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15 Best Torrent Sites to Use in 2024
Last updated October 29, 2024
Torrent sites are popular and easy targets for malicious actors to spread infected files. So, despite being hugely helpful for sharing files over P2P, most torrent sites are quite problematic. They can be riddled with malware and tracking cookies, overly aggressive ads, and most of them don't have any preventive measures to screen their files.
That said, you should seek out reputable sites with no links to malware or less-than-honest tracking practices. Let's not forget about the basics either - you'll want an easy-to-use site filled with high-quality files and with a domain that doesn't change too often. Of course, we're here to point you in the right direction.
In this guide, we'll list the best torrent sites in 2024. We'll also talk about how we tested torrent sites, how to download torrents, stay safe and avoid fake torrents and dangerous sites, and why you need to use a VPN. We'll also talk about why some P2P sites are blocked, how to use public and private torrent sites, which ones to avoid, and which ones are safe, and we'll finish with a round of FAQs.
How to Use Torrent Sites Safely and Privately?
You'll need to sign up for a VPN provider, install its app, and connect to a server. That's when you can start torrenting privately. Here are all the steps you need to take:
- Subscribe to a torrenting-friendly VPN (we recommend NordVPN).
- Download the VPN app and install it on your computer.
- Launch the app and log in using your credentials.
- Enable your VPN's kill switch by visiting its settings.
- Ensure that you use secure protocols like OpenVPN or WireGuard.
- Connect to a VPN server in a P2P-friendly country (e.g., Switzerland, Spain, Romania).
- You can now access any torrent site and start downloading torrents.
Countries like Switzerland, Spain, and Romania are the best VPN locations to use when torrenting, as they'll help you unblock and reach more P2P sites. That said, you'll be happy to know that NordVPN offers dedicated P2P servers in all those countries.
15 Best Torrent Sites in 2024
Your search for the top options should be based on certain criteria. More precisely, you'll want access to a sizable library of P2P files. In that sense, you can go for either all-in-one or specialized P2P libraries (for movies, TV shows, books, software, and so on).
Next, make sure to use popular, long-standing, and reputable sites. That's how you'll access an active P2P community with more seeders than leechers. Remember that you need as many seeders as possible to ensure your downloads are fast. You'll also want advanced search filters to help you pinpoint the file you're looking for.
The best sites should also be free of malware and overly aggressive ads, like pop-ups with hidden "close" buttons. That said, we recommend using an ad blocker, as most P2P sites serve ads, so you'll need help eliminating them.
Following the criteria explained above, we're bringing you the 15 best-working torrenting websites in 2024 based on the type of content they bring:
- Best All-In-One Torrent Sites
- 1337X - Best All-In-One Torrent Site in 2024
- Torrentz2 - Best Search Engine for Torrent Files
- The Pirate Bay - Best Multi-Purpose Torrent Site
- KATcr - Best Alternative to KickassTorrents
- Best Torrent Sites for Movies and TV Shows
- Best Torrent Sites for Games
- IGG Games - Best Torrent Site for Freshly Released Games
- FitGirl Repacks - Best Torrent Site for Size-Optimized PC Games
- iDope - Best Torrent Site for Mac Software & Games
- Best Torrent Sites for Music and eBooks
- Torrent Downloads - Best Torrent Site for Music & eBooks
- Best Private Torrent Sites
- LimeTorrents - Best Semi-Private Torrent Tracker
- IPTorrents - Best Private P2P Tracker
- Torlock - Best for Downloading Verified Torrents
- Torrends - Best Search Engine for Verified Torrent Files
Jump to Torrent Sites: Movies, TV Shows, Anime, Music, Audiobooks, eBooks, Games, Software, Comics, and Textbooks.
Best All-In-One Torrent Sites
Aside from offering a diverse range of torrent files, all-in-one torrent sites are usually the most visited, which translates to having many seeders for any file you download. You'll find movies, TV shows, software, music, e-books, photos, etc. So, let's talk about our top picks for this category.
1. 1337X - Best All-In-One Torrent Site in 2024
1337X has been around for about a decade now and has somehow managed to avoid being shut down. It wasn't really all that well-known initially, but with the demise of big names such as KickassTorrents and long periods when the Pirate Bay was MIA, there were plenty of opportunities to grow.
Today, 1337X is one of the big boys, with an Alexa rank that puts it among the top P2P sites. We don't like the red and black site design, but that's just a taste issue. From a functionality point of view, the site is sharp as a tack. And most importantly, it allows you to download torrents fast since it has a highly active user base.
You'll find handy search filtering, and you can always check what's popular and trending. Also, malware should not be an issue, but make sure to use an anti-virus, just in case.
2. Torrentz2 - Best Search Engine for Torrent Files
Torrentz used to be the world's most popular P2P search engine, but it was forced to shut down a couple of years ago. In the meantime, many clones appeared, but it wasn't until Torrent2 that we got a true successor to the original. Torrentz2 is a hugely powerful search engine that's also extremely simple to use, even if you never downloaded a single torrent file before.
Torrentz2 indexes millions of files and allows you to download them without visiting third-party sites. You can also do some basic search filtering. Also, you won't encounter any ads here. Just type in the name of the file you're looking for, and you'll see a sizable list of results. Check those files' details and start downloading.
3. The Pirate Bay - Best Multi-Purpose Torrent Site
What can we say about The Pirate Bay? It's been around for as long as we can remember. It's been killed and resurrected more times than we can count. It feels as if TPB is going to be around for the rest of eternity. It's even suffered through having its founders jailed.
The Pirate Bay is still one of the most popular sites on the Internet. Because of this, you'll find just about any mainstream torrent here. However, the site's design is becoming a little old-fashioned.
Also, The Pirate Bay has been caught hijacking user CPUs to mine cryptocurrency. The site has been forced into this path as more of its advertising income is cut off. If you're OK with donating a little electricity to support them, they are well worth visiting.
4. KATcr - Best Alternative to KickassTorrents
The entire global torrenting community felt the impact when the original KickassTorrents disappeared. This was a brilliantly designed website with millions of daily visitors, so it's not surprising that numerous clones have appeared. However, this also means that many malicious clones are targeting your privacy, so you should be extra careful to avoid malware.
Among the best KickassTorrent alternatives, KATcr stands above the rest. This is a clone of the original website, where you won't be able to tell the difference. You can download movies, TV shows, games, software, and anything else in between. There's also a highly active community if you want to talk to like-minded individuals.
Best Torrent Sites for Movies and TV Shows
We have several fantastic options if you're after movies and TV shows. All of the torrent sites listed below give you access to new and old titles, support up to 4K resolutions, and most of them include subtitles. Plus, having plenty of seeders, your downloads will be ultra-fast. So, here are our options.
1. YTS - Best Torrent Site For HD & 4K Movies
Everyone in the torrenting game has a soft spot for the folks from YIFY. Unfortunately, YIFY was shut down a while back due to massive legal threats and is, it seems, gone forever. That said, our list of the best-working torrent sites in 2024 begins with a YIFU alternative - called YTS.
YIFY was famous for aggressively optimized video and audio encoding. They achieved some of the best quality-to-size ratios ever seen. YTS is following those same footprints, providing access to countless movies that are nicely organized and often updated. And considering that YTS has millions of active daily users, most of its movies are quick to download.
We'll also mention that YTS gives you handy search filters. Also, it does contain ads, so you must use an ad blocker. However, you won't encounter malware here, which means any file you get will be 100% safe to open, which has become a rare thing among today's best torrent websites.
2. Nyaa - Best Torrent Site For Anime Movies & TV Shows
Today, you'll find English-translated anime via services like Netflix and Hulu. There are even dedicated anime streaming services such as Crunchyroll. Despite this, there are plenty of shows that are just too niche to be officially translated. Some shows are too old, and others will never see the light of day in the West.
This is precisely where Nyaa comes into play. This site provides a simple and effective interface to its vast database of Japanese animation. If you want to go much deeper than watching Naruto or Dragon Ball Z, Nyaa is the place to be. The website mostly doesn't show any ads, and it's known for offering safe-to-download torrent files.
3. EZTV - Best Torrent Site for Downloading TV Shows
Next, we have a niche torrent site dedicated to TV shows. Called EZTV, it's been around for quite some time, which is one reason why the website looks outdated. However, if you look beneath the surface, you will see loads of helpful features.
For example, the website allows you to track its calendar of releases and check out when new seasons are about to air so that you can set reminders accordingly.
What needs to be said about EZTV is that this website is incredibly powerful. You can find TV show categories by genres, types, and video file quality - and you can download torrents and magnet files. And on top of that, EZTV comes with millions of active users, making it easy to find healthy P2P files. What more could we possibly ask for?
Best Torrent Sites for Games
When downloading games, it's critical to stick to reputable and trustworthy websites, as software and games are often associated with malware in the world of P2P. That said, we've picked the safest torrent sites for you, giving you games for Windows, macOS, Linux, and other operating systems.
1. IGG Games - Best Torrent Site for Freshly Released Games
Most of our recommendations allow you to find and download PC games. However, those files typically come from all kinds of release groups, some of which are known for propagating malware. So, if you're looking to download malware-free PC games, know that IGG is among the safest P2P sources of games on the Web.
Upon opening IGG Games, you'll see individual blog posts for each PC game. You can browse them chronologically, or you can check what's trending or popular. Also, you won't encounter any aggressive ads here. The biggest annoyance is that each link opens in a new tab. Aside from that, this is pure heaven for cracked PC games.
2. FitGirl Repacks - Best Torrent Site for Size-Optimized PC Games
Just above, we talked about a stellar source of PC games. However, you probably know how big AAA games are in terms of their file size (50GB+ in most cases). So, if you don't have an ultra-fast connection, you'll want to consider FitGirl Repacks, known for bringing highly optimized files that are often 1/3 of their original size.
FitGirl Repacks is known for posting new games daily. You'll also find malware-free files only, and the site features advanced search filters. More advanced users can also make use of the site's RSS feeds, using which you can check what's new and download P2P files automatically. Also, keep in mind that these highly optimized files will usually take more time to install.
3. iDope - Best Torrent Site for Mac Software & Games
To make our list as helpful as possible, we wanted to include something a bit different as well. So, we'd like to introduce you to iDope, a gateway to millions of magnet torrent files, many of which are incredibly quick to download.
You can think of iDope as a torrent search engine, giving you access to movies, TV shows, e-books, software, games, and adult content. However, we especially recommend iDope to Mac users, as it provides a wealth of macOS games and software, which has become incredibly hard to find lately.
Multiple ways are available to filter and organize its database, allowing you to easily pinpoint a healthy torrent file, no matter how old it might be.
Best Torrent Sites for Music and eBooks
In this section, we'll talk about the most suitable torrent sites with extensive libraries of music files and e-books. Even though most of our other recommendations include those content categories, we'll highlight extra-special options here, with millions of audio and PDF files.
1. Torrent Downloads - Best Torrent Site for Music & eBooks
Even though this website has a generic name and a somewhat boring design, trust us that this is one of the best P2P repositories right now. It's been around for some time and gone through several iterations, and the current one is definitely the best one yet.
This is a huge library of torrents from just about any category imaginable. You can download movies, TV shows, music, books, and pretty much everything else. Every torrent comes with a detailed description, including information related to its health.
Lastly, even though 'Torrent Downloads' brings a nice selection of P2P files, we strongly recommend it for downloading music and e-books. Thanks to the site's handy filtering options, you'll have access to advanced ways of downloading high-quality audio and PDF files.
Best Private Torrent Sites
In terms of private torrent sites, you'll find those that require registration or offer verified torrents only, which means they're private in the sense of not allowing everyone to upload content. So, here are our top picks in terms of private torrent sites and P2P search engines.
1. LimeTorrents - Best Semi-Private Torrent Tracker
Speaking of the old generation, LimeTorrents has managed to dodge all the legal challenges and shutdowns other big names have been hit with. The site has managed that mainly by being very careful about what it actually hosts in terms of data. Instead of putting actual torrent files (which have become legally dodgy) on the site, they just host the hash values of those torrents.
At the moment, this P2P repository is going underground. It seems as if the site is moving its torrent content to the deep Web, and you need to use the LimeTorrents client to access them. While this might seem a little overboard, LimeTorrents might very well be the last torrent sites that work when the dust finally settles, which is why you should keep them in mind.
2. IPTorrents - Best Private P2P Tracker
If you're dedicated to downloading torrents and being a part of a closed P2P community, you'll want to hear about IPTorrents. This is a private tracker, which means that someone must invite you. However, you can also choose to donate, which is another way to get access. Don't worry; IPTorrents is one of the oldest and most trustworthy private trackers out there.
Since this is a closed community, you'll find a curated library of over a million files. Those are verified, minimizing the risk of encountering malware. Also, IPTorrents' members are required to meet a certain seed ratio (to avoid having their accounts disabled), which results in sharing files that are pretty quick to download.
3. Torlock - Best for Downloading Verified Torrents
TorLock is known for offering verified torrents only. In other words, this torrent site's owners are doing plenty to avoid malware and other less-than-desirable consequences of unsafe torrenting. You should really keep this in mind, and this is why we recommend using TorLock—especially if you're new to the world of P2P.
This torrent repository offers a wide range of torrents from every category imaginable. Before you download one, you'll see all of its information, including metadata and the release group behind that torrent. This is designed to give you peace of mind, and we have to say that Torlock succeeds in its mission.
4. Torrends - Best Search Engine for Verified Torrent Files
While even the best P2P libraries look alike, some stand out thanks to their intuitive design. 'Torrends' is one such website. In fact, it is a torrent search engine that scrapes information from many highly active repositories.
Even if you don't know what to download, this website will provide numerous suggestions. You can see what's popular online and what other people are saying, and everything is broken down into easily digestible categories. This website also brings a list of mirror URLs, which is hugely helpful, considering that many torrenting sites are blocked in different parts of the world.
How We Tested the Best Torrent Sites?
In preparation for this guide, we tested dozens of torrent sites, paying particular attention to their content variety, overall safety, performance, community engagement, compatibility with VPNs, and more. Let's explain each step of our testing process:
- Content Availability and Variety: We looked for torrent sites with plenty of different types of mainstream and niche content, including movies, TV shows, books, software, and more.
- Download Speed and Performance: Using a well-seeded torrent, we tested the speed of each website to ensure that we recommend P2P sites with fast download speeds.
- Safety and Security Features: During this step, we paid attention to any intrusive ads or pop-ups and malware-infested files, as well as the availability of trusted (safe) uploaders.
- Overall Ease of Use: A good torrent site should be easy to use, with a functional search bar, in-depth filtering options, detailed descriptions, and similar.
- Community Engagement: We also checked for features that allow user feedback, such as a rating system, forum, or discussion section, as those help with finding high-quality torrents.
- Availability of Proxy and Mirror Sites: Torrent sites can sometimes go offline, so we wanted to ensure that most of our recommendations offer proxies and mirror alternatives.
- VPN Compatibility and Privacy: We also tested each torrent site to see how well it works with VPNs in terms of bypassing blocks and protecting digital privacy.
- Regional and Legal Considerations: In this step, we checked for access restrictions, as well as how well VPNs allowed us to regain access to each tested website.
- Reputation and Background Check: Finally, our team relied on online sources to check each site's reputation and possibly problematic situations in the past.
Torrent Sites That Are No Longer Available
Torrent libraries can disappear overnight, which is precisely what happened to the following websites. We wanted to list them to help you avoid potentially malicious clones and mirror sites. So, here are some previously popular options that are now offline indefinitely.
RARBG
Becoming a successful P2P site is a double-edged sword. Success also means being targeted the hardest. This applies to our previous recommendation but also to RARBG. Being one of the oldest P2P repositories of its kind, it managed to survive through several ups and downs – and is still one of the best sites for finding torrents.
Sheer torrent numbers are not that special anymore, though. Therefore, RARBG makes this list not only because it is so comprehensive - but also because it has a clean design. Even if it looks sparse and simple, the process of finding the torrent you want is easy and quick.
Zooqle
Zooqle is one of the new kids on the block, and as such, it tries to do some interesting new things. The main party trick is that torrents go through a verification process. This means that you're highly unlikely to find fake torrent files that either contain malware or are password-protected.
Zooqle is dedicated to TV shows and movie torrents (it's expanding to other categories as well). While that might limit the quantity of content, it does allow for some great quality additions.
For one thing, the site owners have created a smart little API that pulls metadata on video torrents from a movie database. So you see the artwork, reviews, and ratings all in one place. It's very polished and a good representation of the new-generation torrent search engines.
Why Do You Need a VPN for Browsing Torrent Sites?
VPNs practically make your Web traffic anonymous, making it difficult for anyone to see your P2P traffic. They also prevent trackers and keep you safe and private online. Let's check out some of the biggest benefits you'll get once you start using a VPN:
- Stay Ahead of Potential Legal Issues: Avoiding copyright infringement is imperative, but it can sometimes be hard to identify potentially problematic files. A VPN acts as a highly effective precautionary measure to stay on the safe side of the law.
- Defeat Any Torrent Site's Geo-Block: Each country blocks a different set of torrenting sites. If you find most torrent sites blocked in your country, all you need is a VPN. Pick a server abroad, and you'll see sites open without any issues.
- Do Your Torrenting in Private: Online services track your location based on your IP address, which also gets exposed in P2P swarms. To ensure no one knows about your torrenting activities, you need to hide and change your IP address by connecting to a VPN server.
- Reacher a Higher Level of Anonymity: A VPN will help you anonymize your Web traffic. That means your Internet provider won't see what you do online, what kinds of websites you visit, and what kinds of files you download or stream.
- Ensure Your Digital Security: VPNs are great for preventing data leaks, which means you'll be protected against malicious actors. Furthermore, today's best VPNs for torrenting have antimalware tools, so you can use them to scan smaller torrent files as soon as you download them.
- Evade ISP-Induced Bandwidth Throttling: Most Internet providers use selective throttling to cut their costs and save bandwidth. To regain the full speed of your connection, a VPN is needed, as it prevents ISPs from detecting your data packets and slowing you down.
- Download Over P2P Safely on Public Wi-Fi: In most cases, public Wi-Fi networks are designed to log your sensitive information, as well as track what you do online. A VPN can encrypt any Wi-Fi network, allowing you to use open networks without any fear.
- Regain Access to Your Home Sites While Traveling: Most countries block P2P-related sites in some way, and the same applies to country-based digital services like streaming apps. With a VPN, you can connect to a server back home and unblock the Web.
How to Choose the Best Torrenting Websites?
Before you decide on which P2P site to use, make sure to inspect its reputation, the size of its content library, how often new files appear, and how many visitors the site has. Here's a more comprehensive look at the requirements you need to follow:
- Research the Site's Age & Reputation:Â You'll want a long-standing P2P site with a proven track record of not going through extended periods of downtime. Lucky for you, there are plenty of websites that have been around for more than a decade now. Still, before using any P2P site, make sure to do some online digging about its reputation.
- Stick to Sites with Plenty of Monthly Visits: If more people flock to a specific torrent site, that usually means that there's something good about that site. In general, we highly recommend sticking to proven and long-standing torrent sites instead of being adventurous and trying newly released sites.
- Check the Site's Geo-Availability: P2P repositories typically don't impose geo-blocks, which means they work in any country out there. However, individual Internet providers can impose website blocks to prevent you from downloading torrents. Of course, that's something you can bypass using a VPN, but it's good to know what websites you can visit in your country.
- You'll Want a Rich Content Library:Â Today, we have several multi-purpose torrent websites that bring all kinds of files. It means that you can rely on those to download music, movies, software, and more. However, if you're into more specific types of content (like anime, for example), you're better off using a free torrent site that has niche content.
- Look for Advanced P2P Search Filtering: The best torrent sites host millions of torrents. Without advanced search filtering, you'll have a hard time finding the best file available. That's because you'll want to filter the available torrents by their date of upload or health, letting you more easily separate the best files available.
- Rely on User Comments & Ratings: There are plenty of benefits to using sites with active user communities. Rely on comments to check for any potential issues or other problematic aspects. You can also consult social media and forums for some recommendations.
- Inspect the Health of Individual Torrent Files:Â Having a website with millions of torrents isn't worth much if the health of those files is low. A healthy torrent file has more seeders than leechers, which allows you to download those files as fast as possible. In other words, you need to go for sites used by a large number of individuals.
- Test Download Speeds: Remember that you need a torrent site with more seeders than leechers, as that translates to fast download speeds. You can also check any torrent site's performance on your own by downloading a smaller file that's well-seeded, which is a good way to test the waters before downloading larger files.
- Avoid Sites with Heavy Advertisements:Â P2P sites generate revenue by serving ads. This is why many of them can be overly aggressive, with ads served in multiple forms. You can try finding a P2P site with fewer ads, but we recommend you use a capable ad blocker.
- Malware-Related Reputation: Most P2P sites have dealt with malware at some point in the past. To avoid a possible infection, go for a torrent site that brings verified torrents, which means they've been checked for safety. Also, try to download files from reputable release groups and use an anti-virus app to scan files before opening them.
What Are Torrent Sites?
Torrent sites are repositories of torrent files. In other words, they allow P2P users to share (upload and download) torrent files from any platform or device.
As explained above, torrent files don't come with any content. They're merely instructions for your torrent client, pointing to where their content is found. That's precisely why it's said that torrent files are decentralized files, as their content is never found on a single device.
As such, P2P repositories don't host any content, which is how they manage to evade laws related to copyright infringement (as most of their content is copyrighted).
How to Use Torrent Sites?
Downloading files from torrent sites is very simple - all you need to do is find a torrent file and install a torrent client on your device. Then, launch the torrent client to download the file's P2P data locally. Let's guide you through each step of the way:
- Make sure that you have a torrent client installed on your device. If not, you can use something like uTorrent for Windows or Transmission for Mac, which are the most popular options.
![Transmission WebTorrent Clients UI](data:image/svg+xml;charset=UTF-8,<svg%20xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"%20width="1600"%20height="900"%20viewBox="0%200%201600%20900"></svg>)
- Use a Web browser to visit any torrent site, for which you can use our recommendations.
- Navigate to a file you'd like to download. You can browse manually or use a search bar.
![Download P2P File Transmission Mac](data:image/svg+xml;charset=UTF-8,<svg%20xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"%20width="1200"%20height="675"%20viewBox="0%200%201200%20675"></svg>)
- Once you download the torrent file to your device, double-click to open it in your torrent client. You should see a dialog box asking you to confirm, or the file could be activated automatically.
![Torrentz Search Engine](data:image/svg+xml;charset=UTF-8,<svg%20xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"%20width="2560"%20height="1440"%20viewBox="0%200%202560%201440"></svg>)
- All that's left is to wait for the torrent file to download. That's it!
Why Are Some Torrenting Sites Blocked?
Many torrent sites are blocked worldwide by Internet providers due to piracy. After all, those sites are most often used to share copyrighted files.
In other words, even though P2P libraries also bring 100% legal-to-share data that belongs to the public domain, they also share copyrighted files. That includes commercially available music, TV shows, movies, software, games, and more.
Some countries have a blanket ban on torrenting, while others impose hefty fines. We also have many examples of countries with a relaxed stance on torrenting, where only certain sites are blocked, as well as a few countries where downloading copyrighted content is allowed for personal use. Here's a quick overview of the situation around the world:
Are Torrenting Sites Safe and Legal to Use?
Torrenting sites are legal to access and use in most countries. However, in some cases, their content might be illegal to download. So, let's explain that more clearly.
There's nothing wrong with using your browser to access torrent sites, no matter in which country you reside. If your Internet Service Provider has been ordered to block torrent sites, you'll see a message explaining the situation. However, know that you won't be doing anything wrong or illegal.
However, the truth is that P2P sites are primarily used to distribute copyrighted content. So, using and sharing that content leads to copyright infringement, which is what's illegal about torrenting. As long as you don't download copyrighted files, you'll be safe.
And in terms of their safety, know that torrent repositories can spread malware. That's because they are hugely popular, with their files being shared among millions. If a malicious actor uploads infected files, those files can easily spread.
That said, it's a good idea to use an antivirus app. Also, use common sense when picking files to download. Go for popular files only, with plenty of seeders, and inspect comments if that option is available on your favorite P2P site(s).
How to Stay Safe and Avoid Fake Torrent Sites?
By sticking to verified torrent files and using reputable sites, you can avoid the dangers that come with fake P2P files. There's plenty more you can do to stay safe, so let's review the best options:
- Download Verified Torrent Files Primarily: Many torrent sites (including the ones we recommended above) bring verified files, which have been checked before being made public. Those files should be free of malware and other risky aspects of downloading torrents.
- Don't Stray Away from Popular Torrent Files: Files with many seeders typically indicate that there's nothing with that data. In other words, if a file has been already downloaded thousands of times, chances are that someone would have already found something suspicious.
- Try Using a Private Search Engine: It's never a good idea to use Google to search for torrent files. Instead, turn to torrent search engines, which are designed to scrape P2P sites only. As such, they're a great way to reach dozens of P2P libraries at once.
- Research the File's Uploader: It's wise to stick to reputable uploaders. For example, YTS is a great release group of movies, and FitGirl is great for games. If you can, avoid using files from unknown or first-time uploaders.
- Check ZIP, RAR & TAR Archives for Malware: As a way to bypass antivirus apps, malware files are often hidden inside archives. Those can be ZIP, RAR, or TAR files, but many other types exist as well. Before "unzipping" any archive, check its contents first.
- Be Careful When Opening EXE Files: Windows users rely on EXE files to install applications. However, EXE files can come bundled with malicious files, avoiding antivirus systems. Use your antivirus to check any executable files before activating them.
- Use a Safe & Reputable Torrent Client: Torrent clients come in all shapes and sizes, but don't make the mistake of using the first one you find online. The best torrent clients, like uTorrent, qBitTorrent, or BitTorrent, can scan your files for malware and spyware.
- Don't Open Password-Protected Torrents: It's not unusual for malicious actors to upload password-protected files, asking you to visit some strange site to retrieve the password. In most cases, those sites are riddled with malware.
- Check Each Website's URL in the Address Bar: Copycat sites tend to imitate popular sites like Pirate Bay or 1337X by copying their design and using a similar-looking URL. Those are mostly malicious websites, so it's important to check each site's URL properly.
- Reads What Others Have Said: Popular torrenting sites typically have comment sections, letting individuals share their experiences and opinions. Checking those comments is often the fastest way to see if a torrent file is safe to download.
- Stay Away from Copyrighted Files: Most countries have laws that protect copyrights, which means you could be charged or forced to pay a hefty fine if you download copyrighted content. That said, it's best to stay away from copyright infringement.
Which Torrent Sites Should You Avoid?
In general, you should avoid obscure and unknown torrent sites, as they are typically poorly maintained, increasing your chances of encountering dangerous files. Here are some of the sites that have been linked with malware, meaning you should avoid them:
- SteamUnlocked - This site offers pre-installed games for various operating systems, which means you can simply download any of its offered games and run them instantly. However, there have been numerous instances of malware, spyware, and trojans. You can use an antivirus app to scan any files you download, but you'll also probably corrupt the game's files that way.
- Skidrow Group's Sites - Skidware is a so-called "warez" group, in charge of bypassing anti-piracy measures and distributing pirate games across many torrent sites. Due to the group's popularity, numerous sites have appeared trying to imitate the original Skidrow website, which is no longer available, to propagate malware and tracking code.
- SUMOTorrent - This torrent site doesn't screen the files uploaded to its library, which means you'll likely encounter malware. On top of that, SUMOTorrent used to force its users to download a proprietary torrent client that was found to integrate deeply into Windows to track users. As such, SUMOTorrent is among the most sketchy torrent sites out there.
- TorrentFunk - Aside from overly aggressive in-page ads and pop-ups, TorrentFunk doesn't check any of its content. You'll find torrent categories filled with fake torrent files, making it hard to identify what you'll end up with on your system. Furthermore, TorrentFunk offers a number of mirrors and proxies that use advertisements that engage in aggressive cross-site tracking.
- PassThePopcorn - This site used to be quite popular back in the day, focusing on movie-related torrents. However, even though PassThePopcorn is still available, new users haven't been able to register for a long time now. You'll find a huge number of schemes online that promise to offer invites, but all of those are scams designed to collect your sensitive data.
- Demonoid - Demonoid is one of the oldest P2P sites out there, first launched in 2003. After a long period of being offline, a new version has appeared, which isn't run by the original staff. It's filled with malware, based in the US, and credentials are practically impossible to obtain, while any features that promote user engagements have been stripped away from the website.
Even when using reputable torrent sites, it's essential to inspect each uploader's history and reputation. Site admins can't scan and check every single file, so it's best to avoid uploaders that are new to the P2P scene and stick to the proven ones only.
Which Torrent Sites Are Safe?
Sites such as 1337X, The Pirate Bay, YTS, and EZTV, as well as private torrent trackers, are generally safe to use. They all use various precautionary measures to prevent malicious uploads by screening their libraries, offering user engagement features, and more. That said, no matter which torrent site you choose, employing certain basic cyber-security practices is crucial.
In addition to carefully picking which torrent site to use and utilizing an antivirus application, you should also use a VPN to safeguard your sensitive information. There's no better tool than a VPN to ensure you're not tracked while engaging with P2P files and that your original IP address stays hidden while downloading torrents.
How to Access Private Torrent Sites?
There are three common ways to access a private torrent site - by registering, asking for an invite, or donating money.
In most cases, you must be invited by an existing member. So, research online and check social media websites or discussion boards to find someone willing to invite you. For example, Reddit and 8chan are good places to do that. More specifically, the r/OpenSignups subreddit is an excellent place to obtain credentials for private trackers.
Some private P2P communities might allow you to register from time to time (for example, once a month). So, make sure to visit those sites periodically and search for any upcoming registration periods. Finally, some might ask for your money, which helps them stay on top of their expenses. Be wary of P2P communities that ask for money, and check if they're credible and trustworthy by searching online.
Can Other People See What Torrents I Download?
Yes, pretty much anyone out there can see what you download. That's because when you download torrent files, your IP address gets exposed.
Know that your IP address can reveal your precise location, download history, and more. In the past, we've seen many cases where individuals were targeted through their IP addresses - and yes, we're talking about criminal and legal cases here.
Torrent files are nothing more than instructions for your torrent client. So, once you activate (start downloading) any torrent, your torrent client will contact various types of trackers.
Those are nothing more than publicly facing servers - listing your IP address. That also means that your IP address will be exposed to other individuals who download that same torrent file. And finally, that data will be visible to your ISP (Internet provider).
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, sticking to proven options when downloading torrents, such as 1337X, The Pirate Bay, and private torrent trackers, is crucial. This guide lists the best torrent sites available right now, all of which are safe to use, offer an endless library of files, and deliver fast speeds. More importantly, most of the sites featured above have screening systems, reducing your chances of encountering malware.
Of course, we'll also remind you that you have to use a VPN when torrenting. A VPN is the only way to access P2P sites privately and securely without exposing your IP address and sensitive data. Plus, VPNs give you access to every site featured in this guide, as they help unblock torrent sites with ease.
Finally, let's not forget that VPNs help scan for malware, block malicious domains, secure any Internet connection, and even bypass ISP-induced throttling. As such, they're an irreplaceable tool when torrenting.
That's it for this guide, which we hope you've found informative. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to post your comments below. Thanks for reading!
