This article has been just updated: May 23, 2020
Torrenting is a perfectly legitimate form of file-sharing that has received a lot of bad press because some people use torrents to share and download copyrighted content. To prevent them from doing so, many internet service providers have decided to block torrenting altogether, angering those who depend on this popular file distribution method for downloading game updates, synchronizing large files over the internet, distributing independent videos and music, and more.
But for every problem, there is a solution, and you can easily download torrents without your internet service provider knowing about it with the help of a virtual private network, or VPN for short. A VPN acts as a tunnel to secure your internet connection and protect your data. There are many VPN services to choose from, but we wouldn’t recommend all of them for torrenting.
Are VPN Services Safe for Torrenting?
Yes, VPN services offer adequate protection for torrenting, but not all VPN services allow torrenting on their servers. Because torrenting is associated with illegal online activity, some VPN service providers have decided to block it, fearing the potential blowback from authorities.
Some of those who do allow torrenting apply bandwidth restrictions or limit torrenting only to specific servers. You should avoid such VPN service providers at all cost because there are much better alternatives out there. We’ve scoured the market and selected the TOP 7 best VPN services for torrenting in 2020.
7 Best VPN Services for Torrenting
1. NordVPN
NordVPN is by far the best VPN service for torrenting in 2020 because it lets you create a hack-proof encrypted tunnel at a very affordable price from any device.
In fact, you can secure up to six devices at the same time, which is great news because NordVPN works on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and Android TV.
Just to name the most popular platforms that you can secure with a single NordVPN account. This trustworthy VPN service has been around since 2012, and it has since then expanded to 62 countries, allowing you to choose from over 5,100 fast servers.
2. IPVanish
IPVanish is known for its torrent-friendly policy, fast speeds, unlimited P2P traffic. The service doesn’t keep any logs, so your online activity won’t leave a trace on its servers, which are located in more than 60 countries.
The only thing you may not like about IPVanish is the fact that the company is located in the United States, a country known for its large-scale surveillance programs.
However, IPVanish provides a very good reason why it decided to base its operation in the United States, saying that the United States has no mandatory data retention laws.
3. Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access is one of the most affordable VPN services around. A month of service costs just $2.91 if you pay for two years at a time. If you pay for only one year, the price jumps up to $3.33, and it increases again, to $6.95, if you choose the monthly plan.
Private Internet Access is compatible with all popular desktop and mobile operating systems and accepts all kinds of payment methods, including PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Amazon Payments, Bitcoin, and all major gift cards. That’s right! You can pay for a VPN with gift cards, which means that you can avoid leaving any proof of payment.
4. Surfshark
Surfshark is a lesser-known VPN service that allows both torrenting and Netflix. All paying customers get to enjoy CleanWeb, which is a proprietary technology developed by Surfshark to block malware, ads, and cookies.
Since its launch, Surfshark has successfully expanded its server network, and it now has more than 500 servers in 50 countries.
Perhaps the best thing about Surfshark is the fact that you can secure an unlimited number of devices with a single account. This makes it extremely cost-effective for families, who would otherwise have to pay for multiple accounts.
5. ProtonVPN
ProtonVPN is a Swiss-based VPN service that deeply cares about the privacy of its customers. As a Swiss VPN provider, it doesn’t log user activity or share data with third parties.
The service was created for journalists and activists who use ProtonMail, an end-to-end encrypted email service founded in 2014 at the CERN research facility, but others can use it as well.
Unlike some other VPN services, ProtonVPN exclusively uses ciphers with Perfect Forward Secrecy, so there’s no way for your traffic to be decrypted later even if an encryption key gets compromised in the future.
6. VyprVPN
VyprVPN has an unmatched worldwide presence, and it takes a firm stance against internet censorship. Because it operates without any third parties and owns its hardware and infrastructure, it can provide complete end-to-end protection without any weak points.
Thanks to its proprietary Chameleon VPN technology, VyprVPN can successfully defeat VPN-blocking, making it possible to use the service in countries with VPN blocking, such as China.
7. Mullvad
Mullvad is a likable VPN service that uses randomly generated numbers instead of account names to further protect the privacy of its customers.
The service costs just €5 per month, and the Mullvad VPN app is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux. If you’re not afraid of OpenVPN configuration files, you can also use Mullvad on iOS and Android smartphones, Chromebooks as well as both router and desktop operating systems.
Even though Mullvad is based in Sweden, it doesn’t obey the EU Data Retention Directive because it’s not considered an electronics communications service.
Conclusion
Despite what some say, there’s nothing illegal about torrenting, and you should be able to download torrents without dealing with unreasonable restrictions or being monitored. Unfortunately, that’s not always possible because some internet service providers are afraid of being held accountable for the activity of their customers.
If your internet service provider fits that description, you should use a VPN service like NordVPN to create a private tunnel through which you can anonymously download torrents without anyone besides you knowing about it. VPN services are affordable, and they’re useful not only for downloading torrents but also for accessing region-restricted websites, shielding your browsing activity from prying eyes on public Wi-Fi, and more.
