The following is a general comparison of BitTorrent clients, which are computer programs designed for peer-to-peer file sharing using the BitTorrent protocol. [1]
The BitTorrent protocol coordinates segmented file transfer among peers connected in a swarm. A BitTorrent client enables a user to exchange data as a peer in one or more swarms. Because BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer communications protocol that does not need a server, the BitTorrent definition of client differs from the conventional meaning expressed in the client–server model. [1]
Bram Cohen, author of the BitTorrent protocol, made the first BitTorrent client, which he also called BitTorrent, and published it in July 2001. [2]
Many BitTorrent programs are open-source software; others are freeware, adware or shareware. Some download managers, such as FlashGet and GetRight, are BitTorrent-ready. Opera 12, a web browser, can also transfer files via BitTorrent.
In 2013 Thunder Networking Technologies publicly revealed that some of their employees surreptitiously distributed a Trojan horse with certain releases of Xunlei, the company's BitTorrent-ready download manager. [3] [4] Xunlei is included in the comparison tables.
Name | Developer | Platform | Latest release | License | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Version | Date | |||||
BiglyBT | Bigly Software | Linux | 3.7.0.0 [5] ![]() | 30 September 2024 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
Android | 1.3.3 [6] ![]() | 22 September 2023 | ||||
BitComet | BitComet Development Group | macOS | 2.10 [7] ![]() | 2024-10-09 | Proprietary, Adware | [a] |
Windows | 2.10 [7] ![]() | 2024-10-09 | ||||
BitLord | House of Life | macOS | 2.4.6-348 ![]() | 2019-10-24 | Proprietary, Adware | [b] |
Windows | 2.4.6-358 [8] ![]() | 2022-08-26 | ||||
BitTorrent | BitTorrent | Android | 8.2.1 [9] ![]() | 2024-03-20 | Proprietary, Adware | |
macOS | 7.4.3.45549 [10] ![]() | 2020-05-20 | ||||
Windows | 7.11.0.46555 [11] ![]() | 2022-11-22 | ||||
Deluge | various | BSD | 2.1.1 [12] ![]() | 2022-07-10 | GPL-3.0-or-later [13] | |
Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Solaris | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
FlashGet | Trend Media | Windows | 3.7.0.1220 [14] ![]() | 2013-05-17 | Proprietary | [c] |
Free Download Manager | alervd | Android | 6.19.0.5156 [15] ![]() | 2023-03-13 | Proprietary | |
Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
FrostWire | The FrostWire Project | Android | 2.7.7(730) [16] ![]() | 2024-01-07 | GPL-3.0-or-later | |
Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
KGet | KDE | BSD | 22.12.0 [17] ![]() | 2022-12-08 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |
Linux | ||||||
KTorrent | Joris Guisson, Ivan Vasić | BSD | 23.08.3 [18] [19] ![]() | 2023-11-09 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |
Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Lftp | Alexander V. Lukya | BSD | 4.9.3 [20] ![]() | 2024-11-08 | GPL-3.0-or-later | |
Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
LimeWire | Lime Wire LLC | Linux | 5.5.16 ![]() | 2010-10-26 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
Miro | Participatory Culture Foundation | Linux | 6.0 [21] ![]() | 2013-04-05 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
MLDonkey | MLDonkey Project | BSD | 3.2.1 [22] ![]() | 2024-08-20 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |
Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
MorphOS | ||||||
Solaris | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
μTorrent | BitTorrent | Android | 8.2.2 [23] ![]() | 2024-03-21 | Proprietary, Adware | [d] |
macOS | 1.8.7.45548 [25] ![]() | 2020-01-30 | ||||
Windows | 3.6.0.47006 [26] ![]() | 2024-01-11 | ||||
Opera 12 | Opera Software | FreeBSD | 12.16 | Proprietary | [e] | |
Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Solaris | ||||||
Windows | 12.17 | |||||
qBittorrent | Christophe Dumez | BSD | 5.0.3 [27] ![]() | 2024-12-15 | GPL-2.0-or-later [13] | |
Linux | ||||||
Haiku | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
OS/2 | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
rTorrent | Jari Sundell | BSD | 0.15.0 [28] ![]() | 2024-12-26 | GPL-2.0-or-later [13] | [f] |
Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Solaris | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
Robert | Sponge, co-developer of I2P | BSD | 0.0.40 ![]() | 2013 | GPL | |
Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
Shareaza | Shareaza Development Team | Windows | 2.7.10.2 [29] ![]() | 2017-09-18 | GPL-2.0-or-later | [g] |
Tixati | Kevin Hearn | Linux | 3.31 [30] ![]() | 2024-12-11 | Proprietary | [h] |
Windows | ||||||
Tonido | CodeLathe | BSD | 14.90.0.34030 ![]() | 2017-01-13 | Proprietary | |
Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
Transmission | various | BSD | 4.0.6 [31] ![]() | 2024-05-30 | GPL-2.0-only or GPL-3.0-only [32] [13] MIT [33] | |
Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
OpenWrt | ||||||
Solaris | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
Tribler | The Tribler Team | Linux | 7.14.0 [34] ![]() | 2024-04-24 | GPL-3.0-only | [i] |
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
Vuze [j] | Vuze | Android | 5.7.6.0 [36] ![]() | 2017-11-02 | Proprietary (platform) GPL-2.0-or-later (core engine) Adware | [k] |
Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
Xunlei | Thunder Networking Technologies | Android | 7.53.0.8245 [37] ![]() | 2022-10-11 | Proprietary, Adware | |
iOS | 1.5.8 [38] ![]() | 2022-09-29 | ||||
macOS | 5.0.2.65551 [39] ![]() | 2022-06-16 | ||||
Windows | ||||||
Name | Developer | Platform | Latest release | License | Notes | |
Version | Date |
BitTorrent client | Windows | macOS | GNU/Linux | BSD | iOS | Android | Other |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BiglyBT | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
BitComet | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
BitLord | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
BitTorrent | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes [40] | No |
Deluge | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Solaris |
FlashGet | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Free Download Manager | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
Frostwire | Yes [41] | Yes [41] | Yes [41] | Yes [41] | No [41] | Yes [41] | Unix-like [41] z/OS [42] Solaris OS/2 eComStation ArcaOS [43] |
KGet | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
KTorrent | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Lftp | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
LimeWire | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes [ specify ] |
Miro | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
MLDonkey | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Solaris MorphOS |
μTorrent | Yes | Yes | Web | No | No | Yes [44] | No |
Opera 12 | Yes [l] | Yes | Yes [l] | Yes [l] | No | Yes[ citation needed ] | Solaris |
qBittorrent | Yes [45] | Yes [45] | Yes [45] | Yes [45] | No [45] | No [46] | OS/2 [m] FreeBSD Haiku [45] |
Robert | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
rTorrent | Yes [n] | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Solaris |
Shareaza | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Tixati | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Tonido | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Transmission | Yes [l] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes [o] | Yes | Solaris |
Tribler | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Vuze | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes [48] | No |
Xunlei | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes[ citation needed ] | No |
Name | Windows | macOS | GNU/Linux | BSD | iOS | Android | Other |
BitTorrent client | GUI | Remote | CLI | Other | Programming language | Based on | IPv6 | μTP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BiglyBT | Yes | Yes | No [p] | Telnet, XML over HTTP remote control API | Java, SWT | Vuze [j] | Yes | Yes |
BitComet | Yes | Yes | Partial [50] | No | C++ | - | Yes | No |
BitLord | Yes | No | No | No | Python, C++ | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | Yes | No |
BitTorrent 5, Mainline | Yes | No | Partial | No | Python | - | No | No |
Deluge | Yes | Yes | Yes | Daemon | Python, C++ | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | Yes | Yes [51] |
FlashGet | Yes | No | No | No | ? | ? | No | No |
Free Download Manager | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | C++ | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | No | No |
Frostwire | Yes | No | No | No | Java | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | No | Yes [52] |
KGet | Yes | Yes | Partial [q] | No | C++ | - | Yes | No |
KTorrent | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | C++ | - | Yes | Yes [53] |
lftp | No | No | Yes | No | C++ | - | Yes | No |
LimeWire | Yes | No | No | No | Java | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | No | No |
Miro | Yes | No | No | No | C++ | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | No | No |
MLDonkey | No | Third Party [54] | Partial | Telnet | OCaml | - | No | No |
μTorrent | Yes | Yes | No [55] | RESTful Web API [56] | C++ [57] | - | Yes [58] | Yes [59] |
Opera 12 | Yes | No | No | No | C++ | - | Yes | No |
qBittorrent | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | Python, C++ | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | Yes | Yes [60] |
rTorrent | No | Third Party | Yes | SCGI | C++ | libTorrent (Rakshasa) | Yes [61] | No |
Shareaza | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | C++ | - | No | No |
Tixati | Yes | Yes | No | Web interface | C++ | - | Yes | Yes [62] |
Tonido | No | Yes | No | No | C++ | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | No | No |
Transmission | Yes | Yes | Yes | Daemon, JSON-RPC over HTTP remote control API | C++ (rewritten from C), Objective-C | libtransmission | Yes | Yes [63] |
Tribler | Yes | Partial | Partial | No | Python, C++ | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | No | Yes |
Vuze [j] | Yes | Yes | Partial | Telnet, XML over HTTP remote control API | Java, SWT | - | Yes | Yes [64] |
Xunlei | Yes | No | No | remote control over internet [65] | C++ | - | No | No |
BitTorrent client | GUI | Web | CLI | Other | Programming language | Based on | IPv6 | μTP |
BitTorrent client | Protocol version | Magnet URI (BEP 9) | Preload Magnet metadata [r] (BEP 9) | Super-seeding (BEP 16) | Embedded tracker | UPnP [66] | NAT Port Mapping Protocol | NAT traversal [67] (BEP 55) | DHT protocol [68] (BEP 5) | Peer exchange(PEX) (BEP 11) | Encryption | UDP tracker (BEP 15) | LPD (BEP 14) | Proxy server |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BiglyBT | 1, 2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
|
BitComet | 1, 2 | Yes | No | Yes | Separate download | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | HTTP 1.1, SOCKS4-4a-5 |
BitLord | 1 | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | HTTP 1.1, SOCKS4-4a-5 |
BitTorrent 5, Mainline | 1 | No | No | No | Yes [s] | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Deluge | 1 | Yes | Partial [t] | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | HTTP(S), SOCKS4-5 |
FlashGet | 1 | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No |
Free Download Manager | 1 | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
KTorrent | 1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | HTTP, SOCKS4-5 |
LimeWire | 1 | Partial | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
MLDonkey | 1 | Yes [69] | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
μTorrent | 1 | Yes | Yes [70] | Yes [71] | Yes [72] | Yes [73] | Yes | Yes [74] | Yes [u] | Yes [v] | Yes [75] | Yes | Yes [76] | HTTP(S), SOCKS4-5 |
Opera 12 | 1 | No | No | No | Yes [77] | No | No | No | No | Yes [78] | No | No | No | No |
qBittorrent | 1, 2 [79] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | HTTP(S), SOCKS4-5 [w] |
rTorrent | 1 | Yes [80] | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No [81] | No |
Shareaza | 1 | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes [x] | Yes | No | Yes [y] | No | No |
Tixati | 1, 2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [z] |
Tonido | 1 | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
Transmission | 1 [82] | Yes | Patch available [83] [84] [85] | No | No | Yes | Yes | No [86] | Yes | Yes [aa] | Yes | Yes | Yes | No [87] |
Tribler | 1 | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | [ab] |
Vuze [j] | 1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes [ac] | Yes [ad] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Plugin | HTTP(S)?, SOCKS4-4a-5 |
Xunlei | 1 | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | HTTP, SOCKS5, FTP |
BitTorrent client | Protocol version | Magnet URI | Preload Magnet metadata | Super-seeding | Embedded tracker | UPnP | NAT Port Mapping Protocol | NAT traversal | DHT | Peer exchange | Encryption | UDP tracker | LPD | Proxy server |
BitTorrent client | Cache [ae] | Hash Web seeding | HTTP Web seeding [ ambiguous ] | Broad-catching (RSS) (BEP 36) | Prioritization | Selective downloads (BEP 53) | Sequential downloading | SOCKS | Tracker exchange (BEP 7) | Remote control via web | Search engine (BEP 18) | Auto updates | Reviews and Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BiglyBT | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
BitComet | Yes | No | Yes [88] | Beta | Yes | Yes | Yes [af] | Yes | No | Yes | Partial [ag] | Yes | No |
BitLord | Yes | No | Partial [ah] [ai] | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Partial [ag] | Yes | No |
BitTorrent 5, Mainline | No | Yes | Partial [ai] | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Deluge | Yes | Yes | Partial [ah] | Plugin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | via PMS | No |
FlashGet | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | |
Free Download Manager | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Optional | No |
KTorrent | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Partial [ag] | via PMS | No | |
LimeWire | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No |
MLDonkey | Yes | No | 3rd party bash script | Yes | No | No | No [89] | No | Yes | Partial [ag] | via PMS | No | |
μTorrent | Yes | Yes [90] | Partial [ai] | Yes [91] | Yes [92] | Yes | Yes [aj] | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Opera 12 | No | No | Yes [ak] | No | No | No | No | No | No | Partial [ag] | Yes [al] | No | |
qBittorrent | Yes | Yes | Partial [ah] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial [am] | Yes | Yes | via PMS | No |
rTorrent | Partial | No | No | 3rd party utility [93] | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | via PMS | No |
Shareaza | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes [an] | in mod client | No | Yes [ao] [94] [ap] | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Tixati | Yes | Yes | Yes [95] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Tonido | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | |
Transmission | Yes | No | Partial [ai] [aq] | No | Yes | No [96] | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Tribler | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Partial | Yes (DHT) [97] | Yes | No |
Vuze [j] | Yes | Yes [98] | Yes | Yes | Yes | in paid version [99] | Yes | No | Plugin [ar] | Yes | Yes | Yes [100] | |
Xunlei | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | |||
BitTorrent client | Cache | Hash Web seeding | HTTP Web seeding | Broad-catching (RSS) | Prioritization | Selective downloads | Sequential downloading | SOCKS | Tracker exchange | Remote control via web | Search engine | Auto updates | Reviews and Comments |
BitTorrent library | Initial release | Platform | Latest release | License | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Version | Date | |||||
libtorrent (Rasterbar) | 8 September 2005 [101] | Linux | 2.0.9, [102] 1.2.19 [103] ![]() 2.0.11 [104] ![]() | 2023-05-22 2025-01-28 | BSD-3-Clause | |
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
MonoTorrent | September 2006 | Linux | 3.0.2 [105] ![]() | 2024-08-04 | MIT | |
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
rTorrent (libTorrent Rakshasa) | 15 July 2004 [106] | Linux | 0.15.1 [107] ![]() | 2025-01-01 | GPL-2.0-or-later [as] | [at] |
macOS | ||||||
BitTorrent library | Initial release | Platform | Latest release | License | Notes | |
Version | Date |
BitTorrent library | GNU/Linux | Windows | macOS | API | Programming language |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
libtorrent (Rasterbar) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | C++ |
MonoTorrent | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | C# |
rTorrent (libTorrent Rakshasa) | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | C++ |
BitTorrent library | Linux | Windows | macOS | API | Programming language |
BitTorrent library | Protocol version | Super-seeding | Tracker | UPnP [au] | NAT Port Mapping Protocol | NAT traversal [av] | DHT [aw] | Peer exchange | Encryption | UDP tracker | LPD | Fast extensions | Magnet URI | μTP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
libtorrent (Rasterbar) | 1, 2 [108] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes [109] | Yes | Yes | Yes [110] |
MonoTorrent | 1, 2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
rTorrent (libTorrent Rakshasa) | 1 | Yes | Yes | No | ? | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
BitTorrent library | Protocol version | Super-seeding | Tracker | UPnP | NAT Port Mapping Protocol | NAT traversal | DHT | Peer exchange | Encryption | UDP tracker | LPD | Fast extensions | Magnet URI | μTP |
BitTorrent library | Cache [ax] | Web seeding [ay] | WebTorrent | Broadcatching (RSS) | Prioritization | Selective downloads | SOCKS | Remote control via web | Engine |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
libtorrent (Rasterbar) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? |
MonoTorrent | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
rTorrent (libTorrent Rakshasa) | Partial | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
BitTorrent library | Cache | Web seeding | WebTorrent | Broadcatching (RSS) | Prioritization | Selective downloads | SOCKS | Remote control via web | Engine |
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