Top 5 Safest Torrent Clients of 2025 (and How to Bind Them to PremierVPN)

TL;DR: The stand-outs this year are BiglyBT, PicoTorrent, Tixati, qBittorrent (v5.0.1+), and KTorrent. Bind any of them to PremierVPN so they only work when your VPN is connected, giving you a robust “kill-switch per app”.

What we mean by “safest” in 2025

• Actively maintained (or still widely used without current red flags).
• No known unpatched or actively exploited security issues today.
• No adware/spyware baggage or recent supply-chain compromises.
• Strong privacy controls (encryption, IP filtering, VPN/proxy binding, WebUI auth).
• Transparent update history.

1) BiglyBT (Windows, macOS, Linux) — Open source

BiglyBT is a community-driven fork of Azureus/Vuze with a deep feature set but no adware. The project has been proactive on security issues (e.g., publicly noting non-impact from Log4Shell).

Why it’s a safe pick

• Mature codebase, open source, and actively maintained.
• Clear public comms about high-profile vulnerabilities.

Notable features

• Swarm visualisation, per-torrent bandwidth control, IP filter/Blocklists.
• RSS, tags/automation, robust WebUI with authentication.

Open-source? Yes (GPL).

Bind BiglyBT to PremierVPN: Settings → Connection → Bind to local IP address or interface → choose your PremierVPN interface (e.g., tun0/wg0 on Linux, or PremierVPN adapter on Windows/macOS). Then enable “Enforce binding”.

2) PicoTorrent (Windows) — Open source, lightweight

PicoTorrent is a lean, Windows-native client (no ads, minimal UI) released under the MIT licence.

Why it’s a safe pick

• Small attack surface; no web engine; open development on GitHub.
• No known CVEs or supply-chain incidents as of today.

Notable features

• DHT/PEX/LSD, sequential download, per-torrent prioritisation.
• IP filter, SOCKS5 proxy, portable builds available.

Open-source? Yes (MIT).

Bind PicoTorrent to PremierVPN: Settings → Network → Network Interface → select the PremierVPN adapter. Tick “Only use selected interface”.

3) Tixati (Windows, Linux) — Closed source, privacy-focused

Tixati is closed-source but long-standing, ad-free, and widely used among power users.

Why it’s a safe pick

• No adware/spyware; transparent, active forums; stable releases.
• Community reports defend against “spyware” rumours; installer checks show no threats.

Notable features

• Forced encryption modes, detailed bandwidth scheduling, IP filtering.
• Event-based automation, RSS, fine-grained peer and tracker controls.

Open-source? No.

Bind Tixati to PremierVPN: Settings → Network → IP/Interface Binding → choose the PremierVPN IP/interface. Enable “Outgoing bind” and “Enforce binding”.

4) qBittorrent (Windows, macOS, Linux, *BSD) — Open source (use v5.0.1+)

qBittorrent is feature-rich, fast, and free—but make sure you’re on 5.0.1+. In late 2024, a certificate-validation flaw (CVE-2024-51774) was disclosed and promptly fixed.

Why it’s a safe pick

• Open source with rapid patching; fixes available in 5.0.1+.

Notable features

• Clean UI, powerful search & RSS, per-torrent controls, IP filtering.
• WebUI with authentication, category automation.

Open-source? Yes (GPL).

Bind qBittorrent to PremierVPN: Tools → Options → Advanced → Network Interface: pick the PremierVPN interface. Set “Optional IP address to bind to” if preferred. Enable “Use a different port on each startup” if not using port forwarding.

Important: If you’re upgrading from an older qBittorrent, update directly from the official site or your distro repo.

5) KTorrent (Linux/KDE) — Open source (for KDE users)

KTorrent integrates neatly with KDE Plasma. It had older vulnerabilities (2007–2009) in its Web interface, all patched long ago. There are no active red flags today.

Why it’s a safe pick (today)

• Historical issues fixed; nothing current that’s unpatched.

Notable features

• KDE integration, plugin system, scheduling, IP filtering.
• DHT/PEX/LSD, stable on Plasma desktops.

Open-source? Yes (GPL).

Bind KTorrent to PremierVPN: Settings → Preferences → Network → Network Interface: select tun0/wg0. Enable “Only use selected interface”.

Why we didn’t include some popular names

• Transmission: Two separate supply-chain compromises in 2016 (KeRanger ransomware and Keydnap malware). Project has improved, but history keeps it off a “safest” list.
• Deluge: WebUI has seen security advisories (2021 XSS, 2025 spoofing). Needs hardening before use.
• µTorrent/BitTorrent: Multiple CVEs, DLL hijacking, adware concerns. Not recommended.
• rTorrent: XML-RPC misconfigurations exploited in the past. Secure when hardened, but not beginner-friendly.

Make any client safer: bind it to PremierVPN

Binding ensures the torrent client only uses your VPN’s network interface. If the VPN drops, the client loses connectivity—no accidental IP leaks.

General steps

1. Connect PremierVPN first.
2. Find your VPN interface:
   Windows: Settings → Network & Internet → Advanced network settings.
   macOS: System Settings → Network.
   Linux: ip addr (look for tun0 or wg0).
3. In your torrent client: Advanced/Network settings → choose Network Interface → select the PremierVPN interface and enforce binding.
4. Enable client-side kill-switch if available, or use the PremierVPN kill-switch.
5. Optional hardening: enable IP filtering/blocklists, prefer encrypted peers, disable uTP if needed.

PremierVPN tip: Our apps support a kill-switch. For even tighter control, bind your torrent client and enable the kill-switch—belt and braces.

Legal & privacy reminder

BitTorrent is a neutral protocol. Always download and share content you have the right to distribute. A VPN protects your privacy; it doesn’t grant legal immunity.

Summary table

Final word

If you want the simplest, safest path in 2025: install BiglyBT or PicoTorrent, bind it to PremierVPN, enable your kill-switch, and turn on IP filtering. Keep your client updated and avoid enabling remote/WebUI features you don’t actively need.