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Powerful, feature-filled search engine using ESS technology to locate, download, and share torrent files

Powerful, feature-filled search engine using ESS technology to locate, download, and share torrent files

Vote: (3,928 votes)

Program license: Free

Developer: BitTorrent

Version: 7.11.0-build-46591

Works under: Windows

Also available for Android

Vote:

Program license

(3,928 votes)

Free

Developer

Version

BitTorrent

7.11.0-build-46591

Works under:

Also available for

Windows

Android

Pros

  • Lightweight BT client
  • Highly customizable
  • Expandable function via apps

Cons

  • Some features paywalled
  • Settings interface can seem obtuse

BitTorrent is the original BT client by the company that developed the protocol.

BitTorrent is a company that developed a peer-to-peer file sharing protocol—called BitTorrent and often abbreviated BT. BitTorrent is also the name giving to the client that this company developed in order to help users better take advantage of its P2P protocol. Since the release of this original BT client, many others have been developed, but BitTorrent remains popular and still enjoys an active community.

BT is a P2P protocol designed to help users share files without the use of a dedicated server. These peers distribute various piece of the whole back and forth, which can be rather efficient and even anonymous. Consider that software developers will often release patches via P2P first in order to reduce load on their dedicated servers and allow users to get the new data quickly and share it with others.

The BitTorrent client provides you three primary functions: search, download and seed. Peers that want to share the same files discover each other through a file known as a torrent. This client has a built-in search function that can help you find the torrent you want. It is not the most refined or robust search tool, but it works well enough, and you can expand it through apps, which we will discuss in a moment. Once you have the torrent, you can begin to download it, and once you have pieces of the file, you can share it with other users, which often allows you to have faster and faster access to the whole.

The client lets you dictate where data is saved. You can point it to a single directory where all data is saved. You can instruct the client to save a particular torrent in its own directory, and you can also tag torrents, which allows torrents to be stored based on that organization. You can also schedule your activity. You could set it so a certain torrent only downloads, seeds or both overnight, or you can have all torrents be activated and deactivated based on the time of day or other factors.

BitTorrent was originally designed to be very lightweight. As BT clients evolved, many were a lot more ambitious and thus not nearly as lightweight. Being lightweight meant that you could stick the client on a flash drive and run it on a system that was meant for little more than web surfing. This meant that BitTorrent may be feature light as clients progressed and basic PCs became more powerful, but the developers had some foresight in that regard and implemented a plugin architecture.

Most BitTorrent plugins are developed and maintained by the community, which means that they are free to use. Perhaps being lightweight is not as important as it once was, but at least you have the option. The other option you have is to add the features you need without bloating the client with features you do not. You can add features that expand the search mechanism, provide you access to different torrent databases, making organizing multimedia easier and so forth.

BitTorrent is rather simple to configure if you just want to start downloading and seeding torrents without much fuss. The client is also highly customizable, but the preferences and setting UI may seem a bit obtuse to the new user. There is a lot embedded in there, and some of the settings are nested, which can make it difficult to do what you want even though the client can handle that just fine.

One of the clients that came after the original BitTorrent was uTorrent. In fact, it was immensely popular and the most-used BT client at one point. It became so prevalent that BitTorrent decided to buy them out. Sometime after acquiring the uTorrent software, it deprecated its own client, released a rebranded version of uTorrent called BitTorrent and still maintained an official uTorrent release.

BitTorrent and uTorrent are architecturally the same, but they differ in terms of user interface and the like. With the new BitTorrent, the company has sought to remain true to its original design goals, which it has for the most part. BitTorrent Classic—with classic referring to basic rather than the original software—is freely available and usable on some torrent servers that will reject the uTorrent client for reasons that are beyond the scope of this review. There are also enhanced versions of the BitTorrent client available as well, but Pro for Web and Pro Web plus VPN both require an annual licensing fee.

Pros

  • Lightweight BT client
  • Highly customizable
  • Expandable function via apps

Cons

  • Some features paywalled
  • Settings interface can seem obtuse

Pros

  • BitTorrent is lightweight and doesn't drain disk space.
  • App connectivity, RSS Feeds, and more are available.
  • A diverse search library is available within the program.

Cons

  • BitTorrent can eat through a lot of data, which is to expected.
  • Not all users will like the configuration options.
  • Competing platforms may suit a user's needs better.

BitTorrent is the premier, official app for the popular file sharing protocol. Millions of people share and download torrent files each and every day. Without a doubt, few peer-to-peer sharing solutions are more popular. It's not a stretch to say BitTorrent is the king of kings when it comes to BitTorrent clients. Dozens of competing platforms operate today, but many people prefer BitTorrent for its feature set and interface. The program brings a lot to the table without feeling cluttered or confusing.

BitTorrent: Filled With Features and Customization Options

When a user downloads BitTorrent, they're downloading a compact, lightweight program. BitTorrent launches quickly and completes most of its operations in an instant. In fact, users on older hardware shouldn't experience chugging or slowdowns too often. Modern hardware runs the program like a dream, although a strong Internet connection is required to get the best results. Nothing is worse than slow downloads after all.

With BitTorrent, users can connect various apps to the program that add more functionality. RSS Feeds and a vast library of torrents are available within the program as well. Since BitTorrent is an official client, it receives constant updates and new features on a regular basis. Users can search for torrents, download them, seed them instead, and rate individual torrents without a hassle.

BitTorrent comes with countless customization options for downloads and uploads. Individual users control their upload and download speeds. Likewise, they can customize downloads to specify where they go and how they're downloaded. The program itself can be customized with various themes and add-ons. Users control their experience with BitTorrent, and not all torrenting clients support such modifications.

Are there downsides to using BitTorrent?

For most users, BitTorrent will stand out as a near-perfect solutions for torrenting. Others may prefer the look and feel of another platform; even others might prefer unique features found on the other platforms. Still, BitTorrent offers a lot of features without hampering the experience or complicating things. Competing platforms like uTorrent remain popular, but it's hard to argue against using BitTorrent.

A BitTorrent Client That Reigns Supreme

Where other clients lack a diverse library of content, BitTorrent features millions of files available for searching and downloading. In the end, the client is one of the best options on the market today. Novices and advanced users alike can benefit from the client's feature set, and new features are added from time to time as well. More and more users will flock to BitTorrent in the coming years as it improves upon itself. Torrenting will continue to grow in popularity as well, which is a positive for everyone.

Pros

  • BitTorrent is lightweight and doesn't drain disk space.
  • App connectivity, RSS Feeds, and more are available.
  • A diverse search library is available within the program.

Cons

  • BitTorrent can eat through a lot of data, which is to expected.
  • Not all users will like the configuration options.
  • Competing platforms may suit a user's needs better.