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Are your torrents not downloading as quickly as you’d like?
Your connection seems fine, and you’re opening torrents with plenty of seeders. You’re even avoiding watching anything on Netflix just so that the torrent client is getting all of the bandwidth it needs. However, for some reason, it seems to be taking forever for your files to end up on your storage device.
Something you might not have considered is the torrent client itself. While it might be packed with features, it’s not doing the one thing you need it to do. Download files quickly.
Two of the most reliable torrent clients are BitTorrent and uTorrent. BitTorrent Inc owns both applications, but that doesn’t mean they’re completely identical. The teams behind the programs are competitive and enjoy pitting uTorrent vs. BitTorrent in a battle for superiority.
So which is the faster/better torrent client between uTorrent and BitTorrent? Does it make a difference if you’re using a mobile or desktop device? If you’ve got a need for download speed for your torrents, then read on to find out which torrent client will get you your files quickest.
What is the Difference Between uTorrent and BitTorrent?
As BitTorrent Inc is in charge of both the BitTorrent and uTorrent clients, there are a lot of similarities as well as a lot of differences. Switching between the two clients is seamless, and the only significant difference you will notice is the color scheme. But underneath the hood, there are some variances that separate uTorrent and BitTorrent.
Size of the Application
uTorrent is a much small application compared to BitTorrent. uTorrent will take up less than 1 MB of your storage device. You won’t even know the client is even on your hard drive. BitTorrent is a little meatier and comes in at around 3 MB. While this is still relatively small, size is everything.
Developer Support
Both torrent clients take different approaches when it comes to updates. The BitTorrent client will only release stable versions as upgrades for the application. uTorrent regularly pushes out new updates as well as alpha and beta versions of the platform. So while you will get fresh features frequently with uTorrent, the stability of the platform is questionable. BitTorrent is a lot more reliable but can seem stuck in the past sometimes.
Platform Availability
You can get the uTorrent and BitTorrent clients on Android, Mac, and Windows platforms. However, if you’re a Linux user, then your only option out of the two will be the uTorrent application.
Safer to Use
You should be aware of some significant security differences between uTorrent and BitTorrent before you start downloading anything. BitTorrent seems more secure of the two and contains less of a risk of exposing you to a malicious attack. However, uTorrent is susceptible to malware. If you do download torrents with this client, then you should ensure you’re protected with antivirus software and a VPN.
Advertisements
Sadly, ads are a necessary evil when it comes to free torrent clients. The BitTorrent client is much better at managing ads compared to uTorrent. There are far fewer of them, and they’re safer to use. Some of the ads you’ll see on uTorrent look a little sketchy. If you do want to click on one, then you might end up downloading more than just a torrent.
Accessibility
When it comes to accessibility in the battle between uTorrent vs. BitTorrent, there is no contest. uTorrent is available in 67 languages, which is likely a product of its popularity and large market share. Meanwhile, BitTorrent is currently only available in 17 different languages.
uTorrent vs. BitTorrent on Desktops and Laptops
It doesn’t matter if you use a Windows or Mac computer or laptop. You’re going to want to go with BitTorrent if you desire a fast download speed for your torrents. BitTorrent is capable of downloading consistently in megabytes per second. Meanwhile, uTorrent will peak at medium to high kilobytes per second.
The main reason is the way in which uTorrent handles advertising. The overwhelming display of ads and spam content throttles the download speed and impacts the performance of the platform.
In the battle for BitTorrent vs. uTorrent on Mac devices, the BitTorrent client includes an additional feature. It’s able to perform numerous P2P downloads in a single session. Unfortunately, uTorrent will cap the number of torrents you can acquire and place the others on hold until one has finished.
BitTorrent and uTorrent on Mobile Devices
The decision on uTorrent vs. BitTorrent on iPhones is a mute one. Neither application is available on the App Store. If you want to download torrents on an Apple device, then you’re going to need to jailbreak your mobile.
Both BitTorrent and uTorrent are available on the Google Play Store for Android users. You just need to ensure that you’re downloading the app created by BitTorrent Inc, as there are several clones on the store.
The torrent clients work well on any Android device. Most of the features on both BitTorrent and uTorrent are present, including the advertisements. In regards to speed, the ads still have an impact on your downloads. As such, BitTorrent will help you get your torrents quicker compared to uTorrent.
How to Improve Your Download Speed for Torrents
Regardless if you use uTorrent, BitTorrent, or any operating system, there are some adjustments you can make to the client to ensure you’re downloading torrents at the maximum speed. Here are a few to try next time you open a torrent.
Seeds
The number of seeds that are listed next to a torrent isn’t a number to be ignored. It’s an indication of how fast your torrent file will download. Pick the one with the highest number of seeders. Depending on the site you’re using, you may even be able to sort the column, so the torrent with the most seeds will appear at the top of the list.
Adjust Your Bandwidth
While you’re downloading torrents, you can make adjustments to your bandwidth to help improve your speeds. Go to the options menu and then select bandwidth in uTorrent or BitTorrent. Start by limiting the maximum upload rate to 10 kbps and the maximum download speed to unlimited. Next, set the global maximum number of connections to 500. You should also set the maximum number of peers per torrent to 100. Lastly, change the maximum upload slots per torrent to 14.
Now you’ll need to go to the preferences section and check the box in Choose connection to Enable UPnP port mapping. In the same area, set your maximum number of active downloads to one. Save your settings, and then right-click on the torrent you’re downloading. In the Bandwidth Allocation menu, set it to high, which should increase your download speed.
Firewall Exception
Did you know that your Windows firewall can impact your torrent client and ability to download files quickly? Thankfully you can get around this by adding an exception to boost the speeds. Head to the options menu and go to preferences. In the connections section, you should see a checkbox titled Add Windows Firewall exception. Select it and hit apply. It’s important not to close down the firewall, especially if you use uTorrent. This can leave your device open to malware attacks and malicious activities.
Add Trackers
One of the easiest methods of increasing your torrent download speed is by adding trackers. It’s another form of supplying new seeds and peers to help your connection. To add these sources to your torrent, right-click on the file and select Properties. Under the General tab, there should be a window with the current trackers list. Simply copy and paste the links below to the bottom of the list. Don’t overwrite the current ones in the list. You also don’t need to worry about any duplicate entries.
· https://www.ipmart-forum.com:2710/announce
· https://tracker2.istole.it:60500/announce
· udp://tracker.btzoo.eu:80/announce
· https://tracker.torrentbox.com:2710/announce
· udp://coppersurfer.tk:6969/announce
· udp://tracker.prq.to/announce
· https://tracker.deluxebits.to:3552/announce
How to Download Torrents Safely With BitTorrent and uTorrent
Even though BitTorrent Inc runs both uTorrent and BitTorrent and they look almost identical, there are differences you should be aware of with both applications. uTorrent is extremely popular and takes up less room on your storage. But it comes with a lot of advertisements and has the potential to infect your device with malware. BitTorrent is more stable and safer to use. But it is not available in as many languages, and it doesn’t get updated as regularly.
When it comes to download speed on desktops and mobiles though, BitTorrent is faster than uTorrent. As the platform is able to manage ads better, it doesn’t throttle your bandwidth when you’re trying to download a torrent or retrieve multiple files.
Whether you choose to go with BitTorrent or uTorrent, you should always ensure your device is protected with a VPN. A virtual private network will provide you with anonymity while you’re online and stop your internet service provider from logging your activity. If you’re in a country that blocks torrent sites, you can use a VPN to access these websites and retrieve the files that you need.
Not all VPNs are identical though. Some cap your bandwidth, and others don’t completely disguise your location. Before you subscribe to a virtual private network plan, you should check it with VPN Testing. You’ll find everything you need to help you choose the right one for security, privacy, and downloading torrents.
Related posts: Is qBittorrent safe? , Is uTorrent safe?
