Best free VPNs for torrenting in 2025

Best free VPNs for torrenting in 2025

What can happen if I download torrents without a VPN?

A few risks are involved with downloading torrent files without a VPN, but the details will vary depending on what you download. After all, torrenting isn’t illegal, but it gets a bad reputation because of its association with digital piracy.

The most common issue with torrenting occurs when you download copyrighted content, such as movies, TV shows, music, and video games. Without a robust VPN enabled, your ISP (internet service provider) can see what you download and will send copyright infringement fines on behalf of the copyright holders. Another consequence of this is that your ISP might cut your access to the internet.

Secondly, torrent file distributors don’t have your best interests in mind and instead look for ways to take advantage of you. So, they could sneakily include crypto-jacking malware into the files you download to use your device to mine cryptocurrencies. It can be other malware, too, such as ransomware. In any case, you’ll need antivirus software to deal with this problem.

Ultimately, the best course of action is not to download suspicious files entirely. At the very least, you should enable a secure VPN to mask your IP address and warn you about online threats. Then you’ll be much safer, although not every VPN is a complete cybersecurity solution in this situation.

Best free-trial VPNs for torrenting

1. NordVPN – secure torrenting with top encryption and no data caps
2. Surfshark – unlimited torrenting with strong privacy and global servers Bitdefender – safe torrenting with advanced security features

With massive server networks, stable performance, and specialized P2P servers, premium VPNs are more reliable. While these are my top picks, plenty of other VPN providers may better suit your needs. Check out our list of the best VPNs for torrenting and find the right one for you.

How I tested these free VPNs for torrenting

With the help of the experienced Cybernews research team, I evaluated 41 VPN providers on the market. The main criteria we looked at were P2P servers, security, speeds, and torrenting support. For all the testing, we used a Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen2 device (AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5650U processor, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) with Windows 11 Pro OS.

I used the open-source qBittorrent client for torrenting speed tests and downloaded a legitimate 5.69GB Ubuntu 24.04 Desktop file. Due to safety concerns, I avoided using BitTorrent or uTorrent and did not download from illegal sites like 1337x or PirateBay. During my latest January 2025 tests, my baseline internet speed without a VPN was around 100Mbps.

Here’s what I looked at when choosing the best free torrenting VPN:

• Torrenting compatibility (40%). Our primary evaluation metric was whether the free VPN supports torrenting and what features it provides to improve the activity. For example, we prioritized VPNs that include kill switches to prevent IP leaks. Another crucial factor was P2P-optimized servers that improve connection speeds.
• Free plan or trial details (35%). We only selected VPNs with reasonable free plan limitations or worthwhile free trials. The final list includes a mix of both options, so users with either preference will have options to consider. Naturally, I didn’t include free VPNs that bombard you with ads, collect excessive amounts of personal data, or have other potential security issues.
• Torrenting speeds (25%). The research team and I performed speed tests with potential VPNs and only included those that delivered solid download and upload performance. First, we measured each provider’s download and upload speeds with their UK and US servers. The baseline speed was 100Mbps during our latest January 2025 tests. After that, we used the VPNs to download large files to evaluate their torrenting performance in a realistic scenario. We used each provider’s UK servers for these tests as it’s the nearest option.

Best free VPNs that allow P2P – detailed list

The best free VPNs for torrenting should guarantee solid P2P sharing, good speeds, and at least some kind of security from your internet service provider’s eyes. To make things easier, we tested 41 VPNs and selected only the best free ones or those with free trials of money-back guarantees. I ranked the top VPNs that you can torrent with and enjoy for free:

1. NordVPN – best free trial VPN for torrenting

Free plan details

NordVPN’s free trial is identical to its premium version, meaning you get every feature from its Basic subscription tier. This includes over 7400 servers across 118 countries, the proprietary NordLynx protocol, and 10 simultaneous connections.

Naturally, no monthly data or speed caps allow you to download as many files as you want during the 7-day trial period. However, note that you must provide credit card details to become eligible for this trial, although you won’t be charged during the 7 days.

Once the trial is over, you’ll be switched to the annual plan. You can opt out of this renewal during the trial to give yourself peace of mind. Moreover, a 30-day money-back guarantee is included with all plans as a safety net. That means you can test NordVPN’s torrenting performance for around a month. We have an extensive guide explaining how to get NordVPN’s free trial in full detail.

Torrenting speeds

It should come as no surprise that NordVPN performed the best in our torrenting performance tests. First, the research team and I measured its connection speeds with US and UK servers. Then, we downloaded a large ISO file to measure its real-world torrenting performance.

Our January 2025 torrenting speed tests were favorable for NordVPN. Our baseline download and upload speed tests were 100Mbps. When connected to NordVPN’s UK servers, the download speed was 85.03Mbps, while the upload speed was 78.21Mbps, which is very good. Conversely, the US servers yielded 87.61Mbps download speeds, although upload speeds dropped to only 26.31Mbps. Still, these results surpass all other free torrenting VPNs on this list.

We downloaded a 5.27GB Ubuntu ISO file using qBittorrent to test each service’s real-world performance. We used the UK server for these tests since it’s near our location and is available with all free torrenting VPN providers. With NordVPN, the file was downloaded in 13 minutes and 32 seconds. During this time, the peak download speed was 16MB/s, while the average speed was 6.6MB/s. To conclude, NordVPN was the fastest at downloading the ISO file.

2. Hotspot Shield – a free VPN for secure torrenting with unlimited data

Free plan details

Hotspot Shield offers an unlimited free plan with many features to protect you while torrenting. Regarding file downloads, there are no data caps to limit your torrenting efforts, and you can choose from five server locations (Auto, New York, LA, UK, Singapore) to enjoy optimal speeds. Moreover, the service supports 1Gbps connections with the Hydra or WireGuard tunneling protocol for speedy connections.

Crucially, the service includes an internet kill switch and DNS leak protection to prevent data exposure. There’s even split tunneling if you’d like to limit your VPN connection to certain apps, such as your torrent client. Finally, you can use Hotspot Shield Basic without an account, which I think is an excellent perk because you don’t have to share any personal information.

Torrenting speeds

Although Hotspot Shield Basic has solid technical features that should result in speedy connections, our tests yielded different results. We measured its speeds with US and UK servers separately before downloading the 5GB file.

With UK servers, the download speed was only 3.53Mbps, while the upload speed was 7.7Mbps, both of which are very low. Interestingly, the US servers fared better by granting 52.64Mbps download speeds and a whopping 93.83Mbps upload speeds, which is pretty surprising.

The 5GB ISO file was downloaded by Hotspot Shield in 28 minutes and 3 seconds, which is a decent result. The download speeds peaked at 5.1MB/s, but on average, they were only 3.2MB/s. With these scores, Hotspot Shield was the third fastest in the large file download test.

3. Hide.me VPN – reliable free torrenting VPN without data caps

Free plan details

Like with Hotspot Shield, you can use Hide.Me VPN without creating an account, which I consider an excellent benefit. You also won’t have to worry about torrenting too much because the provider offers unlimited data. Plus, you’ll easily find a suitable connection spot, thanks to the provider’s eight server locations in Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK, and the US.

Essential security features are also abundant. As expected, you get a kill switch to prevent unwanted data leaks. There’s also split tunneling if you’d like to exclude some apps from the VPN tunnel. However, it’s disappointing that the Hide.me free version only offers OpenVPN and IKEv2 tunneling protocol options, which usually aren’t as fast as WireGuard.

Torrenting speeds

Hide.me VPN’s download and upload speed measurements were underwhelming, although it was better at downloading large files than Hotspot Shield.

The provider’s UK servers resulted in 4.75Mbps download speeds and 0.88Mbps upload speeds, which are downright tragic. The situation was similar with US servers, which yielded 4.49Mbps download speeds and 0.97Mbps upload speeds. These are the slowest average results of all the free torrenting VPNs on this list.

Initially, the 5GB ISO file didn’t download, so the research team and I had to troubleshoot the issue. Apparently, we had to enable Stealth Guard and the kill switch for the P2P download to start. The total download time was 19 minutes and 45 seconds, which is slower than NordVPN but faster than Hotspot Shield. The maximum download speed during this time was 7.8MB/s, while the overall average was 4.4MB/s.

4. Windscribe – reliable VPN with effective torrenting features

Free plan details

Unlike other VPNs on this list, Windscribe comes with a monthly data cap. By default, users get a 2GB allowance, while a confirmed email grants 10GB, which might be enough for occasional torrenting. On the plus side, Windscribe’s free version offers servers in ten countries (the US, Canada, the UK, Hong Kong, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, and Romania). So, I recommend this VPN if you prioritize server variety.

Windscribe’s free tier doesn’t differ much from the premium plan's features. Crucially, you’ll have access to the WireGuard tunneling protocol for maximum speeds, although you can also enable OpenVPN, IKEv2, Stealth, and WStunnel. There’s a kill switch, of course, and split tunneling to adjust the VPN on a per-app basis. Finally, I’d like to highlight that Windscribe is the only torrenting VPN on this list that includes port forwarding, which is a vital tool for tech-savvy torrenters.

Torrenting speeds

Windscribe was very disappointing in the speed measurement department and delivered the slowest download speeds on average. This is further emphasized by the fact that we couldn’t even finish downloading the 5GB file for our tests because the download speeds were so slow.

Our speed measurements with UK servers resulted in 6.67Mbps download speeds and a solid 51.71Mbps upload speeds. Meanwhile, US servers mustered only 1.95Mbps download speeds and 20.07Mbps upload speeds. The results aren’t great, although the acceptable upload speed results elevate the overall average.

Unfortunately, Windscribe was the only provider we couldn’t complete the 5GB ISO file download test with. The average speed was around 40KB/s, no matter which server location we tried, which meant the complete download would have taken a few days. If you're patient, this isn’t a massive issue, but it would make more sense to use a faster free VPN like Hotspot Shield or Hide Me VPN.

Free torrenting VPNs to avoid

Free torrenting VPNs can be dangerous if not chosen wisely. Some are cyberthreat goldmines, and some make money off your personal information. Here are a few examples of free VPNs that you should avoid:

• Betternet VPN – a service acquired by the Aura group, and to put it simply – users' privacy is not their main concern. They log various personal data, including account, billing, identity verification, usage, and device information. Plus, they collect the approximate location of users.
• Hola VPN – this VPN has some stains in terms of reputation. Devices of users that had premium VPN services would be used as a botnet without them being aware. This means users’ computers could be used to perform DDoS attacks and act as open doors for cybercriminals.
• Thunder VPN – it’s an Android VPN that may collect various information, including your ISP, OS version, device model, language of the device, and app version. They also collect connection timestamps and total amount of data transferred per day.

What should I do if my free VPN stops working while torrenting?

Since free VPNs are not as reliable as paid VPN services, you may run into connectivity issues, exposing your IP address and leaving your internet traffic unencrypted. If your VPN stopped working while torrenting, there’s not much you can do besides halting the download and exiting the torrenting app.

However, there are a few things you can do to mitigate this. Number one – prevention. Use VPNs with a kill switch and ensure it’s always enabled. A kill switch will shut down your internet if you lose your connection to the VPN server, effectively blocking any data leakage. You should also rely on P2P servers as they’re designed specifically for torrenting and may be more stable.

Overall, your best bet is to opt for a trusted VPN that is legally obligated to keep its servers up and running. NordVPN is my number one recommendation for a reliable VPN. It has a massive server network with specialized servers for P2P traffic, making it an excellent option for torrenting.

Conclusion

There are many advantages to using a free VPN for torrenting, the biggest one being increased security and privacy online. However, completely free torrenting VPNs often come with limitations or even risks. These include data caps, a limited number of servers, and sometimes even compromised personal data.

To use everything that a P2P VPN can offer, I strongly suggest opting for a free trial of a premium provider like NordVPN. It’s a reliable, time-tested torrenting VPN, offering everything you need for torrenting – optimized P2P servers, market-leading download speeds, an audited privacy policy, and first-class security. After the trial ends, you can also take advantage of a 30-day refund policy, enabling you to use the service for free for over a month.

If you still want a completely free P2P VPN, make sure you find a reliable one. I recommend Hotspot Shield, which doesn’t have data caps, offers a reliable kill switch, and has a no-logs policy.

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