Utorrent Alternatives 2018: Download Massive Files Fast and Secure

While the word is changing and migrating to streaming services with the influx of better bandwidth, we still chiefly use torrent clients for sharing big files. However, streaming services have made a huge market for itself and now has become a new big thing with major brands like Netflix and Amazon rushing in.

Before the acquisition by BitTorrent, uTorrent was the primary choice for sharing music, movies, and games on the Internet. But post-acquisition, BitTorrent sadly turned uTorrent into a grumpy old indoor cat. The platform switched from being to an open source to closed-source, stopping people from modifying its code and personalizing it for themselves. It gave in to advertisements and cluttered its simple interface. At present, It is also prone to security vulnerabilities which leave users at risk of being hacked and snooped. This led users to switch to open source BitTorrent clients and uTorrent alternatives, like qbittorent and Deluge.

So, we did some leg-work. We clicked definitively on the internet - tried and tested some of the top choices and compiled the 5 best free torrent clients, for you. And here is the list.

Disclaimer: TechNadu understands that while P2P sharing is perfectly legal, the method has been used in the past to share copyrighted material. In that vein, it is important to note that TechNadu does not condone any kind of copyright infringement. In the past, content creators have taken action both against websites and individuals who view copyrighted content illegally. 

1. qBittorrent

qBittorrent is a good news for anyone who is looking for a speedy alternative to uTorrent. This client uses the minimum computer resources to function compared to the other software that we tested. This has an inbuilt speed enhancer to increase the speed of downloads. Like most of the torrent clients, this supports both magnet links and torrent files and is conveniently free from any kind of extra software and toolbar.

qBittorent is at the top of our list for many reasons: it’s ad-free. So yes, no distractions – just plain simple interface like good old days. It features an ability to shut down or hibernate the computer after the downloads are complete – an inbuilt RSS reader to keep you updated from your favorite torrent sites - an ability to create torrents.

It also features an inbuilt torrent search engine and essential controls to access and operate its multiplane interface.

It is a well-composed software, and it’s free. If you want a reliable uTorrent alternative that’s fast and powerful, this is where you can settle with no disappointment.

2. Vuze

On visiting the official site of Vuze, it proudly claims that it is the ‘most powerful BitTorrent client on Earth, which isn’t an exaggeration, we found. While we are not completely sure about other planets, on Earth it does have a solid base to feature that claim.

We are not afraid to call Vuze the best uTorrent alternative, provided one is tolerant to advertisements - most of us are not. But, that’s not a deal breaker in this case once you look in the package.

Vuze has exciting features with a simple interface that comes in two comfortable flavors: Vuze Leap (powerful but with ads) and Vuze Plus (full-featured client with integrated virus protection and preview ability to play media files). While Vuze leap does feature ads, it has a neat interface that slices off through jargons. It has progressive features: RSS feeder, Bandwidth regulator, and warnings support. It is compatible with all the major operating systems on earth, even Yosemite. Can you believe it?

The yearly plan for Vuze play goes up to $29.90 per year, which is a fair price considering the number of features you get in the package.

It’s a seamless uTorrent alternative and one that wouldn’t disappoint; all you have to do is ask yourself a question, “Am I fine with Ads?”

3. Tixati

Tixati is on our list because it is unique. This client has fancy torrent based features with an extra one that sets the mood for new generation torrenting: chat channels. Other torrent clients seemingly don’t feature the chatting option which comes handy while downloading and uploading a heavy file and asking for seedings if needed. The chat channels are anonymous and decentralized. It also gives an extra layer of encryption and security features. So, even if you are an anxious soul, it will take care of you, most of the times.

Tixati, by default, has an over-the-top look that features deep red-green graphs, but that’s not too bad as it can be changed with some quick setting.

Tixati is very light on the system resources and it works fast as you would expect it to. It is free of all the negatives of a typical torrent client: malware, viruses, and ads. It also features a few extra benefits like bandwidth regulator, DHT, Torrent hunt, and UPnP.

4. Deluge

There are a couple of reasons we have considered Deluge in our list. First, it is powerful with extendable plug-ins. This means you can add more features to the client as per the requirement and keep it as slim as you like. Deluge chiefly hints towards the minimalistic approach and doesn’t pack any extra software with it.

Deluge also has some clever features up its sleeves and gives much control to its users. For eg, you can adjust speed as per your network and also schedule them, add downloads alphabetically, move your downloads to a specific folder, integrate the client with your browser which supports both the major browsers in the world: Chrome and Firefox.

The client has a BitTorrent based encryption and resembles qBitTorrent in terms of its design and user interface. It also includes typical functions of a torrent client like peer exchange, encryption, Bandwidth regulator, Speed perimeter, password security, UPnP and more.

Deluge comes at no cost attached to it and supports all the primary operating systems including Mavericks and Yosemite.

5. BitTorrent

BitTorrent is owned by BitTorrent Inc, the same brand that acquired uTorrent back in 2016. We have included this torrent client because apart from being a big name, it is unique in its own way. The client features commenting, reviewing and web-based seeding.

As far as the design of BitTorrent is concerned, it looks like a lost twin of uTorrent with a heel to head similarity - with some exceptions of logos and shades. The basic version entertains adware and ad, but you can buy the Pro version with additional benefits for less than $20 a year, which is a fair deal.

It also has some extra benefits that might interest you, an ability to alter bandwidth limits, remote control if you know how to set it up and use it, and some typical torrent controls.

The reason that lured us to put BitTorrent on our list is its stability and the trust that it gained over the years, although one might get irritated by ads and book a return ticket right away. But, if you don’t mind some ads flashing around, it’s a fair deal.

Are the torrent clients legal?

For more than a decade now, the torrent has earned a reputation for being a platform that promotes Piracy. But to be accurate, torrents or torrent clients are not illegal in themselves. In fact, Torrents made heavy file sharing possible which was way too complex of an activity in the past. Torrents have many other legitimate uses. It also acts as an open source software that helps to share the material in the public domain.

Chiefly, the legal and illegal tag is dependent on whether one is downloading the content that is allowed to be shared on a public domain or not. If it is a copyrighted item and doesn’t mention anything about public distribution, it probably is illegal to download. Nonetheless, torrents have survived over a decade of technological revolution, because of its greater good.

To add an extra layer of security, you can start using a VPN. To get started, you can take a look at our overview of the best VPNs for torrenting.

Final Words

Anyone who is looking for a decent alternative to uTorrent, your search should stop within this article. You might find the one you like, and the other for a back up in case the first goes down. As per a report in June, more changes are expected in both, the uTorrent for Mac and Windows, for its recent acquisition by Justin Sun, the founder of Tron Cryptocurrency. Well, these are enough reasons for users to stop uTorrent downloads and find a new reliable friend.

At this moment, many of you might be sitting on your couch – thinking that in our ‘world of options’ there must be tens of reliable torrent clients. But, it is not as it seems. While researching for this article, we found that there are only some handful options, and most of them are suffering from malware and vulnerabilities.

We sincerely hope that you manage to get your files quick and fast, without any hassle and these suggestions will help you achieve that.

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