Is a Torrent Proxy Service Better than a VPN for Bittorrent?

In there quest for Anonymous Bittorrent, many people frequently ask: "What's better for torrents, a VPN or a Proxy Service?" The answer, of course, is it depends. 

The truth is, they are better in combination. You will be much more anonymous online if you combine a separate proxy and VPN service together. For more information how tunnel a proxy inside a VPN connection, read this guide on anonymous torrenting.

 Not everyone is willing to spend twice the price for double the anonymity however, so let's look at the pros and cons of each and then we'll show your who has the best torrent proxy service...

What are the differences between a VPN and Proxy server

1. A VPN encrypts and anonymizes your entire internet connection, a proxy anonymizes one program or protocol (web browser, Bittorrent, etc)

Sometimes its a disadvantage to have to change your IP for your entire internet connection as a VPN does. Many users prefer only to keep bittorrent anonymous well keeping their web browsing or netflix etc on their own normal internet connection.

2. All VPN's are encrypted. Some, but not all proxy services are encrypted.

All of the best bittorrent proxies offer encryption however. The encryption can be is sometimes optional. Most popular bittorrent clients have an encryption option even for non-encrypted proxies (utorrent and vuze do)

3. Proxy services generally use lower grade encryption (but still anonymous). As a result, they are faster than VPN's on the same server because there is less encryption overhead.

All things being equal, a proxy will be faster than a VPN, just as a PPTP VPN protocol is faster than OpenVPN (usually) because of lower encryption. 

VPN Pros and Cons

VPN Pros: 

1. Can encrypt multiple internet connected apps at once.
2. Higher grade encryption than proxy
3. More IP flexibility, often more server choices. May offer advanced functionality through VPN software

VPN Cons:

1. Can be slower than a proxy
2. Can't have separate IP for Bittorrent client and web browser without a proxy

Torrent Proxy Pros and Cons

Proxy Pros:

1. Faster than a VPN on average
2. Can have separate IP addresses (keep torrents anonymous and web activity normal so you don't have to route facebook, twitter, etc through a remote server)

Proxy Cons:

1. Requires a separate proxy connection for each application or protocol you would like to make anonymous
2. Encryption is optional and often not as powerful as a VPN (though still strong enough that your ISP can't read your traffic)

The Best Anonymous Proxy Services For Bittorrent

These proxy providers are divided into 2 categories. Those that offer standalone torrent proxy service, and those that offer a free torrent proxy included in a VPN bundle.

1) Torguard Anonymous Torrent Proxy

We are a huge fan of Torguard's anonymous Bittorrent proxy service. They have dozens of differnt servers to choose from, fast speeds, and absolutely no logs. Setup is easy and they offer a preconfigured bittorrent client if you don't want to do manual setup, but it will work with almost any Bittorrent software.

Prices are $5.95/month with monthly service, or only $3.95/month with yearly service. Click here to get the discount.

2) BTGuard Bittorrent Proxy

Much like Torguard's service, BTGuard offers an anonymous, encrypted, proxy starting at only $5 per month. They have an easy install option with a preconfigured utorrent client (my favorite). They also keep no logs whatsoever. Learn more.

3) Private Internet Access VPN and Proxy Combo

It's no secret that Private Internet Access is one of the best VPN values around. At $40 a year for unlimited access and no logs, PIA is a steal. Most people don't realize that their VPN service also includes free access to proxy servers in 3 countries, all for the same low price! Click here to sign up.

4) IBVPN Ultimate VPN Package (with bonus proxy servers)

Invisible Browsing VPN's ultimate VPN package includes access to 100% of their VPN servers. It also includes access to proxy servers in 5 countries for maximum flexibility and anonymity. Their service is fast and cheap. While other plans like their torrent vpn package start as low as $3.20/month, the ultimate vpn package is only $82.95/year.