The following is a general comparison of BitTorrent clients, which are computer programs designed for peer-to-peer file sharing using the BitTorrent protocol.[1]
The BitTorrent protocol coordinates segmented file transfer among peers connected in a swarm. A BitTorrent client enables a user to exchange data as a peer in one or more swarms. Because BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer communications protocol that does not need a server, the BitTorrent definition of client differs from the conventional meaning expressed in the client–server model.[1]
Bram Cohen, author of the BitTorrent protocol, made the first BitTorrent client, which he also called BitTorrent, and published it in July 2001.[2]
Many BitTorrent programs are open-source software; others are freeware, adware or shareware. Some download managers, such as FlashGet and GetRight, are BitTorrent-ready. Opera 12, a web browser, can also transfer files via BitTorrent.
In 2013 Thunder Networking Technologies publicly revealed that some of their employees surreptitiously distributed a Trojan horse with certain releases of Xunlei, the company's BitTorrent-ready download manager.[3][4] Xunlei is included in the comparison tables.
↑FlashGet (standalone application) is not FlashGot (Firefox Addon).
↑The option to disable ads is included in the settings.[6]
↑Web browser.
↑No built-in disk cache but a delayed sync.
↑Maximum active torrent number depends on respective user settings and is limited to 31.
↑Lightweight client, Portable version available, option to keep all peers unchoked available. Integral encrypted chatrooms that allow streaming audio and video, link sharing and searching.
↑The only client to bridge between i2p and the clearnet.
↑ 12.012.112.212.3x86-32 and x86-64 builds available
↑Including eComStation and ArcaOS.
↑Through Cygwin.[17]
↑Through Cydia.
↑Qdbus interface
↑For a torrent added from a Magnet link, obtain the list of files (and other metadata) before prompting the user for a download location.
↑Tracker included with Linux binaries and with source, but not with Windows binary.
↑This is done manually. Right click an item and select "Force Re-Check". This will trigger preload. Note, if deluge is restarted before preload finishes, it will continue downloading torrent content.
↑μTorrent's 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).
↑v4.6.0 added (experimental) I2P support[29] to provide anonymity.
↑Since Shareaza v2.6.0.0, Shareaza includes Mainline DHT support. Also, Shareaza can use the Gnutella2 network to find other Gnutella2 clients sharing the same torrent. This also includes clients who do not actively seed the torrent in question anymore, as long as file hashes (such as sha1 for example) are known.
↑Since Shareaza v2.5.5.1 r9064.
↑Only with out going without DHT if anonymity required.
↑Exchanges with μTorrent and Azureus peers.
↑Uses P2P onion routing to provide anonymity.
↑Since version 2.5.0.2. It's UDP based, an experimental feature and only supported by other Azureus clients.
↑Has its own DHT, a mainline-DHT compatible implementation is available as plugin.
↑Reduces disk usage, file fragmentation (in case it is not preallocated) and latencies via larger written blocks and cached data for hash checking finished pieces.
↑Called "preview mode"
↑ 32.032.132.232.332.4Built-in Web browser.
↑ 33.033.133.233.3Does not support HTTP redirection (status codes: 301, 302, 303, 307).
↑ 34.034.134.234.334.4Does not support HTTPS.
↑Only available in Pro and web version.From version 3.0 this feature is called "Streaming mode". The number of pieces to download sequentially is configurable
↑Opera has a feed aggregator that displays feeds like emails.
↑Windows and Mac OS X only; via PMS on Linux.
↑Hard-coded as disabled in newer versions.
↑Since Shareaza v2.4.0.2 r7924.
↑Since Shareaza v2.5.3.1.
↑Shareaza also uses G2 to transmit download metadata, such as BitTorrent trackers to other G2 clients.
↑Support only base path ("url-list" path) redirection (message: "HTTP redirect does not match file path").
↑Adds HTTP referer header in request on HTTP redirection (useful behavior).
↑Provides a Java-based and a simple HTML/JS based WebUI.
↑With OpenSSL exception.
↑No built-in cache-disk cache but a delayed sync.
↑Automatically configure port forwarding (requires Router with UPnP support)
↑Many clients claim to support this, but just UPnP calls for opening a TCP port is not effective and disabled by factory default in most new hardware. "UDP NAT Traversal" is the proper working solution, supported by just a few.
↑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.
↑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.
↑Recently implemented (unofficial) web seeding feature, see HTTP-Based Seeding Specification
References
↑ 1.01.1"Glossary". BitTorrent User Manual. San Francisco: BitTorrent, Inc.. http://www.bittorrent.com/help/manual/glossary#client. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
↑Cohen, Bram (2 July 2001). "BitTorrent – a new P2P app". Yahoo! Groups. http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/decentralization/message/3160.
↑Van Der Sar, Ernesto (14 October 2013). "Google-backed BitTorrent client spread malware to Windows PCs and Android devices". http://torrentfreak.com/google-backed-file-sharing-spreads-malware-131014/.
↑Gibbs, Samuel (15 October 2013). "Google-Backed File-Sharing Service Spreads Malware". Guardian News and Media. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/oct/15/google-bittorrent-malware-windows-android-xunlei-china.
↑ 5.05.15.25.3With OpenSSL exception.
↑Eric Ravenscraft. "How to Disable Ads in uTorrent". Lifehacker (Gawker Media). http://lifehacker.com/disable-ads-in-utorrent-via-settings-826283231.
↑GPL-2.0-only or GPL-3.0-only or any future license endorsed by Mnemosyne LLC.
↑"COPYING in trunk – Transmission". https://trac.transmissionbt.com/browser/trunk/COPYING.
↑"Truly Decentralized BitTorrent Downloading Has Finally Arrived". TorrentFreak. 8 December 2010. http://torrentfreak.com/truly-decentralized-bittorrent-downloading-has-finally-arrived-101208/.
↑"uTorrent command line options – Forums - μTorrent – The Lightweight and Efficient BitTorrent Client". Forum.utorrent.com. 15 February 2009. https://forum.utorrent.com/viewtopic.php?id=53988.
↑Automatically configure port forwarding (requires Router with UPnP support)
↑Many clients claim to support this, but just UPnP calls for opening a TCP port is not effective and disabled by factory default in most new hardware. "UDP NAT Traversal" is the proper working solution, supported by just a few.
↑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.
↑"MLDonkey 3.1.3 release notes". Forum mldonkey.sourceforge.net. http://mldonkey.sourceforge.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=32169.
↑"μTorrent 3.13 Apk For Android". apk20.com. http://www.apk20.com/apk/5903/.
↑"μTorrent 1.6 released". Forum.utorrent.com. July 2006. https://forum.utorrent.com/viewtopic.php?id=11463.
↑"uTorrent: Make Your Own BitTorrent Tracker". Filesharefreak.com. http://filesharefreak.com/tutorials/utorrent-make-your-own-bittorrent-tracker/.
↑"Setting up μTorrent for your internet connection". www.utorrent.com. https://www.utorrent.com/setup_guide.php.
↑"µTorrent 2.0 beta 17539 - Announcements - µTorrent Community Forums". 5 August 2009. https://forum.utorrent.com/viewtopic.php?id=60602.
↑"How To Encrypt BitTorrent Traffic". Torrentfreak.com. 16 April 2006. http://torrentfreak.com/how-to-encrypt-bittorrent-traffic/.
↑"Weekly – Desktop Team – by Opera Desktop Team". My.opera.com. 27 February 2007. http://my.opera.com/desktopteam/blog/show.dml/251672.
↑"Opera 9.5 Beta 1 for Windows Changelog". Opera.com. http://www.opera.com/docs/changelogs/windows/950b1/.
↑"Bittorrent client qBittorrent 4.4.0 released with v2 torrent support". ghacks.net. 8 January 2022. https://www.ghacks.net/2022/01/08/bittorrent-client-qbittorrent-4-4-0/.
↑Aided with a shell script documented in "That magnet uri ticket thing reincarnated". libtorrent.rakshasa.no. http://libtorrent.rakshasa.no/ticket/2100.
↑Proxy support was removed in version 2.12: "Ticket #3688". trac.transmissionbt.com. https://trac.transmissionbt.com/ticket/3688.
↑Supports the Getright Webseeding spec since v1.14, see BitComet Wiki
↑See task #4401 SOCKS proxy ; however, http proxy is supported.
↑"uTorrent 1.7 Stable Finally Released". TorrentFreak. 13 July 2007. http://torrentfreak.com/utorrent-17-stable-finally-released/.
↑"How to use RSS & BitTorrent to download TV shows". TorrentFreak. 14 October 2006. http://torrentfreak.com/how-to-use-rss-bittorrent-to-download-tv-shows/.
↑"uTorrent – Free software downloads and software reviews – CNET" (in fa). Download.com. http://www.download.com/uTorrent/3000-2196_4-10528327.html.
↑3rd party utility RSSDler
↑"Shareaza". sourceforge.net. 19 December 2017. http://shareaza.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/shareaza?view=revision&revision=8803.
↑"Additional Vuze Features - VuzeWiki". http://wiki.vuze.com/w/Additional_Vuze_Features.
↑"libtorrent – Browse Files at". Sourceforge.net. 21 March 2010. http://sourceforge.net/projects/libtorrent/files/.
↑"Timeline – The libTorrent and rTorrent Project". Libtorrent.rakshasa.no. 15 July 2012. http://libtorrent.rakshasa.no/timeline.
↑"Libtorrent Adds Support for BitTorrent v2, a Potential Game-Changer". TorrentFreak. 12 September 2020. https://torrentfreak.com/libtorrent-adds-support-for-bittorrent-v2-a-potential-game-changer-200912/.