Windows is by far the most popular desktop operating system, so it makes sense that the majority of Bit Torrent users would be using this operating system. For that reason, there have been more Bit Torrent clients come and go over the years that were designed with this operating system in mind. But which ones are the best? If you don’t know where to begin, it can be hard finding a torrent client that is going to be fast, reliable, and secure. There are a lot of security issues when you download torrents from windows, and the largest two concerns are ISPs and viruses.
Always make sure that you use a VPN service when you are downloading torrents. Even if you are downloading a perfectly legal and valid torrent, some ISPs will still try to block your traffic. As another example, some college campuses won’t allow you to download torrents either. Even if you’re just downloading a harmless Linux distribution, if your network administrator or ISP doesn’t like it they can block it and shut you down. Using a VPN tunnel will make your data inaccessible and hidden from the prying eyes of network admins and ISPs, though. For some good VPNs, check out our article here for more info.
In addition, you always need to make sure you scan your downloads with a virus scanner before opening them. Downloading torrents on Windows has its fair share of risks because Windows is more susceptible to viruses and malware than other operating systems. Torrents are frequently used as distribution channels for malicious software, and they target Windows more than they do any other system. With that said, let’s take a look at some of the leading torrent clients for Windows.
uTorrent
This choice use to be a no-brainer given the immense success and popularity this client has achieved. In fact, uTorrent is used more on Windows than any other modern operating system. Unfortunately, due to reports of the software taking a turn for the worse, it becomes a bit more difficult to advise fellow readers to opt for uTorrent, but there is hope! This client needs to be at the top of the list because it is the most used Bit Torrent client across all operating systems, but also because you can still opt for an older, lightweight and safe version that negates the risk of the bad that came with some of the more recent updates. Whether or not they have cleaned up their act is not something I can answer, but I have not updated to any recent version for a very long time. The version I have opted for under Windows is 2.2.1 and I highly suggest anyone to use this version vs. the latest ones, unless you find any security report advising otherwise. The application is rock solid and it does a fine job of downloading content in a speedy manner. The only complaint some people really have about it is its advertisements. Apart from its advertisements, some people wish that it had a few more features – but the whole point of uTorrent is to cut out all of the unnecessary features to make the program more efficient at downloading files. As a side note, one thing you should always do on Windows is create your own custom VPN kill switch so your files will stop downloading when your VPN connection drops.
Vuze
Vuze also belongs at the top of the list because it is one of uTorrent’s biggest competitors. Though it isn’t as popular, Vuze aims to fill the gaps and solve the problems with the lack of features in uTorrent. Vuze is extremely feature-rich, and it includes a kill switch mechanism as well as a way to control your torrent downloads remotely. However, you are better off making your own custom kill switch as users have reported problems with the one included in this software.
BitLord
BitLord is another popular alternative to the ubiquitous uTorrnet. Even though it supports encryption technologies, don’t make the mistake of thinking that torrents you download with this client are inherently safe and secure. You are still better off using a VPN tunnel and you will still need to scan downloaded files with antivirus software before opening them. This is another client that was designed to be extremely lightweight and fast. It lacks a lot of features because the focus of the application is on torrent download speeds. Two of the more interesting features, however, include a video player as well as a search engine to help you find new torrents.
Opera
Believe it or not, the Opera web browser has a lot more features than pulling up HTTP pages. Not only is it a full featured web browser, but it will also facilitate the downloading of torrent files. Who knew? It has received good reviews concerning its ability to download torrents, but there is one catch. What if you have already fallen in love with a different web browser? Changing web browsers solely for the sake of downloading torrents isn’t likely going to happen. As such, most people prefer applications that were specifically designed for downloading torrents.
