Comparison of BitTorrent clients facts for kids
A BitTorrent client is a special computer program that helps you share and download large files using something called the BitTorrent protocol. Think of it like a team effort for sharing files!
Instead of downloading a file from one main computer (like a website server), BitTorrent lets you get pieces of a file from many different computers at the same time. These computers are called peers, and when they're all sharing the same file, they form a swarm. This makes downloading much faster because you're not relying on just one source.
Bram Cohen, the person who created the BitTorrent system, released the very first BitTorrent client program in July 2001.
Many BitTorrent programs are free to use. Some are open-source, meaning their code is public and anyone can see and improve it. Others are freeware (free to use), adware (free but show ads), or shareware (you can try them for free, but might need to pay later). Some download programs, like FlashGet and GetRight, can also handle BitTorrent files. Even an older web browser called Opera 12 could transfer files this way!
In 2013, a company called Thunder Networking Technologies admitted that some of their workers secretly put a harmful computer program (like a Trojan horse) into some versions of their Xunlei download manager. Xunlei is one of the programs listed below.
Contents
BitTorrent Programs: A Quick Look
This section shows some popular BitTorrent programs and what they can do.
General Information
| Name | Developer | Platform | Latest release | License | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Version | Date | |||||
| BiglyBT | Bigly Software | Linux | 3.7.0.0  |
30 September 2024 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |
| macOS | ||||||
| Windows | ||||||
| Android | 1.3.3 |
22 September 2023 | ||||
| BitComet | BitComet Development Group | macOS | 2.10 |
2024-10-09 | Proprietary, Adware | |
| Windows | 2.10 |
2024-10-09 | ||||
| BitLord | House of Life | macOS | 2.4.6-348 |
2019-10-24 | Proprietary, Adware | |
| Windows | 2.4.6-358 |
2022-08-26 | ||||
| BitTorrent | BitTorrent | Android | 8.2.1 |
2024-03-20 | Proprietary, Adware | |
| macOS | 7.4.3.45549 |
2020-05-20 | ||||
| Windows | Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1575: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | 2022-11-22 | ||||
| Deluge | various | BSD | 2.2.0 |
2025-04-28 | GPL-3.0-or-later | |
| Linux | ||||||
| macOS | ||||||
| Solaris | ||||||
| Windows | ||||||
| FlashGet | Trend Media | Windows | 3.7.0.1220 |
2013-05-17 | Proprietary | |
| Free Download Manager | alervd | Android | 6.19.0.5156 |
2023-03-13 | Proprietary | |
| Linux | ||||||
| macOS | ||||||
| Windows | ||||||
| FrostWire | The FrostWire Project | Android | 2.9.4 |
2024-12-26 | GPL-3.0-or-later | |
| Linux | 6.13.4-build-324 |
2024-10-16 | ||||
| macOS | Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1575: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | 2024-10-16 | ||||
| Windows | Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1575: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | 2024-10-16 | ||||
| KGet | KDE | BSD | 24.12.3 |
2025-03-06 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |
| Linux | ||||||
| KTorrent | Joris Guisson, Ivan Vasić | BSD | 23.08.3 |
2023-11-09 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |
| Linux | ||||||
| macOS | ||||||
| Lftp | Alexander V. Lukya | BSD | 4.9.3 |
2024-11-08 | GPL-3.0-or-later | |
| Linux | ||||||
| macOS | ||||||
| Windows | ||||||
| LimeWire | Lime Wire LLC | Linux | 5.5.16 |
2010-10-26 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |
| macOS | ||||||
| Windows | ||||||
| Miro | Participatory Culture Foundation | Linux | 6.0 |
2013-04-05 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |
| macOS | ||||||
| Windows | ||||||
| MLDonkey | MLDonkey Project | BSD | 3.2.1 |
2024-08-20 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |
| Linux | ||||||
| macOS | ||||||
| MorphOS | ||||||
| Solaris | ||||||
| Windows | ||||||
| μTorrent | BitTorrent | Android | 8.2.2 |
2024-03-21 | Proprietary, Adware | |
| macOS | 1.8.7.45548 |
2020-01-30 | ||||
| Windows | Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1575: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | 2024-01-11 | ||||
| Opera 12 | Opera Software | FreeBSD | 12.16 | Proprietary | ||
| Linux | ||||||
| macOS | ||||||
| Solaris | ||||||
| Windows | 12.17 | |||||
| qBittorrent | Christophe Dumez | BSD | 5.1.2 |
2025-07-02 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |
| Linux | ||||||
| Haiku | ||||||
| macOS | ||||||
| OS/2 | ||||||
| Windows | ||||||
| rTorrent | Jari Sundell | BSD | Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1575: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | GPL-2.0-or-later | ||
| Linux | ||||||
| macOS | ||||||
| Solaris | ||||||
| Windows | ||||||
| Robert | Sponge, co-developer of I2P | BSD | 0.0.40 |
2013 | GPL | |
| Linux | ||||||
| macOS | ||||||
| Windows | ||||||
| Shareaza | Shareaza Development Team | Windows | 2.7.10.2 |
2017-09-18 | GPL-2.0-or-later | |
| Tixati | Kevin Hearn | Linux | 3.31 |
2024-12-11 | Proprietary | |
| Windows | ||||||
| Tonido | CodeLathe | BSD | 14.90.0.34030 |
2017-01-13 | Proprietary | |
| Linux | ||||||
| macOS | ||||||
| Windows | ||||||
| Transmission | various | BSD | 4.0.6 |
2024-05-30 | GPL-2.0-only or GPL-3.0-only MIT |
|
| Linux | ||||||
| macOS | ||||||
| OpenWrt | ||||||
| Solaris | ||||||
| Windows | ||||||
| Tribler | The Tribler Team | Linux | 8.0.7 |
2024-12-16 | GPL-3.0-only | |
| macOS | ||||||
| Windows | ||||||
| Vuze | Vuze | Android | 5.7.6.0 |
2017-11-02 | Proprietary (platform) GPL-2.0-or-later (core engine) Adware |
|
| Linux | ||||||
| macOS | ||||||
| Windows | ||||||
| Xunlei | Thunder Networking Technologies | Android | 7.53.0.8245 |
2022-10-11 | Proprietary, Adware | |
| iOS | 1.5.8 |
2022-09-29 | ||||
| macOS | Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1575: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | 2022-06-16 | ||||
| Windows | Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1575: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |||||
| Name | Developer | Platform | Latest release | License | Notes | |
| Version | Date | |||||
What Computers They Work On
This table shows which operating systems (like Windows, macOS, or Linux) each BitTorrent client can run on.
| BitTorrent client | Windows | macOS | GNU/Linux | BSD | iOS | Android | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BiglyBT | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| BitComet | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| BitLord | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| BitTorrent | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Deluge | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Solaris |
| FlashGet | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Free Download Manager | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
| Frostwire | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Unix-like z/OS Solaris OS/2 eComStation ArcaOS |
| KGet | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| KTorrent | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Lftp | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| LimeWire | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Miro | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| MLDonkey | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Solaris MorphOS |
| μTorrent | Yes | Yes | Web | No | No | Yes | No |
| Opera 12 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Solaris |
| qBittorrent | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | OS/2 FreeBSD Haiku |
| Robert | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| rTorrent | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Solaris |
| Shareaza | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Tixati | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Tonido | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Transmission | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Solaris |
| Tribler | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Vuze | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Xunlei | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Name | Windows | macOS | GNU/Linux | BSD | iOS | Android | Other |
How You Control Them and What They're Made Of
This table looks at how you interact with the programs (like with buttons or text commands) and what computer languages they are built with.
| BitTorrent client | GUI (Buttons & Menus) | Remote Control | CLI (Text Commands) | Other Ways | Computer Language | Based on | IPv6 (Newer Internet Addresses) | μTP (Smart Speed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BiglyBT | Yes | Yes | No | Telnet, XML over HTTP remote control API | Java, SWT | Vuze | Yes | Yes |
| BitComet | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | C++ | - | Yes | No |
| BitLord | Yes | No | No | No | Python, C++ | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | Yes | No |
| BitTorrent 5, Mainline | Yes | No | Partial | No | Python | - | No | No |
| Deluge | Yes | Yes | Yes | Daemon | Python, C++ | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | Yes | Yes |
| FlashGet | Yes | No | No | No | ? | ? | No | No |
| Free Download Manager | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | C++ | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | No | No |
| Frostwire | Yes | No | No | No | Java | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | No | Yes |
| KGet | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | C++ | - | Yes | No |
| KTorrent | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | C++ | - | Yes | Yes |
| lftp | No | No | Yes | No | C++ | - | Yes | No |
| LimeWire | Yes | No | No | No | Java | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | No | No |
| Miro | Yes | No | No | No | C++ | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | No | No |
| MLDonkey | No | Third Party | Partial | Telnet | OCaml | - | No | No |
| μTorrent | Yes | Yes | No | RESTful Web API | C++ | - | Yes | Yes |
| Opera 12 | Yes | No | No | No | C++ | - | Yes | No |
| qBittorrent | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | Python, C++ | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | Yes | Yes |
| rTorrent | No | Third Party | Yes | SCGI | C++ | libTorrent (Rakshasa) | Yes | No |
| Shareaza | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | C++ | - | No | No |
| Tixati | Yes | Yes | No | Web interface | C++ | - | Yes | Yes |
| Tonido | No | Yes | No | No | C++ | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | No | No |
| Transmission | Yes | Yes | Yes | Daemon, JSON-RPC over HTTP remote control API | C++ (rewritten from C), Objective-C | libtransmission | Yes | Yes |
| Tribler | Yes | Partial | Partial | No | Python, C++ | libtorrent (Rasterbar) | No | Yes |
| Vuze | Yes | Yes | Partial | Telnet, XML over HTTP remote control API | Java, SWT | - | Yes | Yes |
| Xunlei | Yes | No | No | remote control over internet | C++ | - | No | No |
| BitTorrent client | GUI | Web | CLI | Other | Programming language | Based on | IPv6 | μTP |
Cool Features Part 1
This table shows some of the special abilities and features that different BitTorrent clients have.
| BitTorrent client | Protocol version | Magnet URI (Link to download) | Preload Magnet metadata (Get info fast) | Super-seeding (Smart sharing) | Built-in tracker (Helps find peers) | UPnP (Easy network setup) | NAT Port Mapping Protocol (Another network helper) | NAT traversal (Connects through firewalls) | DHT protocol (Finds peers without a tracker) | Peer exchange(PEX) (Peers tell each other about other peers) | Encryption (Keeps your data private) | UDP tracker (Faster tracker communication) | LPD (Finds peers on your local network) | Proxy server (Hides your internet address) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BiglyBT | 1, 2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
|
| BitComet | 1, 2 | Yes | No | Yes | Separate download | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | HTTP 1.1, SOCKS4-4a-5 |
| BitLord | 1 | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | HTTP 1.1, SOCKS4-4a-5 |
| BitTorrent 5, Mainline | 1 | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Deluge | 1 | Yes | Partial | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | HTTP(S), SOCKS4-5 |
| FlashGet | 1 | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Free Download Manager | 1 | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| KTorrent | 1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | HTTP, SOCKS4-5 |
| LimeWire | 1 | Partial | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| MLDonkey | 1 | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| μTorrent | 1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | HTTP(S), SOCKS4-5 |
| Opera 12 | 1 | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| qBittorrent | 1, 2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | HTTP(S), SOCKS4-5 |
| rTorrent | 1 | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Shareaza | 1 | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| Tixati | 1, 2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Tonido | 1 | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Transmission | 1 | Yes | Patch available | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Tribler | 1 | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | |
| Vuze | 1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Plugin | HTTP(S)?, SOCKS4-4a-5 |
| Xunlei | 1 | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | HTTP, SOCKS5, FTP |
| BitTorrent client | Protocol version | Magnet URI | Preload Magnet metadata | Super-seeding | Embedded tracker | UPnP | NAT Port Mapping Protocol | NAT traversal | DHT | Peer exchange | Encryption | UDP tracker | LPD | Proxy server |
Cool Features Part 2
Here are more features that BitTorrent clients might have, like how they handle downloads and updates.
| BitTorrent client | Cache (Temporary storage) | Hash Web seeding (Getting parts from websites) | HTTP Web seeding (Getting parts from websites) | Broad-catching (RSS) (Automatic downloads from feeds) | Prioritization (Choose what downloads first) | Selective downloads (Choose which files to download) | Sequential downloading (Download in order) | SOCKS (Another way to hide your address) | Tracker exchange (Share tracker info) | Remote control via web (Control from a browser) | Search engine (Find files) | Auto updates (Program updates itself) | Reviews and Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BiglyBT | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| BitComet | Yes | No | Yes | Beta | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Partial | Yes | No |
| BitLord | Yes | No | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Partial | Yes | No |
| BitTorrent 5, Mainline | No | Yes | Partial | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Deluge | Yes | Yes | Partial | Plugin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | via PMS | No |
| FlashGet | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | |
| Free Download Manager | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Optional | No |
| KTorrent | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Partial | via PMS | No | |
| LimeWire | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| MLDonkey | Yes | No | 3rd party bash script | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Partial | via PMS | No | |
| μTorrent | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Opera 12 | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | Partial | Yes | No | |
| qBittorrent | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes | via PMS | No |
| rTorrent | Partial | No | No | 3rd party utility | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | via PMS | No |
| Shareaza | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | in mod client | No | Yes |
Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Tixati | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Tonido | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | |
| Transmission | Yes | No | Partial | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Tribler | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Partial | Yes (DHT) | Yes | No |
| Vuze | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | in paid version | Yes | No | Plugin | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Xunlei | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | |||
| BitTorrent client | Cache | Hash Web seeding | HTTP Web seeding | Broad-catching (RSS) | Prioritization | Selective downloads | Sequential downloading | SOCKS | Tracker exchange | Remote control via web | Search engine | Auto updates | Reviews and Comments |
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Comparativa de clientes BitTorrent para niños
- Anonymous P2P
- BitTorrent tracker
- Comparison of BitTorrent sites
- Comparison of BitTorrent tracker software
- Comparison of file sharing applications
- File sharing
- Open Music Model
- Timeline of file sharing
References
it:BitTorrent#Client
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