How to find the best torrent downloader for Mac

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Folx 4.8 Rank based on 889+ users, Reviews(858)
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If you are looking for a free Mac torrent downloader you'll need to perform some quality research to find the best one that handles torrent files well and offers customization options. Torrent clients can greatly differ from each other, some of them offer more features, some are apps and some are online services. We have researched and gathered information on the top 10 best Mac torrent downloaders here, so you can find the torrent client that works best for your personal needs.

So, which Mac torrent downloader is the best?

  1. Folx
  2. BitTorrent for Mac
  3. Vuze for Mac
  4. Transmission for Mac
  5. uTorrent for Mac
  6. Xtorrent P2P for Mac
  7. Deluge BitTorrent Client for Mac
  8. qBittorrent for Mac
  9. Tribler for Mac
  10. BitLord for Mac

1. Folx

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Folx
Requirements: OS X 10.9+. 33.16MB free space. Version 5.18.13943. (7th Apr, 2020). 4.8 Rank based on 889+ users, Reviews(858)
Category: UtilitiesApplication
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Folx is the application that we consider to be the best torrent downloader for Mac, which is why we’ve placed it at number one on our list. Folx allows users to set priorities for tasks, control download and upload speeds, and tag downloads according to their type and content so you’re able to easily locate them on your computer.
Folx

Folx also supports downloading torrents from trackers, as well as magnet links. Magnet links make downloading BitTorrent Mac content much more convenient.

Folx is generally a free torrent download manager, but it is also offered in a PRO version. Folx PRO allows its user to search for Mac torrents on multiple trackers at the same time, directly from the app, so you can find the best torrent files without scouring through multiple torrent websites online.


Folx’s Pros:
  1. It’s our belief that Folx is the easiest to use torrent downloader Mac, with the most useful features. Its user interface is very intuitive and it is fully compatible with Apple’s latest operating system — Catalina.
  2. Folx lets users assign each of download with “tags” that identify the type of content you’re downloading (photos, movies, etc.), and then save that content into specific folders on your hard drive.
  3. Ensures that its user is downloading the most reliable, high-quality BitTorrent files out there.

Cons of Folx:
  1. The only con we can think of for Folx is that some of the coolest features are only available in the PRO version, which costs $20 to get.

2. BitTorrent for Mac

BitTorrent is a great option as a Mac torrent downloader whose main draw is its customizable interface — anyone from a newbie to a seasoned torrent Mac user can customize its interface to suit their preferences. BitTorrent offers a free and a “pro” version, but neither version will impose limits on the amount or size of data that you can download at the same time. BitTorrent “pro” also allows users to stream torrents directly from the app and is ad-free.

BitTorrent Official Client


Pros of BitTorrent:
  1. Comes with a bandwidth booster that allows you to download your Mac torrent without overloading your system resources.
  2. Very reliable torrent client that has been around for a while.

Cons of BitTorrent:
  1. Again, too many ads encouraging users to install the “pro” version.
  2. The downloaded desktop version of BitTorrent is not compatible with macOS Catalina, but BitTorrent Web for Mac is. BitTorrent Web lives in your Internet browser, instead of on your hard drive like the regular BitTorrent.

3. Vuze for Mac

Vuze is listed among our top torrent downloaders for Mac because it is a good quality torrent for Mac client with plenty of great features, and it’s compatible with macOS Catalina. Vuze also offers a built-in torrent search. Another interesting feature of Vuze is that it allows you to manage your Mac torrent download remotely.

Vuze


Pros of Vuze:
  1. The free version of Vuze is highly customizable.
  2. Vuze can be configured to work with your VPN (Virtual Private Network).

Cons of Vuze:
  1. Too many pop-ups that attempt to get a user to install toolbars, etc.
  2. Bugs user to install Vuze Pro too frequently.

4. Transmission for Mac

Transmission is among our best Mac torrent downloaders because it is quite possibly the most simple torrent client out there. Transmission offers great speed and is not resource intensive at all. It supports magnet links and is able to locate local systems connected to yours.

Transmission


Pros of Transmission:
  1. Very simple user interface that is great for newbies, with no ads.
  2. Fast, reliable performance, and compatible with macOS Catalina.

Cons of Transmission:
  1. Unfortunately, Transmission’s simplicity is also one of its major pitfalls: advanced users will have a difficult time customizing this client to suit particular needs.

5. uTorrent for Mac

uTorrent is listed as a top torrent downloader for Mac because it is lightweight, easy to use, and has been around for a very long time. uTorrent Mac also allows you to look for torrent files directly from the application and set priorities for downloads. uTorrent is also portable — just install it on a USB flash drive and you’re good to go.

uTorrent


Pros of uTorrent:
  1. Lightweight application that takes up very little of your system’s resources.

Cons of uTorrent:
  1. NOT currently compatible with Mac’s latest operating system — Catalina.
  2. Currently only allows Mac Catalina users to download torrents via web browser, which is not ideal.

6. Xtorrent P2P for Mac

Xtorrent P2P was carefully and thoughtfully designed by its engineers to be one of the best torrent downloaders for Mac — its interface is beautiful and well organized. Xtorrent is generally a free torrent client, but the free version does place limits on your download speed, so upgrading to the paid version is pretty essential for a frequent user.

Xtorrent P2P


Pros of Xtorrent:
  1. Its user interface is its biggest strength — Xtorrent is simple to navigate for both a newbie and an expert.

Cons of Xtorrent:
  1. Many of its coolest features are reserved for those who buy the paid version.
  2. No trial period on the paid version.
  3. NOT currently compatible with Mac’s latest OS — Catalina.

7. Deluge BitTorrent Client for Mac

Deluge is one of the oldest and best torrent downloaders for Mac, but don’t think that means it’s outdated. Deluge is easy to use for a beginner and offers a wealth of advanced features for experienced torrent users. This is why we’ve included it in our list of the best Mac torrent downloaders.

Deluge BitTorrent Client


Pros of Deluge:
  1. Very lightweight — won’t take up much space on your hard drive.
  2. Offers a ton of advanced features for a serious user.

Cons of Deluge:
  1. Does not allow users to “force start” downloads that are in the queue.

8. qBittorrent for Mac

This torrent client was designed with the serious Mac user in mind. We’ve included qBittorrent in our list of the top torrent downloaders for Mac because it’s a great option for an advanced torrent user looking for tons of customizable features.

qBittorrent


Pros of qBittorrent:
  1. This app allows you to create your own torrents for other users across the world to download.
  2. It’s lightweight and ad free, and also compatible with Mac’s latest OS — Catalina.

Cons of qBittorrent:
  1. The user interface can be difficult to navigate for beginners, as this app was not designed with the inexperienced user in mind.
  2. It’s an open-source software, so bugs are not uncommon in Mac download torrent process.

9. Tribler for Mac

Tribler is a top torrent downloader for Mac that doesn’t rely on trackers to find torrents for you. A peer-to-peer tracker is a feature that coordinates your downloaded torrents’ seeding and leeching capabilities, so that other users can download them from you. Tribler tries to be a community-focused torrent client that allows users to connect to each other on a more personal level to share files.

Tribler


Pros of Tribler:
  1. Has an adult content feature that can be switched on and off.
  2. Allows you to preview your currently downloading files.
  3. Tribler is also compatible with macOS Catalina.

Cons of Tribler:
  1. You will have to bypass security protocols on your Mac to download this software as your computer will be unable to scan it for malware.
  2. The lack of tracker use means that files aren’t always downloaded from the optimal source.

10. BitLord for Mac

BitLord is a free torrent client for Mac that’s easy to use and has some cool features. It’s sort of a middle-of-the-road Mac torrent downloader that can be utilized by anyone from beginners to “professionals”.

BitLord


Pros of BitLord:
  1. Built-in browser to easily search for and download torrents.
  2. Allows user to play content that hasn’t finished downloading.

Cons of BitLord:
  1. Setup can be a bit tricky, as BitLord will request permission to make unnecessary changes to your Mac in order to optimize its own software that might not benefit other programs you run.
  2. Your Mac will give you a hard time about downloading it, as it’s unable to detect whether or not there is malicious software included in the package.
Thanks for looking at our selection of Top 10 torrent downloaders for Mac. And if you have a favorite of your own that wasn't mentioned here feel free to comment about it and what you like about it the most.

Frequently Asked Questions:


A “torrent” or “BitTorrent” is the common name for files that users share between each other via the Internet, such as pictures, videos, etc. This is commonly known as a peer-to-peer, or P2P, connection. Torrent sites are websites where users can upload their content in order to share that content with users around the world. Other users who own the same content can also provide “seeds”, meaning they can make their content available for download as well, so the user looking to get that content can pull it from multiple sources, making the downloading process much faster.
Instead of pulling content from one server, like a traditional Internet download, a torrent client pulls content from multiple servers and multiple users across the world and downloads it in bits and pieces until the file is complete.

You will need to download one of the best torrent clients for Mac listed above. Once you select which torrent client works best for you, you can set it as your default client, so whenever you click on a torrent link to download, your torrent application will automatically open.

To actually open the media file, after it has finished downloading, you’ll just need to locate the folder on your Mac that you created for your torrents. Or, you can do a spotlight search (click on the little magnifying glass icon in the top right hand corner, and search for the content you’ve downloaded.

Every user is different: some users want to download torrents everyday, while some just want to download torrents once in a blue moon. For either type of user, we believe that Folx is the best torrent client for Mac. The free version of Folx offers a multitude of features and is also very simple to use, no matter your experience with downloading torrents. The PRO version offers even more features, and is even simpler to use, as it allows you to search for, and download torrents within the application itself.
Folx
Requirements: OS X 10.9+ , 33.16MB size
Version 5.18.13943 (7th Apr, 2020) Release notes
Category: UtilitiesApplication
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