Torrents are one of the most common ways for online file-sharing and content access. With the perfect apps, you can use them on your Android device just as easily as you do on a computer.
To open the files downloaded via torrents, you may have to install additional software. Moreover, to ensure that you keep your identity safe from prying eyes and monitoring systems, it’s best to pair this activity with a free torrent VPN.
What is the best free torrent VPN? How can you stay completely safe while carrying out this task? The following sections will go into greater detail.
Torrenting: At a Glance
If you often download torrents directly from your Android device, make sure you do so securely and privately. Your torrent file sharing activity is public and discoverable to your IP address regardless of your Android device- smartphone, tablets, Android TV, and gaming consoles.
This situation happens because all peer-to-peer activity (torrenting) is public and can be easily traced back to the unique IP addresses of leechers and seeders alike. Your internet service provider (ISP) can also monitor torrent downloads directly.
How to Spot Safe Torrents
First and foremost, it’s important to spot safe torrents. Yes, they still exist! Although multiple BitTorrent apps include a search function, browsing a torrent website offers more details about torrents, enabling you to easily spot rich content with zero threats.
But beware. Although not all online torrent websites are spammy, many of them are. An effective ad blocker helps to keep annoying pop-ups and unnecessary advertisements away. There are numerous specialized ad Android blocker apps, but we advise switching to Firefox for Android simply because it facilitates most popular Firefox advertisement-blocker add-ons.
What To Do About Torrenting Risks?
Aside from religiously locating safe torrents, the best way to avoid torrent tracking is to plug the two major BitTorrent privacy leaks and safely download torrents in a way that is invisible to your Android device and not directly traceable to your Public IP Address.
To do this, these activities must be done:
- Rerouting. We’ll use a VPN to reroute your Android torrent traffic into a remote web server, masking your true IP address from peers or seeders.
- Encryption. By encrypting your traffic (via a VPN), you can avoid direct tracking or blocking by your ISP.
As explicitly stated, the use of a torrenting VPN cannot be anymore emphasized. Using a VPN makes it simple to encrypt and protect your Android torrents and conceal your real IP address from p2p peers (VPN).
Without a VPN, it is impossible to reroute and encrypt your traffic while torrenting all at once. Android, in its barest sense, does not support these functionalities. As a result, you’ll need to use a third-party tool, such as a VPN.
Tips on Mobile Torrenting With a VPN
Here are some relevant tips for safer Android torrenting with a VPN. Take note of these important steps and guides before downloading anything:
- Choose a VPN service.
The most important consideration when selecting an Android VPN for torrenting is that it allows P2P traffic. Most do, but some don’t, so double-check the provider’s website. What if you try to torrent while using a VPN that doesn’t enable it? Your service provider may terminate your account.
- Select a VPN server.
Some VPN services that allow torrenting provide dedicated torrent servers, whereas others request or demand that you only torrent on specific servers. If you have any hesitations, reach out to your VPN provider.
- Enable the network kill switch.
A network kill switch prevents your Android device from connecting to the internet without a torrenting VPN connection, which is effective for torrent users who frequently download or seed for hours on end. A VPN dropout throughout that period can expose your IP address, leaving you completely exposed!
Regrettably, many Android torrenting VPN apps do not include a kill switch. If you don’t see the option in the application, it’s probably best to sign up for another VPN provider.
- Enable the Split-tunnelling feature.
VPN split tunneling allows you to route a few of your app or device traffic into the encrypted private VPN tunnel while the other traffic connects directly to your internet network. Split tunneling can be used to protect specific traffic while allowing local access to network devices.
If your VPN service does not support this feature, you may encounter problems using both foreign and domestic internet services simultaneously; plus, transmitting all data via VPN consumes your bandwidth.
- Choose a stable VPN protocol on your VPN server. In addition to providing a set of protocols, such as OpenVPN and Wireguard, ExpressVPN designed Lightway to outperform them all in terms of speed, consistency, and security.
Lightway employs certificates to protect users from man-in-the-middle attacks. Your VPN client comes preloaded with a certificate that is employed to authenticate or audit a VPN server. Using an external or open Lightway client, you can load this certificate to connect to VPN servers.
Free Torrent VPN for Android
When it comes to hiding your IP address and encrypting your traffic, free VPNs for torrenting have fewer resources and features. These free VPNs are not recommended for torrenting because they double your risk of a data breach due to unclear privacy policies and data trading issues.
But is there a way to avail a free torrent VPN for Android that has all of the necessary torrenting features? Yes! Simply sign up for a premium VPN and take advantage of the free 7-day Android mobile trial. Most premium VPNs, such as ExpressVPN, offer this one-time deal.
You can get all the features of a reliable torrenting VPN by using this free trial on your Android phone. During this period, you may download as many files, videos, and images as you want.
Disclaimer: We do not tolerate illegality. Torrent at your own risk and always do research as to its legal consequences.
Factors of the Best Torrent VPN for Android
Aside from the 7-day free torrent VPN trial, our picks for the perfect torrent-friendly Android VPNs are listed below.
- There are no metadata logs kept.
- Torrents are explicitly permitted.
- Android has a dedicated VPN app.
- Rapid download and upload speeds.
- IP leak and kill switch protection.
- Port-forwarding feature.
We tested several Android VPNs based on these criteria. Some VPN providers were able to prove their title as an Android VPN for torrenting, but many are simply empty claims made by VPN providers who do not care about security or privacy.
How to Make Sure Your Android Torrent VPN Works Before Torrenting
Verifying that your torrenting VPN is operational is pivotal, as a mistake could expose you to cybercriminals or scammers. Based on your threat/risk model, you can check it by using an IP leak test tool for IP, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. This tool can be found online, and with a VPN subscription, these leak detection tools come for free. The VPN will look for
Final Thoughts: How To Torrent Safely on Android.
To torrent safely on Android, sign up for a VPN that reroutes and encrypts your traffic. Torrenting is a risky task not just because of the nature of the activity but because of its vulnerability to web brute attacks and malicious users.
Free torrent VPNs do not do justice to torrenting, as the task requires unlimited bandwidth, faster speeds, reliable servers, solid protocols, and features like split tunneling. To avail of a free torrent VPN, sign up for a premium VPN like ExpressVPN and its mobile free trial available for Android and iOS users.