As the online security of user data came under an incredible amount of scrutiny over the last couple of years, the need for a virtual private network came high in demand. This was a Hail Mary answer to requests put out by users online. Things we look up online say a lot about our personalities. It doesn’t come as such a shock that someone might want to maintain their online confidentiality. With the help of a VPN, users can use a secure connection to send and receive files that are so encrypted that they can only be used by those they are meant for. Isn’t that what we all want, anyway?
It is an obvious fact that not all of us choose legal downloading methods. If you are someone who likes Torrenting as much as we do, the chances are that you are in the market for the best VPNs for Torrenting. This is where our review comes in handy for you.
Best VPNs for Torrenting
We like to believe that after years and years of reviewing VPNs and online software for you guys, we know a little bit about them. In this detailed review, we will pit several of the market’s top VPNs against one another so that you can identify your requirements and pick one that fits all your needs.
| RANK | PROVIDERs | Rating | Price | Avail this offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ExpressVPN | 5/5 | $6.67 PER MONTH | Visit Provider |
| 2 | CyberGhost | 5/5 | $2.75 PER MONTH | Visit Provider |
| 3 | NordVPN | 4.5/5 | $6.49 PER MONTH | Visit Provider |
| 4 | Ivacy | 4/5 | $3.33 PER MONTH | Visit Provider |
| 5 | SurfShark | 3/5 | $2.49 PER MONTH | Visit Provider |
Preventing Others from Seeing Your Real IP Address
Copyright holders can easily monitor the IP addresses of torrent users who download the content they put up, which can present a big problem for users looking to maintain their anonymity online. A VPN prevents these copyright holders from seeing your actual IP address by showing them the IP address of the VPN server instead.
Peer-to-peer filesharing is what makes torrenting so convenient for users who use VPNs. Torrenting can be a fun exercise where you share your files with other users and share their files with you online. You essentially connect the device you are using with every BitTorrent user out there for this to work.
In the snapshot posted above, you can see that it shows the actual IP address of every user who is downloading the duplicate files that we downloaded for this review. If we can see their IP addresses, they can see ours. The same goes for the copyright holders who put out the file to be downloaded in the first place. Do you now see how important it is for you to prevent others from seeing your actual IP address with the help of a VPN?
What Makes a Good VPN for Torrenting?
When it is a matter of torrenting safely, there are quite a few qualities you need to keep an eye out for in a VPN. Following is a few of them.
Security
Encryption is what makes or breaks a VPN when it comes to torrenting. Added encryption layers contribute to fewer third-parties getting in your way of browsing anonymously.
Privacy
As a user, you must have confidence in the VPN you use that it will be able to protect you with its privacy and zero logs policy should you ever be in a challenging situation with the authorities.
Speed
A lousy VPN will significantly reduce your download speed, so you need to look for a VPN capable of providing you with a good download speed that will not hinder your torrenting needs.
Features
The best VPN out there will provide you with essential features like port forwarding and kill switches to have added protection online.
Data Caps
Most VPNs do not care to impose data caps on their best packages, but some still do. It would help if you kept an eye out for this when looking for the best VPNs for torrenting.
Is Torrenting Illegal?
In most countries out there, downloading copyrighted content is not a criminal offense but rather a civil one. This means that when an individual downloads copyrighted content for personal use, say to watch movies, it doesn’t count as a crime. However, if a user is caught doing this, it may lead to several punitive measures being taken by the government of the user’s country of residence. Copyright holders even have the right to take these users to court and demand damages or file for loss of income due to the piracy.
If there is anything we would like to advise you on this front would be to try avoiding getting into any legal battle with copyright holders since that never ends well. This is why it is essential to select the best VPN for torrenting.
VPN Features to Make Torrenting Safer
As you well know by now, disguising your IP address is pretty crucial for frequent BitTorrent users. Any good VPN will mask your actual IP address and provide you with a fake one to hide your true identity. Unfortunately, not all VPNs out there do a good job protecting you against dangerous DNS leaks and can even threaten to reveal your identity. The following is a list of the type of leaks to watch.
DNS Leaks
These occur when a DNS request is sent out of the secure and encrypted VPN tunnel and exposes your IPc4 address. The best VPNs for torrenting that we have recommended in this review protect you against this leak.
IPv6 Leaks
This type of leak occurs when IPv4 traffic goes unchecked through the tunnel, but your IPv6 does not. This is relatively common for users who use Windows 10. Several VPNs out there protect against this leak, but we advise that you just disable IPv6 when you are suffering from any leaks.
WebRTC
This is a necessary communication protocol for voice and video chatting apps that function in your browser using applications like Skype. If you have a VPN enabled, this request can expose your actual IP address. Like the ones we have mentioned in this review, few VPNs protect you against WebRTC leaks.
Which VPN Providers Leak Your IP Address While You Torrent?
Several VPN services out in the market cannot provide you with the online security you require to torrent anonymously. You need to choose a VPN service that can appropriately hide your IP address instead of those that don’t. If you find a VPN provider that does not offer you peer-to-peer file sharing, you should stay away from it and terminate your subscription.
How to Check Your Torrent IP Address
You can easily use the torrent IP address tool called IP magnet. What this tool does is it allows you to download magnet links. With the help of this, you can easily download the magnet link onto your BitTorrent client. Once this magnet link has connected to the tracker, you should be able to see your very own IP address on the website. Also, you can see the client version and time stamp as well. How great is that?
NAT Firewall
NAT firewall, which is commonly known as the Network Address Translation Firewall, is something that modifies the IP address of the device you use into packet headers so that they can be rerouted to the internet destination. Simply put, a NAT firewall redirects your device’s unique IP address so that when devices connect to the internet, the router identifies the ones that are authorized as opposed to the unauthorized ones and stops them from attaching to your network. This is important to keep in mind when searching for a VPN that protects torrenting.
Final Thoughts
In light of recent data leak news, people have started to give more importance to maintaining their online presence secret, and with good reason. VPNs such as ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, NordVPN, Ivacy and SurfShark provide you with the protection you need to use BitTorrent securely. You need to compare their packages and see which one best fits your needs!
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