Is NordVPN Good for Torrenting? Our qBittorrent Results

Yes, NordVPN allows torrenting on every server. It no longer has separate P2P servers, so any location works, but it offers no port forwarding, which limits connections for heavy seeders. In our November test, a 1.89 GiB Linux Mint torrent downloaded at 17.1 MiB/s on the nearest server, against 17.2 MiB/s with no VPN, and the tracker saw only NordVPN’s IP address.

Does NordVPN Allow Torrenting?

Yes. NordVPN supports P2P traffic on its entire network across 152 countries. It dropped its dedicated P2P servers, so there’s no special list to search, and Quick Connect is the fastest way to start. Deloitte’s latest audit of its no-logs policy, completed in December 2025, covered its standard, Double VPN, and obfuscated servers, the ones torrent traffic passes through. The one missing feature is port forwarding.

Without it, peers behind strict firewalls can’t open connections to you, which slows seeding on private trackers. Downloads weren’t affected in our test. A VPN hides your IP address from other peers and your torrent activity from your ISP. It doesn’t make downloading copyrighted files legal, and our overview of torrenting with a VPN covers the legal side. Our NordVPN safety review covers its privacy record in more detail.

NordVPN Torrent Speed Test Results

We downloaded the same 1.89 GiB Linux Mint ISO in qBittorrent 5.2.3 on a Windows 11 PC in Europe, once without a VPN and then on four NordVPN servers with NordLynx:

On the nearest server, NordVPN cost 0.6% of download speed, less than a second on a two-minute download. London and New York came out almost identical, at 22% and 23% below the no-VPN average, so a nearby European server wasn’t faster than an American one in this swarm. Tokyo was the slowest at 40.7% below.

Peaks stayed close to 19 MiB/s on every server, so the averages show where the servers differ. We repeated the nearest-server run in the BitTorrent client, and its speeds matched qBittorrent’s within the margin of error. The client made no difference to the experience, and the same setup applies to uTorrent, Deluge, and Transmission.

Is NordVPN Safe for Torrenting?

Yes, based on our tests. The checks that matter for torrenting:

• Torrent IP check: ipleak.net’s torrent detection link, added to qBittorrent, logged only NordVPN’s New York IP address, four times.
• Leak tests: no IP, DNS, or WebRTC leaks on any server. Our VPN leak test guide explains how to repeat the checks.
• App Kill Switch: with qBittorrent on its list, the client shut down completely as soon as the VPN connection dropped.
• Internet Kill Switch: we pulled the Ethernet cable, ended the VPN’s process, and restarted the PC, and no data got out unprotected.

Both kill switches are off on a fresh install, so enable at least one before your first download. Our guide to the VPN kill switch explains how the two types differ. On the Complete plan, Threat Protection Pro also scans downloaded files for malware, which helps on torrent sites full of ads and fake download buttons.

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Best NordVPN Settings for Torrenting

• NordLynx protocol: NordVPN’s fastest protocol and the one we used for every run. OpenVPN was only 9.5% slower on average in our wider speed tests, so it’s a workable fallback.
• Split tunneling: in Settings, turn it on, choose “Use VPN for selected apps,” and add your torrent client. Only torrent traffic then goes through NordVPN, while the rest of the PC connects directly.
• Double VPN: it sends traffic through two servers for extra privacy and cost only 2.9% of speed on a UK server in our tests.
• Obfuscated servers: useful only on networks that block VPN connections, such as some offices and campuses. They managed 167.79 Mbps in our UK test.

NordLynx is built on WireGuard, with NordVPN’s double NAT system added so the server doesn’t store your IP address. Our NordLynx guide covers how it works.

How to Use NordVPN’s SOCKS5 Proxy With qBittorrent

NordVPN also offers a SOCKS5 proxy that works inside a torrent client without the app. It hides your IP address from peers, but it doesn’t encrypt your traffic, so your ISP can still see what you download. Proxy servers are available in the Netherlands, Sweden, and the US only.

1. Sign in to your Nord Account, open NordVPN, and select “Set up NordVPN manually.” Enter the verification code NordVPN emails you.
2. Copy your service credentials, which are separate from your account email and password.
3. In qBittorrent, open Tools, then Options, then Connection.
4. Under Proxy Server, choose SOCKS5 and enter a server such as nl.socks.nordhold.net, se.socks.nordhold.net, or us.socks.nordhold.net, with port 1080.
5. Tick “Use proxy for peer connections” and “Authentication,” enter the service credentials, and click OK.

The app with the kill switch is the safer choice for most downloads. The proxy fits a second device or a seedbox where the app can’t be installed.

NordVPN Torrenting Not Working?

• Reconnect with Quick Connect. Distant servers cost up to 40.7% of speed in our test, so the nearest one is the best starting point.
• Switch protocols. Move between NordLynx and OpenVPN under Connection and security in Settings.
• Bind qBittorrent to the VPN. Under Tools, Options, and Advanced, set the network interface to NordLynx, so the client stops downloading if the VPN drops.
• Close other VPN apps. NordVPN’s Windows app occasionally wouldn’t connect for us with a second VPN installed, and restarting the app solved it.
• Check your device count. One subscription covers 10 devices at once.

NordVPN Alternatives for Torrenting

If port forwarding matters for seeding, Proton VPN offers it on its paid plans, and its no-logs policy has passed yearly Securitum audits since 2022. ExpressVPN has no port forwarding, but it was among the fastest VPNs in our wider speed tests and connects in one to two seconds. Our list of NordVPN alternatives and our CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN comparison cover more VPNs.

Conclusion

For downloading torrents, NordVPN costs almost nothing on a nearby server: 0.6% in our test, with the tracker seeing only NordVPN’s IP address and the App Kill Switch closing qBittorrent when the connection dropped. Every server supports P2P, so Quick Connect is the only setup a download requires once a kill switch is on. Seeders on private trackers will miss port forwarding, and Proton VPN covers that.

For other users, NordVPN’s Basic plan averages below $3.50 monthly across its first 27 months, with a 30-day refund that came back to us in about 10 minutes. Our NordVPN coupon page lists the current discount, and our NordVPN review covers streaming and the rest of its features.

Start Torrenting With NordVPN

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