Top 10 torrent sites alternatives: legal P2P platforms for 2025

Torrenting, or P2P file sharing, is still popular for sharing and downloading files. However, almost all traditional torrent sites operate in grey or downright illegal areas. That’s because most content hosted there is copyrighted and unauthorized, thus distributed illegally. Downloading such files can get you into serious legal trouble, even if you’re using a VPN.

Instead of relying on traditional torrenting sites, why not pick one of the best torrent sites alternatives. Such websites are completely legal and host just as expansive movies, books, TV series, and other content libraries. In this article, you’ll find my top 10 torrent site alternatives and recommendations on P2P-friendly VPN services to protect your data while sharing files.

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Best VPNs for accessing torrent download alternative sites safely

1. NordVPN

   Overall best VPN for legal torrent sites in 2025
   9.8
2. Surfshark VPN

   P2P-sharing torrent VPN with unlimited connections
   9.5
3. Proton VPN

   Private & secure VPN for visiting torrenting sites
   8.6
4. TotalVPN

   Affordable VPN to download torrent files privately and securely
   8.2
5. IPVanish

   Reliable VPN with SOCKS5 Proxy to hide your online activity
   8.4

Is it legal to use torrent sites?

Torrenting isn't exactly illegal in the United States, Canada, Australia, Spain, and the UK, but downloading copyrighted material without permission is. Determining what's legal to torrent isn't always clear-cut – some content exists in a gray area, putting you at risk of unintentionally breaking the law. Instead of risking it with possibly pirated content, I recommend downloading files from torrenting sites' alternatives that are completely legal and free to use.

When you torrent files, your IP address can be traced back to you as someone who has shared copyrighted works. Not only can this result in hefty fines for copyright infringement, but end with criminal penalties under federal or state law.

That's why I recommend using a P2P VPN like NordVPN or Surfshark to avoid unnecessary risks and enjoy absolute peace of mind while browsing torrent sites.

Using a VPN is strongly advised for torrenting because it adds an additional layer of security through data encryption between the user and the server. Also, it safeguards against cybercriminals who might try to intercept internet traffic by means of malicious links and files.

Additionally, it's essential to select a trustworthy legal torrent site and ensure that the file provider is verified. Take time to read comments associated with the torrent file and consider any warnings about potential malware.

10 best torrent sites alternatives in 2025

• Internet Archive – a huge online library hosting millions of free books, movies, music, and software in the public domain or under open licenses
  
• Project Gutenberg – one of the biggest collections of free eBooks
• Public Domain Torrents – torrents of thousands of movies available in the public domain
• LibriVox – an extensive library of free audiobooks read by volunteers
• SourceForge – hosts thousands of free and legal open-source software and development tools
• Free Music Archive – a selection of indie music and royalty-free audio files for projects
• Linux Tracker – a platform to download Linux distributions via BitTorrent, helping to conserve server resources
• Etree – a community platform for trading live concert recordings of taper-friendly bands
• Vuze StudioHD Network – a free and legal platform that hosts a variety of video files, including movies
• Wikimedia Commons – a massive free media repository hosting millions of images, videos, and audio files under Creative Commons licenses

I researched and tried 50+ top free torrent sites alternatives to find out whether they are operational and offer a wide variety of content. So let’s dig into the best torrent sites alternatives in 2025.

1. Internet Archive – biggest legal library of music, movies, and other torrents

Internet Arcive is probably the best-known legal torrent library that was created as early as 1996. The site hosts thousands of movies, retro TV shows, books, and all sorts of other content, including old games.

Although the page reminds you it’s as old as the internet itself, it’s actually very easy to navigate and browse. If you’re looking for something specific, simply use the search bar, and if you’d rather look through the vast libraries, select a category and see what you can find.

The one observation I have from using the Internet Archive is that some of the user-uploaded content may be mistagged. However, all of it is still perfectly legal, and the sheer volume of content hosted there makes it one of the best torrent sites alternatives to this day.

Best for: movies, series, eBooks, music, arts, games, applications, and more

Launched: 1996

2. Project Gutenberg – massive repository of legal book torrents

Project Gutenberg is a completely legal site hosting over 75,000 free eBook torrents of classic books that are in the US public domain. I liked that all the files available on Project Gutenberg are completely legal and DRM-free, which means you can share them with whoever you want once you download them.

The Project Gutenberg site was launched in 1971 and was always meant to operate as a public domain, completely free and legal library. Today, you can find all sorts of books in there, from Jane Austen to Alexander Dumas and everything in between.

To find your book, you can use the search bar on top of the site or browse through the categories. Once you settle on a title, you can download it as a simple file, torrent, or as a mirror link.

Best for: eBooks

Launched: 1971

3. Public Domain Torrents – large library of free and legal classic movies

Public Domain Torrents is a great torrenting sites alternative for true classic and B-movie fans. The library hosts hundreds of movie titles which are all verified to be in the public domain. I liked the fact, that you can get movies in various formats from the site, including mobile-friendly.

As you can see from the screenshot above, the site design is very reminiscent of the ‘90s, but that’s usually the case with these free and legal torrenting sites. Nonetheless, you can easily find the movie categories and check out the titles that have been recently downloaded by other users.

Although you won’t find any of the latest movies on this site, the site may surprise you with some rare gems and its high-quality torrents.

Best for: Classic movies

Launched: 2001

4. LibriVox – free public domain audiobook library read by volunteers

LibriVox is a treasure trove for anyone looking for free and legal audiobooks. All the titles available there are created from public domain texts and read by volunteers, so you can be sure they’re all perfectly legal. Currently, the site hosts over 20,000 book titles read in 48 languages.

It was refreshing to see a cleanly-designed page which I found very easy to use and browse. You can find the recdently added titles directly on the main page. If you’d like to browse, you can use the search bar or look through the Author, Title, Genre, and Language categories.

Interestingly, LibriVox is closely tied to the Project Gutenberg page as it gets its texts from it while the audiobook files are also hosted on the Internet Archive library, too. Although the website and the audiobooks in it are completely free, users are available to donate for it to keep it running.

Best for: audiobooks

Launched: 2005

5. SourceForge – a massive library of free and legal open-source software, including games

SourceForge is an iconic community-driven file library for discovering, developing, and distributing open-source software. All applications hosted there are legally licensed and free to download. Besides downloading files, SourceForge users can also browse project repositories, contribute code, and read real user reviews.

The page is well-designed and easy to navigate. Once you click on the Open Source Software tab, you will find a nicely categorized list of available applications, including games and all kinds of other applications.

This site has been an indispensable source for developers and tech enthusiasts since 1999. All the files on SourceForge do not require payment, and are 100% legal and DRM-free.

Best for: open-source software

Launched: 1999

6. Free Music Archive – free creative commons-licensed music directory

Free Music Archive is a site hosting thousands of songs that are either creative-commons licensed or uploaded directly by the creators. All of the files are free to download and completely legal. The project was started in 2008 as a mission to redefine the music licensing and distribution landscape and is still going strong to this day.

The site is well-designed, which makes it very easy to use. You can either access a library of independent artists and their original music, or go PRO for a small fee and get royalty-free music that can be used for social media content.

The Free Music Archive is an excellent torrenting site for original music fans, people who want to support indie artists, and those looking for legal ways to obtain music for their social media content projects.

Best for: Music

Launched: 2008

7. Linux Tracker - legal Linux distros distribution via torrents

Linux Tracker is a great torrent site alternative if you’re looking for a bandwidth-conserving way to download various Linux distros. The community-based site provides free and legal access to distros like Ubuntu, Fedora, and Debian, with user-contributed torrent seeds.

The site looks like any other torrent site, so if you’re accustomed to the layout, you’ll find it very easy to navigate and browse. If you’re new to such a site, you can choose your torrent from the title page, browse through categories, or use the search bar if you know what you want exactly.

The site has been running since 2008 with no issues, and is funded by user donations.

Best for: Linux distros

Launched: 2008

8. Etree – community-run library of live concert recordings of taper-friendly bands

Etree is an incredible community-run site that makes for one of the best torrenting sites alternatives if you’re looking for lossless audio recordings of various music band concerts. This site can get you the most interesting performances completely legal and free. Also, this site is a wonderful tool to look for new artists and indie bands.

The design of the site might seem a bit crowded at first, but it actually works as a simple list with an easy browsing option via categories or the search bar. All the files are available as torrents and you can easily see the seeders and the leechers attached to each of them.

Launched in 1998 as a live concert recordings trading site, Etree grew in numbers quite rapidly. Currently, there are close to half a million active users on the site, so you can be sure the site’s not going anywhere any time soon.

Best for: live music concert recordings

Launched: 1998

9. Vuze StudioHD Network – hosts public domain movies, videos, and series

Vuze StudioHD Network is a great alternative to torrenting sites as it hosts hundreds of movies, series, and other video content such as TED talks, which are all available under the public domain. Some of the Vuze collection files are also uploaded directly by the creators themselves, but just to be completely sure the content you’re about to download is completely legal, double-check its status.

The site itself is minimally designed and looks like a regular torrenting site. It’s simple to navigate and browse or look for the exact content you had in mind. Besides series, movies, and TV content, you can also find quite a bit of indie production in its library.

Although I couldn’t find direct info on when was Vuze StudioHD Network launched, the parent company was started in 2006. So, you can be sure it’s a well-established site with lots of supporters.

Best for: video content

Launched: 2006

10. Wikimedia Commons – free and legal content under public domain or free-use licenses

Wikimedia Commons is a huge content repository that belongs to the Wikimedia Foundation, the same one as Wikipedia does. On the site, you can easily find loads of video, audio, and visual content, which is perfect for educational or project uses.

Unsurprisingly, the site looks similar to Wikipedia and uses a very similar design and layout. That’s a huge bonus if you frequent Wikipedia and already know the site. You can use the search bar to look for your files or browse the available categories if you’re simply there to look for something curious.

The Wikimedia Commons repository was launched several years after the initial project, in 2004. Currently, the site has close to 120 million of free-to-use files, so chances are, you’re going to find what you’re looking for on it.

Best for: audio, video, and visual content

Launched: 2004

How I picked and tested the best torrent site alternatives?

My team and I analyzed and tried 50+ popular torrent site alternativs to see whether they work and provide enough quality content. Here are the main things we took into consideration:

• Offer legal, copyright-free content. The most important thing for us was to double-check and verify if the claims of distributing public domain or license-free content was true. Ultimately, we only included legal torrent alternative sites.

• Reputation. Popular file-sharing sites are more likely to have bigger libraries and reliable downloads. Moreover, user reviews and recommendations can help gauge the reputation of an alternative torrent site.
• Security. I chose websites that offer safety measures to enjoy a trouble-free torrenting experience. For example, user feedback mechanisms and active moderation to prevent malicious files or scams.
• Download speed. The number of seeders (users who have fully downloaded the file and continue to share it) and leechers (users downloading the file) can indicate the health and speed of the downloads. Higher seeders usually result in faster downloads and greater reliability.
• Library size & variety. Different sites may specialize in specific types of content, such as movies, music, software, or games. Nevertheless, they should offer a large variety of those files.
• Compatibility with VPN traffic. We also checked how well our selected sites work with VPN traffic. Even though all of these torrenting site alternatives are legal, there’s still a chance to catch a malicious file or expose your online activities to onlookers if torrenting without the protection of a VPN.

How to download torrented files?

Getting torrent files from legal torrent site alternatives is pretty straightforward. Mainly, you’ll need a reliable torrent client such as uTorrent or qBittorrent to obtain the content. Follow the steps below to torrent safely:

1. Pick a reliable legal torrenting site alternative. For enhanced privacy and security when visiting any sites online, I recommend using NordVPN, currently 76% off, due to its robust encryption and top-tier privacy features.
2. Choose and install your torrent client. My personal recommendation is uTorrent, which we crowned as the best torrenting software, but qBittorrent is an excellent alternative as well.
3. Locate the file you want to download. You can press download or use the magnet link.
4. Confirm the pop-up window. Your torrent client will display a window with detailed information about the file you’re about to download. In this window, you can choose the download location, adjust categories, and customize other settings.
5. Enjoy your content!

Remember: P2P file sharing can be quite dangerous. Malicious actors can trace your IP address and track your online activities, even when downloading from legal sites. Therefore, we recommend using a secure VPN that will safeguard your devices and P2P efforts.

How to torrent safely in 2025

While the best way to stay safe is to choose a reputable and legal torrenting website alternative, there are a few more things that you can do:

1. Use a reliable VPN. A good VPN provider will help you encrypt and anonymize your traffic, allowing you to torrent files securely and without ISP monitoring your activities. I recommend using NordVPN which has a built-in Threat Protection feature.
2. Set up an antivirus. Install and maintain up-to-date antivirus software to scan all downloaded files for potential threats. A good antivirus will detect an infected file before you can run it.
3. Check the legitimacy of torrent files. Verify the authenticity of torrent files by reading user comments, checking the seeder-leecher ratio, and inspecting file details to avoid downloading infected content.
4. Avoid fake or risky-looking links. Be cautious with any links that seem suspicious or too enticing. Avoid clicking on them, as they may lead to phishing sites or trigger malware downloads. Also, if you can’t find any information about the link, it’s worth running it through VirusTotal.

Torrent safely with NordVPN

Why use a VPN with torrent site alternatives?

Using the best VPN for torrenting site alternatives is pretty much mandatory due to security and privacy concerns. A reliable virtual private network will safeguard your data and precious information by encrypting it. Thanks to anonymity features, you won’t have to worry about the government, your ISP, or snoopers tracking your every move online. Plus, you can bypass geo-blocks and access torrenting site alternatives that are not available in your country.

If you can’t decide which VPN you should pick for exploring torrent sites, here are a few suggestions:

1. NordVPN – the best VPN for torrenting in 2025, as it offers Threat Protection Pro, which will fend off malicious ads and viruses. Moreover, with 7400+ servers in 118+ countries and NordLynx tunneling protocol, you’ll get your files in no time. Plus, you can enjoy specialized P2P servers for maximum performance.
2. Surfshark – not only it’s the most secure VPN for torrent downloads, but it’s also the best option for multiple devices, thanks to unlimited connections. The provider allows torrenting on all 3200+ servers in 100+ countries. Moreover, the WireGuard tunneling protocol ensures top-notch speeds wherever you might be. Ads and malicious sites will be a thing of the past with the CleanWeb feature.
3. Proton VPN – the best freemium VPN for torrenting securely. With 13000+ servers in 122+ locations, no-logs policy, Swiss jurisdiction, and strong encryption, it’s a trusted pick for safe file-sharing and browsing. Do note that premium plans unlock faster servers and more regions.

Get the best torrenting VPN

Torrent sites you should avoid

In general, you should avoid entering unknown torrenting sites as well as sites hosting pirated content. While accessing such sites might cause no harm, downloading from them may have serious legal consequences. Here are a few examples of P2P download sites that you shouldn’t use:

• KickAssTorrents (KAT). KickassTorrents is no longer available as it was shut down on July 20, 2016. It was seized by the US government due to copyright infringement claims.
• RARGB. It was one of the best and most visited pirating websites until the site announced a shutdown in May of 2023. If you see RARGB in your search results, stay clear of it, as it may be a copycat full of malware.
• Torrentz2. This torrent indexing site emerged as a successor after the original was shut down in 2016. However, despite several efforts to revive its activity, what’s left today are mostly fake mirror and .onion domains that we can only recommend staying clear of.
• Pirate Bay. This is one of the oldest torrent sites that hosts millions of pirated content files. Although it's continuously hunted and frequently shutdown, it still reemerges back with different URLs.
• 1337x. Another one of the old torrent sites that was particularly known for a vast move library. However, the site is no longer operational, but the library can be found on mirror links.
• EZTV. hugely popular torrent site that's still operational. This is one of the big ones to avoid, as it is known to host a lot of malicious content as well as copyrighted material.

How to spot fake torrent site alternatives

Telling apart a real and fake alternative torrent site can be difficult. Usually, mirror sites of a well-known provider will try to direct you to its main domain. However, that’s not often the case and many users fall prey to copycats, which are potentially digital minefields full of malware.

To distinguish a genuine torrenting site alternative from a fake one, consider the following these tips:

1. Check the domain and its URL. Genuine torrenting sites like Internet Archive typically use well-established domains. Be cautious of misspelled or unfamiliar URLs, which may indicate a fake site.
2. Research site’s history. A quick search on Google or Reddit about the site’s history and current status can reveal if you’re looking at a legitimate site.
3. Check for a community presence. Established torrent sites, such as LibraVox or Etree, often have an active community or forum. If a site lacks community engagement, it may likely be because it is not safe to use.

Conclusion

Downloading copyrighted material is illegal, and getting caught can lead to fines or legal trouble. So, instead of risking it with pirated content, why not use one of the best torrent sites alternatives that host legal content, are completely free, and safe to use instead.

Always check whether the files you’re downloading are in the public domain or free to share. In addition to that, I recommend getting a secure VPN like NordVPN to protect yourself further. It encrypts your traffic and hides your IP address, making your torrenting activity completely private. A VPN keeps your connection secure, your data stays anonymous, and your identity remains safe.

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FAQ

Are torrent sites illegal?

Torrent sites themselves are legal in many countries, but using them to download or distribute copyrighted content without permission is illegal. That said, always check your local laws and the type of files you’re downloading to avoid legal trouble.

Which is the best torrent site for movies?

For movies, you can rely on the Internet Archive or Public Domain Torrents sites. Internet Archive hosts thousands of public domain movies and videos, including some rare vintage footage. Meanwhile, Public Domain Torrents has an excellent library of classic and B-movies.

What is the safest torrent site?

Internet Archive, Public Domain Torrents, LibriVox, The Gutenberg Project, and SourceForge are all safe torrenting sites. All of these sites host legal content, are ad-free for a smooth experience, and have active communities supporting the work and verifying the status of recently added content.

What happens if you torrent without a VPN?

Torrenting without a VPN leaves your IP exposed, allowing ISPs, copyright enforcers, and even hackers to track your activity. If you’d rather avoid these risks, a VPN, like Surfshark, keeps your downloads private and your data safe.

Can I still access RARBG in 2025?

No, RARBG officially closed in 2023, and by 2025 it remains offline. That said, avoid shady clones or mirrors, as they often contain malware. Instead, stick to trusted torrent sites alternatives, like Internet Archive, SourceForge, and The Gutenberg Project.

What is the most popular torrent site?

Internet Archive is by far the most popular site in 2025. It hosts thousands of files, including movies, music, audio, books, games, and software – all under public domain or free-to-use licenses. Still, use a VPN, like NordVPN, to protect your privacy while browsing or downloading.

What is the best torrent site for music?

LibraVox, Etree , and Free Music Archive are the best torrent sites for music, especially if you’re looking for audiobooks or hard-to-find audio files. For general audio files, check out the Internet Archive sites, as it might also have what you’re looking for.

How can I increase my torrent speed in 2025?

To increase torrent speed in 2025, pick torrents with lots of seeders, tweak your client settings, and use a VPN to avoid throttling. Port forwarding and limiting upload speed can also help boost download performance.

Does Kickass Torrent still exist?

No, Kickass Torrents is no longer available, as it was shut down on July 20, 2016. Although mirror sites exist under the same name, they are not operated by the original team and may not be secure.