VPN vs Proxy vs Online Downloader vs Seedbox

No BS guide to the difference between VPN vs Proxy vs Online Downloader vs Seedbox. 

So, hopefully by now you’ve realized that it’s not a good idea to download torrents unprotected through your normal Internet connection. But there’s so much conflicting information out there about the best way to torrent safely.

Is it proxies? VPN? Seedbox? Or an online downloader?

While they all have their uses, in this article, we’ll compare them all to find out which one is the best option for torrenters like you. Keep reading for the results.

Proxy vs VPN for Torrenting

We’ll start off by comparing proxies and VPNs which, while having some similarities, also have some key differences.

As you can see, the VPN has more advantages over a proxy than vice versa. It’s much more secure and it’s much more versatile. Plus, it has many other uses, like bypassing geo-restricted content and more, depending what you’re into.

And while proxies do have some advantages – speed and price – even these are debatable. Cheaper proxies often have too many users, reducing your bandwidth. And by taking advantage of some of the great VPN deals out there, the price difference disappears as well, especially if you sign up for a long-term subscription.

On top of that, many of those VPN deals come with a proxy included for FREE.

Here’s a more in-depth breakdown of the proxy vs VPN debate, but really, this one is a no-brainer. A VPN is a much better option for safe torrenting, and it’s better at almost everything else too.

Seedbox vs Online Downloader for Torrenting

Next, we move to a comparison between seedboxes and online downloaders (sometimes known as cloud torrent services).

Of course, there’s not much of a comparison to be made, because a seedbox and an online downloader essentially do the same thing, with one small – but key – difference.

Both services allow you to download torrents remotely through their servers and then access your files through the service. Why is this good? Because it’s much faster and much safer than downloading the files yourself, even with a VPN.

These services have very high bandwidth, allowing you to download torrents in a flash. And although you still have to download (or stream) from their servers afterwards, it’s done through a secure connection, and it’s usually still much faster than downloading via a torrent client on your own device. You can also use them as a form of cloud storage for your files.

So, what’s the difference between the two? The seedbox, well, seeds. Once the files are downloaded by the seedbox, it will continue to seed them at a ratio of your choosing. They seed much faster than you could, and it’s much safer, as well. This is why seedboxes are especially popular in the private tracker community, which rewards users for seeding.

Of course, maintaining a proper seeding ratio is only necessary if you’re using a private torrent tracker. While it’s courteous to seed for public trackers, you won’t be limited or kicked off if you don’t. Heck, many people using public trackers don’t seed at all, once the file has finished downloading.

In short, the debate over seedboxes vs cloud torrent services is answered by one simple question: do you care about seeding?

If you do, get a seedbox.

If not, an online cloud torrent downloader will be more than fine for you.

VPN vs Seedbox or Online Downloader for Torrenting

This one promises to be a real doozy of a fight, since both VPNs and seedboxes bring some big-time advantages to the table.

VPNs are more versatile. In fact, we recommend that everyone use a VPN, even when they’re not torrenting. And this won’t break the bank, since you can get a subscription to a top VPN for as little as a few dollars per month.

However, downloading a torrent through a VPN is not as fast as a seedbox (or online downloader). And when it comes to seeding, it’s not even close: the seedbox wins easily. But the seedbox won’t protect you while you do other things online. It’s just for torrenting. For example, it won’t even help you access torrent index sites that are restricted in your country.

In short, if you have a membership to a private torrent tracker, do a ton of downloading, and/or have a slow Internet connection, a seedbox is a great option. If you don’t care about seeding but the other considerations still apply, get an online downloader account.

But if you only do casual torrenting or want to protect your identity and data while doing other online activities, a VPN is the way to go. Check out our recommended VPN for torrenting.

Wrap Up

So, there you have it. VPNs beat proxies and seedboxes beat online downloaders when it comes to torrenting.

But when it comes to VPNs vs seedboxes, serious torrenters will happily shell out for a seedbox to maximize their download speeds and seeding ratios while protecting their identity.