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How to Torrent Safely with Surfshark
The Short Answer
Surfshark is a secure torrenting VPN due to its P2P-optimized servers, private logging policy, and strong AES-256 encryption. To torrent safely with Surfshark: enable the kill switch and CleanWeb, select the WireGuard protocol, connect to a P2P server, and only disconnect once you’ve finished file-sharing.
A secure VPN is essential to protect your identity when you’re torrenting files.
The best VPNs for torrenting mask your IP address and encrypt your traffic so that your ISP and other users in the peer-to-peer (P2P) network can’t record your activity or trace your downloads to target you with malware or copyright claims.
Sadly, not every VPN service supports P2P traffic, and many services simply don’t offer the level of security necessary for safe and anonymous torrenting.
I ran Surfshark through my testing methodology to determine how well it performs for torrenting and compared it to other leading VPN services.
EXPERT ADVICE: Surfshark is a good VPN for torrenting, but it’s not my favorite. My top recommendation is Private Internet Access, which you can try risk-free for 30 days.
Surfshark’s Torrenting Performance: At a Glance
| Torrenting Attribute | Result |
|---|---|
| Average Bitrate | 8.7MiB/s (13% loss) |
| Countries with P2P Servers | 88 |
| Port Forwarding | No |
| Logging Policy | No Identifiable Data |
| Kill Switch | Yes |
| Jurisdiction | Netherlands (EU Member) |
We’re fully independent and have been reviewing VPNs since 2016. Our advice is based on our own testing results and is unaffected by financial incentives. Learn who we are and how we test VPNs.
How to Safely Torrent with Surfshark
Using a VPN for torrenting requires more steps than just connecting to a VPN server. If you don’t configure Surfshark correctly, you run the risk of revealing your real IP address and torrent activity.
Quick Guide: How To Use Surfshark for Torrenting
- Download a safe BitTorrent client. I recommend qBittorrent.
- Subscribe to Surfshark and download the VPN app: If you decide it isn’t for you, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee for you to claim a full refund.
- Configure the Surfshark app for maximum security: Ensure WireGuard is selected and that the kill switch and malware blocker (CleanWeb) are enabled.
- Connect to a server that supports torrenting. You can type “P2P” into the server list search bar to filter for supported locations.
- Bind Surfshark to your torrent client.
- Check for IP and DNS leaks.
1. Choose a Safe Torrent Client
I advise downloading qBittorrent as it’s open-source, free of ads, and runs smoothly on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Other popular options include uTorrent, Vuze, and Deluge, but I don’t rate them as highly as qBittorrent. Whichever you choose, make sure you download it from its official website.
2. Download the Surfshark App
Download and install the Surfshark app onto the device you want to torrent with.
To minimize a paper trail, I recommend signing up with an alias email and paying with cryptocurrency.
Please keep in mind that Surfshark’s 30-day money-back guarantee only applies if it’s your first time purchasing a subscription.
3. Enable All Surfshark Security Settings
Before you start torrenting with Surfshark, make sure you’re running the optimal security settings.
Go to Settings > VPN settings and toggle on CleanWeb and the kill switch. On Windows, select the strict option from the kill switch drop-down menu (macOS users can simply toggle the kill switch on).
Lastly, scroll down to Protocol and switch it from Automatic to WireGuard.
How you should configure Surfshark on Windows before torrenting.
4. Connect to a P2P-Enabled Server
Surfshark permits torrenting in 88% of the 100 countries where it has servers. You can type “p2p” into the server list search bar to find one.
Surfshark server locations that block torrenting:
- Australia
- Chile
- Colombia
- Croatia
- Greece
- Ireland
- Japan
- Mexico
- New Zealand
- Taiwan
- Turkey
- UAE
Any attempt to torrent while connected to a server location that doesn’t support P2P results in a frozen download.
Once you’ve connected to a server, the app will create a network adapter, which you can then bind the torrent client to.
5. Bind Surfshark to Your Torrenting Client
Binding Surfshark to your torrent client ensures files will only download while the VPN is connected.
If the VPN connection drops or you disconnect by accident, your download instantly pauses, keeping your real IP address hidden.
Here’s how to bind Surfshark to your torrenting client on Windows:
- Connect to a Surfshark server.
- Launch qBittorrent. Click the blue cog icon to open settings.
- Select Advanced from the left-hand sidebar. Go to the drop-down menu next to Network interface and select SurfsharkWireGuard.
- Click Apply, then OK.
This process isn’t as straightforward on macOS as VPN interfaces are labeled as utun followed by a number (e.g., utun2).
To identify Surfshark, check the network interface drop-down menu before connecting to the VPN, then connect and select the new utun entry that appears.
There’s one important caveat: macOS assigns these numbers dynamically, which means restarting your Mac or reconnecting to the VPN can change your utun number.
I recommend repeating this process every time you torrent on Mac.
It’s much easier to bind qBittorrent to Surfshark on Windows.
6. Test Your Connection for Leaks
The final step is to verify that Surfshark and your torrent client are configured correctly.
Use our torrent IP leak test tool to check your real IP address and DNS information aren’t leaking outside the VPN connection.
If the tool detects no leak, you’re ready to torrent safely with Surfshark.
Is Surfshark Good for Torrenting?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Logs minimal data | No port forwarding |
| Diskless servers & anonymous payment methods | Torrenting blocked on servers in 12 countries |
| Advanced kill switch & malware blocker | Kill switch isn’t enabled by default |
| Robust ChaCha20 encryption (via WireGuard) | Occasionally leaks IPv6 addresses |
| Unlimited simultaneous connections | |
| Private self-managed DNS servers |
Surfshark is a great VPN for torrenting that can be trusted to keep your downloads hidden.
It uses robust encryption (ChaCha20 or AES-256) to protect your torrenting traffic and its diskless server network ensures none of your user data is recorded.
While its bitrate isn’t the fastest, partly due to a lack of port forwarding, it’s still viable for regular P2P file-sharing.
My biggest gripe is the lack of P2P support on servers in 12 countries, notably Australia and Japan. This puts Surfshark a tier below my top-rated torrenting VPNs.
Surfshark worked with every torrent client that I tested.
Fast Torrenting Download Speeds
Most torrent sites distribute large file sizes like TV series or movies. As such, a fast VPN can substantially minimize the waiting time for a file to download.
On my baseline 10MiB/s connection, I registered an average bitrate of 8.7MiB/s with Surfshark while downloading a variety of file sizes.
That’s a solid result, but it’s marginally slower than top-rated torrenting VPNs such as PIA or ExpressVPN.
To put this into context, I’ve shown how long it takes Surfshark to download a 50GB file compared to other VPNs:
| VPN Service | Download Bitrate | Time To Download 50GB Torrent File |
|---|---|---|
| No VPN | 10MiB/s | 1 hour 19 minutes |
| Surfshark | 8.7MiB/s | 1 hour 31 minutes |
| ExpressVPN | 9.8MiB/s | 1 hour 25 minutes |
| Private Internet Access | 9.6MiB/s | 1 hour 22 minutes |
| IPVanish | 9.9MiB/s | 1 hour 20 minutes |
As shown above, Surfshark is slightly slower than the very best torrenting VPNs. For most users, this won’t be a problem, but if you plan to regularly download large files, consider switching to ExpressVPN or PIA.
Large P2P-Friendly Server Network
Surfshark’s server network spans 100 countries and supports torrenting in 88 of them. That’s more P2P locations than Mullvad or Windscribe offer.
That said, it’s a problem if you torrent in the Asia-Pacific region, where Surfshark blocks P2P traffic on its servers in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and Taiwan.
Worse still, P2P-supported servers aren’t labeled in-app, so you have to manually search “p2p” in the server list to find them. I’d like to see Surfshark bring back its P2P tab for easier navigation.
It’s much harder to find Surfshark’s P2P servers than before.
Minimal Data Logging & Strong Privacy Features
Surfshark logs zero identifying data. It collects the VPN server you connect to and your connection timestamps, but these are deleted within 15 minutes of disconnecting.
It also logs account metadata, like your email address, but this isn’t tied to your online activity and can be avoided by signing up with an alias email and an anonymous payment method.
An independent audit from Deloitte verified this policy, but that isn’t irrefutable proof because audits are limited in scope.
Until Surfshark undergoes a real-world test, I can’t 100% guarantee anything, but I can say that its privacy track record up to this point has been excellent.
For peace of mind, Surfshark also uses diskless (RAM-only) servers, meaning no user data is stored on physical drives. Even if a server is seized or hacked, your torrenting activity can’t be extracted.
Robust Encryption
Surfshark hides your IP address and torrenting activity with secure encryption ciphers and trusted VPN protocols.
You have three options: AES-256-GCM (via OpenVPN), ChaCha20 (via WireGuard), or AEGIS-256X2 (via Dausos). The latter two also come with post-quantum encryption to prevent “harvest now, decrypt later” cyber attacks.
To verify this, I ran my traffic through a packet analyzer while torrenting with Surfshark:
Surfshark encrypted my torrenting traffic.
As shown above, Surfshark successfully encrypted my torrenting traffic with WireGuard. I also used our custom leak test tool and found that Surfshark didn’t leak IPv4, DNS, or WebRTC.
However, I found Surfshark occasionally leaks IPv6 addresses. If you’re on an IPv6 network (you can check by using Test IPv6), I strongly recommend disabling IPv6 or choosing a compatible VPN, like ExpressVPN.
EXPERT TIP: Surfshark offers browser extensions, but they only encrypt your activity within the web browser. That means you’ll need the full desktop VPN application to protect your torrenting activity.
Surfshark Doesn’t Support Port Forwarding
Port forwarding enables other torrent users to connect to your computer to download files you’re seeding. Without it, you can only seed to peers you connect to first. Some torrent clients will also slow down your downloads if you’re not seeding enough.
Surfshark doesn’t support port forwarding due to security risks, making it less effective at seeding torrent files than other VPNs.
If you’re looking for a VPN that supports port forwarding, I recommend AirVPN or PIA VPN.
Wide Range of Advanced Security Features
Surfshark includes several additional security features that are useful for torrenting.
I’ve listed some of the most important ones and how they benefit P2P file-sharing, below.
- Kill switch: Cuts your internet connection if the VPN disconnects, protecting your real IP address from leaking. On Windows, I advise enabling the ‘strict’ option to make leaks near-impossible.
- Bypasser: A VPN split tunneling tool that lets you specify your torrent client for the VPN tunnel, while keeping all other apps on your normal IP.
- CleanWeb: Blocks ads, trackers, and malware commonly found on torrent sites.
These security features can be found on all of Surfshark’s apps for Windows, Android, macOS, and iOS devices. The one exception is the strict kill switch, which is limited to the Windows app.
The Amazon Fire TV Stick app can also be used to stream Kodi add-ons that use P2P sharing.
How Does Surfshark Compare to Other P2P VPNs?
If you want the best possible torrenting experience, then consider using a VPN designed for P2P file-sharing, like ExpressVPN, IPVanish, or AirVPN.
These VPNs are faster on average and AirVPN includes port forwarding.
Here’s a table comparing Surfshark to its top torrenting competitors:
1. ExpressVPN: User-Friendly & Secure VPN
ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs for torrenting I’ve used. Its apps are beginner-friendly and quick to set up and I never experienced any issues using them alongside torrent clients.
It’s also much quicker than Surfshark with an average bitrate of 9.8MiB/s and provides P2P-optimized servers in 25 more countries.
However, ExpressVPN costs more on long-term plans and has a higher renewal rate ($8.33/mo vs. Surfshark’s $6.58/mo).
ExpressVPN’s file-sharing speeds are among the best.
Faster Speeds & More P2P Servers
ExpressVPN is slightly faster than Surfshark for torrenting with a download bitrate of 9.8MiB/s.
I really noticed the difference when I downloaded a 50GB torrent file with both VPNs and ExpressVPN was over 10 minutes faster.
ExpressVPN also includes P2P-optimized servers in 25 more countries than Surfshark. That guarantees you’ll have a nearby P2P server for the best possible speeds.
Minimal Setup Required Compared to Surfshark
ExpressVPN is one of the most beginner-friendly VPNs for torrenting.
Unlike Surfshark, it uses built-in P2P-optimized servers, instead of separating them from its standard server list.
Its kill switch and Lightway protocol are also enabled by default, removing any additional setup.
To start torrenting with ExpressVPN, you simply connect to a server and begin your download.
Anonymous & Secure Torrenting
ExpressVPN doesn’t log enough data to identify you, as proven by multiple independent audits and real-world events.
It’s also based in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), a privacy haven, and uses a diskless server network. This makes it much harder for anyone to record your torrenting activity.
ExpressVPN encrypts your torrenting traffic with AES-256 encryption and tunnels it with its proprietary Lightway protocol.
All that’s missing is a port forwarding tool to maximize your download bitrate.
2. IPVanish: Fastest No-logs Torrent VPN
IPVanish has the fastest average bitrate of any no-logs VPN: 9.9MiB/s (1% loss).
Unlike Surfshark, it includes IPv6 leak protection and doesn’t process your connection timestamps.
However, IPVanish doesn’t operate diskless servers and its kill switch doesn’t activate when changing servers on macOS.
IPVanish is among the fastest P2P VPNs available.
Minimal Impact on File-Sharing Speeds
I recorded an average bitrate of 9.9MiB/s with IPVanish, from a baseline of 10MiB/s. In practice, IPVanish doesn’t slow down your P2P download speeds at all.
I used IPVanish to quickly download large content files, like 4K movies, within minutes.
This was especially noticeable over long periods of testing, where my torrent downloads with IPVanish finished several minutes before Surfshark’s.
No-Logs but Lacks Port Forwarding
While Surfshark collects some logs temporarily, IPVanish doesn’t log any of your internet activity.
As such, your torrent downloads can’t be linked to your real online identity.
This was confirmed in an independent audit by Leviathan Security Group. However, I’d like IPVanish to publish transparency reports for further reassurance.
I’d also like IPVanish to add port forwarding to improve seeding.
3. AirVPN: Best for Advanced Torrenters
AirVPN is the best alternative to Surfshark if you need port forwarding for torrenting. However, it’s substantially more complicated to use and performs poorly for other VPN use cases like streaming.
I’d only suggest using AirVPN if you’re tech savvy and only interested in using a VPN for P2P file-sharing.
AirVPN prioritizes P2P performance over user experience.
Overly Technical VPN with Advanced P2P Features
While Surfshark has user-friendly apps, AirVPN’s are some of the worst I’ve reviewed.
Its apps look dated, cluttered, and include far too many advanced features and settings. I expect most users, even experienced ones, to struggle with AirVPN’s user interface.
That said, AirVPN includes an exceptional port forwarding tool which allows you to forward 20 ports simultaneously. This isn’t matched by any other VPN service and ensures your torrenting speeds are as fast as possible.
I only suggest using this VPN if port forwarding is your priority.
No-Logs Policy Requires Verification
AirVPN doesn’t collect any identifying user data, which means your torrenting activity can’t be linked to you.
Its no-logs policy hasn’t been proven by an audit or real-world event, but AirVPN has a trustworthy history. It has never faced a security scandal and it is operated by a team of internet privacy activists.
I’m also reassured by AirVPN’s use of diskless servers which ensure your data can’t be extracted or recorded.
