Comparison of BitTorrent clients
Appearance
A BitTorrent client is a program that downloads files using the BitTorrent protocol.
The first client, known as BitTorrent, was created by Bram Cohen in the summer of 2002. Most of the other clients are based at least in part on BitTorrent, with more being created and edited at a rapid rate.
The following tables compare general and technical information for a number of applications supporting the BitTorrent protocol. Please see the individual products' articles for further information. This article is neither all-inclusive nor necessarily up-to-date.
General
BitTorrent client | FOSS | Linux/Unix | Windows | Mac OS X | IPv6[1] | Programming language | Based on | Interface | Spyware/Adware /Malware-free |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | Yes | Partial | Yes | No | buggy[2] | Python | BitTornado | GUI and web | Yes |
Acquisition | No | No | No | Yes | ? | Objective-C and Cocoa | Limewire | GUI | Yes |
Anatomic P2P | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Python | BitTornado | GUI and old CLI | Yes |
Arctic Torrent | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | C++ | libtorrent | GUI | Yes |
aria2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | C++ | - | CLI | Yes |
Azureus | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial[3] | Java and SWT | - | GUI, CLI, Telnet, Web, XML over HTTP remote control API | Yes |
BitComet | No | No | Yes | No | No | C++ | ? | GUI | Yes [4] |
BitFlu | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Perl | - | Telnet and Web | Yes |
BitLet | Planned | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Java and JavaScript | - | Web XHTML | Yes |
BitLord | No | No | Yes | No | No | C++ | BitComet | GUI | Adware |
BitPump | No | No | Yes | No | No | C++ | - | GUI | Yes |
BitThief | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Java | ? | GUI | Yes |
BitTornado | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Python | BitTorrent | GUI and CLI | Yes |
BitTorrent 5 / Mainline | Yes | Yes | Yes | Old version | No | Python | - | GUI and CLI | Yes |
BitTorrent 6 | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | C++ | µTorrent | GUI and CLI | Yes |
BitSpirit | No | No | Yes | No | No | C++ | BitComet | GUI | Yes |
Bits on Wheels | No | No | No | Yes | No | Objective-C and Cocoa | - | GUI | Yes |
BitTyrant | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial [3] | Java and SWT | Azureus | GUI, CLI, Telnet, Web, XML over HTTP remote control API | Yes |
Blizzard Downloader | No | No | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | BitTorrent client for early version | GUI | Yes |
Blog Torrent | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | BitTorrent client for early version | GUI | Malware-Status: unknown |
BTG | Yes | Yes | Partial[5] | Yes | No | C++ | libtorrent | CLI, GUI and web | Yes |
BTPD | Yes | Yes | No | No | Planned | C | - | CLI | Yes |
BTSharp (library) | No | No | Yes | No | No | C# | - | API | Yes |
burst! | Yes | No | Yes | No | ? | Python | ? | GUI | Yes |
CTorrent | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | C++ | ? | CLI | Yes |
Deluge | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[6] | Yes | Python and C++ | libtorrent | GUI and Web | Yes |
FlashGet | No | No | Yes | ? | No | ? | ? | ? | Yes |
FoxTorrent | Partial[7] | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | XUL / JavaScript | Red Swoosh | GUI (FireFox) | Yes |
Free Download Manager | ? | No | Yes | No | ? | C++ | libtorrent | GUI | Yes |
freeloader | Yes | Yes | No | No | ? | Python | ? | GUI | Yes |
G3 Torrent | Yes | No | Yes | No | ? | Python | BitTorrent | GUI and web | Yes |
Gnome BitTorrent | Yes | Yes | No | No | ? | Python | ? | GUI | Yes |
Halite | Yes | No | Yes | No | ? | C++ | libtorrent | GUI | Yes |
KTorrent | Yes | Yes | No [3] | Yes | Yes | C++ | - | GUI, Web and CLI (Alpha) | Yes |
LimeWire | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Java | - | GUI | Yes |
Localhost | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | ? | Java and SWT | Azureus | Web | Yes |
MP3 Rocket | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Java | - | GUI | Yes |
MLDonkey | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Ocaml | - | CLI, Telnet, Web, Network GUI | Yes |
MonoTorrent (library) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | C# | - | API | Yes |
MooPolice | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | C++ | libtorrent | GUI | Yes |
Opera 9.0 | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | C++ | - | GUI | Yes |
Opera 9.5 | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | C++ | - | GUI | Yes |
QTorrent | Yes | Yes | No | No | ? | C++ | The SHAD0W | GUI | Yes |
Qbittorrent | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | C++ | libtorrent | GUI Qt (toolkit) | Yes |
rTorrent | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | buggy[2] | C++ | Rakshasa's libTorrent | CLI and SCGI | Yes |
Rufus | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Python | G3 Torrent | GUI and web | Yes |
Shareaza | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | C++ | Shareaza core | GUI and web | Yes |
sharktorrent | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | C++ | libtorrent | GUI wxwidgets | Yes |
Snark | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Yes |
SymTorrent | Yes | No | No | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | Yes |
Tomato Torrent | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Cocoa | BitTorrent | GUI | Yes |
Torrent Swapper | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | buggy[2] | Python | BitTorrent | GUI and web | Yes |
TorrentFlux | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | PHP | BitTornado | Web | Yes |
TorrentRelay | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Perl & Python | Bittorent | Web | Yes |
TorrentVolve | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [8] | PHP | Azureus | Web | Yes |
Transmission | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | C and Cocoa | - | GUI, CLI, Daemon and Web | Yes |
Tribler | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Python | ABC | GUI and CLI | Yes |
Turbo Torrent | No | No | Yes | No | ? | Python | G3 Torrent | GUI and web | Malware |
TorrentSpy Rufus | Yes | No | Yes | No | ? | Python | Rufus | GUI | Adware[9] |
µTorrent | No | With Wine[10] | Yes | Yes[10] | Yes | C++ | - | GUI and Web | Yes |
WizBit | Yes | No | No | No | ? | Python | - | Mobile phone GUI (alpha) | Yes |
XTorrent | No | No | No | Yes | No | C and Cocoa | Transmission | GUI | Yes |
ZipTorrent | No | No | Yes | No | ? | C++ | libtorrent | GUI | Yes |
BitTorrent client | FOSS | Linux/Unix | Windows | Mac OS X | IPv6[1] | Programming language | Based on | Interface | Spyware/Adware /Malware-free |
Features I
BitTorrent client | Super-seeding | Tracker | UPnP[11] | NAT Port Mapping Protocol | NAT traversal | DHT[12] | Peer exchange | Encryption | UDP tracker |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | No | Yes | Yes | ? | No | No | No | No | ? |
Acquisition | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | ? | No | ? |
Anatomic P2P | Yes | Separate download | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? | No | ? |
Arctic Torrent | No | No | No | ? | No | No | Yes | No | ? |
aria2 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? |
Azureus | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[13] | Yes[14] | Yes | Yes | Yes |
BitComet | Yes | Separate download | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
BitFlu | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | ? |
BitLet | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | ? |
BitLord | No | No | Yes | ? | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
BitPump | Yes | ? | No | No | No | No | ? | ? | ? |
BitThief | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
BitTornado | Yes | Yes[15] | Yes | ? | No | No | No | Yes | ? |
BitTorrent 5 / Mainline | No | Yes[15] | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? |
BitTorrent 6 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes[16] | Yes | ? |
BitSpirit | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes |
Bits on Wheels | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | ? |
BitTyrant | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[17] | Yes[14] | Yes | Yes | ? |
Blizzard Downloader | No | No | No | ? | No | No | No | No | ? |
Blog Torrent | ? | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
BTG | ? | No | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | ? | Yes | ? |
BTPD | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Yes | ? | ? | ? |
BTSharp(library) | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | ? |
burst! | Yes | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | No | ? |
CTorrent | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | No | ? |
Deluge | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? |
FlashGet | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Yes | ? | Yes | ? |
FoxTorrent | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | ? |
Free Download Manager | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Yes | ? | ? | ? |
freeloader | ? | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | No | ? |
G3 Torrent | No | No | No | ? | No | No | ? | No | ? |
Gnome BitTorrent | ? | No | No | ? | ? | No | No | No | ? |
Halite | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | ? |
KTorrent | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
LimeWire | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | ? |
Localhost | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes [18] | ? | No | ? |
MLDonkey | No | Yes | No | ? | No | No | ? | No | ? |
MonoTorrent (library) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | ? |
MooPolice | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes[19] | Yes | ? |
Opera 9.0 | No | Yes[20] | ? | ? | ? | ? | No | ? | ? |
Opera 9.5 | No | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? | Yes[21] | ? | ? |
QTorrent | No | No | No | ? | No | No | No | No | ? |
Qbittorrent | No | No | Yes | ? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? |
rTorrent | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? |
Rufus | No | No | ? | ? | No | No | ? | No | ? |
Shareaza | No | No | Yes | ? | No | Yes[22] | ? | No | ? |
sharktorrent | No | No | Yes | ? | No | Yes | ? | No | ? |
Snark | ? | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
SymTorrent | No | No | ? | ? | ? | No | No | No | ? |
Tomato Torrent | No | Yes | ? | ? | ? | Yes | ? | No | ? |
Torrent Swapper | Yes | Yes[15] | Yes | ? | No | No | Yes | No | ? |
TorrentFlux | Yes | No | Yes | ? | No | No | No | No | ? |
TorrentRelay | No | No | Yes | ? | No | No | Yes | Yes | ? |
TorrentVolve | [8] | No | [8] | [8] | [8] | [8] | [8] | [8] | ? |
Transmission | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes[23] | Yes | ? |
Tribler | ? | ? | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? |
Turbo Torrent | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | No | No | ? | No | ? |
TorrentSpy Rufus | No | No | ? | ? | ? | No | ? | No | ? |
µTorrent | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes[24] | Yes[25] | Yes | ? |
WizBit | No | No | No | ? | No | No | No | No | ? |
XTorrent | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes[26] | No | ? |
ZipTorrent | ? | ? | Yes | ? | No | ? | ? | No | ? |
BitTorrent client | Super-seeding | Tracker | UPnP[11] | NAT Port Mapping Protocol | NAT traversal | DHT[12] | Peer exchange | Encryption | UDP tracker |
Features II
BitTorrent client | Cache[27] | Web seeding[28] | Broadcatching (RSS) | Prioritization | Selective downloads | SOCKS | Remote control via web | Engine | Auto updates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | ? | Yes | No | Yes | No | ? | Yes | Separate download | ? | Linux version = old version |
Acquisition | ? | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | ? | 3 torrents max, infinity when registered |
Anatomic P2P | ? | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Tracker exists as a separate download |
Arctic Torrent | ? | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | ? | |
aria2 | No | No | No | No | Yes | ? | No | No | ? | |
Azureus | Yes | Yes [29] | Plugin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Plugin[30] | No | Yes | |
BitComet | Yes | No | Beta | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Built-in Web browser | Yes | Tracker exists as a separate download |
BitFlu | Partial | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No built-in Cache-Disk cache but a Delayed commit |
BitLet | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | |
BitLord | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Built-in Web browser | Yes | |
BitPump | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
BitThief | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Designed to abuse the BitTorrent protocol. Never uploads real data, only downloads |
BitTornado | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | |
BitTorrent 5 / Mainline | ? | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | |
BitTorrent 6 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
BitSpirit | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | |
Bits on Wheels | ? | ? | ? | ? | No | ? | No | ? | ? | |
BitTyrant | Yes | Yes [29] | Plugin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Plugin[30] | 3rd party plugins | Yes | |
Blizzard Downloader | ? | No | No | No | No | ? | No | No | ? | |
Blog Torrent | ? | No | No | No | No | ? | No | No | ? | |
BTG | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | No | No | |
BTPD | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
BTSharp (library) | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | |
burst! | ? | ? | ? | ? | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | 20 torrents max |
CTorrent | ? | ? | ? | Yes | No | ? | ? | ? | No | |
Deluge | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Notification only | |
FlashGet | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
FoxTorrent | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Streaming media capacities |
Free Download Manager | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
freeloader | ? | ? | No | ? | ? | ? | No | No | ? | |
G3 Torrent | ? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | ? | |
Gnome BitTorrent | ? | No | No | ? | No | ? | No | No | ? | |
Halite | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | ? | No | Have a stand-alone version |
KTorrent | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Built-in Web browser | No | |
LimeWire | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | |
Localhost | Yes | No | Plugin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Plugin[30] | Yes | ? | DHT are required by Localhost |
MLDonkey | Yes | No | 3rd party bash script | Yes | No | No[31] | Yes | Built-into Web browser | No | |
MonoTorrent (library) | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | |
MooPolice | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | |
Opera 9.0 | ? | ? | Yes | No | No | No | No | Built-into Web browser | Notification only | |
Opera 9.5 | ? | ? | Yes | No | No | No | No | Built-into Web browser | Notification only | |
QTorrent | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
Qbittorrent | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | No | Yes[32] | No, only search engines parser | |
rTorrent | Partial | No | 3rd party utility [33] | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No built-in Cache-Disk cache but a Delayed sync |
Rufus | ? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | No | ? | |
Shareaza | Yes | Yes[10] | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10[34] |
sharktorrent | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | ? | |
Snark | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
SymTorrent | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
Tomato Torrent | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
Torrent Swapper | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Built-in Web browser | Yes | |
TorrentFlux | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | ? | |
TorrentRelay | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Requires no client-side software. Entirely WEB BASED. |
TorrentVolve | [8] | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | [8] | |
Transmission | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Via external app | No | Yes | |
Tribler | ? | ? | Yes | Yes | ? | No | ? | No | No | |
Turbo Torrent | ? | No | No | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Built-in Web browser | ? | |
TorrentSpy Rufus | ? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
µTorrent | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
WizBit | No | No | No | No | ? | No | No | Yes | ? | |
XTorrent | ? | ? | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | |
ZipTorrent | ? | ? | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
BitTorrent client | Cache[27] | Web seeding[28] | Broadcatching (RSS) | Prioritization | Selective downloads | SOCKS | Remote control via web | Engine | Auto updates | Notes |
Notes
- ^ a b Clients that have been seen in the real world to actually work with IPv6, see IPv6 BitTorrent Clients
- ^ a b c Announcements to the tracker are made via IPv6 if possible, but the client doesn't listen on the respective port.
- ^ a b Linux version works, Windows version has not been working with IPv6 due to Java Bug 6230761
- ^ The official BitComet website claims that "BitComet does not contain any adware or spyware". However, versions 0.85 to 0.97 contained advertising. The current versions no longer contain advertising, except in the web-based search window.
- ^ Through wwwBTG, a web front-end
- ^ Available via MacPorts
- ^ Claims to be open-source but is based on a binary-only component (Red Swoosh), which is installed automatically.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j When Azureus module is used
- ^ Unofficial version of Rufus created by TorrentSpy with WhenU SaveNow adware bundled in it; reportedly possible to opt-out during installation.
- ^ a b c The official FAQ and manual claim that µTorrent works under Linux, BSD, and Mac OS X using Wine 0.9.16+ with only minor interface issues.
- ^ a b Automatically configure port forwarding (requires Router with UPnP support)
- ^ a b DHT permits use of trackerless torrents (with supporting clients) to resume normal torrents when their tracker is down. However, some trackers that register their users for keeping tabs on fair usage (such as a ratio of bytes downloaded to uploaded) may not reliably measure and update usage for users employing DHT.
- ^ Since version 2.5.0.2. It's UDP based, an experimental feature and only supported by other Azureus clients
- ^ a b Has its own DHT, a mainline-DHT compatible implementation is available as plugin
- ^ a b c Tracker included with Linux binaries and with source, but not with Windows binary
- ^ Exchanging with BT 6 and µTorrent clients (and now MooPolice)
- ^ It's UDP based, an experimental feature and only supported by other Azureus based clients
- ^ Localhost uses a DHT protocol called Kademlia to connect to peers that are running Localhost. Each peer has an index of directories and files that it shares with peers that it is connected to. No one peer is responsible for storing the entire directory structure, it is distributed among everyone. It is collaboratively maintained, edited and built upon by all users in a popularity based system.
- ^ Exchanging with µTorrent
- ^ Weekly - Desktop Team - by Opera Desktop Team
- ^ Opera 9.5 Beta 1 for Windows Changelog
- ^ It's not a DHT network, but Shareaza uses gnutella2 to find other Shareaza clients.
- ^ Exchanges with µTorrent and Azureus peers.
- ^ µTorrent's [1] DHT implementation is the same as Mainline and BitComet's, but unfortunately this is incompatible with Azureus's implementation.
- ^ Exchanging with BT 6 and µTorrent clients (and now MooPolice)
- ^ Exchanges with µTorrent and Azureus peers.
- ^ a b Reduces disk usage, file fragmentation (in case it is not preallocated) and latencies due to larger written blocks and cached data for hash checking finished pieces.
- ^ a b Recently implemented (unofficial) web seeding feature, see HTTP-Based Seeding Specification
- ^ a b Supports the Getright Webseeding spec in addition to the Bittornado spec[2]
- ^ a b c Provides a Java-based and a simple Web-based user interface. Cite error: The named reference "azweb" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ See task #4401 Socks Proxy; however, http proxy is supported.
- ^ Integrated
- ^ 3rd party utility RSSDler
- ^ Max active torrents number depends of configured connection speed
See also
- BitTorrent (protocol)
- BitTorrent tracker
- Comparison of file sharing applications
- Anonymous peer-to-peer
- Disk sharing
- Ethics of file sharing
- File sharing
- File sharing timeline
- File-sharing program
- Open Music Model
- Warez
External links
- SourceForge's "Bittorrent" section
- SourceForge's "File Sharing" section
- Bittorrent peer_id specification
- Bittorrent peer_id specification
- Article suggesting that a BitTorrent client is installed on more than 13% of Windows desktop PCs
- User-ranked list of bittorrent clients
- How to use BitTorrent
- How to download & install BitTorrent