torrents and a trusted community of loyal users.
However, the website isn’t accepting new members, so you need to wait for the next open signing-up period to access it. We encourage you to hang out in forums like the Demoionoid subreddit to monitor the next opening for new users.
Unfortunately, the site bans users from some Asian countries and Australia. Luckily, they can use a reliable VPN, such as NordVPN, to circumvent these restrictions.
Pros
- Offers a variety of content like movies, TV shows, games, and software
- Features top-tier and safe torrents
- Long-standing reputation
Cons
- Sporadic downtimes
29. TorrentLeech
Mirrors: N/A
TorrentLeech is a popular torrent provider with a vast library of excellent torrents, including software, games, movies, music, and TV series. Despite being an invite-only platform, you can donate to gain access.
The site protects the rights of content creators by imposing a strict anti-piracy policy. Moreover, it has reliable torrent links, constantly updates its content, and has fast download speed.
Pros
- Offers exclusive content
- An active community
- Extensive library
Cons
- Requires prospects to be invited for a membership
How we choose secure torrent websites?
Here are some of the things we considered while selecting the best torrent sites on our list:
- Reputation: We evaluated the general standing of every torrent site within the online community by checking user reviews, ratings, and recommendations.
- History of data collection: We assessed every site’s history of data collection and privacy measures and avoided those with a reputation for mishandling or breaching user data.
- Clear contact details: We checked for clear and available contact details on every torrent site to inquire about the site or report concerns.
- Security measures: We reviewed the specific security measures every torrent site applies to protect its users, including SSL certificates and HTTPS protocols.
Pros and cons of torrent websites
Pros
- Massive content library: Torrent sites provide an extensive file collection, including ebooks, software, music, TV shows, movies, and more.
- Faster download speeds: Torrent platforms employ a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, allowing you to simultaneously download files from several sources. This decentralized method from several sources leads to faster speeds than traditional downloading approaches.
- Resilience and accessibility: The torrent files are spread across multiple users, distributing the load capacity. This makes the content more resistant to heavy traffic or server failures. The files remain accessible to download as long as they have seeders.
- Flexibility: Torrent clients enable you to prioritize and choose particular files within a torrent for download. Moreover, you can pause and resume downloading without losing the prior progress.
Cons
- Copyright infringement issue: One of the biggest disadvantages of torrent sites is the likelihood of copyright infringement. Most torrent websites host copyrighted content without the owners’ permission, making sharing and downloading such files illegal in most jurisdictions.
- Poor content quality and security threats: Public torrent websites may contain low-quality or unreliable files, wasting time and frustrating users. Given that anyone can upload files, there is also the risk of encountering infected or malicious content, including malware or viruses.
How to use torrent websites?
A torrent is a small file with metadata of the files you want to download. However, you need a P2P or torrent client to download a torrent.
A torrent client reads the metadata in a torrent file and links your computer to an appropriate P2P network. This lets you download files from individuals who already have them and ‘seeding’ them simultaneously. A file without seeders isn’t downloadable.
Here is how to download torrent files:
- Subscribe to a reliable torrenting VPN like NordVPN and connect to its servers.
- Install a torrent client, such as qBittorrent, BitTorrent, or uTorrent.
- Visit a torrent site or search engine, like The Pirates Bay.
- Search for the torrent you want to download. Either download it directly or click on the magnet link.
- If your browser prompts you to ‘Choose an application’ when launching the magnet link, choose your torrent client from the list of applications.
- A window showing details of the torrent file you’ve selected will appear.
- Authenticate your torrent download by tapping ‘OK’. The download initiates shortly after.
- After downloading, navigate to the location the file is saved on your device to access it.
How to access private torrent sites?
Our best list includes various private torrent websites with top-notch torrents and active communities. However, becoming a member of these platforms may be hard. We extensively investigated private torrent sites, such as FileList, where we got an invitation.
If you do not know an existing member of a private torrent site who will offer you an invitation, you can examine forums like Anonymous, 8chan, and Reddit for torrenting sites.
Why is a VPN necessary when accessing torrent sites?
Some torrenting sites contain malware. We did our best to select sites that won’t inject malware into your devices. However, it is hard to guarantee the safety of every site due to the vast amount of content uploaded to these sites daily.
Furthermore, we can’t guarantee these sites to be copyright-free despite picking torrent sites that do not host copyrighted content. Downloading or accessing copyrighted content is illegal in some countries, and you can get into trouble.
A VPN will encrypt your connection and change your IP address to keep you safe and anonymous. This blocks any attempts to monitor your torrenting activities.
Torrenting VPNs comparison table
Features | NordVPN | ExtremeVPN | ExpressVPN |
---|---|---|---|
Servers | 6,000+ servers in 111 countries | 6,500+ servers in 78+ countries | 3,000+ servers in 105 countries |
P2P support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Zero-logs policy | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Download speed (Mbps) | 97 Mbps | 94 Mbps | 103 Mbps |
Price | $3.99/mo | $3.29/mo | $6.67/mo |
30-day money-back guarantee | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Best VPNs to use with torrent sites
Here are some of the best VPNs for torrenting:
NordVPN
Features
- AES 256-bit encryption
- 6000+ servers in 111 countries
- Dedicated P2P servers
- Kill switch
- Split tunneling
- DNS/IP leak protection
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Pros and Cons
- Robust security and privacy features
- Support unlimited P2P sharing
- Fast-speed connections
- Lack of consistent pricing structure
NordVPN is our top choice VPN provider for torrenting. It boasts dedicated peer-to-peer (P2P) servers that provide seamless and secure torrenting with unlimited file-sharing capabilities. Moreover, the VPN offers fast and reliable internet connections for streaming and downloading torrent files.
It employs adequate security and privacy measures to keep you safe when torrenting. For example, it has AES 256-bit encryption, double VPN, a kill switch, split tunneling, and DNS leak protection features. Also, it adheres to a strict no-logs policy that reputable audit firms have audited.
ExtremeVPN
Features
- Kill switch
- 6,500+ servers in 78+ countries
- No-logs policy
- 24/7 customer support
- 10 simultaneous connections
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Pros and Cons
- Lightning-fast and stable connections
- Impressive unblocking capability
- Budget-friendly subscription plans
- Doesn’t offer dedicated IP
ExtremeVPN is another reliable VPN that supports torrenting. During our tests, the VPN offered the fastest download speeds for torrent files. Moreover, the VPN has over 6,500 servers distributed in 78+ countries worldwide.
It offers an automatic kill switch, AES 256-bit encryption, and DNS leak protection, ensuring you remain secure and private when torrenting. Besides these amazing features, the VPN has reasonably priced subscription plans.
ExpressVPN
Features
- Thousands of servers in 105 countries
- Network lock
- AES 256-bit encryption
- No-logs policy
- DNS leak protection
- Threat manager
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Pros and Cons
- Unblocks various torrenting sites
- Solid security and privacy
- Fast-speed servers
- Slightly expensive than competitors
ExpressVPN is a reliable VPN service that offers top-notch privacy and security features, lightning-fast speeds, and reliable encryption for effective torrenting. It has industry-leading performance and boasts many servers spread across 105 countries worldwide.
The VPN provides AES 256-bit encryption to protect your web traffic and data. Also, the split tunneling feature helps you separate torrenting tasks from tasks that don’t require much scrutiny. Moreover, the Network lock (kill switch) will cut your web traffic if the VPN malfunctions, which helps to maintain your anonymity.
Do free VPNs work with torrents?
Some free VPNs may work with torrents, but we do not recommend using them because they have many disadvantages. For example, most don’t apply adequate security measures to protect you when torrenting. Also, they have a reputation for collecting and selling user data to third parties.
Moreover, even the top free VPNs in the industry usually limit P2P file-sharing servers and impose a data cap. Also, you will likely get a slow speed due to server congestion.
We recommend only premium VPNs that offer fast download speeds, safe P2P file-sharing servers, and unrestricted bandwidth. Thankfully, the VPNs on this list are reasonably priced.
Torrent websites to avoid
Some potentially harmful torrenting sites still get a lot of traffic and may be recommended by a few articles online. Such sites are filled with ads and may contain malware, so you should avoid them. They include:
TorrentGalaxy
It is like an inferior version of 1337x. Despite having at least 8 million monthly visits and a vast library, its ad intrusion level is much higher than other alternatives.
Kickass Torrents
There is a version of this site that is still accessible online. You need to install a unique browser extension to access files using the current version of the platform. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the website’s security.
ExtraTorrents
ExtraTorrents was a famous torrent site that closed in 2007. It was highly visited and rivalled big names like The Pirate Bay. The platform provided a broad selection of content, including games, software, music, TV shows, and movies.
Despite its popularity, the site has encountered many legal issues over the years, resulting in its shutdown. The site’s mirrors began popping up but were found to be malicious and unauthorized.
Which torrent sites are secure?
The Pirate Bay and all private torrent sites are believed to be secure. As long as you use the basic cyber safety measures, you shouldn’t have an issue downloading from websites in our top list.
Moreover, we highly advise against downloading torrents from untrustworthy sites which appear after a Google search. You should never access a torrent site without a reliable VPN.
What do people download from torrent websites?
Here is today’s top 10 list of the most downloaded TV shows and movies. We created this list using The Pirate Bay.
- Oppenheimer
- Argylle
- Dune: Part Two
- Poor Things
- Damsel
- Wonka
- Code 8: Part II
- The Beekeeper
- Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
- Ricky Stanicky
FAQs
The Pirate Bay is one of the best torrenting sites in 2024. Also, Bibliotik is a superb torrent website for books, while YTS is a great option for HD movies.
Some shady sites may display intrusive ads or inject malware into your device. However, there are also decent and safe torrent websites, like The Pirate Bay. We recommend always using a reliable VPN provider when accessing torrent sites.
Most governments around the globe monitor the torrent tracker’s activities. You may face legal consequences like a fine or experience ISP throttling, depending on your jurisdiction.