VPN vs. Proxy For Torrenting (What Is A Better Choice And Why?)

The internet is filled with loopholes that hackers and identity thieves take advantage of to exploit unsuspecting browsers. The risk of encountering these unethical people is heightened by using torrent clients to download pirated content. However, you can manage to sidestep their traps by using a VPN or a Torrent Proxy. Even so, a lot has been asked regarding the two secure connections, with no definite answer of which is the best. 

VPN stands out from Torrent proxy as it offers overall browsing protection, whereas Torrent Proxy only masks the torrent activity. VPN also offers encryption, adding a layer of security, which Torrent Proxy lacks. However, internet speed is significantly reduced when using VPN but remains close to the original speed when using Torrent Proxy. 

That’s not all, as you still need to know the core differences between the two and how they compare, what is a Torrent Proxy and how it works, and whether you can use the two internet masking methods together, which you will learn if you read on. 

Which is the Best Option? Torrent Proxy or VPN?

Safety and speed are two crucial things that many people keep in mind when torrenting. In addition to attracting hackers and other unethical online users, torrenting without masking your IP address also expose your identity to your internet service provider (ISP), who might ban your IP and cancel your subscription for engaging in the download of illegal and pirated content. The owner of the work can also sue you for piracy and copyright breach, which can turn out to be a nightmare. 

You need to mask your internet connection with a Torrent Proxy or a VPN to avoid all the risks. Even so, many people don’t know which is best between the two. 

On matters of total safety and anonymity, you should consider using a VPN over Torrent Proxy for the following reasons:

  • A VPN network is more stable and offers a complete cloaking, including the torrent activity and a browser’s traffic, while Torrent Proxy only masks the torrent. 
  • A VPN network works independently, whereas a Torrent Proxy relies on the torrent client. 
  • There is high-quality encryption with VPN, but Torrent Proxy lacks the same. 

However, when using a Torrent Proxy, you’ll notice a high-speed internet connection close to the original speed, while the speed is significantly reduced when using a VPN

Despite their differences, the two offer secure connections when torrenting and they work well with the following torrent clients:

  • uTorrent 
  • BitTorrent 
  • Transmission
  • Zona
  • Deluge 
  • Libtorrent 
  • MediaGet
  • qBitTorrent

What are the Similarities between A Torrenting Proxy and a VPN?

Besides helping you to stay anonymous when downloading torrent content, Torrent Proxy and VPN have some similarities such as:

  • They’re easy to set up and manage as they don’t require any technical skills.
  • The paid options are more stable than the free options
  • They only require a one-time setup

What’s the Best VPN for Torrenting?

Now that we’ve established that VPNs work better than Torrent Proxy in providing complete protection, let’s see which VPN is best suited for torrenting. In this case, NordVPN is perfect for torrenting for several reasons:

The use of NordLynx Protocols 

The protocols are designed to curb the slow internet connection problem when torrenting using a VPN, as they help to maintain a near-original internet speed. This way, you’ll manage faster downloads while still maintaining the top-level security the VPN provider offers. 

Affordable and Secure Connection

The monthly charges at NordVPN are affordable, and if that’s not enough, the provider always offers a discount to new and returning clients. The strategy has seen their market share sore, catapulting them into the top spot. Besides their attractive prices, NordVPN has also invested a lot in improving their product, which offers a better and secure connection. With this VPN, your safety and anonymity are guaranteed. 

Besides NordVPN, other contenders tend to perform well, and you can use them to torrent. They include:

  • ExpressVPN
  • Norton Secure VPN
  • ProtonVPN

What is a Torrent Proxy, and how Does it Work?

A Torrent Proxy is a secure connection meant to route your torrent connection through another server, thereby cloaking and protecting your IP address. The proxy helps shield your identity when torrenting, and it doesn’t interfere much with your internet speed. 

How does a Torrent Proxy Work?

First, you need to purchase a proxy server from a reliable supplier. In this case, you need Socks5 proxies as they’re very reliable and secure. The supplier will help you set up a torrent proxy port you can use to forward your connection. 

Next, add the torrent proxy port settings on your preferred torrent client and test the connection. Keep in mind that the proxies will not secure your browser traffic, and if you want to extend the privacy, you must customize your browser using similar settings as you did with the torrent client. 

Is it Possible to use a Torrent Proxy and a VPN Together?

It might sound like a great idea to have both secure connection methods when torrenting, but this is not the case. When used together, the Torrent Proxy can bypass the VPN protection, thereby exposing the very thing you’re trying to hide; your IP address. 

If you want to maintain your original IP address through a web browser but download pirated content using a torrent client, then a Torrent Proxy is what you need. However, you need a VPN if you want overall protection to secure your browser and torrent activity. 

Outro

VPN and Torrent Proxy connections help to keep your data safe from hackers and mask your online activities from your internet service provider. VPN tends to do better than Torrent Proxy since it offers computer-wide protection compared to Torrent Proxy, which only protects your torrent activity. The best VPN for torrenting is NordVPN, but there are others that perform equally well. It’s not recommended to use a VPN and Torrent Proxy simultaneously, as doing so might compromise your safety. Always go for the paid options as they perform better.