February 14, 2023

Review: rTorrent Torrent Client

Posted by Rhiannon

The rTorrent torrent client is a digital software that allows users to engage in peer-to-peer file sharing. The software was first released in 2005. It uses the C++ language and is based on the libTorrent (not libtorrent) libraries for Unix. Take a look at our review of rTorrent to see if it’s the right client for you:

Device compatibility
Price
Features
Set up guide
Pros and cons
Other tips

Device Compatibility

Currently, rTorrent is available on Windows, MacOS, and Linux-enabled devices. It does not have a mobile application.

Price

rTorrent is a free torrent client. However, it is hosted on GitHub, which may ask users to donate to the project to help its future development.

Features

The rTorrent torrent client is fairly basic but includes the basic features needed in any torrent client. They include:

Prioritization and selective downloading
PEX
Magnet links
Super seeding

Set Up Guide

Compared to most torrent clients, rTorrent is slightly different. It does not currently have its own website to download from. Instead, it is stored on GitHub. To download it, follow these steps:

Find the client on GitHub. The link for it is here.
Click the “Clone or download” button.
Select Download ZIP.
Follow the prompts on your device to unzip and install the file.

Pros and Cons

Pros

rTorrent includes command line interface functionality
The client is very clean, with no extra features to bloat it
The features are appropriate for a basic client
rTorrent can easily support thousands of torrents

Cons

The client requires manual router configuration
Files can’t be downloaded sequentially
There is no built-in search function
No built-in web interface
rTorrent does not have local peer discovery

Other Tips

With any torrent client, it is best to add an extra layer of encryption to your activities. This makes your browsing anonymous and prevents your activity from being traced back to you. One of the best ways to get that encryption is to use a VPN while torrenting. There are dozens on the market, but choose a reputable one with a no log policy, so you know they don’t track you either.

You can read our reviews of other torrent clients here:

Posted by Rhiannon

Review: qBittorrent Torrent Client

If you plan on torrenting files, you need a client with which to do so. There are dozens on the market, some paid, some free. Others are feature-heavy while some have just the basics. A few are recent additions to the market while others have been around nearly as long as torrenting. The qBittorrent torrent […] Read more

February 14, 2023

Review: uTorrent Torrent Client

In 2005, the most popular torrent client outside of China hit the web. That client is uTorrent. The company behind the software, BitTorrent Inc., is responsible for the world’s most popular peer-to-peer file sharing protocol. They developed the uTorrent torrent client to allow users to easily share and download files. Currently, uTorrent has more than […] Read more

February 14, 2023

Review: Vuze Torrent Client

When torrenting, users must select a torrent client. Vuze is one such client. Previously known as Azureus, the software came out in 2003 under a General Public License. However, new releases have become more restrictive with licensing. The Vuze torrent client comes with many features and allows users to download two different versions. Is Vuze […] Read more

Get HotBot VPN