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From your geeky roommates who eat up your internet connection at all hours of the night to your luddite family members, nearly everyone knows what BitTorrent is nowadays. They might not be able to describe how it works, or even legal ways they can use it, but they know it exists. (If you’re a little geekier, you probably also know that peer-to-peer networking can even power processes like like Windows operating system updates, Chromebook updates, and Android app installations.)
Even if you don’t care about how BitTorrent works (you should!), there are plenty of tips we’re happy to share about how to maximize your experience when downloading and uploading files. (At the very least, we have lots of thoughts on which apps you should use to Bittorrent, and how you can stay safe doing it.)
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First, let’s talk tech—briefly, we promise.
What is BitTorrent?
BitTorrent is not a program. It’s a method of downloading files using a distributed peer-to-peer file sharing system. The programs that you use to download files via the BitTorrent protocol are called BitTorrent clients.
What makes the BitTorrent protocol unique is that it distributes the sharing of files across all users who have downloaded or are in the process of downloading a file. Because BitTorrent breaks up and distributes files in hundreds of small chunks, you don’t even need to have downloaded the whole file before you start sharing. As soon as you have even a piece of the file, you can start sharing that piece with other users. That’s what makes BitTorrent so fast; users can share chunks of files with one another as soon as they’ve been downloaded (instead of waiting until the entire download has been completed).
If you’re still confused, let’s try a simpler approach. As Sampathkumar illustrates over on Medium, this is a simplified version of what it’s like to download a normal file from a website:
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When you’re downloading something from BitTorrent, it looks a little something like this:
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The benefit? If one system in the massive group of BitTorrenters is slow, that’s just fine—with luck, there will be other computers that can send you the chunks of the file you’re looking for at a much greater speeds. If you were just downloading a file from a single slow server, you’d be stuck; since BitTorrent attempts to piece the file together from (ideally) many people at once, you’ll have plenty of built-in alternatives—and you, yourself, will help contribute to others’ requests.
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How to find and download a file with BitTorrent
Now that you’ve got a better idea of the terminology and process behind BitTorrent, let’s jump right into using it.
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First, you need to download a BitTorrent client
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Without a BitTorrent client, you can’t partake in the peer-to-peer protocol. There are many BitTorrent clients to pick from--many. Our favorites include:
- qBitTorrent — Windows/Mac (an open-source, free variant of uTorrent)
- Deluge— Windows/Mac (also open-source, also free, and and supports lots of plugins for customizing its operations)
- Transmission — mainly for Mac, but an “early preview” Windows version is available. (Incredibly popular client, and very easy to use.)
- Tixati — Windows (simple andskinnable!)
In order to download anything using a BitTorrent app, you first have to find and download a .torrent file and then open it with your BitTorrent client. The torrent file does not contain your files. Instead, it contains information which tells your BitTorrent client where it can find peers who are also sharing and downloading the file.
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As the BitTorrent blog describes it:
“Inside a “.torrent” file is a set of information that helps your BitTorrent client find and download data. This information is a group of files that includes names, sizes, and folder structure. Along with information about files, a ‘.torrent’ file also contains a list of trackers.
A tracker can be thought of as a computer – or group of computers – that helps identify the location of specific data. When a request for content goes out, say the latest issue of The FADER 101 Bundle, a tracker helps connect the person seeking it to the location(s) where it can be found.”
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You can also use what’s called a “magnet link” to kick off a BitTorrent download. The difference here is you aren’t downloading a .torrent file from a server directly; instead, the magnet link contains all the information you need to find that .torrent file from other BitTorrent peers. It’s a decentralized approach that saves you from having to download a .torrent file to get started (and also helps websites out by only requiring them to publish magnet links, rather than hosting .torrent files themselves).
As the BitComent wiki describes:
“[Magnet links] can reduce the load on torrent index websites and also may offer a better chance of keeping a torrent alive, as once the .torrent file is on the DHT Network it theoretically doesn’t need to be available for download on a website anymore; all you need is just a Magnet Link. And in case the original site hosting the torrent goes down or doesn’t provide it anymore, links are more likely to have been propagated on the Internet than are .torrent files to be hosted for download on alternate sites.”
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Here’s where we get into an ethical gray area. Let’s get real for a minute: Most people use BitTorrent to download copyright material. No matter how much we kid ourselves that we’re all downloading Linux distributions and screensavers, piracy and BitTorrent go hand-in-hand. (And, yes, we’re very aware that there are plenty of other places to download illegal things: Usenet, file-hosting sites like Mega, et cetera.)
Whatever content you’re looking for, we recommend not going the “Google the name of it plus the word ‘BitTorrent’” approach unless you’re honestly going for something like a regular Linux distribution. If you’re trying to grab the latest episode of your favorite TV show for free, you’re going to find a ton of listings—and a lot of spammy sites looking to take advantage of your interest in free content. You might ultimately end up BitTorrenting a file that isn’t what you expected in the slightest. Or, worse, malware.
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It’s not that hard to find great websites that list all kindsof torrents you might be interested in. It’s also not very hard to find website that list these kinds of websites. Whatever your BitTorrent pleasure, I recommend you treat this with care. Stick with recommendations from those already in the community, who probably know a lot more about what’s legitimate (and what isn’t) than you, if you’re just taking your first steps in this big, wide universe of downloading.
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Downloading the torrent
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When you find a particular item to download via BitTorrent, you’ll want to check one statistic: how many seeders it has, or how many others have full copies of whatever it is you want to download. Don’t give up hope if this figure is zero; let your torrent run for some time (a day, a week, whatever), and you might luck out and get some seeders to join the mix. Depending on the age and overall popularity of whatever it is you’re looking to acquire, you might also come up short. When in doubt, aim for torrents that have lots of seeders.
All you have to do to get going in your BitTorrent client is download and run a .torrent file or click on a magnet link—and if the latter doesn’t work, you can likely import it manually and then set your BitTorrent client as the default app for handling these kinds of links going forward.
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Easy enough, right? However, there are a few extra factors you’ll want to keep in mind as you begin your BitTorrent adventures:
- How much bandwidth are you using? Every BitTorrent client that’s even half-good should come with some way to limit your download and upload speeds. If you’re sharing your internet connection with others in your hours, or you don’t want your file-sharing to impact your other activities, setting reasonable limits is critical. You’ll probably want to limit your upload speed more than your download speed; while this makes you a jerk, sharing-wise, your ISP likely supports much lower upload speeds than download speeds.
If you’re paying for “150Mbps internet,” for example, that could actually mean that you’re capped at a mere 5Mbps for uploads—not 150Mbps. Fill the pipe by tossing bits and pieces of files to eager BitTorrent clients, and there won’t be any room left for your other bandwidth-hungry activities. - Should you use a VPN? If everything you’re downloading is legal, you’re fine. If you’re downloading things that could potentially piss off the copyright holders, you’re only asking for a stern letter from your ISP—or worse—if you aren’t using a VPN to conceal what you’re up to. Do not use a free VPN. Pay for a great VPN that will hide whatever it is you’re doing.
- How long are you seeding? While it’s noble and great for you to maintain a great BitTorrent ratio (the amount you downloaded vs. how much you uploaded to others), think back to the first bullet point. If you’re seeding files all the time, you could be impacting your own network performance. Consider whether you really want your BitTorrent client to launch when you start Windows (and start automatically seeding anything you’ve downloaded).
Otherwise, think about a length of time you’re comfortable with. And when you’ve hit that point for a torrent you’ve downloaded, delete it from your BitTorrent client. If you no longer need whatever it is you downloaded, don’t forget delete it from your hard drive, too. (Customizing where your client’s downloads torrents makes it easier to not forget this step.)
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This story was originally published on 8/3/07 and was updated on 7/11/19 to provide more thorough and current information.
Whether you side with the anti-piracy brigade or the “free movies for everyone” brigade is irrelevant. Yes, torrent sites do facilitate illegal file sharing, but they also provide a way to obtain legitimate copyright-free content.
The Pirate Bay used to the be world’s top torrent site, but a string of legal battles means the site is now a shadow of its former self.
If you want some of the best alternatives to The Pirate Bay for free torrents, keep reading.
Downloading Torrents: A Warning
MakeUseOf does not condone using torrents to obtain content illegally. Using the following sites for illegal purposes is done entirely at your own risk. MakeUseOf takes no responsibility for any legal problems you encounter.
In almost every country in the world, it is illegal to download torrents of copyright-protected movies, games, TV shows, and music if you do not already legitimately own the content. Doing so is intellectual property theft. Using torrents for illegal downloads can put you at risk of losing your internet connection, receiving a fine, or even getting a custodial sentence.
1. RARBG
RARBG has become one of the most well-established names in the torrenting world. The site focuses on high-quality video releases and has a vast amount of content available.
RARBG also offers a rudimentary but effective way to find new files thanks to its “Top 10” lists across a variety of categories.
The site’s popularity has led to it become one of the most-visited domains on the web. It consistently ranks in the top 350 on Alexa.
2. 1337x.to
1337x is one of the most well-designed alternatives to The Pirate Bay; you can easily filter the different types of torrent files using the button at the bottom of the screen.
The site has endured various legal battles. It’s not been available in Google Search results since a 2015 request from Feelgood Entertainment. It is, however, still searchable through privacy-focused search enginesAvoid Google and Bing: 7 Alternative Search Engines That Value PrivacyAvoid Google and Bing: 7 Alternative Search Engines That Value PrivacyIs search engine privacy important to you? If so, forget about Google and Bing and consider using one of these privacy-focused search engines instead.Read More like DuckDuckGo.
1337x.to has developed a reputation for providing access to obscure and hard-to-find torrents.
3. YTS.AM
The YIFY group (also known as YTS), was a group dedicated to releasing torrents of popular movies. The videos were renowned for being high-quality with small file sizes.
Perhaps predictably, legal action from Motion Picture Association of America saw the group get shut down in 2015. YTS.AM is the rebirth of the YIFY group and is commonly regarded as its natural successor.
4. TorLock
Torlock is another great Pirate Bay alternative.
The site offers some of the most reliable torrent downloads. Much of its index was created during a period when users were paid $1 for every fake link they reported—though we can’t see any information that suggests the offer is still in place.
Torlock also claims to offer a strict privacy policy. The developers do not log any of your actions and don’t track you around the web. The same cannot necessarily be said for other torrent download sites.
Lastly, it appears like Torlock is one of the few free torrent sites that care about legality. It promises to respond to all DCMA takedown notices within three days.
5. KickassTorrents
KickassTorrents isn’t the site it once was. It’s a far cry from the time when The Pirate Bay and KickassTorrents were duking it out to be the number one torrent site on the web. Indeed, in 2014, KickassTorrents was the most popular torrent site in the world.
The site’s demise began in 2016 after US authorities seized the domain, but it’s since risen from the ashes.
Although the library of torrent files in the site’s index has shrunk from its peak, KickassTorrents remains a reliable site that’s easy to navigate and download the files that you need.
6. LimeTorrents
Another site that’s grown in popularity over the last couple of years, LimeTorrents is definitely worth checking out if you’re struggling to find a particular torrent that you want.
Navigation is straightforward—there are filters for Movies, Music, TV shows, Games, Apps, and Anime, as well as specialist tools such as top torrent lists, a cloud search, and torrent health trackers.
7. Zooqle
Zooqle is a relative newcomer on the list of best torrent sites, but it’s become instantly popular thanks to its 4.2 million verified torrents, 6.9 PB of data, and a solid mix of software and video content.
Perhaps uniquely, the Zooqle community of users has played a significant role in the way the site looks and behaves. The result is an easy-to-navigate home page and—for anyone who creates an account—live RSS feeds and subscriptions.
8. Torrentz2
Music lovers should check out the content available on Torrentz2.eu. The metasearch engine combines results from dozens of search engines to offer you an extensive list of files.
Of course, the Torrentz brand name has been around for more than a decade. It was the second most popular torrent site on the web in both 2012 and 2015 before being shut down.
Today, this Pirate Bay alternative keep a low profile and specializes in audio files.
If you want added security, Torrentz2 is also available as an onion site through the Tor router.
9. EZTV
Like the YIFY group, EZTV was a group that created torrent files and made them available on other popular torrent sites.
When KickassTorrents ran into legal difficulties, EZTV decided to take the operation in-house and launched its own alternative to The Pirate Bay.
From a design standpoint, the site is not as easy to use as some of its rivals; it is the quality and variety of the torrents that keeps people coming back.
10. Torrents.io
Formerly known as Torrents.me, the site acts as an aggregator for many of the other best torrent sites on the web. It includes results from The Pirate Bay, 1337x, RARBG, and more.
Uniquely, Torrents.io offers search trends for various torrents on charts of the homepage. The data gives you some fresh insight into the most popular torrents in the world at any given moment.
Foreign Language Torrents
If English isn’t your primary language, don’t worry. Here are three non-English torrent sites:
- Mejor Torrent (Spanish): The user interface isn’t great, but with 25 million users it’s comfortably the most popular Spanish torrent site in the world.
- LostFilmTV (Russian): Despite the English-sounding name, LostFilmTV is the most popular torrent site for Russian content after the closure of Rutracker.
- Torrent9 (French): Torrent9 boasts more than two million French torrents. It’s popular in France, Belgium, and Canada.
The Best Pirate Bay Alternative
The 10 sites in our list should be enough to find the torrent that you want. But which is the best Pirate Bay alternative? It’s not an easy choice—torrent sites are continually changing and evolving. If we had to pick, we’d say the design and number of torrents on 1337x give it the edge.
You should always use a VPN when downloading torrents. We recommend ExpressVPN and CyberGhost.
To learn more, check out our articles on the best underground torrent sites you didn’t know aboutTop 6 Underground Torrent Search Engines You Never Knew AboutTop 6 Underground Torrent Search Engines You Never Knew AboutYou need specialized search engines to find legal torrents, foreclosed houses, public records, and even UFOs. Enter the dark web.Read More and the best torrent clients to replace uTorrentThe Best Torrent Clients to Replace uTorrentThe Best Torrent Clients to Replace uTorrentAre you still using uTorrent? It's time to switch to a cleaner and more trustworthy BitTorrent client. Here are the best uTorrent alternatives for Windows, Mac, and Linux.Read More.
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- Quite a few of these are either blocked via court order or blocked via hijacked DNS here in Australia.
- There are a lot of The Pirate Bay proxy mirrors there - piratebay-proxy-list.com, for example. TPB is still the best tracker out there!
- Who told you that rutracker is closed? It is up and running - rutracker.org
- KickassTorrents has become kind of subdued. Some of the torrents are expired. Some torrents have lost their peers (both sides).
- TPB is working just fine.
- How you came across the ranking perhaps if from alexa or content/quality/rare torrents or so rankings, it is sad to see you have left the best.