NordVPN for torrenting: Can you torrent safely with this VPN?

Want a secure VPN for torrenting? In this guide, we analyze the popular VPN provider, NordVPN, to find out whether you can use it to torrent safely.

When you connect peer-to-peer with other computers to download and seed torrent files, you expose yourself to a number of potential threats. Any of the users you connect to while torrenting could be hackers or snoopers. You could have your network probed for open ports or other vulnerabilities that allow hackers to take over devices, infect you with malware, or add devices to a botnet, for example.

In addition to the threat of malicious attacks, torrenting creates privacy risks. It is possible for your ISP and other P2P users to detect and track your downloads, which is why it is important to encrypt your connection with a VPN. This ensures that your online activities, including your torrents, remain completely confidential.

Some VPNs are much more suitable for torrenting than others. Not all VPNs provide reliable connections that are free of IP and DNS leaks, and not all VPNs provide strong enough encryption to protect your data. In addition, a good VPN for torrenting should be lightning-fast to give you reliable download speeds. 

In this guide, we take a closer look at NordVPN to find out whether it is safe for torrenting.

Are the NordVPN apps safe for torrenting?

NordVPN has custom applications for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. It can also be set up on Linux machines using its command-line app. Finally, it allows you to connect manually using VPN-compatible routers. 

This gives you plenty of options for torrenting. You can either install the VPN directly onto the machine you use for torrenting – or protect all the devices in your home automatically by installing the VPN on a router.

The custom apps make it extremely easy to start torrenting on Windows and Mac, which are the most popular platforms internet users employ for seeding and leeching torrents. Those apps provide all of the security and privacy features required to download torrents privately and safely (more on this below).

NordVPN’s apps and network have both been independently audited. The security of those apps has been verified, and you can completely trust NordVPN’s apps to be free of vulnerabilities and safe to use while torrenting.

What NordVPN features are good for torrenting?

NordVPN is one of the most feature-packed VPNs available on the market. It’s a superb option for a wide range of online activities, including streaming, playing online games, making private video calls, working remotely with added privacy and security, downloading torrents without being tracked, and engaging in P2P connections safely.

Below, we have provided a list of features that NordVPN has in its apps with an explanation of how each of those features can help protect you while torrenting.

1. Robust encryption

NordVPN provides a choice of protocols, including the highly reliable OpenVPN protocol with AES-256 encryption. This protocol provides robust security with Perfect Forward Secrecy, which means that everything you do online while torrenting will be shielded from local networks, your ISP, government snoops, and any other eavesdroppers that attempt to monitor your online activities.

In addition to OpenVPN, users can connect using NordVPN’s proprietary WireGuard fork, NordLynx. This protocol is designed to provide you with even better speeds for torrenting, while protecting your connection with modern cryptographic primitives, including ChaCha20 for encryption and Curve25519 for key exchange. This makes it a fantastic option for torrenting securely while maintaining top speeds.

2. No-logging policy

NordVPN has a solid no-logs policy that has been fully audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers AG Switzerland and Deloitte. Nord never tracks any of its users' activities while connected to the VPN. 

NordVPN keeps no record of users’ IP addresses, nor the IP addresses of the servers to which users connect. Even if NordVPN were to be raided by the authorities, it would have no records of any of its user’s activities. It’s impossible for anybody to find out any information pertaining to your torrent habits at a later date. 

3. Diskless servers

NordVPN’s entire network runs on an in-house network of self-owned diskless servers. Those servers run exclusively in RAM, which means that their limited memory is constantly being overwritten. This helps to improve privacy for its users.

It can easily pull the plug on any server location in an emergency. Doing so would completely wipe all the data passing through that server – leaving behind no traces of information pertaining to active VPN sessions on physical drives.

4. Split tunneling

NordVPN has a nifty split tunneling feature that lets you route some of your apps through the VPN while leaving others outside of that VPN tunnel. 

The benefit of this feature is that you can route your torrent client through the VPN while doing other activities (such as streaming, gaming, or surfing the web) using your regular non-encrypted internet connection.

5. System-level kill switch 

One of the most important features when torrenting with a VPN is a kill switch. A VPN kill switch is designed to completely cut off your internet if the VPN connection drops out. If your WiFi has a momentary wobble, you switch between WiFi and mobile networks, or some other issue causes you to disconnect from the VPN, then the kill switch prevents other users from seeing your real IP and your ISP from tracking what you download.

We thoroughly tested NordVPN’s kill switch as part of our review process. We found the kill switch to work perfectly to block our internet even when we simulated a full crash of the NordVPN app. The kill switch functions at the operating system level, which makes it extremely robust.

6. DNS leak protection

Some VPNs leak DNS requests and other types of data outside of the VPN tunnel. We tested NordVPN thoroughly for IP, WebRTC, and DNS leaks. We were happy to find that the encrypted tunnel was completely free of leaks. 

The VPN always keeps all your torrent data firmly locked inside the VPN tunnel, which prevents local networks, ISPs, government snoops, and other eavesdroppers from being able to detect your torrents. 

7. Double VPN

Although this feature isn’t strictly necessary to torrent securely, it is a worthwhile extra that provides its users with an additional layer of privacy and security. It works by routing its user's data through two consecutive server locations, which helps to conceal your source IP address, and encrypts your data twice over.

While MultiHop VPN connections of this kind can help to improve your privacy, it is worth remembering that the additional processing and routing required may impact your download speeds. 

8. Obfuscated servers

NordVPN provides obfuscation, which is a feature that helps to conceal OpenVPN connections as regular HTTPS traffic. This feature helps to get users connected in countries that block VPN connections using a strict firewall, such as China. 

Another benefit of obfuscation is that it can prevent your ISP from knowing you are using a VPN, which keeps you under the radar in countries where VPN use is frowned upon.

9. Servers optimized for torrenting

NordVPN has over 5000 servers in 59+ countries. NordVPN allows torrenting throughout its network. You can connect to any server in its network to engage in safe and private torrenting.

10. Fast speeds

A VPN for torrenting must be able to download the files you want swiftly. NordVPN is consistently one of the fastest VPNs on the market. This makes it an excellent option for downloading and seeding torrents. 

NordVPN runs on Tier-1 servers, and it employs a custom fork of the WireGuard protocol, known as NordLynx. This allows it to provide the very best performance for downloading torrents while maintaining your privacy.

Get a risk-free trial

NordVPN offers a risk-free 30-day trial so you can sign up here with zero risk. You can use the VPN rated #1 for torrenting with no restrictions for a full month.

There are no hidden terms – just contact support within 30 days if you decide NordVPN isn't right for you and you'll get a full refund. Start your NordVPN trial here.

NordVPN for torrenting FAQs

Does NordVPN allow port forwarding?

No, it does not support port forwarding. This is a feature that some users want for seeding torrents more efficiently.

Port forwarding allows other peers to connect to your torrent client while your IP address is protected behind the VPN. This is an important feature for seeding torrents because it allows other peers to successfully connect to your client to download the pieces they need. 

If you intend to seed torrents regularly, you may find that your torrent client requires port forwarding. That said, many people use NordVPN for torrenting without issues, so you should do some research to find out whether you will need port forwarding to seed with your torrent client.

If in doubt, remember that you can try NordVPN risk-free thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee. This will allow you to check whether NordVPN works with your torrent client. 

Is NordVPN safe for torrenting?

Yes. NordVPN has all the privacy and security features you need to torrent safely. The encrypted connection ensures that NordVPN always prevents any outsiders from monitoring your downloads. It prevents other peers from detecting your home IP address, which allows you to seed and leech torrents without fear of connecting to a malicious peer.

The only limitation of this VPN is that it lacks port forwarding. So, if you want a VPN that allows you to forward specific ports to your torrent client, you may prefer to shop elsewhere. Other than that, NordVPN is an exceptionally fast and secure VPN for torrenting that is well worth testing using its money-back guarantee. 

What features does a VPN require for torrenting?

To torrent safely and privately there are a few important features you should look for in a VPN. The good news is that NordVPN has all these important privacy and security features:

• A choice of reliable tunneling protocols
• Robust AES-256 and ChaCha20 encryption
• A no-logging policy
• DNS leak protection
• Servers optimized for P2P connections
• Fast speeds

If you want to know more, check out our full NordVPN review