Is OperaVPN Good for Torrenting? Is it Safe?

While torrenting often deals with copyrighted material, torrenting is still a popular way to distribute and share free information as well. VPNs are one of the most common ways to protect users and their devices. Opera has its own free in-build VPN, but is it any good when it comes to torrenting or even your privacy?

OperaVPN does have similarities to a VPN, but it is not typically used for torrenting for several reasons: 

• Limited bandwidth available
• Information and logs may be stored
• Does not hide torrents or media sharing
• Often does not support torrents
  

Get a much better VPN: NordVPN according to our tests is the best for torrenting

When using a VPN, you want to ensure that your information is protected, especially when you are downloading torrents. Let’s talk about why Opera VPN is not ideal for torrents and what you should consider instead. 

What are OperaVPN Alternatives?

These are the OperaVPN alternatives:

1. NordVPN – the best choice for torrenting and privacy
2. AtlasVPN – a great budget choice
3. PrivateVPN – easy-to-use OperaVPN alternative

Why Does OperaVPN Not Work While Torrenting?

Opera VPN is one of the many free options available to those who are looking to use a VPN to protect their information. While “free” is always a great selling point, you have to realize that you are getting what you pay for. Some significant problems with Opera VPN include:

• It is a slow browser option and does not protect all your device
• OperaVPN actually tracks your online activities and creates logs
• The platform does not tell you their connection protocols
• No option to select actual server locations, it can signal a red flag

With a VPN, you really want to make sure that your location and IP address is fully protected. This is especially important if you use torrents as some content online can lead to serious legal actions.

While Opera VPN may be great for different online activities, here are the three biggest reasons to avoid OperaVPN while torrenting.

Limited Bandwidth

What keeps many people from using Opera VPN in general but especially for torrents, is the limited bandwidth you have with the platform. You are bound to find that your internet is seriously lacking for those who are downloading or using high-speed internet. 

Although OperaVPN is commonly said to have unlimited bandwidth, many users have found that not to be the case. 

Does Not Hide Your Identity Well

The biggest reason why OperaVPN is not great for torrenting is that it only hides your identity for some time, and sometimes not at all. Opera is only the browser that you are using to access the content. 

Once you begin downloading the torrents to your computer, you are no longer using OperaVPN. These third-party browser extensions do not hide your torrenting, and your information can be exposed. 

Opera Tracks Your Info

What throws a lot of torrent downloaders off of OperaVPN while downloading torrents is that this VPN actually creates logs of your information. Since you are likely using a VPN to protect yourself from your downloads, you most likely don’t want there to be a log of everything you have downloaded or saved along the way.

Opera Doesn’t Use Designated Locations

OperaVPN does not use designated locations when it is active. Doing this can signal a red flag that may bring more unwanted attention to your online activities. 

What are Better VPN Options for Torrenting?

For those looking to download torrents more securely, there are many great VPNs out there that you can use to protect yourself. While an excellent VPN for torrenting is going to cost you some money upfront or per year, it is much cheaper than a lawyer and a lawsuit for downloading illegal content. 

When choosing a VPN there are a few things that you will want to consider. These may include speeds and privacy and security settings. Internet Kill Switch, IP and DNS leak protection as well as strong encryption are critical features for a VPN to have.

Here are some of the best alternate VPNs for torrenting:

• NordVPN: If security is your primary concern, then NordVPN may be the best option for you. They fully support P2P traffic and have IP and DNS leak protection. In addition, there’s an Internet Kill Switch to protect you torrenting from accidental IP leaks.
• ExpressVPN: it is one of the most popular VPNs for those who are looking to download and use torrents. It’s fast and all servers run on RAM-disks. It’s a great no-logs privacy focused service that protects you all times.
• Private Internet Access: For those who torrent often and seed, PIA is made for you. It’s one of the few services that support port forwarding which is useful for advanced torrent users. It has a no-log policy and internet kill switch too.
  

OperaVPN Alternative Comparison

	NordVPN	Surfshark	AtlasVPN	PrivateVPN	ExpressVPN
Website	NordVPN.com	Surfshark.com	AtlasVPN.com	PrivateVPN.com	ExpressVPN.com
Best VPN Ranking	1 – THE BEST	2	3	4	5
Avg. Speed	46,4 Mbps	40,1 Mbps	35,9 Mbps	43,6 Mbps	42,2 Mbps
Server count	5400+	3200+	750+	200+	3000+
Logs	No-logs	No identifiable logs	No identifiable logs	No logs	No identifiable logs
Suitable for Games	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Works with Streaming	Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Hotstar, Disney+, BBC iPlayer	Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Hotstar, Disney+, BBC iPlayer	Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+	Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+	Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Hotstar, Disney+, BBC iPlayer
P2P Traffic	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Extra features	Ad-blocker Threat Protection Split-tunneling	Ad-blocker Split-tunneling	Split-tunneling	Port Forwarding	Port Forwarding (routers) Split-tunneling
Devices supported	Windows MacOS Android iOS Linux SmartTVs Routers	Windows MacOS Android iOS Linux	Windows MacOS Android iOS	Windows MacOS Android iOS	Windows MacOS Android iOS SmartTVs Routers
Best Deals	63% OFF + Gift	Save 81%	83% OFF	Save 85%	3 months FREE

Final Thoughts

VPNs and torrents really go hand in hand. You are able to download content from the internet, and you are also protecting yourself while you do it. Even though it may not seem like a big deal, having a VPN can save you time and money further down the line. It is essential to know that not all VPNs are made equally. 

While a free VPN seems like the best option, you are sacrificing almost everything that may want you to use a VPN in the first place. OperaVPN has been a popular option on the internet, but it only acts as a browser extension and not a VPN. 

Here are a few reasons why OperaVPN is not great for using while torrenting.

• Low bandwidth means low speeds and difficulty downloading your content.
• Opera VPN is a browser VPN and will not work with torrent platforms.
• Your information is put into a log every time you activate Opera VPN.

The good news is that even though OperaVPN is not great, many other VPNs are out there. ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Private Internet Access are just a few of the platforms to choose from if you want to protect yourself while downloading torrents.