Opera VPN is not suitable for torrenting because it only encrypts traffic that goes through your browser, meaning torrenting and other online activities are visible to your ISP.
There are several other reasons Opera VPN is not good for torrenting, these include:
- Logs of your torrenting activity may be visible to your ISP.
- Your data might be sold to third parties for marketing purposes.
- Server locations are limited, shared between millions of users resulting in slow speeds.
- Opera VPN does not support torrenting.
Keep reading to take a deeper dive into torrenting using Opera VPN and why you might want to consider another provider before starting your next torrent download.
Short on time? If you’re here to get up and running without your torrent activity being tracked, I’ve listed some of the best Opera VPN alternatives below.
Opera VPN Alternatives
Although there is a wide range of browsers offering a free VPN, my recommendation is to select a premium VPN for torrenting with a native app that allows torrenting, does not log your activity, and hides your identity from your ISP.
My top Opera VPN alternative is NordVPN, because it offers a native app and browser extension to ensure all of your online activity is protected, not just the traffic that passes through your browser.
NordVPN operates a no-logs policy out of Panama, meaning none of your torrenting activity is tracked, and even if it was, NordVPN’s operational location is outside of the government’s jurisdiction to hand over any logs if they were requested.
You can expect military-grade encryption from NordVPN to anonymize your online identity, a great selection of server locations, and prices that outweigh many other big-name VPN providers.
ExpressVPN and Surfshark were my runner-up Opera VPN alternatives.
Both providers operate a zero-logs policy outside the five eyes jurisdiction in the Virgin Channel Islands, they include apps and browser extensions, and most importantly, they allow torrenting.
Does Opera VPN Allow Torrenting?
Yes, Opera VPN does allow torrenting as theoretically, there is nothing to suggest Opera VPN prohibits the use of torrenting. It’s just the fact that you cannot download the contents of those torrents via a browser.
You can hide your identity while accessing the torrent website to download a torrent file, but your IP address is only hidden up until this point.
Opera VPN splits your browser traffic from the connections of other applications, so once you open the torrent connection to download a video, game, piece of software, etc., your IP address is visible to your ISP.
Does Opera VPN Work With uTorrent?
No, Opera VPN does not work with uTorrent. This is because uTorrent requires a native desktop application to communicate with the torrent network.
Because Opera VPN only encrypts traffic sent via your browser, any P2P connectivity via the uTorrent application will be visible to your ISP.
At a minimum, your ISP will be able to see the IP address of the user downloading a torrent file. An alert will also be sent to the copyright owner of the content to notify them that their material (video, games, music, etc.) is being downloaded illegally.
Why Does Opera VPN Not Work While Torrenting?
Opera VPN does not work with torrents because it only protects your privacy until the point of downloading a torrent file via its browser.
After that, your IP address is traceable by your ISP.
If you are detected downloading content illegally, this will also send a notification to the copyright owner with your IP address using advanced scanners and tracking agents.
There have been reports of users activating Opera’s VPN only to get a warning from their ISP for copyright infringement.
You could visit a torrent website with Opera’s VPN enabled and download a torrent or source a Magnet Link without fear of prosecution as you’re technically doing nothing illegal.
If you intend on establishing a connection by opening the file or Magnet Link, you’d be safer to use a provider like NordVPN to secure all of your internet traffic.
Unfortunately, this renders Opera VPN pointless as you could do all of the above using a single VPN.
Is Opera VPN Enough For Torrenting?
No, Opera VPN is not sufficient for torrenting as it does not offer encryption for your torrenting activities. There are also some other reasons many steer clear of Opera VPN for torrenting:
Connections Are Slow
Opera VPN only has servers in a limited number of locations and will choose the best server based on your location. They offer servers in America, Germany, Singapore, Canada, and The Netherlands, so if you’re in the UK, it’ll mean your nearest server will be Germany.
Although Opera states that their ‘’VPN is a free service, and the amount of data you are allowed to transfer is unlimited.’’ however it also adds that ‘’browsing speeds will depend on the current server load.’’
In other words, if there are millions of concurrent users on a single server, your speeds could be low.
Unfortunately, millions of users share these free servers across the globe, resulting in reports of painfully slow connection speeds.
Free VPNs Sell Your Data
VPNs require servers to function, and those servers need to be maintained to ensure they’re always running smoothly, which involves staffing – which equates to paying someone.
Opera VPN may sell or share your data with third parties for marketing purposes to recoup the costs of running these servers.
Opera VPN admits they may collect your data for “promotional campaigns and advertising” in their privacy statement. For the most part, you won’t even know what data is being transferred or shared with others.
Designated server locations are unavailable
Opera VPN does not offer designated server locations that could potentially alert the likes of ISPs using scanners and tracking technology to identify IP addresses performing illegal activities such as torrenting.
Because Opera VPN doesn’t designate server locations, it means every user connected to the same server location will share the same IP address.
This can prove dangerous in ensuring your internet traffic is hidden and that nothing can be traced back to you.
Unclear Logging Policy
Opera VPN’s privacy policy states: ‘’When you use our built-in VPN service, we do not log any information related to your browsing activity and originating network address.’’
Although they do not track your original IP address, you’ll get assigned a new IP address once connected to their VPN, meaning your activity for that address could be tracked and logged.
Opera VPN is managed by SurfEasy which operates out of Canada. Canada is part of the five eyes alliance which means any of your internet activity can be shared among the other members of the alliance, and handed to government figures if requested.
Opera VPN Reddit (Opinions)
The general vibe from online communities like Reddit discussing the effectiveness of Opera VPN is pretty negative.
Several users back the fact that Opera VPN only protects your browning activity.
While others explain that users aren’t discouraged from downloading illegal or copyrighted material via Opera VPN.
Overall, the response from the community about Opera VPN is not the greatest, and many advise avoiding its use for torrenting or remaining anonymous online.
Safer and More Effective Alternatives to Opera VPN
If you are set on hiding your torrenting activity from your ISP, there are a lot of great providers that shield your online identity.
- NordVPN is a wallet-conscious VPN provider with a wide range of server locations, operating a zero-logs policy and military-grade encryption.
- ExpressVPN provides advanced privacy features, offers a native app and browser extension to anonymize all online activities with 256-bit encryption.
- Surfshark offers highly affordable subscriptions, unlimited simultaneous connections, and allows the use of torrenting.
- CyberGhost offers a free browser extension or a premium desktop app to secure all online traffic, a decent range of servers, and doesn’t keep logs.
- VyprVPN’s ‘’Chameleon Protocol’’ means they own all of their servers, resulting in super-fast, log-free, and highly secure servers.
Does Opera VPN Work With Netflix?
Yes, there are various reports of Opera VPN unblocking Netflix, although it has been known to struggle with geo-restrictions for other services like BBC iPlayer.
Although Netflix has been confirmed to work well with Opera VPN across various regions, it should be noted that it is not consistent across the board.
Some users report Netflix as working fine with the servers in Asia and America, while there are instances where users fail to connect with any of the servers.
Fortunately, Opera VPN does not come with any bandwidth limits, making it an excellent tool for use with streaming services that require a steady stream of bandwidth to function.
Conclusion
Opera VPN is an unsafe solution to peer-to-peer or torrenting activity as it leaves your connection vulnerable and visible to ISPs.
I would recommend choosing an alternative VPN provider that protects all of your internet activity across your device to hide your torrenting activities from prying eyes.
My top Opera VPN alternative is NordVPN (grab an exclusive deal) because it protects all of your internet traffic, it doesn’t log your activity, and speeds are excellent across the board.