Although there are many torrent clients available, many prefer BitTorrent and uTorrent. Which one is better?
The differences between BitTorrent and uTorrent aren’t too great. It really comes down to personal preference. We have compared both apps to make it easier to choose one.
Need to hurry?
Here is a quick comparison of BitTorrent and uTorrent. BitTorrent is both a P2P protocol as well as a torrent client. Rainberry, formerly BitTorrent, Inc, has both. Rainberry also owns uTorrent, a torrent client that uses BitTorrent protocol. BitTorrent is also a rebranded version uTorrent.
Similarities between BitTorrent and uTorrent
BitTorrent clients are BitTorrent clients for both uTorrent as well as BitTorrent. Both apps use BitTorrent to share files. They’re also free and ad-supported. They also have the same paid plans, with similar features and prices. Both apps are approximately the same size, at around 2MB. Both torrent clients look almost identical.
The apps are similar for a reason. The BitTorrent app is a rebranded version the uTorrent app that started with version 6.0.
What is the Difference between BitTorrent and uTorrent?
uTorrent refers to a torrent client. BitTorrent, on the other hand, is a torrent client. However, Rainberry rebranded the company to Rainberry in 2018. Rainberry also owns uTorrent, which it bought in 2006.
Let’s now take a closer look at the differences between BitTorrent and uTorrent clients.
- Availability BitTorrent is available for Windows, macOS and Android. uTorrent, on the other hand is available for Windows, macOS and Android.
- Updates Both apps receive regular updates. BitTorrent is more stable, while uTorrent releases Alpha or Beta versions. This means that you can get access to the latest features early with uTorrent. However, the versions are not as stable.
- Cryptominers – BitTorrent and uTorrent both have additional software (often called bloatware). In 2015, uTorrent silently installed a cryptocurrencyminer on users’ computers. The cryptominer ran silently in the background draining CPU power. Many were outraged that they had to downgrade to older uTorrent versions. Even though they didn’t have cryptominers, many people refused to install the latest releases. Although the cryptominer was removed form uTorrent’s package many still distrust it.
BitTorrent vs. uTorrent – Which Is Faster?
Many people claimed that one torrent client was faster than another. However, there is no real winner. A torrent client cannot provide faster download speeds than P2P apps. Speeds will depend on how fast your internet is and how many torrent seeders you have.
To confirm, we ran more than 10 tests. Our tester was from Romania and downloaded torrent files ranging in size between 20 and 50GB. These are the average speeds and ETAs (Estimated Times of Arrival) he experienced.
- uTorrent 30-50 MB/s, 15-30 minutes
- BitTorrent – 35-50MB/s and 20-30 min.
Both apps run equally quickly.
uTorrent vs. uTorrentPro
uTorrent offers a free version as well as multiple paid plans, including uTorrent Pro. Many users aren’t sure if they should upgrade to Pro.
Here’s what you get when you do this:
- There are no more advertisements.
- Malware protection against malicious torrents
- Convert files to be used on other devices.
- Access to an integrated HD Media Player.
- Premium support is available to priority customers only
The uTorrent client is not available with the free uTorrent edition. You can download torrents.
So Is uTorrent Pro Worth It?
Overall, there are many cool perks and the cost is very affordable.
You can remove ads by changing a few settings. The other benefits are great. We love the ability to instantly play HD video files after downloading them. You can stream almost anything without having to wait for the download process to complete. The file conversion feature allows you to instantly transfer downloaded files to your phone.
The decision is yours. If you think you would use these extra features regularly, you should definitely consider uTorrent Pro. It’s very affordable.
What uTorrent Versions Should I Use?
The latest uTorrent version is the one that you see on uTorrent. This has more security and bug fixes. Many torrent users prefer uTorrent 2.2.1. It’s light, ad-free and does not come with any bloatware.
If you want to use uTorrent 2.0.1, make sure that you are downloading from a valid source. You could end up downloading a malicious file pretending to be uTorrent. Asking on Reddit, specifically r/utorrent, is the best way to locate a reliable link.
Make sure you meet these requirements when downloading uTorrent 2.2.1:
- The file size is 390.37KB.
- BitTorrent Inc. digital signature available starting May 18th, 00:17.26
- This build – 25302.
Speed up torrent downloads
There are ways to speed up torrent downloads on BitTorrent and uTorrent. Our detailed guide is available here. Although it’s for uTorrent, the tips should also work for BitTorrent. This is just a rebranded uTorrent. Here are some highlights if you need them in a hurry:
- You can download a torrent that contains enough seeders. You should always have more seeders than you leechers. Your speeds will be slow if there are not enough seeders.
- You can allocate more bandwidth for your downloads.
- Your firewall should not interfere with torrent apps.
- Enable automated port forwarding.
- To increase the number seeders, add more trackers to a downloaded file.
- You can download torrents one by one. This will ensure that your download speeds don’t get split among all torrents.
- Switch to wired connections if you are using WiFi. Because weak WiFi signals are no longer an issue, you’ll enjoy faster speeds.
Another tip: Use a VPN
Your ISP may be responsible for slow download speeds. This is not always the fault of torrent clients or files. They see that you are using too much bandwidth to download large files. They may throttle your connection to slow down downloads if they don’t like it.
A VPN is the best solution. This is an online application that encrypts your Internet traffic to hide it. Your ISP won’t be able to spy on your Internet traffic anymore. Your ISP won’t have access to P2P traffic and won’t know that you are downloading torrents. This means that they won’t be able to slow down your speed.
A VPN is also essential for torrenting security. It encrypts your traffic and hides your IP address. Copyright trolls, lawyers and others can’t get it from torrent swarms. They can’t locate your ISP without your IP and send them threatening letters.
Using a VPN to torrent is easy – follow these steps:
- Register for a reliable P2P VPN. NordVPN is our top choice for its fast speeds, 4,500+ servers and great security.
- Install the VPN provider app on your device.
- Run the app to connect to a P2P friendly server.
- Download torrents with BitTorrent, uTorrent, or any other torrent client
BitTorrent Vs. uTorrent – The Bottom Line
The debate between BitTorrent and uTorrent is quite straightforward. BitTorrent is many things.
- P2P protocol used by other torrent apps.
- A torrent app.
- A company, formerly known as BitTorrent, Inc, has been rebranded as Rainberry. It is the owner of both BitTorrent and BitTorrent protocols.
uTorrent, on the other hand is a P2P application that uses BitTorrent protocol. Rainberry also owns uTorrent. BitTorrent is a rebranded version for the uTorrent app.
Please leave any questions or comments about BitTorrent and uTorrent.
