BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer protocol that makes it easy to move big files across the internet by sharing the burden among downloaders. However, its reputation as the go-to tool for piracy has led a few VPNs to block torrenting on their services, so your regular go-to service may not work here.

We look at the VPN services that explicitly allow BitTorrenting and let you know which is best. Our list is followed by an in-depth explanation of what torrenting is and how torrenting and VPNs interact. Torrenting can be slow enough as it is, so we've arranged the list below in descending order based on the amount each service affected download speeds in our latest round of testing, beginning with the very fastest service and then those in our roundup of the 10 best VPNs.

What Is Torrenting?

BitTorrent (the technology that allows one to "torrent") has an unsavory reputation, one that is both unfair and well deserved. At its best, BitTorrent addresses the logjam created when too many people try to download large files from a single source at once—be they bootlegged TV shows, independent video games (the recent release of the game Dark and Darker comes to mind), DRM-free books, or terabytes of cat photos.

BitTorrent turns a file's popularity into a benefit instead of a bottleneck by having each downloader distribute pieces of the file to every other downloader. The whole system is designed to be decentralized, with no main server to choke under the traffic burden. It's a brilliant idea, but its decentralized nature also makes it perfect for illegally sharing copyrighted content online.

Given its reputation, some ISPs and network managers block BitTorrent traffic altogether. Or, at the very least, they track who's connecting to BitTorrent seeds (and which seeds in particular) and set a certain number of warnings before your account can potentially be deactivated. To circumvent these barricades and to protect your privacy when torrenting, using a VPN is sensible. The catch is that not every VPN service allows BitTorrent on its servers.

Using a VPN may help improve your privacy by preventing your ISP from monitoring your traffic and making it harder for advertisers to track you online. But when it comes to security, we often say that it's better to think of tools like VPNs as something that increases the amount of work required for someone to successfully attack you—or, in the case of ISP policies on torrents—track you.

A VPN needs to be part of a layered approach to security and can't replace other critical security tools, such as good antivirus software, a password manager, and multi-factor authentication that's enabled wherever possible.  

Do I Really Need a VPN for Torrenting?

We often receive emails asking about the interplay between VPNs and BitTorrent. Some of them have included admissions of piracy, and they even offer justifications for it. One reader lamented the difficulty of finding legal avenues for material unavailable for sale in a given locale. We sympathize. The state of the public domain has been woefully neglected, keeping countless works entangled in complicated (but lucrative) distribution deals.

But no matter how just the reasoning, the law (however problematic) is the law. ISPs and other tech companies are sometimes compelled to answer when rights holders come with a list of offenses carried out on their infrastructure.

If you are going to use BitTorrent for whatever reason, good luck to you. If you are going to use a VPN, more power to you. But be sure that you take the time to read the VPN's terms of service before you start. Be aware of the local laws and possible penalties, too—whatever your willingness to obey them. We're not legal experts, but not knowing the law or not agreeing with the law probably won't hold up as defenses in a court.

Regardless of how you feel about BitTorrent, the people who own the network you use to connect to the internet or even your ISP may block torrenting altogether. A VPN can help circumvent those prohibitions by making it harder for people to detect torrenting traffic. However, remember that some people and organizations may not take kindly to you breaking their rules.

Will a VPN Hide My Torrenting From My ISP or the Police?

The short answer is that, yes, a VPN can shield your online activities from your ISP. It should also make it harder for someone on the web to identify particular traffic as belonging to you. That's a good thing, not only if you have legally iffy torrenting habits but also because it protects your privacy in general.

That said, there are always exceptions. Time and time again, user error and efforts by law enforcement have undermined the protection offered by services like Tor or VPNs. Timing attacks, for example, can correlate packet traffic at a VPN server with activity on your own network, thus linking you to online activities.

In some cases, the problem may be the VPN itself. If a VPN company keeps logs about user activity (specifically, the identity of the user, which server they connected to, and when), that could potentially be obtained by law enforcement. We believe that, ideally, VPNs should store as little information as possible, including logs. In our reviews, we always ask VPN services what information they collect and how they interact with law enforcement requests for information. Remember that every company that wants to stay in business will have to comply with a legal request from law enforcement at some point. However, if they run a no-log VPN, complying will not always directly result in the VPN company or the authorities being able to accurately identify your PC's traffic as the point of origin.

Can I Use BitTorrent on My VPN?

Most VPN services are completely fine with you using BitTorrent or P2P services while connected to their networks. None of our top-rated VPN services prohibit file sharing.

Even the services that allow torrenting often have restrictions, though. Some, for example, may require that you only use BitTorrent when connected to specific VPN servers. For example, NordVPN labels the servers on which torrenting is acceptable. Note that pretty much every VPN service that allows torrenting also explicitly forbids breaking copyright law or otherwise abusing the service.

Some VPNs have tools that are particularly useful for torrenting. Some VPNs let you designate the kind of traffic traveling through your VPN connection using a feature called split tunneling. Use split tunneling to route your torrenting activity through the VPN, freeing up the rest of your bandwidth. New technologies like WireGuard may provide better speeds than older VPN protocols. Our in-depth VPN reviews cover the available features, so you'll be able to drill down on a VPN that has the features that work for you.

How Will a VPN Affect My Torrenting Speeds?

When you use a VPN, your web traffic usually travels through more fiber and server locations. You should expect slower upload and download speeds and higher latency regardless of the VPN you choose. For large torrents, it can mean a longer wait before you get the completed file.

In our latest round of testing, we recorded the median from 25 tests with and without a VPN running and then found a percent change between the two. The greater the change, the more impact the VPN has on your internet connection speeds. For measuring speeds, we use the Ookla Speedtest tool. (Note: Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag.com's parent company.)

As an outlier, Avast SecureLine racked up better download speed results with the VPN running than with the VPN off. Although we did replicate these results, we do not believe they are typical and that you shouldn't expect it to do the same for you. Moreover, the rest of its scores leave a lot to be desired. For example, it increased latency by more than 2,000%. Still, Avast's download speeds are undeniably fast, so we've included it in our speed table at the very top despite its lower rating.

You can see all the latest results from our testing in the chart below.

Networks are finicky, and we don't claim our work to be the be-all and end-all of VPN speed testing. Instead, we offer a snapshot of how a particular service performed on a specific day. We also don't think that speed should be the only metric used to evaluate a VPN, but it's clearly one of concern to BitTorrent users.

To make this list, we looked at the best download scores across the services we've tested thus far. The VPN services in the chart at the top of this story are the 25 services that had the least impact on download speed test results. As mentioned earlier, we've arranged them in descending order, meaning the VPN at the top had the least impact on download speeds. We looked primarily at download performance for this roundup, so be aware that some of these services may have lackluster upload or latency results even if they had excellent download results.

VPN Reliability and Accessibility Issues

VPNs can sometimes make an everyday browsing experience somewhat hiccupy. Suddenly losing connectivity while the VPN resets is mildly annoying in day-to-day life, but such interruptions could slow down or even halt a large BitTorrent download.

If you plan on connecting to a VPN while torrenting, consider the possibility of using a kill switch. This feature, found in most VPN services, prevents apps from sending data via the internet when the VPN is disconnected. The idea is that it prevents any information from being transmitted in the clear. The avid BitTorrent downloader needs to decide if they want total and complete protection or would rather not have their download interrupted.

Do VPN Locations Matter?

While VPN services have servers worldwide, each company's headquarters must be based somewhere on the planet. The data retention laws in that location may require the VPN company to collect and maintain user data for a set time.

Understanding what kind of information a VPN service collects and how long it is maintained can be hard to figure out. To get the answer, you may have to wade through unending FAQ pages and opaque terms of service written in arcane legalese. If the VPN company you're considering can't clearly explain what information it gathers and how long it will be kept, it's probably not a great service.

When we review VPNs, we make a point of asking service representatives about what efforts they take to secure customers' privacy. We also read those hefty terms of service (you're welcome). You can read through our full reviews to see their answers.

Note that national and international law, as related to data storage and whether that data can be turned over to law enforcement, is complicated and constantly changing. A good service today might choose or be compelled to alter its policies tomorrow, so pay attention to any updates to the terms of service.

Use a VPN to Encrypt Your Torrent Traffic

Perhaps you'll decide that all this effort isn't worth it just to secure your BitTorrent downloads. But a VPN is still an easy way to potentially improve your online privacy, whether from bad actors or the very ISP providing your connection to the web in the first place. Whether you decide to spring for a premium account, you're looking for a cheap VPN, or you want to dip your toe in with a free VPN, there's a service to meet every need and budget.

Looking for more information about Torrenting and how to get started? You can read our story on how to use BitTorrent.