Is ExpressVPN Safe For Torrenting? Full Guide (for 2024)
The issue of torrenting can sometimes be an explosive one. Although non-copyrighted material is fair game regardless of how it is obtained, when talking about torrenting, those sorts of materials are the exception rather than the rule.
It should go without saying that it is the responsibility of every individual netizen to ensure the integrity of their actions, but for the purposes of this article we will simply be looking at the practical dimensions of torrenting and how VPNs come into play.
With that in mind, one of the most important features of a VPN, regardless of the activity in question, is to protect the user from being watched. A VPN is supposed to provide a protective layer of encryption over all exchanges conducted by the user, so as to conceal their whereabouts from everyone else on the internet.
A VPN that is worth its keep is one that has a strict no log policy, so that in the event of a subpoena there is nothing that can be turned over to the authorities. VPNs should also be based in jurisdictions that are not subject to an intrusive international intelligence treaty. If a VPN is under such an area, they can be forced to keep tabs on their own customers with the express order to keep them in the dark about it.
In order to be safe for torrenting, a good VPN must have an adequate array of servers in its network in relation to their customer base. Just in case a particular server breaks down for whatever reason, there should be others in the same location that can immediately pick up the slack so that customers do not even notice the glitch.
When dealing with sensitive or controversial information and activities, maintaining an uninterrupted path of encryption is of paramount importance. This is why it is terribly important that a good VPN have enough servers in their network, so that each server node is not overloaded with traffic.
This does not necessarily mean that VPNs with relatively few servers are out of the question, as they might have a smaller customer base and therefore still be providing quality connections. The real measure is to see how many daily users it has on its network and divide the numbers out that way.
Fortunately, ExpressVPN fits these criteria and more. ExpressVPN is well known industry-wide for having some of the best customer outcomes and satisfaction ratings in the business. In this article, we will examine what exactly makes ExpressVPN so great, how it works for torrenting, and much more.
Get 49% off now
What Is So Good About ExpressVPN?
When experts talk about ExpressVPN, one of the first things that comes to their minds is their commitment to quality service. ExpressVPN strives to make sure customers are getting their money’s worth and staying safe whilst doing so.
ExpressVPN is located on the British Virgin Islands, which is one of those locations that has very good privacy laws and, most importantly, is far away from the prying eyes of the Five Eyes intelligence pact. As mentioned before, this means that ExpressVPN’s no log policy and commitment to customer privacy is not just blowing hot air.
With over 160 locations in 94 different countries around the world, ExpressVPN has an active presence in all six continents which allows them to provide their high quality security to underserved markets in the Global South and strengthen their position there in the years to come.
Having a network of over three thousand servers to cater to its large consumer base, ExpressVPN has struck a fantastic balance between server network size and number of users that the quality of their privacy protection is not in doubt. Being able to ease loads on any one server is important for ExpressVPN to provide perfect anonymity for its more adventurous users.
In line with the spirit of serving the customer, ExpressVPN provides 24/7 technical support for all their customers with a great troubleshooting guide, as well as a live chat feature that enables customers to talk with an actual person at any time of the day.
When billed annually, the year-long subscription with ExpressVPN comes out to a modest $8.32 a month. Not only that, but ExpressVPN is so confident in the value they deliver to each and every customer they have a 30-day money back guarantee attached as well. All this and more explain why people love the service so much.
Does ExpressVPN Allow For Torrenting?
ExpressVPN does not carry with it any restrictions on torrenting. Users can access any content using this method without being stopped by ExpressVPN. With the use of ExpressVPN’s encryption services, users will be able to pass undetected when performing any activity online.
ExpressVPN’s high level of network reliability means that all of their users’ exchanges will remain encrypted for as long as it is needed and will remain so through just about any glitch in the system. For example, if several servers are attacked by cyber criminals, the traffic that was going through those servers can be instantly redirected to other servers nearby.
This means that there is not a moment where your information is not under a protective layer of encryption, which frees you to stream and torrent whatever it is you desire without having your activities being made public.
There are some countries where certain torrenting websites and websites in general are banned completely. By using a VPN’s alternate IP address, users will be able to change the country of the device in the eyes of anyone who is watching. This enables users to access certain websites without alerting the authorities of that country, since it does not show that the user is in that country anymore.
This is especially important when it comes to torrenting websites and other activities that require good levels of stealth. This is because if you are torrenting and lose just a moment’s protection, your location and activities will be known to any surveillance apparatus that is looking around, which can potentially get you into a lot of trouble.
ExpressVPN is able to provide the sort of protection that gives users a peace of mind that their virtual whereabouts are not going to be revealed, accidentally or otherwise, to anyone with the capacity to either harm them or get them in legal hot soup.
Get 49% off now
Does ExpressVPN Keep Tabs On Our Torrents?
Of course, if the VPN itself keeps records of their customers’ online whereabouts, that really defeats the entire purpose of having a VPN in the first place. Not only is that by itself an invasion of privacy, but now there is information that can be subpoenaed.
Normally, when a VPN has a no log policy, it does not gather any records on their users’ activities, so that even when they are subpoenaed, there is no information to be handed anyways, and the customer remains protected.
With ExpressVPN, their customers’ torrenting activities are no different. They receive the same treatment of anonymity with the understanding that they are responsible for the efficacy of their actions and not ExpressVPN whatsoever. With ExpressVPN’s strict no log policy, customers will not be at any risk of having their information stored somewhere that can be eventually used against them.
This feature is of course enhanced with the fact that ExpressVPN is not located within the jurisdiction of any Five Eyes or Fourteen Eyes surveillance treaty. It will not be forced to record your information against your will and without your knowledge. Moreover, the British Virgin Islands itself has no data retention laws, which means there is absolutely no way ExpressVPN will be forced to intrude on your privacy.
ExpressVPN uses the 256-bit AES encryption cipher, which is the highest standard of encryption possible for VPNs. This is to ensure that when torrenting, streaming, or even just surfing the internet, their customers are properly taken care of and are never at risk of being exposed.
All in all, when it comes to the integrity of their security apparatus, there is no doubt that ExpressVPN is committed to the highest standards of conduct and uses only the best tools at its disposal to take any and all worry of going online away.
How Do You Use ExpressVPN With A Torrent Client?
Fortunately, ExpressVPN’s procedure to start torrenting is quite straightforward. Once you have installed the VPN, it is simply a matter of choosing the IP address you fancy, or even have the smart location feature optimize your IP location as you go, and you will have a fully secure connection.
ExpressVPN does recommend using uTorrent for your torrenting activities, which you can download and immediately start using with your VPN connection on. Now, traditionally torrenters would usually configure IP binding, which is basically a fail-safe that stops all downloading in the event of losing the VPN connection.
This is no longer necessary with ExpressVPN. ExpressVPN has a built-in fail-safe called Network Lock, which then acts as a kill switch, keeping their users anonymous and their privacy and online whereabouts intact. And even though ExpressVPN does recommend using uTorrent, just about any torrent client works with ExpressVPN’s encryption system.
In most cases, you are not required to reconfigure anything in your settings in order to activate the torrent client you have selected. It is to be noted however that each torrent has different configurations about them and as such might have somewhat different processes to set them up. It is advised that you research pages that show you how to setup for each type.
Having some sort of kill switch is extremely important because users who are torrenting simply cannot afford to lose a moment’s protection, which will undoubtedly expose them to the scrutiny of not just their own ISP and would-be hackers, but potentially even the authorities.
ExpressVPN has taken the steps mentioned above and many more with the express purpose of making sure any lapses in security do not happen, because they understand the ramifications to their customers if such a gap were to occur.
What Factors Do You Need To Consider When Using A VPN For Torrenting?
When it comes to torrenting, the number one factor to consider is by far that of security. If a VPN does not provide uninterrupted privacy protection, or at least has a fail-safe in the event of a hiccup, it will not matter how fantastic its other features are, because you will not be safely out of harm’s way.
A good VPN for torrenting will have a very healthy number of servers per customer available, as that helps greatly with network reliability. If one server breaks down for whatever reason, it is preferable that there be another server nearby to take on the traffic, so that users do not experience any interruption to their service whatsoever.
Indeed, ExpressVPN has a very good balance between having a large customer base, as well as having a well distributed array of servers whereby they can actually reroute traffic from a faulty server instantly and without users, and especially without big brother noticing. ExpressVPN prides itself on being able to deliver quality security protection to customers and is committed to maintaining this tradition for years to come.
Another major factor to consider when shopping around for VPNs is the bandwidth that is provided. Once the question of network security and reliability has been properly settled, VPNs must then turn their primary focus on the speed of their connection and encryption software.
If security is top notch but bandwidth is lacking, users can still browse the Internet without much hassle, but when it comes to torrenting and video streaming, having a certain level of bandwidth is essential so that movies can be streamed in a quality that eliminates visible pixilation, and materials can be torrented in a reasonable amount of time.
ExpressVPN recognizes that security is an essential, but not sufficient, component of providing quality service to their customers. As such, the bandwidths provided to customers are more than satisfactory for the purposes of torrenting, so that customers do not need to wait a day and a night to get the materials they need.
How To Stay Safe When Torrenting Using A VPN
Staying safe when torrenting is of paramount importance. If you compromise your safety by engaging in risky activities, you run the risk of either getting in trouble with the authorities if you run afoul of the law, or you risk exposing yourself to unscrupulous third parties who want nothing more than to use your information for their own gain regardless of the consequences to you.
Using a VPN can help immensely in this regard. With a good VPN, you will be able to keep your online whereabouts unknown to anyone else, which is really what matters, especially when you are torrenting. The same can be said if you wish to cut the cord. This is because quite often your ISP and cable provider are one and the same. When you cut the cord, your ISP will track your online activities and potentially throttle your connection speed when you are streaming.
By using a VPN, all these worries go away, because your ISP and spying agency have no idea what you are doing when you go online, as it is hidden behind your VPN’s encryption system. ISPs will have no idea what you are up to, except that you are online and therefore cannot really do anything to you. Your torrenting activities will remain between you and only you, as ExpressVPN has a strict no log policy.
ExpressVPN’s no log policy is very important, because they can nonetheless be served a subpoena like any other legal entity. But because they do not record your online activities anywhere, they will have nothing to show the courts if they indeed get served.
Overall, ExpressVPN is a good partner to have and it is safe for torrenting. With their emphasis on anonymity, coupled with high connection speeds, ExpressVPN ensures that you can download and utilize the torrents you want to pursue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ExpressVPN support P2P file sharing?
Yes. When choosing a VPN for torrenting, one of the considerations is whether the VPN supports peer-to-peer (P2P) features. Unfortunately, many VPN service providers don’t support P2P downloads. Some VPNs even throttle P2P traffic the same way ISPs do. Furthermore, some other service providers outrightly ban P2P features.
Therefore, it’s great news that you can enjoy P2P file sharing with ExpressVPN. Furthermore, ExpressVPN doesn’t have dedicated P2P servers. Instead, all their servers are P2P-compatible, allowing you to enjoy P2P features on any ExpressVPN server.
Does ExpressVPN have torrenting bandwidth caps?
No. Torrenting involves downloading large files. So, bandwidth specifications are another vital feature to consider when choosing VPNs for torrenting. Unfortunately, free VPNs and other lower-grade VPNs often have bandwidth caps. Bandwidth caps limit the amount of bandwidth you can use periodically. However, ExpressVPN doesn’t have any bandwidth limits. Therefore, you can download large files whenever you want without bothering about exhausting your authorized bandwidth.
How do ExpressVPN’s many servers improve my torrenting experience?
The distance between you and your preferred VPN server can significantly impact your torrenting experience. If you’re too far from the server, your downloads may be slow. Therefore, it’s best to connect to servers close to your physical location. For example, the server could be in your country or a nearby country.
With over 160 server locations in about 94 countries, you can easily find an ExpressVPN server that’s close to your physical location. This way, you can enjoy the best torrenting speeds.
Does ExpressVPN have any torrenting restrictions?
No, you can escape torrenting limitations with ExpressVPN. This means that you can visit any website and access any content you desire on the internet. Furthermore, you can stream on any platform and enjoy any P2P network freely. Finally, ExpressVPN also allows you to download anything you want while torrenting.