BitTorrent’s official client for Mac is a great option and offers some nice features. It is light on system, absolutely free and downloads at normal speeds. There are no ads in this app and one can stream torrents directly from the app. BitTorrent is compatible with Windows, Mac and Android. Announcements about the BitTorrent Mainline client A few notes on the upcoming changes to the BitTorrent Client. 5 Top BitTorrent Clients for macOS By Alexander Fox – Posted on Mar 2, 2018 Mar 2, 2018 in Mac Downloading torrents might not be as popular as it once was, but you’ll still find a. 4 Best Torrent Clients for Mac to Download in 2018 On the internet you can find many torrent clients for your Mac. But if you’re looking for the best torrent clients for Mac, then read our list. Hi, Just wondered what you guys feel is the best BitTorrent client, personally I think Azureus is as I think it is the most customizable and I seem to achieve the fastest speeds with it. If you're a Mac user, Transmission is one of the first torrent downloaders you should try! This open-source product is designed specifically for Mac so that it.
BitTorrent is still a great way to transfer large files, but it’s only as convenient and efficient as the application you use to seed and download them. This week, we’re looking at five of the best BitTorrent clients, based on your nominations.
Earlier in the week, we asked you for the best BitTorrent clients—the ones you used yourselves, and the ones you thought offered the best mix of features and performance. You responded with tons of nominees, but here are your top five, in no particular order:
BitTorrent is still the method of choice for downloading large files, Linux distributions, game…
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µTorrent (or uTorrent) is one of the most popular BitTorrent clients, and has enjoyed broad use partially because it’s fast, feature-rich, and supported and developed by BitTorrent, Inc, which in a way makes it the “official” BitTorrent client. Even so, one company can’t own a protocol, so BitTorrent is just one option in a vast sea of clients. To its credit though, µTorrent does retain the ease of use, speedy downloads, and fine controls over your download and upload speeds and bandwidth that made it popular in the first place. It has all of the features you would expect from a good BitTorrent client, including the ability to resume stopped downloads, download things in sequential order, support for encrypted files, support for remote control via mobile apps, download scheduling, port forwarding, and more. It’ll even throttle itself back as soon as you start to use bandwidth heavy applications on your computer. µTorrent also makes it easy to find and download the official BitTorrent Bundles, which are packed with music, movies, and other great free, freely-licensed entertainment to enjoy. It’s also completely free.
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µTorrent doesn’t come without more than its share of controversy. Many of you nominated it and supported its nomination based on its features, speed, and ease-of-use. For many of you, it’s been your first and only real BitTorrent client. However, many of you chimed in and pointed out that while µTorrent was definitely on top years ago, recent controversies—like so-called “premium” versions for a fee, µTorrent versions that also used your computer for Bitcoin mining, tons of sleazy banner ads, and an overall shift away from supporting a community of users and directly toward using that community to make money have soured you on the application, even if it’s still good. Many of you cast your vote for it anyway, saying you preferred to run older versions that don’t have all of the cruft added in later iterations, while others expressed your frustration at a great app, now gone downhill. You can read it all in its nomination thread here.
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Built as a free-software, open source alternative and feature equivalent to µTorrent, qBittorrent is cross-platform, lightweight, well polished, and free of many of the issues that made its inspiration controversial. That doesn’t make it a plain clone though—its somewhat spartan UI hides a wealth of features that make the client popular. qBittorrent can be configured to send email when your downloads are complete, you can search for files (even by category) inside of the app instead of digging around for reliable downloads, supports web-based remote control, port forwarding, IP filtering, and more. It’s remarkably powerful for those folks who need those features. Others just like it because they’re disaffected by other tools, and they’re looking for something that’s light and just does what you need it to do. True to its open source, community-driven nature, it’s completely free (although the project does accept donations.)
Many of you who nominated and supported qBittorrent did so specifically because you moved from µTorrent and wanted something with the same features but didn’t want to put up with the ads or questionable updates and practices behind your former favorite. Many of you specifically said that instead of complaining about µTorrent, the best option is to just use this open source alternative, and put your opinions where your downloads are. To that point, you also praised qBittorrent for being very similar to the app that inspired it, feature-rich and lightweight, while still giving you all the tools you need and then some (many of you called out the ability to search for files right inside the app as a huge perk.) More than a few of you praised its Linux support specifically, and others said you enjoyed setting it up to email you when your downloads were finished, and that you liked that it supports proxies. Some of you noted you missed the bandwidth throttling and speed scheduling features of other clients, but all in all, it’s a good option. Read more testimonials in its nomination thread here.
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Transmission is a simple, lightweight BitTorrent client that many of you who use OS X machines, Linux boxes, or even Raspberry Pis preferred. It’s super-lightweight, runs quietly in the background with or without a UI (it’s up to you) which makes it perfect for servers, NAS boxes, HTPCs, and other systems where you may want to do some downloading or automate your downloads. Transmission can be remote controlled by a web client or through the terminal (via SSH), and those old schoolers among you may remember when Transmission was the only good BitTorrent client available for OS X. As it’s always been, it’s free, open-source, and there are distro-specific versions available for Linux users who want something customized to their system. Transmission gives you robust system notifications for your active and completed downloads, download scheduling, port forwarding, remote management, encryption, and just about everything else you might expect from a well-built client.
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Many of you echoed some of the biggest perks that Trnamission’s own developers tout on their features page, namely that in OS X, it runs natively, it’s lean but feature-rich, and can be remotely managed. Many of you praised it for being free and open source, and not holding its features back for a premium version or including ads, sponsored links, or banner ads to help keep the project afloat. Some of your said it’s great in Linux and OS X, but a little meh in Windows, and wished it had proxy support, but others of you praised it for working flawlessly (even on your Raspberry Pi, NAS, and other headless systems), and for being so good you’ve never wanted to replace it. You can read more testimonials in its nomination thread here.
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Deluge earns points for being one of the oldest BitTorrent clients available, but also one of the most lightweight. It’s completely free, cross-platform, and supports things like encrypted downloads, private torrents, password protection, bandwidth scheduling and throttling, remote management via a web-based of console-based interface, proxy support, and third-party plugins. Those plugins are where Deluge’s power really shines through—and there are tons, developed by the community around the app to extend its features. The ability to customize the client to your needs and then set it and forget it, as well as manage it remotely, makes Deluge another great option for lightweight needs or for headless setups like home servers, NAS devices, or other remote systems. Plus, it’s completely free and open source.
Many of you said you rediscovered Deluge after leaving other, more bloated clients looking for something a bit more streamlined and easier to use. Almost all of the comments in its nomination thread praised how lightweight and easy to use Deluge is, how speedy it is on just about anything you need to install it on, and how it keeps bloat to a minimum so you can load it up with plugins if you need to, or keep it lean and trim if you don’t. If other clients used to be great and have declined over the years, many of you who may have skipped over Deluge in the past have rediscovered it—or at least love it more now than you ever have. You can read more in the nomination thread itself.
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Tixati is a relatively new BitTorrent client compared to many of the others here, but that doesn’t mean it’s not powerful, or light on system resources. The client is a little basic, but it boasts a wealth of features you may like in a client, including easy view of all of your downloads, a simple and easy to use UI, support for magnet links, port forwarding, IP filtering, event scheduling, and a simple native installation that doesn’t require you install a bunch of frameworks just to get it running, and one that doesn’t hide ads or anything else under the hood. It may be missing some of the more advanced features of some of the others, but it’s certainly one of the fastest and easiest on your machine, which may make it worth a look if you’re displeased with other options. Similarly, Tixati installs and uninstalls cleanly on your system, and the Tixati web site is like a guide to torrenting for beginners—which makes sense, since the client is no-nonsense and focused on the basics too. It’s completely free.
Those of you who nominated Tixati praised it for being fast, reliable, simple to use, and completely free of the nonsense and BS that often plagues other BitTorrent clients. Some of you praised it for hiding some strong configuration options behind that simple interface, and others praised it for being one of the most streamlined clients you’ve had the opportunity to use, especially nice in a time when many other clients are busy adding features—and potentially, bloat. Some of you bemoaned support for remote management by mobile app, and the lack of an Mac client, but for those folks using Windows and Linux, you suggested it’s worth a look. You can read more in its nomination thread here.
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Now that you’ve seen the top five, it’s time to put them to an all-out vote to determine the community favorite:
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This week’s honorable mention goes out to rTorrent (OS X/Linux), a text-based BitTorrent client that actually made the top five the last time we looked at this category. If you’re looking to manage your downloads without all of the overhead of a heavier client, or just at the command line or via SSH, this is the client for you. Many of you noted that rTorrent runs on seedboxes (for good reason), and others noted that you’ve seen it running on routers and other headless systems just to keep things nicely streamlined. Its learning curve is a little higher than a tool with a GUI, but that doesn’t make it any less powerful or less valuable to learn. You can read all about it in its nomination thread here.
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Have something to say about one of the contenders? Want to make the case for your personal favorite, even if it wasn’t included in the list? Remember, the top five are based on your most popular nominations from the call for contenders thread from earlier in the week. Don’t just complain about the top five, let us know what your preferred alternative is—and make your case for it—in the discussions below.
Photo by John Trainor.
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BitTorrent is one of the most efficient ways of sharing files via the internet. The underlying technology distributes fragments of data with a cluster of users, which removes the need to host files on a physical server and many of the costs and limitations of doing so.
If you’ve just switched to a Mac, you might no longer be able to use your old favorite Windows BitTorrent clientThe Best PC Software for Your Windows ComputerThe Best PC Software for Your Windows ComputerWant the best PC software for your Windows computer? Our massive list collects the best and safest programs for all needs.Read More. You might be new to torrents altogether, or simply looking for a rock solid client with the right number of bells and whistles.
The good news is that you don’t need to pay for the privilege. Here are our favorite free torrent clients for the Mac platform.
There are a good number of BitTorrent clients out there now that charge an entry fee. These are different to the ad-supported free versions, of which there are a few in the list below, though some go as far as offering demo versions that impose pesky limitations.
Some will restrict your download speed, or limit the number of concurrent downloads you can have. We’re great proponents of supporting your favorite apps by buying softwareWhy I Buy iPhone Apps (and You Should Too)Why I Buy iPhone Apps (and You Should Too)If I have a choice between a free app and a paid app that do very similar things, I’ll buy the paid app every time.Read More, but when it comes to BitTorrent we’ve yet to see enough to justify opening your wallet.
That’s why we’ll only be taking a look at completely free, open source, and “free” products that come with a premium option in this article. You won’t find any of these on the Mac App Store since Apple doesn’t take kindly to the practice of file sharing.
Benefits: A simple native Mac client that looks the part, with excellent performance and a good set of features to boot.
I’ve always loved Transmission, and it’s the client I’m still using on an almost daily basis. Unfortunately, Transmission’s reputation took a hit in 20164 Transmission Alternatives for Mac BitTorrent Users4 Transmission Alternatives for Mac BitTorrent UsersTransmission was struck with malware twice in one year, so you might want to consider a new Mac torrent app.Read More when malware was discovered bundled in the installer. This was Mac’s first example of ransomwareIs Ransomware Really as Terrifying as You Think?Is Ransomware Really as Terrifying as You Think?Ransomware is a regular nuisance. A ransomware infection takes your computer hostage, and demands payment for release. Often, payment doesn't secure your personal files. But is it really as terrifying as you think?Read More, a result of an unpatched security hole in the installer software used by the Transmission team.
Fortunately, there’s been no major drama with Transmission for a while, which is reassuring since it’s probably the best Mac torrent client out there. Many users favor it for its raw simplicity — a single list view for torrents, with a few controls and filtering options up top.
There’s a rock-solid web interface which makes adding torrents and magnet links from a web browser super easy, even on your smartphone. You can limit how much bandwidth your torrent downloads swallow up, with a simple scheduler for enforcing a speed limit during set times.
Enter your personal computer username and password used to log onto your computer. Click “Continue” • Make sure the GlobalProtect check box is checked and click “Continue” • On the next window, click install. Global vpn client download for mac. The installer will open. You will be asked to authenticate.
There’s also blocklist management for avoiding bad peersIs Popcorn Time Safe? How to Torrent SafelyIs Popcorn Time Safe? How to Torrent SafelyPopcorn Time is illegal. If you're thinking of using it, here are several things you should know before you put yourself at risk.Read More, a decent level of customization, and you’ll even see your current upload and download speeds in the Mac dock (a nice touch). It’s not the most feature-loaded client on this list, but if you don’t need plugins and finite scheduler control it’s your best choice.
Benefits: A wealth of plugins allow you to expand Deluge’s functionality way beyond that of a regular torrent client.
If Transmission doesn’t do everything you want it to, I’d recommend looking at Deluge next. It lacks the sleek and simple interface, and it’s not written natively for the Mac since it’s also available for Windows and Linux. However, it does include support for plugins, which really opens up what you can achieve with a torrent client.
Deluge has been around for a while, and you can tell from a quick glance at the interface. The icons are very Windows XP, and the three-pane UI looks almost like a version of Outlook from the early 2000s. But despite this, performance remains fairly good (though be aware that adding more plugins will likely slow things down).
Features can be bolted on using the plugin system, with a good number included when you first install. You can set up a schedule for managing bandwidth, enable the web UI to add torrents from other computers, and subscribe to a blocklist to better guard your privacy.
Head to the Deluge plugins list to find all manner of tools for batch renaming or moving files, alternative schedulers, bandwidth managers that stop Deluge from choking your connection, and RSS torrent managementHow To Use RSS Feeds To Download Torrents AutomaticallyHow To Use RSS Feeds To Download Torrents AutomaticallyRead More for automatic downloading.
Benefits: A long-running, simple, and open source client that forgoes the plugins but gets the job done.
Just like Deluge, qBittorent is an open source projectHow Contributing to Open Source Projects Can Teach You Life SkillsHow Contributing to Open Source Projects Can Teach You Life SkillsWe've looked at the benefits of using open source software, but what about the other way around: contributing to them? Can getting involved in an open source project aid your personal development?Read More based on the libtorrent library. qBittorent lacks the plugins found in Deluge, but I prefer it for its general look and feel. Performance is as expected from a cross-platform client, and it includes a few nice touches like a right-click context menu for adding torrents and changing settings from the Mac dock.
The client makes the list since it’s still actively maintained, with Windows and Mac binaries readily available (alongside some unusual alternatives, like Haiku and IBM’s OS/2). As far as torrent clients go, it does the job though it lacks the polish of a client like Transmission.
The feature set is fairly bold, with a web UI included, folder monitoring for new .torrent files, actions for completed transfers, speed limits, and a fairly limited but functional scheduler. There’s also the addition of a lock button, which allows you to lock the client with a password — handy if you’re downloading files on a shared computer.
qBittorrent is a nice compromise between the simplicity of Transmission and the raw power of Deluge. If you don’t mind the interface, it’s a solid choice.
Benefits: The only “official” BitTorrent client, while uTorrent might be the most recognizable name in file sharing.
BitTorrent Inc. is the company behind the only “official” client, and it’s come a long way since the old “one download at a time” dialogue box that changed the way files are distributed on the internet. The company has since bought uTorrent, and seemingly merged the two products together.
I downloaded both the official client and the latest version of uTorrent for Mac, and beyond the application icons and version numbers, I couldn’t find a single difference between the two. They both use the same interface, and presumably the same underlying technology.
I can only find “pro upgrade” options for the official BitTorrent client, with the website citing a $20 upgrade to remove the non-intrusive adverts, and add virus scanning and streaming support for downloads in progress. I don’t recommend you upgrade though since the adverts are barely noticeable and the other features aren’t worth the money.
It can’t be ignored that both of these clients are solid, with web UI support, feeds in the sidebar, a comprehensive scheduler with bandwidth management, and actions that kick in when your transfers complete. It’s a matter of personal taste, and it might not be the best client, but it’s far from the worst.
Benefits: Stream movies and other media before they’re finished downloading.
And now for something a little bit different. WebTorrent is the first BitTorrent client that works in the browser, while WebTorrent Desktop is a desktop version that brings torrent streaming to Windows, Mac, and Linux. That means you can watch movies and TV, or listen to audio books and music while the torrent download is still taking place.
There are a few caveats with this approach. An abundance of seeds is vital so that the client can prioritize the right torrent fragments (so the beginning of the video or audio files download first). That means only well-seeded torrents will be viable, but fortunately, there’s an abundance of free downloads through websites like The Internet Archive5 Types of Free Content Riches You Can Dig Up at the Internet Archive5 Types of Free Content Riches You Can Dig Up at the Internet ArchiveThe Internet Archive keeps a variety of old content alive on the Web for the future. What kind of content can you dig up, and why should you care? Let's find out.Read More.
In addition to streaming the content, WebTorrent Desktop also saves the file to your Downloads folder. You can choose to play the files within the client, or use an external app like VLC. That’s about as deep as WebTorrent gets in terms of customization, which is why it might not make an ideal everyday client.
However, it’s a handy app to have around, and it’s completely free and open source. It even comes loaded with a few recommended films you can stream right away, like Sintel and Big Buck Bunny10+ Amazing Short Films You'd Not Believe Were Made With Free Software10+ Amazing Short Films You'd Not Believe Were Made With Free SoftwareJust like its previous short films online, the Blender Foundation used only open-source or free software to produce movies of at least 10 minutes.Read More.
There are many more torrent clients out there, but you can give them a miss for the most part. The biggest omission on this list is probably Vuze, a free client with a $30 upgrade that adds CD burning and a few other bells and whistles. While Vuze works fine as a client, it’s somewhat bloated and doesn’t add any particularly notable features.
Worse still, it’s written in Java and so has a tendency to be pretty sluggish. It might be worth a shot if you’re still not satisfied after trying all of the above, though.
Which torrent client do you use on your Mac? Let us know in the comments below!
Explore more about: BitTorrent, File Sharing.