Torrents have become the default way of sharing large files. Whether you’re downloading entire e-learning courses or just a few HD movies, torrents are one of the fastest and easiest ways to get the content you need. Most torrents come from public trackers, sites like The Pirate Bay or Kickass Torrents. Others come from private, invite-only services that don’t allow just anyone to download. It takes a little effort to get into a private torrenting site, so you should choose your targets carefully. Below are some of the best private torrenting services on the internet.
Before You Torrent, Get a VPN
Even though private torrenting sites are safer than public ones, your data could still be at risk. Not only are you sending raw information to servers and users around the world, but each request you make is tied to an IP address linked to your identity and location. ISPs can log this and share it with third parties or even government agencies, turning your once-private downloads into freely available information.
A virtual private network will encrypt your traffic and assign you a different IP address, completely masking your activity from third parties and keeping you safe. But, which VPN service is best for you? We made our selections based on the following criteria, ensuring you’ll be able to download anything you want using a fast, private connection.
- No logging
- No limits on bandwidth and protocols
- Anonymous payment methods
- Large server network size
ExpressVPN – Fast and User Friendly
ExpressVPN works to keep your torrents anonymous by wrapping everything in strong 256-bit AES encryption. DNS leak protection and an automatic kill switch ensure your personal data never sneaks through, even in the case of an accidental disconnect. And if privacy is your top concern, ExpressVPN offers one of the most comprehensive zero-logging policies on the market, covering everything from traffic to DNS requests and IP addresses.
ExpressVPN’s network of 145 servers in 94 different countries means you’ll always be able to find a speedy connection in any part of the world. And if your downloads feel a little sluggish, just fire up the built-in speed test to locate a better server in a matter of seconds!
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IPVanish – Complete Anonymity
IPVanish makes it easy to disappear online. The company’s network of 850 servers in 60 different countries is one of the largest in the business, and with over 40,000 shared IP addresses, anonymity is practically a guarantee! Data that passes through these servers is also locked down with 256-bit AES encryption and backed with a zero-logging policy on all traffic. DNS leak protection and an automatic kill switch even keep your identity safe in case you lose your connection.
IPVanish was pretty much built for online video streaming and torrent downloads. Fast servers give you the best connection possible, no matter where you live or where you’re connected, and features like unlimited bandwidth, no speed throttling, and no restrictions on P2P network or torrent traffic make it easy to sign in and get started. IPVanish even offers a few extra anonymity features to protect your identity, including an IP shuffling timer to change your IP address at regular intervals.
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Why Use Private Torrenting Sites?
Anyone who downloads files through torrenting service always has three things on their mind: privacy, speed, and availability. Public torrent sites use their high number of uploaders to ensure speed is rarely an issue, and thanks to a large audience they also have a massive selection of downloads. When it comes to privacy, though, you really can’t beat private trackers, as their gatekeeping system does a great job preventing spying third parties away from their files. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than an open door policy.
Another advantage private trackers have over public torrent sites is niche content. You’ll be able to find about 80% of what you want on the general web, especially if you’re hunting for a popular TV series or mainstream e-book. If your tastes are more obscure, however, public sites rarely have what you’re looking for. Going with a private torrenting tracker that caters to your niche is usually the best option in this case.
How to Join a Private Torrenting Site
Private trackers require registration before you can access their content. Registration isn’t as simple as entering your e-mail address and clicking the “sign up” button, however. Some restrict new account creations to one day a year, others even require interviews before access is granted. The methods can vary from site to site and often change as the years go by. Below are some of the more common methods you can use to create a membership with a private site of your choosing:
- Open registration days – One easy method of getting access to a private tracker is to join on one of their open registration days where anyone can sign up and start downloading. These are rarely announced in advance and they can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Keep an eye on the tracking sites below for all the latest announcements.
- Asking for invites – Some private torrent sites are invite only, meaning a current member has to grant you access. This means checking out an invite trading thread on a forum or simply begging for access. And if you know someone with invite codes, ask for one!
- IRC or forum registrations – Some of the more exclusive private torrent sites restrict invitation codes and account creation to their own IRC channels or community forums. If you want to join the service, you’ll need to find these resources and follow the instructions within.
All of the above methods require a little bit of work, and in some cases, a little bit of luck, too! You can increase your odds by following the sites below for all the latest news on private torrent registrations and announcements.
- Opentrackers – Private torrent tracker news, plain and simple. Opentrackers posts registration announcements on a regular basis. You’ll have to be fast to get your invite/application in, so if you’re interested in private torrents, visit the site every single day.
- TorrentInvites – Website and forum dedicated to invitation swaps and open registration announcements.
- /r/trackers – A subreddit dedicated to all things tracker related. Includes open registration days as well as general announcements.
- /r/invites – A subreddit for requesting, offering, and trading private torrent site invitations.
The Best Private Torrenting Sites
Most torrent sites fall into a handful of categories, each centered around the type of content they offer. Some have a lot of music or movies, while others keep tabs on e-book releases or classic TV shows. We pulled together some of the most popular private torrenting sites that provide the best quality and largest selection in their particular niche. We also let you know how easy it is to get access to the site, as this is often one of the key stumbling blocks to using private torrenting sites.
IPTorrents – Generalized Private Torrenting Site
One downside to joining private trackers is that you need to remain an active user. Snatching, or the practice of downloading a file without seeding to an even ratio, is not only frowned upon but can often cost you your account. Unless you’re really into the content hosted by the tracker you’ve joined and plan on downloading dozens of files, your best bet is to pick a good generalized private torrent site and focus your efforts there.
IPTorrents is a well-established private tracker that offers nearly 700,000 different torrents. Its content covers just about everything you can imagine, from music to software, games to movies. Think of it like a privatized version of The Pirate Bay without the mislabeled files and dangerous downloads.
- Site: IPTorrents
- Content: A little bit of everything
- Ratio Requirements: Yes
- Joining Difficulty: Easy
BitMe – All the Best E-Learning Resources
The internet is usually thought of as an entertainment resource, but it’s also perfect for learning new information. Access to e-learning courses has never been easier. BitMe was established in 2004 and continues to this day with over 32,000 torrents and 14,000 users, each of whom is just as addicted to learning new information as you are! Video courses, textbooks, and e-books centered around every topic imaginable are just a few clicks away.
- Site: BitMe
- Content: General learning content
- Ratio Requirements: Yes
- Joining Difficulty: Average
Redacted – Private Music Torrents
Albums, individual songs, full discographies, Redacted has it all. Previously known as PassTheHeadphones, Redacted is a relatively young site that focuses on music of all types and genres. You’ll get a healthy number of popular hits along with classics and even international bands. Over a million torrents and 27,000 users makes it one of the largest and most active private music trackers, so if you can get an invite you’ll be set for songs!
- Site: Redacted
- Content: Music
- Ratio Requirements: Yes
- Joining Difficulty: Easy
Bibliotik – Best Private E-book Torrents
Bibliotik has nearly 300,000 torrents and an extremely active community of 7,000 or so users. It’s been online with very few interruptions since 2009, so if you can get access, you won’t have to worry about hunting for other e-book tracker invites. Bibliotik keeps a great selection of mainstream, classic, and niche books of all types and genres. If you can’t find it on a public tracker, chances are Bibliotik has what you need.
- Site: Bibliotik
- Content: E-books
- Ratio Requirements: Yes
- Joining Difficulty: Average
GazelleGames – Private Video Game Torrents
It’s easy to make the argument that finding a reliable gaming torrent site is like stumbling across a unicorn in your living room. Private gaming trackers are rare, and they seem to shut down after only a year or two of existence. GazelleGames is a notable exception to this trend. The site has been in operation since 2010 and offers over 65,000 torrents to 14,000 users, making it the largest private gaming torrents site around.
- Site: GazelleGames
- Content: Video Games
- Ratio Requirements: Yes
- Joining Difficulty: Average
PassThePopcorn – The Only Movie Torrent Site You’ll Need
PassThePopcorn has been around since 2008, which is practically a century in online time. Its main focus is mainstream movies, classic films, and popular international releases, all presented in high quality whenever possible. Over 380,000 torrents and 35,000 users make it one of the largest private movie torrent sites on the ‘net.
- Site: PassThePopcorn
- Content: Movies
- Ratio Requirements: Yes
- Joining Difficulty: Hard
BroadcastTheNet
Founded in 2009, BroadcastTheNet focuses on high-quality TV shows and full TV series releases, everything from modern content to classics and international releases. It’s by far the largest private TV torrenting site around. You’ll find over 200,000 torrents shared by 34,000 users.
- Site: BroadcastTheNet
- Content: TV shows and TV series
- Ratio Requirements: No
- Joining Difficulty: Hard
AnimeBytes
One of the more difficult semi-niche scenes to follow is anime. General torrent sites frown upon heavy anime and manga uploads, making it even harder to access Japanese exclusive and fan subbed content. AnimeBytes is a huge private torrenting site with 16,000 users and over 141,000 torrents to choose from. If there’s a series you’re looking for, AnimeBytes will definitely have it!
- Site: AnimeBytes
- Content: Anime and manga
- Ratio Requirements: Yes
- Joining Difficulty: Average
How to Keep a Good Ratio
A large portion of private trackers enforce something called a ratio. This number represents the amount of content you’ve downloaded compared to the amount you’ve uploaded. Ideally your ratio should stay above 1.0, indicating that you give back at least as much bandwidth as you use. Some private torrent sites set hard rules about ratios and will remove your registration if you drop below the limit for too long.
Ratios are also frequently used as a sort of application requirement for torrent trackers. If there’s an interview before you’re allowed to join, the number-one question is “How many private trackers are you a member of, and what’s your ratio with them?” Providing proof of a solid ratio is an excellent tool for nailing the interview and getting access to an elite private tracker.
Keeping a good ratio on a private torrenting site is a simple matter of constantly seeding your downloads. Don’t delete a file or a torrent once you download it. Leave it running and actively uploading for as long as you can. Weeks, months, even years. Depending on the specific site’s rules you may only get ratio credit if someone is actively downloading from you. If this is the case, grab a popular file as soon as it’s uploaded to drastically increase your odds at scoring a high ratio.
Another way to keep a solid ratio is to use a seedbox. These off-site services work like a paid version of a remote torrent client that constantly seeds each file, even when your computer is switched off. Seedboxes usually work on a subscription service and cost a few dollars a month to run. Not all private trackers allow them, so check with your torrent site before signing up.
Usenet vs Private Torrenting Sites
An extremely popular yet notably niche alternative to torrent sites and torrent downloads is usenet, which is sort of like a precursor to the internet. It was developed in the 1980s as a method of sharing messages across a distributed network, as evidenced by the old newsgroup and bulletin board systems early internet users will remember. In recent years usenet has become a haven for file sharing. It’s not difficult to use, but it does require a few separate programs and a subscription to access the service, which keeps it from hitting the mainstream.
Torrents work by distributing pieces of a file from every user who downloaded it. Usenet, on the other hand, delivers content directly from a server to a client. When a file is uploaded to a usenet group, every site that indexes that group will have access to the content, normally at very high speeds, as well. You can think of usenet as a sort of inverted torrent network. Instead of connecting downloaders and having them share files, usenet servers connect to each other to form the distribution network.
Usenet carries roughly the same risks as downloading torrents. If you’re not paying attention you could download pirated content or even viruses. VPNs and virus scanners are essential tools for usenet access, as is a subscription with a reliable usenet provider.
Share Your Favorite Private Torrenting Sites
There are hundreds of private torrenting sites out there, many of which purposefully hide themselves to avoid scrutiny. This makes it difficult to discover new sites, let alone join them! Which private trackers do you use for accessing all your favorite content? Let us know in the comments below!
Read 8 Best Private Torrenting Sites: This is Where You Need an Invite From by Diego Villena on AddictiveTips - Tech tips to make you smarter
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