Ivacy VPN offers P2P-friendly servers in countries like Belgium and France, allowing you to torrent without network or legal restrictions.
The VPN provider also offers port forwarding to get better download speeds when torrenting on your device.
A glance at the Ivacy VPN website shows that the provider recommends ten torrent sites, like The Pirate Bay and 1337x, lending further credence that it’s an excellent pick for torrenting movies, music, software, and other files.
Read on to learn how you can torrent with Ivacy VPN from anywhere.
Quick Guide to Download Torrents With Ivacy
Follow this simple guide to bypass censorship and download torrents safely with Ivacy:
- Buy an Ivacy VPN subscription.
- Download the Ivacy PC app.
- Connect to Ivacy’s P2P server locations (US, Canada, Netherlands, etc).
- Wait for connection confirmation.
- Enable the Internet Kill Switch.
- Start torrenting securely.
In the rest of this guide, I get into the specifics of using Ivacy for torrenting, the legal aspects of torrenting securely, and everything you need to do to bypass ISP/copyright detections. So, I recommend you keep reading for a more comprehensive approach to safe torrenting.
Does Ivacy Allow Torrenting?
Ivacy offers fast P2P servers in server locations where torrenting is legal.
Furthermore, in situations where you’re unsure whether torrenting is legal in your region, Ivacy encrypts (or hides) the files you share on the network from anyone else. This means your ISP or network admins can’t see the files you download or share with peers on the network.
If you’re unsure, though, take a look at some of these guides before you get Ivacy VPN:
- Is torrenting legal in the UK?
- Do you need to torrent privately in Australia?
- Can you go to jail for torrenting in Canada?
- Do you need a VPN to torrent in California?
Besides these interesting features, Ivacy packs a lot more in its VPN software for the best torrenting experience. Read on to discover why Ivacy is one of the best torrenting VPNs to consider today.
What Makes Ivacy Good for Torrenting?
Ivacy VPN offers a mix of safe server locations to torrent from, impressive P2P support on these servers and port forwarding for an even faster torrenting experience.
On top of that, the VPN provider supports secure downloads, so you never track malware onto your device unknowingly while downloading torrents.
That’s not all. So, make sure to check everything that makes Ivacy good for torrenting below.
1. Safe Server Locations
Ivacy VPN maintains 5700+ servers in 100+ locations, and most of these support torrenting. This gives you a wide range of servers without worrying about copyright infringements.
While the VPN provider is constantly adding new servers, some of the best server locations to torrent files from on Ivacy include:
- Germany
- Denmark
- Nigeria
- Netherlands
- Panama
- Sweden
- Russia
- Turkey
- Ghana
- UAE
- Latvia
One of the reasons I appreciate the extensive server location is the lack of overcrowding on individual servers.
Torrenting can be slow if too many torrent users are on one server.
So, with the option to switch to P2P (peer-to-peer) dedicated servers, you can enjoy faster torrenting.
I’ll discuss how Ivacy VPN is engineered explicitly for faster torrenting speeds below.
2. Zero Data-Logging Policy
Your data isn’t logged when you use Ivacy for torrenting.
This means Ivacy doesn’t collect:
- Usage logs: Shows the websites you visited and other internet activity when connected to the VPN (Virtual Private Network).
- Connection logs: Maps the time you connected to your internet activity, records your initial IP addresses, and monitors your VPN remote server IP address.
Without those logs, Ivacy can’t cooperate with the police if they ever come calling for your data.
On top of that, Ivacy is based in Singapore, which is outside all of the five, nine, and fourteen eyes countries. Since Singapore doesn’t have any firm data retention laws, your data can neither be seized by the government nor extradited to another country with which Singapore might be sharing intelligence.
In simpler words, your privacy is protected, and you’re kept anonymous on the network as you torrent files safely.
3. Secure Downloading
Torrenting is great, but threat actors see it as an opportunity to ship malware onto unsuspecting users’ devices.
However, even legitimate downloads can be corrupted by malware designed to steal sensitive information from your computer, extract financial payment from you, or perform other sinister tasks.
Fortunately, Ivacy features a real-time threat detection technology that scans your downloads for malicious codes. Likewise, the VPN can remove this malware alone while allowing the rest of your download to go through.
In high-threat cases, the VPN might notify you to cancel the download.
4. Fast Servers
I mentioned earlier that torrenting comes with speed concerns, depending on the number of users on a server at one time. This is where Ivacy comes in with speed-optimized servers for faster connections.
You can even automatically connect to the best P2P dedicated streaming server to get the best speeds rather than manually testing them yourself.
But that’s not all Ivacy does to guarantee speed.
Your ISP (Internet Service Provider) will throttle your bandwidth once it notices you’re using a lot of it in little time or you’re on torrent websites.
Ivacy’s AES 256-bit military-grade encryption means your ISP doesn’t see what you’re doing, so they must assume it’s regular internet traffic.
That way, you bypass throttling and can successfully use the full blast of your network speed for torrenting.
5. Split Tunnelling Support
Split tunnelling allows you to torrent securely via your Ivacy VPN connection while using the rest of the web locally. This is great when you want to follow local content and don’t want all of your internet traffic passing through the VPN’s remote servers during your torrenting session.
6. Automatic Kill Switch
Ivacy VPN’s automatic kill switch ties into the provider’s DNS and IP leak protection, ensuring you never suffer an occasional loss of data to your ISP, leading to copyright warnings.
The automatic kill switch is designed to stop your internet from transmitting once your VPN connection drops. By doing so, your encrypted data packages (which were keeping your torrenting safe from your ISP) don’t get leaked to the ISP.
Furthermore, this tells you that Ivacy VPN is constantly monitoring your activity to give you the best experience and secure your connection at the same time.
7. Port Forwarding
Port forwarding helps increase download speeds on P2P servers, especially when dealing with larger files.
This exponentially boosts your Ivacy VPN torrenting experience and gives you the room to download more files in lesser time. You now take advantage of
- The faster speeds you get from your ISP, unthrottled.
- The already-fast Ivacy VPN server.
- Port forwarding for even more download speed.
8. PC Multi-Platform Support
Ivacy supports iOS and Android mobile devices too. Still, since most of us torrent on our PCs, there must be PC support. Ivacy comes through with native app support for Mac, Linux, and Windows PC, so you’re never left stranded on any of your devices.
Additionally, you can use a single Ivacy subscription on ten devices.
This allows multiple users with different PC configurations to torrent without additional VPN subscription costs.
9. Secure Payments
Ivacy is one of those VPN providers that accept bitcoin and other forms of cryptocurrency payments.
In this guide to buying a VPN with cryptocurrencies, I discussed how they add an extra layer of anonymity to your online profile. After all, your payments can’t be traced traditionally on the decentralized platform.
Therefore, since the VPN purchase is divorced from your person, any online activity you perform anonymously (like torrenting) can’t be linked to your identity.
How to Download Torrents With Ivacy?
Before you download torrents with Ivacy, you first need to set up the VPN app for your PC.
Setup Ivacy on Your PC
Follow these steps to do so.
- Visit the Ivacy official website and hover on the “Download VPN” button.
- Choose the platform you want to download for. I’ll download it for Windows PC.
- Buy an Ivacy VPN plan.
- Install the app and log in with your account credentials.
- Search for countries/cities with P2P-friendly servers. You can choose from Denmark, Spain, or the Netherlands.
- Click the big button below to connect.
Enable the VPN Kill Switch
Even after successfully setting up the VPN service, you should enable your kill switch for complete protection. This allows the VPN to monitor your internet connection to cut off data transfers once the VPN connection drops, preventing your ISP from seeing your P2P activities.
Here’s how to do that.
- Click on the Settings icon in the left menu bar.
- Choose “Internet Kill Switch.”
- Toggle the “Activate Internet Kill Switch” to the On position.
Choose the Right Protocol
Ivacy VPN offers diverse protocols for flexible connection models.
You get WireGuard, TCP, UDP, L2TP, and IKEV. However, don’t let the app automatically choose one for you.
If you want the fastest speeds with the best protection, do this:
- Click the gear icon to access the settings area.
- Select “Connection.”
- Choose “WireGuard” for the fastest torrenting speeds and best security.
Torrenting With Ivacy
Now that you’ve done the above, you can start torrenting.
Here’s how.
Method #1 – Torrenting With the Basic Ivacy Settings
- Launch your preferred browser in Incognito Mode. This gives you an extra layer of protection.
- Check to confirm you’re protected. A simple Google search for “What is my IP” should show the new IP Ivacy assigned you if your connection is successful.
- Download your preferred torrent client. I prefer uTorrent (from BitTorrent).
- Go to your preferred torrent site. If you don’t have any you trust, check our list of the best 15 torrent sites and what they’re best for. (I prefer PirateBay)
- Search for any video, music, software, or other files you want to download.
- Click on the magnet icon near any file you want to torrent.
- You should be automatically redirected to your torrent client or get a popup like the one below. Confirm the application.
- Choose the preferred download folder and mark all associated files you want to download with the main file. Click Ok to confirm.
- Your download should start.
ALWAYS connect via the Ivacy app rather than its browser extension when torrenting.
Remember that you torrent via clients like BitTorrent and uTorrent, not your browser, so the extension alone won't protect your activity.
Method #2 – Torrenting on Ivacy via Port-Forwarding
Port-forwarding allows you to enjoy better speeds without sacrificing encryption or protection.
Depending on your specific torrent client, setting up port forwarding could be slightly different in-app. I’ll use uTorrent for this example, as before.
- Log in to the Ivacy online website.
- Hover on “Addons” and click “Port Forwarding.”
- Choose “Block all ports” and save changes with “Apply Settings.”
- Open your Ivacy PC app.
- Make sure you’re not connected to any remote server yet. Otherwise, cancel the connection.
- Click “Settings” from the left-hand menu.
- Select “Multi-Port” at the top.
- Toggle “Activate Multiport” and choose “TCP” on the popup page.
- Leave the selection at “Automatic” to allow the system to find you the best ports for torrenting.
- Connect to a preferred P2P-friendly server for torrenting (such as Spain) and take note of the port you get.
- Launch your uTorrent app, click “Options,” and choose “Preferences.”
- Under “Connection,” enter the port details (from Ivacy) in the provided box.
- Uncheck “Enable UPnP port mapping” and “Enable NAT-PMP port mapping,” then click “Apply” at the bottom of the page.
P2P Ivacy Torrent Tests: How Does It Fare?
Rather than blindly using Ivacy for torrenting, I decided to test different P2P servers to see how they fared.
Here’s a breakdown of everything I did before I started the tests:
- I chose five P2P-supported server locations to test from (Germany, Portugal, Canada, Sweden, and the Netherlands).
- I chose a single movie file at 1.19GB to download for better comparisons.
- I tested the initial torrent speeds without using a VPN.
During the tests, I took note of
- The maximum download speed for every server location.
- The average download speed for each server location.
- Average time for download completion.
With this data, it’s easier to see how well Ivacy fares for torrenting, so you can know whether to bother with it or toss it. Find the results of my tests below.
Ivacy Torrent Test Results
During my benchmark tests without connecting to a VPN server, I got a maximum download speed of 2.5MB/s with an average of 1.6MB/s over the 12 minutes, 14 seconds period it took to fully download the file.
Connecting to the P2P-friendly servers and downloading the same file via Ivacy, I had the following results.
| Test Location | Avg. Download Speed (MB/s) | Max. Download Speed (MB/s) | Time Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | 1.4 | 2.2 | 14 minutes, 45 seconds |
| Canada | 1.2 | 2 | 16 minutes, 22 seconds |
| Sweden | 1.3 | 2.1 | 15 minutes, 5 seconds |
| Germany | 1.2 | 1.9 | 17 minutes, 15 seconds |
| The Netherlands | 1 | 1.9 | 20 minutes |
I should mention that I didn’t conduct these tests at prime download times (midnight or early mornings in my region) and I still got decent download speeds.
Likewise, the speed drop difference from the benchmark wasn’t so noticeable, so Ivacy’s P2P servers are plenty optimized for speed, as they claim.
Interestingly, while the USA is one of the strictest regions with copyright laws, the P2P servers from that region performed the best. Depending on server availability, though, that might be different for you.
That’s why I prefer letting Ivacy connect me to the best and fastest server automatically.
What Is Ivacy’s P2P Policy?
I wanted to be sure that torrenting with Ivacy isn’t illegal or against the Terms of Service (ToS), so I combed through the VPN provider’s privacy policy and ToS pages.
The first thing I noticed was the support for P2P servers and some of the countries where the VPN provider has them. You’ll find that section in the screenshot below.
Digging further, I also found that Ivacy VPN isn’t against torrenting files, as long as you’re not infringing any copyrights. Find out how the VPN service puts it in their own words below.
That shows you everything you need to know about what Ivacy does and doesn’t support. However, this doesn’t mean that your torrent activity can be seen by anyone. It’s only a warning from the VPN provider that they haven’t made their service available for such purposes.
Is Ivacy Not Working With Torrents? (Troubleshooting Guide)
If your Ivacy VPN isn’t working for torrenting as you planned, one or more of the culprits below could be at fault. Follow this troubleshooting guide (in no particular order) to eliminate the problem.
- Not connected to P2P servers: Not all Ivacy servers are P2P-friendly. Some P2P-friendly servers (such as those in the Netherlands) are sometimes questionable. It’s best to connect to fully P2P and torrent-friendly regions like Turkey, Nigeria, and Sweden.
- Internet kill switch not enabled: Without an internet kill switch, your ISP can still know you’re torrenting whenever the VPN connection fails. Follow the simple guide above to enable the kill switch before you start torrenting.
- You’re using the browser extension: The Ivacy browser extension will only change your IP when you’re within the browser. Your internet activity becomes exposed as soon as the browser sends the download to your torrent client. This is why you should always get the Ivacy app instead of just the browser extension.
- Your internet connection is poor: Ivacy VPN can’t help you with higher internet speeds if you’re not getting good speeds from your ISP. Switch to a better ISP or move your router to a better location to enjoy better speeds.
- You’re not connected: Always check to see if your IP address has changed before you start torrenting. As an extra, only visit torrent sites in Incognito or Private browsing modes.
- Choose the proper protocol: Choose the WireGuard connection protocol for the fastest torrenting experience. This lightweight protocol doesn’t compromise security for speed either, so you remain protected.
- Contact customer support: Fortunately, Ivacy offers a Live Chat option to get in touch with customer support agents fast and resolve any connection issues you have. I’ve tested the support channel, which turned out fast and reliable.
Additionally, you might need to restart the VPN app and connect again to get it working. When it starts acting up, this is a common fix for VPN and non-VPN apps, especially after an extended use time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the Best Ivacy Torrent Server?
The best Ivacy torrent server will be located in a P2P-friendly country, support fast speeds, and won’t be overcrowded. Thanks to Ivacy’s 5700+ servers in 100+ locations, you can quickly find hundreds of superb torrent-supporting servers in different countries.
Does Ivacy Allow Seeding?
You can seed with Ivacy after downloading torrent files, even though I don’t recommend it. Enabling the internet kill switch protects your DNS and IP details when seeding such that your data isn’t leaked to copyright groups in the case of a VPN connection drop.
Enjoy Your Torrents With Ivacy
Ivacy presents a strong case with unique torrenting features, making it an excellent provider.
From allowing port forwarding to supporting P2P servers, on top of an internet kill switch, you have all you need in this one package.
Add that to the faster servers and smart connect feature to locate the best torrenting server faster, and we have a winner here.
On top of that, you can still try Ivacy VPN risk-free for 30 days to see if it’s the right VPN for you. If you don’t like what you see within the first 30 days, you can request a no-questions-asked refund from the VPN provider.
