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15 Best Torrent Sites in 2024 (Tested & Working)

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As the number of online streaming platforms continues to grow, so does the popularity of torrenting.

However, it’s crucial to utilize only the best and safest torrent sites available.

Navigating the vast landscape of torrent sites can be challenging, as many are plagued with low-quality files, intrusive pop-up ads, and viruses.

That’s where I come in.

As an avid user of peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing, I maintain an up-to-date list of the best torrent sites to ensure a secure and reliable experience.

To help you avoid potential risks and find trustworthy sites that still work, I’m sharing my curated list with you!

Attention Torrenters!

Downloading torrents without a VPN poses significant risks!

Whether you’re acquiring music, e-books, comics, TV shows, or movies, be aware that copyright trolls and ISPs are actively pursuing torrent users. It’s imperative to use a VPN while torrenting, as it conceals your identity and encrypts your internet traffic, ensuring that no one can access the contents of your online activity.

Please keep in mind that although torrenting has legitimate applications, it’s also frequently used to unlawfully distribute copyrighted material.

I do not support or condone any illegal activities associated with torrenting.

Nonetheless, cybersecurity and privacy concerns remain the same regardless of your torrenting intentions.

Thus, if you decide to torrent, do so responsibly and safely.

An essential tool for maintaining safety while torrenting is a VPN.

Don’t forget to explore our guide on the Best VPNs for Torrenting to further enhance your security and privacy.

Quick Overview of the Best Torrent Sites

In a rush?

Here’s a sneak-peek at the best torrent sites:

I recommend reading the full report below, though.

I talk about what each torrent site is best for, known mirror links, and (where appropriate) things to watch out for.

What Constitutes a Good Torrent Site?

When curating and updating this list, I consider the essential attributes that make a torrent site exceptional.

Of course, the site must be functional to qualify as a good torrent site, let alone one of the best.

However, there are several other factors to take into account:

  • Age (Resilience) – Torrent sites often face government scrutiny due to copyright laws. The longer a site has been operational, the more resilient it is against take-downs.
  • Age (Reliability) – Longevity also speaks to a site’s reliability. Sites plagued with malware and viruses tend to lose users quickly. However, don’t assume an older site is immune to issues.
  • Proxy/Mirror Links – These links allow access to the site’s content if the main domain is blocked by your government or ISP, making them crucial for users in countries with geo-restrictions.
  • Library Size and Variety – A vast and diverse library increases the likelihood of finding the desired content. Niche content seekers may prefer smaller, specialized sites.
  • Monthly Traffic – High user traffic over time generally indicates a quality content library.
  • Number of Seeders – More seeders improve the sharing process, so the higher the number, the better.
  • Download Speeds – Speeds can vary significantly, but faster sites are preferable.
  • Security – Although difficult to measure, a site that actively removes malicious files is safer for users.
  • Ads and Pop-Ups – Ideally, torrent sites should minimize ads and pop-ups, as they can be irritating, slow connection speeds, and introduce malware.
  • Instant Download – The best torrent sites enable instant downloads without additional steps or account creation requirements.

The Best Torrent Sites That Still Work in March 2024

Are you ready to explore my carefully curated list of the best torrent sites and discover what makes each one worthy of inclusion?

Let’s dive in!

1. RARBG

rarbg site

While not as old as ThePirateBay (with a launch date of 2008), RARBG is recognized as one of the most reliable torrent sites.

In fact, I tend to use RARBG more often than any other site.

And that’s because its reputation for high-quality downloads is more than well-deserved.

One of the reasons for this is that, unlike ThePirateBay (and most others on my list), RARBG doesn’t allow just anyone to upload a torrent file.

All uploads and uploaders are verified by RARBG moderators, adding an extra layer of quality control and security to the site.

This doesn’t mean you’ll never get a bad torrent from RARBG, of course.

And having a great (and well-deserved) reputation among torrenters does come at a price…

RARBG hasn’t been able to fly entirely under the radar.

So there’s a good chance plenty of users will find the site geo-blocked unless you’re using a good torrenting VPN.

Another thing I love about RARBG is how clean and intuitive the interface is.

While there are category pages, you can also use the search function.

And when looking through the search results, you’ll see screenshots, posters, album art, and software brand images show up!

One trick I’ve learned is to click the “S” column header in the search results.

This reorganizes them from the highest to lowest number of seeders.

The only thing to look out for is the possibility of pop-ups.

Chrome users have been complaining for years that the browser’s pop-up blocker doesn’t work on RARBG.

One Redditor’s solution was to use the Poper Blocker and enable overlay blocking.

I’m not comfortable linking to the extension’s page as they log your website visits.

As always, I recommend using Firefox instead – and I find the uBlock Origin extension works perfectly without invading your privacy.

Struggling to get the official site to load?

Try these mirror links:

rarbgmirror.com/index80.php, rarbgprx.org/index80.php, rarbgunblock.com/index80.php.

Popular Searches?

Fast and Furious F9, Jungle Cruise, Black Widow

Number of Seeds/Leeches? 

9133/4806, 5902/6873, 5236/925

Library Size?

800,000+

Invasive Ads?

No

2. ThePirateBay

the pirate bay site

ThePirateBay is such a popular torrent site that its name is practically synonymous with torrenting.

And no wonder – it’s easily the oldest torrent site still up and running.

Believe it or not, despite numerous attempts to take it down (and even having founding members like Peter Sunde arrested), ThePirateBay has been going strong since 2003!

It remains a go-to option as one of the best torrent sites, thanks to its easy-to-navigate layout, which includes an intuitive search function.

And thanks to its popularity, ThePirateBay has one of the largest content libraries available – and plenty of seeders for incredible download speeds.

ThePirateBay also makes great use of magnet links, which offer an even faster, more convenient way to download torrents.

In fact, magnet links are the default on ThePirateBay!

Other than the usual cautions, the biggest problem you’re likely to have with ThePirateBay is geo-blocking.

But, of course, with a good torrenting VPN, geo-blocks won’t be a problem for you.

Struggling to get the official site to load?

Try these mirror links:

thepiratebay.vip, thepiratebay.rocks, thepirate-bay.org.

Popular Searches?

Fast and Furious 9, Godzilla vs. Kong, Friends the Reunion

Number of Seeds/Leeches? 

2505/503, 2325/132, 1912/80

Library Size?

3,200,000+

Invasive Ads?

No

3. 1337x

1337x site

1337x is a year older than RARBG, having been launched in 2007.

Depending on where you look, 1337x is often listed as the third most popular torrent site based on web traffic.

This is no surprise – like my first two choices, it has a massive content library spanning every category you can imagine!

The interface is also clean and organized, making it easy to find what you’re looking for.

And, similar to RARBG, the search results will show how many times a particular torrent file was downloaded and how many seeders and leechers there are.

1337x will even show you when its moderators last checked a torrent!

But there are a few issues that continue to keep it from being my go-to torrent site.

First, the ads on 1337x are usually sleazy to the extreme.

For this reason, I strongly recommend using uBlock Origin if you use the site – or, if you use NordVPN, make sure the CyberSec ad-blocking feature is enabled!

Second, some of those ads host malware and spyware, making a secure malware blocker (like either of the two mentioned in the previous paragraph) even more critical.

You’ll also want to use a reliable antivirus like Malwarebytes or VirusTotal to scan your torrent downloads.

Even though the 1337x moderators seem to be doing a good job, I still get more malicious downloads than my #1 recommendation.

But overall, if I can’t find what I’m looking for on RARBG or ThePirateBay, 1337x is sure to have it!

Like the previous two torrent sites, 1337x obviously has an issue with geo-blocking due to its popularity.

But you know the solution for that by now: use a good torrenting VPN.

Struggling to get the official site to load?

Try these mirror links:

1337x.tw, 1377x.is, 1337xx.to.

Popular Searches?

Black Widow, The Tomorrow War, Loki

Number of Seeds/Leeches? 

8425/3595, 2330/403, 5269/579

Library Size?

2,300,000+

Invasive Ads?

Without adblocker

4. TorLock

torlock site

TorLock is an excellent torrent site to visit if you’re using P2P file-sharing for the first time.

The site offers a very beginner-friendly experience to match its massive content library.

And while that library isn’t as extensive as my top three recommendations, you’ll still find stuff here that other torrent sites won’t have!

Similar to 1337x, the biggest problem you’ll have on TorLock is the pornographic/disturbing ads.

As always, a trustworthy ad-blocker is highly recommended, especially as some of those ads can be malicious as well.

Nevertheless, TorLock more than deserves its spot as my #4 best torrent site.

All content hosted on TorLock is verified by the site’s moderators, adding an extra layer of reliability (though you’ll still want to scan downloads).

Where TorLock stands out from the crowd is that if you do end up getting a fake or malicious download, it’ll pay you to report it so the torrent can be removed!

And though TorLock has been around since 2010, it’s also managed to fly under the radar better than most.

Australia, India, and the UK are almost the only countries with geo-blocked access to the site so far.

Struggling to get the official site to load?

Try these mirror links:

torlock2.com, torlock.unblockit.lat, tlock.unblocked.to.

Popular Searches?

The Grotesque Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Ted Lasso S02E02

Number of Seeds/Leeches? 

111/292, 1066/2171, 405/132

Library Size?

7,000,000+

Invasive Ads?

Without adblock

5. Torrentz2

Torrentz2 site

Torrentz2 is a much newer site, having been launched in 2016.

But, as its name might reveal, it’s actually the rebirth of Torrentz, one of the most popular torrent search engines from 2003 to 2016.

One of the reasons Torrentz was, and now Torrentz2 is, so popular is that it truly acts as a torrent search engine rather than a regular torrent site.

Instead of hosting torrents itself, it sources content from other sites for the user.

Unfortunately, that ended up being the original site’s downfall, as it attracted enough attention to sink under back-to-back legal issues.

Nevertheless, Torrentz2 has a neat, uncomplicated layout – and no ads whatsoever.

And because it acts as a torrent search engine, Torrentz2 can help you save a ton of time instead of going from one torrent site to the next.

It’s also keeping a much lower profile than the original.

And yet, Torrentz2 also manages to keep the old feel alive with a primary focus on music.

In fact, you can often use Torrentz2 to find decade-old torrents that still have 20+ seeders!

You can even use the torrent search engine to find the eBooks and papers you need without digging through more niche (and obscure) torrent sites.

The only downside is that Torrentz2 doesn’t host the content itself, so you can’t always be sure you’re getting the safest files.

But being able to see the active seeders definitely makes it easier to find the right one to download!

Struggling to get the official site to load?

Try these mirror links:

torrentzeu.org, torrentz2.cyou, torrentz2eu.in.

Popular Searches?

N/A (Torrent Search Engine)

Number of Seeds/Leeches? 

N/A (Torrent Search Engine)

Library Size?

31,102,111+

Invasive Ads?

No

6. TorrentDownloads

TorrentDownloads site

TorrentDownloads is a worthy addition to our list of the most reliable torrent sites, especially for finding obscure software.

But don’t worry, it’s not just software.

You can also find plenty of movies, series, and eBooks!

Its database is massive, with over 16 million torrents.

The website (which has been up since 2007) has a clean interface and an advanced search function, letting you search by category, status, and content.

Results will also display each torrent’s number of seeders and health, making it easy to find safe links with good download times.

One downside is that there are some annoying (and potentially malicious) pop-ups.

But, as before, reliable ad-blockers like uBlock Origin or NordVPN’s CyberSec will help keep your torrenting experience pop-up-free.

The good news is TorrentDownloads keeps a relatively low profile.

Torrenters in the UK will definitely need to use a VPN to get past the country’s geo-blocks, but most other countries haven’t tried pulling the plug yet.

Struggling to get the official site to load?

Try these mirror links:

torrentdownloads.me, torrentdownloads.net, torrentdownloads.123unblock.best.

Popular Searches?

Fast and Furious F9, Batman The Long Halloween Part 2, The Forever Purge

Number of Seeds/Leeches? 

12949/10392, 1168/442, 735/190

Library Size?

16,000,000+

Invasive Ads?

Without adblocker

7. LimeTorrents

LimeTorrents site

LimeTorrents, which launched in 2009, has become one of the largest torrent sites and is considered another beginner-friendly option.

But you might not want to jump straight to LimeTorrents.

While newer torrents have many seeders, older ones tend to be forgotten, leading to frustratingly slow downloads.

There’s also an imbalance where some files are verified, but many aren’t.

This makes it less of a beginner-friendly recommendation than TorLock, as it’s easy to get lulled into a false sense of security that leads to downloading infected files.

And, unfortunately, I did run into some fake links.

Additionally, when I visited LimeTorrents in Chrome, I also got several pop-ups, though this wasn’t an issue in Firefox.

Nevertheless, LimeTorrents’s interface makes it a decent alternative if you can’t find what you’re looking for elsewhere.

When you search for content, you’ll find direct links to content categories, as well as information on when a torrent was first uploaded, its size, and seeder to leecher ratio (the latter is listed under “Health”).

Struggling to get the official site to load?

Try these mirror links:

limetorrents.info, limetorrents.asia, limetor.com.

Popular Searches?

Fast and Furious F9, Kingdom Ashen of the North, Blood Red Sky

Number of Seeds/Leeches? 

18354/14112, 2843/427, 2,586/450

Library Size?

14,000,000+

Invasive Ads?

Yes

8. EZTV

EZTV site

EZTV is a very niche torrent site that’s been around since 2005.

But in that niche – TV shows and series – it’s undoubtedly one of the most trustworthy torrent sites, making it a must-have for my list!

There’s a huge selection to choose from, including both obscure older shows and newer releases.

You can even choose to keep up with upcoming shows, thanks to EZTV’s live “countdown list” – though I’ll repeat my earlier caveat that I’m not sharing this list to avoid promoting the illegal download of copyright material.

But there is a downside to EZTV: there’s no option for downloading full seasons, so you’ll need to grab each episode individually.

For doing so safely, I recommend using a fast torrenting VPN.

Once upon a time, EZTV was also ad-free.

But since 2015, ads have crept in – and while I haven’t seen any malicious ones yet, they can be quite annoying.

Struggling to get the official site to load?

Try these mirror links:

eztv.tf, eztv.yt, eztv.wf.

Popular Searches?

Private Eyes S05E04, Ted Lasso S02E02, Love Island S03E17

Number of Seeds/Leeches? 

163/61, 174/58, 114/31

Library Size?

152,000+

Invasive Ads?

Without adblocker

9. Zooqle

Zooqle site

Zooqle is newer than most torrent sites on my list, having been launched in 2013.

But it quickly made a name for itself as one of the most popular alternatives to ThePirateBay!

Part of the reason is that Zooqle has an extensive database covering movies and series especially – though you can also find games, software, and eBooks.

The site’s homepage prominently displays the torrents that are the most popular based on seeding numbers.

This can potentially save you a search – though if not, the search bar will usually help you find it.

While it’s a good thing Zooqle has kept a relatively low profile, part of the reason it avoids attracting attention is the huge number of pop-ups.

These can be incredibly annoying to close, especially if you don’t notice those that open behind the active window.

I always recommend using something like uBlock Origin to stay safe while browsing in general, but with Zooqle it’s a must.

As is a good anti-malware software to make sure you aren’t caught with a malicious download.

Struggling to get the official site to load?

Try these mirror links:

zooqle.nocensor.cyou, zooqle.g2g.casa, zooqle.unblocked.krd.

Popular Searches?

Black Widow, Trolls World Tour, Joker

Number of Seeds/Leeches? 

5129/1469, 692/142, 2660/336

Library Size?

4,900,000+

Invasive Ads?

Without adblocker

10. Nyaa.si

Nyaa.si site

If you’re a fan of anime, then Nyaa.si might be the niche torrent site for you!

As its name might give away, Nyaa.si is a Japanese torrent site.

And you might be surprised to hear that it only started up in 2017 as a replacement for the original Nyaa platform.

Given the focus on anime video and audio, the site is (understandably) limited to content from China, Korea, and Japan for the most part.

Ultimately, the real reason I put Nyaa.si so low on my list of the best torrent sites is the narrow niche focus.

But, as I said, if that’s a niche of content you’re looking for, then it’s the best of its kind!

Plus, you can easily see if you’re getting an entire season or just one episode, as well as the language and if the torrent includes subtitles.

Struggling to get the official site to load?

Try these mirror links:

nyaa.net, nyaa.eu, sukebei.nyaa.si.

Popular Searches?

Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken 40, Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon S02E04, Boku no Hero Academia 105

Number of Seeds/Leeches? 

1521/31, 1145/37, 1026/11

Library Size?

N/A

Invasive Ads?

No

11. ETTV

ETTV site

ETTV is a great alternative to EZTV if all you’re interested in is series!

I wanted to include some comparable alternatives in my list of the best torrent sites.

One of the only reasons ETTV is listed as the EZTV alternative (rather than the other way around) is that this one isn’t as popular.

One great thing about the site is that it covers many genres and includes old, obscure content and newer shows.

ETTV is less likely to have the latest episodes available, though.

Still, if you don’t mind waiting a few weeks, that shouldn’t be much of an issue for you.

Struggling to get the official site to load?

Try these mirror links:

ettv.be, ettv.unblockninja.com, ettv.unblockit.id.

Popular Searches?

Fast and Furious F9, Monkey King, Break

Number of Seeds/Leeches? 

3004/2976, 1201/312, 478/467

Library Size?

150,000+

Invasive Ads?

No

12. TorrentFunk

TorrentFunk site

TorrentFunk is best compared to Torrentz2 as an interactive torrent search engine – one that’s been around since 2011.

However, it doesn’t act the same way.

In fact, it might be more accurate to call TorrentFunk an aggregator torrent site rather than a true torrent search engine.

Rather than acting as a search engine would, TorrentFunk displays some torrents on its homepage.

These torrents are pulled from other torrent sites, including ThePirateBay, EZTV, and YTS (one we haven’t covered yet, but it’s coming up).

The good news is, TorrentFunk shows when the original torrent site’s moderators have verified a torrent link (whether a direct or magnet link).

You can also see extra info like its upload date, number of seeders, and who the original uploader is.

However, if you’re looking for a torrent search engine to save time instead of hopping from one torrent site to the next, I recommend starting with Torrentz2.

TorrentFunk as an aggregator works against it in this sense, as you aren’t as likely to find more obscure content.

Struggling to get the official site to load?

Try these mirror links:

torrentfunk2.com, torrentfunk.unblockit.app, torrentfunk.unblocked.mx.

Popular Searches?

Black Widow, Space Jam A New Legacy, The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard

Number of Seeds/Leeches? 

11122/3281, 8090/2222, 6267/627

Library Size?

16,866,639+

Invasive Ads?

No

13. Torrends.to

Torrends.to site

Torrends.to is another alternative to Torrentz2 and TorrentFunk, as it’s also a torrent search engine rather than a regular torrent site.

This has the obvious advantage of helping you quickly find direct and magnet links to torrent files from other popular torrent sites, including those on this list!

Torrends.to also makes it easy to see the torrent file in your search results and the torrent uploader, upload date, file size, link health, and the number of current seeders.

This makes it easy to stick to uploaders you trust and see which torrents are safe.

Personally, I’d leave Torrends.to as an alternative to Torrentz2, as it isn’t as well-established and sometimes shows ads.

There’s also only one confirmed mirror link:

torrends.info.

Popular Searches?

N/A (Torrent Search Engine)

Number of Seeds/Leeches? 

N/A (Torrent Search Engine)

Library Size?

N/A

Invasive Ads?

Yes

14. SolidTorrents

SolidTorrents site

As a last alternative to Torrentz2 and Torrends.to, we have SolidTorrents, a 2019 torrent metasearch engine that indexes files hosted by other torrent sites.

An advantage of SolidTorrents is that it puts effort into ensuring it only shows torrents from credible sources.

This makes it somewhat easier to find what you’re looking for with as much safety as you can realistically expect from a torrent site.

One issue that pops up from time to time is that Chrome and Firefox browsers sometimes flag SolidTorrents as potentially unsafe.

The last time this happened to me on the site (which was quite a while ago, at least), the notification warned me that malicious links were detected.

This is, of course, why I left SolidTorrents as #14 on my list of the most reliable torrent sites rather than as a higher-ranking Torrentz2 alternative.

The site currently shows as safe to me, but you should proceed with caution, make sure to use a malware-blocking feature like NordVPN’s CyberSec, and remember to scan all downloads with your antivirus software.

And even if the intermittent warnings didn’t happen, SolidTorrents’ unattractively simple design would push its ranking down, too!

Currently, there aren’t any known mirror links.

Popular Searches?

N/A (Torrent Search Engine)

Number of Seeds/Leeches? 

N/A (Torrent Search Engine)

Library Size?

N/A

Invasive Ads?

Without adblocker

15. YTS (Yify Movies)

Yify Movies site

My, how the mighty have fallen… YTS (formerly known as Yify Movies) used to deserve a top 5 best torrent sites position, but no longer.

YTS is still a top-rated torrent site, especially for movie lovers.

And movies remain the sole focus of the site, sometimes being the only option when you’re trying to find old, obscure movies.

The interface is also very intuitive for anyone familiar with Netflix.

However, there are some serious concerns that pushed it to the last place on my list.

According to TorrentFreak.com, YTS’s operator has been willingly handing users’ email addresses and IP addresses to Hawaii attorney Kerry Culpepper.

Even more alarmingly, Culpepper has been using this information to send alleged US-based YTS torrenters emails threatening to sue if they don’t pay around $1,000.

TorrentFreak.com didn’t share the exact figure to protect the threatened alleged user’s privacy, as it wasn’t clear whether Culpepper was demanding the same bribe from all alleged users threatened.

So why did I include YTS at all?

Well, if you follow recommendations for torrenting safely, you won’t be giving anyone an email address, to begin with (and if you do, I recommend using a fake email).

You should also use a reliable torrenting VPN to mask your IP address.

Even so, YTS is last on my list.

I strongly recommend sticking to the other torrent sites listed above and leaving YTS as an absolute last resort.

Struggling to get the official site to load?

Try these mirror links:

yts.lt, yts.am, yts.ag.

Popular Searches?

Happily, Awake, Anything for Jackson

Number of Seeds/Leeches? 

296/414, 394/882, 413/725

Library Size?

8,000+

Invasive Ads?

Without adblocker

6 Torrent Sites to Avoid

YTS narrowly misses being added to my list of torrent sites to avoid, and that’s purely because it’s easy to stay safe from the site operator’s shady practices.

However, there are some sites better off left alone – even as an absolute last resort:

1. IPTorrents

IPTorrents site

IPTorrents forces users to create an account using an email address and pay a subscription fee.

With no clear advantage to membership, including a lack of guaranteed privacy protections or security benefits, you’re better off sticking to the free options.

2. PassThePopcorn

PassThePopcorn sign in page

PassThePopcorn presents itself as a private torrenting site (which is meant to offer some security advantages with more dedicated moderation).

You’re asked to provide an email address and password to log in, but the site appears to be virtually impossible to actually join.

Occasionally, someone will post an alleged sign-up link on Reddit, but these are always fake.

Some are harmless jokes sending you to the real site’s page saying it’s “invite-only,” like this April’s Fool Reddit post, while others might be malicious.

opensignups reddit

It’s best not to click on any of them.

3. SUMOTorrent

SUMOTorrent site

SUMOTorrent insists you need to download and install its proprietary torrent client before seeing any of the torrents it hosts.

That’s already a huge red flag… as is the fact the site is full of grammatical errors, a common sign of phishing sites.

4. KickAssTorrents

KickAssTorrents site

KickAssTorrents would’ve once been on my list of the best.

Unfortunately, the original KickAssTorrents (launched in 2008) shut down in 2016 after its founder, Artem Vaulin, was arrested.

The rest of the team allegedly relaunched the current KickAssTorrents as a mirror site, but it’s no longer the same.

You now have to use an extension to use the site, a big red flag, as malicious browser extensions are known to harvest personally identifiable information.

5. Torrent9

Torrent9 site

Pop-ups are one thing, but redirects are a threat to a whole other ballgame.

And, unfortunately, Torrent9 and all its mirror sites frequently redirect visitors to a variety of other links.

Redirects are almost always a red flag, and this site seems to favor sending visitors to potential adware, spyware, and other malware.

6. YourBittorrent

YourBittorrent site

Although YourBittorrent seems harmless at first, visitors are flooded with pop-ups and pornographic ads as soon as you click on anything on the site.

This happens to a far more invasive extent than on torrent sites that made my list, making me very wary of the advertising partnerships this one has entered.

Private Torrent Sites vs. Public Torrent Sites?

Simply put, a public torrent site can be accessed if you know the correct URL.

Private torrent sites, on the other hand, aren’t easily accessed by the public.

They’re usually hosted by people who know each other, even if only online, and grow very selectively.

And the torrent links on private torrent sites are only accessible to members.

If you read through my list of torrent sites to avoid, you’ll have seen me pointing out that PassThePopcorn claims to be a private one.

However, the fact PassThePopcorn is on the “to avoid” list shouldn’t make you think all private torrent sites are untrustworthy!

So, what are the pros and cons of each?

Pros and Cons of Public Torrent Sites

The PROS to PUBLIC torrent sites are:

  • Accessibility – no sign-up necessary!
  • Variety – although not always guaranteed, the fact public torrent sites are accessible means more users can contribute to the type of content.
  • Instant Downloads – as another extension of the site’s accessibility, you get instant downloads, i.e., no extra steps or sign-up process necessary.

The CONS to PUBLIC torrent sites are:

  • Potential for Bad Peers – bad peers on a public torrent site are those who introduce fake torrents with malware.
  • Lack of Security – although some torrent sites are attempting to verify all torrents, it’s a difficult process, and especially when a site is already popular with a large content library. Some torrents (if not most) won’t get inspected, and there’s a higher risk of human error if moderators feel the need to rush through verifications.
  • Slow Downloads – with public torrent sites, there’s always the risk of slow downloads caused by leechers. While a leecher is technically anyone downloading a torrent file, it’s more often only applied (as in this case) to those who download without contributing to the upload. When this happens, other peers will experience slower downloads.

The PROS to PRIVATE torrent sites are:

  • Exclusivity Security – most private torrent sites are started among people who know and trust each other and slowly grow to include others they know and trust. While bad peers sometimes get in, they’re usually very quickly identified, removed, and blacklisted against future inclusion.
  • Faster Downloads – bad peers can also include leechers (in the negative sense), and these, too, are regularly removed. To continue enjoying membership, you need to maintain a good seed-to-leech ratio. Some private torrent sites even have a minimum ratio requirement for an invitation to join.

The CONS to PRIVATE torrent sites are:

  • Inaccessibility – a tad obvious, but private torrent sites are inaccessible to anyone who isn’t a member or able to become one.
  • Lack of Privacy – because private torrent sites rely on a membership model, they have an inherent lack of privacy. Members need to be easily identifiable and will require some means of authenticating that identity when accessing the site. Some sites also require being personally known to at least one other member in good standing or being subjected to an interview. Others will want to see proof of a good upload-to-download ratio. All of this can actually make private torrent sites even more attractive to hackers and other parties interested in stealing private information.
  • Payment Walls – this isn’t always the case, but some private torrent sites offer to let interested torrenters buy their way into membership with a “donation” that serves as a membership fee.
  • Potential for Fake Invites – with membership being on an invite-only basis, the more a private torrent site is heard about, the more people will want to join. Unfortunately, there are plenty of bad actors out there who are eager to create a phishing link designed to look like an invitation so that they can steal personal data. They might even take it a step further by holding a mock interview (some private torrent sites really do require an interview!) to get more of your personal data. And for private torrent sites that request a membership fee, the temptation is higher to scam eager would-be members out of their money.
  • Lack of Variety – this isn’t always the case, but having a more selective membership means it’s going to be smaller… and that means potentially selective tastes and a smaller pool of users adding new torrents to the site’s content library.

Is there a winner?

Not really.

Ultimately, it depends on your experience level and preferences.

No matter which type of torrent site you end up using, it’s still your responsibility to be safe.

How to Torrent? A Quick Guide

New to torrents?

Don’t worry – all you need to do is follow these simple steps, where I discuss the process in detail.

Here we go!

1. Download and Install a Torrent Client (I recommend qBittorrent)

Before you can start torrenting, you need a torrent client.

This is the desktop app that handles things like initiating and managing your uploads and downloads in the P2P network.

uTorrent is one of the most popular options, but I don’t typically recommend using it.

This is because, in 2018, some privacy and security issues with uTorrent were discovered.

Instead, I recommend qBittorrent.

As opposed to BitTorrent, qBittorrent is completely free (no paid premium versions) and isn’t riddled with “optional” downloads that somehow get installed on your PC even when you opt-out.

I also find it much faster and more lightweight than its “premium” counterpart.

qbittorrent client

Just visit the qBittorrent website, click the “Download” button, and choose the proper installation for your device.

qbittorrent download menu

After downloading qBittorrent, remember to scan the installation file with your antivirus software.

If all is clear, open the installation file and follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process!

2. Configuring the Client

Once the torrent client is installed, it’s time to configure it.

This is a subjective step – your config preferences might be different than mine.

For example, you can set qBittorrent to start running when your computer boots up or manually start the client when you want to use it.

qbittorrent behavior desktop settings

You can also set a file destination for your torrent downloads.

But if you’re happy with the default, no need to change it!

However, I do recommend enabling UPnP port mapping as this will help give you the best possible download speeds.

qbittorrent connection settings

And finally, if you want to set upload and download speed limits to save bandwidth, now’s a great time to do so.

You can always come back and change it later!

3. Download the .Torrent Files

With your torrent client configured, you’re ready to visit one of the best torrent sites from my list above!

Each site works a little differently, but the basic process is the same:

  • Find the torrent content you’re looking for;
  • Check the swarm health (how many peers are seeding vs. how many are leeching) and other information like file size and content quality;
  • Click the download link and confirm.
charade download link

It’s as simple as that!

Well, not really.

In a little while, I’ll share some essential safety tips to follow while torrenting, so these are just the basics for now.

4. Open the .Torrent Files to Download the Content

Surprise!

The .torrent files you download from torrent sites aren’t the actual content.

These files simply contain the metadata your torrent client needs to connect to the right peers to download the actual content.

You can think of them as “P2P URLs” if that helps.

charade downloaded torrent

When you click on them, they should now open in your torrent client and start downloading the content from seeding peers.

After the download is complete, you’ll find the content in the folder you set when configuring your torrent client.

Depending on the content type and file extension, you’ll need different software to open them – VLC Media Player for video and audio, for example.

I recommend scanning complete downloads with your antivirus before opening them.

qbittorrent bahavior file association

What Torrent Site Is the Fastest?

Before I discuss which torrent site was the fastest for me, it’s essential to point out that speeds may vary depending on numerous factors.

For this reason, the speeds I got during my tests might not be the same as the speeds you get during your tests.

Here’s the criteria I used:

VPN Provider

NordVPN

Torrent Client

qBittorrent

Speed Without VPN

203.14 Mbps

Speed With VPN

187.46 Mbps

Torrent Size

(+/-) 1GB

Seed/Leecher Ratio (Avg)

75%

And here are my results (from fastest to slowest):

Torrent Site

Average Speed

Peak Speed

1337x

8.9 MB/s

9.4 MB/s

ThePirateBay

8.7 MB/s

9.3 MB/s

TorLock

8.4 MB/s

9.1 MB/s

RARBG

7.8 MB/s

8.8 MB/s

Torrentz2

7.7 MB/s

8.1 MB/s

EZTV

7.6 MB/s

7.4 MB/s

Nyaa.si

7.6 MB/s

8.7 MB/s

LimeTorrents

7.5 MB/s

7.8 MB/s

ETTV

7.3 MB/s

7.9 MB/s

TorrentDownloads

7.0 MB/s

8.2 MB/s

YTS (Yify Movies)

7.0 MB/s

7.5 MB/s

Zooqle

6.9 MB/s

7.7 MB/s

TorrentFunk

6.8 MB/s

7.4 MB/s

Torrends.to

6.8 MB/s

7.9 MB/s

SolidTorrents

6.6 MB/s

7.2 MB/s

How to Be Safe While Torrenting?

You’ve learned the easy way to torrent – now it’s time to learn how to be safe while torrenting!

Don’t worry, it’s pretty easy.

And I will discuss everything you need to know!

Let’s jump in!

1. Always Use an Antivirus

I’ve mentioned this several times before, but it’s important enough to repeat it: always use an antivirus.

You should be doing so even when you’re not torrenting!

My first recommendation is Malwarebytes.

And while it has a limited free version that lets you manually scan your computer, it’s much better to use the premium version instead.

malwarebytes antivirus site

This way, you get real-time web protection and can set up automatic scans.

And the real-time web protection will help you avoid dodgy sites and will even block malicious (or potentially malicious) ads.

That said, I find using a properly modified Firefox with the uBlock Origin extension works better for getting rid of ads and pop-ups completely.

I recommend checking out this video by Techlore on Hardening Your Browser for better privacy and security:

Manually scan a torrent file by right-clicking it and selecting “Scan with Malwarebytes” before opening it with your torrent client.

And do the same for the final content download too, plus run a Quick Scan just in case.

My second “bonus” recommendation is VirusTotal.

This online tool scans your files for free by running them through many popular antivirus programs.

virustotal antivirus

VirusTotal is especially useful if you don’t want to download an actual antivirus program like Malwarebytes (though I still recommend doing so).

2. Always Use a Trustworthy Torrenting VPN

nordvpn site

Using a trustworthy torrenting VPN is so important that even some of the best torrent sites warn you to use a VPN while torrenting!

A VPN (or Virtual Private Network) works by encrypting your data to keep it safe from anyone snooping on your traffic, like hackers or the government.

It also stops your ISP from seeing that you’re torrenting, so they can’t block your connection or throttle your bandwidth.

At the same time, a VPN also hides your real IP address by replacing it with the VPN server’s IP.

This is just as important as the encryption part because it stops malicious peers from seeing your real IP address and using it to identify you or launch a DDoS attack.

VPNs don’t just stop your ISP from blocking your connection.

If you’re in a country where torrent sites are geo-blocked (like Japan and Australia), connecting to a VPN server in a different country will unblock the sites as well.

For getting past torrent geo-blocks, I usually find that VPN servers in Slovakia or Austria work best.

This is because I’m located in Slovakia.

So, try finding a P2P-friendly VPN server in a country as close to you as possible for the best possible speeds.

I recommend NordVPN as a torrenting VPN.

We even have a guide on how to set up and use NordVPN with the qBittorrent client – and if you sign-up for NordVPN with this link, you’ll get a HUGE discount!

3. Avoid Fake Torrents

When using even the best torrent sites, it’s crucial to know how to avoid fake torrents and stay safe.

Follow these essential tips to protect yourself:

  • Examine the seed-to-leech ratio, which should have a healthy balance with more seeders than leechers. A 2:1 ratio is generally ideal. Be cautious of torrents with an excessively high ratio, as they may be fake.
  • Opt for “verified” torrents when possible. Although not always feasible due to limited moderation on public sites, platforms like RARBG have stricter monitoring, helping you identify trustworthy uploaders.
  • Avoid torrenting the latest movies or series, as they are not only illegal but also more likely to contain malware. For instance, Marvel’s Black Widow movie has already been exploited for malware distribution.
  • Steer clear of WMA and WMV files for video or audio torrents. These outdated extensions often redirect you to download additional software that may be infected with malware. Instead, use MP3, MP4, AVI, or MKV files and scan them with antivirus software.
  • Finally, always check the comments section on the torrent site before clicking download. If anyone else notices the file is corrupt or full of malware, they’ll warn others in the comments to look after their peers.

Torrent Site Not Loading? Here Are Tips to Fix It

Occasionally, you might find that a torrent site isn’t loading.

Most of the time, it’s because your ISP is blocking access to the site.

Usually, this is because the government ordered them to do so as a heavy-handed attempt to prevent online piracy of copyright materials.

The best way to fix this issue is by using a VPN with P2P-friendly servers.

This way, you can beat the geo-blocks by spoofing your location – and, at the same time, hide your real IP address and encrypt your online traffic.

nordvpn p2p server locations

However, a law enforcement agency might have seized the torrent site’s domain in more severe cases.

If only the main domain is seized, you can still use the mirror domains to access the torrent site.

Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case, and you might need to resort to trying a different site from my list above.

Interesting Reads:

FAQ

Yes, torrenting (using Peer-to-Peer/P2P file-sharing) is legal – but torrenting copyright material (like popular TV shows and movies) without the copyright holder’s permission is not.

I do not condone or promote using torrents to download or distribute copyright material.

But there are many legal applications, such as getting your Blizzard Entertainment game updates or downloading free, open-source software (FOSS).

Private torrent sites are password-protected and invite-only.

Typically, the only way to gain access is by knowing a member and requesting an invite.

Occasionally, you might get lucky and score an invite on a Reddit thread or on the TorrentInvites.org forum.

However, securing an invite isn’t always easy.

Sometimes the process calls for interviews and a close study on your current seed/leech ratio.

Because torrent sites are often targeted by law enforcement and sometimes taken down, they usually reopen with a new address (domain name).

Some of the best torrent sites will have alternative addresses prepared in advance, which can also help users get past geo-blocks if local government and ISPs haven’t blocked the alternatives yet.

These alternative addresses are called mirror links because they resolve a website that mirrors the main domain.

The best torrent trackers (or torrent sites) are those that survived a long time, have an active community of peers maintaining a large and varied torrent library, and, ideally, have some kind of torrent or uploader verification in place to keep users safe from malicious downloads.

Whether you prefer to stick to public torrent trackers or private ones that require an invitation, it’s important to remember that even the best is far from perfect.

You should always follow torrenting safety guides and use a reliable torrenting VPN.

What happens if you get caught torrenting will depend on the content involved and your country’s laws.

Torrenting copyright material is always illegal and will likely lead to fines or arrest.

Some countries take a heavy-handed approach and ban all torrenting, ignoring the fact there are many legal applications for P2P file-sharing.

In such countries, getting caught torrenting can lead to criminal charges regardless of the content involved.

Conclusion

Torrenting offers a convenient way to share large files and even applications with others. By relying on peers to upload portions of a file simultaneously, it enables faster distribution.

In this guide, I’ve shared 15 of the best torrent sites that are still functional. However, it’s crucial to remember that your online privacy and safety while torrenting remain your responsibility, even when using the best sites.

Always employ a trustworthy VPN, ad-blocker, and antivirus software for optimal security. If you found this guide helpful, please share it with friends and family who may be interested in torrenting!

For those seeking the reliable VPN for torrenting, consider signing up for NordVPN using this link to receive an exclusive discount on your purchase.

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