Quick Summary Box of All the Free VPNs For Torrenting
Before getting into much detail, let’s first have a quick overview of the eight best free VPN providers for torrenting that you can use in 2023:
Totally Free VPNs But Data Limits
- TunnelBear VPN: It uses strong encryption, making it a great option to use for torrenting.
- Hotspot Shield VPN: Users can access one server location, and it offers 500MB of daily day.
- Hide.me VPN: It belongs to Malaysia and follows a no-log policy, even in the free version.
- Atlas VPN: It has a monthly data limit of 10 GB, and users can connect to three server locations.
- Privado VPN: It has a 10GB monthly data limit and uses strong encryption to secure your torrent traffic.
- Windscribe: It allows users to connect to ten servers and increase their monthly data limit.
- Zoog VPN: It offers a 10GB monthly data limit and supports torrenting on a few servers.
- Speedify VPN: It uses advanced ChaCha20 encryption to boost security during torrenting.
Free Trial VPNs – No Limits
- CyberGhost VPN – It offers dedicated P2P servers and unlimited data bandwidth.
- NordVPN – It provides the fastest torrent downloading speed and offers 30 days refund policy – No question asks.
While these free VPNs are a reliable option, there remains a slight degree of skepticism arising mainly from the fact that they are free. Therefore, it is best to rely on other reliable VPNs for torrenting.
Finding the best free VPN for torrenting might be hard, specifically since there are better choices than free VPNs for torrenting. While they may sound enticing, free VPN comes with privacy and security issues, which become a hazard while torrenting.
They risk your privacy and security by exposing your IP address to the ISPs and other prying eyes. Therefore, the ISPs remain aware of your activities and throttle your connection. In addition, since they are free, they come with significant limitations, including monthly data allowance and limited access to server networks and features. In short, free VPNs are terrible for torrenting unless you take a calculated step.
With the world dismissing free VPNs for a few recognized and renowned reliable VPNs for torrenting, people need to pay more attention to a handful of reliable free VPN providers. However, since finding these VPNs is equivalent to finding a needle in a haystack, this guide can make things easier for you!
Are Free VPNs A Reliable Option For Torrenting?
Free VPN providers can be a dangerous option for torrenting. Even though they claim to keep you safe, they don’t provide enough security and privacy, that's essential during torrenting. They also come with significant limitations that make them quite unreliable to use.
Some of the reasons to avoid using a free VPN for torrenting are as follows:
- Free VPNs often sell your data to various advertising companies and generate revenue. In other words, if you're not paying for the product, you're the product.
- These VPNs come with limited data caps, which isn't enough for a fast torrent downloading process.
- The free VPNs compromise your privacy by recording logs and sharing them with the government and third parties without your consent.
- They also use trackers and can have malware in disguise to breach your digital privacy.
If you still want to use a free VPN, then the VPNs described in this article might help you. But remember, all these VPNs have limitations that can spoil your experience. Instead of using the free VPN providers, try using these premium VPNs for torrenting that come with 30 to 45 days trial accounts.:
- CyberGhost VPN: It offers dedicated P2P servers and advanced features that ensure a safe and quick downloading process.
- NordVPN: It provides the fastest torrent downloading speed and maintains the greatest level of online security.
- Surfshark VPN: It is a low-priced VPN provider that offers a handful of features to enhance the torrenting experience.
- ProtonVPN: It allows unlimited torrenting and offers impressive security-boosting features.
- ExpressVPN: It follows a strict no-log policy that allows downloading torrents anonymously.
- VyprVPN: It uses strong encryption and offers basic security features for downloading torrents safely.
These premium VPNs offer torrent-specific features and help provide a reliable torrenting experience.
Eight Best Free VPN For Torrenting In 2023
All the best free VPNs for torrenting recommendations are based on thorough tests and reviews. While testing out these VPN providers, specific emphasis was on speed, security, privacy, data limit, and the features it offers.
If you're still interested in knowing more about the best free VPN for torrenting, read their short reviews below and decide which is the right fit.
1. TunnelBear VPN
- Industry's highest encryption level
- No-log policy
- 500 MB data
- Servers access in 48+ countries
TunnelBear is a top-rated free VPN provider that allows users to download torrents safely. It has a decent server network spread over 48 countries and offers an average downloading speed.
The VPN provider's strong encryption makes it a great option to use for torrenting. It utilizes strong AES-256-bit encryption and authentication keys to protect the data from ISPs and other snooping eyes. In addition, it offers impressive advanced features, i.e., GhostBear, Vigilant Bear, and Split Bear, that increase online security during torrenting. But there are no mentions of these features being available to free users.
Besides security, TunnelBear VPN also maintains the utmost privacy on the web. It follows a strict no-log policy and has also been audited in the past. This gives some relaxation to the users who remain concerned about its jurisdiction. But again, the privacy policy doesn't mention that it offers the same level of privacy to the free users.
There are some other shortcomings with TunnelBear VPN. It offers a limited 500 MB of data daily, resulting in an extremely slow downloading speed. To enjoy a fast and secure torrenting experience, you can try out the premium version of TunnelBear VPN.
2. Hotspot Shield VPN
- Catapult Hydra protocol
- Strong encryption
- No data limits
- Multiple device compatibility
Hotspot Shield VPN is another top-tier VPN provider available in free and paid versions. If you don't want to invest in its premium plan, you can continue using the free version as long as you want and enjoy downloading torrents.
In the free version, users can only access one server location. Also, it offers 500MB daily, which creates issues and might pull users away from using it. But it uses the proprietary Catapult Hydra protocol that delivers fast speed and makes it the best free VPN for torrenting.
The VPN provides top-notch security even in the free plan. The VPN deploys AES-128-bit and AES-256-bit encryption to safeguard torrent traffic from all privacy abusers.
However, unlike premium VPNs for torrenting, Hotspot Shield VPN doesn't offer any basic or torrent-specific features in the free plan. In addition, the VPN follows a strict zero-log policy. But, it belongs to the US jurisdiction and holds a past track history full of controversies and practices violating users' digital privacy. If you worry about your privacy and security, looking for other reliable options is better.
3. Hide.me VPN
- 10 GB monthly data limit
- Headquarter in Malaysia
- Five server locations
- Kill switch and split tunneling features
Hide.me is another excellent free VPN provider you must try once for torrenting and P2P activities. The VPN provider belongs to a safe jurisdiction in Malaysia and follows a no-log policy, even in the free version. It promises that all torrent downloading activities remain anonymous and private, which impresses the users.
On the top, Hide.me VPN uses robust AES-256-bit encryption to hide your torrent activities from the ISPs. Another best thing about Hide.me VPN's free version is that it allows users to access a few basic and advanced security features. This includes split tunneling, a kill switch, a stealth guard, and a multihop feature. With all these features, Hide.me VPN guarantees maximum security while torrenting.
However, like all other free VPN providers, Hide.me also comes with limited monthly data. Each user can use 10GB of data each month, which is somewhat enough, but the experience won't be much impressive when it comes to downloading. Plus, it also allows server access in five locations, offering little help in boosting the connection speeds.
To access the entire VPN servers and other advanced features that Hide.me VPN offers that can help during torrenting, switch to the premium Hide.me plan.
4. Atlas VPN
- 10 GB monthly data limit
- Three server locations
- Robust encryption
- Belongs to the US jurisdiction
Atlas VPN is a reliable free VPN provider that you can even use for downloading torrents. It comes with a monthly data limit of 10 GB and allows users to connect to up to three server locations in Norway, the Netherlands, and the US. These servers offer unlimited bandwidth and ensure you can enjoy above-average torrent downloading speed.
Nord Security owns Atlas VPN, the industry's leading brand that also owns the best top-rated VPN, NordVPN. The VPN is famous for providing the highest level of security to users. It uses the industry's highest AES-256-bit encryption, ChaCha20 cipher for symmetric encryption, and other authentication and hash keys. With such advanced encryption standards, Atlas VPN guarantees that no prying eye can intercept your torrent traffic.
The VPN provider has various features that are great to use while torrenting. This includes a kill switch, split tunneling, tracker, malware, and ad-blocker. In addition, it also uses a private DNS feature which ensures that torrent-related searches are not logged. However, unfortunately, all these features are not available to the free version users.
Atlas VPN is a private VPN that doesn't keep logs of your torrent activities. But its privacy policy needs to make it clear if this applies to freemium users.
5. Privado VPN
- 10 GB monthly data limit
- Follows no-log policy
- Belongs from Switzerland
- Servers available in 12 locations
Privado VPN is yet another secure free VPN provider you can use to download torrents. Its server access, top-notch security standards, and strict no-log policy make it the best free VPN for downloading torrents.
The VPN provider belongs to the privacy-friendly jurisdiction of Switzerland and adheres to a strict zero-logging policy. It doesn't record nor share your IP address or browsing history with anyone and keeps your activities private. Apart from this, Privado VPN also provides the greatest level of online security during torrenting. It uses the standard AES 256-bit encryption, which is virtually unbreakable and guarantees that no one can ever know about your torrent downloading behavior.
The service provider comes with a 10GB of monthly data limit. In addition, it allows users to connect to servers located in 12 different locations. You can get average downloading speeds by switching the servers.
PrivadoVPN isn't a feature-packed VPN provider. But it does include all those features that prove helpful during torrenting. It does offer a kill switch, SOCKS5 proxy, and split tunneling features. However, to benefit from all these features, you need to buy a premium subscription to PrivadoVPN.
6. Windscribe VPN
- 10 GB monthly data allowance
- Connect to ten servers
- Operates from Canada
- Standard encryption
Windscribe VPN is among the best free VPN providers for torrenting and P2P downloads. Initially, it offers users 2GB of data per month, but if you confirm your email address, then the VPN allocates you 10 GB extra data. In addition, if you tweet about Windscribe VPN, you can get an extra 5GB of data each month. The VPN offers several ways to increase the data limit; the users can take full advantage of these offers and later have enough data to enjoy a seamless downloading experience.
Besides this, the VPN allows users to connect to ten international servers. All the servers are located in prominent countries like the UK, the US, and France. Thus, establishing a quick connection is easy.
While the users rest assured that Windscribe VPN won't compromise their security, its jurisdiction is a prime concern for most users. The VPN belongs to Canada, a prominent member of the global surveillance alliance. It can record or share users' data with the international surveillance alliance.
To boost torrent security, Windscribe VPN offers an incredible ROBERT feature. The ad and malware blocker can prevent users from downloading any infected or bogus torrent file. But upgrade your plan to the premium version to take advantage of this feature.
7. Zoog VPN
- 10 GB of monthly data limit
- Follows a no-log policy
- Torrenting allowed in the free version
- Five server locations
Zoog VPN is another best free VPN provider for torrenting that might impress you. It hides your IP address and uses AES 128-bit encryption to secure your torrenting activities. Though it has a vast server network, it allows torrenting on a few selected servers. You can connect to the five server locations and download torrents. The speed is average but not very impressive because the monthly data limit is only 10 GB.
Besides this, the VPN follows a no-log policy and doesn't store users' sensitive information. This means you can trust Zoog VPN to keep all torrent-related data private. It also offers excellent features that ensure maximum security and protection during torrenting.
However, Zoog VPN offers limited features in the free version. Buy any premium subscription plan to access all the advanced features, including Zoogshadowing. Also, the premium version uses AES-256-bit encryption to protect the data traffic. So, for maximum security, switch to the paid version.
8. Speedify VPN
- 2GB monthly data limit
- Advanced encryption
- Allows torrenting
- US-based VPN provider
Speedify VPN is also a reliable VPN provider for torrenting. It uses the advanced ChaCha20, AES-256-bit encryption standard, and security protocols to keep your torrent traffic protected from the sight of all prying eyes. Besides this, the VPN offers a global server network that's spread in 30 countries, but there isn't any information regarding server access in the free version.
Like all free VPN providers, Speedify also comes with a data limit. It allows users to use 2GB of data per month. This is something extremely low and insufficient for downloading torrents. With such limited data, the downloading experience is full of slow speeds and frequent connection lags. Moreover, the VPN's jurisdiction is concerning and often questioned and might drift users away from using it.
The plus point of using this free VPN for torrenting is that it allows users to access security and privacy-boosting features like the kill switch. However, with limited bandwidth and server network, the torrent downloading experience isn't at all effective.
Why Is Using a VPN Essential During Torrenting?
While torrenting gives quick access to various online content, it also carries a plethora of privacy and security risks. On the top, during torrenting, your real IP address is visible to anyone in the P2P swarm. The ISPs and copyright owners can filter out your IP address, leading to online surveillance.
Downloading torrents without hiding the IP address can also lead to ISP throttling. As torrenting consumes too much bandwidth to decongest the network traffic, ISPs throttle your connection. As a result, it leads to prolonged downloading. Also, different countries have different laws related to torrenting, so you can even be penalized for this act.
But things don't end here because hackers can upload malware-laden or bogus files in the swarm. Downloading any such file might spread malware or viruses on your device.
Instead of falling victim to the risks mentioned above, you can secure your torrenting experience with a reliable VPN provider. Using a VPN for torrenting increases digital privacy and security. Here are the reasons why use a VPN for torrenting:
- It encrypts the entire data traffic and guarantees that no one sees what you're doing on the web.
- You can enjoy fast downloading speeds by connecting to a remote VPN server.
- A VPN hides your IP address meaning ISPs cannot monitor your online activities and won't throttle your connection.
- The best VPN provider offers impressive features like SOCKS5 proxy or split tunneling that enhance the torrent downloading experience.
There are significant risks associated with free VPN providers, so using the best premium VPN providers is a much better option.
Features to Consider While Selecting The Best Free VPN For Torrenting
A good free VPN for torrenting must be fast, secure, and include features that help during the downloading process. Here’s the list of the features that you must look for in the best free VPN for torrenting:
- The VPN must be compatible with torrenting. Most free VPNs do not support torrenting, so make sure the one you use does allow torrenting on at least a few servers.
- Use a VPN that offers maximum online protection and security. It must use the highest AES-256-bit encryption and popular tunneling protocols to secure torrent traffic from privacy abusers.
- Choose a VPN with a vast server network, which establishes a quick connection. Also, having dedicated P2P servers is a plus point.
- Free VPN providers rarely come without any data limit. Make sure to use a VPN that offers unlimited bandwidth or enough monthly data limit that makes it possible to download torrents.
- The free VPN provider must abide by a strict no-log policy to keep your torrent-related activities private.
- Select a VPN with torrent-centric features like a kill switch, SOCKS5 proxy, and split tunneling to boost your digital privacy.
- A VPN offers slow and sluggish connections can result in a frustrating downloading experience. Thus, choose a VPN provider that provides above-average and stable internet speeds for P2P downloads.
Use a free VPN for torrenting and P2P downloads only if they meet the criteria mentioned above. Though a free VPN can’t have all these features, it must include most of them.
FAQs
Is torrenting safe with a VPN?
Using a VPN is the safest option for torrenting and P2P downloads. It hides the IP address and encrypts the data traffic making users anonymous and private on the web. A VPN uses strong and unbreakable encryption, so the ISPs, copyright trolls, and hackers won’t be able to learn about your torrent-related activities. Additionally, the VPNs’ torrent-centric features maximize security and privacy, and compatibility with torrent clients ensures a smooth downloading experience. Therefore, always connect to the best VPN for torrenting before downloading torrent files.
Are free VPNs safe for downloading torrents?
It depends on the VPN provider that you choose for downloading. A few free VPN providers like the ones mentioned above allow torrenting and are relatively safe to use. They mask your IP address and deploy strong encryption, which protects your torrent traffic from all prying eyes, including the ISPs, government agencies, and copyright owners. Plus, most follow a strict no-log policy, ensuring that users’ information is neither stored nor shared with any third party.
However, it is undeniable that most free VPN providers are not good for your digital privacy and security. They provide weak protection, which exposes your real identity, and also keep data logs to sell to third-party advertisers and earn profit. Besides this, some free VPN providers even infect your device with trackers, malware, and spyware. Therefore, it is crucial to do proper research before choosing a free VPN for torrenting.
Is ProtonVPN good for downloading torrents?
ProtonVPN is among the best VPN that you can consider using for downloading torrents. The VPN provider includes all the necessary features required to download torrents safely. It includes distinctive features like a kill switch, split tunneling feature, secure core server, and obfuscation technology. In addition, it also enables users to improve their downloading speed by connecting to the VPN accelerator feature.
Interestingly, ProtonVPN is even available in the free version. The free version provides users with secure and private internet access. It further protects users’ privacy by following a no-log policy and avoiding sharing their data with anyone. Users can connect to free servers in three countries and enjoy above-average browsing speed. However, the free version of ProtonVPN doesn’t provide access to advanced features except for the custom anti-censor protocol, nor does it support torrenting or streaming. Hence, you must upgrade to a premium plan to download torrents with ProtonVPN.
Is using a VPN for torrenting legal?
Yes, using a VPN for torrenting is legal. In most countries, there are no laws against using a VPN for personal use. However, some countries have restrictions on the use of VPNs, and you may need to obtain a license to use a VPN in those countries. Additionally, some countries have banned the use of certain types of VPNs altogether.
While using a VPN is generally legal, there are some activities that are illegal when done through a VPN connection. For example, downloading copyrighted material without permission is illegal in most countries, regardless of whether you use a VPN or not. Similarly, accessing child pornography or engaging in other illegal activities while using a VPN is also prohibited and can result in severe penalties.
If you plan to use a VPN for torrenting purposes, it's important to make sure that the service you choose allows for torrent traffic and doesn't keep logs of your activity. Additionally, it's always best to connect to servers located in countries where copyright infringement laws are not as strict as they are in your own country.
Final Thoughts
Finding the best free VPN for torrenting can be a challenging task. Most free VPNs have great limitations like they don’t provide enough security or privacy to keep your activities private. Also, limited server access and a lack of basic and advanced privacy-focused features hinder the downloading process. The free VPN providers mentioned in this article are some decent options that users who don’t have a budget for paid VPN can consider using. While they still have some limitations, they all use military-grade encryption to hide and protect torrent traffic from ISPs and other prying eyes.
Nonetheless, the free VPN providers are not as suitable as the premium VPNs. Hence, if you have a budget, it’s better to use a paid VPN or try using the best VPN with free trial versions.
