Many well-known torrent sites, such as Kickass Torrents, have been shut down, only to resurface at another time. While governments throughout the world clamp down on torrenting, finding good torrenting sites is becoming increasingly difficult.
Since The Pirate Bay is constantly being relocated to mirrors, you’d think a good torrent site is impossible to find.
However, they can be blocked by governments and ISPs, yet many are still alive and working. Here, you can find the top nine working torrent sites and the risks you face when you download a torrent file without taking precautions.
By the end of this guide, you’ll have a list of the best torrent sites, and with the help of a VPN, you can bypass any restrictions that stop you from accessing your favourite movies and TV shows.
Get ExpressVPN and Stay Safe When Torrenting
Best Torrent Websites – Quick list
- The Pirate Bay – The top torrent site that sets the standards for others to follow.
- 1337x – A hugely improved torrent website that is as colourful as it is wealthy in many torrents.
- Torrentz2 – A basic way to find as many torrents as you can relating to your search.
- RARBG – One of the best torrent sources for high-quality torrent and magnet files.
- LimeTorrents – A torrent site that gives the appearance of a torrent client.
- EZTV – When you want to find your favourite TV show if this site doesn’t have it, it isn’t online.
- YTS – If you enjoy the experience as much as watching the video. YTS delivers a Netflix feel
- Zooqle – A no fills search engine that delivers quick results and few distractions.
- Kickass Torrents – With an active community that won’t let this site die, you get the best download speed of any site that isn’t the Pirate Bay.
How to Choose the Best Torrent Sites
Here are some of the things to check when searching for the best torrent sites.
- Speed: The average speed the torrenting site downloads content to your device. The faster, the quicker your downloads.
- Size of Content Library: Some are larger than others when looking for a torrent site to download torrents from. Some torrent sites with a smaller selection of content are just as good as other larger torrent sites.
- Ads and Pop-Ups: Any popular torrent site can show you ads. However, not all stoop to this level, or at least the ads are a minor interference.
- Security: Although torrent sites are linked to downloading pirated content most times, it doesn’t mean they all are as bad, and some top torrent sites make sure they advise users to use a VPN. Such safe torrent sites enable you to torrent safely compared to others just out to catch users.
- Monthly Visitors: A torrent site’s monthly visitors show much of the trustworthiness and amount of content it offers. A higher number of visitors means it is a superb source of quality torrents.
- Banned Regions: Torrent sites are blocked by governments around the world. It’s possible some of the best torrent sites on our list can be blocked in NZ. Using a VPN, you can bypass these blocks and access the best torrent website.
- When torrent sites are blocked, it is possible to access mirror sites or proxies, yet not all these are linked to the original site and can be copycat sites and entice users to click on ads.
- Longevity: Torrent sites are shut down in droves, and any popular sites working today show it has resources to be reliable and keep ahead of the authorities.
- Seeder/Leecher Ratio: It is worth checking the seeder/leecher ratio as torrents with many seeders download faster. If the seeder/leecher ratio swings in the other way, it means more are downloading than uploading.
Do I Need a VPN for Torrenting?
To be safe, always use a VPN when downloading torrents. Even top torrent sites and clients can have dangers. IP addresses, connection monitoring, and malware-infected torrents are easy to get by cybercriminals.
Torrenting could be illegal where you live, and outcomes can be serious. You could face copyright infringement notices in your mailbox, fines, or threats of imprisonment.
Note that in countries where torrenting can be permitted, the downloading of copyrighted content is not. Add to this; your ISP could throttle your connection because of heavy data usage. To avoid these issues, a VPN is recommended so you can carry on with anonymous torrenting. (Read 7 Best YIFY Alternatives)
When you connect to a VPN server, it hides your original IP address and swaps it with one for the VPN server. It looks as if you are connected to another location. No one can see what you download or where it is coming from; thus, hackers are prevented from accessing traffic and data.
Best VPNs for Fast and Anonymous Torrenting — Tested
1. ExpressVPN — Fast Speeds Top Encryption Important for Public Torrent Sites
There are 3000 servers in 94 countries that all support peer-to-peer (P2P) torrenting.
- You’re safe from prying eyes thanks to AES 256-bit encryption and an automatic kill switch.
- No data or logs are stored on hard disks thanks to TrustedServer technology.
- Split-tunnelling allows you to pick and choose which apps use the VPN.
- There is no throttling and unlimited bandwidth, so you can torrent as much as you want.
- Money-back guarantee for 30 days
- 5 simultaneous connections
ExpressVPN’s torrent download speeds were constantly fast. Speeds never fell below 25Mbps when testing over 30 ExpressVPN servers throughout the world.
This is fast enough to watch torrents and torrent Netflix in high definition. No matter which server location you connect to, ExpressVPN’s connections are fast. (Read our ExpressVPN Review)
P2P downloads are supported on all 3000 ExpressVPN servers. You’ll be able to find a server near you for the fastest torrenting speeds with servers in 94 countries.
You can torrent as much as you like with ExpressVPN because there is no bandwidth limit. It will never throttle your download speed, ensuring that you enjoy continuously fast downloads.
In addition, ExpressVPN provides unrivalled security features that will keep you safe while torrenting. Its military-grade 256 Bit AES Encryption ensures that no one can track your online activities back to you.
You also have an automated kill switch in a torrent swarm to prevent leaks of your actual IP address.
ExpressVPN’s TrustedServer technology assures that no user data or logs are kept on hard disks, and they have a rigorous no-log policy to back this up.
ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free. If you have any problems, you can contact the customer support team by live chat, which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
2. CyberGhost — P2P Optimized Servers to Download Torrent Files
- There are 6900 servers in 90 countries and around 30 dedicated P2P sites.
- Hackers and ISPs can’t intercept your connection because it stops breaches with AES 256-bit encryption.
- A strict no-logs policy ensures that no data about your online behaviour is kept.
- The VPN features and ad-block and virus protection for torrenting safely.
- You can torrent whatever you want with unlimited bandwidth and a fast download speed.
- Money-back guarantee for 45 days
CyberGhost’s P2P servers are geared to provide you with uninterrupted downloads and high speeds. With military-grade encryption, they protect your data and ensure your visits to the torrent websites remain fully anonymous.
Your IP address is hidden, and your data is anonymous; thanks to CyberGhost, even your ISP won’t eavesdrop when you access private torrent sites since there are no logs, thanks to a strict no-logging policy.
Because CyberGhost is based in Romania, your data is protected from intelligence-sharing agreements with foreign governments. This means that the government cannot get any information about your online activities if you use CyberGhost.
CyberGhost makes it easier to unblock torrent sites while safer thanks to its ability to block advertisements, harmful websites, and online tracking.
Given the prevalence of intrusive pop-ups, advertisements, and links to dodgy websites on many torrenting websites, this feature helped me feel more at ease when torrenting.
CyberGhost is risk-free for 45 days, thanks to its money-back guarantee. Getting a refund is as simple as contacting one of the company’s customer service specialists using the live chat service, which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Most Popular Torrent Sites That Still Work
1. The Pirate Bay – Best Torrent Search Engine
Unique Feature(s): The biggest variety of movies, TV shows, games, and the world’s most popular torrent site.
Pros
- Massive amount of torrents
- Lots of related mirror and proxy sites
- 24 million monthly visitors
- Not many ads
Cons
- Not all torrents verified and safe
- Can still find some fake files
Direct link: https://thepiratebay.org/index.html
The Pirate Bay (TPB) is the internet’s oldest and most well-known torrent site. It has escaped various government shutdowns and bans, so its longevity can be relied on as one of the most robust torrent websites.
The torrent site is easy to navigate with a simple interface. You can use the filtering system to pick the file type, resolution quality, and more based on your requirements.
It’s hard to guarantee safety when torrenting, yet The PB doesn’t try to detract you from finding the torrents you want.
The site reveals whether torrents are from reliable users and shows you verified uploaders that distribute high-quality content against those who may hide infected files. If you want a movie, TV show, or music torrent, then the overall appeal of The Pirate Bay shines through.
2. 1337x – One of the Best Torrenting Sites
Unique Feature(s): Easy to use torrent website that puts all the content into easy to browse categories
Pros
- More than 2.4 million torrents indexed
- Very easy to browse for new or old users
- Great download speed
- Easy to use side menu bar for browsing genres
Cons
- The torrent site can have one or two poor quality torrent files
- Can suffer from a slower than average download speed
Direct link: https://www.1377x.to/
1337x is a reliable alternative with plenty of high-quality torrents in every category. It is one of the most popular torrent sites in the world and one of the oldest currently in existence.
A dedicated group of users uploads new stuff daily. Everything from old movies to new TV shows, music, and games can be found here.
It is easy to pick between torrent links or magnet links as they are in bold buttons.
The user-friendly layout of 1337x makes it simple to find the torrent you’re looking for. Each download has information shown about it, such as the number of times it has been downloaded, the number of seeders and leechers, and the last time the torrent was checked by moderators.
Much of this shows you the reliability of the torrent, although some poor quality gets through if they are not moderated.
Besides poor quality, the site may occasionally host a malicious or spyware-infected torrent. To ensure your safety when downloading files from the site use an ad-blocker and VPN.
3. Torrentz2 – Extensive Torrent Database
Unique Feature(s): One of the very best favourite torrent site users flock to for a music torrent download.
Pros
- Very easy to use torrent search engine
- Scans most torrent sites for indexing results
- Offers over 60 million indexed torrents
- Option to filter verified torrents
Cons
- It can take some time to search results
- Not the most user-friendly interface
Direct link: https://torrentzeu.org
Torrentz2 is a simple search engine that uses your search parameters to scan every peer-to-peer sharing site in its database and displays the sites that have comparable files.
The torrent can then be downloaded directly from the file’s host site or via a magnet link. This makes it a good backup choice if your usual torrent site doesn’t contain what you’re looking for.
One disadvantage is that there is no genre searching, and you do need to know what you are searching for.
You will, however, be able to find a lot of torrent options for the content you desire if you are prepared to spend some time searching through the results.
Select only view verified torrents by filtering by “Verified” to ensure you’re downloading safe music torrents or video content.
Torrentz2’s website, like many others on this list, contains sites, pop-ups, and bogus links that lead to dubious websites.
4. RARBG – Effective Torrent Search Engine
Unique Feature(s): Only moderator verified uploaders can upload torrent content.
Pros
- Hardly any bad torrents
- Shows screenshots of video quality
- Easy to search many genre types
- You can download torrents or select magnet links
Cons
- Dated appearance
- Search function not as forgiving as other sites
Direct link: https://rarbgmirrored.org/torrents.php
RARBG has a smaller torrent collection, yet there is a valid reason as the private torrent site isn’t open to the general public to upload. All uploaders have to be verified by the torrent websites moderators.
There’s still a chance you’ll end up with a bad torrent, yet this is rare and most often comes from a cam copy. The site is typically associated with high-quality downloads.
Meanwhile, because of RARBG’s popularity, many authorities are trying to shut it down. You can find it blocked, yet it is easy to access the best torrent site from anywhere with a VPN.
Finding verified torrents on RARBG is easy as the entire site is divided into sections. Torrent pages for movies and TV episodes frequently include screenshots.
When you hover your mouse over search results, pop-ups with posters, album art, and software brand pictures display.
Users can add comments on the actual torrent pages and rate the torrent to show the file’s quality. The site also offers a quick average download speed as most torrents have lots of seeders.
You can search for movies or other content based on compression standards and definition. However, it lacks a lot of choice for software or games and focuses on video torrents. You’ll find pop-ups, yet a good adblocker can stop these quickly.
5. LimeTorrents – Download Verified Torrents for New Releases
Unique Feature(s): One of the best torrent websites for instant downloads
Pros
- One of the largest torrent websites available
- High average download speed
- It has lasted for more than a decade
- Focuses on newer files
Cons
- Can present fake links
- Presents lots of pop-ups
Direct link: http://www.limetorrents.rip/
LimeTorrents is one of the largest top torrent sites globally, with approximately 10 million files accessible for download. It has an enormous selection of movies, TV series, music, games, and other media.
Each search comes back with many results, so there’s little reason not to find direct magnet links and torrent links for everything you search for. (Find the Best Limetorrent Proxy)
LimeTorrents includes an extensive tracker list and directories of the most popular recent torrents. LimeTorrents is a great torrent site for verified torrents as they are in a distinct section.
It is possible to also check the torrents “Health” in the search results for the number of seeding users. Even though it is still one of the favourite torrent sites, when you download movies, use an ad-blocker and a VPN to help weed out the fake files.
6. EZTV – Best Verified Torrents for TV Shows
Unique Feature(s): Offers the fastest way to download from any private torrent websites when you just want TV shows
Pros
- Superfast torrent downloads
- Supports instant downloads
- Easy to download multiple episodes at once
- Has a countdown of when the next episode will be released
Cons
- Has older content rather than newer
- Interface looks dated
Direct link: https://eztv.re
With a top selection, ad-free interface, and a variety of resolution options, EZTV is widely regarded as the best torrent site for TV shows. You may also keep track of popular shows using EZTV’s “countdown list,” a live countdown for upcoming shows.
I strongly encourage you to avoid downloading copyrighted content from EZTV or any other torrent site; doing so is unlawful in most areas and can result in serious legal consequences.
However, there are older shows in the selection than newer releases. There is also no possibility to download entire seasons, so you must torrent each episode separately.
7. YTS – Best High-Quality Torrents Site for Movies
Unique Feature(s): Appears to be the Netflix of the torrent world the way it displays media tiles
Pros
- Very easy-to-use interface
- Lots of information on every torrent file
- Many torrents can have subtitles downloaded from the same torrent page
Cons
- Only deals with movies and some TV shows
- Has lots of attention from copyright trolls
Direct link: https://yts.mx
YTS is known as one of the best torrent websites for high-definition movies you can download fast. The files are small in size yet high quality, making them an excellent solution for mobile devices or limited bandwidth.
You can find lots of pop-ups, which can compromise your privacy. The main page of YTS torrents is divided into popular downloads, the newest Yify movie torrents, and upcoming YIFY movies. A browse option and login for users who have signed up to the biggest private torrenting sites community.
To download, you only have to click on the image to find the download and data page. You get an overview as well as the files that come with the download.
You don’t have to worry about file sizes or torrent health, and you only have to worry about the definition you desire. If available, 720p, 1080p, or 4K torrents can be used.
8. Zooqle – A Heavenly Torrent Site for Gamers
Unique Feature(s): Zooqle has a very calming interface with a little colour and is easy on the eyes when searching for torrents
Pros
- Fast response to searches
- Very clean and easy-to-read interface
- Easy to see the health and file size of torrents
- It offers a vast amount of options
Cons
- Tough to see what the file quality is like
- Only offers magnet links
Direct link: https://zooqle.com
Zooqle is a new torrent tracker that is a great torrent site where you can find a wide range of entertainment and software among the 3,5 million-plus verified torrents.
While Zooqle is a newcomer, it offers almost 40,000 movies and 600+ TV shows for download on the torrent website. Download speed is average as the network size of torrents is small compared to top torrent sites.
This indexing site has gained popularity thanks to the enormous database while being one of the best torrenting sites to avoid too much attention.
Zooqle mainly focuses on movies and tv shows but has a decent selection of games, software, and books.
The site offers a user-friendly interface, and the ratio of seeders to leechers is high. You’ll also find the date the file was uploaded, resolution quality, and more information are included with the torrent file. Are all included in each torrent. (Find the Best Torrents for Books)
While navigating the newcomer in the top torrent sites, you can keep getting pop-up ads. An ad-blocker and VPN are recommended.
9. Kickass Torrents – Best for TV Series Torrents
Unique Feature(s): The site comes with a vast wealth of variety for torrent downloads
Pros
- High download speed
- Lots of video game torrents
- Plenty of torrent trackers
- Huge library
Cons
- You shouldn’t rely too much on mirror sites to download content
- The torrent sites blocked in many countries
Direct link: https://katcr.to/
It’s also one of the oldest torrenting networks, with a long history of government retaliation. It was launched in 2008 and the most popular torrent platform, even surpassing The Pirate Bay.
It ran until 2016 when it moved to a new domain. The site, however, faced serious problems after its proprietor was arrested, and it was eventually shut down.
In mid-2016, the people behind KickAss Torrents resurrected it, and it has grown to deserve its place on the list of the largest private torrenting site options there is.
Torrent downloaders need to be cautious when using mirror links to download videos. The site has lost some credibility since it isn’t the same as the original and could have dangerous torrent files from fake download links.
KickAss does, however, have a very active community and direct links to lots of files and HD movies.
FAQ
Is Torrenting still a thing?
Streaming is hugely popular, yet torrenting makes a comeback as it is much easier for streamers to record movies and TV shows. Much of the community has been quiet as the focus has been on streaming and classed as legal or illegal.
Is torrenting legal?
Torrenting and using a torrent client as an activity is legal, no matter what country you are in. However, the torrenting of copyright material isn’t legal, and this the reason so many torrent sites vanish.
What happens if I get caught torrenting?
If you don’t use a VPN, internet service providers (ISPs) can see everything you do online, even browsing torrent sites. In most countries, ISPs will disclose information with third parties, including intellectual property owners, in some countries, when asked by authorities.
If you are caught downloading lots of copyright-protected content, there is the chance of fines, prison, and confiscation of computing equipment. The threat of this can be small; however, you should think you won’t be caught.
A virtual private network is the only way to hide your visits to the best torrenting sites.
Do I need a VPN for torrenting?
A VPN protects you against viruses and malware, as well as leaking personal information. Specific torrent sites could be blocked in your region, and you will need a VPN to connect to servers in other countries.
A VPN will also prevent your ISP from monitoring your activities and improve your torrenting speed if your ISP is throttling your connection.
Is torrenting safe?
Torrenting is safe so long as you take precautions. You can find some files with viruses or malware, yet these tend to be more software than movies and TV shows.
Besides this, you have to torrent with or without a VPN. Using a VPN to torrent protects your internet connection as you use the best torrenting sites. It masks your IP and hides your location. (Read 5 Best Extratorrent Alternatives)
What do you need for Torrenting?
To torrent, you need a premium VPN that has optimized servers and locations in torrent-friendly countries. You also need a good torrent client that itself is proven safe for use.
Wrapping Up
Downloading torrents appears not to be going away soon. If you decide to take part, you should protect yourself.
Copyright trolls don’t care if they go after individuals or large uploaders, yet they will turn to these people when they fail to shut down the likes of The Pirate Bay, KickassTorrents, or others on our list.
Private torrent sites also do nothing to Rhode your activity, even if you think they do. Use a VPN, and you can access the best torrent sites as if they were unblocked and free from any mischief.