There are movie torrent sites with a solid selection of legal movies and fast download speeds, but you should only browse torrents with a top VPN. This protects you from cyber spies and other peers with potentially malicious intent from seeing your IP address and location. The best VPN for torrenting is ExpressVPN because it keeps your data private without compromising on ultra-fast downloads. It’s also backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, making it totally risk-free when you get ExpressVPN for your favorite torrent site. Torrent movies safely with ExpressVPN
Quick Guide: Best Movie Torrent Sites in 2023
The 5 Best Movie Torrent Sites With the Largest Selection in 2023
1. The Pirate Bay
The Pirate Bay is still the most popular torrent site for downloading classics and new movies. The original and alternative URLs are banned in many countries including the UK, Australia, China, India, and Singapore. However, a VPN with a widespread global server network can access the site from anywhere. Some alternative URLs to try are tpbpirateproxy.org, proxybay.xyz, thepirate-bay.org, thepiratebay.rocks and thepiratebay10.org. Although The Pirate Bay verifies some uploaders to indicate if a torrent is safe, you can’t rely on this system 100%. The site also shows ads, so it’s good to pair this torrent site with a VPN that blocks ads and malware. The homepage looks much like Google, except you can set filters to include certain file types like videos, books, music, and software. Misspelled words and minor mistakes sometimes yielded zero results, but otherwise it worked well. Just below the search bar, there’s an in-depth section on how to use The Pirate Bay safely and legally, and it lists some of the active proxy sites. A Star is Born from 1937 resulted in many versions from the original with Janet Gaynor, to the most recent reproduction starring Lady Gaga. It’s easy to download a copyright protected version accidentally, so be careful. I also noticed that old movies in the public domain didn’t have a lot of peers sharing them.
2. YTS
YIFY Torrents (or YTS) has high-quality movie torrents in UHD, 2160p, 1080p, and 720p resolutions. The files are broken down to small data packets so your public domain movies download fast. With multiple torrents for each movie, you can also choose a lower resolution file for a faster download and use less data. Just be warned that the official site was shut down in 2015 after a copyright infringement case and there have been reports of YTS sharing data with a US law firm as part of a legal arrangement. It’s also banned in Ireland and other countries for pirating. There are backup mirrors of the site like yts.mx, yts.pm, and yts, but they’re risky without a VPN since your identity and activities will be exposed to third parties like hackers. I clicked on a classic black and white movie to get more information and saw options to download it, view ratings from several streaming sites, or read a plot summary. I found the reviews from the YTS community useful to decide if a movie was worth downloading. There were occasional ads on the site, but a VPN with an ad blocker will stop them from loading.
3. RarBG
RarBG has an easy-to-use layout whether you’re looking to download a specific movie or browse titles. The homepage displays a search bar and a long list of suggested movies. However, most of these are copyrighted so avoid downloading them without making sure they’re in the public domain first. And if the main site is down, some alternative URLs are rarbgprx.org/index70.php, rarbgmirror.com, and rarbgaccess.org/index70.php Like most torrent sites, RarBG isn’t available without a VPN in many countries like Belgium, India, Greece, and the Netherlands. But it’s a safer pick than many similar sites since RarBG doesn’t allow users to upload movies without being verified by a moderator. As a result, its content library is smaller but 800,000+ torrents is still an impressive number. You have the option to filter results based on different video modes including standard definition, UHD, and even 3D. I clicked on several movie titles and found details like the cast, ratings, file size, and movie length. Unlike with YTS, I didn’t find the community comments in RarBG useful for troubleshooting.
4. 1337X
1337X has over 2,400,000 torrents with 50+ million monthly users. In addition to the usual movies and TV shows, the site also hosts lots of torrents for content like anime and documentaries. When you click ‘Movies’ on the homepage, you’ll be directed to a list of trending movies including popular torrents in the last 24 hours. You’ll also see the number of leeches and seeders for each torrent, who uploaded it and when, and the file size. This is a very active site with files being uploaded every few hours including a variety ranging from foreign to classic titles. I didn’t like that the trending lists included pornographic movies, but these were easily avoided just by reading the titles. The comments section for each torrent is also useful to find out more about it.
I did get one suspicious site warning from Norton 360 while using several 1337X mirror sites, so make sure your antivirus software is running before using it. If you don’t have an antivirus, use a VPN with built-in malware blocker to stay safe on torrent sites. 1337X is also blocked in many countries like the UK and Australia so check first if it’s legal where you live. Some mirrors that are currently working include x1337x.se, x1337x.ws, 1337x.to, x1337x.eu, and 1337x.unblockninja.com.
5. LimeTorrents
LimeTorrents hosts an impressive 10+ million torrent files. All the titles I searched for had downloads with different resolutions to find the balance of video quality and download size that you need for your device. The homepage lists the monthly top 100 torrents, but these are mainly copyright protected movies so avoid clicking any of them. Some URLs to access this torrent site include limetorrents.co, limetorrents.asia, and limetor.com. Instead of using the top 100 list on the homepage, use the search bar. My only issue is that the filter didn’t work well for me. I selected ‘Movies’ and entered a specific public domain movie, and results included games and TV shows. Since there’s no sort function, I had to be careful to avoid downloading the wrong file. I liked that besides the torrent type and size, LimeTorrents displays the torrent health. If you search for a movie and there are several torrents, each one has a green, yellow, or amber bar next to it. These represent the ratio of uploaders to downloaders, so torrents with better “health” will download faster.
How to Securely Torrent With a VPN in 3 Easy Steps
Get ExpressVPN for safe torrenting
How a VPN Works for Torrenting
Unfortunately, it’s easy to accidentally download a pirated movie on torrent sites even though you genuinely wanted to find a copyright-free one. Without a VPN, even an honest mistake will get reported and you’ll risk fines and even imprisonment. You shouldn’t use a VPN to hide illegal activities, but you have the right to online privacy. This includes staying anonymous from other people on P2P networks, administrators on torrent sites, hackers looking for unencrypted connections to exploit, and other third parties. A VPN will hide your IP address and assign a new one that will be visible to torrent sites and other peers sharing files. With a new IP address from a VPN, no one on P2P networks will be able to see data like your real location. Besides that, a VPN also encrypts all your traffic so hackers won’t be able to see your connection. All your torrenting data will be hidden, since all your traffic is routed through a VPN server.
Best VPNs to Stay Safe on Movie Torrent Sites in 2023
1. ExpressVPN — #1 VPN for Movie Torrent Sites With Top Privacy Features, Speeds, and P2P Site Unblocking Abilities
Key Features: ExpressVPN is the best overall VPN for fast, secure file downloads from legal movie torrent sites. It has many features to keep your torrenting history private and helps download files quickly, including a proprietary tunneling protocol. Plus, ExpressVPN easily unblocked the proxy torrent sites on this list for access to torrents from anywhere. I like how ExpressVPN’s TrustedServer technology was audited by 3 different firms to prove it prevents your sensitive information from being recorded. Its RAM-based servers are incapable of storing details like the movie torrent sites you use or your download history since these networks don’t use hard disks. This was proven when the Turkish government confiscated an ExpressVPN server to investigate an assassination case, and found zero data. The VPN also protects you with other security and privacy measures like:
Military-grade 256-bit encryption — secures your torrenting data even from the most advanced hacking techniques since this level of protection has never been broken. IP leak protection — makes sure your traffic never accidentally leaves the encrypted tunnel while you’re connected to an ExpressVPN server. Network Lock — keeps your data secure even when your device goes to sleep so that your downloads will resume safely, with VPN protection turned on. Lightway protocol — audited by an independent cybersecurity firm Cure53 to find the codebase secure and high quality. Threat Manager — minimizes the risk of downloading malware along with the movie. British Virgin Islands jurisdiction — based in a country that doesn’t legally require data retention or practice internet surveillance.
All VPNs affect your speeds due to the additional time required to encrypt and transport your data. A VPN server that’s farther away will be slower due to the added distance. But with ExpressVPN, all the servers were super-fast regardless of the location. I tested servers in Switzerland, Thailand, and Spain and downloaded Abilene Town, a public domain movie from 1946 using 1337X. Each time I could download the 960MB torrent in under 10 minutes. With 3,000+ servers in 94 countries including torrent-friendly Switzerland, ExpressVPN had no trouble accessing The Pirate Bay and other P2P sites. Plus, it could easily unblock the Netflix library in the US from anywhere. Since all its servers are streaming optimized, ExpressVPN instantly accessed bufferless movies and other content on: You can use ExpressVPN for torrenting on up to 5 devices at the same time, but even at the maximum limit I didn’t notice any slowdowns. The VPN is also easy to use for complete beginners with a large power button to connect to whichever server you used last. The ‘Smart Location’ button below it will connect to the fastest server near you. ExpressVPN costs slightly more than other VPNs on this list, but I found it extremely fair after testing dozens of them. No other VPN is as secure, fast, and reliable as ExpressVPN. At $6.67 per month, the 1-year plan is quite affordable. Plus, you’ll have 30 days to change your mind if it’s not as expected. I asked for a refund via 24/7 live chat as a test and was approved within a minute. 4 days later, I got my money back. Get ExpressVPN to torrent movies
2. CyberGhost — Torrent-Optimized Servers in 70+ Countries to Download Movies Conveniently
Key Features: CyberGhost’s specialized P2P servers let you download movies safely from anywhere with dozens of options in countries all over the world. These consistently access torrent sites and are designed for secure, private, and fast torrenting with no downtime. That gives you 24/7 access to public domain movie torrents without worrying about blocked IP addresses preventing you from browsing or downloading. Besides its torrenting server menu, CyberGhost also has optimized servers for streaming platforms like: For added security, CyberGhost has WiFi protection which automatically connects the VPN whenever your device detects a public hotspot. Many hackers stalk WiFi hotspots for victims since they lack strong security features. You can also set it to block a torrent client like uTorrent from opening before the VPN is enabled, preventing you from torrenting unprotected. Other privacy and security features to hide your identity for torrenting include:
Military-grade encryption — routes your traffic through a secure tunnel that has never been hacked successfully. Content Blocker — blocks ads, marketing trackers, and malware so you can torrent public domain movies safely. Audited no-log policy — prevents your information from being recorded so it can’t be seen by cyberspies and hackers. Headquarters in Romania — has no data retention laws since Romania is not part of the 14 Eyes Alliance countries that conduct internet surveillance and share your data. Automatic kill switch — stops your downloads when your internet becomes unstable to avoid data leaks.
I connected 7 devices simultaneously (the maximum CyberGhost allows), and downloaded several non-copyrighted black and white movies without any problems. The apps never crashed and my connections stayed steadily fast throughout the downloads. Compared to ExpressVPN, some CyberGhost servers are slightly slower. The standard servers delayed downloads by a minute, especially when they were far away from me. Fortunately, the torrent optimized servers were fast, no matter where they were located. I tried both Switzerland servers and local servers in Malaysia where I live, and downloaded Scrooge from 1935. My speed stayed above 40Mbps on both. To get the best value for money, I recommend CyberGhost’s 2-year + 3 months plan for $2.11 per month. It comes with a generous 45-day money-back guarantee so you’ll have plenty of time to try CyberGhost with your favorite movie torrent site. I tested the refund policy by contacting one of the 24/7 live chat agents, and someone responded almost immediately with an approval. I got my money back after a week. Get CyberGhost to torrent movies
3. Private Internet Access (PIA) — MACE Blocks Malware, Ads, and Marketing Trackers While Downloading Movies
Key Features: PIA’s MACE keeps your devices safe from viruses, ads, and bots that watch you on the web. Some movie torrents still contain malware, even on sites where moderators verify all uploads. But turning on PIA’s MACE blocked 4 banner ads on The Pirate Bay during my tests. Just make sure to turn it on in the PIA settings, since it isn’t on by default. In addition to MACE, PIA has many other security and privacy features to legally download copyright-free movies without being spied on:
Military-grade encryption — offers a choice of AES 128-bit or AES 256-bit ciphers to emphasize faster movie downloads or stronger torrenting security. Confirmed no-logs policy — proven during a hacking investigation when a PIA representative testified under oath that the VPN had nothing to share. IP leak protection — keeps your location private when you’re connected to the VPN server. Anonymous payment option — accepts gift cards and cryptocurrencies if you want to subscribe to PIA 100% privately.
Compared to other VPNs I tested, PIA has a huge network of 35,000+ torrent-enabled servers in 84 countries. I connected to a server in Poland to download a 5.6GB torrent for the silent movie Nosferatu and it was done in 20 minutes. Activating the port forwarding feature allowed more peers to connect to me which cut my download time by 3 minutes. Servers in Poland and Japan accessed the movie torrent sites on this list within seconds. PIA also has streaming optimized servers in several countries and they bypassed geo-blocks in: When I connected 7 devices, I had no problems downloading torrents on all of them. PIA allows up to Unlimited at once. If you’d like to give port forwarding a try, PIA has an online guide with detailed screenshots that helped me get set up in 10 minutes. The only downside to PIA is that port forwarding isn’t enabled on its US servers. Still, it’s a minor inconvenience considering PIA has tons of servers outside the US if you want to use port forwarding. PIA’s plans are some of the most economical on this list and it’s one of the best monthly VPNs. Though its 2-year + 3 months plan is the best at $2.11 per month, all of them have a 30-day money-back guarantee. I sent an email requesting a refund and got a same-day reply confirming it was processed. 2 weeks later, the money was back in my account. Get PIA to torrent movies
4. NordVPN — Use a Designated Device to Download Torrents and Share Movie Files Securely via Meshnet
Key Features: NordVPN’s Meshnet lets you torrent movies securely and watch them on any device. For example you can torrent your favorite copyright-free movie on your PC at work and then enjoy it on your Meshnet-linked Android tablet when you get home. The feature creates an encrypted tunnel between your devices to move movie files securely and watch them from anywhere. Additionally, NordVPN has a large network of P2P optimized servers so there’s always one near you with fast speeds. When I tested one near me in Singapore and another 4,000 miles away in Sydney, both downloaded 1903’s The Great Train Robbery (400MB) in under 2 minutes. My speeds were 7% faster with NordLynx, NordVPN’s proprietary protocol, compared to OpenVPN. If you have movie streaming accounts, NordVPN can also bypass geo-blocks on these platforms. This gives you uninterrupted entertainment while you travel since you’ll have access to your usual TV and movie sites like: To test simultaneous devices I connected my desktop, 2 laptops, 2 smartphones and a tablet to NordVPN when I downloaded The Great Train Robbery and all of them worked reliably. NordVPN’s P2P server types are clearly indicated in its apps that it took me just 6 seconds to connect to one near me no matter what platform I used. Another big reasons I recommend this VPN for torrenting is that NordVPN has strong features to protect your privacy such as:
Kill switch — prevents your data from being leaked to torrent sites and your peers. Panama jurisdiction — has no laws enforcing data retention and doesn’t participate in the 14 Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance. Zero-log policy — verified by multiple independent audits to store none of your online activities.
The only thing that’s concerning about downloading movies with NordVPN is that its policies state it might be legally obligated to respond to court-ordered data requests. But I wasn’t concerned by this because the VPN doesn’t collect my browsing history, connection time, or IP address, so I can’t be identified by anyone even if there’s an official subpoena. Your best option to download movies with NordVPN is to get the 2-year plan at $3.49 per month. Since NordVPN boasts a 30-day money-back guarantee, I put it to the test by asking for a refund via its 24/7 live chat. An agent responded within seconds to confirm it would be processed, and I got my money back in 8 days. Get NordVPN to torrent movies
5. Surfshark — Download Movies Using All Your Devices at Once With Unlimited Connections
Key Features: Surfshark doesn’t limit the number of devices you can use to download torrents safely. I downloaded 15 public domain classics while connected to Surfshark on 12 devices for a black-and-white movie weekend, and they all worked perfectly. I also didn’t have to worry about getting logged out on my smartphone, since I always keep a mobile VPN turned on. I also liked how quickly Captain Kidd (1945) downloaded on my desktop despite connecting to a server in Berlin 6,000 miles away from me. I left the 966MB movie to download while working and it was already done in 3.5 minutes. I recommend the WireGuard protocol for downloads as this was the fastest for my long-distance connections. With servers in 100 countries, you’ll have no problems accessing the movie torrent sites on this list from anywhere. You can also watch shows from your country with NordVPN and access your home streaming libraries on: Though it doesn’t have ExpressVPN’s TrustedServer technology, Surfshark has several top-of-the-line privacy and security features like:
IP rotator — changes your IP address automatically every 5-10 minutes without interruptions to make it even harder to trace your torrenting back to you. Reverse Bypasser — ensures that you never accidentally start torrenting without VPN protection by stopping your P2P client from opening until you’re connected. NoBorders mode — allows you to continue downloading movies when traveling in restrictive countries like China and the UAE.
I was initially excited to find out about Surfshark’s 7-day free trial but unfortunately, it wasn’t available for my Windows computer which is one of my main devices. However, all Surfshark plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. The 2-year subscription is the most budget-friendly at $2.39 per month and lets you try all of Surfshark’s premium torrenting features risk-free. Once I was done testing it for P2P, I asked for a refund via live chat. An agent confirmed it within 2 minutes and 5 days later, I was reimbursed. Get Surfshark to torrent movies Try CyberGhost to torrent movies However, a VPN preserves your right to online privacy while downloading legal, public domain content. I don’t condone using a VPN to pirate movies or break the law, so make sure you’re not downloading anything copyrighted and check local regulations. No matter which client you use, you still need a powerful VPN to encrypt your traffic and hide your real location from other peers to protect your right to online safety and privacy. Without one of the top VPNs, anyone can spy on you while downloading movies and use that information to launch a cyber attack on you. A VPN is important to protect your privacy and security every time you use the internet, including for downloading public domain movies. But I don’t condone using a VPN or torrent sites to break laws in India or elsewhere. If you do so, you risk being prosecuted. Many VPNs don’t have powerful enough features to keep you safe from hackers on torrent networks, or they compromise on speeds. Some VPNs even secretly log your downloading activities, and a few have been caught selling your data to advertisers and other third parties. Other free VPNs limit how much data you can use per month. One offered only 500MB, which means you’ll have to wait more than a month to watch a 700MB movie. Another limit imposed by free VPNs is server count. When there are only 2 or 3 available, they become overcrowded very quickly and drag down the downloading speed for every user. In the worst cases, some free VPNs are scams to inject malware as you download their apps. Since the risks and limitations aren’t worth the risk, it’s better to use a premium VPN like CyberGhost for free by taking advantage of its 45-day money-back guarantee. After you’ve downloaded your favorite movies, just ask for a refund and it will be processed right away.
Final Word on Using Movie Torrent Sites
Even the best P2P movie sites can’t completely get rid of malware embedded in some of the torrents. On top of that, downloading any kind of torrent will expose your data to potentially suspicious peers from around the world in addition to your ISP. P2P networks are also popular targets for hackers looking for vulnerable connections to exploit. Without a reliable VPN, torrenting is too risky. Thankfully, I found top VPNs that are affordable and reliable torrent public domain movies no matter where you’re located. Of the ones I listed, I recommend ExpressVPN for its top-notch privacy features and blazing-fast speeds. It also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so it’s risk-free to get ExpressVPN to download torrents. Just get a refund if you change your mind.
