At the time when people can take advantage of streaming services such as Spotify, Netflix, and Apple TV without paying much, torrents remain a top pick for Internet users across the globe. It is partially conditioned by the fact that they are free of charge. Also, thanks to the P2P option you can find anything from your favorite documentary to a DVD with yoga exercises which might be unavailable or blocked on Netflix in your country. ISPs more and more often trace your online behavior. Sometimes, they even block you accessing certain websites especially torrents and porn. If you use torrents, you might be fined. Nonetheless, in this article, we will discuss how you can make your Torrent activities on the Internet anonymously or browse the blocked websites safely.
Pros and Cons of Proxy & VPN
Some people consider using proxy websites like this as a way to hide their usage of P2P. The proxy can be a good alternative to VPN thanks to some benefits such as:
- It connects to torrent with a hidden IP address
- Faster download compared to VPN
- A cheaper alternative to VPN
On the other hand, its functions are limited as opposed to VPN.
First of all, it encrypts only one protocol (Bit Torrent in our case) with the help of either HTTP or SOCKS; does not have its software and is not always have secure encryption. That makes your online safety quite vulnerable.
As opposed to the proxy, a VPN costs a bit more, might slow down your traffic a bit but provides ultimate online security thanks to the following features:
- it has its own software
- there is an excellent choice of server locations and protocols
- your whole connection is encrypted and not just one protocol
- a good provider keeps no logs of your activities
Also, different VPN providers offer various extra features such as VPN kill switch, double encryption, the possibility of usage of many devices, etc. As you can see, the main advantage of VPN is that it tunnels all of your access to the Internet. It means all of your online activities will be secure and anonymous, not only connection to torrents. The only thing you should look in choosing a VPN is whether it supports torrenting or not. As mentioned before, torrenting is an offensive crime in many countries, so many VPNs might not support. But we did try to list down our favorite top 5 best VPNs you can use.
Proxy or VPN – What to Choose?
We would say it is a matter of what you need. In case you are interested in hiding your activities while using a Torrent only, you can make a do with a proxy. If you are concerned about your online security when doing your Internet banking, browsing, doing online shopping, you might consider getting a VPN as it offers complex security. But be ready to pay more for it.
On the whole, if money is not an issue, getting a VPN would mean more safety and 100% anonymity compared to a proxy. By connecting via a VPN, you hide all of your activities from ISP which means they will not monitor any of your torrent activities.
