10 Best Torrenting Sites (Safe & With Lots of Seeders) in 2023

IPVanish has 2,000+ P2P servers in 50+ countries and easy-to-use apps, which make it simple to connect to a server and start torrenting. The provider also allows unlimited connections and comes with SOCKS5 proxy servers, which is great.

10 Best Torrent Sites in 2023 (100% Safe + Working)

If you’re looking for a legit and reputable torrent site, Google probably won’t be much help. In fact, it can actually be dangerous to search for torrent sites this way — you’re usually shown a hoard of shady proxies that bombard you with disturbing porn ads and malicious links.

To spare you the trouble of personally inspecting these websites, I undertook testing on more than 30 torrenting platforms. My goal was to compile a list of the most reliable choices that offer top-notch torrents.

Before you torrent, I strongly recommend getting a VPN to keep you safe from trackers, potential hackers, and fellow peers. A top service like ExpressVPN keeps your online activity secure, letting you easily access your favorite torrent sites. Plus, you can try torrenting with ExpressVPN risk-free.

Important! Torrenting may be subject to legal repercussions based on where you live and local laws. My team and I do not endorse the illegal downloading of torrents, so check the laws in your area and ensure that the content you download is copyright-free.

Quick Guide: Best Torrent Sites That Still Work in 2023

1. The Pirate Bay (TPB) — Vast selection of torrents in every category
2. 1337x — Reliable, user-friendly, and packed with millions of torrents
3. LimeTorrents — Multipurpose with a clean interface with limited ads
4. TorrentDownloads — Great for Windows, macOS, Android, and Linux apps
5. Torrentz2 — Ultra-fast torrent search engine ideal for music
6. YTS — High-quality movie torrents with small file sizes
7. FitGirl Repacks — Easy-to-navigate site for high-quality game torrents
8. EZTV — Wide selection of popular TV shows
9. TorLock — Zero fake torrents and easy to navigate
10. TorrentGalaxy — Active community verifies genuine torrents

How to Securely Torrent With a VPN in 3 Easy Steps

1. Get a VPN.ExpressVPN has fast speeds for torrenting, military-grade encryption, and supports P2P file-sharing on every server.
2. Connect to a server. Choosing a nearby server will provide the best speeds for fast downloads.
3. Go to the torrent site and start downloading! Stay connected to the VPN server until your torrent is complete.

How to Choose the Best Torrent Site

• Security — Shady torrent sites can contain infected ad banners and links that plant malware on your device. Also, your ISP can report you to authorities even if you’re not doing anything illegal online. To keep your data safe, protect your connection with a quality VPN service like ExpressVPN.
• Reliability — Torrenting sites are common targets to get shut down by the government due to copyright laws. A site’s founding year shows if a torrent site is reliable enough to last without being closed by authorities. Trustworthy torrent sites often have proxy/mirror sites you can use if the main site gets blocked.
• Download speed — This determines how fast you can get content on your device. I tested this by downloading the same file from all of the torrent websites while connected to a nearby ExpressVPN server.
• Library size and variety — Show how easy it is to find the content you want. A quality torrent site should have lots of torrents for popular content, and each torrent should have a decent number of seeders (users who upload the file). Torrents with many seeders usually download much faster.
• Popularity — Easy to determine from the site’s monthly traffic. The more people access the site, the more likely it is to have a vast content library with many active seeders.
• Ad intrusion — You don’t want to be bothered by annoying pop-ups and potentially malicious banners. Most torrent sites will have some ads, so I suggest you use a VPN with a built-in malicious ad blocker, like CyberGhost.
• Availability in your region — Some regions block more torrent sites than others. The more availability a site has in your region, the easier it is to get connected and start P2P file-sharing.

The Best Torrent Sites For Fast and Reliable Downloads

1. The Pirate Bay (TPB) — The Undisputed Torrent King

• Founded: 2003
• Number of torrents: 3,300,000+ torrents
• Average download speed: 66Mbps
• Support for instant downloads? Yes

The Pirate Bay (TPB) is the oldest and most well-established torrent site on the internet. Over its lifespan, it’s evaded numerous government shutdowns and blocks, but it’s still inaccessible in many countries due to copyright infringement laws. Please make sure you aren’t breaking any local laws and only download copyright-free files.

The site has a simple interface and is easy to navigate. Its filtering system lets you specify what file format and definition quality you’re looking for. When I wanted to find a torrent for the 1932 film A Farewell to Arms, I could filter out the results for lower-quality files. This saved me a lot of time as I didn’t need to check each torrent individually to determine if it was the definition quality I wanted.

While it’s impossible to be 100% sure of your safety when torrenting, I feel secure using TPB. The site indicates if torrents are from trusted users — verified uploaders who share good quality content without hidden infected files — so you can rest assured you won’t accidentally download malware or spam with your torrent. Most torrents also have several seeders, so you can start downloading your file immediately.

You’ll find there are a few unobtrusive banner ads but no malicious pop-ups or shady links, but these will disappear if you use a trusted ad blocker or a VPN with a built-in ad block like CyberGhost.

2. 1337x — Massive Collection of Quality Torrents

• Founded: 2007
• Number of torrents: 2,400,000+ torrents
• Average download speed: 69Mbps
• Support for instant downloads? No

As one of the most popular torrent sites in the world and one of the oldest still in operation, 1337x is a reliable option with plenty of high-quality torrents in every category. New content is uploaded daily by a loyal group of users. You can find everything from old movies to the latest TV shows, music, and games. Just be sure to check the files you download aren’t protected under copyright.

1337x’s user-friendly interface makes it easy to find the torrent you want. It has information listed for each download, including the number of times it’s been downloaded, the number of seeders and leechers, and when moderators last checked the torrent. When I wanted to find a torrent for Meet John Doe, I quickly found one with a large number of seeders. This made it clear that the torrent was most likely reliable.

I was pleased to find the number of ads on 1337x is minimal, mainly as the creators take donations through Bitcoin for site upkeep rather than relying on ad revenue. This shows me that 1337x takes user privacy seriously.

3. LimeTorrents — Millions of Torrents in Every Category

• Founded: 2009
• Number of torrents: 9,800,000+ torrents
• Average download speed: 39Mbps
• Support for instant downloads? Yes

With nearly 10 million files available to download, LimeTorrents is one of the biggest torrent sites on the internet. It has tons of movies, TV shows, music, games, and more. Each search I performed yielded plenty of results, so you should have no trouble finding the content you want.

The site focuses on more recent files, so you can usually find new and popular releases with lots of seeders. However, keep in mind that new releases are generally protected under copyright and illegal to download.

LimeTorrents has a separate section for verified torrents where you can find links that have been vetted by the site administrators. I recommend sticking with verified torrents, as there are plenty of fakes on the site. You can also check the torrent “Health” in the search results to see how many people are actively seeding the torrent — the more active seeds, the faster you can download the files. When I wanted to find a torrent for Manos: The Hands of Fate, it only took me a couple of clicks to sort through and find reliable options.

4. TorrentDownloads — For Content You Can’t Find Elsewhere

• Founded: 2007
• Number of torrents: 16,000,000+ torrents
• Average download speed: 56Mbps
• Support for instant downloads? No

With one of the most extensive databases on the internet, TorrentDownloads is the site to visit if you’re looking for an obscure torrent that you can’t find anywhere else. It’s also a good multipurpose site with a wide selection of TV shows, movies, games, apps, and more.

The website’s interface is simple and easy to use. An advanced search option lets you filter results by category and status. Each torrent has information about seeders and torrent health, helping you choose safe links. You can also check each torrent’s comments and ratings to ensure you’re not downloading a fake file. It never took me longer than 30 seconds to find the torrent link I wanted.

As TorrentDownloads is a popular site with millions of torrents, it has frequently been targeted by the authorities in an attempt to shut it down. Fortunately, the site remains up, but it’s blocked in many regions. Be sure you only download copyright-free files so as not to alert any authorities.

5. Torrentz2 — Ultra-Fast Torrent Search Engine Good for Music

• Founded: 2016
• Number of torrents: Over 61,000,000 torrents indexed
• Average download speed: 87Mbps (download speed from EZTV)
• Support for instant downloads? No

Torrentz2 is a basic search engine that scans every peer-to-peer sharing site in its database using your search terms and lists the sites that have related files. Then you can download the torrent directly from the site that hosts the file or through a magnet link (a link your torrent client uses to find seeders with the file you need). This makes it a great backup option if your regular torrent site doesn’t have the content you want.

One downside I found is that Torrentz2’s search function wasn’t as good as other sites I tested. However, if you’re willing to spend a bit of time searching through results, you’ll definitely be able to find a lot of torrent options for the content you want. Just be sure to filter by “Verified” to only view verified torrents to ensure you’re downloading safe content.

6. YTS (YIFY Movies) — Download High-Quality Movies

• Founded: 2011
• Number of torrents: 30,000+ torrents
• Average download speed: 30Mbps
• Support for instant downloads? Yes

YTS is famous for its library of high-definition movies that you can download at fast speeds. Its files have small sizes but don’t compromise on quality, so it’s a great choice if you have limited bandwidth. It also hosts tons of older, obscure (copyright-free!) movies in 1080p with subtitles available. Be aware a lot of the newer movies are copyright-protected, so be sure you only download legal ones.

The popular and well-known site ranks low on this list because its content is quite limited. The site only hosts movies, so you’ll have to visit a different site if you’re looking for TV shows, music, or games.

It’s also important to note that YTS has been involved in several lawsuits and has willingly handed over user data in the past, so I don’t recommend using it unless you connect to a reputable service like ExpressVPN first.

7. FitGirl Repacks — Top Choice for High-Quality Game Downloads

• Founded: 2016
• Number of torrents: 3,700+
• Average download speed: 68Mbps
• Support for instant downloads? Yes

FitGirl Repacks is a popular torrent site exclusively for high-quality game downloads. Each game is “repacked” or compressed to reduce its overall file size by up to 90%, making it much faster to download. Once complete, you just unzip or “unpack” the file to play.

With an active community, there are troubleshooting tips and reassurance that all files are malware-free — just make sure you only download from the official FitGirl site.

The site is easy to navigate, with search options, a browseable archive, and 1-click magnet downloads. You don’t have to sign up for an account, but you can make a donation to support the site if you wish.

As with all torrent sites, you must be cautious when downloading files. Not all FitGirl Repacks torrents are copyright-free, so make sure you’re only accessing public domain files to avoid illegal downloads.

8. EZTV — Wide Selection of Popular TV Shows

• Founded: 2015
• Number of torrents: 155,000+ torrents
• Average download speed: 110Mbps
• Support for instant downloads? Yes

EZTV is widely known as the top torrent site for TV shows, with an enormous selection, a clean and ad-free interface, and a range of resolution options. You can also follow popular shows with EZTV’s “countdown list,” a live countdown for shows due to air soon. I advise you against downloading copyrighted content on EZTV or any other torrent site — the activity is illegal in most jurisdictions and can get you in serious legal trouble.

Fortunately, EZTV has plenty of older TV shows in the public domain, so you have many options to choose from. My only issue with EZTV is that you can’t download a full series in one file — you have to torrent each episode individually.

9. TorLock — Verified Genuine Torrents Only (No Fake Files)

• Founded: 2010
• Number of torrents: 10,000,000+ torrents
• Average download speed: 73Mbps
• Support for instant downloads? Yes

TorLock is a solid option for first-time torrent users, as you can guarantee all files are genuine. If users come across a fake torrent, they can report it to the site and be paid $1 for the discovery — a great incentive for users to keep the site fake-free. TorLock is well-established, still using a .com domain name, and has a good variety of books, anime, and music.

The site itself is easy to navigate, with clear categories for different files, so you can easily find what you’re looking for. The homepage has the most popular torrents in each category — there are usually recent torrents and as such, likely to be under copyright and illegal to download.

The specifications for each file, including size, seeders, and upload date, are listed next to the title — making it simple to find a recent torrent and a fast download.

10. TorrentGalaxy — Active Community With Verified Torrents

• Founded: 2018
• Number of torrents: 5,100,000+ torrents
• Average download speed: 58Mbps
• Support for instant downloads? Yes

TorrentGalaxy has a very active community that verifies torrents and communicates with each other, making it a reliable site to torrent from. It features movies, TV shows, books, software, and more, with an easy-to-navigate interface with minimal ad interference (just a single banner ad during my visits). That said, the site does host some copyrighted material, so you should refrain from downloading these.

One unique feature of TorrentGalaxy is the ability to stream files online rather than download them, which is ideal for users who don’t have a lot of bandwidth. However, this can put you at risk of malicious ads that can pop up when you start streaming. To mitigate this, I recommend using a VPN with a built-in malware blocker like PIA before you start streaming.

Another fun feature is listening to live music, playing arcade games, and chatting with other TorrentGalaxy users. It creates an atmosphere the community wants to preserve, making it even more likely that you’ll only find secure torrent files to download.

Torrenting Risks and Essential Safety Tips

Torrenting websites have minimal built-in security, so it’s essential you are aware of the following:

• Malware: Hackers exploit torrent sites with fake files that, once downloaded, attack the users’ devices with malware. Be wary of unverified torrents, pop-up ads, or links that unexpectedly take you to different pages. You can also connect to a VPN with built-in protection against malicious files like CyberGhost.
• Copyrighted content: Downloading and sharing copyrighted material is illegal in many countries and can result in a criminal conviction with a fine or jail time.
• Private torrenting sites: Often safer as members have to be invited and vetted before uploading or downloading content. However, that doesn’t mean these sites are free from copyright enforcers or malware.
• IP address leaks: If your IP address is exposed when torrenting, you could experience data leaks (including your location and personal information) that lead to harassment, identity theft, and even “swatting” — fake-calling an emergency dispatcher to trigger a SWAT team response on an innocent individual.

Ultimately, the easiest way to defend your devices and data when torrenting is with a top-tier service like ExpressVPN. However, there are also some important tips and signs to watch out for before downloading any P2P content.

How to Stay Safe and Spot Fake Torrenting

Use the DuckDuckGo search engine to access torrenting sites. It’s far more private than Google and less likely to hide URLs due to DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) requests.

Watch out for fake torrent sites. Multiple windows, demands for registration, and strange-looking URLs are indicators of malicious sites. Copycats often spring up to replace legitimate sites when they shut down and can expose you to malware. Make sure you use a reputable torrent client like uTorrent.

Check each torrent’s safety before downloading. Check the history of an uploader to see if they upload quality torrents. I only download verified torrents — unverified torrents can plant malware on your device. Read comments on torrent pages to avoid dangerous downloads. Also, look for a higher seeder-to-leecher ratio, and be aware that your antivirus software could trigger a false positive, even if the files are harmless.

Use quality security software to check RAR, TAR, and ZIP files for malware, and pay attention to EXE files — these are red flags for malicious processes. Avoid outdated WMA and WMV-format files.

Download a secure VPN like ExpressVPN and a reputable anti-malware scanner to keep your personal information and device safe when torrenting. You can also get a quality ad-blocker before you visit torrent sites.

Dangerous Torrent Sites to Avoid

Remember: even unintentional downloads of copyrighted materials can get you in legal trouble, even when you use a reliable torrent site like the ones listed above. You should avoid unreliable torrenting sites because they are more likely to expose your online activities and infect your device with malware. Here are a few torrenting sites you should avoid at all costs:

• IPTorrents requires users to register for a paid membership. There are plenty of free alternatives and no guarantee of added privacy or security, so it’s not worth the fee.
• KickAssTorrents was a reputable site, but the original version has been closed for a while. The site’s founder Artem Vaulin violated his bail conditions for copyright infringement and is on the run from US authorities. The mirror site looks similar but doesn’t offer the same service. You must also install a browser extension — a huge red flag for online privacy, as shady extensions log your activity and sell your data.
• PassThePopcorn requires a login and password before you can access the library. There’s no way to register properly, and several Reddit users report getting invitations to the site. If you come across an invitation on any online message board, I recommend you ignore it.
• SUMOTorrent asks you to download its client before you can see the library. If that’s not shady enough, the site’s pages are full of grammatical errors that should scare off even the most daring torrenters.
• Torrent9 is loaded with ads and shady links that have been known to redirect users to sites containing malware, adware, and other viruses. While the site is popular for French torrents, it’s not worth the risk to your security to visit it.

Torrenting Safely With a VPN

The only way to torrent safely is with a top-tier VPN service. A VPN reroutes your internet connection through a different IP address, making your online activity anonymous. If you get a VPN with malware protection or ad block features, you’ll also stop hackers from infecting your device with malware.

It is a common misconception that torrenting using The Onion Router (Tor) provides adequate protection without the use of a VPN. However, this is not the case. As the Tor browser explains in its blog, it is not optimized to handle the load generated by BitTorrent applications, nor can it prevent the leaks that these applications facilitate.

I tested over 30 VPNs, and ExpressVPN is one of my top picks as it gets you high torrenting speeds and lets you download files anonymously. If you want to test it yourself, you can try ExpressVPN for torrenting on your device. If you’re not completely satisfied with the service, you don’t have to risk your money as you’re protected by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

10 Best Torrenting Sites (Safe & With Lots of Seeders) in 2023

Short on time? Here’s the best torrent site & VPN to stay safe while torrenting in 2023:

• RARBGis the best torrent site since it has tons of popular TV shows, movies, and video games, most of the torrents have enough seeders, and all torrents are verified. The best VPN to use with this site is ExpressVPN — it supports torrenting on 3,000+ servers in 90+ countries, provides industry-leading security and privacy features (including an independently-audited no-logs policy, a kill switch, and full leak protection), has very fast P2P speeds, and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
  • Start torrenting securely with ExpressVPN today!

  I’ve been torrenting for 15+ years and I know that finding good P2P sites isn’t easy. Many torrenting sites either expose you to malware-infected files or spam you with tons of annoying ads, some of which are also malicious.

  So I decided to put my experience to good use and create a list of the best P2P sites in 2023. On top of that, I will also discuss how to avoid dangerous torrent sites, if torrenting is legal, how to torrent safely, if it’s safe to torrent without a VPN, and the best P2P VPNs (ExpressVPN is my favorite one).

  ⚠️ IMPORTANT: Torrenting itself is legal in most parts of the world, but torrenting copyrighted content is illegal in most countries. We here at SafetyDetectives don’t condone illegally downloading files. I strongly recommend you check your local laws before you start accessing P2P sites and downloading torrents.

  1. RARBG

  

  RARBG is safe to use, easy to navigate, and provides access to tons of content. People can only upload torrents to RARBG if they have accounts (which are not easy to get) — and even then, the uploaded torrents are verified by the site’s moderators to make sure they’re safe. So, you only get high-quality, malware-free torrents.

  RARBG’s content library is smaller than other torrent sites due to its strict upload process — I was unable to find older or more obscure torrents for TV shows and videos that were available on other P2P sites. But you can still easily find popular movies and video games. Also, almost all torrents have tons of seeders, so it’s easy to get fast download speeds. Please be sure that whatever you download from RARBG complies with applicable copyright law.

  I also think that RARBG is very user-friendly — the design is intuitive, there are different torrent categories, most torrents have screenshots, you can sort torrents by the number of seeders (to see the torrents with the most seeders first, as they provide faster speeds), and magnet links are available, so you can start downloading a torrent with 1 click.

  Also, unlike most torrent sites, RARBG barely has any ads — when I disabled my ad blocker, I only encountered 1 pop-ad when reloading the site.

  2. 1337x

  

  1337x provides access to a huge variety of torrents. I had no problem finding popular albums, TV shows, and movies. I also like how pretty much any torrent has a huge number of seeders — I was always able to download large files very fast. But please make sure you only download copyright-free materials to avoid any legal issues.

  1337x is also very easy to use. Pretty much all torrents come with screenshots, magnet links are available, and you can easily check which torrents are trending each day, week, or month. But unlike RARBG, not all torrents are verified on 1337x — to stay safe, I recommend only downloading torrents from trustworthy uploaders (which are marked with a yellow or blue bar before their names). Also, RARBG’s design is better because it’s pleasant to look at and doesn’t feel so overwhelming. Plus, 1337x lacks the customization RARBG offers, as it doesn’t let you sort torrents by the number of seeders.

  1337x doesn’t have a lot of ads, but it’s still more ad-heavy than RARBG. I still recommend using an ad blocker for a safer and more convenient experience.

  3. The Pirate Bay

  

  The Pirate Bay is a popular torrent site, but you might come across some malicious torrents. For example, I found 20 KB .exe files claiming to be torrents for popular video games (which would normally be around 5–20 GB or more). The file was uploaded by a random, unknown uploader — so I recommend only downloading torrents from verified uploaders (which are marked with green and pink skull and bones icons). Also, I strongly recommend using an antivirus like Norton to protect your device from potential malware infections.

  When I used The Pirate Bay, I was able to find pretty much everything I wanted, no matter how popular or unknown it was (when using the Pirate Bay, make sure you don’t accidentally download any copyrighted material). However, not all torrents have a big number of seeders, so you might have to sometimes settle for slower downloads.

  I also like that this torrent site has magnet links and lets you sort torrents by size, seeders, and leechers. Plus, the site has an active community, so you’ll find tons of helpful comments on most torrents — for example, when I wanted to download a torrent of a TV show, many comments mentioned how one of the episodes didn’t work, so I knew to avoid that torrent.

  The Pirate Bay has tons of annoying ads, which can endanger your privacy by sharing your online preferences with third parties — some ads could even be malicious and infect your device with malware if you interact with them. So I strongly recommend using an ad blocker with this torrent site.

  4. Nyaa

  

  Nyaa is a great torrent site for East Asian media. I really like how you can find tons of popular anime shows and movies with audio and subtitles in multiple languages. You can also find tons of East Asian manga, video games, and live-action movies (but again, you need to be careful not to download any copyrighted material).

  Nyaa’s interface is very basic, but that also makes it easy to use. It’s simple to look for specific shows and manga, sort the torrents by the number of seeders, and magnet links provide instant downloads. Few torrents include screenshots (unlike RARBG), but pretty much all torrents include a list of files (so you know what you’re downloading and what format it’s in).

  I also like how there are tons of helpful comments on the majority of torrents — for example, I was about to download a torrent of an anime movie in 4K quality, but one of the comments mentioned that the movie was actually in cam quality (meaning it was filmed with a handheld camera in a movie theater), so I was able to avoid it.

  And my favorite thing about Nyaa is how there are no ads — the site and its web pages always load very fast, and annoying pop-ups won’t prevent you from downloading torrents.

  5. YTS.mx

  

  YTS.mx is great for people who are only interested in movies — most movies are available in 720p and 1080p, but you can also find torrents that provide 4K quality. To avoid getting into any trouble, only download copyright-free content from YTS.mx.

  I really like that this site keeps the torrents small, so this is a perfect pick if you’re low on storage or using a mobile device. For example, I found 4K movies that only had a size of about 3–6 GB (most 4K movies take up 20–30 GB or even more). Even better, YTS.mx reduces the file size without compromising video quality.

  YTS.mx also has a very sleek interface (it almost reminds me of streaming sites like Netflix). And I especially like that, if I hover over a torrent, it conveniently tells me what genre the movie is and what IMDb rating it has. Also, you can stream most movies on YTS.mx without needing to download them, which saves space on your device and time downloading them.

  However, unlike RARBG, this site has tons of pop-up ads.

  6. TorLock

  

  TorLock is very safe to use because it only allows verified torrents on its platform. There are over 9 million torrents on this site, so you can pretty much find whatever you want — from movies and video games to eBooks, software, and anime shows (ensure you download only materials free from copyright restrictions to avoid legal complications). And there are tons of seeders (even for obscure torrents).

  TorLock has a user-friendly design, splits torrents across relevant categories, and lists the specifications for each torrent (size, seeders, leechers, and time when it was added) next to it — but it doesn’t let you sort torrents by seeders like RARBG.

  Make sure you use an ad blocker when you access TorLock, though — it’s full of annoying pop-up ads (many of which feature adult content).

  7. TorrentDownloads

  

  TorrentDownloads is good for finding torrents that don’t show up on other torrent sites. For example, I used it to successfully find torrents for older, under-the-radar Eastern European video games, which I couldn’t find on the other sites on this list (only download non-copyrighted materials to avoid any legal issues). I was also pleasantly surprised that those torrents had enough seeders, so I was able to torrent those files pretty fast.

  TorrentDownloads is also easy to navigate, but you can’t sort torrents, the torrents don’t display screenshots, and the community is not very active (most torrents don’t have any comments). Like most torrent sites, TorrentDownloads is also pretty ad-heavy.

  8. LimeTorrents

  

  LimeTorrents comes with a massive torrent library, so you can find tons of popular movies, TV shows, video games, apps, and more (be cautious not to download copyrighted content unintentionally). Most torrents have a large number of seeders (especially trending torrents), but I also came across some torrents that barely had any seeders, so downloading small files took hours or days.

  The site is easy to navigate, but I wish it allowed you to sort torrents by seeders. I also wish that torrents would display screenshots (not link to them).

  LimeTorrents has the most ads on this list, to the point where it’s completely unusable without an ad blocker.

  9. IPTorrents

  

  IPTorrents is a private tracker, meaning you can only use it if you have an account — and you can only sign up if you get an invite or make a small donation, which I think is worth it since you get access to a huge library of torrents (that all have tons of seeders). Plus, you won’t come across malicious torrents or have to deal with ads.

  But keep in mind you’ll need to maintain a good seed ratio (this is usually mandatory on private trackers), which shows that you have uploaded more content than you have downloaded. To upload, you have to leave the torrent open even after you finish downloading it, so that other users can download from you. On the plus side, IPTorrents makes large downloads freeleech, which means downloading them won’t affect your seed ratio.

  10. Public Domain Torrents

  

  Public Domain Torrents is a legal torrent tracker, meaning all content found on it is copyright-free — this site is a good option if you don’t want to risk breaking the law by accidentally downloading copyrighted content.

  I ranked this torrent site last because it lacks a lot of content variety. You can only find movies on Public Domain Torrents — while there are around 900+ movies, most of them are lesser-known movies from the ‘50s, ‘60s, or ‘70s. I also don’t like that there are tons of ads, that 4K videos are not available, and that there are no magnet links.

  How to Spot Scam Torrenting Sites

  • Use private search engines. Popular search engines like Google and Bing sometimes don’t show links to official P2P sites to avoid breaking the law. Instead, they display alternative links (which are usually okay), but they might also display links to copycat sites, which can be dangerous to access. So, I strongly recommend using a private search engine like DuckDuckGo, which displays the official addresses of top torrenting sites.
  • Check the site’s address. Fake torrent sites copy the names of popular torrent trackers, but with minor misspellings. For example, instead of thepiratebay.org, you might see thep1ratebay.org.
  • Avoid unverified torrents. These are torrents uploaded by unknown uploaders, which have not been verified by a torrent site’s moderators, and they can often contain malware-infected files. I recommend only downloading verified torrents (and also checking the uploader’s history to make sure they only upload verified torrents). Alternatively, just use torrent sites that only host verified torrents, like RARBG and TorLock.
  • Avoid shady file extensions. Avoid small, single .exe files that claim to be movies, TV shows, video games, or eBooks. Also, .wma and .wmv files (which are outdated formats) and .rar, .tar, and .zip files tend to contain malicious content. To help provide an extra layer of protection against malware, I recommend using a high-quality antivirus like Norton if you plan on downloading these kinds of files.
  • Read the comments. Check user comments before downloading a torrent — they’ll often tell you if a torrent contains malware or fake files.
  • Check the torrent’s release date. For example, if you’re downloading a new movie, check the movie’s official release date and then the torrent’s release date — if the torrent was released earlier than the movie, it’s fake.

  Is It Illegal to Use Torrenting Sites in 2023?

  No, it’s completely legal to use torrent sites in most countries — that said, in many places, it’s against the law to torrent copyrighted files, like movies, TV shows, video games, music albums, and more. So you can only legally torrent open-source software and public domain files. But there are a few countries (like Switzerland) where it’s legal to download copyrighted content as long as you don’t monetize it.

  Also, some countries ban torrenting (no matter if you’re downloading legal or copyrighted files) or block access to torrent sites and make it against the law to try accessing them. So, I strongly recommend you check your local laws before you try accessing and using torrent sites to make sure you can’t get fined or be prosecuted.

  Is Torrenting Files Safe?

  Torrenting is safe, but it’s important to take precautions to avoid downloading malicious files or clicking on malicious links and ads. To be safe, stick to using legitimate torrent platforms, such as the ones on my list.

  In addition, I also recommend using a top VPN (an online tool that changes your IP address and encrypts your traffic) while torrenting. That way, you can stay protected from cyber threats and potentially malicious third parties, navigating the web more securely. My favorite P2P VPN is ExpressVPN because it allows torrenting on 3,000+ servers in 90+ countries, has excellent security and privacy features, including an audited no-logs policy, a kill switch, full leak protection, and a feature that blocks dangerous torrent sites, and provides very fast download speeds.

  Also, I strongly believe you need to use an antivirus while torrenting. It can detect malware and removes malware infections from your device if you accidentally download malicious torrents. What’s more, an antivirus has real-time protection that can also block connections to malicious P2P sites. If you’re looking for a great antivirus, I recommend Norton — its malware scanning engine successfully detects and removes the newest and most advanced types of malware, it has ransomware protection (some malicious torrents can include ransomware), and it can protect you against port scanning attacks, which can happen while torrenting, by cloaking inactive ports on your device.

  Here’s a Quick & Easy Guide to Torrenting Files Safely:

  1. Choose a trusted torrenting site. Pick a safe P2P site, so that you don’t risk downloading malicious torrents. All the torrent sites on my list are safe, but I like RARBG the most because it only has verified torrents, hosts tons of popular shows and movies, and pretty much all torrents have tons of seeders.
  2. Install a VPN that allows torrenting. Get a top P2P VPN to secure your torrent traffic — I like ExpressVPN the most because it has excellent P2P support, high-end security, and blazing-fast download speeds.
  3. Install an antivirus to scan torrent files. Use a good antivirus to prevent malicious torrents from accidentally infecting your device. My top pick is Norton for its excellent malware scanning engine and ransomware protection.
  4. Proceed to torrent. Start securely downloading any torrents!

  Is It Safe to Access Torrenting Sites Without a VPN?

  No, because your ISP will see which torrenting sites you’re accessing. In addition, your ISP can see your torrent traffic and throttle it. But if you use a VPN, it encrypts all of your data — making it unreadable, so nobody can spy on it.

  Without a VPN, everyone in the torrent swarm can see your real IP address, making it possible for malicious third partices to trace it back to you, compromising your anonymity and potentially exposing you to unwanted risks. By using a VPN, your original IP address is replaced with that of the VPN server, ensuring your online activities remain private and preventing others in the swarm from identifying or monitoring you.

  And some VPNs (like ExpressVPN) have features that block malicious sites — so they can protect you from fake P2P sites.

  Best VPNs for Torrenting in 2023

  Quick summary of the best VPNs for torrenting files safely in 2023:

  • ��1. ExpressVPN — Best overall VPN for torrenting.
  • ��2. Private Internet Access — Best VPN for torrenting on mobile.
  • ��3. CyberGhost VPN — User-friendly P2P VPN with convenient automation.
  • 4. NordVPN — Has high-end security features for torrenting.
  • Bonus. IPVanish — Easy to use with good P2P support.
  • Comparison of the Best VPNs for Torrenting in 2023.

  ��1. ExpressVPN — Best VPN for Torrenting in 2023

  

  ExpressVPN is my favorite torrenting VPN (it also comes in at #1 on our list of the best P2P VPNs on the market) — it provides excellent P2P support, high-end security features, and lightning-fast download speeds.

  ExpressVPN supports torrenting on all 3,000+ of its servers, which are located in 90+ countries (so, it’s very easy to find and connect to nearby servers to get fast downloads). What’s more, it works with all popular P2P apps, like qBittorrent, Vuze, and uTorrent. It also has port forwarding, which lets you connect to more peers for faster downloads, on its router app.

  The VPN has an audited no-logs policy and other security features:

  • TrustedServer technology — All of ExpressVPN’s servers run on RAM memory, meaning every server reset wipes all data. The provider’s TrustedServer technology has also been independently audited.
  • Perfect forward secrecy — Changes the encryption key for each VPN connection, so that hackers can’t compromise past or future keys to spy on your P2P traffic.
  • Full leak protection — All of ExpressVPN’s apps come with built-in protection against DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leaks. I ran tests on servers in 20+ countries while torrenting, and I never experienced a leak.
  • Threat Manager — Blocks connections to malicious sites (including dangerous P2P websites).

  ExpressVPN provided me with the fastest P2P speeds on this list. On nearby servers, it only took me 10 minutes to download a 15 GB file. And on distant servers, I downloaded the same file in just 14 minutes. I also like that ExpressVPN comes with split-tunneling, which lets you choose which apps use the VPN and which apps use your local network — this increased my download speeds by about 15%.

  ExpressVPN offers several paid plans that start at €6.26 / month — while it’s a little steep, I think it’s worth it because it provides excellent value. Plus, ExpressVPN backs each purchase with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

  ��2. Private Internet Access — Best for Torrenting on Mobile Devices

  

  Private Internet Access (PIA) has P2P servers in 80+ countries and very intuitive mobile apps, and also provides great privacy features.

  PIA’s Android and iOS apps are very user-friendly. The interface is simple to navigate, all settings and features have helpful explanations, and you get convenient automation options — for example, I configured PIA’s Android app to automatically connect to a server when I use mobile data to access P2P sites. It’s also great that the VPN supports unlimited connections, so you can use it to torrent on as many devices as you want.

  PIA provides really good privacy, as it comes with a strict no-logs policy that has been proven true in court documents, open-source apps, perfect forward secrecy, full leak protection, and RAM-only servers. PIA also has an ad blocker (PIA MACE), but you can only get it on Android if you manually download and install the provider’s .apk app — still, doing that is easy and PIA MACE is very good at blocking ads on P2P sites and preventing you from connecting to shady torrenting sites.

  In my speed tests, PIA provided me with good speeds, but it wasn’t as fast as ExpressVPN — on average, it took me 15 minutes to download a 15 GB file on nearby servers and 19 minutes to download it on distant servers. Also, I like that PIA comes with split-tunneling and port forwarding

  Private Internet Access has affordable plans that start at €2.06 / month. Also, it backs all plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

  ��3. CyberGhost VPN — Beginner-Friendly P2P VPN With Great Automation

  

  CyberGhost VPN has 8,500+ P2P servers in 70+ countries and really user-friendly apps. It’s very simple to install and use the provider’s apps — on average, it only took me 2 minutes to install them and less than 4 seconds to find and connect to a P2P server. And all settings and features have helpful explanations, which is great.

  I also like the provider’s Smart Rules feature, which lets you personalize VPN connections. For instance, I configured the provider’s app to automatically connect me to a P2P server in my country and open my favorite P2P app on launch.

  CyberGhost VPN also provides good speeds for torrenting — in my tests, it only took 18 minutes to torrent a 15 GB file on nearby servers and 23 minutes to download it on distant servers. That said, ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access were faster.

  The VPN provides strong security and privacy while torrenting. It has RAM-only servers, full leak protection, perfect forward secrecy, and an audited no-logs policy. It also comes with Content Blocker, which is good at protecting you from malicious sites — unfortunately, it’s not as good as Private Internet Access’s PIA MACE at getting rid of ads on P2P sites.

  CyberGhost VPN has affordable plans that start as low as €2.06 / month. Also, it backs all long-term plans with a 45-day money-back guarantee and the shortest plan with a 14-day money-back guarantee.

  4. NordVPN — Provides High-End Security for Torrenting

  

  NordVPN comes with very strong security features for torrenting, including RAM-only servers, perfect forward secrecy, full leak protection, and a no-logs policy that has passed multiple security audits.

  What’s more, it has Threat Protection — this feature blocks ads, protects you from shady sites, and also provides protection against malware-infected downloads. And there’s also a data breach monitoring tool that alerts you if your NordVPN login credentials have been compromised. This is helpful if you use the same login details for your accounts on private torrent trackers.

  The provider also has 4,500+ P2P servers in 45+ countries. This is a good P2P server network, but ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access, and CyberGhost VPN have P2P servers in more countries. On the plus side, NordVPN has SOCKS5 proxy support, which changes your IP address but doesn’t encrypt your traffic, so it provides very fast download speeds.

  I had fast download speed with this provider in my tests. It usually took me around 21 minutes to torrent a 15 GB file on a nearby server — on distant servers, the same file took approximately 27 minutes to download. While that’s good, I still had faster speeds with ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access, and CyberGhost VPN.

  NordVPN has tier-based subscriptions and plans that start at €2.99 / month. It also backs all purchases with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

  5. Surfshark — Good, Affordable VPN for Torrenting

  

  Surfshark is one of the most affordable VPNs on the market, making this provider a good pick if you’re in need of a good P2P VPN and are also on a tight budget.

  The VPN allows torrenting on 3,200+ servers in 100+ countries, which is really good. Unfortunately, it’s missing additional P2P-related features, like port forwarding (ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access have this) and SOCKS5 proxy support, which NordVPN has.

  Surfshark also comes with intuitive apps for all major platforms, and I also like how it allows unlimited connections. Its apps are simple to navigate and provide quick explanations for all features and settings.

  The provider has good download speeds, but it’s not as fast as ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access — it took me 25 minutes to torrent a 15 GB file on nearby servers and 30 minutes to download it on distant servers.

  The VPN is also secure, as it has RAM-only servers, perfect forward secrecy, DNS leak protection, and a no-logs policy that has been independently audited. It’s missing IPv6 and WebRTC leak protection, but I still never saw any leaks in my tests.

  Surfshark’s plans start as low as €2.16 / month. What’s more, the provider backs each purchase with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

  Bonus. IPVanish — User-Friendly P2P VPN

  

  IPVanish has 2,000+ P2P servers in 50+ countries and easy-to-use apps, which make it simple to connect to a server and start torrenting. The provider also allows unlimited connections and comes with SOCKS5 proxy servers, which is great.

  IPVanish provided me with decent torrenting speeds, but it was much slower than the other VPNs on this list — it took me around 33 minutes to download a 15 GB file on nearby servers, and approximately 40 minutes to download it on distant servers.

  I like that IPVanish has strong security and privacy, including an independently-audited no-logs policy and advanced features like perfect forward secrecy.

  IPVanish has paid monthly and yearly plans that start at €2.81 / month, comes bundled with VIPRE, a decent antivirus, and has a 30-day money-back guarantee, but only for its long-term plans.

  Comparison of the Best VPNs for Torrenting in 2023

  VPN	Price	P2P Servers	Blocks Malicious P2P Sites	Port Forwarding / SOCKS5 Servers	Simultaneous Connections	Money-Back Guarantee
  ��1. ExpressVPN	€6.26 / month	3,000+ servers in 90+ countries	✅	N/A	8	30 days
  ��2. Private Internet Access	€2.06 / month	Servers in 80+ countries	✅	Port forwarding & SOCKS5 servers	Unlimited	30 days
  ��3. CyberGhost VPN	€2.06 / month	8,500+ servers in 70+ countries	✅	❌	7	45 days (long-term plans only)
  4. NordVPN	€2.99 / month	4,500+ servers in 45+ countries	✅	SOCKS5 Servers	6	30 days
  5. Surfshark	€2.16 / month	3,200+ servers in 100+ countries	✅	N/A	Unlimited	30 days
  Bonus. IPVanish	€2.81 / month	2,000+ servers in 50+ countries	❌	SOCKS5 servers	Unlimited	30 days (long-term plans only)

  How to Choose the Best VPN for Torrenting in 2023

  • Pick a VPN with good P2P support. The VPN needs to support torrenting on its servers (ideally, most of them) — for example, ExpressVPN allows torrenting on 3,000+ servers in 90+ countries.
  • Select a VPN with strong security features. The options I endorse come with vital security measures such as a no-logs policy for P2P traffic protection, a kill switch for cutting internet access if the VPN connection drops while you’re torrenting, and 256-bit AES encryption for secure P2P communication. Additionally, they shield against IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leaks, promoting a secure torrenting environment.
  • Choose a VPN with fast P2P speeds. All VPNs slow down your speeds due to the encryption process, but the best VPNs minimize the speed loss. All of the VPNs I recommend provided me with fast P2P speeds.
  • Choose a VPN that’s simple to navigate. The VPNs I picked are all user-friendly and come with intuitive apps that work across all major platforms.
  • Opt for a VPN that provides good value. The VPNs on my list come with extra features like split-tunneling, port forwarding, or an ad blocker. They also allow multiple simultaneous connections (Private Internet Access and Surfshark allow unlimited connections), have affordable plans, and come with a money-back guarantee.

  Frequently Asked Questions

  What are the best torrent sites?

  Some of the top torrent sites include platforms like RARBG, 1337x, and The Pirate Bay. They have huge torrent libraries with various types of content and are pretty easy to use. And they also include verified torrents, which are safe to download (website moderators check them to make sure they’re legit).

  If you need recommendations for specific types of content, check out this list:

  • Movies — I recommend YTS.mx because it only has movies (and tons of them) and keeps the torrents small. RARBG is also a good option, especially if you’re interested in 4K releases. If you want old movies that are copyright-free, try Public Domain Torrents.
  • TV shows — 1337x is a good pick because it always has the latest TV show torrents and many of them are verified. RARBG and The Pirate Bay are also good options.
  • Video games — I usually find any video game I need on The Pirate Bay and TorLock. I also recommend TorrentDownloads if you need to track down old or less popular games.
  • Animes — Nyaa is full of anime torrents and most of them have audio and subtitles in tons of languages. In addition, you can also find torrents with manga and East Asian live-action movies.
  • Music — The Pirate Bay, 1337x, and LimeTorrents have tons of torrents with audio files.
  • Apps — You can find tons of apps for all platforms on 1337x and The Pirate Bay. RARBG is also a good option if you only need Windows apps.

  Keep in mind that using torrent sites to download copyrighted content is illegal in some countries. Make sure you check the laws in your country to make sure it’s safe and legal to access and use torrent sites.

  Are torrenting sites safe?

  All of the top P2P sites I recommend are generally safe. That said, there’s always a risk you might come across a malicious file if you download unverified torrents. Also, many torrent sites have ads, which might be malicious.

  To stay safe on P2P sites, I recommend using an antivirus and a VPN — the antivirus will protect you from malware-infected downloads and malicious links, while the VPN will secure your P2P traffic so that nobody can spy on it.

  Why do I need a VPN to torrent files safely?

  A VPN encrypts your traffic (makes it unreadable, so nobody can see what files you download), and it changes your IP address, so only the VPN’s IP address is visible online. Without a VPN, your ISP can see your P2P traffic, which they can throttle if they want to “discourage” you from torrenting. Also, anyone in the torrent swarm will be able to see your real IP address.

  If you need a good P2P VPN, I recommend ExpressVPN — it supports torrenting on 3,000+ servers in 90+ countries, has blazing-fast P2P speeds, and provides high-end security and privacy features.

  What is a torrent client?

  It’s an app you install on your device, which you use to download torrents. The torrent client is responsible for reading the metadata in the torrent files and connecting you to users who are uploading the file so that you can download it from them.

  Torrent clients are free to use, though some (like uTorrent) have paid plans. qBittorrent is my favorite one because it’s open-source, lightweight, and doesn’t have ads.