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 | |||||
BitComet | BitComet Development Group | macOS | 1.98[5] ![]() |
2022-12-08 | Proprietary, Adware | [a] |
Windows | 1.98[5] ![]() |
2022-12-08 | ||||
BitLord | House of Life | macOS | 2.4.6-348 ![]() |
2019-10-24 | Proprietary, Adware | [b] |
Windows | 2.4.6-358[6] ![]() |
2022-08-26 | ||||
BitTorrent | BitTorrent | Android | 7.2.4[7] ![]() |
2022-10-07 | Proprietary, Adware | |
macOS | 7.4.3.45549[8] ![]() |
2020-05-20 | ||||
Windows | 7.11.0.46555[9] ![]() |
2022-11-22 | ||||
Deluge | various | BSD | 2.1.1[10] ![]() |
2022-07-10 | GPL-3.0-or-later[11] | |
GNU/Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Solaris | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
FlashGet | Trend Media | Windows | 3.7.0.1220[12] ![]() |
2013-05-17 | Proprietary | [c] |
Free Download Manager | alervd | Android | 6.19.0.5156[13] ![]() |
2023-03-13 | Proprietary | |
GNU/Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
FrostWire | The FrostWire Project | Android | 2.6.2(708)[14] ![]() |
2022-10-19 | GPL-3.0-or-later | |
GNU/Linux | 6.9.10(315)[15] ![]() |
2022-10-27 | ||||
macOS | 6.9.10(315)[15] ![]() |
2022-10-27 | ||||
Windows | 6.9.10(315)[15] ![]() |
2022-10-27 | ||||
KGet | KDE | BSD | 22.12.0[16] ![]() |
2022-12-08 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |
GNU/Linux | ||||||
KTorrent | Joris Guisson, Ivan Vasić | BSD | 22.12.0[17] ![]() |
2022-11-30 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |
GNU/Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Lftp | Alexander V. Lukya | BSD | 4.9.2[18] ![]() |
2020-08-13 | GPL-3.0-or-later | |
GNU/Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
LimeWire | Lime Wire LLC | GNU/Linux | 5.5.16 ![]() |
2010-10-26 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
Miro | Participatory Culture Foundation | GNU/Linux | 6.0[19] ![]() |
2013-04-05 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
MLDonkey | MLDonkey Project | BSD | 3.1.7[20] ![]() |
2020-06-21 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |
GNU/Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
MorphOS | ||||||
Solaris | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
μTorrent | BitTorrent | Android | 7.6.7[21] ![]() |
2023-08-23 | Proprietary, Adware | [d] |
macOS | 1.8.7.45548[23] ![]() |
2020-01-30 | ||||
Windows | 3.6.0.46590[24] ![]() |
2022-11-22 | ||||
Opera 12 | Opera Software | FreeBSD | 12.16 | Proprietary | [e] | |
GNU/Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Solaris | ||||||
Windows | 12.17 | |||||
qBittorrent | Christophe Dumez | BSD | 4.5.5[25] ![]() |
2023-08-29 | GPL-2.0-or-later[11] | |
GNU/Linux | ||||||
Haiku | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
OS/2 | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
rTorrent | Jari Sundell | BSD | 0.9.8[26] ![]() |
2019-07-19 | GPL-2.0-or-later[11] | [f] |
GNU/Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Solaris | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
Robert | Sponge, co-developer of I2P | BSD | 0.0.40 ![]() |
2013 | GPL | |
GNU/Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
Shareaza | Shareaza Development Team | Windows | 2.7.10.2[27] ![]() |
2017-09-18 | GPL-2.0-or-later | [g] |
Tixati | Kevin Hearn | GNU/Linux | Proprietary | [h] | ||
Windows | ||||||
Tonido | CodeLathe | BSD | 14.90.0.34030 ![]() |
2017-01-13 | Proprietary | |
GNU/Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
Transmission | various | BSD | 4.0.4[28] ![]() |
2023-08-23 | GPL-2.0-only or GPL-3.0-only[29][11] MIT[30] |
|
GNU/Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
OpenWrt | ||||||
Solaris | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
Tribler | The Tribler Team | Android | 7.13.0[31] ![]() |
2023-08-24 | GPL-3.0-only | [i] |
GNU/Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
Vuze[j] | Vuze | Android | 5.7.6.0[33] ![]() |
2017-11-02 | Proprietary (platform) GPL-2.0-or-later (core engine) Adware |
[k] |
GNU/Linux | ||||||
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
Xunlei | Thunder Networking Technologies | Android | 7.53.0.8245[34] ![]() |
2022-10-11 | Proprietary, Adware | |
iOS | 1.5.8[35] ![]() |
2022-09-29 | ||||
macOS | 5.0.2.65551[36] ![]() |
2022-06-16 | ||||
Windows | 11.3.16.1974[37] ![]() |
2022-10-10 | ||||
Name | Developer | Platform | Latest release | License | Notes | |
Version | Date |
BitTorrent client | Windows | macOS | GNU/Linux | BSD | iOS | Android | Other |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BitComet | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
BitLord | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
BitTorrent | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes[38] | 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[39] | Yes[39] | Yes[39] | Yes[39] | No[39] | Yes[39] | Unix-like[39] z/OS[40] Solaris OS/2 eComStation ArcaOS[41] |
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[42] | No |
Opera 12 | Yes[l] | Yes | Yes[l] | Yes[l] | No | Yes[citation needed] | Solaris |
qBittorrent | Yes[43] | Yes[43] | Yes[43] | Yes[43] | No[43] | No[44] | OS/2[m] FreeBSD Haiku[43] |
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[46] | 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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BitComet | Yes | Yes | Partial[47] | 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 |
BitTorrent 6 | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | C++ | μTorrent | Yes | Yes |
Deluge | Yes | Yes | Yes | Daemon | Python, C++ | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | Yes | Yes[48] |
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[49] |
KGet | Yes | Yes | Partial[p] | No | C++ | - | Yes | No |
KTorrent | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | C++ | - | Yes | Yes[50] |
LimeWire | Yes | No | No | No | Java | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | No | No |
Miro | Yes | No | No | No | C++ | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | No | No |
MLDonkey | No | Third Party[51] | Partial | Telnet | OCaml | - | No | No |
μTorrent | Yes | Yes | No[52] | RESTful Web API[53] | C++[54] | - | Yes[55] | Yes[56] |
Opera 12 | Yes | No | No | No | C++ | - | Yes | No |
qBittorrent | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | Python, C++ | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | Yes | Yes[57] |
rTorrent | No | Third Party | Yes | SCGI | C++ | libTorrent (Rakshasa) | Yes[58] | No |
Shareaza | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | C++ | - | No | No |
Tixati | Yes | Yes | No | Web interface | C++ | - | Yes | Yes[59] |
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[60] |
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[61] |
Xunlei | Yes | No | No | remote control over internet[62] | 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[q] (BEP 9) |
Super-seeding (BEP 16) |
Embedded tracker | UPnP[63] | NAT Port Mapping Protocol | NAT traversal[64] (BEP 55) |
DHT protocol[65] (BEP 5) |
Peer exchange(PEX) (BEP 11) |
Encryption | UDP tracker (BEP 15) |
LPD (BEP 14) |
Proxy server |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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[r] | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
BitTorrent 6 | 1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[s] | Yes | Yes | Yes | HTTP(S), SOCKS4-5 |
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[66] | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
μTorrent | 1 | Yes | Yes[67] | Yes[68] | Yes[69] | Yes[70] | Yes | Yes[71] | Yes[u] | Yes[s] | Yes[72] | Yes | Yes[73] | HTTP(S), SOCKS4-5 |
Opera 12 | 1 | No | No | No | Yes[74] | No | No | No | No | Yes[75] | No | No | No | No |
qBittorrent | 1, 2[76] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | HTTP(S), SOCKS4-5 |
rTorrent | 1 | Yes[77] | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No[78] | No |
Shareaza | 1 | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes[v] | Yes | No | Yes[w] | No | No |
Tixati | 1, 2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [x] |
Tonido | 1 | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
Transmission | 1, 2[79] | Yes | Patch available[80][81][82] | No | No | Yes | Yes | No[83] | Yes | Yes[y] | Yes | Yes | Yes | No[84] |
Tribler | 1 | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | [z] |
Vuze[j] | 1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[aa] | Yes[ab] | 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[ac] | 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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BitComet | Yes | No | Yes[85] | Beta | Yes | Yes | Yes[ad] | Yes | No | Yes | Partial[ae] | Yes | No |
BitLord | Yes | No | Partial [af][ag] | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Partial[ae] | Yes | No |
BitTorrent 5, Mainline | No | Yes | Partial [ag] | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
BitTorrent 6 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[ah] | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Deluge | Yes | Yes | Partial [af] | 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[ae] | 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[86] | No | Yes | Partial[ae] | via PMS | No | |
μTorrent | Yes | Yes[87] | Partial [ag] | Yes[88] | Yes[89] | Yes | Yes[ai] | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Opera 12 | No | No | Yes[aj] | No | No | No | No | No | No | Partial[ae] | Yes[ak] | No | |
qBittorrent | Yes | Yes | Partial [af] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial[al] | Yes | Yes | via PMS | No |
rTorrent | Partial | No | No | 3rd party utility [90] | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | via PMS | No |
Shareaza | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes[am] | in mod client | No | Yes [an][91][ao] |
Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Tixati | Yes | Yes | Partial [af][ap][ag] | 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 [ag][aq] | No | Yes | No[92] | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Tribler | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Partial | Yes (DHT)[93] | Yes | No |
Vuze[j] | Yes | Yes[94] | Yes | Yes | Yes | in paid version [95] | Yes | No | Plugin[ar] | Yes | Yes | Yes[96] | |
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[97] | GNU/Linux | 2.0.9,[98] 1.2.19[99] ![]() |
2023-05-22; 2023-05-22 | BSD-3-Clause | |
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
MonoTorrent | September 2006 | GNU/Linux | 2.0.7[100] ![]() |
2022-12-23 | MIT | |
macOS | ||||||
Windows | ||||||
rTorrent (libTorrent Rakshasa) | 15 July 2004[101] | GNU/Linux | 0.13.8[102] ![]() |
2019-07-19 | 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 | GNU/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[103] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[104] | Yes | Yes | Yes[105] |
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 |